Time shifts back to the previous day.
Kingdom of Dressrosa.
The Corrida Colosseum was completely turned upside down by Vivian. Both officers, Dellinger and Pica, were severely injured by two slashes and lay on the ground in a miserable state. Watching the figure standing amidst the lightning, cigar in mouth, and flicking his hair, they were filled with hatred.
"Too weak…" Vivian couldn't help but click his tongue.
Two years ago, when he first received this mission, he was too weak, constantly fearing that Doflamingo would kill him and that he would be beaten by the Donquixote Family officers.
But now, after mastering the three types of Haki and accumulating his attributes over the past four years, Vivian realized that guys like Dellinger and Pica, who had bounties over a hundred million and some strength in the New World, were no match for him.
Of course, this was also thanks to his Thunder Breathing Sword Technique.
A single flash of lightning from his sword was unstoppable for ordinary people.
"Viola's father, King Riku III, should be in that cage over there, right?"
With the only two officers in the arena dealt with, there was no longer any risk of someone killing King Riku in revenge after learning of Doflamingo's capture.
As he muttered to himself…
Click, click, click—!
Not far away, Gordon, hiding behind a pillar and frantically pressing the shutter, caught Vivian's attention.
How does this guy always manage to be one step ahead of everyone else?
Even with his Observation Haki activated, Vivian almost didn't notice Gordon getting this close.
Could this guy be a hidden master?
Seeing Vivian turn his attention to him, Gordon quickly put away his camera, grinned, and showed his neat white teeth, "Hehe, good evening, Sharpshooter Loget Larvin!"
Vivian: "…"
"Don't worry, Lord Loget Larvin, I made sure to capture your most handsome side. The report will depict your heroic and dashing image."
Vivian: "…"
"Just write whatever you want." Vivian waved his hand, about to say more, but his Observation Haki sensed the approaching marines, so he quickly put his spare sword back into his universal capsule.
Gordon noticed this and showed a puzzled expression.
Loget Larvin… wasn't he known for using guns and cannons?
What's with the sword?
Could it be that Larvin learned to use a sword in the past two years?
In the two seconds he pondered this, Vivian had already disappeared from the arena.
When Gion (Momousagi) and a group of marines rushed in, only Gordon and the severely injured pirates remained.
"Where is he?" Gion asked Gordon.
"Ran away." Gordon pointed to the back door of the arena.
"Did you see who it was?"
"It was Loget Larvin himself."
Gordon showed the photos he had taken to Gion, "He took down all the officers and guards in the Corrida Colosseum. Besides that, it seems he also destroyed the SMILE factory. He rescued the Tontatta Tribe members and the slaves and laborers imprisoned in the depths of the underground."
As he spoke, he switched to other photos taken near the exit of the underground, feeling a sense of admiration, "Truly a guy who dares to oppose the Celestial Dragons. Could there really be righteous and kind people among pirates?"
With that, he took out paper and pen and began writing the news headline and content.
Hearing this, Admiral Momousagi instinctively frowned and said with displeasure, "A righteous pirate? Are you kidding me? As a journalist employed by the Navy Headquarters, how can I hear such words from you? Do you want to be thrown into Impel Down?"
Gordon: ∑(O_O;)
"Sorry, Admiral Momousagi, I was just speaking casually. I'll make sure to change the wording before the article is published tomorrow morning."
The room suddenly became quiet.
After a long pause.
"Where's Vivian? Wasn't he supposed to destroy the SMILE factory? Why did Larvin come out instead?" Momousagi asked again.
"Not sure… Maybe he was taken down by Larvin in the underground world on his way there? After all, he was wearing a Navy uniform…" Gordon guessed.
"Send people to search the underground immediately!"
"Yes, Admiral Momousagi!"
Meanwhile.
As Vivian left the rooftop at top speed, three options popped into his mind:
[Option 1: Slip away directly. (Reward: Random combat skill from another dimension x1)]
[Option 2: Change back into the Navy uniform and return to the Bullfighting Arena. (Reward: Random character skill from another dimension x1)]
[Option 3: Change back into the Navy uniform, avoid everyone, and pretend to be unconscious outside the destroyed SMILE factory in the underground world. (Reward: Random basic attribute +1)]
"Hmm?"
Pretend to be unconscious outside the destroyed SMILE factory?
Could it be…
Guessing the possibility, Vivian rushed to the seaside, quickly took off his magician's coat, scrubbed the greasepaint off his face with water, and activated the Silent Card from the Clow Cards, silently slipping into the city's streets.
About ten minutes later.
"Captain Vivian!"
"Found him, over here!"
Outside the destroyed SMILE factory in the underground world, Vivian was covered in dust, his Navy uniform stained with blood, and he lay limp near the entrance, his eyes half-closed.
"Captain Vivian, did he really lose to Loget Larvin?"
"This…"
"The Navy's top rookie… ultimately defeated by the Whitebeard Pirates' Second Division Commander…"
The Marines' faces were full of regret.
Standing at the back of the crowd, Gordon quietly took out a pen and paper from his pocket and wrote again: Thunder Swordsman vs. Pirate Sharpshooter, Second Battle Ends in Thunder Swordsman's Complete Defeat…
"This headline…"
I was supposed to be out here with Admiral Momousagi to promote the Navy's image and boost recruitment enthusiasm.
If I write it like this, will I be thrown into Impel Down by tomorrow night?
Thinking about it, he pondered for a moment and then shook his head.
"Who cares, as long as I don't sign my name, I can sell this news to another newspaper, right?"
Slapping his thigh, Gordon felt there was no one smarter than him in the world.