The Going Merry had been docked at Whiskey Peak for a few hours now. Most of the crew had already gone into town, enjoying the supposed celebration being thrown in their honor. Blizz, however, stayed behind—not because he distrusted the welcome, but because he knew what was coming.
He stood alone near the mast, shirt damp with sweat, having just finished another round of chakra control exercises. Thin trails of steam rose from his arms, chakra still flowing through him from the rigorous training session.
He already knew the town's secret.
Whiskey Peak wasn't a place that welcomed pirates—it hunted them. Operated by an underground bounty network led by a minor pirate hunter known as Brook Wax, the town acted as a trap for unsuspecting crews. Blizz had seen it in action before… or rather, he had the memory of it. Another quirk of being who he was now.
"They should be moving into position any moment now," he muttered, walking across the deck with calm confidence.
From the corner of his eye, he spotted them—barely visible silhouettes perched on the high cliffs and behind rooftop shadows. About 15 or 20 of them. Light armor. Standard gear. Watching. Waiting. Unaware that he already had their playbook.
Blizz rolled his shoulders and vanished in a silent blur, using Body Flicker Jutsu to leap high above the dock and land atop a stone arch overlooking the port.
From below, the bounty hunters stirred.
"Where did he go?" one whispered.
"He was just standing there!"
"Is he gone?"
"Don't lose him."
Blizz smirked from above, crouched in the shadow of a crumbling wall. They hadn't seen where he'd gone—good. That meant the element of surprise was his.
He observed them briefly. Most of these men were rookies—probably hadn't faced a real pirate in their lives. This would be quick.
"I think it's the perfect time to try one of my new jutsus"
Blizz formed a series of hand seals, his voice barely a whisper.
"Raiton: Lightning Release – Electromagnetic Murder."
Blue lightning surged from his hands, crackling in the air as he released a wide, sweeping arc of electrical current. The attack was raw and imperfect—his first time using this jutsu—but the energy still exploded through the cluster of bounty hunters, striking nearly half of them before they could even react.
Several cried out as their bodies spasmed and collapsed. Others dove for cover, confused and disoriented.
"What the hell was that?!"
"Lightning?! Where's it coming from?!"
"He's—he's using some kind of power—like a devil fruit?!"
Blizz dropped from the archway like a shadow and landed silently behind one of the scrambling men. A kunai flashed in his hand, slicing the man's weapon strap before kicking him into a pile of crates.
Blizz moved fluidly—Kunai flashing in both hands. He blocked a downward sword strike, pivoted, and drove his elbow into the attacker's gut. Another came from behind—Blizz sidestepped and slapped an Explosive Tag onto his chest. The man barely had time to scream before he was flung back in a burst of flame.
"Still need more chakra control," Blizz muttered to himself. "Too unstable."
Another enemy lunged at him with twin daggers. Blizz vanished again with Substitution Jutsu, leaving a log in his place. He reappeared behind his opponent mid-leap, slamming his foot into the man's back and launching him down the hill.
The last three backed up. "W-We surrender! We were just following orders!"
"I know," Blizz said, grabbing one of their collars. "Don't worry there tern is coming soon."
He slammed the man's head into the ground, knocking him out cold.
The final two didn't get the same warning. Just the heel of his foot across their faces.
Silence returned to the cliffs.
Blizz stood over the broken heap of bounty hunters, taking a deep breath.
Then, just beyond the silence, he heard it—faint shouts echoing from deeper within the town.
His head turned.
Blizz turned sharply, eyes narrowing. That voice… Zoro?
⸻
As Blizz darted over the rooftops with silent agility, the sounds of battle grew sharper—metal against metal, the groans of bodies hitting the ground, and the unmistakable voice of Zoro, calm and taunting.
He landed quietly on the ledge above the main street of Whiskey Peak, his eyes scanning the chaos below.
Zoro stood in the middle of the road, already surrounded by fallen bounty hunters. A few remained—namely Mr. 9, Miss Wednesday, Mr. 8, Miss Monday, and a scattering of lower-ranking lackeys, still holding weapons but hesitant to charge.
Blizz narrowed his eyes. So they finally revealed themselves. Baroque Works. He recognized them from the notes he'd reviewed during his quiet hours on the ship. These weren't just street thugs; they were named agents, and while not elite, they had experience and numbers.
But Zoro… wasn't even sweating.
Blizz noticed something else—Zoro was only using two swords.
He's holding back, Blizz thought with a grin. Guess I don't need to overdo it either.
From the rooftop, Blizz dropped down in a blur, landing beside Zoro with practiced ease.
Zoro glanced sideways. "Took you long enough."
"Had to clean up the welcoming committee near the port.
Zoro smirked. "These ones aren't much better."
Miss Monday growled, fists clenched. "You think we're jokes?!"
Blizz cracked his knuckles. "If the shoe fits…"
Without another word, she rushed forward, her massive fists swinging for Zoro.
Zoro didn't even flinch, but Blizz stepped in first. He ducked under her punch and unleashed a quick palm strike to her stomach—his chakra-enhanced Taijutsu landing hard. She wheezed and stumbled back, right into Zoro's boot as he sent her flying into a wall.
Blizz turned to Mr. 9, who had already started swinging his steel batons in a wild frenzy.
"I got him," Blizz muttered.
He flipped over the charging agent, tapping an explosive tag to one baton mid-flip.
Mr. 9 spun around, confused, just before the tag detonated with a concussive BOOM, launching him back across the street and into a stack of crates.
"That's gonna leave a mark," Blizz muttered.
Meanwhile, Zoro parried Mr. 8's trumpet-rifle with ease, pushing the older man back with one sword. "Your rhythm's off," Zoro said flatly. "Try again."
Mr. 8 tried. It didn't go well.
Zoro struck low, then high, disarming and flattening him in two swift moves. As he hit the ground groaning, Miss Wednesday spun in with her peacock feather fan, trying to blind Zoro's sight.
Blizz was quicker.
"Water Release: Water Bullet Technique!"
A sharp bullet of pressurized water shot out and exploded the fan right out of her hand, sending it clattering to the ground.
"I was starting to get annoyed with that thing," Blizz muttered as she stumbled back.
She reached for her belt, but Zoro stepped forward and swept her legs from beneath her with the blunt side of his blade.
"Nice teamwork," Zoro said.
Blizz cracked a half-grin. "You're welcome."
⸻
Blizz approached her slowly, hands in his pockets.
Zoro raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"
"Something important," Blizz said quietly.
He crouched down in front of her. She tensed at first, as if expecting another hit—but Blizz just tilted his head slightly, studying her.
"You're not just some bounty hunter," he said quietly.
Miss Wednesday froze.
"I know who you are… Nefertari Vivi. Princess of Alabasta."
Her eyes widened, a flicker of panic flashing across her face. "H-How do you—?"
Blizz crouched in front of her, lowering his voice so only she could hear.
"Let's just say I've got good instincts. And… information."
She stared at him, unsure whether to run or listen.
"I'm not interested in crowns, or kingdoms, or your secrets," he added. "But… you need help. You and that partner of yours."
He nodded toward Mr. 9, who lay slumped against a barrel, groaning.
"Help has a price," Blizz said. "And for the right price… maybe we can talk."
Miss Wednesday's lip trembled slightly—torn between pride and desperation. "You… you would help?"
Blizz stood, dusting off his hands.
"You're lucky I like tearing down corrupt organizations."
Before Vivi could answer, a sharp sound echoed down the stone alley—the heavy clack of boots and the sharp jingle of Miss Valentine's parasol spinning idly.
A voice rang out, calm and sarcastic.
"My, my. Looks like someone's playing the hero."
Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine emerged from the smoke, stepping over the unconscious grunts with the casual arrogance of people who expected victory before the fight began.
"Found the princess, huh?" Mr. 5 said, flicking a booger.
Blizz didn't even flinch. "Took you long enough."
He stepped forward slowly, shielding Vivi behind him.
Zoro rolled his neck with a sigh. "More of these freaks?"
"Stronger ones," Blizz said under his breath. "And crazy."
Zoro pulled one of his swords halfway from its sheath.
Miss Valentine rose lightly into the air with her parasol. "You ruined our fun."
"And you ruined a perfectly good town," Blizz replied coldly. He cracked his knuckles. "Let's fix that."
At that moment, from the corner of his eye, Blizz noticed Nami, crouched just outside an alleyway, her eyes wide as she peered at the situation. Luffy, as usual, was staring to wake up. But Nami was here, and she was watching.
Blizz gave a subtle nod toward her, a silent acknowledgment of her presence.
Miss Valentine's voice rang out like a challenge. "You really think you can stop us?"
Blizz raised an eyebrow. "I'm not in the mood to play."
Zoro grinned, his stance wide, ready for battle. "Same here."
Before they could move, Blizz glanced at Vivi, still standing by, hesitant. "Stay back. This won't take long."
Miss Valentine ascended above them, parasol spinning.
"I'll squash you like bugs!"
Blizz weaved hand seals quickly.
"Lightning Release: Electromagnetic Murder!"
This time, the arc of electricity surged from his hands and snapped upward—controlled, focused. It struck Miss Valentine midair, interrupting her dive and throwing off her balance.
Zoro took that moment to leap forward, slashing upward with one sword. She yelped as she tumbled to the side, crashing into the roof of the tavern.
But Mr. 5 wasn't impressed. He flicked another booger toward Blizz.
Blizz's eyes narrowed.
"Earth Style: Mud Wall!"
The wall rose just in time to absorb the mini-explosion.
"You love walls, don't you?" Zoro muttered.
"Helps keep my pretty face intact," Blizz replied with a smirk.
Zoro stepped forward, swords in hand.
Blizz raised an eyebrow, stepping back slightly, as if considering whether he should step in. "You want some help, Zoro, or you got this?"
Zoro barely even looked at him, his gaze fixed firmly on Mr. 5. "No help needed," Zoro grunted. "I've got this."
Blizz shrugged and leaned against a nearby wall, folding his arms, giving Zoro the space he wanted. "Suit yourself. I'm not the one who'll get blasted by a booger."
Zoro smirked, his hand resting lightly on his sword hilt. "I'll make sure he doesn't get the chance."
Mr. 5 was growing impatient, his anger evident in the way his eyes twitched. "You think you're so tough? I'll show you!"
He flicked another booger at Zoro, but the swordsman was already moving. In a flash, Zoro dashed forward, slashing with his katana. The booger exploded upon impact with Zoro's sword, but the swordsman was already ahead of it.
"Too slow," Zoro said coolly, his eyes narrowing.
Mr. 5 snarled and tried to back off, but Zoro was relentless. He lunged, his two swords flashing as he moved with practiced precision, each strike carefully aimed. Mr. 5 attempted to evade, but his movements were sloppy, disoriented by the speed of Zoro's assault.
"Give it up, you're outclassed," Zoro said, effortlessly parrying another of Mr. 5's desperate attacks.
Blizz, still leaning against the wall, chuckled under his breath. "Looks like Zoro's making this look easy. Guess I didn't need to step in after all."
With a final, swift movement, Zoro cut down Mr. 5, his katana slashing clean through the air. The blow landed with a clean strike, sending Mr. 5 crashing to the ground, knocked unconscious.
Zoro sheathed his sword, breathing heavily but not showing any sign of exertion. "That wasn't even a challenge," he muttered.
Blizz walked over, giving a small nod of approval. "Nice work. You didn't even need my help."
Zoro grinned, wiping sweat from his brow. "I don't need anyone holding my hand."
Blizz chuckled. "Yeah, I figured that."
The air was thick with tension as the dust settled over the battlefield. Mr. 5 lay unconscious, and Miss Valentine's lackeys were scattered in various states of defeat. The few remaining bounty hunters quickly retreated into the shadows, realizing they were outmatched. The streets of Whiskey Peak had fallen eerily quiet.
Blizz stood next to Zoro, wiping his hands off casually, the fire of battle still lingering in his gaze. He glanced over at Zoro, waiting for the swordsman to finish sheathing his sword.
Mr. 8, battered and bruised but still standing, looked at the two of them desperately. "Please, you have to help us! We can't fight Baroque Works on our own!"
Zoro let out a deep sigh, wiping sweat from his brow. He glanced at Blizz, who seemed unfazed. "Why should we help you?" Zoro asked gruffly, his hand still resting on the hilt of his sword. "We didn't sign up for this."
Blizz stepped forward slightly, his expression unreadable. "Yeah, we didn't come here looking to play heroes," he said in his usual calm tone, giving Mr. 8 a pointed look. "But we're not heartless. What's in it for us?"
Mr. 8 flinched, looking at the two of them with wide, pleading eyes. "I-I don't have much to offer… But… please! If you don't help us, we'll all be wiped out by Baroque Works. If they catch us, they'll kill us all!"
Zoro's brow furrowed as he glanced back at Blizz. He clearly didn't want to get involved. Blizz, for his part, wasn't sure either. He didn't owe these people anything, but… something in Mr. 8's voice made it hard to ignore the desperation.
There was a long pause, both Zoro and Blizz silent, weighing the decision.
Then, just as Zoro was about to speak, the sound of footsteps approaching quickly reached their ears. A familiar voice interrupted the moment.
"Well, well, well," Nami said, appearing from the shadows with a wide grin on her face. "Seems like you two are hesitating. Don't worry, I've got an offer for you."
Zoro and Blizz turned to see Nami, her eyes gleaming with that familiar glint of mischief.
Mr. 8's face lit up, hope returning to his eyes. "You'll help us?"
Nami smirked, crossing her arms over her chest. "Of course we'll help you." She paused dramatically, her grin widening. "For 1 billion berries."
Vivi blinked in disbelief. "A billion?"
"Yup," Nami said, grinning. "We're not running a charity here."
"Are you serious?" Vivi asked, her voice shaking slightly.
"Hey, we've got to get paid," Nami shrugged, "I mean, come on, we're pirates."
The crew chuckled, but Vivi could see that they weren't exactly joking. Still, her expression softened, and she lowered her gaze.
"I… I can't offer that much," Vivi said quietly, biting her lip. "But I'm grateful for everything you've done for me."
Nami raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "But why? You're a princess, aren't you? What's a billion berries to you?" She gestured to the chaos around them, the aftermath of the battle still fresh in the air. "Shouldn't you have more than enough money to fix all of this?"
Vivi hesitated, her face clouding over as memories of her kingdom resurfaced. "I can't explain everything right now. But…" Her voice faltered. "I'm not just a princess of Alabasta. I've been running away for years."
Luffy, who had been lounging lazily in the corner, suddenly sat up, intrigued. "Wait, what? Running away from what?"
Vivi looked down, guilt and fear evident in her eyes. "I'm the princess of Alabasta. But something happened. A terrible secret that I couldn't share with anyone. And now, Alabasta is in danger. It's being destroyed by the organization called Baroque Works. Their leader… he's one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea…. Crocodile."
There was a long pause as the Straw Hats absorbed her words. The name "Crocodile" weighed heavily on their minds.
"Don't say his name!" Nami hissed, her face filled with worry. "Don't you realize? Saying his name could get us hunted too!"
Vivi looked at Nami in confusion. "I… I wasn't trying to—"
Zoro, still leaning against the mast, rolled his eyes. "You're overreacting, Nami. It's just a name."
"Just a name?" Nami shrieked. "It's a death sentence!"
Vivi's face reddened, her eyes tearing up as she realized the impact of her words.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, lowering her gaze in shame.
After taking with mr. 8 he left on his ship alone but suddenly there were an explosion.
The crew stood in silence as the smoke cleared. Everyone stared at the wreckage, unsure of what to think.
Nami, who had been tense throughout, finally put a hand on Vivi's shoulder, reassuring her. "We're going to get you to Arabasta.
The Straw Hats quickly gathered their things, and the ship sailed away from Arabasta's shores, leaving behind the wreckage of the explosion. They sailed toward the horizon, ready to face whatever dangers awaited them.
The Going Merry rocked gently against the dock, the sun hanging low over the horizon as the crew regrouped after their harrowing escape from Whiskey Peak. The air was thick with tension as they settled down on the deck, each member lost in their thoughts. Luffy, with his usual carefree attitude, was munching on meat, while Nami counted their hard-earned bounty in satisfaction.
Blizz leaned against the mast, his gaze scanning the surrounding area. His senses were sharp she should be here any minute now 'nico robin'
Suddenly, the quiet calm was shattered by a soft creak of the ship's boards. A figure stepped onto the deck, casting a long shadow in the twilight.
"Is this a bad time?" a calm, almost amused voice asked.
Blizz's smirked , there she is. She exactly the same, should I intervene or just watch ... 'I should have made sanji make me some popcorn because this gonna be fun hehe'
"Ms. Wednesday i met your friend mr. 8 earlier"
"You're…" vivi began, eyes narrowing as she instinctively reached for her staff. "You're the one who blew up igaram's ship.
Blizz chuckled under his breath, eyes twinkling with understanding. He could sense the tension in the air but knew Robin wasn't a threat at this moment. In fact, her appearance was more of a curious twist of fate than anything else
"What are you doing here, Mrs. All-Sunday?" Vivi's words were sharp, filled with recognition and disbelief.
Robin simply tilted her head, her expression calm, her lips curling into a faint, almost mocking smile.
Vivi's voice cracked as she continued, "She's Mr. Zero's partner… The one who knew the boss' true identity. We had no idea… Until now."
Blizz, leaning casually at the back, couldn't help but smirk to himself.
Robin spoke up, her voice laced with a certain coldness. "Actually, I allowed you to follow me. I was always one step ahead, Vivi."
Luffy, seemingly oblivious to the gravity of the situation, let out a carefree laugh. "Well, that was nice of you."
Vivi's fists clenched in frustration. "Stop treating this like a joke, Luffy! This is serious!"
Robin's eyes narrowed slightly as she observed them all. "You seem so earnest… declaring war on Baroque Works to save your country. How pathetic."
Vivi bristled, her anger rising. "Don't underestimate us, We won't back down."
Suddenly, Sanji and Usopp stepped forward, their weapons drawn, aiming them at Robin with an intensity that could only come from protecting someone they cared about. Usopp, looking a bit unsure but determined, asked Sanji, "Hey, you know what you're doing, right?"
Sanji's voice was low and firm as he replied, "Of course. My beloved Mrs. Vivi is in danger."
Robin sighed, an almost bored look crossing her face. "Don't point those things at me. It's dangerous."
Before anyone could react, Robin used her Devil Fruit power to throw their weapons from their hands with a swift, fluid motion. The crew was stunned. None of them had been able to track what exactly she did, but Vivi, having witnessed the power before, recognized it instantly.
Zoro, enraged, drew his swords and charged at Robin—but in an instant, she made another move with her powers, and Zoro's swords were yanked right out of his hands, floating uselessly in the air.
The Straw Hat crew gaped in shock. Robin didn't seem to be trying to kill them, but her power was overwhelming.
Blizz leaned casually against a nearby pillar, crossing his arms with a grin. He didn't seem concerned. It was as though he found the whole thing entertaining, just watching the crew's reactions. His eyes flicked to Luffy, who was similarly silent.
Sanji, on the other hand, was unabashedly admiring Robin. "She's beautiful… But dangerous," he muttered under his breath.
'Well he's not wrong'
Robin smirked, clearly aware of Sanji's wandering eyes. "I'm not here to fight." She took a step toward Luffy, a calculating glint in her eye.
With a quick motion, she reached out and grabbed Luffy's beloved straw hat. "So you're the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates. Monkey D. Luffy," she said, almost as if testing him.
Luffy immediately scowled, the playful demeanor quickly disappearing. "Give me back my hat!" he barked. "You're picking a fight now. We don't need you around. Get lost."
Robin didn't flinch. Instead, her smile grew slightly. "You're headed for a place called Little Garden, aren't you? I guess I needn't bother killing you after all. You'll get there soon enough."
Vivi, her eyes filled with worry and anger, stepped forward. "What do you mean by that? Are you saying you'll just let us go?"
Robin only responded with a cold smile, turning her back on them and walking away. "You're not worth my time… for now."