Therefore, he unhesitatingly piloted Little Maxim towards a certain location on Whiskey Peak.
.....
In a forest not far from Whiskey Peak town, three figures revealed themselves.
Igaram, with his peculiar curly hair, was eating grilled fish with Vivi and Karu, the black duck, beside him.
Vivi was exquisitely beautiful, with a graceful, perfect hourglass figure, light blue hair tied in a high ponytail, and two strands of hair hanging over her shoulders on either side of her forehead.
However, Vivi was staring blankly at the grilled fish in her hand, finding it hard to swallow.
"Igaram... tell me, this isn't true, Crocodile hasn't he always been helping Alabasta? How could he..."
Vivi's voice was full of disbelief.
If Igaram wasn't the captain of Alabasta Kingdom's guard and had watched her grow up, his loyalty unquestionable, she would have thought Igaram had betrayed them.
"Lady Vivi, although I can hardly believe it myself, it's truly real. That woman is Mr. 0's partner, and the information from her is definitely reliable."
Igaram's face was solemn.
"Mr. 0, the mastermind behind Baroque Works, is one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea—Crocodile!"
"No... how could this be...?" Vivi lowered her head, her hands weakly clutching her hair, her face filled with despair, and she unconsciously dropped the grilled fish to the ground.
The reason she found it so hard to believe was because Crocodile was a great hero in the hearts of Alabasta's people.
He had driven away pirates who caused trouble for the people of Alabasta on several occasions, and she never expected such a person to be the culprit.
Just then, Vivi suddenly noticed that the ground in front of her had grown dim, while the ground in the distance remained bright.
She instinctively looked up at the sky with Igaram.
They saw a giant airship flying through the air, heading straight towards them.
Just as she was about to get up, her face filled with shock, a brilliant bolt of lightning suddenly struck down, growing larger and larger in her eyes.
The next instant, Igaram was struck before he could react, his limbs flailing wildly and uncontrollably.
"Ugh..."
As the electric current disappeared, he opened his mouth wide and exhaled a puff of black smoke.
His golden hair was scorched black from the electricity, and he fell straight to the ground, losing consciousness.
Karu, who had been heartlessly eating the grilled fish in his mouth, also fell on his back, sinking into a deep coma.
"Igaram! Karu!" Vivi's eyes widened, looking at them with great concern.
"Don't worry, they're not dead, just fainted," Asmodeus's calm voice rang out, drawing Vivi's attention.
He controlled Little Maxim to land on the ground nearby, and with a flash of lightning, appeared before Vivi, while his Observation Haki spread out, probing her thoughts.
"You... what do you want? Why did you attack us...?"
Vivi looked at Asmodeus with fear, retreating while stammering her questions.
"Miss Wednesday, or rather, Nefertari Vivi, I am here only to make a contract with you. Those two are not worthy of listening to our conversation."
The contract Asmodeus proposed would certainly be met with resistance from Igaram and that black duck, who might even go so far as to threaten suicide to force Vivi to refuse him.
To increase the success rate of Vivi agreeing, it was better to let them sleep for a while.
After all, in a situation like this, where hearts could be won, there was no need for forceful seizure.
"You actually know my name?!"
A hint of surprise flashed in Vivi's eyes. She was sure she had never met him before, yet he had revealed her true name in one go. Did that not mean he knew her true identity?
"What contract?"
Asmodeus said with an undeniable tone:
"As long as you become my Goddess Consort, I will help you eliminate all the difficulties and troubles you face."
"You... you even eavesdropped on our conversation."
Vivi felt a bit indignant, but dared not criticize him too much. She somewhat doubted his capabilities.
[Goddess Consort? He actually calls himself a God. With such a domineering entrance, perhaps he really can help me?]
"Crocodile is one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, with a great reputation throughout the world. I don't even know your name, so why should I trust you?"
"God · Asmodeus, that is my true name. My title is sung in God's Kingdom. How could you mortals of the Blue Sea know? As for my capabilities..."
Asmodeus said, chuckling softly, raising his right hand palm down, curving it slightly, then suddenly pressing it downwards.
"God's Judgement!"
The next moment, a massive, thick pillar of lightning suddenly descended from the sky.
With a roar, it struck the forest not far from them, leaving a bottomless giant pit and high-temperature heat permeating the air.
Asmodeus's control was extremely precise; the impact caused by the lightning pillar just barely affected Vivi.
A hot gust of wind blew across her face, making her hair stand on end due to the ionization effect.
Vivi was dumbfounded at this moment, her mouth agape, somewhat doubting if she was still dreaming.
She pinched her arm hard and found that it indeed hurt quite a bit.
[This isn't a dream... Such powerful strength, perhaps he really can help me...]
"Crocodile? Seven Warlords of the Sea? They are merely insignificant wretches!"
Vivi listened to his disdainful words, snapped back to reality, and stared at him blankly.
She pondered for a moment. If sacrificing herself could save Alabasta, she would agree without hesitation.
This! This was her resolve as the princess of Alabasta!
[Alabasta cannot continue this civil war. My sacrifice for peace and stability will be meaningful!]
Thinking this, Vivi looked at Asmodeus with determined eyes, asking sonorously:
"If I become your Goddess Consort... will you truly be able to help me expel Crocodile and Baroque Works, and quell the civil unrest in Alabasta?"
"Naturally so, my word is my bond," Asmodeus said with certainty. "Now, make your choice!"
"I agree..." Vivi's tone was filled with resolve.
"However, you must first help Alabasta out of its predicament. Only then can I confidently become your Goddess Consort."
-------
Nefertari D. Vivi: Cute princess, broad-minded.