"We've seen Mr. 1 before. He looked imposing, like someone strong at first glance!"
"But you... you're too handsome! Your skin is so fair and soft, you don't look strong at all. Of all the people you could impersonate, you had to pick Mr. 1. It's obviously fake!"
Miss Wednesday declared with absolute certainty.
???
Xia Chen was dumbfounded. He had imagined countless reasons his cover might be blown, but never this one.
Wait, did the law say strong people couldn't be handsome? What kind of logic was that?
Your Highness, your standards of judgment really are unique~
Xia Chen asked quietly, "So you think I'm not strong enough, and that means I'm not Mr. 1?"
"Exactly!"
"In that case..."
With a whoosh, Xia Chen vanished from where he stood.
"Huh? Where'd he go?" The two froze. He had been right in front of them a moment ago. How had he suddenly disappeared?
Before they could look for Xia Chen, a hand landed on each of their shoulders from behind.
"Then... what about now? Do you think I'm strong?"
!!!∑(°Д°ノ)ノ
His voice was clearly gentle and smooth, yet at that moment, they felt a bone-piercing chill. Their bodies began trembling involuntarily, and they slowly turned their heads in unison like robots.
Xia Chen, who had been down below just moments earlier, was now looking at them with a smile.
"H-how is that possible?" The same thought arose in both their minds.
It had been no more than a second since this man disappeared, right?
He had silently appeared behind them, even though they were on a platform dozens of meters high. This rather overturned their understanding of the world!
In that instant, they immediately believed Xia Chen was Mr. 1. With strength like that, who else could he be?
At the same time, however, Miss Wednesday-or Vivi-felt her already despairing heart sink even further.
If Mr. 1 was already this powerful, how strong must Crocodile, who ranked above him, be?
At that thought, the light instantly faded from her eyes. Was there any hope left for the Alabasta Kingdom?
Xia Chen had no idea that his casual display of strength had made Vivi think so much, but even if he had known, he would not have cared. Giving her a scare was fine!
"All right. As Mr. 1, I order you not to attack this whale!"
"But..." Mr. 9 wanted to say more, but Xia Chen cut him off.
"What... does my word mean nothing now?"
"N-no, we wouldn't dare!"
"In that case, head over to my ship first!"
"May I ask, sir, what is this ship?"
"See that guy wearing a straw hat over there?" Xia Chen pointed at Luffy, who was staring blankly at them.
"Yes, sir. Is there something wrong with him?"
"His head is worth twenty-five million Beli. What do you think?"
"Twenty-five million Beli?? That guy who looks like an idiot?"
"Yes. So you know what to do now, right?"
"Yes, yes! First, trick them into going to Whiskey Peak, then catch them all in one fell swoop. Is that right, sir?" Mr. 9 answered first.
"Very good. You're teachable!" Xia Chen gave him an approving look.
"So... let's go!"
With that, Xia Chen picked up one in each hand and brought them aboard the Going Merry.
As for why he did not just kick them down? Do not misunderstand! Xia Chen simply did not want the Going Merry to suffer any damage!
"So... you're with them? You all want to kill Laboon? Didn't you just say you meant no harm?" Crocus asked, staring at Xia Chen.
"Oh, old man, sorry. I'll explain right away!" With that, Xia Chen's gaze sharpened, and powerful Conqueror's Haki burst from his body. Vivi and Mr. 9 instantly fainted on the deck.
"Conqueror's Haki?"
This time, Crocus was truly shocked. He had thought Xia Chen was merely a minor pirate with a bit of strength, but now it seemed he was far different from what Crocus had expected.
"I was just putting on a little act to fool them!"
"Besides, if I really wanted to hurt Laboon, you couldn't stop me, could you, old man? So I have no reason to lie to you!"
Crocus was considering that very question, and realized it was indeed as Xia Chen said. If Xia Chen truly meant harm, then with his current strength, Crocus most likely could not beat him!
At that thought, Crocus believed Xia Chen's words as well. Those who could awaken Conqueror's Haki were born kings. Such people would disdain lying.
Wait, no. He just finished fooling those two idiots!
"Wow! Old Man Chrysanthemum, does that mean you've been here for almost fifty years?"
"Ah~ more or less! Though I did leave for a while along the way, when I sailed with Roger and the others!"
"After that, I came back here to keep Laboon company again! But as Laboon grew bigger and bigger, I had no choice but to treat him from the inside!"
"So your treatment involved opening all these waterways inside his body?" Zoro asked, speechless.
"Isn't it possible he'll die at your hands before he can ram himself to death?"
"You don't know a damn thing, Moss Head! Are you the doctor, or am I? Don't question my medical skills!"
m9( ｀д´ )!!!!
Clang!
Wado Ichimonji was drawn once again.
"Don't hold me back! No matter what you say, I'm cutting him down this time..."
"So this whale has been waiting here for his companions for fifty years?" Luffy asked in an unreadable tone.
"That's right! Because of that promise, Laboon has always wanted to break through the Red Line to find them. But how could a single whale possibly harm this continent?"
At that point, Crocus could not help sighing.
As they chatted, it was not long before an iron door came into view.
As the iron door slowly opened, Xia Chen and the others saw the outside world once more.
Some time later~
"Phew~" Sanji slowly exhaled a mouthful of smoke.
"Fifty years. They must be dead by now, right?"
"Goes without saying. They're definitely dead!" Zoro added.
"No. In fact, I heard news that they escaped from the Grand Line, but they forgot their promise and never came to take Laboon away!"
"Huh? They forgot... their promise?" Luffy said blankly.
"That's awful of them! Making a promise and not keeping it!" Usopp said angrily from beside them.
"Then, old man, didn't you tell Laboon about this?"
"Sigh!"
"I told him. Unfortunately, he refused to believe it and kept ramming the Red Line just as he always had. If Laboon keeps doing this, he'll die before long!"
A sorrowful expression appeared on Crocus's face.
At that moment, Xia Chen, who was standing to the side, felt it would be wrong not to say something. After all, he knew everything. Just as Xia Chen was about to speak, he caught sight of a furtive figure out of the corner of his eye...