"Deathblow: Stinky Egg Meteor!"
Splat!
The egg accurately hit the vulture, which shrieked in pain, then could only awkwardly flap its wings, sticky with egg yolk, and flee.
"Hahahaha! You've seen the might of this great me, haven't you!" Usopp laughed triumphantly, hands on his hips.
But he didn't receive the praise he expected; instead, he felt a gaze fixed on him from behind.
He stiffly turned his head and saw Igaram and Vivi staring at him, dumbfounded, their expressions as if they had seen a ghost.
"I finally understand why," Igaram's voice stammered a little, first pointing at the fleeing vulture.
Vivi also covered her mouth, saying in disbelief, "That's... an agent specifically for transmitting intelligence for Baroque Works... Ms. All Sunday and Mr.13..."
And Igaram, gradually standing up from the ground, seemed to understand everything in an instant, pointing at Usopp like a detective and saying, "So it was you... It was all because of you! No wonder the boss suddenly decided you were all working together! It must be because it saw you attacking it multiple times, and then reported the intelligence incorrectly!"
All the clues connected at this moment.
Nami's expression went from shock, to sudden realization, and finally turned into towering fury. She slowly turned around, her fists cracking as she clenched them, a black fiery aura practically emanating from her back.
"Usopp..." Nami's voice was terrifyingly gentle.
"Wait... wait! Nami! Listen to me! It's a misunderstanding!" Usopp broke out in a cold sweat, backing away step by step.
"Misunderstanding??" Nami's smile was incredibly radiant.
"Because of your itchy hands... because of your slingshot... we've inexplicably become targets for the Seven Warlords of the Sea's pursuit now...?"
"I! I didn't do it on purpose!"
"Go die ten thousand times!!! You super idiot!!!"
Nami completely lost it, chasing Usopp all over the place, swinging her fists like cannonballs, slamming into his sandbag-like body.
"Ah ah ah ah ah! Help! Murder!!!" Usopp's screams echoed throughout Whiskey Peak... Usopp's screams gradually turned into pleading whimpers, and Nami finally got tired.
She stood with her hands on her hips, panting, but the anger on her face had clearly subsided quite a bit, replaced by a more resigned helplessness.
"Alright, stop messing around."
Zoro finally spoke up to stop the farce, though he had also enjoyed watching it. "Since trouble has already found us, there's no avoiding it. If we leave early, we can still avoid being surrounded by them."
"That's right!" Luffy adjusted his Mugiwara.
His smile was bright as he said to everyone, "Then it's decided! We're going to Alabasta! And we'll beat up that guy called Crocodile!"
The matter seemed to have been settled so simply.
Everyone quickly packed up, preparing to return to the Going Merry. Vivi and Igaram, whose injuries had somewhat eased, conversed quietly for a long time.
As everyone was about to return to the familiar ship, Igaram solemnly bowed deeply to everyone.
"Your great kindness is truly beyond words of gratitude."
He straightened up, his face resolute, "But, we cannot act together like this."
"Then what do you suggest?" Sanji asked, blowing a smoke ring.
Igaram looked at Vivi, his eyes full of loyalty: "I will impersonate Princess Vivi."
He then pulled out a set of clothes identical to what Vivi was currently wearing: a long coat, a tight short-sleeved top with blue and white stripes, and a pair of short shorts.
"As long as I wear these clothes, pilot a ship, and use the Permanent Log Pose I just told you about to return to Alabasta, I can attract Baroque Works' pursuers."
"And you all will take the real Princess and return to Alabasta via the normal route!"
"Dividing into two groups is the only way to increase our chances of success!"
"Oh! Uncle, if you put on that outfit, you'll really look like her!" Luffy laughed, pointing at the clothes in Igaram's hand.
Nami, however, covered her forehead: "Like a ghost! But even though this plan is quite risky... it's definitely safer than going together."
Then Igaram shook Vivi's hand and said, "Princess, this journey will be incredibly dangerous; you must be extra careful!"
"Mm! We can definitely save Alabasta!"
The matter was thus decided.
Igaram did not linger. He changed into the clothes he had been holding, gave Vivi one last deep look, and then resolutely boarded a spare large ship from Whiskey Peak, setting sail in another direction.
Vivi stood by the Going Merry's railing, gazing for a long time at the ship disappearing over the horizon, lost in thought.
Night slowly fell.
Following the day's intense battle and farce, everyone began to feel a bit tired and planned to set sail the next day.
Tomioka sat alone on the edge of the bow, quietly wiping his Blade, while watching Princess Vivi, who was still gazing into the distance.
"Are you... worried about him?"
Vivi heard Tomioka's concern and turned her head in surprise, smiling as she said, "No, not at all! I always trust him! He can definitely do it!"
After speaking, she still raised her fist as if to cheer herself on, then nodded to herself.
Tomioka hadn't expected that the flamboyant rogue from yesterday was actually a princess of a nation. Speaking of which, the burden she carried was not light; if she didn't return quickly, her country would also head towards ruin.
Unconsciously, he remembered how, many years ago, Oyakata-sama seemed to have shouldered everything at such a young age, taking on the heavy responsibility of eliminating Muzan and guiding the Demon Slayer Corps forward.
Just then, a gentle and unfamiliar female voice, with a hint of lazy amusement, unexpectedly rang out on the ship.
"Oh my~ What touching loyalty between master and servant..."
Everyone was instantly startled, turning sharply towards the source of the voice!
Under the shadows of the ship's cabin roof, at some unknown point, a woman was elegantly seated on the second-floor railing.
She wore a cute white cowboy hat, and beneath its brim was a beautiful face with a mysterious smile. She had her legs crossed, one hand propping up her chin, watching everyone on the ship with great interest, as if she had been observing for a long time.
"Who's there?!" Tomioka reacted immediately, turning to look behind him, his left hand resting on his sword guard.
Luffy also stopped playing, crossing his arms over his chest: "Hey! Why are you sitting on our ship! This is our ship!"
Vivi's face turned pale; she recognized the woman, her voice trembling: "Ms. All Sunday... the Vice President of Baroque Works..."
"Vice President?!" Everyone exclaimed in shock simultaneously.
"Oh my, I've been recognized, little Captain, how embarrassing~ I'm on your ship, it seems. This is quite a nice ship, isn't it~"
Ms. All Sunday—Nico Robin—seemed quite pleased with their shock.
Then she looked at Vivi, who was now sweating profusely at the bow, and spoke softly, with a hint of playfulness:
"I already ran into Mr.8 over there earlier~ It wasn't easy for him to pretend to be you."
"He had to squeeze into such a tight outfit~ But now, he's been taken away by the agents of Baroque Works~ What ever shall we do, my little Princess?"