Gojo, who was currently floating above the sandy area, landed lightly on the ground, grains of sand scattering under his feet. Just as he was about to walk toward Miss All Sunday, a desperate cry suddenly rang out.
"Igaram-san! Please hold on—you will be alright!"
Gojo paused.
Then Vivi shouted again, her voice cracking as she looked straight at him. "Gojo, help him! Please!"
Hearing this, Gojo let out a slow sigh and shook his head. He was the one who had been ready to kill Igaram earlier, keeping him at his mercy until the money was paid—and now Vivi was begging him to save the very man he had been prepared to discard.
"Girls are really troublesome," Gojo muttered under his breath, shaking his head again. Seriously troublesome.
If it weren't a girl—and that too someone as beautiful as Vivi—he wouldn't have cared about the shout at all. He would have walked away without hesitation. But after spending so many days with Vivi and Igaram, after witnessing Igaram's consistently respectful behaviour, Gojo found that he couldn't bring himself to kill him, regardless of whether Vivi paid him or not.
After all, Igaram had shown him nothing but respect over the past few days, even if that respect stemmed from Vivi. And Vivi herself had been well-mannered throughout—not like some arrogant princess who looked down on others, but like an ordinary girl who carried boundless concern for her kingdom and its people. How can a man overlook so many qualities in a girl? Even if it wasn't love, Vivi was undeniably likable to Gojo.
In the next instant, Gojo disappeared.
He immediately appeared beside Vivi, the air shifting as he arrived. Vivi turned to him at once, her eyes wet with tears.
"Look what has happened!" she cried, gesturing helplessly. "Do something! Save Igaram!"
Gojo followed her gaze and looked down at Igaram. His lower body was almost completely shriveled, the skin drawn tight and lifeless. The moisture had been forcibly sucked out of his legs. There was no doubt about the cause—it was Crocodile's earlier move, Ground Death.
When Crocodile used Ground Death, he drained all the moisture from the ground—or from anything touching it. At that moment, Igaram must have been standing directly on the ground. Vivi, on the other hand, was unharmed. So that's it, Gojo thought, his eyes narrowing slightly.
His deduction was confirmed when Vivi spoke again through her sobs.
"As soon as Crocodile used that technique, the whole area started turning into sand," she said. "To save me, Igaram immediately picked me up… and he ended up like this."
Tears streamed down her face as she looked at Igaram's condition, her hands trembling.
Gojo straightened and spoke calmly, his tone firm but reassuring. "You don't have to worry too much. He will be fine."
Vivi looked up at him, hope flickering faintly in her eyes.
"He just needs water," Gojo continued. "I'll bring some."
Gojo immediately disappeared from the spot, his figure vanishing without a sound. He moved beyond the radius affected by Crocodile's Ground Death—past the portion of Rainbase town where the sand had been drained of all moisture—and reappeared in front of an abandoned food stall.
The place was eerily quiet. It seemed the owner had fled in haste, most likely driven away by the commotion caused by the gathering of Baroque Works members and the violent clash between Gojo and Crocodile. Gojo's eyes swept the stall briefly before he spotted a large gallon of water resting nearby. He picked it up without hesitation.
In the next moment, he was gone again.
Gojo appeared right beside Vivi and Igaram, the sudden shift of air drawing Vivi's attention. He placed the barrel of water next to Igaram and said calmly, "Drink it up."
With that done, Gojo straightened, his attention shifting away from them. That part's handled, he thought. Now, there was something else he needed to take care of.
Gojo Satoru walked toward Miss All Sunday and stopped directly in front of her. Looking at her, he spoke in a mildly curious tone, "I'm surprised you didn't try to escape while I wasn't paying attention to you."
As soon as Miss All Sunday heard this, she smiled faintly, her expression composed and unhurried. "Of course," she replied smoothly. "If you deliberately moved your attention away from me after already focusing on me, then—if I'm not wrong—you definitely have the means to track me down again. Or if I even tried to escape, you would capture me instantly."
She tilted her head slightly, her smile deepening just a bit. "So why should I make a meaningless struggle? If I cooperate with you, then I will remain safe and sound. Am I right?"
Gojo looked at her and smiled in return, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes. "You're definitely right. At the very least, you're saving both of us a considerable amount of trouble—and a lot of wasted time." He paused briefly, then added, "And with your intelligence, I don't think I need to tell you what you have to do, right?"
Miss All Sunday didn't hesitate. "You want all the treasures and wealth of Crocodile, right?" she said calmly.
Gojo nodded, his gaze steady. "Yes, you're right," he replied. "Now, if you would please take me to all of Crocodile's treasures and wealth."
By this time, Igaram, after drinking the water, had recovered a lot and was now able to walk properly. His breathing had steadied, and strength was gradually returning to his legs. Gojo turned toward them and said, "I'll be back after a few minutes. You both just stay somewhere around here in Rainbase town—I'll find you."
As soon as Vivi and Igaram heard this, they both nodded. They already understood Gojo's goal. Although the money Crocodile possessed had been earned through chaos—through the suffering of their kingdom, the blood of Alabasta's people, and the shadowy operations of Baroque Works—it was Gojo who had defeated Crocodile. This much, both Vivi and Igaram knew well. By that rule, all of Crocodile's riches now belonged to Gojo.
Soon after, under the guidance of Miss All Sunday, Gojo left. They walked for a few minutes through the streets of Rainbase, the tension in the air still lingering from the earlier battle. Before long, they arrived in front of the Rain Dinners Casino. Without delay, and still following Miss All Sunday's lead, they entered the building.
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