Vivi, Tashigi, Kaya and Saphir walked through the otherside of the sandy beach. They could feel the ocean breeze hit their face. It felt cool and refreshing. “This is a new breeze,” Saphir remarked.

  “It sure is,” Kaya agreed.

  Tashigi looked at Vivi who was happily walking on the path. “Vivi, can I ask you something?” Tashigi asked.

  “Sure,” Vivi responded with a wide smile on her face.

  “I want to know why,” Tashigi said.

  “Why?” Vivi asked in confusion.

  “Yes, why did you leave your previous life as a princess to become a pirate, you have everything, riches, power, status. You could have done anything else with your life but you became a pirate,” Tashigi said.

  Kaya and Saphir stayed silent. Vivi smiled. “You you saw my fshback. Yes, I was a Princess. My family always tried to look after everyone. Everything was going well, then he showed up,” Vivi said.

  “Crocodile?” Tashigi said.

  “Yes Crocodile, he tried to ruin my county, painted my father as a tyrant, made people suffer all for his selfish gains,” Vivi said. “I went undercover into his group,” Vivi said.

  Tashigi knew all of this. She was there in Abasta. “That also did not work and then I met Ben,” Vivi said with a smile on her face. “He said, if he helped me and saved my country, I would join him,” Vivi added.

  “So he bckmailed you?” Tashigi asked. She knew there was more but her facial expression showed happiness.

  “It was a deal. I didn't like it initially but he did save me and everyone so I joined,” Vivi responded. “Some might think he is a pervert and a womaniser but he is nice, funny, handsome and strong. He cares for us all,” Vivi said. “I don't regret my decision to join, in fact it's the best decision I have made in my life,” Vivi stated.

  Tashigi looked and nodded. “I understand,” Tashigi responded as she thought back to the kiss.

  “You are right he is a pervert but our pervert,” Kaya said.

  “I am going to tell Ben, you both said that,” Saphir teased.

  “No,” Kaya and Vivi said. Tashigi smiled. They were nice. She thought they did not fit the stereotypical pirate image.

  “Tashigi, do you know why I don't have a bounty?” Vivi asked.

  “I don't know,” Tashigi responded. She thought it was strange. She thought why would the World Government not give her a bounty.

  “Oh well, like Ben said, you can go pces we cannot, since you don't have a bounty right now,” Saphir said.

  They all nodded and walked down the beach. Kaya spotted something there. She walked towards a green pnt and squatted down. “Is there something interesting in the pnt?” Saphir asked.

  “I think so,” Kaya responded as she pulled the pnt. “This is Nectar,” Kaya said.

  “What do you think it is used for?” Vivi asked.

  “I don't know yet but it may be useful,” Kaya said. “I have a gut feeling,” she added.

  “Let's take it,” Saphir said. They took the Nectar.

  The four girls approached the massive hollow skull, its cavernous eye sockets casting eerie shadows across the sandy ground. The sheer size of the skull was overwhelming, dwarfing the group as they stood before it.

  “This is gigantic,” Saphir remarked, craning her neck to take in the towering structure.

  “It’s truly enormous,” Vivi agreed, her gaze fixed on the jagged, oversized teeth.

  “I wonder what could have caused its death,” Tashigi mused, brushing her hand along one of the fossilized bones.

  Kaya’s sharp eyes caught something glinting in the distance. “There’s a chest over there,” she said, pointing towards a partially buried object near the skull.

  “I see it too,” Vivi confirmed.

  “You both have sharp eyes,” Saphir praised with a smile.

  The group approached the chest cautiously. It was rusty and the wood looked damp. Kaya and Tashigi carefully brushed away the sand that had partially concealed it. With a little effort, they pried it open. Inside was a small packet wrapped in cloth, its edges glowing faintly under the sunlight.

  “Is it like the healing powder we found earlier?” Saphir asked curiously,

  Kaya studied the packet for a moment. “No, I think this is something different,” she replied.

  “Let me see,” Vivi said as she gently took the packet into her hands. She examined it closely.

  Tashigi leaned in as well. “It might be some kind of rare alchemical ingredient,” she suggested.

  “We should take it back and show it to Ben. He might know what it is,” Kaya proposed. They all nodded and Vivi gave it back to Kaya.

  At that moment. a faint light appeared. The light began to coalesce, gradually forming a distinct shape. As it grew brighter, a figure started to emerge. They could see orange, brown, and gold armour forming. The light went away.

  They saw an armoured looking character. The upper portion resembled a helmet with a golden structure featuring triangur patterns and spirals. The main body was barrel-shaped, with a golden-yellow base and vibrant blue designs. It had rge, floating arms on either side. The arms are golden-yellow. The bottom part had a spinning top, with blue and gold stripes and a small, glowing blue crystal at the tip. “Knuckle Soldier,” Knuckle Soldier said.

  “Another one,” Kaya remarked.

  “This one does not have a sword,” Vivi noticed.

  Knuckle Soldier charged towards the group of girls. He swung his fist at Tashigi. Tashigi pulled up her sword and sshed with the Knuckle Soldier. There was a small spark as she slid back slightly.

  “Touche Ssh,” Vivi said as she dashed forward. She held her sword and delivered a horizontal ssh on his chest. There was a dent mark on his armour pte. The Knuckle Soldier moved back from the attack.

  He looked at Vivi and swung his fit. Vivi dodged the attack. “Shoryo no Mizu,” Saphir said as she threw a handful of water drops at Knuckle Soldier, striking him with incredible force. Knuckle Soldier was pushed back from the impact. There were scratches on him.

  Kaya transformed into her beast form. “Angel Beam,” Kaya said as she fired a one handed yellow energy bst at Knuckle Soldier. There was a loud explosion and smoke cloud. He momentarily staggered back however he quickly recovered. There were more scratch marks over him.

  “Great Blow,” Knuckle Soldier said as he swung his fist at Kaya. “Paper Art,” Kaya said. She tried to rex her body by twisting it. However she was not quick enough and was still too stiff and got hit. Kaya went back however she recovered quickly and nded on her feet.

  “Kaya are you okay?” Vivi asked.

  “I am,” Kaya responded. She thought she had not had enough practice in a real battle. She thought it was a good thing his attack dont hurt too much.

  “Shockwave Projection,” Tashigi decred, swinging her sword in a wide arc to release a powerful, vorpal shockwave that tore through the air. It went towards Knuckle Soldier and hit him on the chest. There was a rge crack in the armour. Knuckle Soldier was taken back from the attack.

  “Neo Fire,” Vivi said as she scraped the sword on the ground. The friction created a dark purple-colored fming projectile that she unched at Knuckle Soldier. The dark fming projectile hit him and was engulfed in fmes. His armour caught on fire.

  “Bleu Vortex Drill,” Saphir quickly followed up. She gripped her spear tightly and twisted her body, driving the spear forward in a spiralling motion at Knuckle Soldier`s abdomen. She stabbed his stomach and pierced it. She went through him and got out the other side. There was a gaping hole.

  “Angel Heaven`s Arrow,” Kaya said as she gathered her energy. She formed a rge white arrow shaped projection. Kaya looked at Knuckle Soldier who was not down yet. She hurled it at high speed towards him. The arrow hit him and pierced his armour. Then there was a rge explosion. Knuckle soldier was destroyed. Fming rubble went everywhere and it turned into light.

  “We did it,” Saphir said.

  “We did,” Tashigi agreed. She thought they were strong for sure.

  “There is something there,” Kaya said as she approached the items. “It looks like cy and gunpowder,” she added.

  “Let's take it for now, since it was dropped by him,” Vivi said. They all nodded and took it.