Chapter 35: O.P.J Chapter 35: Princess Vivi
"Because we received a distress call..." Tashigi stepped forward and replied, "The person who sent the signal claims to be the princess of Alabasta. Is she here?"
Upon hearing the word 'princess,' Igaram's pupils contracted for a moment before returning to normal. He quietly scanned the surrounding marines and glanced over at the other bounty hunters before pretending to remain calm and laughing twice. "Ma-ma-maa... what princess? You must have made a mistake. We are all bounty hunters who regularly deal with the World Government. We would never hide a princess from any country."
The other pirate hunters chimed in agreement.
Saitama looked at Igaram for a moment before nodding and saying, "Oh, our apologies. We must have made a mistake. Goodbye."
With that, he turned to leave without any further ado.
Igaram panicked at this, and quickly grabbed Saitama's sleeve, chuckling awkwardly, "Ma-ma-maa... Since the righteous Marines have come to our humble abode, it would be impolite to let you leave without treating you to a feast. Why don't you join us tonight for some drinks?"
"Huh?" The other pirate hunters were puzzled.
Even though the island was already in dire need of supplies, why would they want to host the marines for dinner?
Some wanted to raise objections, but as the highest authority in the town, no one dared to voice their concerns in front of the marines.
Meanwhile, Tashigi and Saitama exchanged a glance and nodded in unison.
As expected...
There was definitely something fishy going on here!
The distress signal from the World Government was most likely genuine!
Saitama gave a wry smile, "Sure, thanks for the invitation."
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As the bounty hunters partied on into the night, the atmosphere grew increasingly heated. However, Saitama and Tashigi, along with a group of marines, sat quietly in a corner, contentedly munching on their food without accepting any drink offers.
"This is called hotpot..." Saitama said, picking up a large piece of shrimp and dropping it into the steaming broth. "Come to think of it, seafood in this world is quite cheap. You don't even have to wait for it to go on sale at the supermarket to be able to afford it... Tashigi, give it a try. It's really delicious."
"Yes!" Tashigi replied eagerly, eyeing the shrimp balls tumbling in the pot.
Her cheeks were flushed from the heat. "Saitama-san, the way people eat in your world is so interesting."
"Oh, really?" He said with a hint of regret in his voice, tilting his chin upwards. "But there's no cabbage here, so it feels like something important is missing from this hotpot... Ah, I think that meat over there is ready to eat..."
Amid the clamor of the party, there was a small oasis of calm between the two of them.
Saitama was about to put a piece of meat in his mouth when he noticed Tashigi looking at him. "Hmm... what's up?"
"Nothing..." Tashigi said shyly, smiling. "I was just thinking... what kind of person were you in your world, Mr. Saitama? What kind of stories do you have?"
Saitama chewed thoughtfully for a moment before answering. "Well, if you want to know, I could tell you... but I think it would be pretty boring."
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As they ate their hot pot, a whole new world and civilization unfolded before Tashigi's eyes, as she listened to Saitama's stories.
The society was rife with turmoil due to the monsters that ravaged it, but justice always found a way to prevail. There were countless heroes willing to sacrifice their lives to protect the common people, battling tirelessly against the constant attacks.
From the underground king to the deep sea king and even the cosmic ruler Boros, Saitama recounted each encounter with a nonchalant tone that belied the epic scale of the battles. Yet, Tashigi could sense the enormity of the cataclysms and conflicts that lay behind his every word.
Gradually, Tashigi came to understand Saitama better. Of course, he would find it boring. To him, battles that others might struggle to overcome were mundane and unremarkable. There was no opponent that could push him to his limits, no one that he had truly fought against.
His strength made him both formidable and lonely, a paradox that only he could comprehend.
As they continued to eat their hot pot in silence, Tashigi couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for Saitama. Despite his incredible power, she wondered if he truly felt fulfilled. Did he ever yearn for a true challenge? Or was he content to live out his days as an unchallenged hero, saving people without ever breaking a sweat?
The answers remained elusive, but one thing was for certain: Saitama's strength and his world were both extraordinary and fascinating.
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Tashigi was completely engrossed in the story. Igaram and another blue-haired girl, who had been listening intently, were now discussing the matter in the corridor outside.
"Your Highness Vivi," Igaram whispered to the blue-haired girl. "Do you think everything the Navy officer said is true?"
"Well, the story seemed too detailed to be made up," replied Princess Vivi in a hushed voice. "And I have heard of his reputation. The disappearance of most pirates in the East Sea is attributed to his actions."
"But he doesn't look anything like the rumors say," Igaram said, puzzled, as he crossed his arms. "With his skinny frame and lifeless eyes, he looks like an ordinary Navy soldier. It's hard to imagine he could defeat Crocodile. It's just crazy!"
"I agree," sighed Vivi. "It's not that we underestimate Saitama, but his appearance and demeanor are nothing like Crocodile's, who was clearly a formidable foe."
"He doesn't look like a strong person at all!" Igaram exclaimed.
"Regardless, we should secretly make contact with him," Vivi declared. "We must inform him of the gravity of the situation and urge him to seek assistance from the Navy and World Government. Even if Crocodile is powerful, he is no match for the Navy! Time is of the essence. Our country cannot afford to wait any longer!"
The moonlight bathed the ground in an eerie glow, casting long shadows across the path. Suddenly, two silhouettes emerged, blocking the moonlight from Princess Vivi and Igaram.
"Hmph. It seems you've already admitted to your crimes," the man with the explosive hair and sunglasses sneered. "You illegally investigated our boss's identity and brought the Navy down upon us. But it looks like we're not too late."
The woman with the parasol laughed, covering her mouth coyly. "We heard some very interesting news," she said.
Princess Vivi's heart raced as she recognized them. Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine! The chief operatives of Baroque Works!
"How did they find us? How did they know?" Vivi's mind raced as she tried to make sense of the situation. "Has our cover been blown?" she wondered, her heart racing with fear.
A chill wind blew through the air, as Mr. 5's cold smile sent shivers down her spine. "Our boss sent us here for a reason," he said. "Some shady royal official infiltrated Baroque Works and tried to expose our boss's secrets. We can't let you live, that's what the boss said."
Their identities were revealed. Panic and fear gripped Vivi's heart.
But Igaram stepped forward without hesitation, launching several explosive projectiles from his curly hair. "I won't let you lay a finger on her!" he shouted.
"Die, Igarappappa!"
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