Chapter 56: Exclusive Benefits!

(Please add it to your Library! Please send Power Stones! Thank you!)

Soon after docking the Going Merry, Ace and the others set foot in the desert kingdom of Alabasta.

"Everyone!"

Just as they were preparing to head toward the port city, Vivi suddenly stopped and mustered her courage.

"Hm?"

Everyone paused, and Nami along with the others turned to look at Vivi, who appeared conflicted.

"Thank you all so much for bringing me back to Alabasta. This is where we part ways."

Tears welled up in Vivi's eyes as she lifted her head.

"Don't be ridiculous!"

Vivi covered her aching forehead, looking at Nami, who seemed a bit angry.

"What are you saying? You think you can take down Crocodile and Baroque Works by yourself?" Nami asked sharply.

"But... we agreed you'd only escort me back to Alabasta," Vivi replied, rubbing her forehead, her voice tinged with sadness.

"Why are you bringing that up now? Don't you see us as your comrades, Vivi?"

Nami softened, smiling as she looked at Vivi with affection.

Even though her country is in crisis, she still doesn't want to drag anyone else into this mess. Vivi hasn't changed at all.

Nami's thoughts wandered to the past, and her eyes drifted toward Ace.

"Just leave it to our captain, won't you...?"

"Nami... everyone!" Vivi gazed at them, overwhelmed by their supportive smiles.

"Besides! How am I supposed to get that hefty reward if I don't help you out?" Nami added with a mischievous grin, pulling Vivi closer.

"Okay!" Vivi, startled by Nami's boldness, nodded quickly.

"Now, let's stock up on some supplies."

Ace, watching the interaction, smiled and led the way as they began moving toward the port city of Alabasta.

Shortly after, Vivi handed a letter detailing Crocodile's conspiracy to Karoo, instructing him to rush to the royal capital and deliver it to her father, King Cobra of Alabasta.

The group soon entered the bustling port city, where the heat of the desert greeted them.

"Wow!" Kaya exclaimed, excitement lighting up her face as she took in the exotic scenery, so different from the East Blue.

"Ace, look at that!" she said, clutching his arm and pointing to an acrobat performing nearby.

"Oh? And look at these delicious foods," Ace remarked, his attention shifting to the street vendors selling grilled meats.

"We'll need to pick up some supplies, especially fresh water. This heat is intense," Nojiko remarked, fanning herself.

"I want to check out Alabasta's jewelry!" Nami added, her eyes shining with excitement.

"I wonder if there's a famous sword from this region," Tashigi mused, adjusting her glasses.

"Maybe we should buy local clothing first? That way we'll blend in and avoid drawing attention from Baroque Works," Vivi suggested with a smile, observing the group's enthusiasm.

After a moment's thought, everyone agreed.

Ace, however, felt it wasn't entirely necessary. After all, Crocodile had been in control of Alabasta for years, and their arrival in the port city was likely already known to him. Still, he didn't object. The local clothes did have a certain exotic charm, after all.

He smiled subtly.

Outside a clothing store, Ace purchased some windproof and sand-proof outfits, waiting outside as the girls shopped, sampling the local barbecue. The food in Alabasta had a unique flavor, influenced by the desert environment.

"Tada!"

"How do we look, Ace?"

Nami stepped out, holding Nojiko's hand. The two of them were dressed in local attire, exuding a vibrant, exotic style.

Especially Nojiko—her outfit perfectly complemented her skin tone, giving her a distinct allure.

"You both look amazing," Ace said, his eyes lighting up in admiration.

"Hehe."

Nami and Nojiko exchanged a smile before each hooked an arm around Ace.

Ace was momentarily flustered by the closeness.

"This is your exclusive reward," Nojiko teased, her lips curving into a smirk as she leaned closer.

"But you still owe me 100,000 Beli," Nami added with a playful smile.

"Isn't all my money already with you?" Ace chuckled warmly.

"Doesn't matter! I'm still charging you another 100,000 Beli!" Nami said, more for the playful banter than the money itself.

"Alright, alright," Ace replied, laughing.

Just then, one of the curtains swung open with a bang, and Tashigi tripped on her skirt, falling forward.

Thud!

Before she hit the ground, Ace caught her in his arms, steadying her.

"Take it easy," he said gently, smiling down at her.

Tashigi looked up, her face flushing red.

Her heart raced. Growing up, she had always been clumsy, often falling and being called "clumsy" or "foolish." But this was the first time someone had helped her so kindly after she messed up.

"What, Ace! Just because you didn't get the full service, doesn't mean you can slack off on paying me!" Nami's voice interrupted, causing Tashigi to spring out of Ace's arms like a startled rabbit, hiding behind Nojiko.

Nojiko smiled knowingly, watching Tashigi.

Looks like Ace might have another recruit for his training soon, she thought.

"You've all changed," Vivi said as she emerged from the shop, smiling warmly at them. Though it was subtle, there was a hint of expectation in her eyes.

"As expected of a princess. It suits you well, Vivi," Nami remarked, admiring Vivi's elegant outfit.

"Thank you," Vivi replied softly, though a flicker of disappointment crossed her eyes while looking at Ace.

"Ace, can you help me with this zipper?" Kaya called out, stepping out and gesturing to the back of her dress.

"Huh? Everyone's already changed!" she added, flashing a sweet smile at the group.

"An angel..." Nami, Vivi, Nojiko, and Tashigi said in unison, gazing at Kaya's radiance.

"You look perfect, Kaya," Ace said as he zipped up her dress, giving her nose a playful tweak.

"Really?" Kaya beamed, her eyes sparkling with happiness.

"Alright, now that we're all set, let's get going," Ace said, turning as Nami paid the bill.

"Oh!"

The girls emerged from the clothing store together, chatting happily.

Vivi lingered at the back, her expression slightly uneasy.

"!!!"

Vivi's eyes widened as Ace suddenly leaned close to her ear.

"It suits you well, my princess."

Ace flashed a bright smile.

Vivi's face instantly flushed a deep red. Under the playful gazes of Nami and the others, she hurriedly ran to join them.

"Hey, Vivi, why's your face so red? What did Ace say to you?" Nami teased, grinning.

"Yeah, Vivi! I've never seen you blush like that before," Nojiko added, laughing.

"You look so cute when you blush, Vivi," Kaya giggled, covering her mouth.

"It's nothing!" Vivi protested, quickly pulling away from their teasing and running ahead, trying to hide her shy smile. 

Ace called me his princess…

Suddenly, a loud explosion erupted from the street ahead.

"What was that?!"

The girls quickly turned to see what was happening.

"Excuse me, sir, what happened?" Vivi stopped a panicked man running past and asked anxiously.

"It's the King's Army! Lately, they've been raiding places in the name of hunting rebels. If you don't comply, they label you a rebel and arrest you. You should leave before they think you're involved!" 

With those words, the man hurried away.

Vivi stood frozen in shock.

"No... that can't be! My father would never give such an order!" Vivi said through gritted teeth.

"It looks like Crocodile's plans are already in motion," Ace said thoughtfully as he walked up to her.

Vivi bit her lip, her face filled with frustration.

"Baroque Works agents... Did you think you could just slip away after causing chaos?"

Ace's gaze sharpened as he looked up.

Suddenly, invisible waves of power rippled outward from him, spreading rapidly.

Thud! Thud!

One by one, people on rooftops, in shops, and along the street collapsed—eyes rolling back, falling unconscious. Some were disguised as bounty hunters, others as civilians or even members of the King's Army. But they all had one thing in common: each bore a Baroque Works tattoo.

Vivi stared in disbelief.

Just like back in Whiskey Peak…

Her gaze drifted toward Ace, and she felt his warm hand gently touch her forehead.

His hand… it's so warm.

It makes me feel safe.

"Let's go. I'm going to get some answers," Ace said, running his fingers through Vivi's long blue hair.

Vivi nodded firmly.

Ace didn't hesitate when it came to interrogating Baroque Works agents. After a few were set ablaze in front of their terrified comrades, the others quickly revealed all they knew, desperate to prove their loyalty.

Although they weren't high-ranking members, they shared some useful information. Crocodile had managed to convince the people that the king was using the forbidden Dance Powder, leading to drought everywhere except in the capital. This stirred up resentment and fueled the rebellion, which was now on the brink of a full-scale civil war.

After the interrogation, Ace made sure to finish them off mercifully.

"How could this happen…?" Vivi murmured, her face filled with anguish.

"Vivi…" Nami, Kaya, and Nojiko looked at her with concern.

Tashigi's face turned pale. The Seven Warlords of the Sea—who were supposed to be sanctioned by the government—were doing this?

What about the Marines? The government? Don't they care about the lives of the people in Alabasta? Is this what justice is?

"I have to stop this rebellion!" Vivi declared, pulling out a map of Alabasta.

"This is the rebel headquarters. The leader there is a childhood friend of mine. I need to talk to him and explain everything," she said, pointing to a location on the map.

"Alright! Then let's head there immediately!" Nami said, ready to move, but was stopped.

"We shouldn't go," Nojiko said softly, looking at Vivi, whose eyes widened in shock.

"No, Nojiko? Why?" Nami asked, equally surprised.

"Even if you convince your childhood friend, do you really think the rebels are all pure-hearted? Some of them may be opportunists who just want to overthrow the king and seize power for themselves. Besides, Vivi, you know as well as I do that this is all Crocodile's doing. If we don't defeat him, it'll be pointless," Nojiko explained seriously.

"But if I don't try to stop the fighting, so many people will die!" Vivi cried out.

"This is a conspiracy that Crocodile has been planning for years. Do you really think you can resolve this without any sacrifices?" Nojiko's expression remained cold and emotionless. "Nami, you understand this, don't you?"

Nami clenched her lips in silence. She remembered what it had taken to face Arlong, a pirate with a 20-million-Beli bounty, just to survive. And now they were up against Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, with years of planning and a vast criminal network behind him.

It was impossible that no one would have to suffer.

"If you won't go with me, then I'll go alone! I'm not part of your crew anyway!" Vivi shouted, closing her eyes in tears.

Slap!

Vivi gasped, holding her cheek, stunned.

"Kaya?!" Nami, Nojiko, and Tashigi looked at Kaya in disbelief.

Kaya, usually so gentle, kind, and angelic, now wore an expression of serious anger.

"Don't you dare say something like that, Vivi! Especially in front of Ace!" Kaya scolded.

"I…" Vivi's eyes welled up with tears as she looked at Ace.

How could I say something so terrible? Ace brought me all the way here, saved my life from Baroque Works, and even after arriving in Alabasta, he's still willing to help me fight Crocodile. He didn't have to… but he did.

"But what else can I do? I feel so helpless…" Vivi collapsed to the ground in despair.

Suddenly, she felt something on her head.

Looking up, Vivi saw Ace's hat resting on her, and his warm smile met her tearful gaze.

"Why not rely on your captain for a bit?" Ace asked softly.

"Ah…!" Vivi's heart swelled with emotion, and she burst into tears, throwing herself into Ace's arms. "I'm sorry, Ace! I didn't mean what I said! I'm so sorry!"

Tears streamed down her face as she looked up at Ace.

Ace gently lifted her up and ruffled her hair.

"What are you apologizing for? I've already forgotten what you said."

He smiled warmly. "I only remember one thing."

Ace grinned with determination.

"My crewmate was made to cry."

Ace turned to Nami and the others, raising his voice.

"Entei Pirates, let's go! We're taking down Crocodile!"

Nami, Kaya, and Nojiko raised their fists in the air, filled with determination.

Tashigi didn't speak, but her hand rested on the hilt of her sword, ready for battle.

"Rely on our captain," Nojiko said with a gentle smile.

"He never fails," Nami and Kaya added, smiling sweetly.

They were all saved by Ace, after all!