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Chapter 213 - Chapter 212: Cross Country (5)

Goal: wood mega-hut—cliff-top flag "Goal" gate vibe, alien standout.

Round entry: circle plaza.

Long build—short stairs down to mystery hall.

Early birds chilled.

Luffy/Vivi + Kiri/Ace arrival.

All pairs chest-clutch—still key, no drop.

Wood hall: scattered waiters.

Buggy/Alvida spotted—reacts varied: Buggy rage-face, Alvida soft smile.

"Knew you'd make it, Luffy. Expected."

"Damn Straw—survived? Lucky punk..."

Buggy Luffy-fume—Kiri sight: instant grin.

"Ooh, jailbreak bud Kiri! Navarone vault?"

"Found. Took contents."

"For real?!"

"But ditched?"

"Uh—nah, fake flee—smashed near foes. Planned return-save."

"So split share?"

"Duh. Your escape? My chaos credit."

"But fled?"

"Not flee—circumstances blocked—"

Face-off: Kiri/Buggy haggle. Navarone loot split spat.

Buggy crave; Kiri no-way—Nami'd it, no claim.

Nami rage vision? Dodge hard.

Casual chat—no tire; Vivi wall-lean slump.

Beat bad—stand hurt.

Luffy/others chill? Unreal.

Luffy squat-peek worry.

Did great—fact.

"Vivi—good?"

"Yes... sorry. I'm trash. All fine, me weak..."

"Nah. You rocked."

"Thanks, Luffy-san."

Weak smile; Luffy beam-praise; eye-level—

Alvida loom-smile.

"Long time, Luffy."

"O, Alvida."

"Waited meet. Lookin' good."

Alvida Luffy-lock beam—upbeat.

Odd pull.

Vivi clock: breath-steady, club-hand, bare mid—zero strain. Query Luffy.

"Know her?"

"Eh~ sorta."

"You're Luffy's pair. Alvida. Tie? One guy punched me ever—that's Luffy."

"Luffy... you?"

"He's nuts. First meet? Night-day."

"Sube Sube fruit. Freckles gone."

"Not that."

Luffy wave-off; Alvida smug ignore.

"Planned say: team up?"

"You? Me?"

"Only guy I rate. Crushing. Rookie now—future bright. Stake claim."

"Oi Alvida—what ya spout?!"

Sudden pitch: Luffy blank; Vivi shock.

Buggy overhear—stun approach, Kiri ditched.

Current pair: Buggy. Pushback fair—Alvida cool.

"Original? Beat Luffy. Failed. Pre-you? Rated him. Natural."

"Who lost—didn't! Race? I faster!"

"This time. No direct?"

"Nnggu...!"

"Easy. Fix: all team—me, Buggy, you."

Buggy growl-shoulder pat; Kiri grin-intrude.

Buggy whirl—yell amp.

"Eh?! Me Straw-team?! Flashy idiot—think! Impossible!"

"Shame. Thought share-split."

"No one trusts like Straw!"

"Ah—spent it?"

"Rubber scum! Hell flashy!"

"What ya on?"

Kiri bait—one joy one rage; Luffy tough-face.

Luffy simple; Buggy match—greed rush same.

Kiri play? Fits.

Luffy eye-roll; Kiri Buggy-arm whisper.

"Real talk: upsides. East Blue, Navarone—Captain Buggy charisma pulls. Grand Line: we smashed crews. Team? Your fleet booms."

"What? You make enemies—my subs?"

"Yup. Short crew? Lend. Buggy: effortless armada, loot flood. Us: odds up. Win-win?"

"Hm... true but..."

"Issue?"

"Straw team—hate."

"Forgive foes=adventure. Past loot loss? Bigger gains now. Crew prime buy?"

"You survive seas? Our risk."

"Faith only. Here: two pairs in."

"Muu..."

Buggy fleet many—goal: solo Buggy/Alvida. Others flood—no allies.

Grudge: Straw grain elite. Rogue Town escape sting—flaw setup.

Maybe solid.

Buggy ponder—Kiri push-whisper.

"Key intel. Mind-change?"

"Hmph—spit."

"Ace know?"

"Know? Bros—ship feast."

"Ace? Luffy's bro."

"What?!"

"Sworn. Kid days. Both spilled."

Buggy Luffy-stare—blank watch.

"Leaks soon. Luffy bar-yell intro. Weigh that."

"Fire Fist Ace—Whitebeard commander! You..."

"Play right? Possible. Rise ready?"

Kiri beam—Buggy deep think.

Luffy/Vivi/Alvida/Ace watch—speechless.

Vivi Luffy-mutter stun-face.

"Kiri-san... scheming..."

"Nn, classic Kiri."

Luffy no-shock—arms-cross nod chill.

Wry; Ace chime.

"Me bait? VP sharp."

"Shi shi shi—smart bad guy~"

"Boast?"

"Pirates. Duh."

Ace dragged—no mad; laugh-upbeat. Bro fact—open.

Fame no-big; no alert vibe.

Luffy/Ace chat cozy—Buggy daze.

Huge—ignore? No.

(Straw-Whitebeard link?! Ace young commander! Whitebeard no-abandon son! Ace/Straw sworn=Whitebeard-Straw thick pipe!!)

Bolt-shock grasp.

Whitebeard crew—world strongest; Buggy body-felt. Foe risk? Terror max.

Path one.

Kiri eye wary.

"Re-ask: team gains?"

"New muscle. Numbers rule."

"Loot split too?"

"Separate. Lend=pay fair."

"Tch—fine. Status lock? Eye-close issues. Whitebeard... nostalgic."

Arm-cross: distant gaze.

Kiri psych-read query.

"Deal?"

"Hmph—stings but temp. Ups seem real."

"Glad. Cheers, Captain Buggy."

"Useless? Rethink. Whitebeard link? Unproven. Fail=your end."

Firm shake; Kiri shrug-smile.

"Our cap? Pirate King. Might top Whitebeard someday."

"Shi shi shi."

"Hah?! Sudden what?! Team talk!"

"Now? Yeah. Future? Who knows."

"Idiot!! Whitebeard=tie Roger legend! Losers' fates unknown—that's why!"

"Hence team know-it-all. Prep now."

"No! Out!"

"Shook hands."

"Words! Void void!"

Buggy flail-shake—Kiri grip firm.

More talk.

"Eee—let go!"

"Sigh. Bet?"

"Huh? What?"

"Tourney on. Finals win? Team re-up."

"Our win?"

"Navarone all yours."

"Bit sour—deal. Planned champ anyway."

Grin-swap—settled.

Mid-chat: goal flood.

Alvida sigh-wry.

"Whew... how this?"

"Uh... your pitch?"

Vivi meek-Alvida.

Prior arrivals: crew.

Worn but Luffy-spot glee: human Chopper chest-clutch; Silk trail.

"Luffy~! All~!"

"Chopper! Silk!"

"You safe. Good."

Rush-joy: Luffy beam; Vivi wall-rise.

Silk/Chopper drain—pale, slump heavy.

Vivi match—but Silk worry-her.

"Vivi—ok? Beat."

"Bit. Fine. You?"

"Yeah—rough. Others?"

"...Not yet."

Vivi unease scan—no crew. Arlong dot—but no.

Run-no-sight too.

DQ?

Kiri casual voice unease.

"DQ?"

"Don't blunt... delayed maybe."

"Zoro/Usopp prime. Zoro lost? No way here."

"Can't argue."

Silk nod; Nami/Sanji/Igaram/Karue odd-miss—but Zoro/Usopp? Believable. Race-drag Zoro.

Silk micro-sigh.

Crowd build.

Luffy scan—curious faces.

"Whoa~ monkeys. Monkeys here."

"Monkeys?! 'Monkey climber' insult?!"

"Yeah, 'monkey bend'."

"Ukki kki! Idiot—overpraise! Hot streak!"

"Ouo Straw shorty—watch mouth. Masira loud—ear hurt. Tense."

"You monkey-ish."

"First words? Tense."

Luffy chat: Masira + partner Shoujou.

Shoujou: orang round-face, gut-out, slim limbs—Masira opp—but bro-tight.

Quick bond—Luffy grin-group laugh.

Crowd swell.

Fireworks sky—round2 end.

Hattari done—goal speakers blare.

War done—true relief.

"Round2 over~! 100 pairs left! Others—no entry! Loser ships now!"

Instant: bridges blast-cut.

Bridge pirates cliff-dump—mercy nil.

Pirates climb soft? Show force.

Boom-hear: resters foe-eye glare.

Hattari next.

"Prelim3 move! Final prelim!"

No-break next.

Exhaust men growl; mercy-fear some—no-shake others.

"All stairs down. Hall end—final venue beast waits."

Clear: move vibe.

Quick/hesitant mix—all hall-deep.

Fatigue fog heavy.

No brawl thoughts.

Mute march—few chatty.

Luffy/Kiri/Ace crew.

Luffy face-check peek.

Kiri/Ace foe-scan.

Name pirates linger—tireless strides.

"Arlong too. Oi—say hi."

"Tsundere type. Can't straight."

"Kiri's girl missin'."

"Not my girl. Prob."

"Zoro/etc no-show."

"Lost pups."

"Yup, lost."

Chill walk—Vivi/etc rear-amaze.

Silk/Chopper slump—norm scan.

They special.

Hall-end door.

Dual-push: outer vista.

Mega crab wait—door-step = head-height.

Hikkoshi Crab—ride-haul.

Hesitant board-head/back.

Vivi eyes pop-spot.

"Hikkoshi Crab? Alabasta rare. Human-shy—phantom."

"Phantom here?"

"Blueberry contract?"

Chopper/Silk head-tilt.

Quiet load—crab slow-rev haul.

Fast no-head-bob—rest ok.

Vivi/Silk/Chopper sit-hunch.

Luffy cross-knee chest-kneel—curious poke.

All pairs hold—lose=DQ; key cargo.

"Huh—whats inside?"

"Reveal soon? Next prelim use?"

"Fuhn."

"More—"

Kiri scan-voice: Vivi.

"Walsagi, Hikkoshi—Alabasta near?"

"Thought same. Hikkoshi unique—no other isles. Alabasta import only."

"One more hint."

"Hint?"

Vivi tilt—clueless.

Kiri stray-walk: target.

Bored Mr.2 one-leg spin.

"Ahh~ bore. Next fight pronto."

"Long time, Bon-chan."

"Hm? Paper-chan! Ages~!"

Spin-halt: casual eye.

"Fuuun fuun—ehh?! Paper-chan?! Here?! Double-take! Shock double! Okama Fist: 'Autumn Dream Double-Take'!!"

"Just double-take."

High-energy same.

Kiri wry—recognized; relief-mixed.

"Wha~ Paper-chan, tourney too? East Blue pirate shock~"

"Stuff happened."

"No-you? Miss AllSunday swamped. Can't fix. Exit news—stun—"

"Wait!"

Overhear: Vivi loud-approach.

Kiri/Mr.2 view—disbelief query.

"Kiri-san—that guy..."

"Yup. Hint."

Kiri Mr.2-nod grin.

"Officer Agent, Mr.2 Bon Clay. Code."

"Nice~"

"Mr.2?!"

Vivi + Luffy/Silk/Chopper shock.

Prior meet no-clue.

Luffy recall—Vivi ask.

"Oi Vivi—unknown?"

"Yes... sad. No agent meets. Intel half-know..."

Lip-press quiver.

"My info: big okama, hyper, pointless ballet spin, back 'Okama Way'..."

"Notice."

Snap: Luffy/Silk/Chopper/Ace tsukkomi Vivi.

Clueless expose.

Mr.2 pose-bellow laugh; Kiri wry-trap.

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