"It doesn't matter. I just want to fight him."
Caelan didn't waste words.
His main reason for coming to the Grand Line was to earn more Berries and fight strong opponents.
Crocodile was the first target, an experience pack for learning Haki.
Crocodile's Haki might be very weak, too weak to really show off, but as someone born in the New World, he definitely knew at least a little.
Is that so?
Vivi bit her lower lip. She understood this well.
No powerful person would make enemies for no reason. If she wanted to rely on Caelan to liberate Alabasta, she would have to pay a price.
"Would you be interested in accepting a commission?"
She had heard how terrifying Caelan was from the pirates who fled the East Blue, and she had collected every newspaper article about him.
She knew that Caelan had killed the strongest pirate in the East Blue with a single strike, that he had been offered the rank of Marine captain, and that he was a legendary figure who had appeared out of nowhere.
When facing the equally legendary Crocodile, perhaps only Caelan stood a chance.
"Of course. I'm a bounty hunter."
"As long as the reward is reasonable and it doesn't go against my principles, I will take the job."
Caelan responded without hesitation.
This had always been his stance. If the price was right, he didn't mind accepting commissions.
In the past, he had only hunted pirates because no one else could afford his price.
As long as the reward is high enough?
Vivi hesitated for a moment.
She thought about her homeland in crisis. This might be her only chance.
Finally, Vivi made up her mind.
"Then allow me to introduce myself properly. My name is Vivi, princess of the Kingdom of Alabasta."
Vivi removed her headband, letting her long blue hair fall over her shoulders, fully revealing her royal bearing.
"What?!"
Nami and Tashigi both cried out in surprise.
In the blink of an eye, she had gone from a funny Baroque Works agent to a dignified princess.
Why would Princess Vivi sneak into Baroque Works?
Nami and Tashigi were filled with questions.
"Huh?!"
Mr. 9's already muddled brain became even more confused. His partner Miss Wednesday turned out to be a princess.
"It hasn't rained in Alabasta for nearly a year."
"Because of the long drought, rebellion has broken out across the country."
"After investigating, I discovered that Baroque Works was the one inciting the people behind the scenes."
"I infiltrated them to gather evidence, only to find that the true mastermind was one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Crocodile."
Vivi gritted her teeth, hatred for Crocodile written all over her face.
As she spoke, Vivi recalled the suffering of her people and couldn't help but cry.
Nami and Tashigi were both furious.
They had also suffered painful childhoods, so they deeply empathized with Vivi's struggle.
Especially Nami.
She, too, had been oppressed by pirates, forced to endure humiliation and infiltrate a pirate crew.
Their shared experiences allowed her to truly understand Vivi's feelings.
After Caelan agreed to consider the commission, Vivi looked at him nervously. For Caelan, this was an acceptable price.
After becoming one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Crocodile's bounty had been frozen at 81 million Berries, but his actual strength was likely at the level of 400 million.
Combined with his organization, Baroque Works, driving him out was indeed worth 300 million Berries. It was a fair price.
As for asking Caelan to provide long-term protection for Alabasta, that would be another matter entirely.
"Alright, just driving out Crocodile."
Vivi hesitated briefly, then agreed.
She understood well that simply expelling Crocodile would only be a temporary solution. If one pirate left, another could take his place.
Only by having powerful protection could Alabasta remain stable.
Just like Fish-Man Island, without the protection of Whitebeard and the deterrence of Knight of the Sea Jinbei, they would still be enslaved.
But right now, the immediate threat was Crocodile. She had to deal with him first and make future plans later.
"Very well. Then I accept this commission."
Caelan agreed without hesitation.
"This is amazing. We just arrived at the Grand Line, and we already landed a 300 million Berry job. We're so lucky!"
Nami was thrilled. Her eyes sparkled with excitement, her love for money making her dizzy with joy.
"By the way, how much bounty could we get for capturing Crocodile?"
Nami not only wanted the commission from Vivi, but also had her sights set on Crocodile's bounty.
"After becoming a Warlord of the Sea, his bounty was frozen, so you can't claim a reward. His previous bounty was 81 million Berries."
Tashigi answered seriously.
She was happy as well. This journey might give her the chance to recover many famous swords.
As for the danger involved, her naturally optimistic personality kept her from worrying too much.
"What? 81 million Berries?!"
Nami was stunned.
She had only heard of the Seven Warlords of the Sea in name before. No one had ever told her their bounties were so high.
It was four times Arlong's bounty. She couldn't even imagine how strong Crocodile might be.
"Caelan, maybe we should just let this go."
"A pirate that powerful is too dangerous!"
Nami looked at Caelan pitifully.
Even though she knew how strong he was, she didn't want him to take unnecessary risks.
Hearing this, Vivi also looked nervously at Caelan. She couldn't afford to lose this opportunity.
Tashigi was confused. Why was Nami so indecisive? It seemed very strange to her.
"Don't worry. Crocodile is just a crocodile. He's no match for me."
Caelan reached out and gently messed up Nami's orange hair.
Feeling the warmth of Caelan's hand, Nami gradually calmed down.
Just as Caelan trusted her sailing skills, she should also trust in his strength.
That's right. Caelan had defeated Arlong with a single strike. What's there to be afraid of?
Caelan single-handedly crushed the East Blue Pirates. Even the Warlords of the Sea are probably no match for him.
Nami kept repeating this to herself, until she finally felt full of confidence in Caelan.
In the end, Caelan and the others accepted Vivi's commission.
Vivi smiled from the bottom of her heart. Maybe, just maybe, they really could defeat Crocodile.
At that moment, everyone on the ship was in high spirits—except for one person.
Mr. 9, lying there beaten and broken, thought desperately, Help! I'm the only outsider here. What should I do?!
He had overheard so many secrets. Would he even be allowed to live?
(To be continued.)