Miss Golden Week watched, her pupils contracting to pinpricks, as Mr. 3 slumped into the expanding pool of his own blood. For the first time, a genuine, unguarded emotion flickered across her typically impassive face. The hand holding her paintbrush hung frozen in mid-air.
A top-tier assassin of Baroque Works, number three in the entire organization… eliminated in an instant? He hadn't even been able to withstand a single, casual attack from Leo?
"Leo, that was amazing!!" Vivi cheered, clapping her hands with gleeful excitement. In her mind, it seemed there was no enemy Leo couldn't effortlessly overcome.
Leo accepted the praise with a casual nod, then turned and walked over to where Miss Golden Week stood frozen. His eyes drifted to the sketch on her easel, a drawing that had only just begun to take shape. A faint, amused smile touched his lips.
"Should I take a seat for this?" he asked, his tone light.
Miss Golden Week's mouth twitched into a bitter, helpless line. What was the point? If Mr. 3 could be obliterated so easily, whether she finished her painting or not was utterly irrelevant.
"What do you want from me?" she asked, her voice tight with a nervous tension she couldn't suppress. The day she became a killer, she'd made peace with the possibility of death. She just never expected it to arrive so suddenly, so unceremoniously.
Leo looked at her grim, resolute expression and suddenly laughed. It wasn't a cruel laugh, but one of genuine amusement.
"Relax," he said, waving a dismissive hand. "I'm not going to kill you. Go make us a pot of tea."
Miss Golden Week blinked, stunned. But the command was clear, and the alternative was unthinkable. If she could live, who would choose to die? She moved mechanically, her training in etiquette taking over as she prepared a fresh pot of Earl Grey tea.
Leo took the proffered cup, sipped the steaming liquid, and raised an eyebrow in genuine surprise. "You make a good cup of tea."
Miss Golden Week awkwardly looked down at her shoes. The sheer absurdity of the situation washed over her. Just minutes ago, she had been sitting in this very wax hut, sipping tea with Mr. 3 and plotting Leo's demise. Now, she was serving him.
"From this moment on," Leo declared, his tone leaving no room for argument as he continued to enjoy the tea, "you are no longer an agent of Baroque Works. You are a member of the Leo Pirates."
"Join… your crew?" Miss Golden Week's gaze darted to Vivi and Miss Valentine. Was this how they had been recruited, too?
"Miss Golden Week, don't hesitate," Miss Valentine urged, stepping forward. "The Captain's power far surpasses the Boss's. And, oh… I suppose you should know. The man behind it all is Sir Crocodile, one of the Warlords of the Sea."
Miss Golden Week's eyes widened. "It's him?" The revelation was another shock. After a moment of quiet contemplation, she nodded. "I… I am willing to join your crew." It made no sense to throw her life away for a boss she'd never even seen, whose identity had been a mystery until now. The old saying was true: a living coward was better than a dead hero. Besides, both Vivi and Miss Valentine seemed… healthier, more vibrant, since joining Leo. Their complexions were better, their postures less strained.
"You have an Eternal Pose for Alabasta, I assume?" Leo asked, taking another appreciative sip of the Earl Grey. Her brewing skills were truly excellent.
"I do." Miss Golden Week moved quickly to a nearby basket and retrieved the navigational device, handing it over. It was a standard piece of equipment for any Baroque Works agent operating in the area. Without it, returning to Alabasta would be difficult, if not impossible.
Buru Buru~
Buru Buru~
No sooner had Leo tucked the Eternal Pose away than a sharp, insistent ringing came from the same basket. A Den Den Mushi was calling.
"Leo…" Vivi instinctively tightened her grip on his arm. For some reason, a cold dread settled in her stomach. Both Miss Valentine and the newly recruited Miss Golden Week also paled. Agents didn't usually contact each other directly. A call like this could only come from the Vice President… or the Boss himself.
"I'll handle it," Leo said, giving all three women a reassuring look before picking up the receiver.
The Den Den Mushi's face immediately morphed, a horizontal scar appearing across its left eye and a perpetually unlit cigar materializing in the corner of its mouth.
Crocodile. It was him.
The three women tensed, their breaths catching. This was their first, indirect "meeting" with the man who had caused so much suffering.
"Mr. 3," a displeased, gravelly voice emanated from the snail. "You've kept me waiting too long. I'm beginning to seriously doubt your competence."
Leo chuckled. He'd been planning to contact Crocodile eventually, but the man had saved him the trouble.
"Hello there, Crocodile," Leo said, his voice dripping with casual familiarity.
"..."
Silence stretched on the other end of the line. After a long pause, the low, sandpapery voice returned. "Leo? Is that you?"
Leo feigned surprise. "Well, well, Sand Croc. It seems your head isn't filled entirely with sand. Congratulations, you guessed correctly."
"If you're the one answering," Crocodile's voice was cold and analytical, "then Mr. 3 and Miss Golden Week have already been disposed of." He let out a dry, humorless laugh. "Kuhahaha... As expected, more useless trash. A complete waste of resources."
The callous dismissal, the sheer contempt in his voice, was perfectly mimicked by the Den Den Mushi's expression.
Beside Leo, Miss Golden Week's face turned ashen, then flushed with anger. Her small hands clenched into tight fists at her sides.
That despicable man! They had risked their lives for him, for an organization that offered no loyalty in return. And now, with Mr. 3 not even cold in his own blood, Crocodile had the audacity to insult them?
"CROCODILE, YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH!!" Golden Week screamed, her voice cracking with a fury no one knew she possessed.
"...."
"Golden Week? You're alive?!" Crocodile's voice held a note of genuine, if brief, astonishment. Was he hearing things?
Golden Week planted her hands on her hips, glaring daggers at the helpless telephone snail. "That's right! Disappointed?! Not only am I alive, but I've also joined the Leo Pirates!" She took a deep, furious breath, her small chest heaving. "You just wait, Crocodile! You wait for the Captain! He's coming to Alabasta for you! He's going to skin you alive, you overgrown lizard!"
Leo: "..."
Crocodile: "...."
A moment of stunned silence followed her explosive outburst. Golden Week stood there, her cheeks flushed bright red, breathing heavily from the effort.
Vivi and Miss Valentine stared at her, utterly dumbfounded. Then, slowly, they both raised their thumbs in a gesture of stunned respect.
That was seriously brave
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T/N :
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