The glow of the setting sun gradually faded, and night slowly descended, leaving only specks of starlight illuminating the desolate mountain.
Kai swung his Fangtian Halberd and glanced at the spot where Mr.5 had once stood in the distance, now just a scorched earth and a deep gully.
He pursed his lips, a hint of dissatisfaction in his tone: "How unsatisfying! To call yourself a strong one with just this much power? What a joke!"
Luffy raised his hand and excitedly said, "Then let's fight again!"
"Now?" Zoro leaned lazily against a large rock, a smile playing on his lips. "Can you even fight? Don't tell me you won't even be able to eat meat later."
"Who says I can't!" Luffy clenched his fists, his eyes burning, but then his stomach let out a loud "rumble."
He froze, scratched his head, and grinned, showing his white teeth: "Hehe, let's eat meat first!"
Kai looked at Sanji, who was half-lying on the ground, and seeing that he didn't even have the strength to stand up, he couldn't help but shake his head: "Alright, I'll do the barbecue today."
"Really?" Zoro's eyes widened, full of suspicion. "Can you do it?"
Kai ignored him and walked to the ship to retrieve the fish he had prepared earlier.
The fish was taken from the giant sea fish that Zoro had cut in half, its flesh plump and exuding a faint, fresh aroma.
He neatly placed several large pieces of fish on the huge grill and began to flip them with practiced movements.
Flames licked the fish, and sizzling fat dripped onto the charcoal, releasing a tempting aroma.
Kai's Fangtian Halberd wasn't idle either; he used it directly as a large spatula to turn the fish.
"Wow, it smells so good!" Luffy squatted in front of the grill, his eyes shining, drool already pooling on the ground, his mouth almost touching the fish.
"Hey! Luffy, don't get so close, the meat isn't cooked yet!" Kai tapped Luffy's head, a hint of helplessness in his voice.
Zoro leaned against the rock, his lips slightly upturned, and a trace of relaxation flashed in his eyes as he watched Kai and Luffy bickering.
He grinned and said, "Kai, your grilling skills are no worse than Sanji's."
"Of course!" Kai said proudly, flipping the fish, "Before, on the deserted island, I barbecued every day..."
Just as the group was gathered around the grill enjoying their meal, Nami pulled Vivi to sit down with them.
Vivi looked at the relaxed and pleasant atmosphere around her, her previously tense mood slightly easing, but her face still carried a hint of worry.
Nami handed her a piece of grilled fish, her voice gentle: "You should eat some too; we can talk after you've filled your stomach."
Vivi took the fish but didn't eat it. Instead, she looked up at everyone, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Have you... heard of a country called Alabasta?"
"Alabasta?" Nami frowned slightly, a little puzzled.
A complex expression appeared on Vivi's face: "It's one of the few countries called a civilized great nation, with a long history and rich land.
In the past, it was always a symbol of peace and prosperity."
"And now?" Nami's frown deepened, as if she had a premonition of something.
Vivi's gaze darkened, and her fists slowly clenched: "Now, Alabasta is facing civil unrest."
Vivi's voice had a hint of a sob, but her eyes were filled with determination:
"In recent years, riots have continuously erupted in the country, the conflicts between the people have become increasingly sharp, and the country has fallen into chaos.
I originally thought it was just due to ordinary livelihood issues, but then I heard the name of an organization—Baroque Works."
At this point, Vivi gritted her teeth, her gentle expression replaced by anger, her delicate features appearing even more defined by her fury.
She lowered her head, her voice full of hatred: "I discovered that this organization was secretly inciting the people, provoking conflicts, and plunging the country into endless chaos!"
"So you found a way to infiltrate it?" Zoro grinned, a hint of admiration in his tone. "What a bold princess!"
"Have you found out their objective?" Sanji, who had finally regained some strength, asked from the side, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
She paused, her voice tinged with anger and despair, "To seize Alabasta!"
"Seize a country?" Nami's eyes widened, her face full of disbelief. "Do they have that much power?"
Vivi lowered her head, her voice tinged with bitterness: "At first, I didn't believe it either.
But later, I found evidence that the mastermind behind this organization not only has such ambition, but also such strength."
"Who is the mastermind?" Luffy put down the fish in his hand, a serious look in his eyes.
Vivi's face instantly turned pale, and she waved her hands repeatedly: "You'd better not know! This is my own business, I can't drag you into it!"
"It sounds like we're afraid." Zoro grinned, a hint of disdain in his tone. "You dared to infiltrate such an organization, why would we be afraid?"
"Don't ask!" Vivi suddenly became agitated, a hint of pleading in her voice. "If you knew, your lives would be in danger!"
"Then don't say anything." Nami quickly waved her hand to interrupt, a hint of nervousness appearing on her face. "Someone who can seize a country must be an unimaginable trouble."
Before Nami could finish interrupting, Vivi said, "He is one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Crocodile."
"Seven Warlords of the Sea?" Luffy frowned slightly, as if he hadn't heard clearly, "Who did you say?"
"Crocodile!" Vivi realized she had let it slip and immediately panicked. "You shouldn't know these things..."
"Oh, so it's one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea!" Luffy's face instantly broke into an excited smile, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "He sounds really powerful!"
"Quite interesting." Zoro grinned, casually tossing the fish in his hand aside. "Seven Warlords of the Sea? Let's go meet him."
"Wait!" Vivi quickly waved her hands, her voice full of tension. "You have no idea how dangerous he is!
Crocodile's former bounty was as high as eighty million Berries; he is a legitimate pirate recognized by the World Government, one of the strongest in this world!"
Kai was slightly startled, then chuckled softly, a hint of nonchalance in his tone: "Only eighty million? Doesn't sound that impressive. But..."
His gaze sharpened slightly, and a hint of coldness entered his voice,
"A legitimate pirate? And he can plunder openly? The system of this world is truly interesting."
"That's why I said, don't provoke him!" Vivi looked at Kai almost pleadingly, "I'll deal with him alone, don't get involved!"
"Too late." Luffy laughed heartily, biting into his fish as he stood up, "Since we know, we can't pretend we didn't hear."
"That's right." Zoro stood up, stretched his shoulders, and a bloodthirsty smile appeared on his lips. "It's a good chance to see what level the Seven Warlords of the Sea are at."
"You all..." Vivi looked at the group, her eyes slightly red, unsure if it was from emotion or despair. "You really don't know how strong he is..."
Kai glanced at Vivi calmly, his tone placid: "It's alright; it's no big deal for us."
Vivi froze when she heard that. In that instant, her heart seemed to skip a beat.
Kai's stern face, calm tone, and unshakeable aura were deeply etched into her mind.
"Kai..." she murmured softly, her heart filled with gratitude and admiration, but she quickly suppressed her surging emotions.
The fate of Alabasta did not allow for her personal feelings.