Alabasta.
The port of Nanohana, the main gateway to Alabasta, was renowned for its perfume trade, bustling open-air markets, and endless streams of merchants and travelers.
The streets, which should have been lined with vibrant stalls and teeming with activity, now bore the scars of Alabasta's civil unrest. Half the shops were boarded up with crooked planks, and pedestrians hurried along with anxious steps.
Yet, as one of Alabasta's most famous trading ports, Nanohana still retained a shadow of its former prosperity. Though many shops had closed, quite a few remained open, and the streets still carried a faint echo of liveliness.
Miss. Valentine clung tightly to Bahr, chattering and giggling nonstop as they walked, her innate love for shopping and browsing on full display. Bahr indulged her, letting her flit from store to store.
She might not have contributed much, but she had certainly put in the effort!
Besides, the exotic allure of her dancer's outfit, the playful charm of her sailor uniform, the sizzling appeal of her bikini—all paired with meticulously applied makeup and the lingering fragrance of specialty perfumes—were all for his benefit. How could he refuse?
"Boss~" Miss. Valentine tilted her head up, her eyes curving sweetly as she smiled. "Where are we going next?"
Bahr glanced down at her, his tone indifferent. "To a shop that sells Log Poses. I need to buy an Eternal Pose for Sabaody Archipelago."
"Huh? Sabaody Archipelago???" Miss. Valentine jerked her head up. "Why do you suddenly want to go there?"
Bahr pinched the soft flesh at her waist, smirking. "What, don't want to come with me?"
Without this little "lemon" around, the journey would undoubtedly be far less entertaining.
"Of course I do!" Miss. Valentine pressed closer, shaking his arm. "But Eternal Poses are monopolized by the government. You can't buy them on the open market—the best you can get is a regular Log Pose."
Bahr paused, momentarily taken aback. He knew Eternal Poses were rare, but he hadn't realized they were outright monopolized by the World Government.
Thinking about it, it made sense. Log Poses were the key to navigating between islands. The government might allow ordinary ones to circulate, but if Eternal Poses were sold freely, how could they maintain control?
So what now? Follow a Log Pose island by island? That would only increase the chances of exposure.
And once exposed, his route would be compromised, making it easy for the World Government to intercept him...
"Actually," Bahr mused, turning to Miss. Valentine, "since you're with Baroque Works, do you have any way to get an Eternal Pose for Sabaody through the black market?"
Monopoly or not, where there was profit, there were channels. If it wasn't available openly, the black market would have it. Most pirate crews obtained their Eternal Poses through unofficial means, and Baroque Works was part of the underworld—surely they had some connections.
Miss. Valentine hesitated, stammering without an immediate answer.
Just then, Mr. 5, sweating profusely and laden with shopping bags, squeezed forward, panting. "Boss, we can definitely get our hands on ordinary Eternal Poses, but for one to Sabaody Archipelago... the black market doesn't have those. If there's anywhere that might have one..."
He lowered his voice. "Only the Alabasta royal family would have the connections."
Bahr's brow furrowed. He believed Mr. 5 wasn't lying. Sabaody Archipelago was Celestial Dragon territory—the World Government's control there was absurdly tight. Only a royal family could possibly negotiate with them for a Pose.
But right now, Alabasta was in chaos. Crocodile's forces were watching the royal family closely, and the Straw Hat crew was mixed up in it all. Heading to the capital, Alubarna, at this point would be far too conspicuous.
"Fine. First, check the black market and see if you can find an Eternal Pose for Sabaody. We'll figure out the rest later." Bahr reached out and took the pile of bags from Mr. 5. A flicker of light and shadow later, the items vanished without a trace.
Mr. 5's eyes bulged. He knew this was a Devil Fruit ability, but he'd never seen anything so miraculous. He couldn't help grumbling inwardly: If you had such a convenient power, why not use it earlier? Made me lug all this around like a dog!
Of course, he didn't dare say it aloud. He merely nodded hastily. "Yes, Boss!"
Miss. Valentine's eyes sparkled with excitement, her innate curiosity piqued to the extreme. She rose onto her tiptoes, leaning in close to Bahr. "Boss~ Is that your ability? How did you do that? Where did all my clothes go?"
"A secret."
Though intimate with Miss. Valentine, Bahr knew better than to reveal everything. A bedmate was just that—trust went only so far. Some things had to be kept close.
"Mean~" Miss. Valentine lightly punched his arm, her curiosity burning even brighter. But seeing he wasn't inclined to share, she didn't dare press further.
Bahr chuckled, wrapping an arm around her waist. "Come on, let's find an inn first."
Feeling the pressure at her waist, Miss. Valentine stiffened slightly, forcing a smile while inwardly groaning.
These past few days on the ship, she'd been at Bahr's beck and call almost constantly. Her legs were still shaky from overuse, and now he wanted more? The man was like a beast!
But then she remembered her place and swallowed her complaints.
The man's strength left her both enamored and terrified, her heart in constant turmoil.
.....
Rainbase.
Inside a private casino booth, crystal chandeliers cast a cold glow through the humid air. Crocodile lounged lazily in a leather chair, draped in a fur-lined coat, a cigar dangling from his lips as he eyed Nico Robin across from him.
"So, Mr. 5 and Miss. Valentine—those two idiots—defected?"
"Mhm." Nico Robin, clad in a fitted denim outfit, sat on the sofa, idly scratching the chin of a massive banana gator with her boot. She didn't even glance up. "They're following that mysterious man with the whirlpool motif now. His strength is unknown, so I didn't approach recklessly."
"Tch." Crocodile exhaled a lopsided smoke ring, his golden hook tapping rhythmically against the table. "Some flashy gimmick. How strong could he be? Just a clown jumping around."
Robin propped her chin on one hand, her tone as casual as if discussing the weather. "Intel says they've reached Nanohana Port. Mr. 4 and Miss. Merry Christmas probably aren't up to the task. Mr. 2 is already on his way to Little Garden. Should we send Mr. 1 to deal with it?"
"Hah..."
Crocodile blew out another smoke ring, unfazed. "If he's got those two fools following him so loyally, he must have some tricks."
He leaned back in his chair, letting cigar ash fall onto his fur coat. "Forget it. The Utopia Operation is about to begin. Don't let insignificant trash disrupt the plan."
"Understood, Boss." Robin stood, the motion stirring a faint breeze. She turned toward the booth's exit, her leather boots clicking sharply against the marble floor.
.....
Marineford.
Inside the Navy headquarters conference room, Sengoku slammed down the Den Den Mushi receiver, his mustache quivering with rage. "Those CP0 bastards are getting way too full of themselves! They dig up some flimsy lead and suddenly demand we send an Admiral?"
"What's the matter?" Vice Admiral Tsuru set down the documents in her hands.
"It's that damn Bahr again!" Sengoku smacked the table, his face dark. "CP traced some mysterious man named Uchiha Obito, claiming his build and abilities match Bahr's. They're insisting he's Bahr in disguise and want the Navy to send an Admiral to Alabasta to help capture him."
Tsuru frowned, sighing softly. "Bahr's attack on a Celestial Dragon crossed a line. The higher-ups won't tolerate any risks now. CP would rather kill a thousand innocents than let one guilty man escape. If we don't cooperate and it turns out to really be Bahr..."
Sengoku fell silent, rubbing his temples in frustration. Tsuru wasn't wrong—CP's caution was likely just self-preservation, avoiding blame in case of failure.
Just then, Aokiji, who had been napping in the corner, lifted his eye mask and spoke lazily. "I'll go."
"Huh?" Sengoku raised an eyebrow. "You? Volunteering for work?"
Not just him—every officer in the room turned to stare in surprise.
Aokiji stretched, yawning as he stood. "Been cooped up here too long. Might as well take a trip."
The room fell silent. After a moment, Sengoku nodded. "Fine. Alabasta's civil unrest isn't fully settled yet. Remember—stay out of their internal affairs. Just confirm Uchiha Obito's identity and assist CP."
"Got it." Aokiji shuffled out of the conference room at his usual sluggish pace.