Hancock dealing with this group of small fry was nothing short of overwhelming force.
The hundred-plus enemies before them were turned into stone statues in an instant under her "firepower coverage," each frozen in a different pose.
Turning back around, Hancock immediately threw herself into Leno's arms, seeking praise.
"Your Excellency Leno, your concubine has finished~"
"...Well done, Hancock~"
Leno wrapped an arm around her slender waist and pressed a light kiss to her forehead. As he casually glanced ahead, his body stiffened.
"Hm?"
"What's wrong, Your Excellency?"
Sensing something off, Hancock looked up in confusion and followed his gaze.
Next to one of the stone statues—slumped as if sitting—an umbrella was still shaking slightly.
Leno released Hancock, flashed forward to the statue, studied it for a moment, then called out to her.
"Hancock, restore this one. Our ship still needs a dessert chef, and I think she's perfect."
It was only after noticing the umbrella that Leno remembered: there was a girl called Mikita in Baroque Works.
If he remembered correctly, she was the user of the Kilo-Kilo Fruit, able to freely alter her weight. He wondered what the ability could do once fully developed.
She later opened a café, so she should be good at desserts, coffee, and tea.
Moments later, after Hancock lifted her effect, Mikita instantly revived—only to nearly die again on the spot from fright as she saw the people before her.
Seeing her petrified expression, Leno didn't bother wasting time.
"My ship still lacks a pastry chef. How about it? Interested in considering the position?"
His eyes drifted deliberately to the stone statues around them—an unmistakable threat.
Mikita looked at the group who had been alive moments ago and were now statues. Hearing Leno's offer, she didn't dare object.
She'd be a dessert chef, she'd be a dessert—anything, as long as she could live.
"I—I'm willing, Master~"
Leno raised a brow. This girl knew how to behave. Feeling the sudden heated stares around him, he coughed lightly.
"From now on, call me Captain."
Mikita shuddered and quickly corrected herself. "Y-Yes, Captain~"
Satisfied, Leno nodded and casually looked back at the girls behind him.
"Alright, that's done. Let's head back and rest. Running out here in the middle of the night is such a hassle…"
With that, Leno took the lead and walked off. Hancock hurried after him.
Nami and the others glanced at the countless statues, then exchanged complicated looks as Hancock clung to Leno.
As expected of the Pirate Empress—swift, decisive, and never leaving survivors. Truly her style.
And Leno, that bastard—still finding time to flirt at a moment like this!
With the problem finished, the group followed Leno back to resume their rest.
But halfway back, they ran into Olga, Kaya, and the others—apparently woken and sent to find them.
Only then did Leno notice the blue-haired girl among them—Princess Vivi herself.
When Robin saw Vivi, her gaze flickered, turning layered and meaningful.
As everyone's attention fell on her, Vivi steadied her breathing, walked forward, and suddenly dropped to her knees before Leno.
"Your Excellency Thunder God, please allow me to board your ship! I beg you!"
Everyone blinked in surprise. None expected the girl to make such a request, and they were curious about her reason.
"Oh? And why do you want to board my ship?"
Leno watched her in amusement. He wanted to hear what she would say, though he already had a guess.
With her personality and love for her homeland, there could only be one reason.
"I want to ask you to save my kingdom!"
After thinking it through, Vivi chose honesty. Before a powerhouse like him, lying would be fatal if exposed.
"Save your kingdom? You don't necessarily need to board the ship for that. If you offer a generous enough reward, our little money-grubber might agree."
Hearing Leno jest, Nojiko and Robin exchanged smiles. They knew exactly who he meant by "little money-grubber."
But… where was she? With all tonight's chaos, she should've shown up. Yet no one saw Nami anywhere.
Just then, distant yelling echoed.
"What kind of dogshit bounty hunter guild is this?! There isn't a single valuable thing in their whole storage!"
"A bunch of paupers! And I wasted my whole night for this…"
Seeing Nami march toward them grumbling, everyone fell silent.
Of course it was her.
They had just been wondering where she ran off to—turns out she'd gone treasure hunting. Judging by her face, she had found nothing worth taking.
"Huh? Why are you all gathered here?"
Arriving, Nami eyed the group clustered around a kneeling girl.
At that moment, Vivi spoke again through tears.
"I'll be honest… My name is Vivi. I am a princess of the Alabasta Kingdom…"
"Nani? A princess?"
Before Vivi finished, Nami stepped forward, grabbed her arm, and pulled her up to inspect her.
She never expected the girl to be a princess—same status as Reiju.
Nami then turned to Leno. "Big idiot, what's going on with this princess?"
"Oh, she wants us to save her kingdom~"
"I see…"
Imitating Leno's posture, Nami stroked her chin, her eyes rolling before she flashed Vivi a bright smile.
"Saving your kingdom, huh? We accept. But we have to make a contract!"
"Contract???" Vivi was stunned. They agreed this easily?
"Yes. A contract. We save your country, and you pay us two billion Berries."
Nami stepped beside Leno, patting his back proudly.
"You've seen big idiot's strength. Nothing is a problem for him!"
"A powerhouse like him—most people couldn't hire him even if they wanted to. Two billion Berries is a bargain!"
"Hey hey hey, Nami—my help is worth only two billion? You're underestimating me! My bounty alone is almost fifty billion!"
"Don't sweat the details. You only need to exert a little effort. Easy work. Isn't that right, Princess?"
Nami spoke matter-of-factly—until Vivi's expression darkened and she lowered her head.
"I'm very sorry… but I don't have that kind of money."
Nami's face froze. She immediately assumed Vivi just didn't want to pay and exploded.
"Why?! Aren't you a princess?!"
"How do you not have money?! Isn't Alabasta a superpower?!"