At first, Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine didn't pay much attention to Zoro's sudden appearance. But after taking a closer look, their expressions changed.
They recognized him.
How could they not?
Before the Straw Hats even entered the Grand Line, they had already caused several major incidents—each one more shocking than the last. They had even clashed with Admiral Kizaru!
These events had all been front-page news.
A pirate crew like that was not someone to mess with, especially in the first half of the Grand Line.
Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine might not have been too afraid of Zoro alone, but there was no way they weren't wary of the Straw Hats—especially their captain, Luffy.
And now, with Zoro stepping in to save Princess Vivi…
Did this mean the Straw Hats had chosen to interfere with Baroque Works?
"Pirate Hunter… does this mean the Straw Hats are getting involved with Baroque Works?" Mr. 5 asked cautiously.
His previous arrogance while chasing Vivi had completely vanished.
Zoro, who already had no good impression of the booger-wielding man, rested a hand on his sword and said coldly, "Our navigator took a job—to escort this princess back to her country. And if you're in our way… then you're already dead."
"Mr. Swordsman…?" Vivi was momentarily stunned.
She hadn't expected the Straw Hats to come to her aid.
Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine exchanged uneasy glances.
They had received direct orders from their boss—failure wasn't an option. If they didn't complete their mission, they were as good as dead.
But if they went against the Straw Hats, things could get even worse.
For a moment, the two hesitated, caught in a dilemma.
"Wait!"
A firm voice cut through the tension.
Tashigi strode forward, drawing her sword, Shigure, and pointing it directly at Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine.
"I've heard everything," she declared. "Your Highness, I'm a Marine. I'll take responsibility for escorting you!"
Her face was full of righteous determination.
Since arriving on the island, Tashigi had been secretly investigating the situation.
At first, she suspected the islanders of wrongdoing. But after careful observation, she realized they had only invited the Straw Hats for a banquet—they hadn't done anything malicious.
That left her confused… until she stumbled upon the wounded Igaram and Nami, who was in the middle of negotiating a deal.
That's when she finally pieced it together.
This island was one of Baroque Works' strongholds.
And so, Miss Wednesday was actually Princess Vivi of Alabasta, who had gone undercover in Baroque Works!
This revelation had left Tashigi stunned for a long time. But once she processed it, she quickly realized the danger Vivi was in and rushed over.
There was no way she could allow a princess of a World Government member nation to be escorted by pirates!
As a righteous Marine, this was her responsibility!
Vivi, however, was speechless.
Her face said it all—Are you kidding me?
After all, Tashigi had been traveling aboard the Straw Hats' ship this whole time. And since no one had explicitly introduced her as a Marine, Vivi found it hard to believe.
Because really, what kind of Marine sails around on a pirate ship?
Zoro raised an eyebrow. "Hey, fake Kuina, are you sure you can handle this? Those two have Devil Fruit powers, and they're not weak."
Tashigi immediately shot back, "I'm a Marine! I stand for justice! Alabasta is a member of the World Government, and it's the Marines' duty to protect its princess! I won't back down on this!"
"But you're traveling on a pirate ship yourself. How exactly do you plan on escorting her?"
Zoro's words made Tashigi's face turn red with frustration. She glared at him furiously, as if she wanted to take a bite out of him.
Meanwhile, Carl was having the time of his life taking pictures. These two were way too entertaining.
Zoro sighed and looked up. "Teacher Carl, are you just gonna stand there watching? Get down here and help!"
Carl shrugged. "Those two aren't that strong. I don't need to step in. Let Tashigi handle it—just stand back and watch. Protecting girls is a man's duty, after all."
"...Tch. A fake is still a fake, and she still needs protection."
Carl smirked. "Zoro, you sound pretty bitter. Could it be that you don't like how much Tashigi looks like your childhood friend?"
"Like hell I do!"
Zoro's expression twisted into a scowl, but the hint of red creeping onto his face didn't go unnoticed.
There was no way—absolutely no way—that he, Roronoa Zoro, had feelings for Kuina!
Carl, satisfied, put away his camera. Then, he casually landed beside Vivi and called out, "Tashigi, the princess is with me. Don't worry—go do your thing!"
"Understood! Thank you, Mr. Carl!"
Gripping Shigure tightly, Tashigi charged forward.
Mr. 5 & Miss Valentine: …We never said we had to fight! Can you at least give us a moment to think this through?!
But Tashigi had already charged forward, leaving them with no choice but to engage.
She swung her blade, but Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine dodged with ease. Miss Valentine floated into the air once more, while Mr. 5 casually picked his nose, preparing to flick another explosive booger.
Carl and Zoro both frowned.
Mr. 5 had the Bomb-Bomb Fruit, yet he insisted on using boogers as weapons. Disgusting.
And then there was Miss Valentine, who had the Kilo-Kilo Fruit, allowing her to change her weight at will—yet she used it to turn herself into a human bomb. Such a ridiculous way to utilize her power. If an opponent simply pointed a spear upward, her entire attack could be countered instantly.
Both of them had strong Devil Fruit abilities, yet they wasted them in the most unimpressive ways.
Tashigi unleashed a rapid flurry of sword strikes, but Mr. 5 dodged them effortlessly. Still, thanks to Carl's training over the past two days, her stamina had improved. She wasn't tiring as quickly as before.
Even so, landing a solid hit on Mr. 5 was proving difficult.
Mr. 5, meanwhile, was perplexed.
Tashigi claimed to be a Marine, but he found that hard to believe. What kind of Marine traveled with pirates?
But if she was a Straw Hat, then she was clearly too weak.
As Mr. 5 tried to make sense of the situation, his mind went wild with speculation.
Maybe she's a new recruit. Maybe the Straw Hats aren't as strong as the rumors say—maybe the newspapers exaggerated everything!
That last thought sent a jolt of excitement through him.
If I take down the Straw Hats here, I'll become famous!
Not only will the BOSS reward me, but maybe I can even replace him!
Fueled by ambition, Mr. 5 dodged another of Tashigi's attacks and flicked a booger bomb at her feet. It exploded on impact, sending her tumbling to the ground.
Zoro instinctively tightened his grip on his sword, but he held himself back.
Tashigi quickly rolled to the side, then burst forward in a sudden burst of speed, slashing downward—her blade striking Mr. 5's foot.
"Argh!!"
Mr. 5 howled in pain, clutching his injured foot. Seizing the moment, Tashigi swept his legs out from under him, slamming him to the ground.
Then, a sudden whoosh of air came from above.
Without hesitation, Tashigi dove to the side.
BOOM!
A massive crater formed beside her as Miss Valentine crashed into the ground. Moments later, she groggily climbed out of the hole.
Tashigi didn't hesitate—she immediately looped her arm around Miss Valentine's neck, pressing her blade against it.
And just like that, the fight was over.
Carl and Zoro exchanged bewildered glances.
Tashigi had actually taken down both of them?
Then again, Carl could see the real issue—Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine had simply been far too careless.
------------------------
For Advance chapters visit : patreon.com/Mythic_Muse