"Ah? This... Why would you ask me such a question?"
Viola was taken aback for a moment, then immediately reacted, shaking her head.
"Ah, is that so."
Upon hearing this, Sasuke showed no intention of digging deeper, just quietly looking at Viola as if he had only been casually asking.
Viola, on her part, snapped out of the somewhat romantic and ambiguous atmosphere from before.
She knew that the man now alone with her could kill her effortlessly, just like Doflamingo.
And her goal was to use his hand to eliminate the Donquixote Family, that malignant tumor entrenched in Dressrosa.
If possible, Viola didn't want to resort to drastic measures. Getting closer and persuading him to help her was the best outcome.
But it seemed now that Sasuke wasn't as easily fooled as the men she had encountered before.
Moreover, his goal was arms… was he friend or foe?
Viola marked Sasuke with a huge question mark in her heart.
…
Sasuke's walking speed was fast, especially when no one was holding him back.
Viola watched as a journey that usually took over an hour was completed in a little over ten minutes with Sasuke's stroll-like pace.
And that was while carrying someone in his arms.
Otherwise, given Sasuke's speed, it would probably be a matter of minutes.
Following Viola's directions, Sasuke entered another town.
This place wasn't as prosperous as the center of Dressrosa… there weren't even many people in the surrounding restaurants.
Putting the girl down, Sasuke continued to observe his surroundings with Observation Haki.
'One, two, three... Seventeen people lying in ambush?'
And all hidden in obscure corners.
Either in trash cans or under the eaves of some houses.
In Sasuke's perception, these people made no effort to conceal their presence, openly revealing themselves to his senses.
"Ah, it's safe here now. Thank you, Kakashi-san."
Her feet back on the ground, the pain in her ankles had lessened considerably.
-It was originally just from walking quickly for a short time… resting for a while had almost healed it.
"Um, may I treat you to a meal?"
Seeing Sasuke ignore her, Viola didn't get discouraged. Instead, she spoke up again.
"As a token of thanks for helping me… okay?"
Viola's big eyes met Sasuke's. Because of the Transformation Technique, no special pattern of the Sharingan appeared in Sasuke's eyes.
"...Sure."
Sasuke also wanted to see what kind of tricks this woman could pull.
If it was just a typical honey trap, then just beat them all up.
A faint chill imperceptibly enveloped Viola and her subordinates.
After passing by several restaurants, they finally found one that wasn't 'closed'.
Coincidentally, this was also one of the hiding spots for the seventeen people from before.
The person now standing behind the counter, smiling as he looked over, was one of them.
Sasuke didn't mind at all, relaxing as he found a seat and sat down.
If he were truly a gentleman, he should have pulled out the chair for the lady at this moment.
-But unfortunately, Sasuke wasn't.
Watching Viola skillfully order food, and then the gourmet dishes that required some time to prepare being served like pre-made meals not long after, Sasuke raised an eyebrow.
He crossed his arms, seemingly having no intention of touching the knife and fork at all.
"Not poison, just some sleeping pills? That's a bit surprising."
His sudden words instantly chilled the atmosphere in the restaurant. Viola's hand, which had reached over to help Sasuke tie his napkin affectionately to close the distance, froze in mid-air.
Swish!
With the sound of something being overturned, followed by the clanging of weapons colliding.
Seventeen people surrounded them from different directions, their rifles and swords simultaneously pointed at Sasuke.
"..."
Viola silently looked at the subordinates around her, then at Sasuke, and slowly let out a sigh.
"So, why couldn't you just obediently fall asleep?"
As she spoke, Viola seemed to shed her 'disguise', no trace of gentleness left on her face.
"That way, at least the pain would be less."
Accompanying Viola's words, the weapon-wielding minions around also started laughing mockingly while continuously closing in.
"It seems you're the 'local snakes' here, huh?"
Facing such underlings, Sasuke didn't even have the desire to spare them a glance, his gaze still fixed on Viola.
"Then you should know where the arms in Dressrosa are stored, right?"
"Still thinking about arms at a time like this? What an ignorant man."
The minions seemed unwilling to wait any longer. After Viola's words, they swarmed toward Sasuke.
Their orders were to eliminate this lone individual who had arrived here.
As for who he was?
Not important.
What was he here for?
Also not important.
They'd done this kind of thing plenty of times.
Although they couldn't remember the specific individuals, they clearly knew that anyone who tried to cause trouble in Dressrosa, within the Donquixote Family's territory, would be turned into a mindless toy for people to command by Sugar.
Pirates, Marines, World Government's agents… none were a problem.
"Die!"
The minion standing closest to Sasuke fired a shot directly at his back.
He was aiming for the shoulder… at this distance, hitting wouldn't risk killing.
-But so what if he did kill? Was there anyone in this country who dared to judge them?
Shing!
Everyone felt their vision blur, and then a lead bullet cut in half fell to the ground.
"No Haki coating?"
Sasuke glanced around, then felt amused at his own thought.
"Right... I overestimated you."
Because since coming to this world, he had almost always been in high-level battles. In Sasuke's eyes, those who dared to use rifles as weapons were basically Haki experts on the level of Yasopp.
But facts proved that even in the New World, Haki wasn't something just any Tom, Dick, or Harry could master.
In the next moment, a flash of silver light. The crowd couldn't even see Sasuke's drawing motion, only felt a pain somewhere on their bodies before losing consciousness.
"Heated Iron Tears: Eye Whale!"
Viola didn't seem shocked by the combat power Sasuke displayed, still persistently using her ability against him.
A few tears flowed from her eyes, rapidly enlarging and instantly hardening into two whale-shaped forms radiating high heat.
As Viola made a scissor gesture with her index and middle fingers, the tears separated from her eyes and shot toward Sasuke.
Judging by the walls scraped by the steel whales, their power was evident.
Yet an attack of this level couldn't even pique Sasuke's interest.
The Kusanagi Sword was swiftly drawn, swung, and sheathed again.
Just relying on the still somewhat unfamiliar flying slash technique was enough to shatter the steel whales.
"If this is your confidence, then I'd still prefer you take me to the arms voluntarily."
But facing Sasuke's absolute, overwhelming power gap, Viola showed not the slightest intention of surrendering.
She used several more Eye Whale attacks. Even though they couldn't get close to Sasuke, she simply didn't stop.
"This is the Donquixote Family's territory, not a place for you to act recklessly."
"[Flame Wolf], Doflamingo-sama won't let you off!"
Hearing that name that always annoyed him from the other's mouth again made Sasuke frown.
'Who exactly was in charge of assigning these titles to them? I definitely needed to find an opportunity to have a word with them.'
"Donquixote Doflamingo..."
Sasuke drew the Kusanagi Sword, its blade gleaming coldly.
"Then let him come find me."
In the next moment, a sword light flashed. Viola only felt her vision go dark.
Before her consciousness faded, she only heard Sasuke's voice gradually fading.
"...Wasting time."
'Plan successful-'
Viola didn't know what Sasuke's purpose here was, nor his relationship with Doflamingo.
She didn't even have many chances for trial and error.
Sasuke's displayed attitude caused Viola's 'Plan A' of attracting him with her charm to fail.
If she couldn't get closer and then slowly explain the situation in Dressrosa, she could only resort to the more radical 'Plan B'.
'Regardless of your relationship with Doflamingo or why you're here.'
'After this, you'll only be enemies.'
'As for the cost, it's just my life.'
Viola's eyes slowly closed.
'This is fine.'
'Just like this.'
-She didn't know how much time had passed.
When Viola regained consciousness from the coma, the sky outside was nearing dusk.
'I... didn't die?'
She looked around at the minions still lying on the ground, unsure if dead or alive, then checked her own body.
Aside from some bruises, there were no cuts or wounds.
"...Strange man."
Viola looked in the direction Sasuke had left, whispering softly.