The next day at noon.
In the distant sky above Whisky Peak, the Maxim was flying slowly.
"Hmm?"
Lin's eyes flashed. His Observation Haki spotted a graceful figure.
Without hesitation, he piloted the Maxim towards a location in Whisky Peak.
In a forest not far from the town, three figures revealed their true appearances.
Igaram, with his peculiarly curly hair, was eating grilled fish with Vivi and yellow-brown duck, Karoo.
Vivi's beauty was striking, and her figure was graceful, a perfect hourglass shape.
Her hair was a light blue, tied into a high ponytail, with two long locks hanging over her shoulders from each side of her forehead.
However, at the moment, Vivi was staring blankly at the grilled fish in her hands, finding it hard to swallow.
"Igaram... Tell me this isn't true."
"Hasn't Crocodile been helping Alabasta?"
"How could he..."
Vivi's voice was filled with disbelief.
If not for the fact that Igaram was the captain of Alabasta's royal guard, who had watched her grow up and whose loyalty was unquestionable, she might have thought he had betrayed her.
"Princess Vivi, even I can barely believe it, but it's the truth."
"That woman is Mr. 0's partner. Any information from her can't be wrong."
Igaram's face was filled with solemnity.
"Mr. 0, the man behind Baroque Works, is none other than one of the Warlords... Crocodile!"
"No... It can't be..."
Vivi lowered her head, clutching her hair weakly with both hands, her face collapsing in despair.
She even dropped the grilled fish to the ground without noticing.
Her disbelief came from the fact that Crocodile was a great hero in the hearts of Alabasta's people.
He had driven away the pirates who had come to cause trouble in Alabasta several times. She had never imagined that such a man would be the culprit.
At that moment, Vivi suddenly noticed that the ground in front of her had gone dark, while the ground in the distance remained bright.
She subconsciously looked up at the sky with Igaram.
A massive airship was flying overhead, heading straight toward them.
Just as she was about to stand in shock, a dazzling bolt of lightning suddenly struck down, growing larger and larger in her vision.
The next moment, Igaram was struck before he could react.
His limbs trembled uncoordinatedly.
"Ugh..."
As the current faded, his mouth opened wide, exhaling a cloud of black smoke.
When the current dissipated, he opened his mouth and spat out a puff of black smoke.
His golden hair was scorched black, and he fell straight to the ground, unconscious.
Karoo, happily munching grilled fish a second ago, also rolled over with his legs in the air, falling into a deep coma.
"Igaram! Karoo!"
Vivi's eyes widened, her face filled with worry as she stared at them.
"Don't worry, they're not dead, they're just unconscious."
Lin's calm voice caught Vivi's attention.
He controlled the Maxim to land on the ground nearby.
With a flash of lightning, a figure appeared before Vivi.
At the same time, his Observation Haki emanated, probing her thoughts.
"What... What are you doing? Why are you attacking us..."
Vivi looked at Lin fearfully while backing away and stammering.
"Miss Wednesday, or rather, Nefertari Vivi, I came here only to form a contract with you. Those two are unworthy of hearing our conversation."
The contract Lin proposed would surely be resisted by Igaram and the yellow-brown duck.
They might even risk their own lives to force Vivi to reject him.
To raise the chance of her agreeing, he let them sleep first.
After all, in situations like this, there was no need to resort to force.
"You actually know my name?!"
A hint of surprise flashed in Vivi's eyes.
She questioned herself, thinking she had never met him before, yet he had revealed her real name.
Doesn't that mean he knew her true identity?
"And... What contract?"
Lin said with a tone that left no room for doubt: "As long as you become my Divine Consort, I will help you overcome all difficulties and troubles you face."
"You... Even eavesdropped on our conversation."
Vivi felt a little angry, but didn't dare to accuse him too much.
She had some doubts about his abilities.
Divine Consort?
Calling himself a God, making such a bold entrance, could he really help her?
"Crocodile is one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, famous across the world. I don't even know your name. Why should I trust you?"
"Lin, that's my real name."
"My name is known throughout the Divine Kingdom. How could you mortals from the sea know of it? As for my ability..."
Lin chuckled while raising his right palm downward, bending it slightly, and then suddenly pressing down.
"Divine Judgment!"
The next moment, a massive pillar of lightning crashed down from the sky, striking the forest not far from them.
Leaving behind a deep, bottomless crater, with the air around it filled with scorching heat.
Lin's control was exceptional. The impact from the lightning bolt just barely reached Vivi.
A gust of hot air blew across her face, causing her hair to frizzle from the ionization.
Vivi stood dumbfounded, with her mouth agape, wondering if she was still dreaming.
She pinched her arm hard and found it hurt. This wasn't a dream... With such a powerful force, perhaps he could really help her…
"Crocodile? One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea? Nothing but a petty creature!"
Vivi, hearing his dismissive words, came back to her senses.
Her beautiful eyes stared at him blankly.
She pondered for a moment.
If sacrificing herself alone could save Alabasta, she would do it without hesitation.