Thunderous applause!
It was almost too enthusiastic—no wonder other pirates fell for it.
Just then, the dense crowd parted to both sides, and a man with golden wavy hair stepped out from the center.
He spotted Princess Vivi in the crowd at once and shot her an approving glance.
The next second, he put on an act and said, "Miss Wednesday, are these all friends you've brought?!!"
"You've done very well—they should feel our warmth!!"
With a puchi, Nami couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing.
Kaya and the other girls also wore smiles.
Vivi covered her face in embarrassment, wishing she could crawl into a ground crack.
Mr. Igaram, please stop talking—we've already been found out.
So embarrassing.
Request data. Thank you all for your support.
Chapter 43: Igaram Exposed! The Good Man Reno! (Request Data)
Igaram's smile froze—why were they laughing?!
Completely baffled, Reno stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder, saying in a low voice, "Igaram, drop the act. We're all hungry—go prepare some food."
Igaram: ???
Called out directly, Igaram felt like he'd been struck by lightning. His whole person froze on the spot, a storm raging in his heart.
Vivi smiled awkwardly at Igaram, then led Reno and all the women to the temporary base.
Once the group was far off, Igaram came to his senses and shot Vivi a meaningful look. Then, realizing something, he quietly followed.
Inside the temporary base, Igaram prepared a full table of dishes for Reno and all the women.
And this time, no drugs.
Reno and the girls didn't hold back either, feasting heartily.
Igaram's cooking couldn't compare to Carmen's, but a change of pace was still very good.
Reno and the girls chatted while eating, and soon the room filled with laughter.
Meanwhile, Igaram pulled Vivi aside and asked in a low voice, "Your Highness, weren't they supposed to be your prey? Why do they know my true identity?!"
The moment Reno called out his name, Igaram's heart skipped a beat.
He thought Baroque Works had sent someone to catch him.
Vivi clasped her hands in front of her, looking embarrassed. "I told them."
"But they're not bad people, and they have nothing to do with Baroque Works."
Then, Vivi explained the whole cause and effect of the matter to Igaram.
"What?!!"
"Your Highness, you're the princess of Alabasta—how can you join their pirate crew?!!" Igaram's face changed at once.
"Igaram, only if I join the pirate crew will the captain help us defeat Crocodile."
That was Reno's hard condition—she had no choice.
Igaram was dumbfounded, then let out a helpless sigh.
As the captain of the guard in Alabasta, he deeply admired Princess Vivi.
So young, willing to give up her princess identity, infiltrate Baroque Works, and risk her life.
But she was still young and inexperienced, too quick to trust others.
She'd believed his words based on just a few sentences.
Their enemy was Crocodile, one of the Shichibukai.
Even in the Grand Line, let alone the New World, he was a power that could dominate a sea area.
And Reno? He was unknown.
The women by his side were even less worth mentioning—all delicate and soft.
Could they even punch through a wall?!
If His Majesty the King found out about this, he'd be furious.
"Princess Vivi, I know you have a kind heart, but some things aren't as simple as you think."
"They might be able to run rampant in local sea areas, but this is the Grand Line—do you think they're a match for Crocodile?!"
Igaram advised earnestly. "They probably don't even have bounties yet."
"They do—they've been wanted by the Marines." Princess Vivi shook her head repeatedly, defending them. "Captain Reno is 30 Million Beli, and Sister Nami is 50 Million Beli."
"They're both very strong."
Igaram:...
For newcomers who had just arrived on the Grand Line, a bounty of 30 million Beli and another of 50 million Beli were indeed nothing to scoff at.
Wait, wasn't that backwards?!
"Igaram, you have to trust the Captain. Crocodile has one of the Captain's people by his side too." Princess Vivi said quietly after making sure no one was around.
"An undercover?! Who?!"
Igaram asked urgently. Anyone capable of infiltrating Crocodile's circle had to be a high-ranking officer he knew.
"Vice President Miss All Sunday."
"It's her."
Igaram's heart jolted. Miss All Sunday was the person Crocodile valued most.
Calling her his right hand wouldn't be an exaggeration.
And Miss All Sunday's work ability was outstanding—every task Crocodile assigned her was completed flawlessly.
Such an excellent agent was actually one of Reno's men?!
"Princess Vivi, you haven't been tricked again, have you?!" Igaram asked suspiciously.
"No, the Captain could accurately describe all of Miss All Sunday's features, including her Flower-Flower Fruit Ability, and even her measurements."
"I've met Miss All Sunday, and it matched what the Captain said." Vivi explained, looking down.
Igaram:...
Down to that level of detail?!
Fine, he was starting to waver too.
"If it's really like that, with Lord Reno making his move and Miss All Sunday working from the inside, they can definitely take down Crocodile."
Vivi's mouth fell open, inwardly stunned at how fast Igaram had changed his tune.
Still, she nodded firmly. "I believe the Captain can do it."
Igaram, equally hopeful, looked towards Reno. Seeing him laughing and chatting with a crowd of beauties, his expression turned a bit odd.
He tested the waters. "Princess Vivi, after you joined his pirate crew... he didn't do anything, did he?!"
Vivi blinked her big eyes, looking innocent.
"Igaram, what do you mean? Do what?!"
"J-just... you know... between a man and a woman... that kind of thing..." Igaram's face turned bright red.
He could barely bring himself to say it, and he knew it was rude.
But before they left, King Cobra had stressed over and over that he had to look after Vivi.
Aside from Captain Reno himself, Reno's pirate crew was made up entirely of female crewmates.
One man and many women on a single ship—who would believe Reno lived like a monk every day?!
Vivi finally caught on. Her pretty face flushed, and she shot Igaram a glare. "Igaram, what are you saying?! The Captain is a good man. He would never do that kind of thing to me."
"Besides, the Captain gave me two Devil Fruits. I'm way stronger now than before."
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Chapter 44: The Agent Who Walked Right Into the Trap, Miss Valentine! (Request Data)
Under Igaram's disbelieving gaze, a streak of black slowly crept up Vivi's jade-like arm.
"This..."
It really was the power of a Devil Fruit.
Could it be that Reno hadn't deceived Princess Vivi after all?!
Wait... something was off. Wasn't a person only supposed to be able to eat one Devil Fruit?!
Igaram slapped his forehead. He was completely lost.
Vivi and Igaram's conversation didn't escape Reno's ears, but he didn't pay it much mind.
After all, Vivi was the princess of Alabasta, the apple of King Cobra's eye.
Alabasta was beset by internal and external troubles now, and couldn't afford any more upheaval.
So Igaram's wariness toward him was understandable.
But the facts would speak for themselves.
Outside the stronghold, a large number of bounty hunters had already gathered.
They held all kinds of weapons, ready to charge in the moment the signal was given and take down Reno and the others.
"Hahaha, hope at least a couple of these guys are worth something. Wouldn't want this to be a wasted trip."
"Quick, check the latest Navy bounty posters and see if any of them match."
The hunters murmured among themselves.
Time ticked by, second after second.
"How long has it been? Hasn't the drug taken effect yet?!!"
"What the hell is Mr.8 doing?!!"
The waiting hunters grew increasingly impatient.
By usual standards, they'd have had their targets tied up by now.
"Could Mr.8 have run into trouble?!"
The leading Bounty Hunters frowned slightly, exchanged a glance, and immediately charged out with their men.
Over a hundred Bounty Hunters emerged from the shadows, running straight into Reno and Tashigi.
The atmosphere instantly turned tense.
"What, dropping the act?" Reno said with a half-smile, looking at the hundred or so people before him.
These were the same warm villagers who'd welcomed them at the entrance earlier, now revealing their true colors as vicious Pirate Hunters.
"Bastards, what did you do to Mr.8 and Miss Wednesday?!!" A scar-faced hunter raised his longsword, pointing it at Reno and Tashigi from afar.
Seeing Reno and Tashigi come out, he assumed Miss Wednesday and Mr.8 had met with misfortune.
His words were like a fuse; the other Pirate Hunters drew their blades in response.
Reno crossed his arms, calmly watching the armed hunters.
To be honest, These Guys were incredibly weak.
Not even him—Nami could easily Instant Kill them.
"Captain, let me Deal With them!!" Tashigi said, her gaze firm as she Looked towards Reno.
Ever since Reno gave her Wado Ichimonji and she ate two Haki Fruits, Tashigi had never slacked off in training.
Aside from sleeping with Reno, she spent most of her time training.
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