I stood there in the plaza, watching Vivi's eyes track the retreating vulture until it disappeared into the night sky.
The moonlight caught her face at an angle that made her look both younger and older than she probably was—the kind of expression people got when they realized their problems weren't going to be solved by a single big task.
'And here you thought saving the princess was the hard part. Turns out the hard part is everything that comes after.'
The ground beneath my feet felt solid—reassuringly solid after our impromptu aerial acrobatics. I cut the flow of Hamon to my cloak as I carefully set Vivi down, making sure she could stand on her own before releasing her completely.
Her legs wobbled slightly, but she managed to stay upright through what I suspected was pure stubborn determination.
"Thank you," she said quietly, her voice carrying that particular quality people got when they were trying to process too many emotions at once.
"For saving me. For... all of this."
She gestured vaguely at the sky, the distant vulture, the town, the general chaos we'd created in our rescue attempt.
'You're welcome' would be the polite response. 'Just doing our job' would be the professional response. 'Please never try to kill us with chemical warfare again' would be the honest response.'
"Don't mention it," I said instead, keeping my tone deliberately neutral. "Though I'd appreciate it if you could avoid trying to assassinate us in the future. Professional courtesy and all that."
Vivi's face flushed red, her eyes dropping to the cobblestones. "I... I'm so sorry about earlier, trying to capture you and all, and doubting your intentions when you were trying to help—"
"It's fine," I interrupted before she could work herself into a full apology spiral.
"You were doing your job. We were doing ours. Baroque Works' hospitality trap was actually pretty well-executed, all things considered. The sedative dosage was impressive."
'Though next time maybe lead with 'please help us' instead of 'let's drug and capture them.' Just a suggestion for future political negotiations.'
"Still," Vivi insisted, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. "I misjudged you. All of you. I thought pirates were just... criminals. Greedy, violent people who only cared about treasure and—"
"We are criminals," I pointed out, because apparently, I couldn't help but be pedantic even during heartfelt apologies.
"We do care about treasure. And at least three of us are definitely violent."
I gestured toward where Luffy and Sanji were landing nearby, the cook somehow maintaining his style despite having just fallen from the sky while glaring daggers at me.
"But you still saved me," Vivi said, and there was something in her voice—wonder mixed with confusion, like we'd violated some fundamental rule of her worldview.
"Even after everything. Why?"
'Because our captain is an idiot with a hero complex. Because our navigator saw a billion Berri. Because apparently, I've caught the same terminal case of reckless heroism that affects everyone who spends too much time with Luffy.'
"Ask the captain," I said instead. "I'm just the guy who does the practical planning. He's the one who makes the completely impractical decisions."
THUD! THUD!
Zoro and Usopp landed nearby, courtesy of Karoo's flying carpet. The swordsman stepped off with his usual grace, while our sniper basically fell off and kissed the ground.
"SOLID GROUND!" Usopp shouted, his voice muffled by cobblestones. "BEAUTIFUL, WONDERFUL, NOT-FALLING SOLID GROUND!"
'At least someone appreciated the basics. Though to be fair, after our motorcycle-turned-rocket stunt, I'm also developing a new appreciation for surfaces that don't move.'
"QUACK!"
The accusatory sound came from behind me, and I didn't need Mantra to know that Karoo—the ghost duck with the vendetta—had materialized fully and was glaring at me with the kind of intensity usually reserved for mortal enemies.
'Right. The duck. The duck I cut, blasted, and shot four times with healing bullets. I'm pretty sure we're not on good terms.'
I turned slowly, keeping my movements deliberate and non-threatening.
The duck stood about three meters away, then it got close and positioned itself protectively between Vivi and me, its eyes fixed on my face with unblinking focus.
Blood still stained its feathers from the earlier wound, though the actual injuries had been closed thanks to the Hamon bullets. But the duck clearly remembered who'd inflicted them.
"Karoo," Vivi called softly, moving forward to stand beside her companion. "It's okay. He... he saved us. Both of us."
"QUACK!" The duck's tone suggested it was not convinced by this argument.
'Yeah, I wouldn't be convinced either. "I know I tried to kill you, but then I healed you, so we're cool, right?" That's not how grudges work. Especially not duck grudges. Those are eternal.'
"Look," I said, addressing the duck directly, something I didn't know I could possibly be doing one day—having diplomatic negotiations with waterfowl.
"I get it. You're protective of the princess. That's your job. But if I wanted to hurt her, I had about fifteen different opportunities during the fall alone. The fact that she's standing here, alive and unharmed, should tell you something about our intentions."
The duck's eyes narrowed, which shouldn't have been possible given duck anatomy, but here we were.
"Karoo, please," Vivi placed a hand on the duck's head, her touch gentle. "He's telling the truth. All of them risked their lives to save us. You should thank them, not threaten them."
"QUACK! QUACK! QUACK!"
The series of quacks sounded distinctly argumentative, and I watched as Vivi's expression shifted from patient to exasperated to something approaching amusement.
"Yes, I know he cut you, but he also healed you, and if he hadn't, we would have died."
The duck made a grumbling sound that seemed to acknowledge this point while simultaneously resenting it.
'Healing someone who tried to kill you, who you then injured in self-defense, is apparently a complex emotional situation for ducks. Who knew? Actually, given everything else I've learned about this insane world, I should have expected this.'
"OI! GENIE DUCK!"
Luffy's voice cut through the tension like a rubber fist through common sense. Our captain bounded over with his signature grin, completely oblivious to the hostile standoff happening between me and the waterfowl.
"That was so cool!" Luffy's eyes were practically sparkling. "You can turn into a ghost and possess things! And fly on that carpet! Can I ride it? Please? I really want to ride the flying carpet!"
Karoo blinked, its defensive posture faltering as it processed this enthusiastic assault of questions and requests. The duck looked at Vivi, who shrugged helplessly, then back at Luffy, who was now bouncing on his feet with anticipation.
"QUACK?" The sound carried genuine confusion.
"He wants to ride you," I translated unnecessarily. "Or more accurately, he wants to ride the carpet you possess. Our captain has simple tastes—anything that flies, shoots, or explodes immediately becomes the coolest thing he's ever seen."
"Shishishi! Yeah!" Luffy agreed cheerfully. "So can I? Can I ride it?"
The duck made a series of sounds that seemed to be processing this request through whatever logic ghost ducks used. Then, with what could only be described as resigned acceptance, Karoo turned translucent and flowed into the carpet.
GLOW! SHIMMER!
The carpet came alive with blue light, rising from the ground to hover at about waist height.
"AWESOME!" Luffy didn't wait for further invitation. He jumped onto the carpet with both feet, his landing causing the possessed fabric to dip and stabilize.
"This is so cool! Oi, Hachiman! You should try this! It's like floating!"
'No. Absolutely not. I've had enough aerial adventures for one night. My feet are on solid ground and they're staying there until I have no other choice.'
"I'm good," I called back. "Some of us prefer gravity to be consistently in effect."
"Your loss!" Luffy laughed as the carpet began moving in lazy circles, Karoo apparently deciding that if the rubber maniac was going to ride, he might as well make it interesting.
WHOOSH! ZOOM!
The carpet suddenly shot upward, Luffy's delighted laughter echoing across the plaza as Karoo demonstrated that it could, in fact, still perform barrel rolls while possessed.
"THAT'S SO COOL!!!"
I watched our captain loop through the air on a ghost-duck-powered carpet and felt my headache intensify.
'This absolutely ridiculous crew. We just finished a battle with two Devil Fruit assassins, and Luffy's treating the aftermath like a carnival ride. I should be used to this by now. I am used to this by now. And yet somehow, it keeps surprising me.'
"Oi, duck!" Usopp had recovered from his own aerial experience and was now waving at the flying carpet with newfound confidence.
"That was amazing! You saved me and Zoro from becoming pancakes! Thank you! I, the great Captain Usopp, acknowledge your bravery!"
The carpet dipped slightly—Karoo's version of a bow, perhaps?—before continuing its aerial demonstration with Luffy.
Sanji had approached as well, his cigarette trailing smoke as he looked up at the flying duo with an expression that mixed appreciation with his usual culinary perspective.
"A duck that size," the cook mused, smoke curling upward. "You could prepare it so many ways. Roasted with orange glaze. Confit with crispy skin. Duck à l'orange with a nice reduction. Pan-seared, crispy skin, served with—"
"QUACK?!"
The carpet jerked violently, sending Luffy tumbling off with a surprised yelp. The rubber captain hit the ground and bounced twice before coming to a stop, still laughing.
"Why'd you do that?!" Luffy protested, but he was clearly trying to wipe his saliva, Much to the duck's apprehension.
[QUACK!] The sound was definitely panicky.
"He's not going to cook you," Vivi called out, though she was suppressing a smile. "Karoo, come down. They're our allies now."
Sanji blinked, then looked up at where Karoo had materialized, the duck hovering in the air with its wings spread and eyes fixed on the cook with unmistakable fear.
"Ah," Sanji said eloquently. "My apologies. Professional hazard. I see ingredients everywhere."
The duck descended slowly, still eyeing Sanji with suspicion, before landing beside Vivi and nuzzling against her shoulder in a gesture that was surprisingly endearing.
'Loyalty. The duck's loyalty to Vivi is absolute, even when injured, even when terrified. That kind of devotion doesn't come from training or duty—it comes from genuine care. They've been through a lot together.'
"Well, I suppose we should head back to the plaza properly," Zoro suggested, ever the practical one. "That hair guy is probably worried sick about you."
"Oh no!" Vivi's eyes widened. "I completely forgot—Igaram doesn't know I'm safe!"
'That's what happens when you nearly get assassinated,' I thought. 'Tends to drive other concerns right out of your head.'
Though I suppose we should reunite them before Igaram does something drastic like... actually, I'm not sure what a captain of the guard turned undercover agent would do in this situation. Start a one-man war against Baroque Works? That seems excessive, but then again, in this world, one-man wars seem to be surprisingly common.
We made our way back through the winding streets of Whiskey Peak, our strange procession drawing stares from the few bounty hunters who'd managed to avoid the carnage and were now peeking out from windows and doorways.
"QUACK QUACK!"
Karoo trotted alongside Vivi, occasionally shooting suspicious and fearful glances at the rest of us—particularly Sanji, who was still muttering about duck confit under his breath while trying to 'hit on' Nefertari.
"I'm telling you, orange sauce is too traditional," Sanji was saying to the clearly uncomfortable Nefertari. "What this magnificent bird would really pair well with is a reduction of cherry and port wine, with perhaps some thyme—"
"Cook-san," Vivi interrupted politely. "Can you stop discussing recipes? You are making Karoo uncomfortable."
As we emerged into the main plaza, I could see Igaram pacing frantically, his curled hair seeming to droop with worry. The moment he spotted Vivi, his face transformed from anxiety to relief so profound it was almost painful to watch.
And scattered around us, slowly regaining consciousness, were the bounty hunters we'd defeated earlier. None of them looked like they were in any condition to fight, but their presence added a layer of tension to the atmosphere.
'An audience. Perfect. Because having witnesses always makes negotiations more complicated. People feel obligated to save face in front of others, to maintain appearances and reputations. It limits tactical flexibility.'
"VIVI-SAMA!" he cried out, rushing toward her with surprising speed for a man with his injuries. "Thank the heavens you're safe! I was so worried—"
"I'm fine, Igaram," Vivi assured him, though her voice carried that slight tremor that suggested she was anything but fine.
"Thanks to Sorcerer-san and his crewmates."
Igaram turned to look at us, and I could see him rapidly reassessing the situation. His eyes lingered on me for a moment longer than the others, and I recognized that look—the look of someone trying to figure out exactly what to make of the people in front of him.
"Then I owe you all a debt of gratitude," Igaram said formally, executing a perfect bow that spoke of years of military and courtly training. "As Captain of the Arabasta Royal Guard, I swear that—"
"About that," Nami, who was sitting on the side of the plaza, interrupted Igaram, and I could practically see the Berri signs appearing in her eyes.
BLING!
If this were an anime, her eyes would definitely be sparkling with greedy anticipation.
"We had a deal, remember? One billion Berri for rescuing the princess?"
'And here we go,' I thought with a mixture of amusement and resignation.
'Nami's about to trigger the obligatory "poor kingdom can't possibly pay" sequence, which will lead to Luffy saying something stupidly noble, which will somehow result in us helping anyway, but with less money. I've seen this script before, and I already know how it ends."
Vivi and Igaram exchanged glances, and I could see the weight of their kingdom's situation settling on their shoulders like a physical burden.
"I see, that's what happened..." Vivi began hesitantly. "I…I'm afraid I must ask your forgiveness. While you got my complete gratitude, the truth is that Arabasta is currently in no position to pay such a sum."
"Can't?" Nami's expression didn't change, but I could see the calculation in her eyes. "Or won't?"
"Can't," Vivi confirmed, her voice gaining strength. "We don't have that kind of money. Our kingdom doesn't have that kind of money. Not right now. Not with..."
She trailed off, but the implication was clear.
'Of course. A kingdom in crisis doesn't have liquid assets to throw around. Whatever's happening in Arabasta has probably disrupted their economy, made it impossible to squander funds even if they exist. As expected, the promise was empty from the start.'
"I see," Nami said, and her tone was carefully neutral. "So, you made a deal you knew you couldn't honor."
"No!" Igaram's voice was hoarse but firm. "Please, let us explain our situation. You deserve to know what's really happening in Arabasta. What Baroque Works is truly planning."
I leaned against a nearby wall that was mostly intact, crossing my arms and settling in for what promised to be a long explanation.
'Because of course there's a complicated political situation. There's always a complicated political situation. Kingdoms don't deploy princesses on two-year spy missions for simple problems. This is going to be a whole thing.'
"Talk," Zoro said, his hand resting casually on his sword hilts. "We're listening."
Vivi took a deep breath, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. When she spoke, her voice carried the weight of two years of secrets and desperate hope.
"Baroque Works," she began, "presents itself as a criminal organization focused on acquiring wealth and power through bounty hunting and assassination."
"But that's just the cover story," Vivi continued. "What Baroque Works tells its members is that they're creating an Ideal Nation, those who are useful to the organization shall be granted high-ranking positions in this Ideal Nation by the Boss. The Boss goes by the codename 'Mr. 0', the lower an officer agent's number is, the higher their status will be in this ideal nation..."
'So, it is a pyramid scheme, huh. And a very crazy one at that. A scheme that is made for the criminals who want to turn their life around from sea waste into elites of a high society, and not any society, but one of an "Ideal Nation".'
Of course, it was easy to guess from the moment the bullshit title 'Ideal Nation' appeared, the whole thing was branded as a scam to me faster than you can fully pronounce it.
"Let me guess," I interrupted, already seeing where this was going. "The real goal is completely different."
"Yes," Vivi confirmed, her voice dropping. "The true objective of Baroque Works is to overthrow the Arabasta Kingdom. To create enough civil unrest that the country tears itself apart from within."
The silence that followed was heavy with implication.
"That's..." Usopp's voice cracked. "That's like a coup. An actual criminal takeover disguised as a rebel coup."
"More than that," Vivi said, and there was genuine fear in her expression now. "It's a systematic dismantling of everything that holds Arabasta together."
"How?" I asked, my analytical mind already working through the logistics.
"How do you destabilize a kingdom from within using a criminal organization? That's not a small-scale operation. That requires resources, coordination, and most importantly—inside help."
Vivi's expression darkened. "Drought."
The word hung in the air like a curse.
"For the past few years," she continued, "Arabasta has been experiencing an unprecedented drought. No rain. Crops failing. Water sources are drying up. The only place that still gets rain is Alubarna—the capital city, where the royal family lives."
'Oh, right. It was like that. But I have to say, that's clever. Diabolically clever. Nothing turns people against their ruling class faster than selective prosperity during a crisis. The optics alone would be devastating.'
"And the people think the royal family is hoarding water," I said, seeing the pattern clearly. "Or that they're somehow responsible for the drought itself. Putting all the blame on the Monarch."
"Yes," Vivi's voice cracked slightly. "They think my father—the king—has abandoned them. That he cares more about the capital than his own people. Rebel forces have been growing, and they're planning a complete overthrow of the government in Alubarna soon."
I pushed off from the wall, my mind racing through the implications.
"So you and Igaram infiltrated Baroque Works two years ago," I said, looking directly at Nefertari. "Princess of Arabasta, trained in combat and espionage, goes undercover in a criminal organization. That's not a decision made lightly."
I paused, letting my next question hang in the air.
"How did you manage it? Baroque Works isn't some local gang—they're organized, professional, careful about recruitment. How does a princess from Arabasta infiltrate without being identified?"
Vivi looked surprised by the specificity of my question, but she answered honestly.
"I received training from a specialized branch of the royal guards," she said, her voice taking on that quality people get when discussing classified information.
"They're called the Sand Vipers. Elite operatives who handle intelligence gathering, infiltration, and covert operations."
"How elite?" I pressed, because vague terms like "elite" meant nothing without context.
"They're trained from childhood," Igaram spoke up, his voice strained but steady. "Selected from military families, taught espionage, combat, and survival skills. The Sand Vipers are Arabasta's eyes and ears."
'A proper intelligence service. That's... actually impressive. Most kingdoms I've heard about rely on basic guard forces and maybe some court spies. This suggests Arabasta takes security seriously.'
"And you trained with them?" I looked at Vivi, evaluating her with a new understanding. "For how long?"
"Since I was twelve," Vivi admitted. "It was a rule for the next in line to be martially competent, but it wasn't obligatory for the females from the royal family. However, my father insisted that I had to do it."
"Smart man," I acknowledged. "So, you had professional training in espionage, combat, and—" I gestured at the chemical warfare equipment she'd used earlier "—apparently chemical weapons and assassination techniques."
"Yes," Vivi said simply. "Though Igaram supplemented my training personally. He taught me tactics, weapon use, and how to maintain operational security in hostile territory."
"From time to time," the royal guard confirmed. "I was Chief of the Guard for many years. I have... experience with these matters."
'Which explains why she was competent but not exceptional. Professional training combined with personal tutoring from a royal guard. Dangerous enough to be effective, experienced enough to survive, but not quite at the level of the Devil Fruit users we just fought.'
"So you had training," I continued, my voice taking on that analytical edge that made people uncomfortable.
"Professional training from people who know what they're doing. You learned infiltration, combat, and probably some amount of code-breaking and information gathering."
I looked directly at Vivi, and my next question was the one I'd been building toward.
"Why you?"
The princess blinked. "What?"
"Why you?" I repeated, my tone flat. "You're the crown princess of Arabasta. Heir to the throne. Your life is literally invaluable to the kingdom's political stability. And yet, instead of sending trained operatives—people whose deaths wouldn't destabilize the entire government—you went yourself."
I let that sink in for a moment before continuing.
"Your kingdom has an intelligence apparatus. The Sand Vipers thing you call. Igaram himself is clearly capable. So why send the one person whose capture or death would be catastrophic? Why risk everything on the princess going undercover?"
The silence that followed was profound and uncomfortable.
Vivi's expression shifted—pain, shame, and resignation all mixing together into something that looked almost like grief.
Igaram looked away, his face set in grim lines that suggested he'd struggled with this question himself.
"Because," Vivi said finally, her voice barely above a whisper, "we…the royal family…couldn't trust anyone…"
'There it is. The truth that makes this whole situation infinitely worse.'
Nami's sharp intake of breath told me she'd caught on, too. Her expression shifted from mercenary calculation to genuine horror as the implications sank in.
Zoro's hand tightened on his sword hilts, his expression darkening with understanding.
Sanji had gone quiet, his usual romantic enthusiasm replaced by grim understanding. Even he could recognize the nightmare scenario Vivi was describing.
"That's..." Nami's voice was soft, almost sympathetic. "That's why you couldn't use your intelligence service. Because you don't know which operatives are loyal and which ones are feeding information to Baroque Works."
"We don't know who," Vivi admitted, and there was raw pain in her voice. "Baroque Works has infiltrated our military, our government, and possibly even the royal guards themselves. We couldn't risk sending anyone because we didn't know who was compromised."
"So, you sent yourself," Sanji said, and for once his voice lacked its usual playful tone. "Because you're the only person you knew for certain wasn't a traitor."
Vivi nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
I looked at Luffy and Usopp, who were both staring at the conversation with confused expressions.
'Right. The direct approach for the ones who don't do subtext.'
"The Baroque Works have spies everywhere, even in the royal palace," I explained bluntly.
"People who've worked for the kingdom for years, maybe decades, are secretly working for Baroque Works. Nefertari and Igaram can't trust anyone because they don't know who's loyal and who's feeding information to the enemy."
"What?!" Usopp's voice climbed several octaves. "But that's—that's horrible! How can you work with people you can't trust?!"
"You don't," Igaram said quietly. "You isolate. You limit information. You send your princess into danger because it's the only way to guarantee security."
Luffy's expression had gone serious—rare for him, but telling. Our captain understood betrayal, understood what it meant when people you should be able to trust turned against you.
"We suspect infiltration," Igaram confirmed, his voice heavy with the weight of that admission. "Key operations have been compromised. Information that should have been secure was leaked to our enemies. People we trusted—people who served the royal family for years—have acted against the kingdom's interests in subtle ways."
"You don't know who," Zoro's said flatly. "You can't identify the traitors because they're good enough to blend in and maintain their covers while sabotaging you from within."
"Yes," Vivi whispered, and there was genuine pain in her voice now. "That's exactly it."
"So you can't trust your intelligence service," the cook said slowly, working through the logic. "You can't trust your military commanders, because they might be compromised. You can't trust your advisors or officials, because any of them could be feeding information to the enemy."
"That's why it had to be me," Vivi said, and her voice cracked slightly. "Because I'm one of the only people we know for certain who isn't compromised. Me, My father, Igaram, and a very few people. That's it. That's everyone we can truly trust."
'Or more like the whole kingdom is in ruins like that…'
"That's not fair," Luffy said, and his voice carried that particular quality that meant he was genuinely upset. "Having to suspect everyone. Not knowing who's really on your side. That's..."
He struggled for words, his face scrunching up with the effort of expressing complex emotions.
"That's really lonely," he finally said. "Being alone like that, even when you're surrounded by people."
'Leave it to Luffy to cut through the tactical complexity and hit the emotional core. But, being lonely while being surrounded by people, is it?'
That is… exactly what a loner like me feels like.
Vivi's eyes had gone suspiciously shiny, like she was fighting back tears. Luffy's simple observation had apparently hit harder than all my analytical explanations.
"Yes," she agreed quietly. "It is. It's very lonely."
I…could feel some emotions circling in me, but I had to put them aside for now, as I had more questions that needed to be addressed.
"The nobility," I said, and both Vivi and Igaram tensed. "How do they factor into this? In a crisis like this, with the kingdom falling apart, the nobles would typically be crucial for maintaining stability. They have resources, influence, and private armies in some cases."
I paused, watching their reactions.
"Are they still loyal to the royal family?"
Vivi's hesitation told me everything I needed to know before she even spoke.
"At first," she said carefully, "yes. They supported my father completely. But as the drought continued, as the situation worsened..."
She trailed off, but I could fill in the blanks.
"They're hedging their bets," I said flatly. "Taking a wait-and-see approach. Not openly rebellious, but not actively supporting the crown either. Positioning themselves to survive regardless of which side wins."
I clicked my tongue in annoyance.
'Worse than I thought. A kingdom with traitors in its government, rebels preparing to march, drought destroying the economy, and the nobility sitting on the fence waiting to see who comes out on top. That's not a crisis—that's a systematic collapse.'
"That's why I couldn't trust anyone," Vivi said, her voice gaining strength. "That's why I had to do this myself. That's why I sent Karoo ahead with the information through an independent channel—because I don't know who in our communication network might intercept it."
"Wait," Zoro said, his tactical mind catching something. "If you already got the information you needed—the Boss's identity—why didn't you just return home? Why stay undercover if you'd accomplished your mission?"
Vivi looked at him, and her expression was complex.
"Because knowing the Boss's identity is barely the key," she explained. "I need to know who the other officer agents are. What their specific plans entail. How they're causing the drought. When the final attack will happen? The identity alone isn't enough to stop them."
'Strategic thinking. She's right—knowing who your enemy is doesn't help if you don't know their resources, capabilities, or timeline. Intelligence gathering is an ongoing process, not a single revelation.'
"So who is the Boss?" Luffy asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. "You found out, right? Who's behind all this?"
Vivi's face went pale, and Igaram immediately moved to place a hand on her shoulder.
"We can't tell you," Vivi said quickly. "I'm sorry, but knowing his identity would put you all in danger. If Baroque Works even suspects you know—"
"She's right," Nami said, and I could see the fear in her eyes. "I mean, a guy who's planning to take over an entire country must be one incredibly dangerous person!"
"Exactly!" Usopp agreed immediately. "We don't need to get involved with a kingdom-destroying guy!"
"But don't you want to know?" Luffy asked, tilting his head with genuine curiosity. "I want to know who the bad guy is."
"No!" both Usopp and Nami shouted simultaneously.
"It is probably for the best," Vivi started, her face twisting with the effort of keeping the secret. "No matter how strong you guys may be,"
I watched with detached fascination as the princess's mouth moved faster than her brain, the words tumbling out before she could stop them.
"You'd be no match for Crocodile: A member of the Seven Warlords of the Sea!!"
The silence that followed was deafening.
Then—
"WHAT?!" Usopp and Nami screamed in perfect harmony, their faces going through several shades of pale.
"CROCODILE?!" Nami's voice cracked. "THE WARLORD OF THE SEA?! ONE OF THE SEVEN PIRATES SANCTIONED BY THE WORLD GOVERNMENT?!"
"We're dead," Usopp whispered, his legs shaking. "We're so dead. We're deader than dead. We're pre-dead."
"That's so cool!" Luffy's grin was impossibly wide. "A Warlord! I've wanted to fight one of those!"
"Me too," Zoro agreed, his hand moving to his swords with anticipation. "This just got interesting."
"Crocodile!" Sanji's cigarette nearly fell from his lips, his eye widening with what looked like genuine surprise mixed with excitement. "The evil guy who is making my dear princess suffer is a Warlord—"
"Interesting?!" Usopp grabbed me by the shoulders, shaking me with desperate energy. "Hachiman! Say something! Tell them how insane this is! We can't fight a Warlord! Tell them!"
I looked at our sniper's panicked face, at Nami's equally terrified expression, at the anticipation on Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji's faces.
Then I shrugged.
"We were going to be targets anyway," I said calmly. "We've brushed up against Baroque Works too many times already. Defeated their agents, destroyed their base, and saved their assassination target. They were going to come after us regardless of whether we knew the Boss's name."
"THAT'S NOT HELPING!" Usopp and Nami shouted together.
"It's true, though," I continued, my tone matter-of-fact. "Knowing Crocodile's involved doesn't change our tactical situation that much. If anything, it's useful information."
"Useful?!" Nami's voice hit frequencies that probably hurt dogs. "How is knowing we're on a WARLORD'S hit list USEFUL?!"
"Because now we know what we're dealing with," I explained patiently. "Better to know your enemy than stumble into them blind. Besides, it's not necessarily true that we'll have to fight him right now."
Both Usopp and Nami stared at me like I'd grown a second head.
"The man's trying to take over a kingdom," I said. "That requires his attention and resources. He's probably focused on that rather than chasing down random pirates who inconvenienced his organization once. We're a minor nuisance, not a priority threat."
"Yet," Zoro added helpfully.
"Yeah, yet," I agreed. "But that gives us time to prepare, to understand the situation and make informed decisions rather than blind ones."
"I hate that you're making sense," Nami muttered, though her expression suggested she was still far from convinced.
I turned my attention to Vivi and Igaram, who were watching this exchange with expressions mixing shock, horror, and something that might have been guilt.
"So," I said, my voice taking on that businesslike quality. "What's your next move? You have the information, you've been compromised, and you need to get back to Arabasta. What's the plan?"
Igaram straightened despite his injuries, his expression resolute.
"I have another favor to ask," he said formally. "Though I understand if you refuse, given what you now know."
'Here it comes. The escalation. Because of course, saving the princess from aerial assassination wasn't enough—now they want something more.'
"We need you to take Vivi-sama back to Arabasta," Igaram continued. "Safely, secretly, before Baroque Works can send more assassins. She needs to reach the kingdom and warn them about what's coming."
"That's a dangerous move," I said immediately. "No matter how you frame it. Transporting a high-value target through waters monitored by the organization trying to kill her? That's asking to be hunted."
I let that sink in before adding the obvious.
"And we're pirates. Why would we do that?"
The words hung in the air, blunt and unmistakable. Nefertari and Igaram exchanged glances, some unspoken communication passing between them.
Then Vivi stepped forward, her posture straightening, her expression transforming from desperate to determined.
"If it's for the sake of my kingdom," she said, her voice carrying royal authority despite her injuries and exhaustion, "if it will save my people from civil war and destruction, then one billion Berri is not too high a price."
'There it is. The royal proclamation. The promise was backed by nothing but hope and desperation. They're betting everything on the assumption that they'll survive long enough to pay us, that their kingdom will survive long enough to have a treasury.'
I looked at her evenly, my expression neutral.
"No, that was the price to save you just now," I said calmly. "A rescue mission against two Devil Fruit users. What you're asking for now is escort duty through hostile territory, potentially multiple engagements with Baroque Works agents, and direct involvement in a kingdom's political crisis."
I paused for effect.
"That's worth considerably more."
The reaction was immediate and varied.
Vivi's eyes widened with shock. Igaram's face twisted with indignation. Usopp looked like he wanted to sink into the ground. Zoro raised an eyebrow. Sanji's cigarette nearly fell from his mouth.
And Nami—
"HACHIMAN~!!" The navigator practically materialized beside me, hearts in her eyes, Berri signs replacing her pupils. "You really understand my heart!"
'Please stop. This is embarrassing for both of us. I'm trying to negotiate here, don't break my professional facade.'
"How dare you!" Igaram's voice carried genuine outrage. "You know how desperate our situation is! How can you ask for more when—"
"When a kingdom is on the brink of collapse?" I interrupted, my voice cold. "When you can barely trust your own people? When your economy is in shambles and your treasury is probably empty?"
I looked directly at the royal guard.
"Precisely because of all that, this becomes more expensive. Higher risk, greater involvement, more dangerous outcome. Basic economics."
"Oi! Shitigaya!! You're going to extort more money from a princess in distress?!" His voice climbed with outrage that would have been more impressive if he hadn't been saying the exact opposite thing five minutes ago.
'Oh, that's rich. Five minutes ago, Nami was doing the exact same thing, and you were falling over yourself to praise her "kind heart." But when I do it, suddenly it's extortion? Your double standards are showing, cook.'
"We're not a charity," I said flatly. "You made a promise first. We kept our part of the deal—we saved the princess. Now it's time for you to honor your side, or what pride would the royal family of Arabasta have?"
The words hit like a physical blow. Both Vivi and Igaram flinched, shame and pressure clear on their faces.
'Guilt is effective. Shame works when people have pride to protect. The royal family can't afford to be seen as unable to honor their commitments—that's how you lose respect, lose influence, lose the last threads of loyalty holding your kingdom together.'
"Oi, Hachiman."
Luffy's voice cut through the tension, and I turned to see our captain looking at me with that expression—the one that meant he was about to say something that would completely derail my careful negotiation.
"It's okay," Luffy said with his signature grin. "These people are good guys. I want to help them."
'Of course. Of course, you do. Because our captain's decision-making process consists entirely of "do I like these people?" followed by "then I'll help them" with zero consideration for practical concerns like payment or survival odds.'
I felt my eye twitch involuntarily. A headache was forming behind my temples—the kind that came from watching pragmatic plans get bulldozed by rubber-brained enthusiasm.
'And there goes any hope of getting proper compensation for this insanity. Our captain has spoken, which means we're doing this regardless of payment, risk assessment, or basic survival instinct.'
But before I could resign myself to our payless doom, Vivi moved.
She walked forward with deliberate steps, her posture straightening despite her exhaustion and injuries. When she reached Luffy, she bowed—not a casual dip of the head, but a full, formal bow that carried royal weight.
"I'm grateful for your kindness," she said, her voice steady despite the emotion in it. "But Hikigaya-san is right."
She straightened, turning to face me directly.
"We—as the rulers of a country—should take responsibility for our actions. My father always taught me that a royal family must honor its commitments, especially when asking others to risk their lives."
Nefertari's eyes met mine, and I saw determination there mixed with something else—respect, maybe, for someone who'd called out their desperation play.
"What price do you see fit?" she asked formally. "For helping me reach Arabasta safely, protecting me from Baroque Works, and involving yourselves in my kingdom's crisis. Name your terms, and if it's within my power to grant them, I will."
The plaza had gone silent. Even the groaning bounty hunters had stopped to listen to this exchange.
I looked at Luffy, catching his eye.
"Captain?" I asked, my tone making it clear this was his decision despite my maneuvering. "Is there anything specific you want from this?"
Luffy blinked, tilted his head in that way that meant he was actually thinking about something, then grinned.
"Nope!" he said cheerfully. "I just want to help them because they're good people!"
'Honest. Completely, utterly, impossibly honest. No hidden agenda, no ulterior motives, just "I like them so I'll help them." That's my captain—the most straightforward person you have ever seen, which makes him simultaneously the easiest and hardest person to work with.'
"Then—" Nami started, her eyes lighting up with mercenary calculation.
"We want full access to the Royal Library," I said quickly, cutting off whatever astronomical figure our navigator was about to demand.
The silence that followed was profound.
Everyone turned to stare at me—my crewmates with varying expressions of confusion, Vivi and Igaram with genuine shock.
"The... Library?" Vivi repeated slowly, as if checking whether she'd heard correctly. "The Royal Library of Arabasta?"
"Yes, full access," I confirmed. "Complete, unrestricted entry to all documents, texts, historical records, whatever you have archived. I want permission to copy anything we need."
"But..." Igaram looked genuinely baffled. "While it's true that Arabasta's royal library is one of the most comprehensive in the world, with documents dating back thousands of years, some even from around the Void Century. However, I'm surprised that a pirate would want something from books…"
He stopped, clearly reassessing his assumptions about what pirates valued.
"Knowledge is treasure," I replied simply. "Sometimes the most valuable kind."
I looked at Luffy, who was watching this exchange with his usual grin.
"What do you want to be?" I asked, already knowing the answer but wanting Vivi and Igaram to hear it directly.
"The Pirate King!" Luffy declared immediately, his voice carrying absolute conviction and zero hesitation.
The effect on Vivi and Igaram was immediate. Both of them stared at Luffy with expressions mixing shock, disbelief, and something that might have been awe.
"The... Pirate King?" Vivi whispered.
"That's right!" Luffy's grin widened impossibly. "I'm going to be the King of the Pirates! That's my dream!"
I watched the princess and her guard process this declaration—this impossible, insane, utterly sincere statement of intent from a teenager who'd just fought two Baroque Works agents in mid-air while using himself as a balloon.
"As you can see, my captain has a mad dream," I said aloud, my voice carrying across the silent plaza. "And not only Luffy—everyone in this crew has wild and impossible dreams. All of them require specialized knowledge that isn't easy to find."
Zoro wanted to become the world's greatest swordsman. Nami wanted to map the entire world. Usopp wanted to become a brave warrior of the sea. Sanji wanted to find the All Blue.
All of them required knowledge about sword techniques, navigation and cartography, tools and weapons, and distant lands, sea wildlife, and hidden seas.
'And for me, there are at least three specific texts I need to find.'
But if I could get access to Arabasta's full library, copy all the texts inside—including specific ones we needed, it would be invaluable.
I met Vivi's eyes directly.
"So yes, we want access to your library. Complete access. Because that's the kind of treasure that actually helps us achieve what we're trying to do."
The silence stretched for a long moment. Then Vivi smiled—genuinely smiled, not the polite diplomatic expression but something real and warm.
She turned to Igaram, who nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful.
"What's your dream?" Vivi asked me directly, her eyes curious and sharp. "What about you, Sorcerer-san?"
I hadn't expected the question, and for a moment I considered deflecting or giving some vague answer.
'I can't tell her the truth that I'm from another world, and that my dream is to collect enough Devil Fruits to power some kind of dimensional portal that my Stand might be able to create. It would be stupid if I did.'
"I'm a treasure hunter," I said, keeping my voice level. "So obviously, I want to find the One Piece."
It wasn't a lie—not technically. The One Piece was a treasure, and if it contained what I suspected it might, it could be invaluable for my actual goal. But it was a carefully constructed half-truth that wouldn't reveal too much.
Vivi's smile widened, and she looked at me with an expression I couldn't quite read.
"That's quite a big dream," she said softly. "A crew full of people chasing impossible goals together."
She straightened, her posture taking on a royal bearing despite her injuries.
"Then I agree," she declared formally. "Full access to the royal library of Arabasta, with permission to copy any texts you need. That will be your payment for helping me return safely to my kingdom."
'Okay, there's something else I need from her. Something as important as library access. But now isn't the time to mention it. First, we have to make sure her kingdom survives. Then we can discuss the other matter.'
Everyone smiled at the agreement—even Nami, though I could see her mentally calculating whether library access was worth more or less than a billion Berri.
'Probably less in immediate liquid value, but infinitely more useful long-term. Money runs out. Knowledge compounds.'
"Then it's decided!" Luffy declared, pumping his fist in the air. "We're taking you to Arabasta! This is going to be an adventure!"
"YEAH!" Usopp and Sanji echoed, though Usopp's enthusiasm sounded slightly forced—probably still processing the whole "Warlord wants us dead" revelation.
'And with that, we've officially committed to transporting a fugitive princess through hostile territory while being hunted by a criminal organization led by one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Standard Tuesday for the Straw Hat Pirates, apparently.'
But there was still one more matter to address.
I turned my attention away from the celebration, focusing instead on a specific section of ruined buildings to our left.
My Mantra had been tracking them for the last several minutes—multiple presences hiding in the shadows, listening to our entire conversation.
'With one side taken care of for now, it was time for my other plans to start moving…'
"So, what about you?" I said loudly, my voice cutting through the cheerful atmosphere like a knife. "What are you going to do now?"
The effect was immediate. The celebration stopped. My crewmates turned to follow my gaze, confusion on their faces.
"Hachiman?" Nami asked. "What are you—"
RUSTLE! SHUFFLE!
From behind the damaged buildings, a few figures emerged slowly, hands raised in surrender.
Mr. 9, Miss Monday, and several of the bounty hunters who'd regained consciousness during our conversation.
All of them looked worse for wear, their injuries from earlier still visible, their expressions mixing fear and uncertainty.
"How—" Mr. 9 started, his theatrical demeanor completely absent. "How did you know we were there?"
'Because I've had Mantra tracking every conscious person in this plaza since we returned. And maintaining situational awareness is the difference between survival and surprise assassination, for paranoia is a survival trait in this world.'
"I make it my business to know who's listening," I said simply, not bothering to explain the specifics of my detection abilities.
The hiding bounty hunters stepped forward more fully, and I could see the conflict on their faces. They'd heard everything—Vivi's identity, Igaram's true role, the revelation about Baroque Works' real goals, Crocodile's name.
"Well..." Miss Monday's soft voice carried across the plaza. "You called us out, so what do you want from us…?"
…
A/N: And here comes Cold-Santa-Colt! Holding with him his very late holiday gifts, looking very guilty!! (I got immersed, and the chapter was big)
But anyway, Thank you all for reading!! Hope you enjoyed this one!!!
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