Chapter 37: A Good Show (Part 2)
Assisted by Apollo's technique, the chaotic scene below unfolded with crystal clarity in Nami's eyes. She pieced together the fragments of conversation and realized Miss Wednesday's true identity: she was Princess Vivi of Alabasta.
Confusion clouded her gaze. "So, she's a princess? But why would royalty infiltrate a criminal syndicate?"
"There's always a reason," Apollo murmured, his gaze drifting downward, lost in thought.
Vivi was no ordinary princess.
Eight hundred years ago, twenty kings united to form what would become the World Government.
These founding monarchs relocated to the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, and their descendants became the "Celestial Dragons"—the self-proclaimed gods of the world.
The Nefertari family was the sole exception. They refused to leave their homeland, choosing to remain in Alabasta as mortal rulers rather than ascend to godhood.
But Alabasta held a darker secret. It was rumored to be the resting place of Pluton, one of the three Ancient Weapons capable of destroying the world.
Apollo recalled the future trajectory of this world. He remembered a scene from the original timeline: during the Reverie, the mysterious ruler of the world, Imu, sat upon the Empty Throne holding destroyed posters and photos.
There was Luffy, the Son of Destiny and inheritor of the Will of D. There was Shirahoshi, the incarnation of Poseidon. And there was Vivi.
For Vivi to be targeted alongside two figures capable of overturning the world order suggested she held a significance far beyond just being a princess.
Was it related to Pluton? Or was it something regarding the Nefertari bloodline itself? Apollo couldn't help but speculate.
"What are you thinking about?"
Nami's voice snapped him out of his reverie. She was staring at him, her large eyes sparkling with a mischievous—and familiar—light. She giggled. "I have a great idea."
Apollo didn't even need to use his Divine Sense to know what she was thinking. He chuckled. "Save the princess, earn a commission?"
"Hehe, you guessed right!"
Nami's eyes seemed to transform into Berry symbols. "She's the princess of a major kingdom, and she's being hunted down right now. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! If we save her life, we'll definitely get a huge reward. I've done the math—we don't need too much, one billion Berries should suffice!"
Apollo was speechless. "Nami, snap out of it! Think about it logically. Would a princess who had to personally infiltrate a criminal organization have that kind of liquidity?"
Nami was usually the voice of reason on the ship, but whenever money was involved, her IQ seemed to plummet to zero.
"That... makes sense." Nami calmed down for a split second before the excitement surged back. "But did you hear them earlier? Her guard mentioned a 'huge reward'!"
"I heard it," Apollo said, sounding exasperated.
Down below, Vivi's guardian, Igaram—currently dressed as a ridiculous woman—had begged Zoro for help, promising a massive payout for Vivi's safety. Those words had clearly touched Nami's soul.
Just then, another unexpected event occurred. Luffy suddenly burst onto the scene, confused and angry, and immediately started fighting Zoro.
Nami's face darkened instantly. She glared at the dust cloud below. "Those two idiots! If they make my billion Berries disappear, I'll kill them! Apollo, forget about them. Let's go save the princess quickly!"
Apollo shook his head. "No, knowing those two, something bad might actually happen if they keep going. How about this: you go stop the idiots, and I'll handle the princess."
"That's the only way," Nami sighed. She grabbed his arm, her expression deadly serious. "You absolutely must not forget to negotiate the price. Get it in writing if you can."
Apollo waved his hand dismissively and leaped from the roof, gliding toward Vivi's location.
At that moment, Vivi was riding her spot-billed duck, Karoo, galloping wildly through the streets in a desperate attempt to escape.
Suddenly, her vision blurred. A tall figure materialized out of thin air directly in her path.
"Watch out!"
She screamed a warning, hauling back on the reins to make Karoo slow down.
Unfortunately, the distance was too short. Even though Karoo tried to brake, digging his claws into the dirt, momentum carried them forward. They crashed head-on into the figure.
Unlike what Vivi expected, the person wasn't sent flying. It felt less like hitting a human and more like crashing into a solid iron wall.
Thud.
Karoo squawked dizzily from the impact, swaying before collapsing to the ground.
Vivi rubbed her aching forehead and looked up. Her pupils constricted in recognition. "It's you!"
Apollo observed her for two seconds, then nodded approvingly. "You look better this way. That previous hairstyle—the ponytail—was hideous."
Hairstyle... hideous?
Vivi stared at him, stunned. Was this really the time to be critiquing her fashion choices? And why was this man here?
Thump, thump... thump, thump...
Two sets of footsteps echoed from the darkness behind her, getting closer with every second.
Vivi's face paled. She scrambled to her feet, pulling out her peacock string slasher. She gritted her teeth and looked back, a hint of despair in her eyes.
Wolves in front, tigers behind. Was this how it ended?
Apollo chuckled softly. "Need help, Princess Vivi? If you're willing to pay a consultation fee, I can handle the trash for you."
"Really?" Vivi turned back to him, disbelief written all over her face.
They were pirates. Technically, they were enemies. But she had witnessed Apollo's power earlier; he was an unfathomable man who possessed that mysterious power called Haki. If he was truly willing to help...
"I came precisely for business," Apollo said with a faint smile. "I told you before, I have no ill intentions toward you."
"But... I only have five hundred thousand Berries on me..." Vivi said nervously, clutching her skirt. Alabasta was suffering from a drought and civil unrest; the royal treasury was tight, and these savings were all she had.
"Five hundred thousand it is, then," Apollo replied indifferently, looking past her.
"Ho ho ho! Mr. 5, what did I hear?"
"You heard right, Miss Valentine. It seems there are more ignorant fools who want to stand in our way."
Accompanied by the arrogant dialogue, two figures emerged from the shadows.
It was Mr. 5, the man with the afro and sunglasses, and Miss Valentine, the woman in the lemon dress. Both wore confident, mocking smiles, clearly not taking Apollo seriously.
Vivi's expression tightened, and she instinctively moved closer to Apollo. Although this pirate was strange and criticized her hair, compared to the agents sent to assassinate her, he felt like a safe harbor.
Apollo glanced at the two agents and spoke coolly. "I have one rule: If you dare to flick boogers at me, I'll snap your neck."
Mr. 5 was a user of the Bomb-Bomb Fruit (Bomu Bomu no Mi), a Paramecia type that allowed him to turn any part of his body into an explosion.
In Apollo's opinion, it was a terrifyingly powerful fruit with high potential for close-quarters combat. Yet, in this man's hands, it was a complete waste. His signature move was actually the "Nose Fancy Cannon"—literally flicking explosive boogers.
It was hard to imagine how his brain worked. Did he think disgust was a valid combat strategy?
"You actually know my ability?" Mr. 5 scoffed. He casually picked his nose, digging out a dark, solid booger. He aimed it at Apollo. "Die! Nose Fancy Cannon!"
Apollo frowned in genuine disgust. He waved his hand, and a sharp gust of wind materialized out of nowhere, catching the projectile mid-air and blasting it back toward its owner.
BOOM.
A tiny booger detonated with the force of a grenade.
However, when the smoke and fire dissipated, Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine stood unharmed. As an explosion human, Mr. 5 was immune to explosions.
"I told you," Apollo's voice dropped, freezing the air around them. "If you threw that filth at me, I'd snap your neck."
"Don't talk big—"
Mr. 5 opened his mouth to retort, but the words died in his throat. He suddenly realized the enemy in front of him had vanished.
Immediately, an intense pressure clamped around his throat. His vision blurred.
It wasn't until the final moment of his life that he realized an arm was wrapped around his neck. The realization flashed through his mind: So that's how it is. He's too fast.
Crack.
Apollo released his grip, letting the limp body slide to the ground. "Disgusting creature."
Thump, thump, thump.
Miss Valentine stumbled backward, her face drained of all color. She stared blankly at the scene, her umbrella shaking in her grip.
"Mr. 5... is dead? This... how is this possible?"
"Go join him."
Apollo didn't even move from his spot. He simply opened his hand in her direction and clamped his fingers shut.
An invisible force crushed inward.
With a dull thud, Miss Valentine collapsed backward, the light in her eyes fading instantly.
Apollo lowered his hand, his expression unchanged. He held no chivalrous code against killing women. To him, an enemy was an enemy, regardless of gender.
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