"Not a bad expression at all."
Ren carefully observed Vivi's reactions, making sure she hadn't suffered some sort of psychological breakdown from that earlier slash.
Then he glanced over her disheveled state with a critical eye—and instantly understood the truth.
So that's what an hourglass figure looks like when freed from restraint.
He learned something new today.
But this was business.
Ren extinguished his stray thoughts. He had just taken a step when Vivi suddenly pulled out a peacock saw from who-knows-where.
"I won't let you get your way! You bastard—villains who throw countries into chaos never meet a good end!"
Face full of grief and fury, Vivi aimed the saw at her pale neck—ready to end her own life.
Yet under Ren's bewildered gaze… she didn't press it down.
"Pff—"
A suppressed snort of laughter pierced her final mental defense like a sharp blade.
Vivi froze… then radiated pure "social death" energy — the aura of someone who just wanted the world to end right now. Her entire body jerked up as she began wildly spinning the saw.
Then she screamed "DIE!!!" and charged at Ren like a complete freebie.
One second later—
Vivi was pinned to the ground, arms twisted behind her back, wailing in humiliation.
She already seemed to foresee the miserable "fate" awaiting her.
But—
Ren quieted her with one sentence.
"Why do you think I'm from Baroque Works?"
"You're… not?"
"No."
"How long are you planning to toy with me? If you're going to kill me, then kill me! I'll just pretend I got bitten by a dog!"
"I can tell you who the real boss behind Baroque Works is."
"!?"
"Not interested?"
"WHO!?"
"A man living in Alabasta… hailed as a hero after repelling pirates."
"…Impossible, the… the Warlord…."
Vivi's body stiffened.
How could she not know that man? A Shichibukai who had formed a contract with her father to protect the kingdom.
Even across the entire Grand Line, he was a figure of overwhelming renown.
Countless pirate crews had been wiped out by him—mountains of corpses paving the road to the "hero" status he enjoyed in Alabasta.
"Yes. And it's precisely someone like that who would attempt to seize a whole country, isn't it?"
Ren bluntly exposed the core truth.
"Otherwise, what would he want? A veteran pirate suddenly repenting, doing nothing but good deeds? All that effort just for justice? To protect people's smiles? To win gratitude?"
"Don't joke. He's a pirate."
"Y—you have proof?"
"Let me ask you—does Alabasta have more desert or oasis?"
"Desert, obviously."
"And the root cause behind the uprising?"
"Dance Powder! Someone used it to steal rainfall—but it absolutely wasn't my father!"
"That's not what I'm asking."
"?"
"The root is lack of rain. Crocodile is a Devil Fruit user—Logia-type, Suna-Suna Fruit, the Sandman.
He can freely control sand, turn his body into sand, and in a desert landscape he can stir up massive sandstorms at will.
If sandstorms regularly hit oasis zones, disrupting the climate, then a lack of rain becomes natural."
"What!?"
Vivi froze. In less than an hour she had taken in far too much information—her mind could barely keep up.
But soon, she realized the possibility was real…
If what he said was true.
"You want me to prove it?"
Ren leaned close, catching her expression. "But this isn't the time for you to make demands.
The secret I told you is worth a fortune. If you want more, do your part first."
With that—
Ren released her and stood up, settling himself on Karoo's back.
Vivi scrambled up, bewildered—only to notice his gaze locked straight onto her.
She looked down—and found her view completely blocked by a sheet of… radiant whiteness.
She was… a bit exposed.
"Ah!"
Vivi yelped, flipping her white coat around to cover herself, while secretly glancing at the man who looked vaguely disappointed.
"In the end… I still don't know if I can trust you. You're not from Baroque Works?"
"No."
"Right… that organization is all about secrecy. Members only carry out missions—none of them behave like you."
"But you know so much… your background definitely isn't simple."
Vivi stared at him.
"You're interrogating me now?"
Ren tilted his head, expression full of: 'Know your place.'
"N-no!"
Vivi waved frantically, cheeks flushed. "But I need to know who you are. Otherwise how would I know you're not lying to me?"
"Is that so? Fine."
Ren touched his smooth chin and decided on a persona. "Just a passing adventurer.
My only dream is to change this rotten world."
What an obviously half-hearted answer.
Vivi choked for a moment before muttering, "You're definitely lying."
"Is that really what you should worry about right now?"
Ren laughed softly. "Or have you already forgotten your fear from just now? Need me to remind you?"
"No!!"
Vivi's whole body trembled, voice dropping to a small whisper. "So… what do you want? You said there's a second part—what is it?"
"Mostly cooperating with you to finish tomorrow's act. I plan to destroy Baroque Works' base here."
Ren stretched lazily. "What I need is simple—keep unrelated people out of the streets tonight.
Then stay with Igaram and wait quietly. Wait for things to end.
Of course, you could also try using Baroque Works members to kill me.
Or escape with Igaram, that's also up to you.
If you think you can outrun me."
He shrugged.
"I'm just making one thing clear—I have the power to change Alabasta's drought, its civil war, and the predators eyeing it.
Your next reaction will determine my attitude toward you."
He turned and walked away without looking back.
Vivi collapsed onto the ground, staring blankly at his fading silhouette.
Behind her, a hidden ghost-like creature peeked from behind a gravestone before sinking back into the earth.
Obviously—
Ren had not left her completely unwatched.
In Ren's plan,dealing with Crocodile required caution—thus he needed the participation of the Revolutionary Army.
But the Revolutionary Army was notoriously elusive; Ren's group had no means of locating them.
Unless he gambled on the Dimensional Roulette—but he wasn't about to rely on something so unstable.
His hopes lay with Alabasta's royal family.
And Vivi—who had infiltrated Baroque Works for the sake of the kingdom—was the perfect entry point.
Why not use kindness?Because human nature is complicated.
In short-term contact, malice was far more effective than goodwill.
He couldn't expect himself to be like Luffy—maxing friendship points with a few simple sentences.He wasn't built for that.
Of course—
This was Ren's habitual thinking. Perhaps kindness could have worked. But that no longer mattered.
Everything now depended on Vivi's reaction. With the ghost keeping watch, nothing major would slip by.
Fleeing was the most normal choice—Ren had already prepared for it.
The other option—staying—was what he hoped for, but believed unlikely.
If she stayed, that would mean Baroque Works' influence inside Alabasta was even stronger than expected…
Strong enough that Vivi, like a drowning person, would cling to any drifting plank—him.
Not the information he offered, but the possibility of defeating Crocodile.
As a princess raised on the Grand Line, Vivi knew better than anyone how terrifying a Shichibukai truly was.
Crocodile's conspiracy—
Truth alone, or the royal family's power alone, would never be enough to stop him.
Ren knew this.
Thus in his forming plan: He needed to annihilate the bounty hunters of Whiskey Peak with high-pressure force.
Only then could he draw Baroque Works' full attention.
Then, on the next island, he would crush their senior agents.
The best-case scenario: Reduce Crocodile to a solitary commander with no subordinates.
Difficult, yes—But not impossible.
"Nico Robin, huh…? Baroque Works' structure seems exploitable.
For example—what if the boss became me?"
Ren's thoughts churned as his figure vanished into the night.
Night deepened. The lively banquet finally drew to an end.
Inside a small house, Igaram—summoned by Vivi—wore a stormy expression.
"So it really is that man… Crocodile…?"
"Wait, Igaram—we don't know if he's telling the truth!"
Vivi hurriedly warned him, terrified that he might fall into that frightening man's trap.
"No—this is possible. We've infiltrated Baroque Works for a year without discovering the boss's identity.
But from what its members can do, and the traces they leave…
Crocodile absolutely has the ability."
Igaram's face hardened. "We can't confirm anything yet. But we can watch what that man does next.
Ren said he'll destroy Whiskey Peak's base? Good. Let him try.
If he wipes out the entire base, that at least proves he's not part of Baroque Works.
And if that's true, Crocodile becomes much more likely."
"I… see. That makes sense."
Vivi took a deep breath—she understood.
Then Igaram abruptly stood up and grabbed her.
"What are you doing!?"
"You must leave. Let me handle the verification."
"No! Igaram, I won't abandon you!"
Vivi struggled fiercely. Afraid the commotion would draw attention, Igaram finally relented with a sigh.
"Leaving is the safest path for you."
He said it quietly.
(End of Chapter)