Wood chips flew in all directions.
The townspeople's faces turned deathly pale in an instant.
If that terrifying spiked mace landed on them...
They would be turned into a pile of minced meat!!!
Everyone immediately fell silent, not even daring to cry anymore.
"Very good!"
Alvida's eyes gleamed with satisfaction, and she burst into laughter:
"Now then, everyone—answer me one question!"
"Who…"
"Is the most beautiful woman on these seas!?"
"..."
The entire port fell into a dead silence.
"Hmm!?"
Alvida scowled in anger.
Her massive spiked mace slammed down again, causing the entire platform to tremble.
Her gaze then suddenly shifted and locked onto the short pink-haired boy who was clinging to the platform.
"Koby! Who is the most beautiful woman on these seas!?"
"O-Of course it's you! The beautiful Captain Alvida!!!"
Koby struggled to hold onto the trembling platform, forcing a nervous smile as he spoke words that went against his heart.
"Very good!"
A smug smile crept onto Alvida's lips.
Seeing Koby set an example, she looked once again at the terrified townspeople.
With another slam of her spiked mace, she repeated the same question:
"Who is the most beautiful woman on these seas!?"
As soon as the words fell, she closed her eyes, ready to bask in the chorus of admiration from the hundreds before her.
But just then, an unfamiliar voice suddenly rang out from behind her:
"I don't know who the most beautiful woman is…"
"But if we're voting for the ugliest woman in the East Blue, you've definitely got my vote!!!"
"What did you say!?"
Alvida's eyes snapped open, blazing with crimson rage.
She spun around, ready to see who had dared to ruin her moment.
But in the next second, her plump face suddenly twisted in astonishment.
Just offshore from the port…
A pirate ship was charging forward atop the waves.
Perhaps it was moving too fast—its front half was lifted slightly into the air, like a speedster proudly raising the nose of their vehicle.
"W-What is that!?"
Koby, also turning toward the voice, rubbed his eyes in disbelief at the sight.
The pirate ship dashed forward, cutting through the sea, and even skimmed across the coast, finally coming to a halt near the high platform.
A large shadow loomed over Alvida.
She gripped her mace tightly, a cold sweat forming on her brow.
"Damn it, what the hell is this!?"
She muttered in panic.
Then, under the sunlight, two figures appeared at the bow of the ship.
"Since you've sincerely asked…"
"Then… I'll graciously tell you~"
Standing at the bow, Tashigi shyly read the line Kyle had just taught her.
Kyle: "To prevent the world from devastation!"
Tashigi: "T-To protect the peace of the universe…"
Kyle: "To uphold love and truth through villainy!"
Tashigi: "A cute and… and charming rogue!"
Kyle.
Tashigi.
"We are the Dusk Pirates, sailing across the East Blue!"
"Fortune and a shining tomorrow await us!"
"That's right~ Meow~"
Suddenly, Little Diga popped up between them, adorably curling her little hands like cat paws, joining in Kyle's over-the-top performance.
Unlike the shy Tashigi, Little Diga found the whole thing amusing and fun.
Swish! Swish!
As the last words fell, the two figures at the bow leapt into the air.
Before everyone's eyes, Kyle and Tashigi landed directly on the platform, facing Alvida.
Kyle looked up and smiled.
"The Alvida Pirates?"
"Didn't expect to run into you in a place like this."
As he spoke, golden light flickered in his eyes as he stared at the plump woman before him.
No wonder the pink swan pirate ship at the port had felt so familiar—
It was an "old acquaintance."
Back in the day, when browsing P Station for "art," Kyle had seen plenty of images of Alvida.
Some NEL, some ZEL…
He had "spent" quite a lot of his descendants on her back then.
Of course—
That was the slimmed-down, Smooth-Smooth Fruit version of Alvida—not the fat woman in front of him.
Kyle wasn't interested in fleshly desires now—he was excited about her bounty!!!
5 million Berries—enough for five gacha pulls!
"Who are you people!?"
Seeing the two appear so suddenly and dramatically, Alvida's freckled face twisted in panic.
Her instincts screamed—
These two weren't friendly!
But Kyle had no interest in chatting with a walking bounty.
He gave a direct order:
"Tashigi, she's yours. Take care of her!"
"Yes, Captain!"
With a flash of white, the Soul Blade drew from its sheath, glinting brightly off her glasses.
Eager to test her current strength, Tashigi launched herself forward.
To pirates, she had nothing to say.
With a swordsman's clean and decisive precision, she slashed through the air with a piercing screech.
"Damn it!"
Seeing Tashigi rushing in, Alvida's rage exploded.
She was a mighty pirate worth 5 million Berries—and some little girl dared to ignore her!?
And she hated pretty girls more than anything!!!
"If you won't speak—then you'll never speak again!"
Raising her massive spiked mace high, it stirred a violent gust.
Before Tashigi, Alvida looked like a toppling mountain.
Their body sizes were worlds apart.
The townspeople and Koby already imagined the gruesome scene of Tashigi being impaled by the mace.
Some of the more timid ones even closed their eyes.
But the next second—
Clang!
A clear, resonant clash of metal echoed across the port.
The shining blade had collided with the massive mace.
Rather than retreat, the slender blade seemed almost… thrilled to finally be in a fight.
"Shigure Slash!"
Swish!
A flash of cold light appeared in Tashigi's eyes.
Her sharp Zanpakutō cleaved into the spiked mace—splitting the metal weapon in two with a single blow.
"What!? How is this possible!?"
Seeing her long-time weapon sliced like tofu, Alvida's freckled face was overtaken by shock.
What was even more terrifying…
The blade that had cut through the mace didn't stop—it was still coming straight for her chest!
Splurt!!!
One-hit kill!
Blood mixed with fat splattered across the ground.
"Ahhh!!!"
Alvida screamed as the force of the slash knocked her backward, slamming her into the platform.
"Damn…"
Even after landing, she refused to give in. Gritting her teeth through the pain in her chest, she tried to stand once more.
But just then, a brown leather boot suddenly stomped down on her shoulder, brutally pinning her back to the ground.
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