"Everyone! The island's in sight!"
Usopp, acting as the part-time lookout, soared down onto the deck, his voice brimming with excitement.
At his words, the crew perked up immediately.
Luffy, unable to contain his excitement, climbed onto the sheep figurehead, eyes shining as he gazed ahead.
Soon, the full view of the island came into sight—massive cacti-like structures loomed over the land, and a wide river stretched straight into the sea.
This was the first island they had reached in the Grand Line.
The crew couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement.
Carl, however, remained silent, his eyes following Vivi's disappearing figure into the sea, lost in thought.
Vivi's Secret and Carl's Choice
Carl deliberately chose not to expose Vivi's true identity.
After all, doing so would serve no purpose.
Princess Vivi lacked strength, but she had a sharp mind.
She wasn't someone who would blindly trust the Straw Hats.
In the original timeline, she only turned to them out of desperation, attempting to hire them with money when she had no other options.
And at first, the Straw Hats only agreed to escort her back to Alabasta.
It wasn't until they truly saw her as a comrade that they fought for her without expecting anything in return.
Otherwise, do you really think money alone could hire the Straw Hats?
Sure, Nami loves money, but if Luffy says no, then that's the end of it.
This time, however, the situation was different.
Luffy was far stronger than in the original timeline and had already made a name for himself in the sea.
For Vivi, the thought of relying on the Straw Hats was no longer as simple as hiring them.
If the Straw Hats became too strong, then they might end up replacing Crocodile rather than liberating Alabasta.
From Vivi's perspective, would she really want to swap out one tyrant for another?
This was why Carl didn't say anything.
If Vivi suspected that the Straw Hats had their own agenda for Alabasta, it would only make her less likely to trust them.
And at the end of the day, the final decision would always be up to Captain Luffy.
So Carl simply let things play out.
A Grand Welcome
As the Going Merry approached the island, the air was suddenly filled with cheers.
"Welcome! Welcome, brave pirates!"
"Heroes of the sea! We welcome you!"
"Welcome to Whiskey Peak!"
Both sides of the riverbank were packed with people waving enthusiastically, cheering as if they were genuinely celebrating the arrival of heroes.
Luffy, despite his strength, was as naive as ever.
He immediately started waving back, grinning ear to ear.
Usopp, thrilled at the attention, began blowing kisses to the crowd, fully convinced that pirates were indeed beloved heroes.
And then there was Sanji—his eyes turning heart-shaped at the sight of beautiful women in the crowd.
That perverted cook was already done for.
Suspicion Among the Crew
Nami and Jango exchanged skeptical glances.
As a seasoned thief, Nami wasn't easily fooled. Having spent years at sea, she could sense when something was off.
Jango, a former captain himself, was no stranger to deception. Cold and calculating, he wouldn't fall for cheap tricks so easily.
Meanwhile, Zoro let out a low chuckle.
He had heard of a certain organization where members had peculiar codenames.
"Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday, huh?"
The names sounded familiar—as if he had heard them somewhere before.
Carl, however, remained silent.
His gaze drifted toward the cactus-shaped mountains, fully aware of their true nature—they were nothing more than pirate grave markers.
Carl's Thoughts on Pirates
The Baroque Works organization was undoubtedly dangerous, but Carl had to admit—
They had done the Marines a favor.
By stopping so many pirates from flooding into the Grand Line, they had, in a twisted way, helped reduce chaos and spared innocent civilians from greater suffering.
Carl might have been a pirate, but he harbored no illusions about their nature.
Most pirates were evil.
Even though neither he nor the Straw Hats harmed innocent people, the vast majority of pirates thrived on destruction—pillaging, murdering, and looting for fun.
Many of them deserved their fate.
Carl had already accepted the risks of this life.
If he ever died suddenly, he would have no one to blame but himself.
That was just the way of the sea.
Tashigi's Doubt
"Hey, Mr. Carl…"
Tashigi gently tugged at his sleeve, her expression filled with doubt.
"Are those people really welcoming pirates?"
As someone new to the Grand Line, Tashigi found this scene bizarre.
To her, the idea of civilians celebrating the arrival of pirates was unbelievable—practically impossible.
Carl simply smiled.
"See with your own eyes, listen with your own ears, and think with your own brain—"
"Don't rely on my explanation."
Tashigi blinked in surprise, falling silent.
Her gaze lingered on the cheering crowd, her mind racing with thoughts.
A Warm Welcome… or a Trap?
Before long, the Straw Hats were invited ashore.
As they stepped onto Whiskey Peak, a tall man with blond curly hair and a saxophone approached them.
He cleared his throat and spoke:
"Welcome! Ahem, are you…?"
After adjusting his voice, he continued:
"Welcome to Whiskey Peak! My name is Igaram, and I am the mayor of this town."
Luffy's Blunt First Impression
With a bright grin, Luffy introduced himself:
"My name is Luffy! Old man, your hair is way too curly."
Igaram coughed awkwardly but maintained his composure.
"Here in Whiskey Peak, we pride ourselves on our fine wine and music. Our wine could fill the entire ocean! But, of course, we need your thrilling adventure stories as appetizers. Ahem… So, what do you all say?"
"Sounds great!"
Luffy, Sanji, and Usopp shouted in unison, excitement written all over their faces.
Zoro, Nami, and Jango exchanged exasperated looks but chose to stay silent.
Tashigi, however, furrowed her brows and fixed Igaram with a sharp gaze.
She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
Why would civilians openly celebrate pirates?
Nami's Suspicion
"Old man, how long does it take to record this island?" Nami asked casually.
For navigators, ensuring the Log Pose records an island was essential for smooth sailing.
Igaram, however, simply waved off her question.
"No need to worry about that! First, let's drink and enjoy the festivities!"
He skillfully avoided answering, leading Nami to narrow her eyes.
But before she could press further, the banquet began.
The Feast Begins
Luffy devoured food at an alarming rate, his mouth a blur of motion as dishes vanished in seconds.
Zoro engaged in drinking contests, downing sake with anyone who dared to challenge him.
Sanji, of course, was surrounded by women, his face full of love-struck delight.
Usopp had already begun his tall tales, exaggerating his adventures to an audience hanging onto his every word.
Meanwhile, Nami, Jango, and Tashigi remained cautious, observing everything with a keen eye.
Carl, watching from the sidelines, raised an eyebrow.
He noticed something strange—
The locals weren't drinking.
That single detail spoke volumes.
Carl's Realization
After a moment's thought, Carl put the pieces together.
It made sense.
With the Straw Hats' reputation for taking on a Marine Admiral, Whiskey Peak probably realized they stood no chance.
The 1.1 billion bounty might be tempting, but attempting to take down the Straw Hats would only lead to their own destruction.
So, their plan had changed.
Instead of attacking, they were likely hoping to get the crew drunk, stuff them with food, and send them on their way—
Avoiding conflict while saving their own skin.
It was actually a smart move.
But, if that was the case…
Whiskey Peak was about to run out of food for a very, very long time.
The Bigger Picture
Carl's mind flashed through the events of the original timeline.
While the Straw Hats' strength had changed drastically, the rest of the world was likely following the same course.
Meaning—
Mr. 4 and Miss Valentine would still come to assassinate Vivi. And Nicole Robin would arrive in Whiskey Peak.
However, this time, there was a major difference—
Robin wouldn't dare to sneak aboard the Going Merry.
With how absurdly powerful the Straw Hats had become, Robin—someone highly cautious about her own survival—would never take such a reckless risk.
Which raised an interesting question…
Without that initial encounter, how would Robin end up joining the crew later?
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