"So it really is them…"
Vivi and Valentine exchanged a glance, surprise flashing in their eyes.
They quickly pieced it together—those two unluck-bringing creatures must've already reported back to Crocodile, which meant these higher-ranked agents were sent to ambush them.
Valentine's eyes flicked toward Rayno, her tone teasing, "Captain, actually… Miss Goldenweek's not half bad. Any chance she's your type…?"
"Eh?!" Vivi blinked. Wait—you can do that?!
Rayno glanced at Valentine, a sly smirk tugging at his lips. "Sounds good to me."
—
Inside the Wax Mansion.
On a pure white table lay two freshly printed wanted posters.
Mr. 3 stared at the bounties, licking his lips, unable to hide the greed burning in his eyes.
"Combined, these guys are worth more than 300 million berries…"
Miss Goldenweek, as always, looked completely unbothered as she sipped her tea and asked flatly, "You're planning to include Brogy and Dorry in this, too?"
"Of course," Mr. 3 nodded without hesitation. "Those two alone are worth 200 million berries."
He scoffed a little at the number. Back when they first set out to sea, Brogy and Dorry already had bounties of 100 million each. It's been over a century—surely their value should've skyrocketed.
Still, 200 million wasn't a small sum. Well worth the risk.
"You're underestimating them. If we're not careful, they'll swat us like flies," Goldenweek warned.
If they got on the giants' bad side, there wouldn't even be bones left.
"You're not wrong," Mr. 3 admitted, stroking his chin. "Which is why we'll take a smarter approach. We'll bait them into clashing with Princess Vivi and her crew. Once they've worn each other down… we strike from the shadows."
He slammed a fist into his palm. "Genius! I'm wasted as a number three. Mr. 1's just a brute with no finesse. The Boss clearly lacks taste in talent!"
"Nice idea. So how are you going to make that happen?"
A calm voice floated in from the doorway.
Click.
The door opened. Rayno stepped inside with Vivi and Valentine.
"Princess Vivi?!"
"And Valentine?!"
"You must be—" Mr. 3's eyes narrowed. He glanced at the bounty posters. "Rayno…"
They came to me?
Seriously?!
Heaven has a door, but you chose hell instead?
Mr. 3 was thrilled. Originally, his plan had been to manipulate the giants into clashing with Vivi's crew so they could mop up the survivors. These three showing up on his doorstep? That was a blessing.
He turned to Valentine with a mocking grin. "You've got some nerve showing your face here. Betraying Baroque Works—you know what that costs, don't you?"
But contrary to expectations, Valentine's face didn't flinch.
What the...?
Even Princess Vivi looked completely calm.
Mr. 3 blinked in disbelief. "Don't tell me… this 30 million berry rookie is what gave you that courage?"
Next to him, Goldenweek put down her brush, preparing to paint.
"I believe in you, Rayno-nii!" Vivi said sweetly.
"Captain, show him what we're made of," Valentine added with a wink.
The two women let go of Rayno's arms and stepped aside, casting pitying looks at Mr. 3.
They still remembered Mr. 9's limp body tossed into the sea—and Mr. 5, fried to a crisp.
Mr. 3 felt rage boil up. "Damn it! What is the world coming to—nobodies daring to look down on me?!"
"Candle Fist!"
His hands surged with molten wax, forming a massive, gleaming gauntlet.
BOOM—it launched forward like a rocket aimed directly at Rayno's chest.
But Rayno didn't even flinch.
"A parlor trick."
He casually drew a basic blade—not even his best—and gave it a lazy swing.
WHOOSH!
A golden arc of sword energy erupted forth, cleaving the waxy fist in two like slicing butter.
"What?!"
Mr. 3's eyes bulged cartoonishly.
That fist was hardened wax! It's tougher than steel! He cut it like nothing?!
"Your mouth might be tougher than that wax," Rayno muttered dryly.
He swung again.
This time, the golden arc hurtled toward Mr. 3's chest with unstoppable force.
Terror seized Mr. 3.
That's not a special move?! That's just a regular swing?!
"Candle Wall!!"
Desperate, he called up a massive barrier of wax in front of himself.
BOOM!
Rayno's slash shredded through the wall like paper, smashing into Mr. 3's chest and launching him across the room.
CRASH! He slammed into the wax mansion's wall, coughing blood that painted the floor.
"Kh…!" Mr. 3 tried to push himself up, eyes wide with terror.
Who… what… is this guy?!
Three million berry bounty? More like three hundred million…
Rayno frowned. "Still alive? Not nearly as sharp as my Wado Ichimonji."
With an annoyed sigh, he flicked his sword again.
SLASH!
A clean arc of golden energy pierced Mr. 3's chest.
He felt the warmth draining from his limbs—tried to speak—but no sound came.
THUD.
Mr. 3 collapsed, dead.
Mr. 3—eliminated.