Nami's furious outburst hung in the air, a potent deterrent more effective than any weapon the bounty hunters possessed. Luffy and Zoro, momentarily cowed, ceased their destructive spat, though residual sparks of challenge lingered in their eyes.
The remaining generic bounty hunters, wisely deciding this was well above their pay grade, began to melt away into the shadows, leaving only the downed forms of their comrades and the two higher-ranking agents standing awkwardly in the debris-strewn square.
Mr. 5 adjusted his sunglasses, his earlier composure rattled by being used as a prop in the captains' argument. Miss Valentine, recovering from her shock, twirled her umbrella, a tight smile on her face. Their target – 60 million berries combined – was awake, functional, and apparently prone to violent internal disagreements, yet still overwhelmingly dangerous.
"Alright, alright, I get it," Luffy grumbled, scratching his head. "So, they're not nice people who gave us food. They're… bad people?"
"They're bounty hunters, Luffy!" Nami repeated, exasperated. "They tried to capture us! That means they're our enemies!"
Luffy's expression shifted from confusion to a dangerous spark. "Enemies? They tried to capture us?" He glared at Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine. "Then they don't deserve meat!"
Zoro, sheathing two of his swords but keeping Wadō Ichimonji in hand, smirked. "Took you long enough, Captain. Ready to finish this?"
"Shishishi! Yeah!" Luffy grinned, his earlier anger at Zoro forgotten, replaced by the simple clarity of confronting hostiles. "Let's beat 'em up, Zoro!"
Ryoma watched from his precarious position behind the splintered bar, fascinated. The switch was instantaneous. The internal conflict vanished, replaced by the familiar, terrifying synergy of the Monster Duo. Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine suddenly looked a lot less confident.
Mr. 5, recovering his bravado, stepped forward. "You two think you can take us on? We're elite agents of Baroque Works! I am Mister 5, and with my Bomb-Bomb Fruit ability, I can make any part of my body explode!" He tapped his nose again, producing a small, non-damaging puff of smoke.
"And I am Miss Valentine!" the woman declared, twirling her umbrella dramatically. "With my Kilo-Kilo Fruit, I can change my weight from one kilogram to ten thousand kilograms! You can't stop a one-ton drop!"
Luffy just stretched his arm. "Bomb-Bomb? Kilo-Kilo? Shishishi! Sounds weird! Bring it on!"
The fight was short, brutal, and spectacular. Luffy engaged Mr. 5, while Zoro took on Miss Valentine. Luffy, immune to blunt force and explosives thanks to his rubber body, easily dodged Mr. 5's explosive kicks and punches. Mr. 5's attempts to use his snot rockets as bombs were met with Luffy simply stretching his neck to avoid them or deflecting them harmlessly.
"Gomu Gomu no… ROCKET!" Luffy launched himself forward, slamming into Mr. 5 and sending him tumbling through the air. Mr. 5 exploded harmlessly on impact, but the force was still immense, knocking him into a pile of rubble.
Meanwhile, Zoro faced the shifting mass of Miss Valentine. She would leap into the air, changing her weight to crush him, but Zoro was too fast. He'd blur out of the way, the ground cracking where she landed with bone-jarring impact.
"One Hundred Kilo Guillotine!" Miss Valentine screamed, increasing her weight dramatically and attempting to land on Zoro from above.
Zoro calmly sidestepped, drawing his third sword. "Santōryū… Tatsumaki!" A powerful, spiraling sword technique erupted, creating a vortex of wind and steel. Miss Valentine, caught in the whirlwind of slashes and wind pressure, was tossed about like a rag doll.
Her weight became a liability, making her an easier target for the swirling blades. With a final scream, she was flung across the square, landing in a crumpled heap near Mr. 5.
Mr. 5, recovering slightly, tried one last desperate attack. "Bomb-Bomb… Foot Pistol!" He aimed an explosive kick at Luffy.
Luffy easily caught the leg. "Too slow! Gomu Gomu no… WHIP!" He spun, using Mr. 5's leg as leverage, and sent the Bomb-Bomb man flying into Miss Valentine's unconscious form.
The two Baroque Works agents lay defeated amongst the ruins of the square. Luffy and Zoro stood panting slightly, the earlier tension replaced by the shared exhilaration of battle. Nami sighed, rubbing her temples. Ryoma pushed himself up, dusting off his simple clothes, observing the scene.
As the adrenaline subsided, a figure stepped forward from the shadows near where Mr. 8 and Vivi had been hiding amongst the initial chaos. It was Vivi, shedding the elaborate costume of Miss Wednesday. Mr. 8, or rather, Igaram, removed his mayoral sash and fake mustache, revealing his true, if still somewhat peculiar, appearance.
"Straw Hat Pirates," Vivi began, her voice urgent and filled with a desperate sincerity that cut through the post-fight quiet. "Thank you. Thank you for defeating them. My name is Nefertari Vivi, and this is Igaram, Captain of the Royal Guard of Alabasta."
Luffy tilted his head. "Alabasta? What's that?"
Nami smacked him lightly. "Luffy, pay attention! She's a princess! You were impersonating bounty hunters from Baroque Works, weren't you?" she said, turning to Vivi and Igaram, her earlier suspicions confirmed.
Vivi nodded, her expression grim. "Yes. We infiltrated Baroque Works to uncover their secrets. This town, Whiskey Peak, is a front. Every resident here is a bounty hunter working for them. They lure unsuspecting pirates in with a fake welcome, then capture them for their bounties. We were attempting to gather information and find a way to expose the organization from within."
"Baroque Works…" Zoro mused, wiping a speck of dust off Wadō Ichimonji. "So they're behind all this."
Igaram stepped forward, adjusting his monocle. "Indeed. But our mission goes deeper than simply exposing a bounty hunting ring. Baroque Works is a secret criminal organization bent on taking control of a country."
Vivi's eyes widened slightly, her voice dropping to a horrified whisper as the weight of her mission and the imminent danger overwhelmed her careful planning. "They plan to start a civil war… in my home country… Alabasta! The leader… he's one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea… Crocodile!"
A collective gasp went through the Straw Hats, even Luffy's eyes widening slightly at the mention of a Shichibukai. Ryoma felt a jolt. The revelation had come, just as it did in the story. Vivi, under pressure, had revealed everything.
"Crocodile?!" Nami exclaimed, her face paling. "One of the Warlords? You were investigating a Warlord's organization?"
Vivi nodded, tears welling in her eyes. "Baroque Works is manipulating the people of Alabasta, using a dance powder embargo and orchestrated attacks to turn them against my father, the King. The country is on the brink of war, and we were trying to find proof of Crocodile's involvement before it's too late."
Igaram placed a comforting hand on Vivi's shoulder. "We learned that Baroque Works was planning to rendezvous their agents here, at Whiskey Peak, before moving on to the next stage of their plan. We hoped to intercept information, but we were nearly caught ourselves."
Vivi looked at the Straw Hats, her gaze pleading. "Now that Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine are defeated, the rest of Baroque Works will know we've been compromised. We need to get this information to Alabasta immediately. But I can't expose the Straw Hats to the full force of Baroque Works by traveling with you directly. We are too valuable a target."
Igaram straightened, his voice firm with resolve. "Princess, there is only one way. I will create a diversion. I will sail away from Whiskey Peak in a small boat, carrying the Princess's identifying cloak and a decoy."
"Baroque Works' attention will be fixed on me, believing they are pursuing you. While they are distracted, you must escape with the Straw Hat Pirates and sail directly to Alabasta. They are strong enough to protect you on the journey."
Vivi gasped. "No, Igaram! It's too dangerous!"
"My duty is to protect the royal family, Princess," Igaram said, a gentle smile on his face. "This is the best chance for Alabasta. Please, go with the Straw Hats. Reach the country and tell your father the truth."
He didn't give her time to argue. He quickly retrieved a small boat docked nearby, placed a bundle of fabric and a large doll-like figure inside, and donned a similar cloak himself.
"Farewell, Princess Vivi!" he called out as he pushed off from the dock. "May your journey be swift and safe! And Straw Hats, protect her with your lives!"
The Straw Hats and Vivi watched in stunned silence as Igaram rowed away from the island, his small boat disappearing into the darkness of the sea. The tension in the air was palpable. They waited, watching the horizon, hoping against hope that he would make it.
Then, a blinding flash of light erupted from the direction Igaram had gone. It was followed milliseconds later by the concussive boom of a massive explosion that rocked the island. A plume of fire and smoke rose into the night sky.
The Straw Hats stared, their faces pale. Vivi let out a choked sob, her hands flying to her mouth. Igaram's sacrifice… it had been real. He hadn't escaped.
"Igaram…!" Luffy whispered, his usual carefree demeanor replaced by shock.
"He… he didn't make it…" Zoro muttered, his grip tightening on his sword.
Nami, ever the pragmatist, snapped them out of their shock. "We have to go! Now! They know we're here! They know Vivi is here! That explosion will bring more agents!" Her eyes darted towards the still forms of Usopp and Sanji. "Grab them! We need to get back to the Merry!"
Panic set in. The Straw Hats didn't hesitate. Luffy and Zoro, their earlier argument completely forgotten in the face of Igaram's tragic end and the looming threat, dashed towards where Usopp and Sanji lay unconscious. Ryoma watched them move, his own shock at the explosion quickly being replaced by a different, more intense focus.
As Luffy heaved a groaning Usopp over his shoulder and Zoro slung a muttering Sanji under his arm, they turned to run towards the docks. Vivi, tears streaming down her face, ran alongside Nami. The Going Merry was just ahead, its distinctive figurehead a beacon of hope in the darkness.
But as they neared the edge of the square, where the path led towards the harbor, a figure stepped out of the shadows, blocking their path.
He was tall, noticeably muscular and imposing. His hair, unmistakably bright pink and spiky, stood out even in the dim light, just as it had when he polished mugs, but now it framed a face set in a calm, unwavering expression. The simple tavern clothes he wore, previously seeming a little loose, now looked better fitted to his clearly defined physique.
He didn't stand there with the hesitant awe of a fan. His posture was relaxed, yet radiated a quiet confidence, a deliberate obstacle. His hands hung loosely by his sides, but the air around him felt suddenly heavier, charged with an underlying tension that wasn't panicked or chaotic, but controlled.
Luffy, Zoro, and Nami skidded to a halt, Usopp and Sanji still draped over their shoulders. Vivi stumbled back, clutching Nami's arm.
Nami's eyes widened in recognition, then narrowed in suspicion, taking in the stark contrast between this imposing figure and the seemingly unassuming bartender. "Hey! You're… you're that bartender from the bar! What's going on? Why are you blocking the way?!"
Zoro's single eye fixed on the figure, a flicker of recognition mixed with sharp assessment. The bartender. He'd hidden his strength well. Ryoma's expression remained calm, a slight, knowing smile playing on his lips, devoid of malice or desperation.
"Leaving so soon, Straw Hats?" His voice was steady, measured, his natural tone deeper than the one he used in the tavern. He acknowledged Nami's recognition with a slight nod. His gaze swept over them, calm and appraising, lingering on Luffy and Zoro.
"You've certainly made an impression. Defeating Baroque Works agents, handling yourselves against overwhelming numbers… The bounties on your heads are more than justified."
He took a slow step forward, the air around him tightening further, but without aggression, more like the settled pressure before a storm.
"In the Grand Line, strength is paramount," Ryoma stated, his voice quiet but clear. "And you possess a remarkable amount of it. Seeing you in action tonight… it confirmed what I suspected." He met Zoro's focused gaze, then Luffy's confused but alert one. "I'm interested in power. In testing limits. And in making a name for myself."
He extended a hand, not as a welcome or a threat, but as an invitation to conflict.
"I am Ryoma," he stated simply, his eyes holding a cool, determined light. "And I want to fight you." The challenge was delivered not with a roar or a taunt, but with the quiet certainty of someone stating a simple fact. "Let's see the extent of that strength. Right here."