Asking for some support~Tickets and flowers are both fine~Thank you everyone~."Why did you come out of there?" Usopp looked at Luffy with surprise. "Weren't you supposed to be outside?"If he remembered correctly, Luffy should have been on top of that whale's head."Ah, I saw a door on the whale's head, so I went in." Luffy grinned. "I didn't expect to actually find you guys."At this moment, Luffy was very happy; after all, his companions were all fine.Zoro sighed; what a handful of a Captain."Hey, you two." Zoro glanced at the two people crouching on the ground and said, "Even though we saved you together, who are you?""Mr. 9, they are pirates!" Miss Wednesday said cautiously."I... I know, Miss Wednesday.""But if we explain it to them, it should be fine." Mr. 9 said uncertainly, "Probably?"Anyway, there's no conflict of interest, is there?"You guys are still here?!" Crocus, who had returned after finishing his business, looked at the two with a dark face and said, "How many times do I have to tell you before you give up!""As long as I'm here, don't even think about touching a single hair on Laboon!"Ben:...Do whales even have hair?"Hmph, that's not for you to decide, old man~" Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday picked up bazookas and aimed at the distant wall. "As long as we break the whale's stomach, he's dead!"Crocus's pupils constricted. They're actually planning to use weapons this time?"Fire!"Bang!Boom!An explosion sounded, but the expected shells didn't fire; instead, the bazookas in their hands backfired."Hmm?" Crocus was a bit confused. What happened?"It's not good for children to play with such dangerous weapons." Ben said indifferently, then looked at Crocus in the air. "Uncle, let's go outside and have a good talk.""Was it you?" Crocus nodded. "Alright."At the same time, his impression of this group of newcomers improved another level....After going outside, Sanji skillfully prepared lunch.While Ben and the others sat by Crocus and chatted with him."Uncle, why does Laboon keep hitting the Red Line?" Nami glanced at Laboon on the water in the distance; the scars on his head were clearly visible."It's a long story." Crocus looked at Laboon, his eyes full of heartache. "This child has actually been waiting here for fifty years.""Fifty years?!""Yes." Crocus nodded, his mind involuntarily recalling the first time he met the Rumbar Pirates. "Fifty years ago, the Rumbar Pirates came here, bringing Laboon with them. At that time, he was only this small."With a smile on his face, Crocus gestured Laboon's size at the time."But the Grand Line is a particularly dangerous sea after all. If they took this little guy, they couldn't guarantee his safety." Crocus sighed. "So they left him here with me.""Why didn't they take him?" Usopp was a bit confused. "Leaving a companion behind..."That's right, in his eyes, Laboon was a companion of that pirate crew!"There's no other way. There are too many sea kings in the Grand Line. After all, the ocean is not the domain of humans." Ben said calmly. "If they were careless for even a moment, Laboon might be eaten by other sea kings.""So leaving him here was the most correct choice."But..."Yes." Crocus nodded. "That's exactly what Brooktold me back then.""They said they would definitely come back here to see Laboon after they left.""But this departure...""Has lasted fifty years, and they never returned."Crocus took a sip from his wine bottle, his face full of melancholy. "When I returned here, this little guy had already grown very large.""And he hits the Red Line every day because he feels that this continent is what's blocking his reunion with his companions.""Why? Did they abandon their companion?!" Usopp's face was full of anger. If that were the case, he would despise those people!Being able to abandon one's own companion is not something a real man would do!"I'm not sure." Crocus shook his head. "But they indeed never came back.""Is there a possibility..." Ben looked up at Laboon in the distance and said, "That they are already dead."As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was stunned."To be able to bring this little guy through the four seas proves that they liked him very much.""But they had to leave him here for his own safety.""Do you think such people would abandon their companion?"Ben thought of Brook, who had been drifting in that dark sea for fifty years; he was also in great pain!"Why do you..." Crocus looked at Ben, somewhat speechless. Why was he so certain?"Are you curious why I say that?" Ben pushed his glasses up and said with a serious expression, "In a certain area of the Grand Line, it's called the Devils Triangle.""And there, there is a Ghost Ship that has been drifting for decades, with a living skeleton on it.""His name is Brook!"Crack. Crocus's eyes widened in excitement, and he directly crushed the wine bottle in his hand.But he didn't notice at all. Instead, he stood up and said seriously, "Are you telling the truth?!""Yes." Ben nodded, his expression very serious.Crocus slumped back down, muttering to himself, "That's it, it must be."That bastard Brook ate the Revive-Revive Fruit; that is a terrifying power that can bring someone back to life.Then it's possible that Brook is still alive.Although it's unclear why he's in a skeletal state, being alive is good news!"Laboon, did you hear that!" Crocus stood up and ran to the shore, shouting, "Brook is still alive, he's still alive!""Awooo!" Laboon let out a long howl toward the sky, his voice incredibly complex.There was relief, excitement, grievance, and fear.But...Finally, there was news!.Chapter 35: Luffy Has a Mysterious Power!After Laboon thrashed about for a while, he prepared to swim away. Crocus instinctively felt something was wrong."Hey, Laboon, where are you going?!""He says he's going to find Brook." Luffy acted as the interpreter on the side.Crocus was a bit dumbfounded. How do you know what Laboon is thinking?Wait...Could this guy be like Roger?Laboon stopped his movements and turned his head to look at Crocus with some grievance. That look seemed to say, I'm going to find Brook and the others; I've waited too long!"No, Laboon." Crocus said earnestly, "The Grand Line is not a place you can venture into."If it were a pod of Island Whales, Crocus would be relieved, but Laboon is all alone!"Luffy, it's your turn." Ben sat in his seat and calmly pushed his glasses; he didn't seem worried at all.The others looked at Ben with some confusion. What did he mean?"Ah." Luffy nodded; he understood Ben's meaning.The understanding between men is sometimes just that simple."Hey, Laboon!" Luffy walked to the shore and looked at Laboon seriously. "Uncle Crocus is right; you should just wait here obediently."Laboon suddenly got a bit angry. Did you come over just to say that?!Thinking of this, Laboon swam over, intending to give Luffy a lesson.Seeing this, Luffy didn't show the slightest fear, and he didn't even move a step."In exchange, I can help you bring Brook back!"Hearing this, Laboon stopped his movements and looked at Luffy with a strange expression."Hehe." Luffy laughed. "After I finish sailing around the world, I'll bring Brook back here to find you.""Trust me."Perhaps it was because Luffy's smile was infectious, or perhaps Laboon didn't want to make things difficult for Crocus, who had taken care of him for so many years.Or perhaps it was both.After a moment of silence, Laboon nodded, agreeing to Luffy's proposal.Seeing this, Crocus smiled. "That's great."He was really afraid that Laboon wouldn't listen to advice and would run out directly; he knew how terrifying this sea area was.
Laboon's size isn't small, but compared to those monster-level sea beasts, it's still far too small.But...Crocus glanced at Luffy, 'Could there be some magical power in this kid? He actually managed to convince Laboon...'"Then it's a deal!" Luffy extended his fist and looked at Laboon with a smile.Laboon slowly swam over and touched Luffy's fist with its head.A man's promise was made!Ben watched this scene with a faint smile; Luffytruly is a Child of Luck.He then glanced at the two people who were quietly slipping away.Now wasn't the time to expose Princess Vivi's identity; he'd wait until they reached the next island.He slowly stood up, walked to where the pair had just jumped into the water, and picked up the log pose from the ground.Without this thing, they wouldn't be able to get to the next island."What's this?" Nami looked at the approaching Benand pointed at the object in his hand."A log pose," Ben said as he handed it to Nami. "Without this, we won't be able to reach the next island.""Oh?" Crocus looked at Ben with surprise. "The young man is an expert.""I came from the New World, after all. Of course I know about these things."Crocus nodded. Since there was someone like that on the ship, he didn't need to give too much explanation.He walked over to a rocking chair and lay down. "Suit yourselves.""What's the use of this?" Nami glanced at Crocusand then looked away. Since Ben knew, she would just ask him."The islands scattered throughout the Grand Lineare connected by magnetism according to some mysterious Law.""In other words, you have to record the magnetism connecting the islands with a log pose. That way, you can find the route to the next island." Benpointed to the spot beneath his feet. "Starting from here, this is essentially a starting point.""After that, you choose one of the seven magnetic paths, eventually crossing countless islands until the destination points to one location.""And that is...""Laugh Tale!""Am I right, old man?""Hmph, that's right," Crocus snorted. "What a show-off kid."At the same time, a hint of nostalgia flashed in his eyes. Laugh Tale...Going to that place with Roger and the others felt like it was just yesterday."If Luffy wants to become the Pirate King, we must reach that final island," Ben said with a smile, looking at Luffy interacting with Laboon in the distance. "But the enemies we encounter along the way will only get stronger."Especially the Four Emperors of the Sea in the New World; their strength is incredibly terrifying.Thinking of this, Ben had a few ideas.Should he do something to see if he can stimulate Nika to come out?"Strong enemies?" Zoro showed a slight smile. "Isn't that even better!"He craved worthy opponents!Sanji had the same attitude; only with powerful enemies could they become even stronger!As for Usopp...Usopp was currently playing with Luffy and Laboon.Otherwise, the kid would likely be scared out of his wits."Good Aura." Crocus nodded in appreciation. Looking at the Straw Hat Pirates was like seeing his former crew.Especially seeing the hat on Luffy's back, Crocussighed inwardly,'So you've bet the New Era on this person?'It seems you really didn't choose the wrong person."Then it's a promise!" Luffy patted Laboon's head and laughed. "I'll definitely bring Brook back!"Laboon happily raised its head and let out a melodious cry.This sound caught everyone's attention.By now, they could feel that Laboon's mood was completely different from before.The sound was no longer piercing, but rather a pleasant one.Indeed, when one is in a good mood, even their voice sounds better....The author is asking for some data support~Thank you, everyone.Chapter 36: Strange Weather"Why is it you guys again?" After saying goodbye to Crocus, the Straw Hat crew looked at the two people climbing onto the ship and said with some dissatisfaction, "Do you want another beating?"It would have been fine if you just escaped; no one would have cared.But what's the meaning of coming back?"Uh..." Mr. 9 said with some embarrassment, "Everyone, I wonder if the place you're going to is Whiskey Peak?""Yeah.""Then..." A fawning smile immediately appeared on Mr. 9's face. "Could you give the two of us a lift?""Without a log pose, we have no way of getting back."Nami was stunned for a moment, then glanced at Ben. Could this log pose belong to these two?Ben shrugged; the thing really was theirs.Nami's mouth twitched. In that case, without this thing, they really wouldn't be able to return to Whiskey Peak.But the decision to take them along had to be made by Luffy.The group looked at Luffy, waiting for his decision."Hmm..." Luffy tilted his head and looked at the two. After a moment of silence, he nodded. "Alright.""Is that really okay?" Usopp was a bit worried. Just a moment ago, these two were planning to attack Laboon with cannons."What's the big deal? It's on the way anyway." Luffydidn't mind."Don't worry," Ben said calmly, standing next to Usopp. "If they dare to try anything, I'll blow them up."As soon as he said this, Mr. 3 and Miss Wednesdayboth shuddered.Their weapons had backfired for no reason earlier; it must have been because this man had tampered with them.Could he also be a Devil Fruit User?"Don't worry, we'll be on our best behavior.""Yes, we'll definitely be good.""I hope so." Ben gave Miss Wednesday a meaningful look, then turned and walked toward the cabin.When he passed Zoro, Ben's eyelid twitched. "You really can sleep anytime..."At the same time, Ben was a bit puzzled. Why did this guy like to sleep during the day and train at night?Staying up for the most expensive nights just to build the best body?Aren't you afraid of ending up with a strong corpse in a few years?After entering the cabin, Ben walked over to Nami's side and silently watched her drawing maps.They say a serious man is the most handsome, but a woman also radiates charm when she's working seriously~A long time later, Nami wiped the sweat from her forehead and stood up. "Eh, when did you get here?""A long time ago." Ben smiled and handed a towel to Nami. "Don't overwork yourself. There's no rush to finish the maps all at once.""I prefer to do today's work today.""Eh?" Nami looked outside and froze. "Why is it snowing?"Has it been that long already?No, it's not even the Snow Season yet."This is the Grand Line; climate changes have no pattern," Ben said with a faint smile. "One moment it's clear skies for thousands of miles, and the next it might be pouring rain.""That's also why this place is called the Grand Line."Those who can conquer this place are all powerhouses!"By the way, you should go keep an eye on the helm," Ben suddenly remembered something. "You can't trust the clouds, currents, or wind direction here.""Only the log pose in your hand is the most trustworthy."If you don't pay attention all the time, the ship might be destroyed and everyone killed.Hearing this, Nami instinctively looked at the log pose in her hand and was instantly stunned. "It's over...""What's wrong?""We're currently heading back the way we came..."Ben covered his face with his hand. What he feared most really did happen.Nami didn't have time to think; she grabbed a piece of clothing and rushed out. "Quick, turn the ship around 180 degrees!"The group having a snowball fight was stunned. "Why?""Did you leave something behind?"When they left, Ben had specifically emphasized not to leave anything behind. How could Nami be so careless?"No!" Nami raised her arm and said, "The log poseshows that we are heading toward the Twin Capes!"
Are you really a navigator?" Miss Wednesdaylooked at Nami skeptically. "Don't you know that in the Grand Line, the only thing you can trust is the log pose in your hand?""To be so negligent..."Can a group like this really survive here?Forget it, they'll probably be taken out by the company once they reach Whiskey Peak. Why should I worry?"Shut up!" Nami bared her shark-like teeth. "You two, get over there and shovel the snow!"Honestly, do you think you're guests here?Watching the two of them get to work, Nami let them off for the time being.Sanji, meanwhile, ran into the cabin and started fiddling with the ship's wheel."One hundred and eighty degrees, right." Sanjiheaved with all his might, turning the going merryaround.Watching the pirate ship get back on course, Namilet out a sigh of relief.She looked up at the sky, and her pupils suddenly constricted. "Why is it raining again?"Along with the heavy rain, a sudden gust of wind blew in, nearly blowing everyone off the ship!And it wasn't over yet; a minute later, the rain vanished, and a thick fog began to rise from the sea, making it impossible to see what was ahead."Not good!" Usopp, standing on high ground, saw the situation in the distance and cried out, "There's an iceberg ahead!""We're about to crash!""Quick, turn the ship!""It's too late!"Looking at the iceberg drawing closer and closer, looks of terror appeared on everyone's faces.Are they really going to crash?!"Honestly, you guys are such a handful." Benappeared outside at some unknown point, slowly raising his hand as he spoke. "Burst!""Boom!"A massive explosion erupted on the sea's surface. The resulting wave pushed the going merry to the side, narrowly avoiding the fatal crisis!This allowed the group to breathe a sigh of relief. "We're saved...""Hey, don't let your guard down!" Ben shouted. "The storm is coming back!"!!"What is wrong with this stretch of sea!" Namiclutched her hair, looking like she was about to go crazy.Bizarre currents are one thing, but why is the weather so freakish too!Chapter 37: Reverse Psychology is Quite Effective on Usopp~After nearly half a day of frantic activity, the weather finally turned clear again.Everyone was drenched in sweat from exhaustion, lying on the deck to rest."It was tough, but I think I've figured out what's going on," Nami said weakly, leaning against the railing. "As expected of the Grand Line.""Are you really a navigator?" Miss Wednesdayquestioned her again.How can a navigator not know such basic things?This is the most fundamental stuff!"Shut up!" Nami glared at her crossly. "One more word and I'll throw you overboard."Miss Wednesday's lip twitched. This woman really is...Just then, Zoro stretched and stood up, immediately noticing the several people lying on the deck."Hey, I say," Zoro said, sounding disappointed in them. "Even if the weather is nice today, you guys shouldn't be this lazy."???!!!The group was confused for a moment, then they exploded in rage.You bastard, you've been sleeping this whole time and you have the nerve to talk?Usopp was so angry that if he weren't too exhausted to move, he would have gotten up to pummel the jerk.Ben's lip also twitched; even he, the 'brain' of the group, was currently too tired to move.Hmm, I'll have to give this bastard a beating another day.Zoro, seemingly oblivious to the atmosphere, walked up to Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday with a devious smirk. "Hmm~""That's the look of someone plotting something bad. What were your names again?""I... I'm Mr. 9.""I'm Miss Wednesday.""Is that so?" Zoro rubbed his chin and thought for a moment. "No wonder I felt something was off the first time I heard your names.""It's like I've heard them somewhere before~"Zoro grinned, and just as he was about to say more, Nami walked up behind him and delivered a heavy punch to his head."You! You've got some nerve, sleeping leisurely until now!""No matter how much we called you, you just snored away!" Nami looked at Zoro with annoyance. Does this bastard have no self-awareness?!Watching Nami from a distance, Ben wondered if it was an illusion, but for a moment, he felt a peculiar Aura emanating from her.Haoshoku?Hmm...A Haoshoku specifically for teammates?Thinking of this, Ben fell into deep thought.Nami's skill is a bit unique.Veins popped on Zoro's forehead. What was the point of hitting him all of a sudden?!That's right, Zoro intended to resist!Unfortunately, under Nami's iron fist, Zoro quickly ended up crouching down, clutching his head.He was beaten until his head was covered in lumps.Ben looked at Zoro with pity. You actually dared to resist Nami?Don't you know who the boss of this ship is?Even he didn't dare to mess around when Nami was angry.Nami really hits for real!The key was that her attacks could break through his defenses every single time; that was the most baffling part.Ignoring the disgruntled Zoro, Nami looked at the others and said, "Everyone, don't let your guard down.""No one knows what will happen in these waters.""Suddenly, I feel like our future is looking bleak..." Usopp said weakly, sprawled on the deck.He had thought everything was under Nami's control, but this was it?"Don't worry, after today's events, I won't make the same mistake again." Nami smiled and pointed ahead. "In any case, we've reached our destination.""That's Whiskey Peak up ahead!"The first leg of the voyage was officially over!This caused the fire of confidence to reignite in Nami's heart. As long as she kept a close eye on the log pose and observed the weather to make adjustments, they could sail smoothly across this sea!"We're finally here?!" Luffy rushed to the bow of the ship with an excited expression, looking into the distance.Is this an island of the Grand Line?"What huge mountains...""Those are cacti, aren't they?""No, no, no, those are definitely mountains." Usoppwaved his hand. "I'm a sniper; I trust my eyes."At the same time, he felt some awe. As expected of the Grand Line, to have such strangely shaped peaks.Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday exchanged a look and a nod, then jumped to the side of the ship. "Well then, we'll take our leave here!""Thanks for giving us a ride back, sweeties~""See you if fate allows!"With that, they leaped down into the sea.However, the moment she fell, Miss Wednesdayglanced at Ben. That man's gaze from before made her a bit uneasy.It was as if she stood before him with no secrets at all, which made her very uncomfortable."What are they doing?" Nami was confused. They were almost at the island; why did they jump off and run?Aren't they residents of this island?"Who cares," Luffy said dismissively. "Let's land, let's land!""There won't be monsters here, will there..." Usopplooked at the distant island with a face full of worry.If there were monsters, would he be killed?"Maybe~" Ben walked up to Usopp, put on a terrifying mask, and said, "After all, this is the Grand Line; there will be all sorts of demons and monsters~""Aah!" Usopp screamed in terror. "What the hell!""Tch." Ben reached up and took off the mask, saying with a playful look, "It's just me~"A vein popped on Usopp's face. He rushed back and grabbed Ben's collar, shouting, "You bastard, are you trying to scare me to death!""Well~""Isn't this to train your courage?" Ben adjusted his glasses and said, "Our great warrior of the sea, Captain Usopp, couldn't possibly be afraid, could he?"
Hmph, I'm not scared at all!" Hearing Ben call him that, Usopp's nose tilted toward the sky again. "It's just a mere island. Watch as this Great Me conquers it!""Whatever you say~"Nami glanced at Ben with a speechless expression. Just how bored were you to go and tease Usopp like that?"In any case, we should still be careful."After all, this was the Grand Line; anything could happen here.However...Nami looked at Ben, who didn't show the slightest hint of tension, and a sense of security grew in her heart.Since he was so calm, there shouldn't be any major problems here.Chapter 38: Intellectual Beauty, Nico Robin~As the going merry sailed into the river channel, the surroundings began to be shrouded in mist."Look, there are people around!" Usopp shouted, pointing to the high ground nearby."Are they enemies?!"Everyone's expression turned serious upon hearing this. They hadn't expected to have to fight as soon as they arrived at a new island.Usopp swallowed hard, his expression extremely nervous.Just as he was about to make a move, the people in the distance suddenly cheered, "Welcome, heroes of the sea!""Welcome, everyone!""Welcome to the Grand Line!""Welcome to our town!""What's going on?" Hearing their voices, Nami and the others were a bit dumbfounded.In this day and age, there are people who actually welcome pirates?"Not only are there no monsters, but we're even being welcomed..." Usopp looked into the distance in surprise. Were they really that popular?He then ran to the bow of the ship and began cheering along with Luffy."Ah~" Sanji looked at the cheering crowd in the distance, especially when he saw a large number of young girls among them, his whole body began to wiggle with excitement. "So many cute girls!"Nami looked at the few of them speechlessly. Do they just believe whatever anyone says?She felt a persistent sense of dissonance."Ben, do you think...""Something's not right, is it?" Ben said calmly. "What kind of town welcomes pirates?"To ordinary people, pirates were a group of wicked scoundrels who committed all sorts of crimes. People would usually hide from them; why would they take the initiative to approach?Moreover, he already knew the situation here."Do you know something?""In any case, just don't let your guard down." Benglanced at Zoro. "Right?""Yeah." Zoro nodded. He wasn't like those three naive guys at the front.Furthermore, he felt that the situation here was somewhat similar to the information he knew.Could it be that the people here were all Bounty Hunters from Baroque Works?Thinking of this, Zoro revealed a wicked smile. "Let's see what kind of tricks you're hiding up your sleeves."Soon, the going merry docked, and several people stepped off the ship.Igaram immediately approached and said, "Welcome to Whiskey Peak!""I am Igaram, currently serving as the mayor of Whiskey Peak.""Ah, I'm Luffy." Luffy nodded with a naive face, not noticing anything unusual.Igaram ignored Luffy's words and continued to introduce the place. "This is Whiskey Peak, a town famous for its brewing and music.""Entertaining guests is what we take the most pride in.""You all must be tired from traveling such a long distance. Please, follow me.""Let's use your tales of adventure as a side dish for the wine and enjoy a banquet together."At this point, Igaram paused, glanced at Benstanding at the very back, and then said, "Would you all care to join us for a banquet?""We'd be happy to!" The 'idiot trio' chimed in with happy faces."Then please, follow me~"Nami stepped forward, wanting to ask something else, but Ben reached out and pulled her back, signaling her not to act rashly.Even if there was a problem, they wouldn't give an honest answer.Nami was stunned for a moment, then nodded; she still trusted Ben implicitly.Looking at Igaram's back, the corners of Ben's mouth curled up. 'I hope you'll still be this happy when Zoro cuts you down in a bit.'..."Ara, what could have made you so angry~" Nico Robin looked at the transponder snail with a playful expression. It was currently mimicking Crocodile's face, and he didn't seem to be in a good mood.It was truly unexpected; one rarely saw this guy get angry."Hmph, a little mouse has snuck in, and it's making me a bit unhappy, that's all." Crocodile snorted. "But it doesn't matter, I've already sent people to clean it up."Princess Vivi of Alabasta?Interesting, she actually dared to personally go undercover in his studio. She certainly has guts.Crocodile had to admire the woman's boldness.It was a pity; if he didn't have to kill her, he might have considered taking her under his wing."I see." Nico Robin nodded, thinking of that girl.She was a poor soul, in the end.But having been targeted by Crocodile, her fate was destined to be a tragedy."More importantly, I want to know where you are right now." Crocodile said coldly. "You didn't run away, did you?"As he spoke, Crocodile narrowed his eyes.If Nico Robin said even a single 'yes', he would immediately set out to hunt her down and kill her!"How could I~" Nico Robin waved her hand. "I won't leave until I've achieved my goal."After all, reading the poneglyph was her only motivation to keep living; how could she give that up?"You'd better not." Crocodile snorted and said, "Be careful with your movements lately. I've received intelligence that the Marine has their eyes on this place."This was not good news for him.Although his current status was that of a Shichibukai, once what he was doing was exposed, the Marine would definitely not leave it alone.If things went wrong, they might even send a Marine Admiral to arrest him.What?Why not a Vice Admiral?Who are you looking down on?!Oh, Garp doesn't count."Marine?" Nico Robin was stunned for a moment. Had the Marine actually discovered something unusual here?Well, Alabasta is one of the World Government's affiliated nations, after all."I understand." Nico Robin nodded. As the sole survivor of Ohara, she knew all too well how much the Marine and the World Government wanted to capture her.So, she would avoid showing her face as much as possible."Come back as soon as possible; the operation here is about to begin." Crocodile finished speaking and hung up the call.Looking at the closed transponder snail, Nico Robinwas silent for a moment, then she looked up at the distant sea and narrowed her eyes. "Before I go back, I still have some things to do."She was going to see this so-called Princess Vivi.For a princess of a nation to dare to do such a thing, even Nico Robin admired her a little.Her courage was commendable....Asking for data support~Flowers and tickets are both welcome~Thank you, everyone~.Chapter 39: You Really Love Money Like Your LifeIn the town of Whiskey Peak, a banquet was currently in full swing."Hahaha, come, drink!" Zoro clinked glasses with the person in front of him happily, looking as if he were genuinely enjoying himself.Ben really had to admire him, but on second thought, he understood.This guy simply wanted to drink.He'd cut people down after he'd had his fill of food and drink, right?"Drink more, please don't be polite!" Igaram said with a smile. "Just treat it like your own home.""Uh..." Nami waved her hand. "I'm not good at drinking."How could she possibly drink at a time like this..."It's alright." A nearby nun approached and said, "This is a special juice brewed specifically for us.""It doesn't contain any alcohol.""Is that so?" After taking a sip, Nami's eyes lit up. "This is pretty good."Seeing this, a glint flashed in Igaram's eyes, and he then clapped his hands. "Alright, to celebrate the harvest!"
Let's have a toasting contest, as is the custom!""The rules are simple: keep toasting, and the last one standing is the winner!""Everyone, come join in~"Once I get you all drunk, I can capture you!This is a bounty of eighty million Berries!Igaram's heart was trembling; this was no small sum."Count me out," Nami said with an awkward look. "I can't drink that much.""The grand prize is a hundred thousand Berries!""Bring it on!" Nami stood up, glass in hand. At this moment, she looked like a goddess of war."You really do love money more than life..." Sitting nearby, Ben put down his cup speechlessly and took off his glasses.To keep them from digging into his face when he passes out later.Nami ignored Ben. If you don't manage the household, you don't know the importance of money.A hundred thousand Berries was like a gift; why wouldn't she take it?Nami had seen through it the moment Igaram spoke—they were planning to get them drunk!But unfortunately for them, she wasn't going to be knocked down by mere alcohol."Ben, you too!" Nami suddenly thought of something and pulled Zoro. "Zoro, don't you have no money?""Hurry up, join in!"Ben and Zoro exchanged a helpless look. Fine, they had to pretend to be drunk later anyway, so this was a perfect excuse.While the drinking contest raged on here, Luffy was on the other side eating roast meat with all his might, having already exhausted one chef.Usopp was drinking and bragging, having the time of his life.The one who found salvation the fastest was Sanji; the guy was surrounded by over a dozen girls, drinking happily.Well, perhaps the heavens were showing mercy to the boy, as this was his last chance for joy.As time passed, the moon hung high in the sky.Everyone in the Straw Hat Pirates had fallen into a deep sleep—or so it seemed to Igaram.Stepping outside, Igaram revealed a terrifying smile. "Sleep well. I hope you have sweet dreams~"Because tomorrow will be your nightmare~"How's it going?" Mr. 9 approached and asked."They're all asleep." Igaram glanced at Miss Wednesday and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw she wasn't injured.As long as Princess Vivi is fine.The Nun walked out of a nearby room and said speechlessly, "That woman can really drink.""If I hadn't spiked her drink with extra alcohol, I wouldn't have been able to knock her out."The Nun felt like she was about to throw up.This was the first time she had met her match."Honestly, they just look like a bunch of kids. Was all this necessary?" Miss Wednesday was a bit speechless.For the people on this island, wouldn't it be better to just attack directly?"Exactly." Mr. 9 couldn't understand it either, especially since food was already scarce in their town anyway..."What do you know?" Igaram said crossly. "They aren't ordinary people."He then pulled out a bounty poster. "Look closely. There are two pirates here with bounties in the tens of millions!""And they even destroyed a Marine base. Do you think we'd stand a chance if we attacked them directly?"That's basically impossible!Igaram was self-aware; with his strength, dealing with a pirate worth 10 million Berries was a struggle, let alone these two.Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday were stunned. "For real?!"Those kids...They don't look the part, especially that Straw Hatboy. He looks completely harmless, like someone easy to bully.He's actually a pirate with a 50 million Berry bounty?"Why else do you think I did this?" Igaram snorted. "But it doesn't matter. As long as we turn them in for the bounty, it'll all be worth it."That's 80 million Berries!Then I'll have a chance to move into a more central position.Igaram narrowed his eyes. It would make his investigation much easier."Hey," Zoro said calmly. "They're all so tired, let's not disturb them.""Huh?" The group looked up at the roof and were dumbfounded when they saw who it was. "Weren't you all drunk?!"Why are you here?"How could we fall into a dead sleep in a Bounty Hunter's nest?" Ben pushed up his glasses and said coolly. "You certainly had a nice little plan.""Waiting at the first stop of the Grand Line to wipe out all those naive pirates?" Zoro said with a grin. "That's quite nasty.""But your luck ran out. You've provoked people you shouldn't have!""Damn it!" Igaram grit his teeth. To reach a more central position, he had to capture this crew!With that thought, Igaram immediately shouted, "Everyone, move! Take them down!""Yeah!""Just in time to stretch my muscles." Zoro cracked his neck. "Hey, Ben, don't interfere.""I'm enough on my own.""Ah, okay."Perfect for getting some peace and quiet.Chapter 40: Ben, Like a Demon~Listening to the screams below, Ben looked relaxed.But the Bounty Hunters didn't feel the same way; they felt looked down upon."Damn it, is he looking down on us?""Go, get him!"Watching the Bounty Hunters climb onto the roof and surround him, Ben said flatly, "A word of advice: don't make a move on me.""Otherwise, the consequences will be very severe~"As he spoke, he slowly took his right hand out of his pocket.A dozen tiny Mosquito-shaped bomb robots flew out."Severe?" A Bounty Hunter said disdainfully. "Four-eyes, I'd like to see just how severe the consequences are.""Four-eyes?" Ben turned quickly to look at the speaker, revealing a 'kind' smile. "Very well, you've successfully piqued my temper.""Wh... what's wrong!" Looking into Ben's eyes, the Bounty Hunter instinctively took a step back in fear. Once he realized what he'd done, he became incensed with shame. How could he be afraid of this weak-looking Four-eyes?"Go, take him down!"Once I cut off your head, let's see if you still dare to be so arrogant!"Sigh, why bother." Watching the dozen or so people charging at him, Ben sighed and slowly raised a finger. "Forget it, let me send you on your way.""Burst!""Boom!"The robots flying in the air suddenly exploded, turning everyone except the speaker into a mosaic!"Mm." Ben nodded with satisfaction. "It seems my power control is quite good.""De... Demon." The sole surviving Bounty Hunterslumped to the ground, his whole body trembling.What did this man do? Is he also a Devil Fruit User?To take out so many of them in an instant?"Do you know why I didn't kill you too?" Ben looked at him with a 'kind' expression."Why?""Because those who can't control their mouths need extra punishment~" Ben walked over with a smile and patted the man's shoulder. "Enjoy the sensation that follows."Then, without looking back, he walked down. He still had to find Nami.The girl was probably rummaging through things right now.As for these Bounty Hunters?Just leave them to Zoro.A few hundred people were hardly enough for him to cut through."What do you mean?" The Bounty Hunter watched Ben leave, confused. Had he been spared?But the change that occurred in the next moment brought a look of terror to his eyes."Bang!"A faint explosion occurred around him. Although it wasn't lethal, it was incredibly painful!And this was just the beginning; what followed were continuous explosions until he was killed!This was one of Ben's ways of punishing people.That's what you get for having a foul mouth.After heading down, Ben found Nami rummaging through things. "You really haven't broken that habit, have you?"
Hmph, they started it anyway. It's not too much for me to take a little something, right?" Nami huffed, not feeling at all that what she did was wrong."But they're so poor...""I searched for ages and didn't find anything valuable."Glancing at the chest on the ground, Nami's face was full of disdain.If it were before, she might have taken it.But now...She was a wealthy person now, okay!The treasures and money in Ben's pocket were quite substantial!Yes, that's right; Nami had already deposited her money with Ben.But she kept track!And she warned Ben not to touch her money without permission!But~Whether he touched it or not, how would she know~"To be honest, I thought you were really drunk," Bensaid, stroking his chin as he looked at Nami. "I didn't expect a young girl like you to be such a heavy drinker.""This is a far cry from the Tangerine Wine I drank back in Cocoyasi Village," Nami waved her hand. "Besides, if there's money to be made, why wouldn't I drink more?"That was 100,000 Berries!How many newspapers could that buy?She wouldn't let such a good opportunity pass.Tossing the items in her hand aside, Nami sighed. "These Bounty Hunters are sinister enough to use this kind of method against us.""If our alertness hadn't been decent, we might have fallen for it."Well, this "we" didn't include those three idiots.Those three idiots were still lying in the room sleeping."Let's go, let's head out and take a look." Benopened the door and stepped out. "Compared to the scrap metal here, there's something much more valuable waiting for us.""Something more valuable!" Hearing this, Nami's eyes immediately turned into the shape of money signs. She seemed to see countless Berries waving at her."Eh, what are you two doing here?" Luffy, who happened to be passing by, looked at the two coming out of the room and asked curiously, "Are you guys secretly eating something?!"Not sharing with him?That's really not cool.Ben was speechless. "Is there nothing in your head besides eating?""There's no food here; we just came over to check things out.""I see." Luffy immediately lost interest and wobbled away. "I'm going to pee."He hadn't slept enough yet.After finishing his business, he was going back to sleep some more."Ignore him." Ben walked in another direction, where the sound of explosions was already coming from.He guessed that the Bomb-Bomb Fruit Ability Userhad already arrived.Leading Nami, they slowly strolled to the corner of the street and immediately saw Igaram standing at the intersection."I won't let you hurt Princess Vivi!" Igaram said fiercely. "I stake the honor of the Captain of the Alabasta Royal Guard on it!"Then he opened his cannon barrels and launched his attack!*Boom!*A massive explosion rang out in the distance, and Igaram's expression softened slightly."That should have finished them off."He had used small-scale cannonballs; even if they were Officers, their bodies shouldn't be able to withstand such an attack!Igaram's idea was good, but~He was facing a Bomb-Bomb Fruit Ability User!Chapter 41: Nami's Words, Like a Devil's Whisper~"Princess?" Nami looked at Igaram, who had been knocked down again, and said with some confusion, "Is that girl a princess?""Yeah," Ben nodded, saying with a playful look, "The Princess of Alabasta.""You knew all along?""Not exactly." Ben shook his head. "I just thought she looked familiar before, and I only confirmed it when that guy said it."He couldn't exactly say he was a Transmigrator.Hmm, in the future, he'd have to reveal information in this kind of roundabout way."I see." Nami nodded, her belief that Ben's background was unusual becoming even firmer.Would an ordinary person pay attention to the situation of another country's princess?Glancing at the duo chasing Vivi in the distance, Nami thought for a moment and said, "Let's go, let's head over and see what's happening."Maybe they could get some benefits out of it~As they got closer, Nami heard Igaram saying, "Please, you must save Princess Vivi! The King will surely reward you when the time comes!""Who cares about you!" Zoro said with a look of disdain. "You guys were just trying to kill us a moment ago.""And now you're asking me to save someone?"You must be dreaming!A flicker of gloom passed through Igaram's eyes. Was Princess Vivi going to be killed?No, even if it cost him his old life, he had to save Princess Vivi!Thinking of this, Igaram struggled to crawl up, but his injuries were too severe, and he couldn't stand up at all.This made Igaram feel a sense of despair.At that moment, Nami approached and said, "You mean, there's a reward for saving that princess, right?""Yes!" Hearing Nami's words, a flame of hope ignited in Igaram's heart. "As long as you can save Princess Vivi, the King will definitely reward you!""Hmm~" Nami smiled like a little devil. "It's not that I can't save her, but she is the princess of a country after all. It wouldn't be too much for me to ask for a billion, right?"Ben:...Zoro:!!Igaram:??Ben's mouth twitched. You really dare to ask.Given Alabasta's current miserable state, are you sure they can produce that much money?Well, she didn't know."This..." Igaram's words were stuck in his throat. Is this how people ask for money nowadays?A billion right off the bat?Do you think we're burning paper money?"What, is a country's princess not worth a billion?""I'm just a lowly Captain of the Guard; I have no right to decide such things," Igaram said bitterly, then had a sudden flash of inspiration. "But Princess Vivi has that right. You should save her first.""You plan to save her first?""If she isn't saved, there's no point in us talking about this!"Nami fell silent for a moment; that made sense.If the girl died, it wouldn't matter even if they reached an agreement here.Thinking of this, Nami glanced at Zoro and said, "Zoro, go with Ben and save that girl."Ben:???What does this have to do with me?"Bastard, do the things you agreed to yourself!" Zororoared with a shark-like mouth."You haven't forgotten that you still owe me money, have you?" A glint of cunning flashed in Nami's eyes."Didn't I already pay you back that money!" Zoro's mouth twitched. "Didn't I tell you? I didn't spend any money buying the swords."He had returned the money to Nami after getting back to the ship.The money to compensate that girl's glasses was also taken from the Marines; how could he still owe money!"I remember saying back then that you'd need to pay me back triple, right~" Nami chuckled. "Even if you returned those 500,000 Berries, there's still a million Berries left unpaid.""You wouldn't be the type of person who doesn't keep their promises, would you?"Zoro felt as if his vital point had been seized; his face turned beet red.Finally, after letting out a roar, he ran off into the distance."You devil! You'll definitely go to Hell!""Yes, yes, I'll definitely go to Hell~" Nami said nonchalantly. As long as she could get the money, what did going to Hell matter?Then she looked at the speechless Ben beside her, leaned in to hug his arm, and looked at him with her big, cute eyes.She didn't say a word, just looked at him like that.After a moment, Ben said helplessly, "Fine, fine, I get it."Honestly, when would this money-grubbing girl's personality tone down a bit?"Hehe, you're the best~" Nami gave Ben a peck on the cheek, then stepped aside and waved. "Good luck~""Don't worry, I'll definitely bring her back for you."
Adjusting his glasses, Ben turned on the thermal imaging System on his lenses and quickly spotted several people in the distance."Hmm?" Looking at the situation in the distance, Benwas momentarily stunned. "Why is Luffy here?"By the time Ben arrived, Zoro and Luffy had already started fighting."You bastard!" Luffy roared. "You actually cut down all these good people! I'm going to send you flying!!""Are you an idiot?!" Zoro was about to die of anger. "I was cutting down Bounty Hunters who were trying to kill us!"Zoro, who was already full of anger, exploded after being treated like this by Luffy. "Bastard, since you want to fight, I'll grant your wish!"Meanwhile, those two Baroque Works agents were lying on the ground not far away.Apparently, they had been knocked down by the two of them."Come on, let's test whether Sword Dao is superior or Martial Dao!""Just what I wanted!"The two roared as they rushed toward each other, as if they were trying to kill one another.At the moment they were about to clash, the ground in front of them suddenly exploded!"Boom!"The sudden explosion caused the Aura they had just built up to dissipate, and they landed a short distance away."Are you trying to kill us!" x2.Looking at Ben walking over from the distance, Luffyand Zoro immediately knew that he was the one behind the explosion."If I hadn't stepped in, were you two planning to beat each other to death?" Ben said crossly. "Luffy is one thing, but why are you joining in the nonsense?""Huh?" Veins popped on Zoro's forehead. "It's this bastard who attacked me without even asking why!"Otherwise, he wouldn't be fighting this idiot, okay!"Hmm..." Ben was silent for a moment, then nodded. "True."Should he take this opportunity to beat up this bastard along with Zoro?It's a rare opportunity.Chapter 42: Shichibukai?Ultimately, Ben abandoned this tempting idea; business came first.He then explained the situation to Luffy, but Luffydidn't believe him until Nami arrived and used physical persuasion on him. Only then did Luffybelieve what was going on."Hahahaha, so that's how it is." Luffy laughed and patted Zoro on the shoulder. "You should have said so earlier.""I thought you cut them all down because there was nothing you liked in the food."That look of his was truly as infuriating as could be."Don't lump me in with you, you bastard!" Zororoared with a shark-like mouth. "I was saying it all along, but you bastard wouldn't listen at all!""I'll cut you down sooner or later."Why was I so mindless as to join this bastard's ship back then?"Hahahaha, don't worry about it~" Luffy laughed nonchalantly. Anyway, he had been slashed twice, so they were even."You guys are so noisy!" Nami glared at the two of them fiercely and said, "Both of you, shut up!"Seriously, can't you see I'm negotiating business?Hearing this, Luffy and Zoro immediately shut their mouths; it was best not to provoke this Devil King."Well then, Your Highness~" Nami revealed a little devilish smile. "I want one billion Berries as a reward.""You've seen it too, right? These guys are very strong.""I think this deal is a bargain~"At the same time, she wondered if the greater Treasure Trove Ben mentioned earlier was this.Heh, as expected of Ben.Vivi looked troubled and sighed after a moment. "That's impossible.""I'm very grateful to you for saving me, but...""Why?" Nami looked puzzled. "You're a princess, it's only one billion."She didn't believe a country couldn't even produce that small amount of money!"Right now, my country simply cannot produce that much money." Vivi shook her head. "Do you know the country of Alabasta?"Nami shook her head. She didn't know; she had just come out of the East Blue, so how would she know?But would Ben know?Thinking of this, Nami glanced at Ben."I know a bit about it." Ben, leaning against the wall, said calmly, "Descendants of kings who renounced their status as Celestial Dragons.""One of the most peaceful countries in the world, am I right?""Yes..." Vivi nodded, then sighed. "But that was all in the past.""Currently, Alabasta is in the midst of a civil war."She then described the situation in her country and why she had appeared here."In other words, you joined Baroque Works to find out the truth." Zoro looked at Vivi and smiled. "You really are a courageous princess.""So, did you find out anything?"Vivi nodded, though the truth was somewhat shocking to her."Ideal Nation..." Nami recalled what she had heard from that middle-aged man earlier. "But it doesn't seem that way now."She felt as if the other party was doing this for some specific purpose, not for some Ideal Nation or anything like that."Yes." Vivi bit her lip. "Although they claim to be building an Ideal Nation, it's all a massive lie.""Their true goal is to seize the Kingdom of Alabasta!""I must go back quickly to tell everyone and calm the citizens' uprising."Otherwise...Her country would be completely finished!"In that case, you really are broke." Nami sighed, then glanced at Ben.So, what exactly is the more valuable thing this guy was talking about?Ben shrugged. The more valuable thing was this girl, but don't just look at the surface."Hey." Luffy, sitting in front, suddenly said with a look of interest, "Who is the mastermind?""No, I can't say that!" Vivi said in a panic. "If I say it, you'll be in danger too.""Even though you're very strong, you're definitely no match for that man.""That Seven Warlords of the Sea, Crocodile!"As soon as Vivi's words came out, the air instantly went silent.Didn't she just say it..."Hmm?" Ben looked up at the Sea Otter and Vulture on the roof. Isn't that..."The Unluckies?!" Seeing the backs of the pair as they left, Vivi felt completely numb.Why are these two here?!Not only was she numb, but Nami was also numb.She rushed forward, grabbed Vivi's neck, and roared, "Hey, what was with that bird and Sea Otterjust now?!""Are they going to report that you told us the secret?!"If that's the case, isn't she as good as dead?!That's a Shichibukai!A Seven Warlords of the Sea!Even the most ignorant person would know about those seven terrifying great pirates on the sea!"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Vivi didn't want it to be like this either.But..."Ben..." Nami walked up to Ben with tears in her eyes and said, "Are we going to die?!""Being hunted by a Shichibukai right after entering the Grand Line..."This is just too much!Why does she have to go through something like this!"Hahaha, a Shichibukai or whatever sounds so interesting." Luffy said to Zoro with an excited look. "What kind of person will he be?""Not bad at all." The corners of Zoro's mouth curled up. "To be able to meet a Shichibukai so soon, we're really lucky~"Zoro saw it very clearly; as long as they defeated this so-called Shichibukai, their fame would increase!And then~Have a Bounty!At the thought that he would have a Bounty before that Perverted Cook, Zoro was so happy his nose was almost pointing to the sky."You guys shut up!" Nami roared with a shark-like mouth. "Do you think this is some kind of fun game?!""No, while our appearances haven't been exposed yet, let's leave here quickly.""Hmm..." Ben pointed to The Unluckies not far away and said, "I think it's already too late.""What?" Hearing this, Nami looked in the direction Ben was pointing and instantly turned to stone where she stood.Weren't those their likenesses on the Portraits?Nami was completely numb.
Chapter 43: We Are Here to Beat the Shichibukai!"What should we do..." Nami sobbed, clinging to Ben, "Are we going to die..."She still had so many wonderful things to enjoy, she hadn't traveled the world to draw maps yet, how could she die here?She was so unwilling!"Don't worry, it's fine," Ben comforted. "I'm here."Then he looked up at Luffy and said, "Since Luffyintends to become the Pirate King, the enemies ahead of us are not just the Shichibukai.""There are enemies even stronger than them.""If we shrink back here, Luffy will never be able to become the Pirate King."So what if it's the Shichibukai?We are here to beat the Shichibukai!Besides, Crocodile's strength at this time isn't that great, at least not until his fighting spirit returns.If we are afraid of even this kind of enemy, what about the Four Emperors in the future?!Especially that Big Mom who ate the Soul-SoulFruit; whoever dares to show a hint of cowardice will have their Soul dragged away!Luffy's expression turned serious upon hearing Ben's words. Just as Ben said, at this moment, Luffywas not afraid of the so-called Shichibukai."The Shichibukai, huh? Let me see how strong he is."Zoro was the same!"Since we've been targeted, it doesn't matter," Zorosaid nonchalantly. "We'll just beat them when we meet."So what if it's the Shichibukai?Their journey won't stop here!"You guys are hopeless..." Nami felt a sense of impending doom. At this moment, she just wanted to hide in Ben's arms; that was the safest place."Uh..." Princess Vivi said awkwardly, "Sorry, well, if it really comes to it, I can use the money I saved to compensate you.""It's about 500,000 Berries."Ben's mouth twitched upon hearing this. 500,000?Would Nami even care?After all, his pockets were..."Hand it over~" Nami left Ben's arms in a flash, came before Princess Vivi, and held out her hand, saying, "500,000 Berries!""Eh?" Princess Vivi was stunned for a moment, then blankly handed the money from her pocket to Nami.She actually wanted it?"Hmph, 500,000 is still money," Nami grumbled, then stuffed the money into Ben's pocket. "Keep it safe."Forget it, since there's no way to avoid it, just face the enemy head-on."Ahem, everyone, please don't worry." Igaramwalked in front of the group in a strange outfit and said, "It's fine, I have a strategy.""Igaram, what is this outfit of yours??" Looking at Igaram's getup, Princess Vivi was dumbfounded.Is he imitating her?Igaram didn't care about their gazes and said to Princess Vivi with a serious face, "Princess Vivi, please listen to me.""If we've been targeted by Baroque Works' intelligence network, people will be chasing us immediately, not to mention that they know the boss's secret.""You should understand, right."Therefore, there must be a strategy to deal with it."So, there will probably be about a thousand pursuers," Princess Vivi said uncertainly, though that was likely the number.Nami shivered when she heard her words. A thousand people??Ben patted Nami, then looked at Igaram and said, "Mister, are you planning to disguise yourself as Princess Vivi and take those things that look like us to lure the pursuers?""Yes." Igaram nodded. "Someone has to attract their attention.""No, you'll die!" Princess Vivi's expression changed instantly."Someone has to do this." There was no fear on Igaram's face. "Don't worry, I won't necessarily get into trouble; I will return to Alabasta directly.""Please escort Princess Vivi back to the country from the Grand Line."This way, Princess Vivi wouldn't encounter any unexpected situations."Escort the princess?" Luffy looked at Zoro with some confusion. "What does that mean?"When was it said that they would escort the princess?"Didn't you hear us talking?" Zoro glanced at Luffy. "You're slow.""This mister means for us to escort her back to her country.""Oh, I see." Luffy nodded. "Sure, that's fine.""You really aren't afraid at all." Nami was speechless. "That's the Shichibukai, Crocodile!"To be able to become one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, his strength must be terrifying."Is this Crocodile scary?" Luffy looked at Igaramwith confusion in his eyes.Is the Shichibukai enough to scare Nami like this?"Yes." Igaram nodded. "He is a Shichibukai now, a legal pirate, which is why he has no bounty.""But his previous bounty was 80 million Berries."Nami shuddered upon hearing this, slowly looked up at Ben, and said with a mournful face, "Isn't that the price of both of your bounties combined?"Can they really win?Ben smiled and patted Nami's back. "Don't worry, it's fine."What else could Nami do? She could only sob in Ben's arms."Now that you know how powerful Crocodile is, are you still willing to send her back?" Igaram asked, looking at Luffy with a serious face. "You still have a chance to regret it.""Ah, because I feel it will be very interesting." Luffyagreed without hesitation.Most importantly, that sentence Ben said.If he's afraid of facing the Shichibukai, how can he become the Pirate King?!"Thank you very much." Igaram was full of gratitude. If this group was willing to send Princess Vivi, then her safety would be guaranteed!Most importantly, Igaram could tell that although this group of kids were pirates, they were not bad people!He was always a good judge of character, which is why he entrusted Princess Vivi to them.Perhaps there was a reason for destroying the Marine base.After the agreement, Igaram brought everyone to the seaside.Looking at the ship at the seaside, Igaram smiled. "Princess Vivi, please don't worry, I will safely return to Alabasta.""Everyone, I leave it to you.""Yeah, got it." Luffy nodded."Then, goodbye, everyone~" After Igaram boarded the ship, he skillfully operated the ship and sailed into the distance.Standing on the shore, Ben frowned. He felt like he had forgotten something?Just at this moment, the ship in the distance suddenly exploded."Boom!"Ben's pupils shrank. That was it!He had forgotten that this ship would explode. Was it done by that Bomb-Bomb Fruit user?Truly despicable.Must kill him next time they meet.But fortunately, this mister appeared in Alabastalater and didn't die here.If he remembered correctly, it was Robin who saved the person, right~What a caring big sister who says one thing but does another.Chapter 44: Caring Big Sister~Although it was painful, everyone had to continue their journey.Because they couldn't let down Igaram's kindness!"I'll go bring Sanji and Usopp back, you guys go to the ship first.""You should go back to the ship with Zoro and the others first." Ben glanced at Luffy. "I'm afraid they won't survive under your handling."He remembered the way this jerk woke the two up: dragging them by their noses and thighs for the whole way, almost sending them off.Zoro's eyelid twitched upon hearing this, and he couldn't help but imagine some terrifying scenes.Shaking his head to throw this terrible thought out of his mind, Zoro grabbed Luffy's arm and said, "Leave it to Ben."Yeah, he was doing it for Usopp, not for that lecherous cook."What is it." Luffy said with some dissatisfaction. "I wouldn't do anything."At most, he would just drag them back to the ship."Hurry up." Nami glanced at the back and said, "I have a bad premonition; maybe the pursuers are not far away."Ben nodded, thinking to himself that a certain caring big sister would be here soon.Arriving at the first room, Ben looked at the two people still sleeping on the floor and, for some reason, a nameless anger suddenly rose in his heart.They were out there fighting for their lives, and these two jerks were sleeping so peacefully here?Thinking of this, Ben slowly took out a stun baton from his arms~"Awoo!" The sudden electric shock made the two jump straight up from the ground, and their screams could be heard clearly even by Nami and the others in the distance.
What's wrong?" Vivi asked, looking nervous. "Did they encounter an enemy?""Uh..." Nami's mouth twitched. "Probably not."If they had encountered an enemy, at most Usoppwould be screaming; Sanji wouldn't be.It was likely that Ben used some special method to wake the two of them up.On the other side, the two, now fully awake with frizzy hair, roared, "What the hell are you doing, you bastard!""Are you trying to kill us?!""I was just waking you up," Ben shrugged. "Who told you not to wake up no matter how much I called.""There was no other way, I had to use special measures."Hearing this, a flash of confusion crossed Sanji's eyes. Did Ben call him just now?He had absolutely no memory of it. Could that really be the case?"Fine, let's not talk about that. Why did you suddenly wake us up?" Usopp glanced at the sky outside. "It's still dark, isn't it?""Exactly. I was still interacting with a beautiful big sister in my dream~" Sanji made an indescribable expression, as if recalling something indescribable."Alright, stop talking nonsense and get moving." Ben turned and walked outside. "The pursuers will be here soon.""Pursuers?" Sanji paused, exchanged a glance with Usopp, and then followed him.Had something happened while they were asleep?However, out of trust for their partner, the two of them didn't voice their doubts.They would talk about it once they got on the ship...."What an interesting bunch~" Nico Robin, who had snuck onto the going merry through the mist, watched as Nami used physical persuasion to quiet Usopp and Sanji, and couldn't help but smile.It was her first time seeing pirates with such an atmosphere."It's really great that you were able to escape from the pursuers, right, Mr. Scientist?" Nico Robinglanced at the man who had appeared beside her at some point and smiled faintly.Ben smiled but didn't respond.The others were suddenly startled and turned their heads to look behind them in shock."Who is it?!"Why did a stranger suddenly appear behind them?"You... who are you?!" Vivi's eyes were filled with shock. Isn't this person..."I saw Mr. 8 over there just now, Miss Wednesday~"Vivi's eyes widened, and then she looked at Nico Robin with an incredibly fierce expression. "Was it you who killed Igaram?!""It wasn't me~" Nico Robin said calmly, though she didn't offer any further explanation."Mr. Scientist, do you intend to attack me?""I don't have that intention for now." Ben, hands in his pockets, looked at Nico Robin calmly. "You didn't come here to capture us either, did you?""After all, assassination is your specialty."If she wanted to attack, she would have done so already."Oh?" Nico Robin looked at Ben with some surprise. "Does Mr. Scientist know me?"Ben didn't answer, but instead looked at Nico Robinwith a meaningful gaze.This made Nico Robin feel very uncomfortable, as if all her secrets had been seen through.A trace of killing intent suddenly rose in her heart. Should she just kill this person?She didn't want her secrets here to be exposed, at least not before she got what she wanted.Looking at Ben's calm and indifferent demeanor, Nico Robin was hesitant again.Was this person not afraid of her attacking?At this moment, Luffy spoke up. "It doesn't matter, does it?""Why are you on our ship?"Vivi also asked with an ugly expression, "Why are you here, Miss All-Sunday!""Miss All-Sunday?" A flash of confusion crossed Nami's eyes. "Whose partner is she?""She is the Boss's partner.""The Boss..." Nami was stunned. Had they caught up so quickly?Since she was here, did that mean Crocodile would also arrive here soon?!"Yes." Vivi nodded. "Previously, only this woman knew the Boss's identity, and we only learned the Boss's identity information by tracking her.""To be precise, I let you track me." Nico Robin smiled faintly.Otherwise, did they really think anyone could track her?"What? So you're a good person." Luffy looked at Nico Robin naively, suddenly finding her more pleasing."Don't pretend to be a good person. You were also the one who told him about the Boss's identity!""That's right~" Looking at the furious Vivi, Nico Robin's smile didn't fade."So you are a bad person after all?""Shut up!" Nami glared fiercely at Luffy. Can't you just be quiet for a moment?!Chapter 45: The Threatening Man!"What is your purpose in doing this?" Vivi really wanted an answer.Since she chose to help her, why did she also put her in crisis?"Who knows~" Nico Robin said, while intending to use her ability to take Luffy's hat."Don't move." Ben raised his hand and said calmly, "If you dare to attack them, I can't guarantee you'll be safe."Nico Robin glanced at Ben. Her intuition told her that it was best not to do anything unnecessary at this moment.Otherwise, this man would really attack.Thinking of this, Nico Robin shrugged. "You're really fierce, Mr. Scientist.""Forget it, I'm too lazy to explain the reasons." Nico Robin turned her gaze back to Vivi and said, "Maybe I just admire a certain princess running around for her country.""Rest assured, I haven't received any orders, and I have no reason to attack you.""More importantly, you won't be able to leave the island you are about to arrive at alive.""What do you mean?" Nami was a bit confused. Is the next island terrifying?"The next island is called Small Garden. You absolutely cannot come out of it alive." Perhaps not wanting Crocodile to be too lonely, Nico Robinthrew the log pose in her hand to Vivi and said, "Follow what's on this, and you can bypass Small Garden.""This is an uninhabited island near Alabasta. This is a route that no one in the company knows about."The two of them added up to 80 million Berries. Maybe they could haggle with Crocodile.Consider it finding some fun for herself before she dies."It must be a trap." Zoro looked at Nico Robincautiously. He didn't believe the enemy would be so kind!Maybe the place pointed to by this log pose is some particularly dangerous place.Looking at the log pose in her hand, Vivi hesitated.What if this is real?She really didn't want these people who were willing to take her home to be in danger.At this moment, Luffy walked up to Vivi, took the log pose, and under everyone's gaze, crushed it!"We don't need this kind of thing!" Luffy raised his head and shouted at Nico Robin, "You don't get to decide the direction this ship takes!"He was the Captain of this ship, and only he had the right to make decisions!Hearing this, Ben revealed a smile. This was the Luffy he knew."You heard him." Ben glanced at Nico Robin and said, "Our Captain has made his decision to go to the Small Garden you mentioned.""Is that so? What a pity." Nico Robin smiled, not really caring about the matter.In the end, this was just some fun she found for herself."I don't dislike people with backbone. I hope you can survive~" Nico Robin walked to the side of the ship, leaped, and landed steadily on her mount."Let's go, Banqu."Since you want to go to Small Garden, I have no reason to stop you.I hope you can survive.If you die~It wouldn't be worth remembering.Watching Nico Robin leave on a turtle, everyone was stunned. "What is this? Such a big turtle."Ben, on the other hand, watched Nico Robin with a special gaze. "Since you came to our ship, it wouldn't be too much to leave something on you, right?"Ben's mouth curled up. He really thanked her for delivering herself to them at this time.This way, when they were in Alabasta, it would be much easier to find Crocodile.At least in the early stages, she was with Crocodile."What exactly happened? At least explain it to me." Usopp felt like an idiot, not knowing anything right now.What exactly happened while he was asleep?Nami hadn't explained anything to them just now, she just hammered them.Zoro was a bit helpless, but he still explained the whole process to the two of them."Did such a terrifying thing actually happen?" Usopp's eyes widened, and he said tremblingly, "Good thing I was asleep..."If he hadn't been asleep, would he have been hacked to death?
Chapter 35"Well~" Sanji lit a cigarette and looked at Vivi with a smile, saying, "Since I, the sleeping knight, have awakened, there's no need to worry.""I will definitely protect you, Young Miss Vivi~""You'll die because of a woman sooner or later, you shitty cook," Zoro muttered disdainfully from the side.You really have to hit on every girl you see, don't you?"What did you say, Marimo?!" Sanji immediately rushed to Zoro, pressing his forehead against the other's. "Wanna fight?""As if I'm afraid of you?!""Both of you, shut up!" Nami walked over and delivered two firm punches—a classic example of her 'persuasive' methods.Honestly, what if you scare Vivi?"Is it really okay for me to be on this ship..." Vivi bit her lip. "Will I just cause trouble for your fights?"It had only been a short while, and they had already encountered pursuers.The only reason they were fine was that the opponent hadn't intended to make a move.But what about the others?What about Crocodile?"What are you talking about?" Nami walked up to Vivi and tapped her forehead. "Our identities are already known to them.""If you didn't want to cause us trouble, you should have thought of that from the start~""I'm sorry...""Well~" Nami reached out and ruffled Vivi's hair, saying, "Anyway, things are already like this.""Right, Luffy?""Oh!" Luffy said nonchalantly, "That kind of thing doesn't matter, let's eat!"Compared to that, he was more interested in eating.Watching Luffy's reaction, Vivi's lip twitched. Does he really not care about anything?"Since we've agreed to take you, we won't go back on our word," Ben said calmly from the side. "Don't worry, but remember to have your father prepare those one billion Berries.""Right, right, right." Nami's eyes instantly turned into the shape of money symbols. That was a billion!Sweat dripped from Vivi's forehead. "But...""I'm just kidding, hahahaha.""Kidding me..." Vivi looked at the pirate ship filled with laughter and joy, and for a moment, she actually had the thought that staying here wouldn't be so bad.Maybe...This is the kind of life she truly longs for.Chapter 46: The Eternal IslandAfter a period of sailing, the Straw Hat Piratesarrived at another island.Looking at the log pose in her hand, Nami's lips curled up. "That's right, this is it!""Everyone, we've arrived at this place called Small Garden!"At the same time, she steered the pirate ship into the island's river mouth.Looking at the surrounding plants, Zoro stroked his chin with a puzzled look. "Small Garden?""What part of this is small?"The plants here looked much larger than in other places; calling it small was just nonsense.Or was there something else here he didn't know about?"This is a very interesting island~" Ben's lips curled up. "There are all sorts of peculiar creatures on it that you've never seen before, as well as—""As well as?""Well~" Ben waved his hand. "You'll see for yourselves. Telling you in advance would ruin the fun of the adventure."This is an ancient island, after all~"That's true." Sanji nodded, then looked at Ben in surprise. "I just realized, how do you seem to know everything?""After all, I came from the New World~""Is that so?" Sanji scratched his head. Even so, he always felt something was a bit off.Do people from the New World really know this much?"You actually came from the New World?!" Vivilooked at Ben in shock, her eyes as if she were looking at a monster."I've heard that sea is terrifying, a paradise for pirates."But it was only hearsay.For ordinary people, going there was no different from seeking death. How did Ben..."It's nothing strange." Ben waved his hand. "Actually, although the New World is terrifying, it's not as scary as you imagine."Glancing at his companions who were full of curiosity, Ben smiled. "You'll know once we get to the New World.""After all, an unknown adventure is what makes it fun~""Am I right, Luffy?""Yeah!" Luffy nodded, then looked toward the forest with anticipation. "Sanji, prepare a Pirate Bento for me!""A Pirate Bento?""Yes, a Pirate Bento! A Pirate Bento with no vegetables and all meat!" Luffy said excitedly, "I can already smell the scent of adventure!"Just like Ben said, an unknown adventure is what's interesting.So he was going to explore this forest!"Got it, it'll be ready in a moment." Sanji smiled and didn't refuse.That was his duty, wasn't it?"Hey, look, what's that?" Usopp pointed into the distance tremblingly and said, "Is that a tiger?!""A tiger?"Everyone looked in the direction he was pointing and was momentarily stunned.A tiger that big?"That's not right." Nami looked at the creature, which was several times larger than a normal tiger, and was a bit dumbfounded. "How can a tiger be this big?!""That's why this place is called Small Garden~" Ben's lips curled up. This was just one of the small fry; they hadn't seen the big guys yet.Hmm...I wonder what dinosaur meat tastes like."What do you mean?" Nami looked at Ben in confusion, but before she could ask further, she heard Usopp shout, "Hey, what's going on!""How did it fall over with a mouth full of blood?!"Nami turned her head and saw that the enormous tiger from just now had indeed fallen to the ground.This terrified her.An animal that big was killed?!That was a tiger, the king of the forest!Why was it killed?What kind of monster is in this forest?!"What on earth is going on with this forest!" Namigrabbed Ben's collar and roared, "Explain it to me clearly!""Don't get so excited. The animals are just a bit larger, it's no big deal.""Besides, a huge body just means plenty of meat~""Right, Luffy?""Meat..." Hearing Ben's words, Luffy's drool began to leak from the corner of his mouth. "Huge meat?"I wonder how the animals here taste; they must be delicious!Thinking of this, Luffy became impatient. "Sanji, Sanji!""Hurry up, I want to go on an adventure!"This place is calling to him!"Can I go too?" Vivi suddenly asked."You too??" Nami was a bit dumbfounded. Aren't you scared?"Because if I stay here, I'll start overthinking things..." Vivi smiled. "I might as well take this opportunity to go for a walk.""Besides, the log pose needs some time to store the magnetic force, right?"There's no point in just staying here.So she felt it was better to go out and look around."It's very dangerous!" Nami let go of Ben's collar and said, "Luffy is one thing, he's very strong.""But you...""Don't worry, I'm not a weak woman either." Viviwaved her hand. "Besides, I have Karoo with me, right?"As Vivi spoke, she looked at the Kuai Pao Ya beside her; she trusted this little guy very much."Quack?" The Kuai Pao Ya was stunned for a moment, then showed a look of terror.Are we really going to such a terrifying place?!He's going to die..."Look how scared the poor thing is." Ben almost couldn't help but laugh out loud."Forget it, Nami. With Luffy there, Vivi will be fine."