Vivi looked at the retreating back of Gojo and muttered with a faint smile on her face, "So Gojo Satoru has a heart. He is not totally heartless."
The night passed without much of any event. The desert winds howled softly beyond the walls of Yuba, carrying grains of sand across the silent streets, but nothing disturbed them.
In the morning, under the pale golden light of the rising sun, Gojo, Vivi, and Igaram were ready to leave Yuba Town for Rainbase Town. The air was still cool, though the promise of scorching heat lingered.
Vivi looked at Toto, who was standing opposite them, his aged hands clasped behind his back.
"Do not worry, Uncle. Within just a few next days, our Alabasta Kingdom will be absolutely free, and you won't have to worry about anything else. I assure you of this. This is my promise."
As soon as Toto heard this, he nodded slowly and said to Vivi, "I hope that you succeed in doing what you are going to do, Princess. I'll pray for your success."
Vivi nodded. Just like before, she was picked up by Igaram to make it easier for Gojo to carry them both. Vivi then pointed in one direction and said to Gojo, "You have to move in this direction because Rainbase Town is approximately in this direction."
Gojo nodded casually. Like before, he immediately grabbed Igaram by the collar, lifting him as if he weighed nothing at all, and began floating using his Limitless. The air around him shimmered faintly, and in the next instant, he shot upward into the sky, sand swirling violently beneath them as they disappeared into the vast blue above.
Toto shaded his eyes and looked at the flying figures of Princess Vivi, Gojo, and Igaram until they became small silhouettes against the sky.
"I pray for your success, Princess," he said softly to the empty horizon.
Gojo continued flying while holding Igaram by the collar for almost more than an hour or so. The desert stretched endlessly beneath them—golden dunes rising and falling like waves in a frozen sea. The wind rushed past their ears, and the heat gradually intensified as the sun climbed higher.
Finally, in the distance, a town rich in culture and intricate design came into view. Tall buildings with ornate carvings and luxurious architecture reflected the sunlight, giving off a faint golden glow. Even from above, it was clear that this place was different—wealthier, grander.
Immediately, Gojo understood that this must be Rainbase Town, their destination.
Soon, they descended and landed in Rainbase Town, the noise of bustling streets and lively chatter filling the air. Merchants shouted about their goods, the scent of spices and roasted meat drifted from food stalls, and gamblers and travelers moved about freely.
Gojo, Vivi, and Igaram began walking openly through the streets of Rainbase. Gojo stretched his shoulders slightly and said, "Let's go to some tavern. I want to eat some freshly cooked meat."
After walking only a few hundred meters or so, they had already been located by a few of the eyeliners of Baroque Works. The agents, blending in as common civilians, quietly exchanged glances before slipping away into the crowd. Information began moving up the chain swiftly and efficiently, one report after another.
Like this, Crocodile soon received the news about the arrival of Princess Vivi, Igaram, and Gojo in Rainbase Town.
Gojo deliberately stopped at one particular tavern—not only to eat. By eating, he would restore the stamina he had expended while flying all the way to Rainbase. At the same time, if he stayed in one place, it would be easier for the Baroque Works members to locate him and reach him. Otherwise, if he kept moving, it would be almost impossible for them to confront him anytime soon.
Let them come.
Crocodile, however, did not know any of Gojo's intentions. Upon receiving the information, he immediately ordered Mr. 1, Mr. 2, and Mr. 3, along with their respective teams, to go and capture Gojo and Princess Vivi and bring them to him.
Although Gojo had shown tremendous strength before, Crocodile felt that Mr. 1—who was the strongest just below him—would be more than enough to deal with someone like Gojo, who mainly uses swords. After all, Mr. 1 was the user of the Dice-Dice Fruit. With that Devil Fruit ability and his superior physical strength, he should be capable of dealing with Gojo.
Soon, the whole of Baroque Works began moving in coordination, quietly targeting the tavern where Gojo was eating his food, the invisible net tightening with every passing minute.
…
Gojo also had the same ability as Luffy and other prominent characters in the series to digest food at will and very quickly, but he didn't eat like Luffy or the others. He didn't follow that not-so-graceful method of eating where one becomes fat after stuffing themselves and then recovers stamina. On the contrary, Gojo would eat and digest almost instantly—by the time he finished chewing his second bite, the first one would have already been completely digested. So he never became bloated or fat like Luffy or the other characters.
Although Gojo was eating very casually in the tavern, that didn't mean he wasn't gathering any information at all. Using his powerful Observation Haki, he could easily sense the movement of strong individuals around Rainbase Town. Multiple presences were shifting direction, diverging from different streets and then steadily converging toward this very tavern. Their footsteps were controlled, but their intent was sharp.
Gojo tore another piece of meat with his teeth and, without even looking serious, said while turning slightly toward Vivi and Igaram—who were not in the mood to eat and were just casually holding their juice glasses:
"Be ready. It seems that many people are gathering outside the tavern. Most probably, they are from Baroque Works."
Vivi and Igaram nodded after hearing Gojo's words. Even though they tried to remain calm, their fingers tightened slightly around their glasses. A faint tension crept into their breathing.
It's starting…
They both definitely felt nervous about what was going to happen now—and whether Gojo would truly be able to deal with Baroque Works without any trouble.
After a few more minutes passed inside the tavern, the wooden door creaked open.
A man entered.
He had a very distinct hairstyle—three candle-like shapes rising above his head, perfectly styled and hardened as if sculpted. The moment Vivi and Igaram saw him, recognition struck instantly.
"Mr. 3," they said almost at the same time.
Even though they were now with Gojo, the psychological difference still remained. Mr. 3 had once been their superior. The structure, the hierarchy, the fear it instilled—it didn't vanish so easily. Even if they were spies and not truly loyal members of Baroque Works, the memory of that chain of command still lingered in their minds.
Looking at Mr. 3 standing confidently at the entrance, both of them felt nervous.
Mr. 3 adjusted his glasses and looked directly at Vivi.
"Princess Vivi, it seems that you have been lurking in our organization as a spy for quite a while now," he said in a calm yet mocking tone. "But don't worry. The leader has already ordered us to bring you both—and this Gojo Satoru—with us."
His eyes then shifted toward Gojo.
Gojo didn't even lift his head. He simply continued eating his food, chewing slowly, as if nothing important was happening.
Mr. 3's eyebrow twitched slightly.
"Aren't you listening, boy?" he said, irritation creeping into his voice. "I am Mr. 3, one of the strongest officers of Baroque Works. I am here to capture you. You should be trembling in fear."
Gojo once again gave no response and calmly took another bite.
The sound of chewing felt unusually loud in the silent tavern.
Mr. 3's expression darkened.
"It seems that you are not going to come honestly with us," he said sharply. "But this was also expected. So I will take you all forcefully."
Immediately, around Mr. 3's hands, white wax began to appear. It melted out like thick liquid, dripping and then solidifying in layers. The wax flowed downward and spread across the wooden floor, creeping like a living substance.
It moved quickly.
Within moments, it reached their table and climbed up around their legs. Vivi gasped softly as the wax hardened around her ankles. Igaram tried to shift, but the substance solidified faster than expected.
Soon, the wax completely covered the legs of Gojo, Vivi, and Igaram.
They were totally trapped in that hardened wax.
----
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