"Good morning."
"Vivi."
"You're working too hard."
"He just has too much energy," said Nami, walking behind Vivi, holding Nika in her arms.
"What's wrong with having a lot of energy?" Luffy complained.
Nami's expression stiffened. How was she supposed to answer that?
Maybe... perhaps... it was... fine?
Over there, Chopper and Carue, looking incredibly sneaky, had slipped into the kitchen.
"Come to think of it, we have another non-swimming idiot on the ship now..." Nami changed the subject.
"Well, I'll leave that to you, Nami."
Devil Fruit users were landlubbers; what could be done? Luffy could push himself in many areas, but this was one thing he truly couldn't do.
If only he could swim too, that would be fun.
He could just drag any Devil Fruit user he encountered into the sea.
"Hmph. Only if you pay," Nami huffed.
"You'd probably jump into the sea to save Luffy even if you had to pay him to let you," Vivi said, covering her mouth with a light laugh.
But she also felt a bit envious.
Everyone on the ship had their own role. What about her?
Unconsciously, she had already come to see herself as a member of the crew.
Her thoughts were also about how she could help Luffy. If only I could find a Devil Fruit too...
"I would not!" Nami hurriedly denied.
The Nika in her arms became an unintentional prop instead.
Nika, still clutching a bottle of alcohol in one hand—she'd been found by Nami in the liquor storage earlier—seemed to hear. She lifted her head groggily, took another gulp of wine, and slurred, "Hic... Ni can't swim either... remember to save Ni first."
With that, her head tilted, and she fell asleep against Nami's chest.
Not long after, the food-thieving Chopper and Carue were chased out of the kitchen by Sanji, wielding a knife, looking ready to turn them into emergency rations.
Vivi watched the lively scene on the deck. Although she wore a smile, the deep-seated worry in her eyes remained.
A nation in turmoil, a powerful enemy ahead. The uncertainty of the future weighed on her heart like a massive stone.
"Don't worry, Vivi. Look, we have two more nakama now," Luffy comforted her.
"Don't underestimate Chopper and Nika just because they look like that. They can really fight."
Luffy's arm stretched out, smoothly taking Nika from Nami's arms, intending to have Nika put on a demonstration.
Get bigger, get bigger, get even bigger!
Things didn't go as planned. Nika just looked completely unawake.
Vivi was somewhat infected by Luffy's optimism, forcing a smile. But her expression soon turned serious again.
"Luffy, we can't underestimate Baroque Works, especially Crocodile. He is one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, a true top-tier powerhouse standing at the pinnacle of the seas."
Her gaze unconsciously shifted toward Robin, who was sitting quietly reading a book not far away.
After the events on Drum Island, her feelings toward Robin had become much more complex. At the very least, she was no longer as wholly guarded as before.
Robin's current status was that of a prisoner. Having calmed down, Vivi had actually sensed a certain goodwill emanating from Robin. The initial intelligence about Crocodile had been unintentionally revealed to her by Robin in the first place.
Robin keenly noticed Vivi's gaze. She closed her book, her smile fading slightly.
"Captain Luffy should indeed be cautious. Princess Vivi's concerns are not unfounded."
"Crocodile is very strong. In his youth, he even clashed with that Sea Emperor, Whitebeard. Aside from himself, among Baroque Works' senior officers, several other characters require special attention."
Her words drew everyone's focus.
Sea Emperor?
Those from the East Blue had little impression of that title.
After a brief explanation from Robin, everyone understood.
They were pirates even stronger than the Seven Warlords.
"Sea Emperor, huh?" Luffy's interest was piqued.
"Let's not think about Sea Emperors just yet," Nami stopped Luffy's train of thought.
Otherwise, who knows if he'd get a brainwave and declare war on a Sea Emperor.
Robin then provided details about Baroque Works, more extensive than what Vivi had shared before.
First, the top level was the boss, Crocodile—Mr. 0.
Directly under him were twelve agents and one animal. Each was paired with a female partner for missions.
Robin elegantly crossed her legs.
"First is Mr. 1, Daz Bones, user of the Supa Supa no Mi. His entire body can become blades. He is a pure killer. His partner is Miss Doublefinger, user of the Toge Toge no Mi, capable of growing sharp thorns from any part of her body."
"Next is Mr. 2, Bentham, user of the Mane Mane no Mi. Once he touches someone's face with his hand, he can perfectly mimic their appearance, even their voice. He is a very troublesome character. He has no fixed partner, but his own skills are considerable, particularly proficient in New Kama Kenpo."
"The one we defeated on Little Garden was Mr. 3, the wax man, right?" Luffy asked.
"Correct. His partner is Miss Goldenweek." Robin paused before continuing.
"Mr. 4 and Miss Merry Christmas are both Zoan-type Devil Fruit users."
"And then Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine. These are referred to as the Officer Agents. All of them are Devil Fruit users, only deployed for truly important missions."
"Mr. 6 to Mr. 13 lead the regular employees, responsible for securing funds for the company, primarily around the entrance to the Grand Line."
"Mr. 13 and Miss Friday are the Punishers. Their task is to penalize those who fail their missions."
"Besides them, the organization has a large number of Billions and Millions agents. While their individual strength might not be high, gathered together, they represent a force not to be underestimated."
Robin's intelligence was detailed and clear, giving everyone a more concrete understanding of the enemies they would face.
If Crocodile knew about this, he'd probably cough up three liters of blood.
This information was practically more detailed than what he himself knew.
In fact, most of Baroque Works' affairs were handled by Robin. Her information-gathering abilities were unquestionably strong.
"Blades all over his body? That guy sounds like a good opponent," Zoro said, already excited.
Sanji, however, frowned at the mention of the face-changing Mr. 2, seeming quite averse to that kind of ability.
While they were still discussing, Merry's small figure hurried over, a hint of nervousness on her face.
"Luffy, it's bad! Lots of ships are coming toward us from the front and sides!"
Luffy looked in the direction Merry pointed.
On the horizon, dozens of black dots could faintly be seen rapidly growing larger, forming a huge net of encirclement.
Soon, the other crewmates gathered on the deck as well.
Vivi picked up a telescope for a closer look, her expression instantly turning grim. "They're Baroque Works ships. I can see their emblem."
"It looks like a fleet led by Billions agents. They seem to have been lying in wait in these waters."
"Seems they were waiting here specifically to ambush us," Zoro said coldly, his three swords ready.
"It's to be expected," Luffy said. "Since we're heading to Alabasta, we're bound to pass through these waters. Coming earlier is better."
"Everyone! Let's get ready for a big fight!"
***
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