Baroque Works, a notorious secret criminal organization disguised as a bounty hunter agency, is centered around the ancient kingdom of Alabasta. Among its many hidden bases across the Grand Line, Whiskey Peak—mistakenly referred to as Whiskey Hill by outsiders—is one of its most strategically important outposts.
To maintain their grip on the region, Baroque Works stationed four senior agents at Whiskey Peak. Once the town's bell rang, signaling an approaching ship, the quartet assembled swiftly, preparing strategies to "greet" pirates who wandered too close.
Though called a mountain, Whiskey Peak is in truth a small island filled with bounty hunters loyal to Baroque Works. Unlike the regular fodder hunters, the four senior agents were ranked operatives—each with an exclusive codename denoting their rank within the organization.
Galloping in atop a supersonic duck mount named Karoo was a blue-haired girl posing as a bounty hunter. In reality, she was none other than Princess Nefertari Vivi of Alabasta. Operating under the alias Ms. Wednesday, Vivi had infiltrated Baroque Works as a covert agent seeking to uncover the organization's leader and stop the insidious plot against her kingdom.
Her longtime guardian, Igaram, appeared shortly after. A tall, middle-aged man with wild, curled blonde hair, Igaram had once served as the captain of Alabasta's royal guard. Now, under the codename Mr. 8, he posed as her comrade in Baroque Works, feigning allegiance while watching over Vivi.
Though the duo had made a name for themselves in the bounty hunting circuit as a cover story, they were forcibly split by the organization's top brass, likely to prevent suspicion. Mr. 8 was now partnered with a dark-skinned, muscular woman known as Ms. Monday—a powerful fighter of immense strength, who seemingly possessed the natural brute force of a Zoan-type user, although without a confirmed Devil Fruit.
Vivi's current partner, Mr. 9, was a brash, loud-mouthed youth in flamboyant green attire and a massive red scarf. He often claimed to be a prince himself, but it was likely a self-aggrandizing delusion. Despite his boldness, his combat abilities were underwhelming. He charged into battles recklessly, which often left Vivi cleaning up the mess.
Baroque Works believed in "paired male and female agents for efficiency," and these duos embodied that rule: Mr. 8 with the powerhouse Ms. Monday; and Mr. 9, filled with misguided valor, paired with the determined but undercover Ms. Wednesday. Together, they were the four designated high-ranking agents overseeing Whiskey Peak.
Among them, two were secretly spies from Alabasta, one was a glory-hungry clown, and the last was a simple-minded muscle powerhouse. Such was the chaotic dynamic of Whiskey Peak's command structure.
Vivi's ultimate goal was to identify and expose Mr. 0, the shadowy leader of Baroque Works, and foil his scheme to plunge Alabasta into civil war. With the memories of her former life as a transmigrator intact, Vivi knew she could theoretically reveal the truth and retreat to a luxurious palace life for two years until her father's health would inevitably fail—whereupon she could return and claim the throne with ease.
But she knew it wasn't that simple.
She had inherited her host's language and basic instincts, but she was still adjusting. Only a month had passed since she had gone undercover. If she returned now, keen-eyed ministers and guards would notice discrepancies in her demeanor. Moreover, the palace was a stifling place for someone in her unique position—a reincarnator with foreknowledge. She had no way to access "plug-ins" or shortcuts there. Hence, she resolved to continue her promising work in Baroque Works.
Her plan was to remain undercover for at least a year, giving her time to blend fully into her role. If anomalies were noticed after her return, she could use her fieldwork experience as an alibi.
While her predecessor had to tread lightly, blending in while collecting intelligence, Vivi had an edge. Within weeks, she subtly asserted dominance over the operations in Whiskey Peak without revealing her true identity or drawing suspicion.
Upon arrival, Vivi wasted no time assigning roles.
"Mr. 8, handle the reception again. Smile more—make those pirates feel welcome," she instructed with practiced ease.
Igaram nodded earnestly. Despite questionable field skills, his loyalty to Vivi was absolute. He never once hesitated to follow her commands.
"Ms. Monday, you and I will handle the sales. I'll make them open their wallets, and you'll make them bleed if they resist."
Ms. Monday's hulking frame resembled that of a female sumo champion, but she had a surprisingly soft voice and never exuded any natural hostility. Her brutal strength, however, made her the perfect enforcer.
Vivi turned to her overly enthusiastic partner. "As for you, Mr. 9—our noble prince—you'll manage the 'atmosphere group.' You said you hired jugglers, right? Get them to liven up the place. Make it a celebration."
The trio had practiced this division of labor before, and each knew their part. They split up efficiently, ready to welcome the next ship of unsuspecting pirates.
Mr. 8 lingered for a moment. His tall frame hunched slightly, eyes filled with concern as he looked at Vivi. Once Ms. Monday had gone, he stepped closer, clearly about to say something important.
Vivi waved off his unease with a flick of her hand.
Igaram cleared his throat. "Your High—cough, mama-ma—"
"Stop! Don't say that out loud!" Vivi quickly cut him off before he could finish the phrase. That strange "mama-ma" preamble he always uttered had become a pet peeve. Whether it was a vocal tic or breath control issue, she didn't know. But in a world where bounty posters circulated freely, two Alabastan celebrities walking around unmasked and under weak aliases was almost laughably reckless.
"Call me Ms. Wednesday, got it? Don't get too casual in public—we're surrounded by enemies."
A princess of a major kingdom and her captain of the guard, both with recognizable faces, posing as bounty hunters without even changing hairstyles—this was espionage in name only. But Vivi had to keep up the act. If their infiltration was exposed now, all her work would be undone.
"Just one day at a time," she muttered internally. "We'll figure it out later."
Igaram glanced around nervously, voice lowered to a whisper. "Ms. Wednesday… have you uncovered any intel on Mr. 0?"
Intel? I don't even know what he looks like, she thought bitterly. But showing frustration would only demoralize Igaram.
Vivi gave a contemplative look, then shook her head. "No… there's no sign of Mr. 0. And I doubt Mr. 9 knows anything either."
Igaram sighed. "I asked Ms. Monday too. She hasn't heard a thing. No one knows what Mr. 0 really looks like. He's a phantom."
Vivi resisted the urge to slap her forehead. You asked Ms. Monday directly?! She couldn't believe Igaram was so blatantly untrained in covert protocol. If Baroque Works was even slightly competent, their cover would've been blown already.
Still, for now, the ruse held. Their mission continued. And somewhere in the shadows, the enigmatic Mr. 0—the true mastermind, whose ambitions threatened an entire nation—waited. But Vivi was determined. With patience, cunning, and just a little more time, she would bring Baroque Works down from the inside.
Even if she had to play the fool a little longer.