Morning in the port city of Nanohana, Kingdom of Arabasta.
The sky was still a hazy gray. Fishermen hauled crate after crate of their morning catch onto carts, sprinkled the fish with ice, and pushed them off toward the marketplace.
The streets bustled with life — merchants hawked their wares in a constant chorus.
Alvida and Hachi walked along a weathered wall, steering a blindfolded Vivi — her head covered by a black sack, her arms bound tightly behind her — into a narrow, secluded alley, unnoticed by the ordinary townsfolk.
"Where are we taking her?" Hachi asked, curiosity plain in his voice. He still had no idea what their destination was.
"We just need to find a quiet place," Alvida replied confidently. "Mikita said Alabasta is crawling with Baroque Works informants. Word of our landing should already be out. They'll come to us."
"Oh…" Hachi nodded, though it wasn't clear if he truly understood.
Vivi had been silent for a while, weighing her words, before speaking:
"Alvida, Hachi — you can't hand me over to Baroque Works. You don't understand. Crocodile is not the kind of man who keeps his promises."
"No need to say more," Alvida cut her off with a shake of her head. "We follow the captain's orders."
Still, Vivi's warning planted a new seed of thought in Alvida's mind… especially when she recalled what the captain had said earlier.
Get ready.
Ready for what?
The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. The captain's plans always seemed to run in directions she couldn't predict.
"But—" Vivi tried again, only for Alvida to pinch her arm sharply, drawing a pained yelp.
"My dear princess," Alvida said coldly, "it doesn't matter what you say now. Save your strength and be quiet."
With her head still covered, Vivi couldn't see the path ahead. Guided only by Alvida's grip, she walked forward into an unseen future — one that felt just as dark and directionless as the sack over her head.
She fell silent again, sinking into dejection.
They avoided the busy market and main streets, weaving through back lanes until they stopped at a dried-up fountain.
Water was scarce here; the fountain had long since cracked and gone dry, filled only with dead leaves and rubble. The surrounding area was like a ghost town — not a soul in sight.
For a long moment, there was only stillness. Then, footsteps echoed in the alley. Someone was coming.
Alvida and Hachi both looked toward the sound, while Vivi, sightless under the hood, shivered. She could already imagine her fate.
She wasn't afraid of dying — only of dying for nothing.
After all, Igaram and the others had sacrificed themselves to give her a chance to escape… and now she was to be handed right back to Baroque Works by Davy Jones's crew.
Soon, a man and a woman appeared, leading a small group.
The man was short and round, his shirt oddly emblazoned with a giant capital "C."
The woman was older, dressed in a flamboyant floral dress, her high heels tall enough to make each step a precarious click.
"I'm Baroque Works' Mr. 6," the man introduced himself smoothly. "And this is Miss Mother's Day. We've been sent to make the exchange — cash for the princess."
"Let me check your money first," Alvida said warily.
Mr. 6 clapped his hands, and one of their underlings stepped forward, setting a heavy briefcase on the ground. He opened it to reveal stacks of banknotes, neatly packed to the brim.
"Your turn," Mr. 6 said. "Let me see her face."
Alvida removed the hood from Vivi's head.
The sudden light made her flinch and blink a few times before her eyes adjusted.
"It's her," Miss Mother's Day confirmed.
"Then let's complete the deal," Mr. 6 said.
"Hachi, keep an eye on her," Alvida instructed before stepping forward to inspect the case.
She carefully counted and checked the bills for authenticity, then closed the case, satisfied. Turning to Hachi, she gave him a slight nod.
Hachi understood, pushing Vivi forward toward the Baroque Works members, who took hold of her immediately.
The exchange was complete.
"Take her away," Mr. 6 ordered.
Two underlings led Vivi off. She didn't resist — she had no interest in wasting her energy on a futile struggle. Instead, she began thinking frantically about what she could still do next.
As Vivi disappeared down the alley, Alvida rejoined Hachi.
But the Baroque Works people didn't leave. They stayed in place — and Alvida could feel the weight of many more unseen eyes watching from the shadows.
"I'd love to say the deal is done and it's been a pleasure," Mr. 6 said with a grin. "But the boss gave us another assignment. If we complete it, we'll be promoted to 'Mr. 5' and fill the vacancy. So this is our chance to prove ourselves."
So it's true!
Alvida's unease solidified into certainty.
"At this very moment," Mr. 6 went on, "the Navy should be attacking your black ship at the port. Our job is to finish you two and wipe out all traces. Listen — you can hear the cannons from here."
Alvida tilted her head, and sure enough, the distant thud of explosions rolled in from the harbor.
She wasn't worried about the Terrifying Phantom. What concerned her was the present — she and Hachi were surrounded by Baroque Works agents.
More emerged from side alleys, swelling their numbers to roughly a hundred, sealing off every escape.
"Hachi — go!"
At her shout, Alvida drew the pistol at her hip and fired straight at the fat man and the woman in heels.
Bang!
They moved with surprising agility, slipping aside to avoid the shot.
A Baroque Works grunt behind them wasn't so lucky — the bullet pierced his head, dropping him instantly.
"Watch out for her gun!" Mr. 6 barked.
Alvida holstered the pistol and drew her spiked iron mace. Gun in one hand, club in the other, she battered down anyone foolish enough to approach.
Even sneak attacks failed — any strike that landed slid harmlessly off her slick, smooth skin, the gift of her Slip-Slip Fruit.
It was infuriating for her attackers.
Vmm—
Hachi unsheathed all six of his swords, one of them the renowned blade Kashu, gleaming dangerously.
With a sweeping motion, he unleashed Six-Sword Style: Sheath-Leg Phantom Slash. It looked like a wild flurry, but every strike found its mark, felling several foes at once.
The underlings swarmed like a tide, but their numbers meant nothing against his twin natural weapons — skill and reach.
"Let's take one of them down first!" Mr. 6 called, trading a glance with Miss Mother's Day. She nodded.
They decided to target Hachi — Alvida's slippery fruit made her far more troublesome, while Hachi was only flesh and blood.
Thud-thud-thud—
Mr. 6 began bouncing in place like a rubber ball, ricocheting toward Hachi.
Hachi barely slipped past the charge — only to meet the heel strike of Miss Mother's Day head-on.
Her high heels were forged from metal, the needle-point stiletto tips flashing as they aimed for his eyes.
Clang!
Hachi caught the attack between two swords, then brought his other four blades slashing toward her waist.
Shhk, shhk, shhk, shhk—
She was quick, but not quick enough. Four shallow cuts opened across her dress, staining the fabric red.
"Again!" Mr. 6 shouted, undeterred.
"Right!" Miss Mother's Day replied, forcing herself to ignore the pain as she launched another attack.
They came at him in perfect coordination — one in front, one behind — determined to overwhelm him.
Hachi showed no fear. Planting his feet, he raised Kashu and spun into a deadly vortex.
Six-Sword Style Secret Technique: Six-Blade Waltz!
The moment Mr. 6 and Miss Mother's Day stepped into range, they were swept into the whirlwind — a storm of steel roaring like a tornado.
Before they could comprehend what was happening, six blades became countless, carving through them in flashes of cold light.
Shhk—
Six cuts drew blood. The two collapsed at Hachi's feet, crimson pooling beneath them, eyes wide and glassy as the life drained from their faces.
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