Vivi's slender arm slowly darkened, a coat of Armament Haki creeping up her skin.
Igaram's jaw dropped.
"This… this is… Devil Fruit power?!"
Could it be true?
Had Reno not deceived Princess Vivi?
Wait—hold on! Isn't it impossible to eat more than one Devil Fruit?!
Igaram rubbed his temples.
His brain was officially scrambled.
But Reno, not missing a beat of their conversation, simply let it play out.
Vivi was, after all, the princess of a kingdom on the brink of collapse.
If Igaram was wary, it was completely understandable.
But time would prove everything.
Outside the Hideout…
Dozens of bounty hunters had surrounded the building, armed to the teeth.
"Heh, let's hope these pirates are worth something. I don't wanna go through all this trouble for chump change."
"Yeah, pull up the latest bounty posters. Maybe we get lucky."
Muttered whispers drifted through the crowd, their fingers tightening around weapon hilts.
Minutes passed. Then more.
"What the hell is taking so long?! That sedative should've kicked in by now!"
"Where's Mr. 8? Don't tell me something went wrong!"
Frustration grew. According to their usual plan, the pirates should've already been tied up by now.
**"Did he screw it up?!"
"Enough—let's go in!"**
With a silent exchange of glances, the squad leaders nodded.
Dozens of bounty hunters poured from the shadows—only to run straight into…
Reno and Tashigi.
Tension snapped tight like a drawn bowstring.
"So," Reno said, folding his arms, voice casual, "no more pretending?"
The same smiling "villagers" who had so warmly greeted them earlier now bared their fangs.
"You bastards! What did you do to Mr. 8 and Miss Wednesday?!" a scar-faced hunter snarled, pointing a blade at them.
Assuming the worst, the other hunters drew their weapons in unison.
Reno sighed, almost bored.
These guys weren't even a warm-up.
Honestly, even Nami could wipe the floor with them.
"Captain, let me handle this."
Tashigi stepped forward, her eyes burning with resolve.
She'd been training relentlessly ever since Reno gave her the famed sword Wado Ichimonji—plus two Haki-infused Devil Fruits.
Unlike others who trained for revenge or survival, she trained out of loyalty.
Swordsmanship. Strength. Armament. Observation.
Every day. Without fail.
She was the MVP of Reno's crew when it came to work ethic.
"Be careful," Reno said simply, nodding.
Tashigi's palms were slightly damp. This was her first time facing over a hundred enemies alone.
Still, she drew her blade.
"Kill them!!"
"Come here, sweetheart. Let big bro teach you a lesson!"
Weapons flashed, boots thundered against the ground.
Tashigi surged forward.
Her blade danced.
Blackened steel met flesh with brutal precision.
Haki-enhanced strikes cut through bodies like butter.
Screams pierced the air. Blood splattered. Panic erupted.
The hunters never stood a chance.
Observation Haki allowed her to predict their movements.
Armament Haki gave her strikes unbreakable force.
She carved a bloody path through their ranks, unrelenting.
"Watch out for her blade!"
"Somebody help me—!!"
Slice. Another clean takedown.
Reno had taught her: No mercy for enemies.
A few moments later, silence fell.
The battlefield was littered with groaning bodies.
Over a hundred bounty hunters… wiped out by one woman.
Reno nodded in approval.
"Did she really do all this?!"
Igaram arrived just in time to see the carnage.
That gentle-looking girl… had soloed a small army?
He'd clearly underestimated these women.
"Nice work, Tashigi."
Nami gave her a thumbs-up.
Aside from the gore, it was a perfect performance.
Kayah approached with a soft smile, using her healing powers to restore Tashigi's stamina.
"Thanks, Kayah."
Tashigi exhaled deeply, tension melting away.
"Don't get too excited." Igaram suddenly grew serious.
"This is a Baroque Works base. If the senior agents find out you've slaughtered their people, they'll hunt you down!"
"You should leave before—"
"You mean them?" Reno interrupted, glancing at the street's edge.
Two figures appeared—one male, one female.
The man wore a brown trench coat and sported a ridiculous afro.
The woman wore a lemon-yellow dress, her shapely figure swaying as she strutted forward under a lacy umbrella.
"You've got guts," Miss Valentine sneered.
"Slaughtering our people like that? You'll pay for it."
To be continued...
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