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"Damn it! That kid is really strong—he can't be human, can he?!"
"You never know. Didn't you see he has a tail? I've been out in the world for years and I've never seen a human with a tail."
Two Baroque Works members, supporting each other and limping down a side street, spoke with lingering fear in their eyes.
"Hey! What happened? Tell me."
A cold, sharp voice interrupted them. Vivi emerged from a nearby house, her expression stern. She should have been asleep, resting for tomorrow's voyage, but the noise of the pursuit had made rest impossible.
"Miss Wednesday!" The two Million-class members straightened up. To them, she was a superior executive. They recounted in detail how the town's forces had failed to capture Nami and had been systematically dismantled by Satori. They finished by saying, "Igaram and Miss Monday have already taken action. Those two won't be able to stir up any more trouble!"
"Oh? Is that so?" Vivi forced a cold smile, but her heart was racing. That child, Satori... is he really that powerful? But he's just a kid. If Igaram and Miss Monday get serious, will they accidentally kill him?
Vivi's kindness was her greatest strength, but in the ruthless world of Baroque Works, it was a liability. She hadn't yet realized that once they stole the group's money, there was no "kind" way out.
I have to see what's happening!
"Run Fast! Let's go!" She mounted her giant duck and sped toward the location.
In the alley, Satori stared at Igaram. The pieces were finally falling into place. "Hey! What's your relationship with the people who chased Nami?!"
"Does that even need asking?!" Nami blurted out, her voice dripping with venom. "He's their boss! He ordered the theft and the hunt!"
Satori ignored her, keeping his intense gaze on Igaram.
Igaram cleared his throat, nodding slowly. "Ahem... well, yes. What she said is correct. All of this was arranged by me."
"Why?" Satori's brow furrowed. The "good person" label he had given the mayor was shattering.
"The reason is simple: we are short on funds," Igaram explained as he and Miss Monday leaped down from the rooftop to face them. "You brought 30,000,000 Berries into our town. We didn't want to hurt you, but we were afraid of retaliation. We misjudged you—I didn't think a child could fight like that."
"Short on money?" Satori's anger softened into confusion. He scratched his head. "If you needed money, you should have just said so. We could give you some, couldn't we, Nami?"
"HOW COULD WE GIVE THEM MONEY?!" Nami shrieked like a tigress. "That is our treasure!"
"Not even a little bit?" Satori asked innocently.
"NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT!"
Satori turned back to Igaram. "You heard her. Nami won't allow it. You'd better return our money now."
Igaram and Miss Monday were baffled. They felt a twinge of guilt—how could they harm a child so pure? But returning the money was a death sentence. The organization already knew about the 30,000,000 Berries. If they failed to deliver, the Boss of Baroque Works would execute them.
Just as the tension reached its peak, Vivi arrived on Run Fast. "Oh? You haven't caught them yet? You're slow," she mocked, trying to keep up appearances. Igaram was relieved; an extra hand would help subdue the boy.
But then, a chilling laugh echoed from the alley entrance.
"Ya ha ha ha! I didn't expect to find you so quickly."
The group turned. Standing there was a woman in a yellow dress with a striped umbrella—Ms. Valentine—and a man with his hands in his pockets who looked like a rock star—Mr. 5.
"Mr. 5?!" "Ms. Valentine?!"
The faces of Igaram, Vivi, and Miss Monday drained of color. These were Officer Agents, the elite who only moved for the most vital missions.
"Why are you here?" Igaram asked, his voice deep with dread.
"We have a mission, of course," Ms. Valentine laughed. "We need some assistance."
"What is it?" Igaram asked. The uneasy feeling he'd had for days was now a cold reality.
"Just hand over Miss Wednesday's head to us," Ms. Valentine purred, her eyes locking onto Vivi. "Or should I say... Princess Vivi of Alabasta?"
Vivi's world collapsed. They knew.
Igaram's heart hammered against his ribs. He immediately stepped in front of the princess. "Princess Vivi! Run! We are no match for them!"
He knew the truth: the gap between a Frontier Agent and an Officer Agent was an abyss. His only choice was to fight to the death to buy her seconds of life.