61. Secret Technique: Tom's Bowling

As the crew sailed closer to Arabasta, the temperature soared with each passing mile.

Nami gratefully accepted the ice cream offered by Tom, only to find a lone stick remaining before she could take a bite.

Frustrated by the harsh weather of the Grand Line, Nami couldn't help but voice her complaints: "The weather here is just awful!"

Carina, pulling Spike out from his hiding spot in the refrigerator, chimed in with agreement: "Absolutely! The weather in these waters can turn anytime, quicker than Nami can change her expression!"

"Huh, what did you say!!!" Nami retorted before she could say more.

Just as Nami was about to speak further, Carina reached into the refrigerator and tossed a stack of Berries at Nami's feet.

Nami's face lit up with a smile, instantly grateful for Carina's gesture of kindness.

Inside the refrigerator, Carina smirked mischievously as she tugged on the rope tied to Berry, pulling it back inside.

In the blink of an eye, Nami's expression turned fierce once more.

Carina laughed and remarked, "Experiment concluded! Turns out Nami, you can change expressions faster than flipping through a book, hahaha."

"You rascal!!!" Nami shot back.

Meanwhile, Vivi approached Al with two glasses of iced juice, observing the two arguing with a smile.

"Captain Al, have they always been like this? What an enviable friendship," she asked.

Al accepted the drink with a soft hum, then grinned and remarked, "They do this often, you'll get used to it."

Vivi nodded, though she couldn't quite grasp the peculiar nature of their friendship, she couldn't deny its enviable quality.

After finishing his drink, Al stretched his waist, exited the room, and instructed, "Nami, keep an eye on our course, we should be arriving soon."

Nami was momentarily stunned, realizing that the ship's trajectory had veered off course!

She immediately shouted for Tom and Spike to adjust the ship's route.

"Nami, you're such a goof, hahaha," Carina teased.

"Carina, you two have time to laugh, get out of the fridge!!!" Nami snapped back.

The corner of Al's mouth twitched, and he covered his face before retreating back to lie down in the room.

Meanwhile, on the coast of Arabasta, thousands of Baroque Works agents stood in groups, keeping a constant watch on the sea.

"Mr. 5, it's already been three days. How much longer do we have to stay here? My skin's going to crack!" 

Beneath the blazing sun, a woman holding an umbrella extended her slender arms and complained to the motionless man dressed in black before her.

Mr. 5 retrieved his pocket watch from his pocket, glanced at the time, and replied coolly, "Miss Valentine, please be patient a little while longer. I have a feeling they'll be arriving soon."

"When will your hunch actually come true? Never mind, I can't be bothered to argue with you. I'm going to find some shade and put on sunscreen."

As soon as she spoke, a member of the Baroque Works club pointed to the silhouette of a ship on the horizon and shouted, "I've spotted them!"

"But why is their sailing direction reversed?"

"Are you an idiot? Of course it looks upside down if you look from your below crotch!" 

"No, I'm not talking about that kind!"

"It's too loud, quiet down!" Mr. 5 interjected irritably.

With a swift motion, Mr. 5 stuffed his hands into his nostrils, then retrieved a small ball of dark green colour and flicked his fingers lightly.

Boom!

A massive explosion resonated through the crowd, scattering the arguing members of the Baroque Works club in all directions.

"Kyahahaha, Mr. 5, you're quite ruthless, but it looks like that's our target ship!" Miss Valentine exclaimed, holding her umbrella as she soared through the air, laughing sharply and mockingly.

Amidst the commotion on their end, all the members of the Baroque Works organization noticed the silhouette of the ship on the sea.

One by one, they readied their weapons, sporting eerie smiles.

"Boss, target acquired!"

"I understand. Capture them alive, wait, kill them on sight!"

"Yes!"

On the deck, Nami lay sprawled out, breathing heavily.

"I can't believe I took my eyes off the log pose for just a moment, and the ship ended up going in reverse. What's happening in this part of the sea?!"

The tone of disbelief was rife with questioning her own sailing expertise.

"Stupid navigator, can't do anything right."

"You... you... you... you idiot..."

"Ah... you purple-haired idiot!"

Nami was speechless, unable to conjure up any retorts.

Just as Carina was about to resume her laughter, she was startled to see a cannonball hurtling towards Nami at tremendous speed!

"Hey, purple-haired idiot, why aren't you saying anything?"

"Nami, watch out!"

Nami froze for a moment, then turned his head, the smile on his face fading abruptly.

No, no, no, no!!!

Boom!

Before the terrified screams could even be uttered, the billowing white smoke from the deafening explosion grabbed everyone's attention first.

"What's happening?!"

Upon hearing the explosion, Al swiftly employed Geppo, leaping from the ship to the deck to investigate.

Spike grabbed Tom's neck and poked his head out from the corner, looking dazed.

As billowing white smoke filled the air and Nami collapsed to the ground, Vivi gasped in horror, "This can't be happening!"

"Nami, are you alright?" Carina rushed to Nami's side, offering her assistance.

Nami was momentarily stunned, her mind going blank, and even Carina's calls seemed distant.

Thankfully, in the nick of time, Carina summoned a barrier to shield Nami from harm, ensuring she remained unscathed.

After ensuring Nami's safety, Carina wiped away her sweat, exhaling a sigh of relief.

"Where did that attack come from?" Al approached Carina, his gaze scanning the surroundings vigilantly, a surge of anger rising within him.

Suddenly, Vivi pointed to the shore in horror and exclaimed, "Everyone, look over there!"

Glancing in the direction indicated by Vivi's trembling finger, they spotted hundreds of menacing Baroque Works agents glaring at them from the shore.

Al and Carina exchanged a determined look, each drawing their weapons, their eyes brimming with intense resolve.

Witnessing this, Tom and Spike bit their fingers and activated their powers, transforming into muscular devilish forms in an instant.

With fury burning in their eyes, they glared back at the shouting members of the Baroque Works club gathered by the shore.

The cat and dog duo stood together in perfect harmony, their communication unspoken yet palpable.

Their murderous intent was overwhelming!

Sensing the intense aura of death emanating from the four figures, Vivi couldn't help but collapse to the ground, her pupils dilating, and her breath quickening.

"Monsters!" 

That was Vivi's initial impression.

Because she couldn't find any words to describe the terrifying and oppressive scene, several people exchanged uneasy glances, remaining silent as they awaited the ship's advancement.

"You don't really intend to fight nearly a thousand members of the Baroque Works Club, right?"

"It's too risky!"

"Or we can...?"

Before Vivi could finish speaking, Al's icy tone cut in sharply: "Enough noise, quiet down!"

"If anyone lays a finger on our comrade, I don't care if he is a deity, as long as he comes before me, I will end him!"

With those words, four figures blurred into motion, generating a powerful shockwave that tousled Vivi's hair.

"You will die!" Nami was jolted awake by Vivi's piercing screams.

Al, skimming over the waves, smirked slightly upon hearing Vivi's words.

"If I fear death, what right do I have to reach the top?" Al's words cut like a blade, striking deep into Vivi's core.

"What's going on?" Nami, rubbing the back of his head, rose from the deck and gazed at Vivi, who was staring blankly ahead, and inquired.

"Vivi, what's the matter? And Captain Al, where are they headed?" Nami asked, concerned.

Vivi remained stunned for a while before shaking off the shock.

With tears streaming down her face, she turned towards the direction where Al had disappeared, let out a soft sigh, and shouted, "Thank you, Captain Al, I understand!"

"What do you understand? Where did Captain Al go? Why are you crying?" Nami pressed for answers.

Nami's face reflected pure confusion; she was still stuck in a mental fog, struggling to piece together recent events.

"Oh, wait, I remember now... I think I got blasted!" Nami exclaimed, quickly checking her physical condition.

Apart from a mild ache at the back of her head, she found herself unharmed.

At that moment, Vivi rose to her feet, retrieved her weapon from behind, and approached Nami with a resolute expression, ready to recount what had transpired during her unconsciousness.

Watching the four figures drawing nearer to the shore, Nami couldn't help but break into a nervous sweat.

Without a moment's hesitation, the two exchanged a glance, and Nami swiftly retrieved her flying wings.

"Vivi, hold on tight to me!"

Meanwhile, by the coast, the members of the Baroque Works brimmed with madness in their eyes as they watched the figures approaching.

Capturing them would not only earn them a hefty bounty but also a chance to rise in rank within the organization.

This bounty was issued by Crocodile after discovering that Robin had failed to capture them.

Upon hearing the news, members of the Baroque Works Club scrambled from all corners to converge in Arabasta.

No one was willing to miss out on this opportunity!

"Here they come!"

The shout rang out, and tension filled the air as everyone gripped their weapons tightly.

Their sole aim: to capture Al and Tom as swiftly as possible, since there were no rewards for the others.

Anyone who dares to obstruct their capture will meet their end!

"Spike, use that!" Al suddenly commanded.

Spike hesitated for a moment, then nodded subtly, sporting a smirk.

Carina felt a bit puzzled. What move was Al referring to? She hadn't even heard of it before.

Not only Carina, but even Tom, who was closest to Spike, was dumbfounded at that moment.

For some inexplicable reason, Tom felt an ominous foreboding in his heart and involuntarily swallowed.

The next moment, under Carina's horrified gaze, Spike suddenly aimed his finger at Tom.

Spike grabbed Tom's tail, and in mid-air, and folded him into a ball resembling a bowling ball.

Then it spun several times in the air, creating multiple illusions of itself!

"Yahoo!" Spike shouted as he hurled Tom away!

As Tom was being thrown, Al turned his attention to Carina and yelled, "Carina, barrier!"

"What barrier? I didn't understand a word you just said!" Carina exclaimed in confusion.

"Moreover, why toss Tom out?!" Carina exclaimed, feeling a surge of concern.

Suddenly feeling overwhelmed, Carina couldn't make sense of what was happening.

"Shape the barrier into a circle, then encase Tom within it, and add a few thorns around the perimeter if possible!" Al instructed.

However, Al was in for another surprise as soon as he uttered the first sentence.

Carina swiftly erected a protective barrier around Tom's body, complete with sharp thorns for added defense.

"Hey, everyone, look over there! Something is approaching!" someone shouted, drawing everyone's attention.

As they gazed at the approaching sphere, their eyes widened in disbelief.

"Are they fools? Engaging in a skirmish among themselves at a time like this," someone remarked, their laughter echoing incredulously.

"In that case, the cat belongs to me!"

"Are you joking? Just because of your rank, you think you deserve to be ahead of me?"

"You idiots, leave it alone! This guy is mine!"

Suddenly, chaos erupted along the entire coast, as everyone jostled and pushed each other, each vying to capture Tom first.

Observing the scene, Al couldn't help but smirk triumphantly.

A massive explosion reverberated through the air.

Tom's bowling ball crashed into the sand, leaving behind a searing crack that even melted the surface.

Upon contact with the people, Tom's bowling ball transformed them into numerous small bowling pins.

In a split second, hundreds of bowling pins scattered wildly, filling the entire sky.

A brief darkness enveloped the area, casting a shadow over everyone's hearts.

As the darkness dissipated, the dense mist of blood shattered their remaining psychological defenses once more.

"Monster! He's a monster!"

"RUN!"

"You fool, don't stand in my way! I don't want to die!"

Carina watched the horrifying scene unfold before her eyes, her mind reeling in disbelief. What in the world was happening?

Seeing the confusion on Carina's face, Al took a moment to explain.

"I accidentally discovered this new ability while Tom and Spike were playing," he began. "I'm calling it Secret Technique: Tom's Bowling."

"Once you're touched by Tom's bowling ball, you become a bowling pin. It lasts for 3 minutes," he continued.

"Don't ask me how or why, I'm just as much a victim as anyone else," he added with a wry smile.

After hearing Al's explanation, Carina stared at Tom with a mixture of awe and disbelief.

The threat posed by Tom's Bowling continued to spread.

Despite the Baroque Works members' initial attempts to flee, their earlier congestion prevented them from escaping now.

One by one, they stood frozen like real bowling pins, awaiting Spike's impending grand slam.

With just one breath, only two-thirds of the Baroque Works Club members remained on the field.

"What's the deal with that guy's Devil Fruit power?"

"Are you kidding me? There's no Devil Fruit that insane. Are you all idiots?" 

"Since there's no such Devil Fruit, then what's happening?"

For a moment, the coast was filled with the sounds of quarreling and panic.

What drove them to the height of desperation was the realization that Tom's Bowling could still be manipulated under Carina's control.

What's more, its speed was steadily increasing!

As Tom's Bowling split the field in two, Al, Carina, Spike, and the rest stepped into the territory of Arabasta simultaneously.

It was a scene of massacre, or perhaps an act of genocide.

As they arrived, they kicked off the prelude!

"Well, well, well, this is quite entertaining, Kuahahahaha~" a voice echoed from a distant sandy slope, a vague figure materializing in everyone's field of vision.

His appearance instantly ignited the entire battlefield!

"That guy is... the boss!" (T/N: His identity should have been a secret which only Nico Robin knows.)

"Mr. 0!"

"One of the Shichibukai! Crocodile!"

The murmurs spread throughout the battlefield as everyone recognized the figure before them.

----------

Read chapters in advance in Patr*on: patr*on.com/Cosmic_Kaminari