Near Cactus Island, Coastal Waters.
On the back of a massive sea turtle, a woman with an air of profound mystery studied the sketches in her hands, her elegant brows furrowing slightly. The Unluckies—the sea otter and the vulture—perched beside her.
"So, this is Captain Leo of the Leo Pirates..." Nico Robin murmured to herself, her dark eyes analyzing the detailed drawings.
She had seen their bounty posters. A 30 million Berry captain and a 50 million Berry navigator. While her own bounty was higher, the reasons for that were... complicated, and she knew better than to equate bounty solely with combat prowess. The woman, Nami, was a confirmed user of the terrifyingly powerful Weather-Weather Fruit. Her own Flower-Flower Fruit wouldn't stand a chance in a direct confrontation.
"To have subdued Miss Valentine so easily... they are not to be taken lightly," she concluded. She had no intention of engaging them here. Her role was observation and information.
"Return and report this to the Boss," she instructed the Unluckies. With a silent nod, the giant turtle beneath her turned and began swimming with powerful strokes, carrying her away from the island and on a direct course for Alabasta.
Back at the Whisky Peak Hideout.
The chaos of the brief battle had settled. Kaya had used her Heal-Heal Fruit powers to mend Igaram's broken ribs and internal injuries, leaving the royal guard captain feeling miraculously whole again. Now, a revitalized Igaram was busy directing a few cowed, surviving townsfolk in cleaning up the aftermath—hauling away the unconscious bounty hunters and the charred remains of Mr. 5.
"That sea otter... it was actually drawing?" Nami asked, her curiosity piqued as she turned to their newest, most reluctant crew member.
Miss Valentine, still looking shell-shocked, nodded meekly. "They are the Unluckies. They act as both messengers and... enforcers for Baroque Works. Now that they've seen everything and are returning to Alabasta, they'll report it all directly to the Boss. Stronger agents will be sent after us. Mr. 1... and the others..." She shuddered, a fresh wave of fear washing over her. "Captain, we should leave now. Get as far away from this mess as possible."
The thought of facing the top-tier assassins of Baroque Works, especially the notoriously ruthless Mr. 1, made her blood run cold.
"Don't worry," Vivi said, her voice firm with a newfound confidence. She leaned comfortably against Leo's arm, a gesture that was becoming habitual. "As long as Leo is with us, he can definitely defeat Crocodile."
"Crocodile? Who's Crocodile?" Miss Valentine asked, her face a blank slate of confusion. Then the name registered. "Wait... the Crocodile? The Warlord of the Sea?!" Her hands flew to her cheeks in a gesture of pure, unadulterated shock. "You're saying our Boss is Sir Crocodile?!"
"Well, yes," Vivi replied, tilting her head as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Didn't you know?"
How in the seven blues was I supposed to know that?! Miss Valentine screamed internally, her mind reeling. She'd been working for a Warlord this whole time and had no idea!
Seeing her panicked expression, Leo let out a low chuckle. "To be fair, putting aside his title as a Warlord, Crocodile's estimated bounty is probably in the hundreds of millions," he said, offering a piece of context. Then he turned his gaze to Nami, a teasing glint in his eye. "But... Nami, you could probably beat him."
"Eh?!" Nami's eyes went wide, pointing a finger at her own chest in disbelief. "Me? Really?!"
Leo gave a definitive nod. "Crocodile is a Logia-type Sand-Sand Fruit user. And he has no Haki."
The simple statement hung in the air, laden with implication. Nami, no longer the naive girl from Cocoyasi Village, instantly understood. They were both Logia users, but she possessed the ultimate counter: all three forms of Haki. She could hit him, while his sand-based intangibility would be useless against her Armament-hardened attacks. It was a perfect, one-sided matchup.
Kaya, Makino, and the others immediately swarmed Nami, playfully clinging to her with exaggerated, helpless expressions.
"Nami, we're counting on you! You have to defeat Crocodile for us!"
"Yeah, Nami, you have to protect your little sisters!"
Nami looked at the dramatic display from her crewmates and couldn't help but laugh. She placed her hands on her hips, raising an eyebrow with mock bravado. "Don't worry, everyone! As long as... well, as long as Leo is here, I'm sure everything will be fine!" She finished by sticking her tongue out playfully in Leo's direction.
Leo simply shook his head in fond exasperation. "Alright, everyone, let's get settled. We depart for the next island as soon as the Log Pose stabilizes."
9:00 PM.
The Log Pose's needle had taken an hour longer than expected to set, finally locking into place with a firm, unwavering direction. Leo led his now-significantly-expanded female contingent—Nami, Tashigi, Vivi, Nojiko, Kaya, Makino, Carmen, and Miss Valentine (eight women already, he noted with some amusement)—back aboard the Going Merry to prepare for departure.
Igaram, meanwhile, had taken the Eternal Pose for Alabasta and set off ahead of them. His mission was to return to the kingdom and inform King Cobra of the recent developments and the impending arrival of powerful, if unconventional, allies. Leo was more than happy to see him go; he had no desire for any other males on his ship. Besides, he had another target on his itinerary: the enigmatic Miss Golden Week on the next island. Alabasta, crumbling from within, could wait a little longer. A few days wouldn't make a difference in the grand scheme.
He was slightly surprised, however, that Nico Robin hadn't made an appearance here in Whisky Peak as she had in the original timeline. He didn't know the exact reason for the deviation. The truth was, Robin had seen their bounty posters. Upon recognizing Leo and Nami from the Unluckies' sketches and cross-referencing their bounties and confirmed abilities, she had made the tactical decision to avoid a direct confrontation. Discretion was the better part of valor, especially when facing a lightning-wielding Haki user.
Amid the laughter and lively chatter of the women, the Going Merry's wings unfurled, and the ship lifted gracefully into the night sky, leaving the deceptive lights of Whisky Peak behind.
After a communal dinner, the women, sharing a unspoken understanding, gradually dispersed to their respective quarters or duties, leaving Leo and the newest recruit to their own devices.
Miss Valentine made her way to the small cabin she'd been assigned, her heart a frantic drum against her ribs. It was her first night on a ship with so many people, and the entire situation felt surreal and disorienting.
She hadn't even managed to close the door behind her when Leo entered, closing it firmly himself.
"C-Captain..." she stammered, her throat dry. She swallowed hard, her chest rising and falling rapidly. "Is... is there something you need?"
Leo looked at her, a knowing, almost predatory smile on his face. "You're not a child. Don't play dumb. A man and a woman, alone at night... what do you think I'm here for?" He was nothing if not direct.
Miss Valentine instinctively took a step back. Of course she knew, but this was so sudden! It was only her first day!
Leo wasn't concerned with timing or propriety. He reached out, his hand brushing against her arm. The contact sent a jolt, a mix of fear and unexpected sensation, through her body. She bit her lip. The reality of her situation crashed down on her. She had betrayed Crocodile. Her only hope for survival now was to tie her fate irrevocably to Leo's. To prove her loyalty, her usefulness, in every way he demanded.
Seeing the resolve solidify in his eyes, a strange calm settled over her. If this was the price of safety, of power, then so be it. In a sudden, bold movement, she snatched the fancy hat from her head and tossed it aside. She lifted her leg, planting her foot on the wall beside him, effectively pinning him in a reverse, dominant position. She leaned in, their faces now inches apart, a seductive, challenging smirk curling her lips. Her hand came up, and she gently traced his jawline with a single finger.
"Alright then, Captain," she breathed, her voice a low, sultry promise. "I'm in your care. Please... guide me well."
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T/N :
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