Twin Cape.
Two shadowy figures were lurking near the lighthouse, sneakily observing Laboon from the cover of rocks.
"Miss Wednesday, you've only just joined Baroque Works, and you're already bringing us such great news! This whale's big enough to feed a whole town for two, maybe three years! Baby! Hoh hoh hoh!"
Mr. 9 let out his trademark exaggerated laugh.
"Heh! Mr. 9, I only noticed it because I saw someone surfing on this giant whale. Hoh hoh hoh…"
Vivi mimicked Mr. 9's dramatic laugh, though it still sounded a bit forced—she hadn't quite mastered the performance yet. She was new to Baroque Works, still learning the ropes, but she was already starting to feel like she was getting somewhere.
She had been hoping for a way to gain more trust within the organization… and then she spotted someone surfing atop a whale the size of a mountain, riding wave after wave across the sea.
Without hesitation, she had radioed her partner, Mr. 9, who had been off gathering food.
The two of them had tailed the whale all the way here.
If they could bring it back, surely she'd earn more recognition in Baroque Works, maybe even get closer to uncovering the identity of the organization's true leader. She already had a few suspicions…
And if it was who she thought it was… that would be nothing short of a disaster.
Her expression faltered at the thought.
"Miss Wednesday? Miss Wednesday!"
"!!"
Vivi's eyes snapped back into focus. She quickly adjusted her expression.
"What is it, Mr. 9?" she asked.
"Don't zone out! Grab your weapon—we're going to capture that whale. You've still got a lot to learn, baby!"
"Understood, Mr. 9!" Vivi nodded and picked up her handheld cannon.
Meanwhile, at the front of the Twin Cape, Ace and his crew were saying their goodbyes to Crocus and Laboon.
Ten days had already passed.
Under the influence of the Domain of Comprehension, Kaya had absorbed nearly all of Crocus's medical knowledge.
Of course, that was all theoretical—she still needed real-world experience to put it into practice. But with the Domain of Comprehension supporting her, that wouldn't be a problem.
"You're incredibly talented, Kaya," Crocus said, the bloodshot redness of his eyes betraying his fatigue. He smiled warmly.
He'd never imagined someone could have such unparalleled comprehension in the medical arts.
What took others a year, she could grasp in a single day.
Crocus, a man who rarely let anyone get close, had truly come to see Kaya as his student. For the past ten days, he had barely slept two or three hours each night, spending every other waking moment teaching her everything he knew.
"Sensei, you're the reason I learned so much," Kaya replied, her spirit still bright despite the grueling pace—thanks to the Domain.
She gazed at Crocus with a deep, quiet fondness. He wasn't just a teacher anymore—he had become her Sensei.
"How about that, huh?" Ace laughed, slinging an arm around Kaya's shoulder. "Didn't I tell you? My ship's doctor is the best in the world!"
"!!!"
Kaya's cheeks flushed a deep red.
"Hahaha, that's right," Crocus added, bursting out laughing. "Give her time, and I believe she really will become the world's greatest doctor."
To pass his knowledge to someone who could surpass even him—what greater satisfaction could there be at his age?
"Laboon! We're heading out now!" Ace called. "Don't forget our promise!"
"Wooo!"
Laboon bellowed an emotional farewell, his massive eyes filled with longing.
Kaya, Nami, and Nojiko all stepped forward, running their hands along Laboon's huge body and promising to visit again someday.
Even Tashigi, after hesitating for a long moment, finally reached out and placed her hand gently against the whale's side.
"Now!"
Two figures suddenly leapt out from the rocky cliffs behind them.
At the sound of their shout, Ace's lips curled up into a faint smile.
"This whale's ours now! Hand it over, baby!"
Mr. 9 roared dramatically, pointing his cannon at the group.
Vivi landed beside him, a flicker of hesitation in her eyes. But as her thoughts turned to the people of Alabasta, her gaze hardened with resolve.
Bang! Bang!
With two sharp gunshots, both Vivi and Mr. 9 cried out in pain, their weapons knocked clean from their hands.
"Whew—"
Nojiko stood at the ready, her rifle still smoking at the barrel.
"Hmph. Try hurting one of our friends again, and I'll show you how fast a real sharpshooter can be," she said with a confident smirk, her gun still trained on the stunned intruders.
"We—we surrender! Don't kill us!" Mr. 9 dropped to his knees, tears streaming down his face.
"We didn't have a choice!" he wailed. "The town's out of food. They sent us to find something—anything—to bring back!"
"Oh? That's a touching story," Ace said dryly, stepping forward. He plucked something from Mr. 9's coat, causing the man's face to drain of color. "You seem pretty attached to this."
"My Log Pose! I completely forgot about it!"
Crocus smacked his forehead as the realization hit him.
Between teaching Kaya nonstop and running on barely any sleep, the old man had completely forgotten one of the most vital items in the Grand Line.
"Nami, you're the navigator of this crew, right? What I'm about to tell you is important," Crocus said.
Nami immediately gave him her full attention.
"In the Grand Line, the islands are connected not by geography, but by magnetic fields. A Log Pose records the magnetic signature of each island, leading you to the next one…"
Crocus began his explanation.
"So that's what this thing does…"
Nami murmured, taking the Log Pose from Ace's hand.
"In short, you need to choose your route now. Once chosen, it can't be changed. This spot is the only place where you can select your starting line."
Crocus spoke with gravity.
"P-please don't take our Log Pose! Without it, we'll never make it back!"
Mr. 9 pleaded, tears flowing freely.
Vivi joined him in begging, though her expression still seemed awkward. She wasn't yet used to this side of the job.
"You said we had to pick a route from this starting point, right?" Ace asked, turning to Crocus.
"That's right. Choose carefully."
Crocus nodded solemnly.
"Well then, the choice is simple," Ace said, turning to Vivi with a grin. "I feel like fate brought us together, miss. So your hometown… that'll be our first stop."
"Wha—?!"
Vivi and Mr. 9 both gasped.
Then they exchanged a look and gave subtle nods.
If they couldn't bring back food, bringing these pirates back might just earn them redemption.
And as Ace watched the flicker of calculation pass across Vivi's face, his smile deepened just a little.
---
TL/N:
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