"Ah! Beautiful lady! I am your slave of love!"
Sanji knelt on the ground, staring up at Vivi with a lovestruck grin. "Please allow me to protect you! Any barbarian who dares lay a hand on you will be crushed beneath my feet!"
"Hah?!"
Ronan's jaw nearly hit the floor. "Hey! Sanji! Did seawater get into your brain?!"
Even Vivi—his enemy—froze in place.
She blinked, staring down at the suddenly appearing love-struck idiot at her feet, completely dumbfounded.
"Huh? The Dizziness Perfume… it can brainwash people like this too? Since when did it have that effect?"
Still, an agent's instincts kicked in immediately.
A sly smile curled onto Vivi's lips as she pointed at Ronan and issued an order in a syrupy, cloying voice:
"If that's the case… then beat him up for me."
Ronan instantly felt a headache coming on.
"Hey, hey, hey—Sanji."
He slightly raised the ebony staff, the flow of qi already circulating into his arms, ready for this sudden case of "friendly fire."
After all, in his memory, Sanji really was the type to be swayed by a pretty face.
"You're not serious, are you?" Ronan's gaze turned cold, disbelief creeping into his voice. "You're really going to attack a companion for a woman you just met?"
"Shut up!"
Sanji took a hard drag on his cigarette. The crimson spark flared briefly in the darkness before fading.
Through the swirling smoke, his expression couldn't be seen—only his low, dangerous voice could be heard.
"In my code of chivalry… anyone who raises a hand against a lady is unforgivable. No matter who they are. Even you, Ronan!"
Hope ignited in Vivi's eyes.
Could this curly-browed man really be driven by her beauty to help her take down this terrifying enemy?
But just as the tension peaked—
Sanji suddenly deflated like a punctured balloon.
He turned his back to Vivi, shoved his hands into his pockets, and spoke to Ronan with complete nonchalance:
"However… if the woman herself is an enemy, then that's a different matter."
Ronan froze. "Huh?"
Sanji blew out a smoke ring, pointing casually behind him at Vivi, his tone as calm as if discussing dinner.
"I will never kick a woman. Not ever. I'd rather die. So this woman—she's yours, Ronan."
"Wha—?!"
The hope Vivi had just found shattered instantly. She stiffened atop the duck, letting out an incredulous cry.
What kind of logic was that? Dumping the problem on your teammate—that was your chivalry?
Ronan's mouth twitched. He lowered the ebony staff and shook his head helplessly.
"You idiot… at least you didn't completely lose your mind. Otherwise, I'd really have to help old Zeff straighten out your thinking—and loosen your bones while I'm at it."
Just as the awkward standoff eased a little, a heavy dragging sound broke the silence.
"Oi, Ronan. Curly-brow."
Zoro emerged slowly from the shadows.
In one hand, he dragged a massive body—no, two—like sacks of garbage, looking utterly relaxed.
They were Igaram, barely conscious and covered in blood, and the powerfully built female agent Miss Monday.
With a casual flick of his arm—
Thud.
Zoro tossed both bodies onto the ground in front of Ronan and Sanji. The dust kicked up made Vivi cough twice.
"What's going on?" Zoro glanced at Vivi on the duck, then at Ronan's exasperated face and Sanji's righteous expression. "You guys haven't taken care of this woman yet?"
"I saw a lot of noise over here. Thought it'd already be done."
"Yeah, there was a slight complication," Ronan shrugged. "Didn't expect the single-digit agents to be wired this strangely."
"Miss Monday! Igaram!"
Seeing her most capable subordinates and respected elder lying there like dead dogs, Vivi's pupils shrank violently. Fear instantly transformed into fury.
"Unforgivable… you pirates!!"
She screamed in anguish.
Her hands snapped apart, revealing an ultra-thin peacock chain looped around her pinky.
With a rapid flick of her wrist, the blade at the end spun wildly, forming a sharp, moonlit circle like a peacock spreading its feathers.
"Karoo! Charge! Peacock Slasher!!"
"Gaa!!"
Karoo—the so-called speed duck—seemed to be infected by his owner's emotions. He let out a piercing cry and charged forward, powerful webbed feet pounding the ground as he rushed toward Ronan and Zoro with unstoppable momentum.
For that instant, the wind howled like a warrior's lament.
However—
Three seconds later.
Just as Karoo was about to reach Ronan, who had already raised his hand to teach the duck a lesson—
"Skree—!!"
A sharp braking sound screeched through the air.
Under the stunned, are-you-serious gazes of Ronan, Zoro, and Sanji—
The once-ferocious duck, three meters from Ronan, suddenly looked like it had seen a ghost.
Its eyes bulged. Its legs flailed madly.
And it performed a perfect ninety-degree turn.
Avoiding Ronan and Zoro entirely, it carried the still-chain-swinging Vivi like a runaway torpedo straight toward a nearby stone house.
"Huh?! Karoo?! Wrong way! That's a wall—"
"BOOM—!!"
A deafening crash echoed as dust exploded into the air.
One girl and one duck slammed into the stone wall, leaving behind a human-shaped dent and a duck-shaped dent.
Vivi rolled down the wall with her eyes spinning white. Karoo kicked twice, foamed at the mouth, and collapsed beside her.
Dead silence.
The sea breeze swept past, carrying a few dry leaves with it.
"…What a farce," Ronan muttered, pressing a hand to his temple.
Zoro sheathed his swords, utterly speechless. "That duck… is it here for comic relief?"
"No."
Ronan narrowed his eyes, watching the duck twitch faintly.
"This is animal instinct. Better to play dumb and knock yourself out than rush in to die."
"In a way, that duck is smarter than its owner."
Just then, an eerie whistling sound tore through the air.
High above, a massive vulture spiraled down.
On its back rode a sea otter wearing a flashy spotted outfit and sunglasses.
The otter held a sketchbook, scribbling rapidly as it looked down at the battlefield.
"That's—"
Igaram, barely conscious, forced his swollen eyes open. The moment he saw them, his face went deathly pale.
"The Unluckies… Mr.13 and Miss Friday! Why are they here?!"
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