Little Garden
The dust settled slowly, but the tremors in the ground continued. The impact of the giants shook the forest, but Riser was uninterested. His golden eyes were fixed on nothing, his mind already elsewhere.
His fingers moved smoothly in the air, drawing invisible runes that glowed for an instant before disappearing. The wind around him swirled, carrying a different presence.
A blue light pulsed in front of him.
Shwiiiing!
A silhouette began to form in the air, like a wavering reflection on the surface of the water. Then, the hologram took shape.
Merlin appeared, clad in her long mage robe. Her eyes glowed with an intense lilac hue, filled with respect.
"Riser-sama, what is your will?"
The world around seemed to silence for a moment. Even Alvida stopped laughing, her eyes narrowing with interest.
Miss Valentine swallowed hard, feeling a shiver run down her spine.
Goldenweek, who had been huddled against Valentine, lifted her head, peeking out with curiosity.
Riser showed neither surprise nor satisfaction. He simply tilted his head slightly.
"Come to Little Garden."
The mage blinked once, absorbing the command without hesitation.
"Understood. I won't take long."
The image vanished with a Zzzzt!, as if it had never existed.
Silence hung in the air for a moment.
Alvida clicked her tongue, resting her club on her shoulder.
"That was new."
Miss Valentine ran a hand over her neck, trying to shake off the tension.
"He summoned someone from another place… just like that."
Goldenweek tilted her head, her eyes gleaming with a distant thought.
The sounds of the giants' battle returned to fill the air, but no one there was paying attention anymore.
Then...
Whoosh!
The air rippled again.
A cold breeze swept through the clearing. Space distorted for an instant, as if the very fabric of reality was bending.
A blue light shone in front of them.
And Merlin appeared.
She landed softly on the grass, as if she had simply stepped from one room into another.
Her eyes immediately turned to Riser, and she made a slight bow.
"I have arrived, Riser-sama."
Alvida whistled low.
Miss Valentine exchanged a quick look with Goldenweek, who blinked, still processing what she had just seen.
Riser only inclined his head slightly, showing neither surprise nor satisfaction.
"Good."
The tremors of the battle continued, but at that moment, for them, it no longer mattered.
Merlin turned, her long cape swaying gently. Her eyes scanned Alvida, Miss Valentine, and Goldenweek with casual curiosity, as if analyzing pieces on a chessboard.
"Are these your new pieces, Riser-sama?"
The lilac glow in her eyes intensified for a brief moment.
Alvida raised an eyebrow, resting her club on her shoulder, the lazy smile still on her lips.
"I'm Alvida. The other two are Miss Valentine, and the little girl there is Goldenweek."
Merlin observed the three unhurriedly. Her gaze lingered a second longer on Goldenweek, who simply tilted her head, curious.
"I see."
Miss Valentine swallowed hard, feeling a chill run down her spine.
'This woman is dangerous...'
Riser crossed his arms, his golden eyes showing little interest in the scene.
"Merlin, take Valentine and Goldenweek with you."
The air around seemed to grow denser. Miss Valentine widened her eyes, involuntarily stepping back.
"What?! Take me where?"
Merlin looked at Riser, without the slightest hesitation.
"Do you wish them to be treated like the others?"
She spoke respectfully, but with a hint of hidden amusement.
Riser's expression did not change.
"There's no need to treat them like Kaya or Nojiko. Just ensure their loyalty."
Merlin's smile turned mischievous, her eyes gleaming for a moment.
Miss Valentine felt panic rising.
"Hey, wait! I didn't agree to this!"
Goldenweek simply tilted her head, still holding her paint palette.
Merlin snapped her fingers.
Shwiiing!
The two disappeared in a sudden blue glow.
The breeze blew softly where they had stood.
Alvida let out a low chuckle, crossing her arms.
"That was fast."
Merlin gave a slight bow to Riser.
"As you wish, Riser-sama."
He nodded slightly.
Merlin raised a hand, the air around her rippling once more.
"I will return to Amazon Lily."
Shwiiing!
And then, she disappeared.
The clearing remained silent for a moment. Only the wind danced among the leaves, carrying the last echoes of the giants' battle. Dorry and Brogy had finished their duel, but the tension in the air persisted.
Alvida crossed her arms, keeping her gaze fixed on the spot where Merlin had vanished. Her lazy smile remained, but her eyes betrayed a sharp curiosity.
Riser noticed.
"Curiosity killed the cat."
Alvida immediately averted her gaze, feeling a cold shiver run down her spine. Her body tensed for an instant, but she quickly forced a low chuckle, trying to appear unconcerned.
"Me? Curious? Ahahah... I just found it interesting."
Riser's golden gaze lingered on her longer than seemed necessary. The breeze blew between them, carrying dust and leaves over the cracked ground.
"Make sure it remains just interesting."
The tone was casual, but the weight of the words made Alvida swallow hard. She shrugged, feigning disinterest, but deep down she knew there was a line she should not cross.
"If you say so, boss."
She stepped away, walking to a nearby rock and sitting down, pretending to be relaxed. But Riser was no fool. He knew her mind was working.
The wind blew strong once more.
Crack.
Mr. 3's body moved slightly. A low groan escaped his lips as his fingers trembled against the ground.
"Ugh…"
Riser's eyes glowed with a touch of amusement.
"Finally waking up?"
Mr. 3 groaned again, moving with difficulty. His mind was still hazy, his body heavy as lead. His eyes tried to focus, but everything seemed to spin around him.
"You... bastard…"
His voice was weak, almost lifeless. He tried to stand, but his body wouldn't fully respond.
Alvida let out a low laugh, lightly tapping her club on her shoulder.
"You woke up too soon. I would have enjoyed the rest more if I were you."
Mr. 3 gritted his teeth, his frustration evident. His fingers clawed at the ground, trying to find the strength to rise.
Riser approached slowly, his footsteps echoing on the hardened ground.
"Stand up."
His voice was cold, impatient.
Mr. 3 tried, but his legs gave out, and he fell to his knees again. His body still felt the effects of the previous blow.
"I… won't…"
Riser sighed lightly, disappointed.
"Pathetic."
Alvida chuckled again, crossing her legs as she watched.
"Are you going to kill him, or play a little first?"
Riser tilted his head slightly, analyzing the man before him. Mr. 3 panted, his mind wavering between rage and fear.
"That depends."
His golden eyes gleamed dangerously.
"Do you have anything useful for me?"
Mr. 3 swallowed hard. His pride told him to remain silent, but his survival instinct screamed otherwise. He closed his eyes for a second, trying to regain some breath.
"I know… things."
Riser raised an eyebrow.
"Things?"
"About… Mr. 0."
The name brought a momentary silence. The wind blew again, lifting dust around them. Alvida leaned forward, now genuinely interested.
Riser remained expressionless.
"Continue."
****
The twilight painted the sky over Little Garden with shades of orange as Luffy, Zoro, and Usopp walked through the dense vegetation, following Brogy's long strides. The giant advanced with his characteristic laughter, his footprints sinking into the soft ground.
"Shishishishi! That was amazing, Brogy! You two have been fighting for a hundred years and still have so much fun!"
"Gababa! The honor of Elbaf warriors does not weaken with time, little one!" Brogy puffed out his chest, proud. "Dorry and I will keep dueling until fate decides who is the strongest!"
Zoro crossed his arms, watching the giant. Fighting for so long without a winner… That kind of dedication is something I respect.
Usopp looked at Brogy in admiration, his eyes shining. "One day, I'll be a brave warrior of the sea too! Maybe even as big as you guys!"
Brogy laughed heartily, pounding his chest so hard that the ground trembled. "Gegyagyagyagya! Then train hard, long-nose!"
The group finally arrived at the giant's camp. The fire crackled at the center, casting shadows over the surrounding trees.
Sanji was sitting on a log, cigarette between his fingers, watching his friends arrive with a bored look. "You took your time."
Nami raised an eyebrow, arms crossed. "At least you didn't get lost, right, Zoro?"
Zoro rolled his eyes, grumbling. "Tch. Don't start with that."
Karoo let out an excited "quack" upon seeing Usopp, flapping his wings. Igaram remained beside Vivi, who smiled in relief at the sight of her companions.
"Luffy, did you have fun with the giants?" Vivi asked.
"Shishishi! A lot! They're amazing!" Luffy threw himself onto the ground, stretching his arms and yawning. "But now we have to keep going, right?"
Nami pulled the Log Pose from her wrist, raising it for everyone to see. "The Log Pose has finally stabilized. We can leave this place."
Sanji stood up, stretching his shoulders. "Great. I can't wait to get off this crazy dinosaur island."
Vivi nodded, touching the bracelet on her wrist. "Every second we waste here is a risk for Alabasta."
Nami looked around, frowning. "But… where's Riser?"
The group exchanged glances. No one knew.
"He didn't come with you?" Sanji raised an eyebrow.
"We haven't seen him since the giants started fighting." Zoro shook his head.
Usopp scratched his neck. "Maybe he went ahead?"
Silence hung over the group for a moment.
Luffy suddenly stood up, stretching his arms above his head. "He must be on the ship! Let's go!"
---
The waves lapped gently against the hull of the Going Merry, the boat swaying slightly in the calm tide. The moon was rising in the sky when the group finally reached the deck.
The first sound they heard was a mocking laugh.
"Ahahaha! So that was it? This idiot's information was worthless!"
Alvida leaned against the railing, her club resting on her shoulder, a malicious smile on her lips.
Mr. 3 lay unconscious on the floor, his face swollen and covered in bruises. His clothes were torn, and his once meticulously combed hair now hung in messy strands.
Riser was sitting on the edge of the ship, his golden eyes reflecting the moonlight. The wind tousled his blond hair, but his expression remained impassive.
Sanji frowned, taking a step forward. "So, you got here first."
Alvida cast a lazy glance at him. "Just in time, cook. The show's over."
Nami looked at Mr. 3's motionless body, then at Riser. "What did you do to him?"
Riser lifted his gaze slightly toward her. "He talked. After that, he was useless."
Usopp trembled, staring at Mr. 3. "I-Is he alive?"
Alvida nudged the failed agent with the tip of her boot, making his body shift slightly. "For now."
Vivi, however, clenched her fists. "Was that really necessary?"
Riser didn't answer immediately. He simply tilted his head slightly, as if considering the question.
"He was an enemy. If it were the other way around, we'd be in his place."
The princess averted her eyes, biting her lip. "Even so…"
Sanji glanced at Riser before turning to Nami. "If the Log Pose is ready, can we leave?"
Nami nodded. "Yes."
Luffy jumped onto a nearby barrel, excited. "Then let's go! Goodbye, dinosaur island!"
Zoro stepped away from the mast, walking to secure the sails. "About time."
Igaram and Karoo prepared to board the ship, while Vivi took one last look at the island, lost in thought.
Riser stood up from the railing, walking slowly across the deck. "Time to head for Alabasta."
The wind picked up slightly, rustling the sails.
Luffy placed his straw hat firmly on his head and grinned widely. "Next stop, Alabasta!"
The sails billowed, and the Going Merry began leaving Little Garden behind.
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