Kureha didn't respond. She could tell that Vic didn't want the girl to feel guilty, and that the two weren't actually a couple as she had thought. She was impressed that they had gone this far, and she thought of the man whose name contained the letter D.
" Vic! Help me!"
Wendy's words were tinged with helplessness and choked with emotion. She had thought for a long time but couldn't bring herself to speak of her difficulties. Having gone through a life-or-death experience, she understood that some things, if left unsaid, might never be said again.
She came to terms with some things, realizing that she could never change the situation on her own, and she also understood what kind of person Vic was. Finally, she was able to boldly ask Vic for help.
"So you've finally spoken? You've hesitated for so long, even knowing my strength you're still hesitant. That problem must be quite difficult to solve! Tell me, who is the enemy?"
Vic had already noticed something was wrong with Wendy's unusual behavior recently, but since Wendy hadn't brought it up, he didn't feel comfortable asking her directly.
"Bigmom, she's my enemy!" Wendy uttered the name with a tremor in her voice, a fear that ran deep in her bones.
Vic's eyes narrowed. He finally understood why Wendy hadn't told him about her difficulties. It was pointless; he was no match for Bigmom at the moment. If anything happened to his companions because of her, she would feel guilty and blame herself for the rest of her life. Moreover, the probability of something bad happening to such an opponent was extremely high.
Kureha's expression also changed. She couldn't understand why a girl who was not even twenty years old would have such a powerful enemy as Bigmom, who was not even in the same league as her.
"So it was her. No wonder you didn't tell us. Were you afraid something would happen to us?"
Bigmom is indeed monstrous; she defeated the heroes of the giant village at the age of five. Known as the Iron Balloon," ordinary attacks are completely ineffective against her, making her a real headache. How did you get involved with her?
Vic wasn't actually that afraid of Big Mom. Although she was powerful, she had too many weaknesses, and at this point in time, Big Mom was probably spending most of her time pregnant and giving birth. If he really used his brain, he could still take her down.
"I've never told you about my background. Actually, I'm a princess from a kingdom in the New World. Unfortunately, our country isn't far from Totto Land, and it became part of Big Mom Pirates's territory a long time ago."
Our island is under their protection, but the price is our lifespan and the island's specialties, and of course, money too. I ran away; I didn't want my country to stay like this! I wanted to come out and find a way to change things!
Wendy seemed to remember something, and her emotions became somewhat out of control. She covered her face with the blanket and began to sob.
Vic never expected that a princess would appear by his side, especially one from the New World. No wonder he felt that Wendy had a dignified and noble air about her when they first met.
Moreover, she remained calm in the palace of the Sift Kingdom, showing no surprise at its luxury. Vic now understood why. However, Wendy's behavior changed drastically after meeting them, and he wondered if that was her true nature.
Kureha and Dr. Tsukimi never expected to hear such a story, so far away yet so close, here. It truly felt like being detached from reality yet pulled back to it, almost unreal.
The two of them listened quietly, but they were somewhat surprised that Vic remained so calm after learning that the enemy was Big Mom. Was he not going to get involved?
" The Affiliated Nation of the World Government also collect Heavenly Tribute, perhaps even more than the Big Mom Pirates. Is it because they demand a lot more lifespan?"
Vic knew that Bigmom would charge a lifespan fee as protection money, but he didn't know how much.
Compared to the New World, where life is constantly in danger, paying protection with one's lifespan is a stroke of luck for ordinary people.
I simply don't want to see this way of living. It's a sign of our royal family's incompetence, and our people are treated like domesticated pigs and dogs, at their mercy.
I wasn't content with this life, so I left the New World and joined the Navy. I wanted to become stronger, to surpass Big Mom, and then I would protect my country from harm!
Wendy finished speaking with a hint of self-mockery on her face; her past ignorance had deeply affected her.
Vic was surprised to learn that Wendy had such lofty ambitions, even wanting to surpass Big Mom. Many people have such aspirations, but few can actually achieve them.
Bigmom is an exceptionally talented person; she started at a very high level and will reach even greater heights. However, there is a ceiling to her potential; she has too many weaknesses.
"After joining the Navy, I worked very hard to train, but the effort and the reward were disproportionate. I knew that even if I trained for a hundred years, I would still be no match for her!"
Later, I saw your behavior; it was monstrous too. I saw hope in you, but after living with you for so long, I didn't want you to risk your lives to help me.
I know you'll help me if I tell you, but I don't want to. You guys are all so kind, I can't bring myself to say it! The Big Mom Pirates are too strong! You'll all die!
Wendy was already in tears. She was a kind girl and couldn't bring herself to send her companions to their deaths, so she had been bearing this immense pressure alone.
"Bigmom is a volatile and violent person. She kills people at the slightest provocation, and sometimes she has psychotic episodes. When that happens, anyone near her will be mercilessly killed, not even her own children."
"We can't put our hopes on her; it's better to break away from his territory! So why are you so determined to say it now?"
Vic has never really thought highly of Big Mom, even though she's very strong. But whether you think highly of someone has nothing to do with their strength. As a fellow member of the Rocks Pirates, Vic respects Mantis more.
"Didn't Rebecca say she saw me making a phone call at the stern of the warship in the middle of the night? That was my father calling me."
He told me to live in anonymity and never appear in the world; he would announce that I was already dead.
Because one of Bigmom's sons had reached marriageable age, they needed to choose a princess from among the kingdoms they protected as his wife.
I wasn't there at the time, but my photo was used for the selection. Last time, my father told me that I had been chosen and that I was going to become Bigmom's daughter-in-law!
The wedding date hasn't been set yet, and I don't want to become part of that family. My father is powerless against Bigmom's family, so he wants me to fake my death.
But Big Mom still won't let my father and the country go, so I've decided to rebel! Vic! Can you help me?
Wendy stopped crying and looked at Vic with anticipation. When Awakening her Observation Haki, she went through a life-or-death experience and came to understand many things.
She had intended to seek help from Vic afterward, but unexpectedly contracted a rare disease. She hadn't had a chance to explain the reason to Vic, which is why she asked Vic to take her to see a doctor.
"What nonsense are you talking about! So what if she's Bigmom? She can't bully my crew. I'd like to see which of her brats is tired of living. Focus on getting better, and we'll face this together with you!"