The sound made by Bloodthirster just now startled Luffy and the others awake.
"Kaoru, what are you doing?!"
Luffy, who had just woken up, blinked in confusion before his eyes widened. When he saw the villagers and Bloodthirster lying unconscious on the ground, his face turned red with fury.
Without saying a word, he lunged straight at Kaoru Tsubasa.
Kaoru could only sigh, watching Luffy charge toward him like a wild beast.
"Seriously? Even after two years of training, you still act before you think?"
Kaoru shifted effortlessly, dodging Luffy's punches with ease, his body weaving left and right like a shadow.
"Second Gear!"
Steam burst from Luffy's arms as his skin flushed crimson.
"Hey, Luffy… you're not seriously using Gear Second on me, are you?" Kaoru muttered with an incredulous look.
He had thought Luffy was just fooling around, but clearly, the captain was dead serious.
"By the way—why are you all just standing there watching!?" Kaoru shouted, catching a glimpse of Zoro and the others spectating on the sidelines while Luffy powered up.
Everything would have been fine if he hadn't said that. The moment Kaoru spoke, Nami blinked as if remembering something and bolted toward the treasure pile.
Seeing Nami rush off, the others immediately followed her—completely abandoning Kaoru and Luffy's fight.
Especially Zoro.
Right now, Zoro was thinking how Luffy had tricked him for years, and now, finally, it was his turn to play vice-captain. The thought almost made him laugh out loud.
Still, he decided to show Kaoru some respect—he didn't burst out laughing until he was far enough away that Kaoru couldn't see him.
Even though Kaoru couldn't see Zoro, he could hear him laughing.
"Yeah, sure… thanks for that, Zoro," Kaoru muttered dryly.
Then he sighed, raised his hand, and murmured, "Spirit Technique — Support — Sleep."
With a faint flash of light, Luffy collapsed to the ground, fast asleep.
Kaoru wasn't interested in fighting him here.
Turning around, Kaoru looked toward the two strangers nearby—Vivi and Igaram.
"You two… you're from the Nefertari clan, aren't you?"
The moment they heard his words, cold sweat dripped down their temples.
Their royal bloodline was a closely guarded secret. Not even Baroque Works, the organization they were infiltrating, knew their true identities. Yet this man had seen through them with a single glance.
"Relax," Kaoru said with a calm smile. "I'm not going to harm you. In fact, I might be able to help you save Alabasta."
Vivi's eyes widened slightly at his words. Kaoru's tone wasn't mocking—it carried genuine confidence.
To be honest, Kaoru admired Princess Vivi. As royalty, she had the courage to infiltrate Crocodile's organization herself. That kind of bravery was something even seasoned pirates rarely possessed.
"You're… the 'Speed Sword Phantom,' Kaoru Tsubasa—rival of the Four Emperors?" Vivi asked, eyes narrowing as she studied him.
Now that she looked closer, his face matched perfectly with the wanted poster she had once seen in Alabasta.
Igaram, too, felt a jolt of realization. "You're that Kaoru Tsubasa… the great pirate!"
Kaoru smirked faintly. "As expected of the Princess of Alabasta. Yes, I'm the Speed Sword Phantom, Kaoru Tsubasa."
There was nothing to hide. His name was already infamous across the seas.
After talking with Vivi for a while, Kaoru agreed to help her reclaim her kingdom from Crocodile's grasp. Then, lifting the still-snoozing Luffy onto his shoulder, he went off to find Zoro and the others.
Seeing him leave, Vivi clenched her jaw and quickly followed. Igaram hesitated—but seeing his princess go, he had no choice but to follow as well.
"I can't believe how much money they had!" Nami laughed gleefully, stuffing handfuls of treasure into her bag.
Usopp groaned. "Didn't Kaoru already give you a ton of money?!"
"What pirate in their right mind hates money?" Nami shot back instantly.
At that, Sanji dashed up beside her, eyes shining. "Miss Nami is right, my sweet goddess! Allow me to help you carry the treasure!"
Zoro stood apart from the chaos, his expression thoughtful.
Ever since waking up, he hadn't stopped thinking about Bloodthirster. The sword lay in his hands, completely unresponsive.
No matter how many times he called its name, the weapon spirit didn't answer.
He'd have to ask Kaoru what happened later.
Though Bloodthirster was technically just a weapon spirit, Zoro—and all of the Straw Hats—had long considered it part of their crew.
"Having fun looting the vault?"
The familiar voice made them all turn. Kaoru appeared, carrying the sleeping Luffy over his shoulder, with two younger crewmates walking behind him.
Nami instantly beamed. "All done!" she said proudly, swinging her overstuffed bag of treasure.
Knowing Kaoru's temperament, none of the Straw Hats looked the least bit guilty.
Sure enough, Kaoru didn't seem to care.
"What a beautiful lady…"
The moment Sanji spotted Vivi standing behind Kaoru, his eyes transformed into hearts. He spun dramatically and rushed to her side, practically glowing with infatuation.
Vivi and Igaram froze, startled by the sudden display.
"Okay, Sanji, that's enough. You're scaring her," Kaoru said with a faint smirk. He knew Sanji well—despite the theatrics, he'd never actually harm a lady.
"My apologies, m'lady," Sanji said, regaining his composure with a flourish. "I am the Straw Hat crew's chef—Prince Sanji, at your service."
"I am Vivi, Princess of Alabasta," she replied politely.
"And I am Igaram, captain of the Alabasta Royal Guard," Igaram added, bowing.
"The princess of Alabasta?!" Nami gasped.
She frowned, confusion flashing across her face. "Wait—why would a princess of a powerful kingdom be mixed up with us? Shouldn't you be safe in your palace instead of raiding treasure at Whiskey Peak?"
After two years in the New World, Nami knew full well how powerful Alabasta's royal family was. They weren't just nobles—they were one of the twenty royal families that had founded the World Government. Their rank was nearly equal to the Celestial Dragons themselves.
"It's because of Crocodile," Vivi said softly, her tone heavy.
She began explaining everything she had learned while infiltrating Baroque Works—the secret organization run by none other than Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
"So basically," Nami said after a moment, eyes sparkling, "you want our help saving your country…?"
Her tone shifted, businesslike. "Then, Your Highness—how much are you planning to pay us for this mission?"
Even now, Nami couldn't empathize with Vivi's sorrow. To her, this was a golden opportunity—a princess in need meant a hefty reward.