Rainbase Market.
Inside the dimly lit tavern, tables and chairs were shattered, and several large holes appeared in the wooden floor. A few blood-stained pirates, half their bodies stuck in the floor, their bodies entangled by black iron spears, bowed their backs and let out hoarse screams.
A woman with long pink hair, wearing a red military coat that revealed her fair, long legs, rested one hand on her cheek and held a glass of blood-red wine in the other.
A lit cigarette dangled from her luscious red lips, and her long, beautiful legs, clad in black high-top military boots, stepped on the head of a pirate who was mesmerized by her and pinned by black spears.
"Tina would like to know where all the Dance Powder you helped Baroque Works transport went. If you can tell me, you might suffer a little less."
The scar-faced pirate, tightly bound by black spears, lay on his back, his eyes wide, gazing at Tina's slender legs above her high-top military boots, his throat bobbing.
"Tina dislikes your gaze. It seems I won't get any useful information from you."
Tina brought the crimson wine glass to her red lips and took a sip, exhaling a swirling puff of smoke. She leaned down and, with her right hand in a black glove, smeared it across the pirate's infatuated face.
"Black Cage! Suffocation Punishment!"
Click, click, click, click!
Black iron spears shot from Tina's palm, forming a large black net that enveloped the pirate lying on the ground.
The iron spears contracted, sealing the pirate's facial features, completely encasing his head in black spears, leaving no gap.
Several Marine soldiers, their rifles slung over their shoulders, stood rigidly, indifferent to the scene.
"Tina heard that Rainbase's protector is the Shichibukai Crocodile. It's impossible for him not to know that Baroque Works is openly operating in his territory, buying large quantities of the prohibited item, Dance Powder. Or perhaps... Baroque Works and he are closely connected?"
Tina stood up, put down her wine glass, took the cigarette from her mouth, her eyes glinting as she pondered.
Suddenly, a short explosion sounded from a distant direction, making Tina's eyes instantly light up. With a step, her tall, voluptuous body vanished from the tavern, rapidly moving towards the direction of the explosion.
"Something's happening!"
Vivi's Escape and Encounter
On the long street, chaos reigned.
A large group of people armed with swords and firearms were chasing a small, disheveled girl frantically fleeing ahead.
"Catch her! Quick, catch her!"
Several burly Baroque Works members grinned menacingly, brandishing their swords, and lunged at Vivi, who was like a small lamb.
"Little girl, stop obediently and come back with me!"
Vivi gritted her teeth, running frantically while hooking her index finger into the peacock-feather-shaped chain-blade she held, rapidly spinning this peculiar weapon.
"Peacock Slash!"
The sharp chain-blade spun and whistled like a fanning peacock, slicing across the necks of several clumsy men with a swish, swish, swish.
Instantly, slice, slice, slice sounds echoed on the long street.
Several men clutched their slashed throats, their eyes wide with terror, screaming as copious amounts of blood spurted from their necks, falling unwillingly to the ground.
Meanwhile, the petite Vivi took the opportunity to weave through their falling bodies, dodging the bullets fired from behind her.
Bang, bang, bang!
Gunshots, like the roar of death itself, rang in her ears, making Vivi's heart leap to her throat.
She hadn't realized she could run for so long, so far.
The conviction to return to the capital, to save this suffering country, firmly supported this resilient girl, making her momentarily forget her physical pain and fatigue, repeatedly dodging her enemies' capture and attacks.
Escape!
Return to the capital, reveal the truth to the public!
Stop the war, save this troubled country!
"Oh my, you rude, smelly men, step aside for this humble self! How can you treat such a beautiful little girl so roughly?"
Suddenly, a strange tone echoed on the long street in front of Vivi, as if someone was speaking with a pinched voice.
Vivi looked up in astonishment and saw a man in a ballet costume, with heavy eyeshadow and lipstick on his face, revealing two hairy legs. He pointed his right foot on the ground, his body spinning rapidly like a top, turning from the front and rushing past her in a whirlwind.
Immediately, a series of muffled grunts and heavy thuds followed behind her.
Vivi didn't look back; she just ran headlong.
She recognized the man who had just rushed past her.
It was him, who, in front of her, transformed into her father, King Cobra, and shot an innocent boy in Rainbase!
Mr. 2 Bon Kurei!
Baroque Works' top assassin.
"My beautiful lady, why don't you pause for a moment for this humble self? Am I not charming enough?"
A gust of wind swept past her, knocking Vivi, who was running wildly, off her feet. She rolled clumsily on the ground a few times.
Bon Kurei, with ballet moves, spun back, grimaced at Vivi, and revealed a cunning, peculiar smile.
"Man, woman, it doesn't matter, because this humble self is a gender-free new human, wouldn't you say so? My dear daughter, Vivi."
His voice suddenly became old and deep, laced with the authority of someone long in a high position.
Vivi looked up in astonishment and saw Bon Kurei's face transform into a weathered visage, with wrinkles on his forehead and thinning, greying hair at his temples.
It was the face of her father, the King of Alabasta, Nefertari Cobra!
Seeing her father's face, an unspeakable surge of anger instantly welled up within Vivi.
She gritted her teeth, brandished the Peacock Slasher in her hand, and charged straight at Bon Kurei, who had transformed into Cobra.
The sharp chain-blade spun with a swish, swish, swish, darting out from Vivi's hand, extending four or five meters, and sliced towards Bon Kurei's face with a whoosh.
"Don't... use that face!"
Seeing the spinning chain-blade shooting towards his face, Bon Kurei, with Cobra's face, let out a strange cry. He frantically turned his head sideways, barely dodging the gleaming blade.
"Danger! Using such sharp weapons is truly too dangerous."
Whoosh!
With a thud, the ground shook. Bon Kurei's body leaped into the air, his two hairy, long legs stretched straight, and he kicked towards Vivi's chest.
"Violent girls aren't pretty, Princess Vivi."
Bon Kurei's right foot kicked, and the gust of wind it stirred up made Vivi unable to open her eyes.
Just as that powerful kick was about to hit Vivi's small body...
"Cage! Black Cage!"
A melodious shout came from afar.
Faster than the sound were two long, extending black cage fences.
Black fences shot from Tina's hands as she flew in with Moonwalk, coiling around Bon Kurei, who was flying towards Vivi.
Clang, clang, clang!
The two black cages snapped shut, emitting a dull boom.
The black fences fused and intertwined with each other, binding Vivi's body.
Bon Kurei, however, swiftly curled into a ball, spinning and screeching as he dodged out of the way in mid-air.
Tina frowned slightly. With a pull of her hands, she drew Vivi, who was bound by the black cage, towards her, shielding her behind herself.
Vivi was still shaken, staring blankly at Tina, who stood tall and slender in front of her.
"Marine..."
Click, click, click, click!
The black cages extending from Tina's hands separated, extending into a curved fence more than ten meters long on both sides.
With a cigarette dangling from her lips, she squinted at Bon Kurei, whose expression had become grim.
"Baroque Works' high-ranking member, Mr. 2 Bon Kurei?"
"Indeed, it is this humble self, beautiful Marine lady. Can I help you?" Bon Kurei cautiously retreated, warily watching the black cages extending from Tina's hands.
"You're under arrest."
"Black Cage!"
Clang, clang, clang!
The black iron bars extending from both sides, like two iron whips, were swung up by Tina, wrapping around Bon Kurei's body and slamming down.
"Strange ability, it must be uncomfortable to be tied up! This humble self definitely doesn't want to be caught! Bloom, gorgeous Swan Dance steps!"
Bon Kurei shrieked, tapping his toes on the ground, his body spinning like a top, quickly escaping from under Tina's black cage.
But he didn't flee. Instead, he spun his body, pushed off a wall of a street-side house for leverage, and shot towards Tina like a cannonball, kicking towards Tina's face.
"Hehe, sorry, Marine lady, this humble self still needs to complete the mission Mr. 0 gave me. If you can hand over that little girl behind you, everything will be fine."
"Toe Kick!"
"Iron Body." Tina expressionlessly raised her arm to block in front of her.
Bang!
Bon Kurei's toe struck Tina's left arm, emitting a dull thud.
Then, a fair, long leg, clad in a high-top boot, swept out like a whirlwind from beneath her loose military coat, kicking squarely between Bon Kurei's spread, hairy legs.
Thud!
Bon Kurei's eyes bulged from their sockets, and he let out a strange cry. His body flew backward with a loud thud like a batted baseball, knocking over a large fruit stand, and he lay on the ground, clutching his crotch and rolling around, his forehead covered in sweat.
"Awooo~, golden eggs... golden eggs... my golden eggs are shattered, awooo! Damn Marine woman~, this humble self will not forgive you."
Click, click, click!
Black iron bars whirled and whistled, raining down and binding Bon Kurei, who was still rolling.
"Got you, Bon Kurei."
Tina took the cigarette from her red lips, glanced sideways at the dazed Vivi, and exhaled a wisp of ethereal smoke.
"Tina just heard him call you Princess Vivi, so, can you tell Tina your true identity?"
"So... strong!" Vivi looked up, staring blankly at Tina, a sudden surge of hope rising in her heart.
She pursed her lips and quickly said, "I'm Neferta—"
Reinforcements Arrive
"Hahaha... A-choo! Nose Pistol!"
Boom!
A fierce burst of fire suddenly exploded in mid-air not far from Tina.
Rolling shockwaves blasted countless shattered stones, shooting towards Tina and Vivi.
Tina's face slightly changed. She grabbed Vivi, pulled her behind her, and spread her arms wide.
"Iron Body!"
Bang, bang, bang!
Splintered stones, shattered to pieces, pelted Tina's body.
Before the smoke and dust from the explosion could clear, a series of rapid bolt-action sounds echoed on the long street.
"Fire!"
Bang, bang, bang, bang!
Whistling bullets formed a dense barrage of firepower, overwhelmingly shooting towards Tina and Vivi behind her.
And among them, the roar of cannonballs was mixed in!
The dense, ferocious firepower made Tina's expression change.
She herself wasn't afraid.
But Vivi was also with her.
She couldn't withstand it directly.
Tina grabbed Vivi and retreated rapidly with Soru.
Boom!
A violent explosion erupted behind Tina, making her grunt as she retreated. Her face paled, and she spat out a mouthful of blood, staggering forward.
"Are you okay?"
Vivi, held by Tina, cried out worriedly.
Tina didn't answer, her speed increasing. She used Moonwalk to ascend into the air, rapidly darting towards the distance.
Whoosh!
At some unknown point, the entire long street of Rainbase was enveloped in hazy dust, turning the whole area yellowish.
The yellow dust stung the eyes, making it hard to breathe.
Tina, gripping Vivi and moving swiftly, had a grim expression, a strong sense of danger rising within her.
She felt a presence watching her.
There were still enemies around!
And they were very powerful enemies.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
The dust between heaven and earth whirled faster and faster, tiny grains of sand, carried by the strong wind, stung the skin when they hit.
Suddenly!
Amidst the swirling yellow dust, a wisp of sand twisted and swirled, forming a thin, sharp spiral nail that shot out with a whoosh, striking Tina's tense left shoulder.
Splurt!
Blood spurted forth.
Tina's left shoulder was pierced by the spinning nail, and the gushing blood smeared across Vivi's face.
"Lieutenant Commander Tina! Are you alright?"
"Requesting backup! Requesting backup!"
In the distance, the sound of Marine soldiers rushing forward could be heard.
At the same time, some Marine soldiers could be seen holding Den Den Mushi that had connected, shouting loudly.
Tina endured the sharp pain in her shoulder, her steps unwavering, as she carried Vivi across several hundred meters of the long street and rendezvoused with over a dozen vigilant Marine soldiers, continuing to retreat out of Rainbase.
Behind them, the dust that had enveloped the streets of Rainbase gradually settled, no longer spreading towards the retreating Tina.
Disordered footsteps came from behind as Bon Kurei, Mr. 5, and other Baroque Works members ran over, looking at a figure formed by countless swirling sands.
"Mr. 0, aren't we pursuing them? That little girl saw everything..." Bon Kurei said, looking at Crocodile.
Crocodile stuffed a thick cigar into his mouth, watching Tina and the others rapidly disappear, and slowly shook his head, his voice deep. "Send some people to harass them; just don't let them stop. What if she found out? There's no time left for her to do anything. As long as we get... the general trend is such that anyone who stands in our way will be crushed. Everyone, gather immediately and proceed to the capital to execute the final Utopia Operation plan. The Alabasta Kingdom is due for a new ruler."
In the scorching desert, Tina stopped, her face pale. She glanced at her pierced left shoulder, bit the cigarette in her mouth, and pulled out a yellow Den Den Mushi from her pocket.
This was a special Den Den Mushi used for emergency requests for aid from nearby Marine colleagues.
"Buru buru. Buru buru."
The Den Den Mushi rang a dozen times before it was answered.
"Hello, this is Rear Admiral Rorschach's Killion warship, may I—"
"This is Lieutenant Commander Tina of Marine Headquarters, stationed in Alabasta Kingdom. I am currently being pursued by Baroque Works and request Rear Admiral Rorschach's assistance. We are in the desert near the Rainbase oasis..."
(End of Chapter)
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