"Your Majesty, have some fruit!"
On the ship, Rangiku held a slice of melon between two fingers, bringing it to Oguro's mouth.
Her black swimsuit made her fair skin glow with a pearly sheen.
As she bent forward, the curve of her body formed a perfect wave.
Oguro was momentarily distracted when a pair of hands pressed against his shoulders.
Nami smiled. "Oguro-dono, let me give you a massage!"
Without waiting for a reply, her hands began kneading with effort.
Rukia Kuchiki frowned in frustration.
Her noble upbringing prevented her from being so forward, but she stayed close to Oguro, quietly teaching him about Kidō techniques.
"Your Majesty! Land ho!"
Yamada Hanatarō's voice broke Oguro's focus.
He rushed to the bow, while Rangiku behind him muttered in surprise, "What a strange island! It looks like a giant cactus!"
The island had no mountains—or rather, the massive cactus-like plants were the mountains.
"Cactus Island? This must be Whiskey Peak, then," Oguro realized immediately.
Once Rangiku and the others changed back into their usual clothes, the town along the riverbanks filled with countless residents, all cheering loudly at the approaching ship.
"Welcome, esteemed pirates of the sea!"
"Hail to the heroes of the ocean!"
Everyone nearby was dumbfounded.
Nami whispered in disbelief, "Oguro-dono, the Grand Line welcomes pirates this warmly?"
Oguro sneered. "Nami, remember this: flattery with no reason is either treachery or theft."
Nami nodded thoughtfully.
The ship soon docked. A man with golden curls approached, smiling.
"Greetings, heroes of the sea! I'm Icarlem, mayor of Whiskey Peak! Welcome! Here we have the finest wine and the most delightful music. Please enjoy yourselves!"
Rukia and the others exchanged glances but didn't refuse.
Since they already knew these people were up to no good, there was no need for caution yet.
Icarlem led them to the largest tavern in town, where a grand banquet was prepared.
Countless delicacies and exquisite drinks were brought to the table. Hanatarō glanced subtly and immediately recognized that some had been drugged.
Oguro gave a subtle nod to his companions.
They pretended ignorance, drinking and eating heartily.
The feast continued until late at night. Oguro was the first to succumb to the effects, slumping over the table.
As if triggered by a chain reaction, the others soon collapsed as well. In no time, the entire crew was out cold.
"Heh, a 100-million-Berry rookie pirate, and yet such a novice!"
A mocking voice sounded. Shadows emerged from the back of the tavern.
Seeing them, Whiskey Peak's residents immediately showed respect, stepping aside.
"Take them to the interrogation room! The boss said we must extract the information about El Dorado! After that, hand them over to the Navy for their bounties!"
"These people are worth over 200 million Berries! Don't waste them!"
At that moment, a soft laugh interrupted.
"So it's all about El Dorado! No wonder, even without a pirate flag, there's such a setup!"
Everyone was surprised and turned to look.
Oguro and his crew were already on their feet, fully awake and showing no signs of the drugs' effects.
"You found out? Looks like I underestimated you," the voice said calmly.
Oguro scanned the newcomers and recognized them immediately.
Baroque Works' officers stationed at Whiskey Peak had deployed in full: Mr. 8, Mr. 9, Miss Monday, and Miss Wednesday.
The one speaking was Mr. 9, who liked calling himself a prince.
But in reality, his partner, Miss Wednesday, was the true "princess."
Standing behind Mr. 9, her long blue hair framing a cold expression, was Miss Wednesday: Nefertari Vivi, first princess of the Alabasta Kingdom and descendant of one of the twenty founding families of the kingdom.
If not for her ancestors' decision to forgo moving to Mary Geoise, she would have been a true Celestial Dragon.
Vivi had infiltrated Baroque Works undercover to investigate Crocodile's plot.
She was strong-willed and responsible, though somewhat lacking in combat prowess.
Even if she discovered the truth, she couldn't stop Crocodile on her own.
Mr. 9 swung both his batons, sneering.
"You could have spared yourselves some pain, but since you woke up… we'll have to deal with you by force!"
He leaped forward, bringing a baton down hard toward Oguro's head.
"Willpower Bat!"
Clang!
Before Mr. 9 could land properly, a blade streaked across him.
The baton was cut as if it were tofu, and the cold edge of the blade pierced his chest.
Blood gushed from a gaping wound, and Mr. 9 collapsed instantly.
Rukia flicked the blood from her blade, disdain evident on her face. "Pathetic."
This display shocked everyone else.
While Mr. 9 wasn't one of Baroque Works' top fighters, only the boss or Mr. 1 could defeat him in a single blow.
Their strength far exceeded expectations.
"Attack together!"
Miss Monday reacted first, shouting as she charged at Rukia.
Mr. 8, the mayor Icarlem, activated a hidden machine gun from his curls, firing wildly at Oguro's crew.
Oguro grabbed Nami's waist, using a step-and-flash technique to move several times, exiting the tavern.
The three others were far stronger than him, untouched by any of the incoming attacks.
"Superhuman strength!"
Oguro stopped and faced Miss Monday as she descended, her massive fist aimed at his head.
Though female, her physical abilities surpassed most men. A direct hit would have incapacitated him.
Oguro barely moved, raising his left fist. Armored Haki instantly enveloped it.
"Armament Haki – Encircle!"
Meeting Miss Monday's punch head-on, he chose brute strength over finesse.
"Come on! I'll crush you!"
She roared, amplifying the power in her strike.
BAM!
Fist met fist. No fancy moves—pure raw power.
A shockwave radiated outward, raising meters of dust.
When it cleared, Oguro stood unmoved.
Miss Monday's eyes rolled back, and she was sent flying like a severed kite, far across the tavern.
***
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