The Pirate Princess Becomes Queen

He could only leave the famous sword "Huazhou" as a symbol of his great magnanimity, depositing it with Vivi, exchanging a few polite words, before sailing away from Loguetown alone to recruit the three "unknown" bounty hunters as his subordinates.

Vivi shaded her eyes with her hand, watching Lem's ship slowly disappear from sight. She nodded in satisfaction. Her method of "using someone else to do her dirty work" was a bit crude, but the result should be good. With Liu Suolong's pride, would he really give such a weakling as a subordinate? Don't be ridiculous! The chances of Mr. Lem not returning were as high as 90%, so she'd gladly accept the famous sword "Huazhou."

After seeing off the unlucky fellow, Mr. 9 continued recruiting bounty hunters according to the list with great enthusiasm. Vivi, on the other hand, had no interest in this at all. She would take out her famous sword "Hanashu" and play with it whenever she had free time. She was polishing the sword. Without Armament Haki, a black sword was out of the question, but she had plenty of time now, and since she was just idling around anyway, she took a white cloth and wiped the blade over and over again, just like the swordsmen on TV.

Occasionally, she would go along with Mr. 9 to recruit new people, just to make her presence felt, as if it were a chore.

......

"I'm sorry, I'm doing very well in Loguetown. I don't want to join any studios, and I certainly don't want to go to the Grand Line. That place is too dangerous for me. My abilities are limited, and making a living in the East Blue is already my limit."

A middle-aged man with a thick beard, thirty handguns hanging from his belt, suspenders, cloak, and under his armpits—dressed like a cowboy—listened quietly to their conditions, then shook his head and refused Mr. 9's recruitment.

Mr. 9, his face flushed, shouted, "Danger? Uncle! You're such a coward! A man should dare to take on challenges! Do you know what bounty hunters call you? It's a disgrace! They say you're just a kid-taker like Daddy!"

Dadi remained expressionless, his gaze neither pleased nor saddened. He glanced at Mr. 9 with a flat expression and said, "That's right, they're all correct. I am Dadi, the one with the kids. I'm very timid. The East Blue is safe. I have no intention of venturing into the Grand Line. You two can leave now."

Chapter Fourteen Recruitment

"coward!"

"coward!"

"A disgrace to men!"

Mr. 9's insults grew louder and louder; he was furious and his insults became increasingly vile.

Seeing that the hot-blooded young man was about to swing his stick at someone, Vivi hurriedly pulled Mr. 9 away. Was he kidding? This Dadi's eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, and he already posed a considerable threat to her. Moreover, the other party was using a gun. At this distance, facing a sharpshooter carrying more than thirty pistols, without Armament Haki to protect herself, Vivi could not guarantee her safety.

Excuses like not daring to go to the Grand Line or being a coward are just that—excuses. Only a hot-blooded youth like Mr. 9 can't see through them.

The other party didn't want to cause trouble, and Vivi and the other person weren't wanted pirates. Dadi wanted to live quietly in Loguetown and take care of his young daughter, so he couldn't just pull out a gun at his doorstep. Therefore, he could only patiently talk nonsense with them here.

Vivi pulled Mr. 9, who was cursing, back: "Forget it, forget it, let's go recruit the next person, let's go."

They pulled and dragged the still furious Mr. 9 outside.

Reaching the alley entrance, Vivi suddenly feigned realization, slamming her right fist into her left palm and exclaiming in astonishment, "Oh dear, I forgot to buy dried fish for Karu! Oh no, oh no, you go ahead, I'll catch up with you in a bit!"

If it were someone else, in a different environment, they would definitely have noticed her insincerity, but Mr. 9 was too hot-blooded and didn't notice the problem at all. He carried the two iron rods and walked away alone with a saunter.

Vivi waited for a while, and seeing Mr. 9 walk away, she turned around and walked into the alley, calling out to Dadi, who was about to open the door and go home.

The middle-aged man was very cautious and did not look down on Weiwei because she was a woman. He did not make any polite remarks such as "come to my house for a visit".

Vivi asked, "Mr. Dadi, I heard that you and Smoker, the White Hunter, were classmates when you served in the Navy?"

As the naval captain stationed in Loguetown, Smoker the White Hunter is a household name in Loguetown. Dadi was not surprised when Vivi mentioned his name; his past could be easily found out with a little inquiry.

He snorted: "Yeah, I used to be in the navy, so what?"

Vivi pressed on, "Are you also General Zephyr's disciple? Can you help me contact General Zephyr?"

Dadi looked at her strangely. It was normal for her to say Smoker's name, but it was strange for Vivi, at her age, to say Zephyr's name.

Just like when Vivi was selling ropes and umbrellas, the young pirates had never even heard of the names of Golden Lion or Red Earl. Were they born with low intelligence? No, they simply didn't have the means to learn about them.

When Marine Headquarters Captain Hina was having dinner at Red Port, she subtly pointed out the relationship between Kaido, Big Mom, and the Rocks Pirates. Luffy's grandfather, Marine hero Garp, praised her, saying, "You know a lot." Keep in mind that this happened more than 30 years ago. Were Kaido and Big Mom just insignificant passersby? No, they were the Marines' enemies, their mortal enemies! If you don't even know the past of your enemies, what kind of people are you?

In terms of past history, pirates are completely confused, the navy is about the same, and ordinary people are even less so.

Going viral? Not a chance!

The world as a whole lacks a tradition of knowledge transmission. Starting with the World Government controlled by the Five Elders, the official method of governance has always been to keep the people ignorant, the more ignorant the better. They discourage the people from learning and are very strict in controlling books and knowledge.

General Zephyr has been retired from active duty and has been working as an instructor for over thirty years. Logically speaking, a young bounty hunter like Vivi shouldn't know his name.

Dadi couldn't help but let out a cold laugh: "Heh, interesting. I wonder if I'm misunderstanding something, but does your little Baroque Studio actually want to recruit Teacher Zephyr?"

A random, bizarre transvestite kingdom could prompt Nico Robin to issue an order to lie low. If he were to recruit the former Marine Admiral back, there's a high chance Admiral Aokiji would come knocking on his door, only to find, "Huh? Nico Robin, you're hiding here?! Arrest them all!"... Crocodile would explode on the spot, and Baroque Works would be disbanded without hesitation.

Vivi didn't mention the Baroque Studio at all. She said leisurely, "I've heard that General Zephyr's teaching ability is extremely outstanding. I want to recruit him as the national head instructor on behalf of the Nefertari family."

Dadi had always maintained a respectful distance from nobles from all over the world, and for a moment he couldn't figure out what the Neferutari family did.

To make a deeper impression on him, Vivi said in a heavy tone, "800 years ago, 20 kings formed an alliance to establish the World Government. Later, 19 families settled in the Holy Land of Mary Geoise and became the Celestial Dragons we know today. Only the Nefertari family did not leave their country..."

Although Dadi didn't learn much at the naval academy, he vaguely remembered what Vivi was saying.

"...Is it the Sand Kingdom of Alabasta? Then you are...?"

“I am Nefertari Vivi.”

Dadi spent some time sorting out the logical relationships involved, and after pondering for a long time, he finally said, "Why would a princess of a country become a bounty hunter?"

"Because there is a group of people lurking in the Baroque Workshop, attempting to overthrow my country and seize my father's throne through a conspiracy. I don't know who they are or what they intend to do. For the sake of my people, I have no choice but to conceal my identity and join the Baroque Workshop to gather intelligence... Mr. Dadi, I'm revealing my identity. Doesn't that show my sincerity?"

The middle-aged man nodded slowly; these things didn't seem like they were made up on the spot.

Vivi's tone was very serious: "I heard that Admiral Zephyr is very dissatisfied with many things about the Navy now and seems to be considering leaving it. Meanwhile, the internal conflicts in Alabasta are becoming increasingly acute, and militarization reforms are needed to protect the homeland while reducing the number of troops and easing domestic tensions."

General Zefa needs our vast population and national strength to help him rewrite his dreams, while we need his personal abilities and prestige to implement military reforms. Mr. Dadi, Alabasta and General Zefa have a strong foundation for cooperation.

Zephyr's individual combat strength is undeniable; he's a Marine Admiral, so he can't be too bad. But what Vivi values ​​most is the old man's teaching ability. He's been able to teach three Admirals—Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru—as well as a whole bunch of Vice Admirals and Rear Admirals. The old man's teaching ability is definitely number one in the One Piece world.

Take the old man to Alabasta; he'd be more than capable of being the head instructor of a 600,000-strong Imperial Guard. I remember he also has some former navy subordinates; bring them all over as core members, and maybe we can even build a navy for Alabasta. Desert nations also dream of having a navy!

Chapter Fifteen: Find a Backup Plan First

Being in a good position gives Vivi an advantage, and she desperately needs guidance from experienced mentors. Her strongest skill right now is swordsmanship. While admirals like Zephyr, Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru don't usually use swords, that doesn't mean they can't. She estimates their swordsmanship is at least level 6; without their Devil Fruit abilities, cutting down a mountain with a sword would be a piece of cake.

Now, inviting their teachers to Alabasta to carry out military reforms and teach them as well, shouldn't that be reasonable?

Dadi slowly shook his head: "I'm sorry, I sympathize with what happened in your country, and I admire your courage to infiltrate the enemy camp at such a young age. But I have been away from the Navy for several years now, and I can't contact Professor Zephyr."

Vivi was somewhat disappointed, but she remained very polite: "What a pity... And what about you, Mr. Dadi?"

"What? What happened to me?" The middle-aged man was taken aback.

"Would you be willing to come to Alabasta as an instructor? We're in the age of firearms now, but Alabasta's 600,000-strong army still uses swords and rides camels in battle. To maintain our deterrence against neighboring countries and pirates, Alabasta must keep its army at a high level, which undoubtedly increases the burden on the country. If the entire army were equipped with firearms, we might be able to reduce our military strength and invest the saved funds in national development!"

Weiwei spoke with great emotion.

Her words made it very clear that Dadi was being used as a backup option for Zefa, but Dadi didn't show any blame or resentment. He didn't think he was better than his teacher. It was reasonable for the other party to recruit the teacher first, and then, when that didn't work out, recruit him instead. He would have done the same thing if he were in her shoes.

Vivi had done some research on his life and continued, "Many people say that 'Dadi with a child' only dares to attack pirates with low bounties. They think you're a coward. But actually... you're afraid that if something happens to you, your daughter will be left without anyone to take care of her, right?"

She pointed to the surrounding streets and alleys: "Loguetown is where Pirate King Roger was born and executed. It's the entrance from the East Blue to the Grand Line. Is it really safe here? I've seen three groups of menacing pirates along the way. It's not safe here. Mr. Dade, bring your daughter to Alabasta. The Nefertari family has a library with a thousand-year history and a complete education system. The royal family will even pay you for your work. This is much better than being a bounty hunter, isn't it?"

For a family-oriented man who wants to give everything to his daughter, the conditions Weiwei mentioned are not just good, they are excellent!

With a stable working environment and an excellent educational environment, Dadi looked at his somewhat dilapidated front door and felt a great emotional turmoil.

Seeing his expression, she knew the answer. Weiwei didn't ask any more questions like "Are you willing?" To prove her identity and to strengthen his confidence, she said, "I still need to stay in the East China Sea for a while. You can come with me and leave Rogge Town by ship, or you can go to Alabasta by yourself now... The situation in Alabasta is not optimistic right now, but overall it is still a peaceful environment. You can go and see for yourself."

Vivi didn't try to downplay the situation. Even the heir princess had gone into hiding. Anyone with half a brain would know that the domestic situation wasn't optimistic, but the rebels' counterattack on the capital wouldn't happen for another three years. Right now, the overall environment was relatively safe.

Dadi pondered repeatedly. The whole world was in chaos, and finding a peaceful place was a pipe dream. He could only compare and choose a relatively less chaotic place to settle down among several chaotic areas. This was his idea. For this, he abandoned a lot of things, including his reputation and future. Settling in Loguetown was a choice made out of necessity. If there was a better place, he would not mind moving with his children. In Vivi's description, Alabasta did indeed meet his requirements.

Vivi left her keepsake and then took her leave.

She wasn't worried that this guy wouldn't be able to find his way to Alabasta. After all, he was an elite member of the Navy Headquarters. Even if he didn't have friends all over the world, he could at least find a Navy warship to give him a ride.

Dadi accepts the job, which is a way to contact General Zeffa. He won't make decisions for his mentor, but Dadi will definitely pass on Vivi's words through his own channels. When Zeffa is desperate, Alabasta might be his new option.

Weiwei bought two large bags of dried fish with the flavor of the East China Sea from a nearby food store, intending to take them back to feed her pet duck.

After walking out of the alley and less than two hundred meters ahead, you can see Mr. 9's back right in front of you.

Mr. 9 gripped the iron rod tightly. Standing opposite him was a tall man, who was very tall and thin. He was twice as tall as Weiwei, who was 1.7 meters tall, and was 3.4 meters tall. From a distance, he looked like a bamboo pole!

The two walked towards each other, completely blocking the narrow path that was only wide enough for one person. It seemed that neither of them wanted to give way.

The 3.4-meter-tall man wore a black velvet cloak and had a monocle with a crosshair over his right eye. His expression was somewhat languid. He looked down at Mr. 9. Vivi slowly stepped forward. He glanced at her casually, then stared intently at her knife. Vivi also looked at the long gun in his hand.

Nowadays, there are not many things that she can "hear" and accurately interpret. Putting aside her pet duck Karu, the clearest expression of her thoughts is that of the famous sword "Hanashu" that she "borrowed".

Now, the long gun in the tall man's hand also gave her a sensory signal that was similar to that of "Huazhou". "Huazhou" is a famous sword, is this gun also a common gun?

Vivi glanced at the long gun in the tall man's hand, then looked back at the path they had taken to recruit Dadi, and she seemed to understand something.

"You must be Van Augur, the famous sniper from the East China Sea, right? And that's the famous 'Thousand Six' rifle you're holding, isn't it?"

"You know me? What a strange fate. I seem to be standing at a crossroads in my life. What does this mean? I need to think about it carefully." Van Oka looked like he was deep in thought.

Vivi kept her pace steady, moving forward step by step, putting pressure on her opponent without being overly threatening. With Dadi, she felt she had a chance of winning if she fought desperately; at most, she'd take one or two shots, certainly not fatal. But this sniper named Van Auger was a different story. He gave her a very dangerous feeling. Fortunately, his weapon was a long gun; the closer the distance, the higher her chances of winning.

Van Augur stared at his long gun, remaining silent for a long time, seemingly plotting something. Vivi was on high alert, and even the hot-blooded young man Mr. 9 sensed the faint killing intent emanating from him.

Chapter Sixteen: Listening to All Things

Van Augur stood alone in the middle of the road. The path was narrow and muddy on both sides, leaving Vivi and Mr. 9 with nowhere to avoid it. For a moment, they were locked in a stalemate.

Vivi placed her right hand on the scabbard, shifting her weight downwards. This was a swordsmanship skill she had picked up from a pirate from the West Sea. The pirate had probably learned some sword-drawing techniques for a few days, but his skill level was mediocre.

She assumed an attack stance, her eyes fixed on Van Auger's hand, ready to strike the moment he made a move!

She was quiet, Van Augur was quiet, only Mr. 9 was waving his iron rod, doing backflips and frontflips on the spot, making "whoosh whoosh ha hey" sounds, which seemed out of place and created a noticeable sense of disharmony in the confrontation scene.

“It’s really strange…” Van Augur said lazily.

Vivi remained in the stance of drawing her sword and casually asked, "What's strange?"

"...It's hard to explain, but my old buddy seems...seems a little reluctant to kill you."

Vivi calmly said, "The distance between us is too close. Your sniping skills won't be enough for me to cut off your arm. It's warning you because it likes you."

Van Augur scratched his head knowingly: "Oh? Is that so? That's fate, how interesting."

Instead of taking the path to duel Dadi, he calmly put away his long gun, tossed his velvet cloak, turned and left, walking further and further away.

"Hey? Weren't you going to challenge Dadi to a duel?" Vivi asked from afar.

"Hmph, I just took a look from afar. That guy has no fighting spirit at all. He's not a gunman at all. He doesn't deserve to use a gun."

Van Augur walked further and further away, and Vivi secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It was best to avoid fighting if possible; the feeling of teetering on the edge of life and death was truly unpleasant! She hated these snipers; they were far too dangerous for a swordsman!

"Hurry and chase after him! If he gets ahead, we're done for!" Mr. 9 belatedly tried to give chase, but Vivi didn't stop him. She watched as Mr. 9 used his unique skill, a high-energy backflip, to quickly catch up with Van Auger, like a giant monkey, through a series of flips.

"Letting this guy be in charge of the atmosphere team was a brilliant decision, he's such a clown..." Weiwei put on the expression of a bystander, as if she didn't know this person who could do more than eighty backflips in one go at all.

Van Augur was tall and had long legs. Although he didn't run, his height was an advantage. In less than half a minute, he disappeared from Vivi's sight, and Mr. 9 hurriedly chased after him.