Little Garden
The interior of the wax house exuded a nauseating smell of hot paraffin. Mr. 3 held the Den Den Mushi, his voice laden with restrained respect.
"Yes, Mr. 0, everything is going according to plan. Soon, the Straw Hats will be eliminated."
Miss Valentine, leaning against one of the walls, tossed a coin into the air, distracted, while Goldenweek sat outside, calmly painting on a wooden board.
Suddenly, the dry sound of something falling broke the silence.
THUD!
Miss Valentine quickly turned around, her eyes widening as she saw Goldenweek collapsed on the grass.
"Goldenweek!"
She rushed to the girl, but before she could touch her, a voice echoed from the shadows of the forest.
"She just passed out."
Tension spread through her body like poison. Fear clenched her chest before she even raised her eyes.
👀
Riser and Alvida stepped out of the forest shadows.
Miss Valentine's heart pounded against her ribs.
He's here. The monster who killed Mr. 5 as if he were an insect.
Her legs felt weak, cold sweat dripping down her neck. Riser's sharp gaze lingered on her for a brief moment before shifting to the wax house.
If I run… No. He'll reach me before I even take a step. What does he want?
Riser walked to the table in the center of the clearing and sat down with the calmness of someone who already knew how the night would end. Alvida followed suit, resting her club on her shoulder with a lazy smile.
Silence.
He pointed to the wax house.
The invisible weight of his presence made the air suffocating.
Miss Valentine swallowed hard.
He doesn't even need to speak. Just by being here, he's already cornered us.
The night swallowed the clearing, but the real darkness came from the man sitting at the table.
The sound of dry footsteps on hardened wax echoed as Mr. 3 stepped out of the house, adjusting his glasses and frowning at the presence of strangers. His eyes first landed on Riser, then on Alvida, before finally noticing Goldenweek's unconscious body on the ground.
"What the hell is going on here?"
His gaze returned to Riser, analyzing him with disdain.
"So you're the bastard causing trouble for Baroque Works? Frankly, I don't see anything special. Just another third-rate pirate trying to look menacing."
Riser didn't move.
His golden eyes merely observed, empty of any emotion.
Mr. 3 scoffed.
"What? Nothing to say? You must be one of those who think staying silent makes you seem more dangerous."
He raised his hand, and a viscous white liquid began forming around him.
"But to me, you're just another arrogant fool."
Alvida rested her club on her shoulder, a lazy smile playing on her lips.
"This one talks too much, don't you think, Riser?"
No response.
Just a monotonous stare at the Baroque Works agent.
Mr. 3 gritted his teeth.
"Tsk. I'll end this quickly."
Miss Valentine saw the perfect moment.
While Mr. 3's eyes were locked on Riser, she leaped. Her body became light as a feather, soaring effortlessly into the sky.
High enough. Now, time to crush him.
Gravity reversed. Her body plummeted in a fraction of a second.
"Ten Thousand Kilo Press!"
The silhouette in freefall turned into a projectile.
The impact would be devastating.
But not against Riser.
She aimed at Mr. 3.
The agent realized too late.
"What the—"
BOOM!
The ground cracked under the brutal force of the impact. Dust rose like a dense curtain.
Mr. 3's body was thrown backward, rolling several times before coming to a stop, his face marked by shock and fury.
Miss Valentine landed softly on the ground, rolling her shoulders.
"I never liked you."
The silence that followed was sharp.
Mr. 3 spat out dust, his eyes burning with rage.
"You... you traitor!"
Riser, still seated, watched everything with a bored expression.
Alvida chuckled, resting her chin on her hand.
"Well, this got interesting."
Riser tilted his head slightly, his golden eyes glinting in the darkness.
"Good choice, Miss Valentine."
She didn't respond, merely standing still, feeling the weight of Riser's gaze on her. Her body was still tense, her heart pounding after the sudden betrayal.
Riser turned his gaze to Mr. 3, who was struggling to stand, his teeth clenched in pure frustration.
"Alvida, finish this."
The captain smiled, slowly rising to her feet, her iron club gleaming under the firelight.
Mr. 3's eyes widened.
"Don't you dare come near me!"
He raised his hands, and the wax liquid began dripping from his fingers, ready to form his traps.
"Stay away from me, you—"
BAM!
Alvida's club struck his face with brutal force.
Mr. 3's body was sent flying like a ragdoll, crashing into a tree with a dry sound.
THUD!
His eyes rolled back before he even hit the ground.
Silence.
Alvida spun her club over her shoulder, scoffing.
"Tsk. He talks too much."
Riser smirked slightly, watching the unconscious body.
"Problem solved."
Miss Valentine let out a sigh, looking at the ground, still trying to process everything.
Goldenweek, lying near the fire, began to stir.
"Hmm…"
She slowly opened her eyes, blinking a few times before noticing the scene before her.
Her hands tightened around the painted wood piece, and her eyes met Valentine's.
"What happened?"
Valentine crouched down, helping her sit up.
"Nothing to worry about. We just made a small… change of plans."
Goldenweek looked at Mr. 3's unconscious body and blinked, showing little emotion.
"Oh."
Alvida snapped her fingers.
"And now, Riser?"
He stood up, stretching his neck slightly. Without hurry, he walked toward the wax house.
The smell of hot paraffin filled the air, mixed with the metallic scent of blood. The interior was disorganized, with papers scattered on the table and unfinished wax molds around.
Alvida followed right behind, tapping her club against her palm.
"If you're taking something, take it fast. This place stinks."
Miss Valentine came next, crossing her arms, still digesting what she had done.
"So that was it? Just knock down that idiot and switch sides?"
Goldenweek entered last, holding her paint palette with an almost irritating calm.
"It was a logical choice."
Riser ignored the comments and walked to the table where the Den Den Mushi rested. The small snail blinked its eyes, its shell decorated with hardened wax spirals.
He picked up the receiver and brought it to his ear.
Purururu… Purururu…
The sound echoed through the room.
Miss Valentine bit her lip, uneasy.
"And if he doesn't answer?"
Purururu…
The sound abruptly stopped.
"Gacha."
A slow, boredom-laden breath echoed from the other side.
"Speak."
Alvida leaned against the table, her eyes gleaming with amusement.
"Well, well, the boss himself."
Miss Valentine tensed up, exchanging glances with Goldenweek, who merely mixed colors on her palette.
Riser leaned slightly over the device.
"Mr. 0, we have a problem."
The silence on the other end was cutting.
"Who is this?"
Riser's eyes gleamed intensely.
"Riser Phenex."
The breathing on the other end grew heavier.
Alvida crossed her arms, watching Riser's reaction with interest.
Miss Valentine swallowed hard.
Goldenweek finally looked at the Den Den Mushi, her eyebrows raising slightly.
The snail mimicked Crocodile's expression, its eyes narrowing, its mouth twisting into a smirk laden with scorn.
"You have the guts to use this line. Mr. 3 should be reporting mission progress. What happened?"
Riser slid his fingers across the table, picking up a piece of hardened wax, observing it leisurely.
"Mr. 3 failed. The ambush plan was a disaster."
Alvida chuckled.
"It was fun to watch, I must admit."
Miss Valentine remained silent.
Goldenweek put a final touch on her painting before finally looking up.
Crocodile's voice came cold and sharp.
"And you think you can just take his place?"
Riser twirled the wax between his fingers.
"I already did."
Silence.
Then, Crocodile's slow, dragging laughter echoed through the Den Den Mushi.
"Interesting."
The snail mimicked his owner's expression, a predatory smile forming.
"Then tell me, Riser… what do you want?"
Riser tossed the hardened wax back onto the table and leaned slightly over the device.
"Negotiate."
The silence that followed was different. Not of surprise, but of evaluation.
Crocodile wasn't a man who tolerated failure, but he also didn't waste opportunities.
From the other end of the line, the leader of Baroque Works let out a sigh.
"Speak."
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