"Prey?"
Billionaire was instantly overjoyed. He turned around, spread his arms to his subordinates, and laughed heartily:
"Men! Put on a good show for these two esteemed guests! Let these stinking rats from the sea witness what a professional 'Port Welcome Ceremony' looks like!"
"OOOOOHHHHH!!!!"
With a thunderous response, the hunters scattered like a receding tide.
Some changed into civilian attire to welcome the pirates at the port, while others set up ambushes along both shores.
This was their specialty, their usual tactic—to first pretend that this was a town that welcomed pirates.
When these rookies from the four seas, believing it to be true, let their guard down and sailed their ships into the dock, laughing and joking as they came ashore...
They would suddenly strike from both sides, cannons roaring, catching the pirates completely off guard.
Due to the extremely limited exchange of information between the Grand Line and the four seas, this trick rarely failed. It worked every time.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. It seems we've arrived at just the right moment to witness a grand spectacle," Mr.5 said leisurely. "In that case, Valentine, why don't we find a good spot here, sip some coffee, and quietly enjoy the show?"
"Who wants coffee? It's bitter and astringent!" Miss Valentine snorted. "Get me a lemon soda, hold the lemon and the fizz!"
"Of course, of course. Please, follow me."
Billionaire quickly ushered the two to a seat on the second-floor balcony of the restaurant. The view here was excellent, offering a perfect vantage point to enjoy the scenery along the port.
Then he turned his head and shouted to the lookout high above, "Hey! The prey should have entered the outer port by now, right? Can you see their flag clearly?"
"I can, but..."
The lookout's voice was filled with uncertainty. "Their flag is a bit strange. It's white, and the pattern looks somewhat similar to the Navy's... Wait, I remember now!"
His eyes widened suddenly, and he screamed in shock, "It's the Falling Stars Adventure Pirates! It's the Falling Stars Adventure Pirates who single-handedly caused the massacre at Loguetown!!!"
The entire dock fell into a deathly silence.
The bounty hunters who had picked up their flintlocks and were ready to aim froze in place.
A few veterans who were loading cannonballs even let their hands slip, and the lead balls rolled into the sea.
The Falling Stars... Adventure Pirates?
Mr.5 and Miss Valentine exchanged glances, both seeing confusion in each other's eyes.
They had been busy handling the onboarding procedures for Baroque Works recently and hadn't paid much attention to the news from the outside world...
So, was this pirate crew famous?
"P-plan change, High-Ranking Officer, sir!"
Billionaire's voice was now tinged with a sob, and sweat poured down his face like a waterfall. "These monsters... we can't afford to mess with them! We need to retreat, right now—"
Slap!
Before he could finish, Mr.5 expressionlessly reached out, grabbed his hair, and lifted him up like a piece of trash.
"Hey, idiot."
He leaned in close to the face twisted with fear, his eyes behind the sunglasses icy and piercing.
"A pirate crew that just entered the Grand Line has you scared like this? Have you forgotten... what the title of High-Ranking Officer truly means?"
"Of course I know!!!"
The Billionaire shouted, "But what about you? Do you even know who these Falling Stars Adventure Pirates are?"
"The Captain of the Falling Stars Adventure Pirates is none other than Xiano, the 'Blade Swordsman,' who dares to actively attack Marine Headquarters warships and has a bounty of 180 million Berry!!!"
"Not only that!"
"His officers are also incredibly formidable, with bounties ranging from 70 to 80 million Berry, and they are everywhere!"
"Added up, the total bounty for the entire crew exceeds 500 million Berry!"
"Such a group of monsters, even if we were to risk our lives, how could we possibly be their match!!!"
...
He screamed hysterically.
The bounty hunters, who had been frozen in place, seemed to be jolted awake by his words. The crowd exploded into chaos, fleeing in all directions.
Some scrambled into the tavern cellar, while others screamed, hoisting their flintlocks and sprinting toward the giant cactus mountain range behind them.
The Billionaire, who was being held, also began to twist and struggle desperately, trying to break free from Mr.5's grip.
"You bunch of useless cowards!"
Mr.5 kicked the trembling Billionaire to the ground, two streams of black smoke puffing from his nostrils as he sneered and twisted his neck.
"No matter what, they're just a rookie pirate crew that's just entered the Grand Line! Since you're no help, get lost!"
"Hey, Valentine, let's put on a show today and show these losers what real power looks like as Devil Fruit Ability Users!"
"Uh…"
Miss Valentine wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and forced a nervous laugh:
"Actually, I think it might be wise to avoid someone with a 180 million Berry bounty. After all, Crocodile, one of the Warlords of the Sea active in these waters, only has a bounty of 81 million Berry, right?"
"What do you know?"
Mr.5 snorted, his hands behind his back, "Crocodile was invited to become a Warlord of the Sea shortly after he made a name for himself twenty years ago, so his bounty has stayed at that number ever since!"
"What kind of nonsense is this 'Blade Swordsman' Xiano? Do you really think a rookie can compare to an old-timer like that?!"
"So that's how it is…"
Miss Valentine suddenly understood, and seeing her partner's confident demeanor, she too felt a surge of fighting spirit. She raised her head and laughed:
"Yahaha~ Well then, I'll stick with you! You're right, this is a rare opportunity for us, who've just joined the organization, to make a name for ourselves!"
...
On the Sunset.
Nami, seeing the crowd gathered at the port waving at them, exclaimed, "Wow! Look, brother! There are so many people welcoming us over there!"
"It seems the truth about Loguetown has spread beyond the East Blue!" she said gleefully. "Everyone knows we're not the bad kind of pirates!"
"Silly Nami."
Kuina's voice came from above, tinged with exasperation. She was meditating on the open-air dojo, exuding an air of a true Master Swordsman. She shook her head slightly:
"It seems you didn't listen to a single word the Captain said this morning. Whiskey Peak is a den of Pirate Hunters. Their specialty is deception, waiting for the right moment to strike when you least expect it."
"Huh???"
Nami looked utterly dejected. "How could this be..."
"Just stay on your guard," Kuina said calmly. "We're docking here to record the magnetic field for the Log Pose. Of course, if they really try to hunt us as Pirates, we won't hold back."
But was it really just about recording the magnetic field?
Whiskey Peak had plenty of opportunities to exploit. Xiano rose from the wicker chair, squinting as Whiskey Peak drew closer.
If he remembered correctly.
Baroque Works' "Utopia Project" hadn't fully launched yet. The Kingdom of Alabasta was still far from descending into civil war.
As for Vivi and the Kingdom Guard Captain Igaram, it would be at least two more years before they discovered the existence of Baroque Works, as the unrest gradually escalated. They would then infiltrate the organization as undercover agents to uncover the truth behind it.
So.
There was no hope of seeing Vivi here. She was still safely in the capital of Alabasta, living her life as a princess.
But as for the other notable agents, he might run into a few here. The question was, how many? Hmm?
Xiano suddenly frowned. Why were the people gathered at the dock scattering in all directions as the Sunset approached, as if they'd seen a ghost?
(End of Chapter)