Just as Zoro had guessed, most of Ren's actions were planned in advance. Vivi's arrival, too, had been foreseen and arranged.
The intelligence from Whiskey Peak was already clear to him—personnel setup, number of bounty hunters, even their deployment were all semi-transparent. So, when Ren left town for the cactus-shaped rock formation that served as a graveyard for pirates, he knew Igaram would inevitably react, taking precautions to prevent their cover from being blown.
And the most suitable person to handle that? None other than the swift-riding Vivi.
Her racing duck was fast enough to reach the site in moments, ensuring Ren and his companions wouldn't sense anything suspicious. Her beauty was undeniable—on par with Nami's—and though only seventeen, her figure already curved into a perfect hourglass, an "S-shape" that could stir envy from any woman.
Her social position completed the illusion: fine wine, a beautiful woman, and a touch of admiration—everything that could captivate a pirate's heart. Unfortunately for her, Ren was immune to such charms. He was waiting for Vivi herself, not what she represented.
"You—what are you talking about, Mr. Ren?" Vivi's hands clutched nervously before her chest, her gaze flicking aside.
"What princess? I'm just a brewer! Pirates do live such hard lives—you're already starting to talk nonsense."
Her eyes darted away—a liar's telltale sign—and her attempt to steer the topic elsewhere was clumsy at best. Ren couldn't help sighing; his carefully crafted image of a "decent man" was on the verge of cracking.
He decided to stop playing along. Sitting casually atop a tombstone, he crossed one leg over the other and watched Vivi's performance with quiet amusement.
As she spoke, her voice grew smaller and smaller. Eventually, she took a step back and waved behind her.Her partner, the running duck Karoo, obediently approached—loyal enough not to fail her at such a crucial moment.
"Trying to leave already?"
Ren reached into his Four-Dimensional Chrysanthemum and pulled out a Video Den Den Mushi, one he had recovered from the ruins of the Sixteenth Branch base after destroying it. He set it atop a gravestone, the creature's lenslike eyes beginning to glow faintly as it started recording—capturing what was about to become blackmail material.
Ren smiled faintly, his tone playful yet sharp. "No more explanations? You're not going to tell me you aren't the princess of Alabasta? That you don't have a father named Cobra, the king? Or that you didn't join Baroque Works to uncover the hand behind your kingdom's suffering? Go on—keep talking. The night's still young, and I've got plenty of time to listen."
Exposed.
Though she had no idea how, Vivi could tell her identity, mission, and secrets had all been laid bare. If this man were to contact Baroque Works, she'd be executed by that "Unlucky Pair" before she could even blink. The organization thrived on secrecy—her infiltration would not be forgiven.
Only one solution remained: eliminate him.
Behind her back, her fingers twisted open two small perfume bottles, releasing an invisible, scentless paralyzing gas toward her target with precise timing. Her face remained calm, feigning confusion and innocence.
"Mr. Ren, I really don't know what you're talking about. If you don't want to attend the banquet, then I'll just head ba—Karoo!"
Karoo reacted instantly. Vivi leapt onto his back, shrugging off her white coat to reveal a tight T-shirt stretched near its limit. Her ample chest pressed against the fabric, forming an almost hypnotic curve that could draw any man's gaze.
Ren appeared utterly still—frozen in place. The Video Den Den Mushi recorded faithfully, its eyes glowing as it captured the soon-to-be "black history" moment.
"Enchanting Perfume Dance!"
With practiced grace, Vivi brought her hands together in a steeple, twisting her hips rhythmically. Her ivory skin gleamed like polished jade, every movement irresistibly alluring. Her figure—especially her full, rounded hips—radiated a mature sensuality far beyond her years.
For seafarers who spent years on the ocean, this sight was an ultimate weapon. Even the coldest hearts would waver for a split second—and that fraction of time was all she needed to win.
From the perfume bottles, the last wisps of paralyzing gas spread. Even a powerful pirate captain would lose mobility under her special blend. To Vivi, Ren was already a helpless lamb ready for slaughter.
Except… he wasn't still. He was trembling—fighting something.
She saw his head tilt downward, his shoulders shaking. A suppressed growl came from his throat—had he lost his voice? Was he trying to scream? Move? Resist?
But it was useless—so she thought.
That's it? Igaram really worries too much. Vivi smirked, discarding the empty bottles and unclasping the pendant around her neck. The heart-shaped trinket unfolded, revealing her hidden weapon—Peacock Slashers!
The blades spun around her finger, forming a deadly rotating saw.
"What a pity, you seemed nice—but this ends here! Peacock Slasher!"
Karoo bolted forward with cheetah-like speed, Vivi's spinning weapon poised to decapitate her foe in a single pass.
"Interesting."
Ren's head snapped up. Before Vivi's astonished eyes, a sheathed sword materialized in his hand.
Click.
His thumb flicked the guard.The azure blade burst from its scabbard like lightning—BOOM!
Thunder roared. Blue light tore through the silence of the graveyard, flashing and vanishing in an instant. When the light faded, Vivi's weapon strings were severed—and so were her clothes.
A clean diagonal cut had torn through her T-shirt and shorts, slicing from the curve beneath her chest down to her hipbone.Her pale abdomen was exposed, the torn fabric ending just above the white outline of her underwear.
Ren's eyes narrowed. Fury surged within him, and in that instant, a monstrous aura erupted.
Wind howled through the graveyard, the air freezing over.Behind him, a massive demonic visage rose—crimson cracks forming twisted eyes, black fissures carving a screaming mouth.
Anyone of weaker will would have died of fright on the spot.
Even Vivi, who had infiltrated Baroque Works at seventeen and climbed to the rank of Officer Agent, was paralyzed with terror. Karoo fainted outright, foaming at the beak.
Backlash?
Ren ignored the two, his focus fixed on the demonic aura radiating from his blade. The Cursed Blade's spirit—a half-formed, red-eyed demon—glared back at him, resisting his control.
No matter how well he used it, he couldn't change its nature.It was an Evil Spirit Weapon—a sword that drank blood and remembered it.
After the massacre at the Sixteenth Branch, its hunger had only grown. The earlier "outburst" had been the demon's doing. It hadn't rebelled against Ren—but it had gone too far in its bloodlust.
Just like when Zoro first tested Sandai Kitetsu, the cursed blade acted on its own will, dangerously sharp beyond the master's intent. The spirit had lengthened the strike by a fraction—turning what should have been a harmless counter into a nearly fatal blow.
It wanted blood.
But Ren's cultivation—his control over Qi—allowed him to suppress it. He forced the demonic energy back, sparing Vivi's life by the thinnest margin.
This weapon… can't stay with me. I'll have to replace it soon.
Ren's aura pressed down, finally subduing the raging spirit. The red gleam in the demon's eye dimmed and faded away.
Vivi finally stirred, staring blankly at Ren as he sheathed his blade. Words failed her; all she could do was tremble. Karoo lay unconscious nearby, leaving her utterly alone before a monster she couldn't hope to defeat.
Should she beg for mercy? Wait for death? Or something else?
The sea breeze brushed past. Vivi shivered, clutching her chest and stomach, inching backward in helpless fear. Her composure was remarkable—any ordinary person would've gone mad by now.
"Ahem. Do you understand your situation now?" Ren asked, feigning calm with a casual cough.
"…If you're going to kill me, then do it."
Her voice trembled, but her eyes closed in defiance. At least if she died here, Igaram would live. The line of investigation would end, keeping Alabasta's people safe.
If my death can protect them… so be it.
"You're thinking," Ren said with an amused tone, "that if you die, that curly-haired mayor will be safe.What was his name again? Igarapoi? No—Captain Igaram of the Alabasta Royal Guard, right?"
The words struck like icy daggers. Vivi's entire body went cold—her despair complete.
Footsteps crunched softly over the gravel. Ren bent down, picked up the Video Den Den Mushi, and shut it off. Vivi didn't move, her voice flat: "So how are you going to kill me?"
"What a strange question," Ren replied, slipping the device back into his dimensional space.
"You really have no confidence in yourself, huh? With that charm of yours, it's practically overflowing. That little dance of yours—minus the comedy—was actually quite impressive."
"You—!" Vivi's eyes widened, trembling between rage, shame, and fear.
(End of Chapter)