Port of Rainbase.
Smoker, with his silver hair, puffed on a cigar as he watched Aokiji sauntering over leisurely. He couldn't hide his surprise. "Didn't expect you to show up."
They had been about to leave when orders came down for them to assemble at the Port of Rainbase. Even more unexpected was the arrival of Aokiji, a Navy Admiral, in person.
Aokiji carried his coat slung over one shoulder while scratching his messy bedhead with the other hand, grinning lazily. "Just here to clear my head."
Smoker rolled his eyes but didn't bother responding.
Beside him, a beautiful female officer took a drag from her slender cigarette. Her neatly combed, shoulder-length pink hair parted down the middle, and her rose-red uniform was draped with the Navy's Justice cloak. Exhaling a smoke ring, she complained, "If you'd arrived ten minutes earlier, that Straw Hat Boy wouldn't have gotten away. Hina is very displeased."
Her tone made it clear she was still hung up on the Straw Hat crew's escape—or perhaps she was annoyed that someone seemed pleased about it.
"Eh, what's done is done," Aokiji replied, scratching his head absentmindedly.
No sooner had he spoken than several black-suited CP agents jogged over, their voices tinged with deference. "Thank you for your support, Admiral Aokiji!"
Even the CP knew better than to offend a Navy Admiral.
"Give me the rundown," Aokiji said casually.
The CP agent straightened up immediately. "We've been tracking a man named Uchiha Obito in Alabasta. His build and abilities closely match those of the 'Blasphemer' Bahr. We're 98% certain it's him!"
"Bahr?!" Smoker and Hina snapped to attention, exchanging glances. This was the notorious criminal who had assaulted a Celestial Dragon, with a bounty of 1 billion Beri—no wonder an Admiral had been dispatched.
The CP agent continued, "We didn't want to spook the target, so we kept our distance. But we confirmed he's searching for an Eternal Pose to the Sabaody Archipelago."
Hina raised an eyebrow and suddenly interjected, "The Alabasta royal family previously requested a Sabaody Pose from the Navy. Could it be…?"
The CP agent quickly added, "We've already reported this. Bahr is using the alias Uchiha Obito and wears a mask—he's almost certainly exploiting the royal family."
Alabasta wasn't just any small kingdom. In matters like this, they had no choice but to report truthfully and leave the decision-making to higher-ups.
Aokiji couldn't be bothered with such details and lazily asked, "So how does the Navy assist?"
The CP agent replied promptly, "Once he gets the Pose, he'll definitely set sail. His ship is docked at the Port of Rainbase. The Navy just needs to set up an ambush here while we CP monitor Alubarna. We'll notify you immediately if anything changes."
"Got it," Aokiji responded dismissively before turning to Hina. "By the way, how's the progress on rounding up the remnants of Baroque Works?"
...
Night, the royal palace.
Exhausted after a long day, Vivi finally returned to her chambers. She untied the ribbon holding up her hair, letting her flowing blue locks cascade over her shoulders like a waterfall.
"Finally, a moment to breathe…" The princess massaged her sore neck as she collapsed into a plush velvet armchair, weariness etched across her face.
"All done for today."
At that moment, a voice from behind caused Vivi's expression to change. Turning around, she saw Bahr lazily sprawled across her soft bed. "Mr. Obito," she gasped in surprise.
Bahr lay on his back, his eyes fixed on Vivi as he took in her appearance. Her waist-length aqua-blue hair was smooth and flowing, adorned with delicate hair ornaments. Her large, bright eyes radiated intelligence and kindness. She wore a white dress with intricate patterns, paired with a golden geometric belt that accentuated her hourglass figure—both graceful and dignified, embodying the elegance and approachability of a princess.
Tsk, tsk, tsk. What a lucky break.
Feeling Bahr's gaze, Vivi's cheeks flushed. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and said with slight discomfort, "Where have you been these past few days, Mr. Obito? Nami was complaining about how you keep disappearing."
Bahr chuckled. That little money-grubber was still thinking about him!
Though, to be fair, she had promised to let Bahr handle things. He'd been holed up comfortably in an inn with food and drink, completely forgetting about her.
Ah, that sly Little Cat Burglar. Next time, she wouldn't get away so easily...
By the way, since Bahr operated in secrecy, only a handful of people knew about the incident with Crocodile. The credit for defeating the Sand Crocodile had been attributed to the Straw Hat Boy, whose bounty had risen to 100 million Berries.
"Nowhere special, just resting at an inn in the city."
Vivi's eyes suddenly brightened with anticipation. "Then... did you listen to my speech, Mr. Obito?"
"I did." Bahr's expression faltered slightly.
Of course, he had heard her speech. Aside from recounting events on the ship, she had specifically thanked a mysterious man.
And who else could that man be?
He never expected Vivi to mention him in front of the entire nation. Now, he felt almost embarrassed about his earlier musings on martial techniques.
"Today is your coming-of-age ceremony. Congratulations," Bahr said, deliberately lowering his voice to mask the awkwardness in his tone.
Heroes were always bound by rules and expectations. Like that green-haired swordsman once said, a hero was supposed to share his drink selflessly.
But Bahr had no interest in being a hero!
At his words, Vivi's already flushed face burned crimson to the tips of her ears. Her eyelashes fluttered as she stole a glance at Bahr. After biting her lower lip hesitantly for three seconds, she suddenly reached for the golden belt at her waist. The rustle of silk was starkly audible in the silent bedchamber as her white dress cascaded to the floor like a waterfall, revealing a sheer pink nightgown beneath. The delicate fabric hinted at the slender curves of her waist.
"I... I'll keep my promise," Vivi said, her voice trembling but her spine straight.
She took this as Mr. Obito's hint, but she had no regrets. When Crocodile had tormented her to the brink of despair, it was Mr. Obito who had given her hope. In the end, he had even dealt with Crocodile and saved her country.
Since she had promised, she wouldn't back out. In fact, she was grateful—even if he hadn't mentioned it, she would have taken the initiative herself.
Bahr was momentarily taken aback, but then a wicked grin curled his lips.
He admired straightforward personalities the most—those who would readily fulfill what they promised or simply not agree in the first place. Hesitation and indecisiveness were the least appealing to him.
In return for such "straightforwardness," he would put in extra effort to ensure Princess Vivi had a beautiful and unforgettable "coming-of-age ceremony."
Outside the door, Captain of the Guard Igaram stood by the entrance, gently knocking before asking with concern, "Princess Vivi, the staff mentioned hearing strange noises from your room. Is everything alright?"
"Ah... um, Igaram, it's nothing. I'm just a bit tired and want to sleep," Vivi's voice trembled slightly, as if she was struggling to hold something back.
Igaram frowned. He could tell something was off about Princess Vivi's voice—her words seemed strained, clearly suppressing some emotion.
Was she upset because the Straw Hat crew had left? He wanted to push the door open and comfort her, but his hand, having just touched the doorknob, dropped back down. "Then... rest well, Princess. If you need anything, just call for me. I'll be in the next room."
"Mhm, I understand..."
Faint, intermittent sounds seeped through the door, mingled with muffled sobs. Igaram sighed, shook his head, and turned away, thinking to himself: The princess must be heartbroken... What a shame...