Lem barely clung to life after teetering at the brink of death. He hesitated between grabbing his blade and fleeing or staying, but in the end, the survival instincts honed from years on the rough seas won out. He kept a wary eye on Vivi's subtle expression, ready to bolt at the first sign of danger.
"Hey, don't run, man, we're actually here for you."
Just as Vivi finished speaking, Mr. 9, trying hard to maintain a "cool and heroic" posture, suddenly remembered his assigned task. He swung his iron bat around like a street performer trying to impress a crowd. It looked majestic if you squinted, but in Lem's cautious eyes, he was no different from a thug off the streets.
Lem's gaze, however, remained glued to Vivi.
"Relax, dude, we're not bad people. You know the Baroque Works, right? We're here to recruit you…" Vivi first took out 30,000 Berries, compensating the tavern owner for the broken tables and walls, before glancing back at Lem and lowering her voice.
First, you snatch my blade and almost kill me, and now you're recruiting me? Lem was bitter but not surprised. In the pirate-infested world of the East Blue, brawls before negotiations weren't unusual. Fighting first and talking later was almost protocol. Vivi wasn't the first—and certainly wouldn't be the last—to do this.
"You… want to recruit me? What's the catch?" Lem asked cautiously.
"Oh-ho-ho-ho—" Vivi gave a bright, condescending laugh. Negotiate conditions? You've got guts, kid.
Mr. 9, not understanding why she was laughing but determined to back her up, also threw his head back in exaggerated laughter, waving his iron bat around for extra flair.
Lem was completely stunned by their bizarre reactions, utterly unsure how to respond.
Vivi grew impatient with the fool. It was time to set him straight…
"You? Negotiating with Baroque Works? Don't get cocky. You should be grateful the organization even looked at you! Do you even understand what I said just now? Think carefully, I'll give you one chance to say it again."
Vivi's tone was razor-sharp, carrying the same authority she had seen Mr. 0 and Miss All Sunday use. Lem realized just how massive the gap was between a street bounty hunter like him and a colossal organization like Baroque Works. Not only would he not gain any benefits—he might have to pay for the honor of joining. It felt like being fleeced before even stepping inside.
His eyes lingered unwillingly on his sword, Huazhou.
But Vivi's next words gave him a sliver of hope.
"Don't worry, the sword's still yours—I'll just hold onto it for now, as a temporary guarantee, and to assess your skills."
Mimicking the cold professionalism of Miss All Sunday, Vivi declared, "But! The Baroque Works values ability. We don't accept deadweight!"
She looked every inch the loyal agent as she continued: "Complete a simple task to prove your worth. Once you succeed, your spot will be guaranteed."
Lem listened carefully, tension knotting his stomach.
Vivi pointed first to herself, then to Lem: "The mission is straightforward and traditional within the Baroque Works—grow our strength. Leave Loguetown, and based on this list, recruit three bounty hunters. Once recruited, they'll serve under you. Each of them can later recruit three others, and so on. The achievements of your subordinates, your subordinates' subordinates, even further down, will all count as your own merits toward promotion."
Lem's mind buzzed. Three become nine, nine become twenty-seven… the numbers multiplied. Was this the secret behind the Baroque Works' rapid expansion? His earlier resentment quickly faded.
Vivi pulled out a small list Nicole Robin had handed over: "I'm not throwing you to the wolves either. These aren't big-name bounty hunters—they're relatively unknown guys right here in East Blue: Johnny, Yosaku, and this last one... Roronoa Zoro. If you can bring them into the Baroque Works, I'll personally vouch for your promotion. And your sword? I'll return it then."
She waved her hand dismissively: "Go! Recruit those three, and you'll be officially part of the Baroque Works. Your codename will be… Mr. 11."
Lem, having no experience with high-level bounty hunters, didn't realize how absurdly difficult this mission was. Recruiting Johnny and Yosaku might be manageable. But Roronoa Zoro? Lem had no idea Zoro had already built a terrifying reputation for strength—and even less idea that he was about to join a future Pirate King's crew.
Still, the task seemed simple enough on paper. Eager to earn back Huazhou, Lem handed it to Vivi for safekeeping, said a few polite words, and boarded a small boat, leaving Loguetown alone to complete his mission.
Vivi shaded her eyes as she watched his ship disappear into the distance. Satisfied, she nodded slightly. Her "borrowing a knife to kill" tactic was crude but effective. Given Zoro's pride, there was a 90% chance Lem would never return. She chuckled while inspecting Huazhou, admiring the gleam of the blade.
With the unlucky Lem gone, Mr. 9 eagerly continued recruiting according to the original plan. Vivi was indifferent. Without Haki, or mastering a black blade, even a good sword was just a shiny toy. Still, with so much idle time, she decided to pass the time by copying what she had seen famous swordsmen do—carefully wrapping Huazhou in white cloth and polishing it again and again.
Occasionally, she still went with Mr. 9 on recruitment missions, just to maintain appearances.
---
"Sorry, but I'm doing just fine here in Loguetown. I have no interest in joining any organization—and definitely no interest in venturing into the Grand Line. That place is suicide for someone like me. I'm barely surviving here in East Blue."
The man in front of them was dressed like a cowboy, complete with a thick beard, belts, suspenders, a dusty cloak, and no fewer than thirty pistols strapped to his chest, back, and waist. His calm demeanor made him seem even more imposing.
After listening to their recruitment pitch, he simply shook his head.
Mr. 9's face turned red with frustration. He waved his iron bat aggressively and shouted: "Afraid?! Uncle, where's your manly courage?! You know what they call you in the bounty hunter circles, right?! A disgrace! They say you're Duddy the Babysitter!"
The cowboy, Duddy, didn't even blink. His expression was utterly flat as he said: "They're right. I am Duddy the Babysitter. I'm timid. The East Blue is peaceful enough for me. I have no need to risk my neck on the Grand Line. If you have nothing else, kindly leave."