Chapter 190 The Straw Hat Crew
...to thank me?"
The second half of the sentence didn't need to be said—or rather, he couldn't say it.
For Vivi had already closed her beautiful eyes, stepped forward to wrap her arms around his neck, and sealed his remaining words with her crimson lips.
When it came to kissing, Vivi was clearly a blank slate.
Clinging tightly to Zane's neck and kissing with all her might, she didn't just forget how to speak; she didn't even know how to breathe.
After a few seconds, her heightened emotions and lack of air turned her face a deep crimson, and her legs grew so weak that she hastily pulled back.
"See you tomorrow!"
Throwing out those words in a rush, the inexperienced princess turned and fled with unsteady steps.
"How did it feel? A princess's kiss is quite something, isn't it?" Nico Robin approached with a soul-stirring mature charm, her hips swaying as she looked at Zane with a smile.
"It was alright, but far from yours." Zane stood up calmly and pulled the approaching Nico Robin directly into his arms.
"I prefer the passionate kiss of a mature woman over a princess's." Zane grinned as he tilted her chin up and leaned down to kiss her.
"Mmm..."
Her lips were sealed, and though a helpless expression crossed Nico Robin's face, her body responded with passionate enthusiasm.
She didn't just wrap her arms around Zane's neck; she became quite proactive in their 'exchange.'
With such a lovely and charming woman being so considerate, Zane couldn't possibly remain indifferent.
After their profound 'exchange,' Zane laughed at Nico Robin's soft cry and swept her up into his arms, striding toward the bed.
Night faded away.
A new day dawned.
The morning sun shone over the vast deserts of Alabasta, awakening the opposing forces stationed at Alubarna.
"Mr. Zane, the rebels have besieged us for many days. Although we have held them off multiple times using the city walls to our advantage, it is only a matter of time before they break through if this continues. How do you think we should strike...?"
Despite her flustered exit the previous night, the pressure of their predicament forced Vivi to seek Zane out again early in the morning.
At that moment.
Led by Vivi herself, Zane and Nico Robin climbed the high city walls under the watchful eyes of the guarding soldiers.
"Vivi!!"
Just as they reached the top of the wall, a cheerful greeting rang out from nearby.
"Nami!" Vivi turned toward the voice, a happy smile spreading across her face as she saw the newcomer.
Shoulder-length orange hair gave the girl a playful and lively appearance.
Her orange-brown eyes slanted slightly upward at the corners, complementing her exceptionally delicate features. Her smile was particularly bright and cunning.
Though she stood only about 170 centimeters tall, her incredible leg-to-body ratio gave her a tall, well-proportioned look.
The way her impressive curves swayed as she bounced around, along with her exaggerated hourglass waist, further emphasized her stunning physique.
The one waving was none other than Nami, known as the Cat Burglar.
And it wasn't just Nami.
The rest of the Straw Hat Pirates followed behind her.
Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, and Luffy.
"Nami, thank you all for your hard work these past few days," Vivi said, deeply moved to see Nami and the others already on the city walls.
Although she had originally hired them to escort her back to Alabasta and recruited them as reinforcements, she felt indebted.
Not only had she not paid them a single cent yet, but they had also helped her repel the rebel army's attacks multiple times. It was impossible for her not to be moved.
"Vivi-chan, what are you saying? Helping you isn't hard at all—I'm so happy I could die!"
Sanji, who had been behind Nami, zoomed to the front. His face was full of infatuation, and his body swayed like a noodle in perfect sync with his limbs.
This wasn't the first time Vivi had seen Sanji's exaggerated behavior.
In the past, she wouldn't have minded his love-struck antics and might have even teased him with a smile.
But now...
Seeing Sanji rush toward her, Vivi instinctively took a step back, clearly maintaining a safe distance from him.
Vivi's retreat went unnoticed by Sanji.
However, it didn't escape the sharp eyes of Nami.
Nami watched Vivi's reaction with surprise, and her gaze naturally drifted to Zane and Nico Robin standing behind the princess.
'Wow.'
'A handsome man and a beautiful woman.'
That was Nami's first thought upon seeing Zane and Nico Robin.
But in the next second...
Her gaze was firmly locked onto Zane's face.
This wasn't because Nami was being love-struck.
The Cat Burglar, who had endured hardships since childhood, was no starry-eyed girl.
What caught her was a sense of familiarity.
Suddenly, Nami's eyes went wide, and her mouth fell open in an expression of sheer shock.
She recognized him.
Whoosh!
With a backstep so practiced it was almost pitiful, Nami quickly hid behind Luffy, Zoro, and Usopp.
Her sudden movement left Luffy, Zoro, and Usopp stunned for a moment.
"Hey, Nami, what are you doing?" Luffy asked, looking back curiously at the tense-faced Nami.
Zoro glanced at Nami's reaction, then turned his gaze toward Zane and Nico Robin.
'Does Nami know those two?'
Zoro thought to himself.
"Don't move!" Realizing Luffy was trying to step aside, Nami frantically grabbed his neck, forcing him to stay fixed in front of her.
"You idiots, don't look at me! Do you see that man over there with the gold mark on his forehead? That's the guy with the ten-billion bounty I told you about before!"
Seeing Zoro and Usopp looking at her too, Nami almost punched them in frustration as she explained in a frantic whisper.
"What?!"
"A ten-billion bounty?"
"Ahh!!"
It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck them.
The faces of Luffy, Zoro, and Usopp all changed simultaneously.
Usopp began to tremble with fear and, without a second's hesitation, slid behind Nami—only to be punched to the ground by the enraged girl.
Luffy and Zoro immediately focused their intense gazes on Zane.
The former was filled with curiosity mixed with a hint of defiance.
The latter felt a fire ignite within his heart.
In the entire Straw Hat crew, only Nami paid attention to the news, but she would occasionally share major headlines with the others.
For instance, the news of Zane's ten-billion bounty.
As a money-loving little cat...
...a staggering bounty of ten billion Berries was more than enough to burn into her memory.
Before meeting Zane, Nami had even vowed to the rest of the crew that she would find a way to claim that money if the opportunity ever arose.
But now that they had actually encountered him...
The "Cat Burglar" had turned into a shivering quail.
She could only tremble as she hid behind the trio.
Zane, of course, had noticed the Straw Hat crew.
But he didn't pay them much mind.
After a casual glance, he looked away and turned his attention to the rebel army outside the city walls.