Drum Island Peak, inside the Witch's Castle.
A two-legged blue-nosed reindeer was hiding outside the door, watching the people in the room with a mixture of vigilance and curiosity.
Nami and Shizuku lay unconscious on the hospital beds.
The Troupe members stood silently around the beds.
"How are they, Dr. Kureha?"
Chrollo asked with a grave expression.
"What? You want to know the secret of how I stay youthful at 139 years old~"
Kureha, holding a bottle of liquor in one hand, pointed at Chrollo with the other, striking a pose.
"....." No one asked you that, Grandma!
The silver-haired Kureha took a sip of the liquor in her hand, burped contentedly, then pointed a large hand.
"The orange-haired girl inhaled some kind of poisonous miasma, which amplified her body's pain sensitivity, making her extremely sensitive. So even the slightest movement causes her unimaginable pain."
"And the black-haired girl has internal injuries from fighting, right?"
Chrollo nodded.
"There's no reason to let girls get hurt this badly~"
The Troupe members lowered their heads in shame.
Kureha turned her head and looked at the Troupe members curiously.
"But all her external wounds were stitched up perfectly. Amazing technique. Who did it?"
Machi raised her hand to indicate herself.
Kureha looked at her with appreciation. "A very talented doctor. Your timely hemostasis saved her life.
But it looks like you only know how to treat external injuries~"
She raised her head and continued drinking her liquor. "This girl has multiple damaged internal organs. If not treated in time... she will die."
Everyone looked incredibly disappointed, mixed with anger.
"But~"
"Patients who come to me only have two outcomes: cured or dead."
"She can be cured."
A dazzling light burst from the eyes of the Troupe members, and Machi looked relieved.
Seeing this, the corners of Kureha's mouth lifted slightly, revealing a knowing smile.
"But, my fee is very expensive~"
Hearing Kureha's affirmative words, Chrollo let out a long breath, then smiled and said:
"Half of the assets, I know."
"We don't have money right now, but I will give you something... far more precious than assets, Grandma~"
Chrollo said mysteriously.
---
With Nami and Shizuku saved, the heavy stone in everyone's heart was lifted.
The Intelligence Squad, who had been offline for a long time, finally completed their mission and rushed to the mountaintop castle to regroup with Chrollo and the others.
Chrollo was currently raising an eyebrow at the two people and one duck held in Franklin's hands...
A girl with light blue wavy long hair tied in a ponytail, beautiful and with a curvaceous figure. Her lovely face was full of terror at the moment. Next to her was an equally terrified spot-billed duck.
And in the other hand was a wooden-looking strong man with a judge-like curly wig.
Isn't this Baroque Works Senior Agent Miss Wednesday, Princess Vivi, and her guard Igaram?
Why are they also on Drum Island and caught by Pakunoda and the others...
No... wait...
Chrollo's eyes lit up, frighteningly bright, staring intently at Vivi. Princess Vivi's face turned purple with fright.
In his eyes, Princess Vivi was not just a person; she was the most important, crucial item for the Alabasta dungeon!
Even... her background concerned the ultimate secret of the world!
"Did my bad luck accumulate too much, triggering a reward rebate?"
Miss Wednesday, Nefertari D. Vivi. Her true identity was the princess of the Alabasta Kingdom.
She went undercover in Baroque Works to destroy this evil organization and crush their conspiracy to incite rebellion in Alabasta.
Besides her identity as a princess, she had another incredibly important and prominent identity...
Nefertari D. Vivi... was a descendant of Nefertari D. Lily.
Nefertari D. Lily, the queen of the Alabasta Kingdom 800 years ago, was one of the "First 20" who created the World Government.
She was also the only one of the 20 who did not move her family to the Holy Land Mariejois to live as a Creator and control the world!
In other words... Vivi... was a "Celestial Dragon" scattered in the mortal world.
"The First 20 of the World." This identity hid a huge secret regarding the truth of the ultimate weapon in One Piece—the Ancient Weapons.
Crocodile suspected this country's true identity precisely because of this.
That's why he suspected that Nefertari D. Lily was able to safely withdraw from the 20 and return to Alabasta without being threatened by the World Government and Im because she held some kind of leverage.
That leverage was... hidden within the country of Alabasta... clues about the Ancient Weapon Pluton!
Crocodile guessed that it was precisely for this reason that the World Government was wary and allowed the nation of Alabasta to exist until now.
So he established Baroque Works in Alabasta to incite the rebel army to revolt,
Wanting to use this to force King Nefertari D. Cobra to spit out the secret about Pluton hidden in this country.
It had to be said that Crocodile's suspicion was very reasonable, and his layout was far-reaching. As expected of a formidable figure.
Whether clues about Pluton were hidden or not, Chrollo wasn't sure.
What he was sure of was... Vivi's importance in the Pirate World was self-evident, even comparable to Princess Shirahoshi!
Pakunoda leaned into Chrollo's ear and whispered something.
Then Chrollo put on his signature handsome and profound smile, untied Vivi and Igaram, and gentlemanly helped them up from the ground.
"Princess Vivi, it's a misunderstanding. My people mistook you for members of Baroque Works, which is why they brought you here. I hope you don't mind."
Vivi shook her head, looking confused.
"I don't mind, but how did you know I'm a princess?"
"My companions have means of intelligence gathering and learned this from the intel," Chrollo explained.
Vivi nodded ignorantly, then her expression tightened.
"Oh no! My identity has been exposed. Baroque Works people are pursuing us. We must leave immediately!"
Saying this, she turned to flee, but Chrollo grabbed her.
Sure enough... is the person in front of me also a Baroque Works agent... Vivi's face turned ashen.
"Of course we aren't Baroque agents~" Chrollo answered with a smile.
"?" How did he know what I wanted to ask?
"About the Baroque Works pursuers~" Chrollo waved his hand.
The bruised and swollen figures of Mr. 5 and the others appeared. Vivi stared at this scene with wide eyes.
"The pursuers have already been dealt with by me~ Princess Vivi."
Chrollo leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing slowly.
"It seems Miss Vivi doesn't trust us very much~"
Vivi looked at this scene in shock. She knew Mr. 5 and the others' strength very well.
The four people in front of her were all ability users, yet they were defeated and captured so easily?!!
She raised her head and re-examined the handsome man with a profound aura in front of her.
Who exactly is this person in front of me?
...