Looking at the radiant Vivi, Cobra's eyes suddenly blurred.
So similar, too similar.
At this moment, Vivi was so much like her mother, the Queen of Alabasta, who had passed away from illness.
And not just that.
Vivi, exuding a confident and resolute aura, seemed to overlap with the sculpture of Nefertari Lili, the ancestor of the Nefertari family, one of the twenty kings who created the world.
It was as if destiny had come full circle, or as if an ancestor had reappeared from history.
"The glory of the Nefertari ancestors has returned. The Sand-Sand Fruit is back with the Nefertari Royal Family. Alabasta is about to embark on its revival."
Cobra's eyes welled up, almost unable to hold back tears.
"Another Logia ability, and it's Crocodile's ability, ugh, I'm so envious, I want a Logia too..."
Bepo's small eyes widened completely, so envious he felt like his cell wall was about to detach.
"What's so good about Logia? You still get beaten down by the Major. Compared to Logia, I want a Mythical Zoan even more. I heard Fleet Admiral Sengoku is also a Mythical Zoan user, and so is Beast Kaido, so Mythical Zoans must be the strongest Devil Fruit abilities, right?" Pamela's eyes were burning, but he wasn't looking at Vivi, but at Rorschach.
"Vivi! You became a Logia user too? Congratulations, congratulations!" Hibari ran up, excitedly wrapping her arms around Vivi's waist, lifting her petite body and spinning her around a few times in the open space, making Vivi's face flush and letting out a surprised shriek.
"Quick, tell me, how did you get Crocodile's ability?"
Vivi was almost twenty centimeters shorter than Hibari, and her physical abilities were far inferior to Hibari's. At this moment, being held by Hibari, she looked like a child.
"You... you put me down first~" With so many people watching, Vivi was so embarrassed her body felt weak.
After finally calming down, and meeting everyone's curious gazes, Vivi organized her tumultuous thoughts and then recounted how the Sand-Sand Fruit had reappeared on the Cactus Fruit, and how Rorschach told her to eat the Sand-Sand Fruit, astounding everyone present.
Cobra excitedly grasped Rorschach's hand.
"Rorschach, on behalf of Vivi, I thank you for your gift. The Nefertari Royal Family will forever remember your great kindness. You not only saved this country from Crocodile but also gave Alabasta the possibility of revival. I wonder... uh, heh heh..." Cobra pulled the somewhat bewildered Rorschach aside and whispered, "I wonder if you'd be interested in becoming a prince of our Alabasta?"
"Becoming a prince of Alabasta?" Rorschach quickly shook his head. "No, no, no need. I'm a Marine..."
"No worries, no worries. Never mind if you're a Marine; even if you were a pirate, it wouldn't matter." Cobra waved his hand and whispered, "You probably don't know, for a thousand years, any member of the Nefertari royal family who possesses the Sand-Sand Fruit is destined to become the heir to the throne. That is to say, on the day Vivi comes of age, she will be formally crowned and become the Queen of Alabasta Kingdom."
"Vivi, she will indeed be a wise queen."
Rorschach wasn't particularly surprised by this.
By all accounts, the future throne of Alabasta would be inherited by the kind and resolute Vivi.
Not to mention she now also possessed the Sand-Sand Fruit ability.
Rorschach ultimately did not agree to become a prince of Alabasta.
This greatly disappointed Cobra.
What Rorschach didn't know was that while this so-called prince had no real power, he held a very special status: that of a candidate for the Queen's 'King Consort.'
In other words, Rorschach gave up the opportunity to become Vivi's 'King Consort.'
If Rorschach could understand Cobra's true meaning, he wondered what he would think.
To thank Rorschach for his great kindness, Cobra again urged them to stay and have lunch in Alubarna before leaving.
It was hard to refuse such hospitality, and it wouldn't take much more time, so Rorschach agreed.
Of course, Rorschach would never admit that it was partly due to Vivi's teary-eyed expression, like a poor abandoned kitten.
Next, they helped Vivi and the others distribute food to the departing citizens at the four entrances and exits of the royal city. They were busy until the afternoon, when hundreds of thousands of rebel citizens, who had gathered in the royal capital, were gradually sent off by tens of thousands of Royal Guards. Only then did they attend the farewell luncheon prepared by Cobra's order.
At the banquet, a sense of parting sorrow hung in the air. Vivi was in low spirits, and no matter how Hibari tried to cheer her up, she only managed a faint smile, unable to lift her spirits.
"Vivi, you've gained a Logia ability, be happy! If it's really not working out, why don't you come with us to Marine Headquarters? Join the Marines and become a glorious Marine soldier. With your abilities, you'll surely become a powerful Marine general in the future, maybe even an Admiral."
Hibari leaned in and said to Vivi.
Vivi gave a wry smile at her words.
How could she possibly join the Marines?
She was Cobra's daughter, the sole future heir to the Nefertari Royal Family. If she joined the Marines, wouldn't it be like handing over the entire kingdom to the World Government?
Moreover, she had to consider the millions of people in Alabasta.
Although Vivi was somewhat tempted by Hibari's suggestion...
After all, she was only thirteen. If she could stay with Hibari, Rorschach, and the others, and venture out into the vast sea, she would surely have some amazing experiences, right?
Unfortunately, this little girl had greater concerns and a greater mission in her heart.
Seeing Vivi's wry smile, Hibari couldn't help but mumble, "Even princesses can join the Marines! Last time, when Big Brother Rorschach came from the North Blue, didn't he bring back a prince from the Prince Kingdom? I heard he's already a Lieutenant Commander at Marine Headquarters now..."
"That's enough, you little silly goose, how can that be the same?" Rorschach, sitting nearby, couldn't listen anymore. He reached out and ruffled the little girl's head, making Hibari puff out her cheeks in annoyance.
"What's different about it?"
"Idiot, think about it. Is the Prince Kingdom still around? Ever since Grus stubbornly refused to inherit the throne and insisted on joining the Marines, his country was auctioned off by the World Government. I heard that country was bought by Germa at a great cost. You wouldn't want to see Vivi's country suffer the same fate, would you?"
Hearing Rorschach's explanation, Hibari was immediately deflated.
Now, it was Vivi's turn to comfort her...
However, this girl was clearly an optimistic person, and she quickly calmed down. Under everyone's puzzled gazes, she smiled, pulled Vivi to an open space, and pointed to the sky above: "Vivi, do you know? I'm a Logia Cloud-Cloud Fruit user! I can turn into clouds and create cloud masses!"
"Isn't your Alabasta constantly suffering from drought and water shortages? Let me bring you some rain!"
Vivi's eyes widened in surprise: "Really, Hibari? You can make it rain in Alabasta?"
"Of course! Just watch!"
As Hibari spoke, her figure lightly leaped up, quickly soaring into the sky.
In just a few breaths, she had flown hundreds of meters above the ground, her small body rapidly expanding and growing, transforming into a swirling mass of pure white cloud.
As the cloud mass continuously expanded, soon, a strange transformation occurred.
The pure white cloud seemed to have many drops of ink spilled into it, rapidly becoming dyed a dense, inky black.
Then, to the astonished gazes of Cobra, Pell, Chaka, Vivi, and others, it actually began to rain from the thundercloud that Hibari had transformed into.
The drizzling rain, as time passed, turned into a torrential downpour, splashing down and drenching Vivi, who was standing in the open, like a drowned rat.
"Truly breathtaking! Major Hibari can actually transform into a cloud and bring down rain," Cobra exclaimed.
However, it was a pity that the thundercloud in the sky was still too small, with a diameter of less than a hundred meters.
This was far too small compared to Alabasta's vast territory.
After a few minutes of heavy rain, the inky black thundercloud dispersed, revealing Hibari's figure once more.
The little girl, who had flown down to land from the sky, looked a little pale.
When she saw that the rain on the ground had only wet an area within a hundred meters, not even reaching the distant royal palace, Hibari's small face immediately flushed. She gave Vivi an apologetic smile: "I'm sorry, Vivi. I... my development of the Cloud-Cloud Fruit's ability isn't enough yet, and my stamina is a bit lacking. This level of rainfall is my current limit..."
Hearing this, Vivi disregarded her wet clothes, a touch of emotion in her eyes. She quickly walked forward and held Hibari's hand: "Hibari, what are you talking about? I'm already so grateful. Thank you, truly."
"When I become stronger, I will definitely return to Alabasta again to help you bring rain. At that time, we'll ride Big Brother Rorschach's Kirin-go battleship to every city in Alabasta and bring rain to the people!"
Hibari affectionately hugged Vivi.
"Mm! It's a promise! I'll be waiting for you to come back." Vivi's eyes reddened, and the two girls embraced tightly.
About ten minutes later, when Rorschach piloted the colossal Kirin-go battleship to the sandy ground in front of the royal city, the moment of farewell finally arrived.
There was no grand farewell ceremony, only a pervasive sadness on the mottled sandy ground in front of the royal city highlands.
The warriors had already boarded the Kirin-go. Hibari was still whispering with Vivi. Cobra was saying something to Rorschach, but Rorschach wasn't listening.
For some reason, at this moment, Rorschach felt an inexplicable sense of suffocation.
It was as if a huge rock was pressing on his chest, giving him the illusion of difficulty breathing.
He vigilantly scanned his surroundings.
Around him was the endless desert, the sky vast and empty, without a single cloud, and the scorching sun hung high in the air.
Moria's bloated body, shackled with Seastone cuffs, was tied to the Kirin-go's deck, still unconscious with no signs of waking.
"What's going on? Is danger approaching?"
Rorschach looked at the people around him and noticed that Hibari, Hina, and Law, those who had awakened Observation Haki, didn't feel anything unusual.
But Enel, standing not far away, like him, had his narrowed eyes wide open, feeling a restless uneasiness.
It wasn't an illusion!
Danger was truly approaching! And it was a terrifying crisis capable of making even Rorschach feel suffocated.
With Rorschach's current strength, even a combined surprise attack from Shichibukai like Crocodile and Gecko Moria wouldn't cause this inexpressible sense of oppression.
Only a stronger opponent, far surpassing himself, could bring him such a terrifying warning.
An Admiral-level strongman with top-tier combat power! The warning in his heart wildly alerted him, making Rorschach's heart beat faster, and blood surged to his head and face.
Boom!
Amidst the roaring of his blood, his body seemed to be stimulated by something. To everyone's astonishment, it rapidly expanded and grew taller.
In an instant! A magnificent giant, with a grotesque physique, over eight meters tall, covered in azure scales, rose from the ground. Bolts of thick lightning crackled from his body, radiating across the sky in all directions, quickly disappearing beyond the horizon.
"Big Brother Rorschach, what are you doing?" Hibari asked in confusion.
Vivi was also astonished.
But before Cobra and the others could ask, Rorschach, who had transformed into his eight-meter-tall blue-scaled form, his expression instantly changed drastically. He suddenly roared: "No! It's Kaido!"
"Kaido? Who's Kaido?" Cobra looked bewildered.
"The Yonko of the New World, Beast Kaido, has arrived!"
Veins bulged on Rorschach's forehead, and cold sweat appeared.
Terrifying pressure swept over him like a tide.
With the enhancement of his lightning power, his Observation Haki sensed something fifty to sixty kilometers away, at the edge of the royal capital.
Thousands of meters above the sky there, a massive blue dragon, exuding a terrifying aura, was rapidly flying towards the royal city of Alubarna!
"Beast... Kaido?!" Cobra's pupils constricted, his body shook violently, and his old face instantly lost all color.
Had Alabasta done something that angered both gods and men? Two Shichibukai causing trouble weren't enough, and now a Yonko, ten or even a hundred times stronger than a Shichibukai, was coming?
"Sorry! Uncle Cobra! This Kaido guy is also coming for me! I'll try my best to draw him away later, but to be safe, Law!"
Rorschach loudly called out to Law, whose expression had also become incredibly serious. "Use your ability to transfer all the residents in the royal city out!"
"Leave it to me!"
Law knew the seriousness of the situation. Without any hesitation, his Room spread out, and his figure flashed and disappeared, rushing into Alubarna Royal City.
Seeing Law quickly take his orders and leave, Rorschach turned back to Hina, Hibari, and the others. "Lieutenant Colonel Hina, Hibari, Enel! After Law transfers the residents out of the royal city, you all take them and retreat in a straight line from the rear of Alubarna, find a direction! Leave with everyone as fast as possible!"
Rorschach dared not imagine how terrifying Kaido's destructive power was.
But last night, if no one had intervened, Moria alone could have turned Alubarna, this ancient city, into ruins.
An Emperor-level combatant was capable of easily destroying islands and nations!
"Major Rorschach! What about you?" A hint of panic appeared in Hina's eyes as well.
Rorschach looked up at the distant sky. Kaido, in his blue dragon form, hadn't appeared yet, but an invisible force had already spread from an unseen place, gathering large patches of dark clouds at the zenith.
"I must draw Kaido away to buy time for your retreat!"
No sooner had Rorschach finished speaking than Hibari flew up and threw herself onto him, her voice choked with tears: "No! Big Brother Rorschach, quickly retreat with us! That's a pirate monster from the New World as strong as Dad, Beast Kaido! You can't go, you'll... you'll die."
Rorschach extended his table-sized hand and patted her head, saying in a deep voice, "Hibari, listen! I need you to follow orders now and lead everyone to evacuate. Don't worry, I'm not that easy to kill!"
"Really?"
"Of course, it's real."
"Swear it." Hibari landed from his embrace, her eyes blurred with tears, biting her lower lip, desperately holding back the urge to cry.
"I swear, I will absolutely not die. So, Major Hibari, heed my command: I order you, together with Lieutenant Colonel Hina, to take King Cobra, Princess Vivi, and the residents of Alubarna away from the royal capital and out of this desert as quickly as possible. No matter what, do not look back. Can you do that?" Rorschach forced a smile, though in his beastman form, this smile looked somewhat fierce.
Hibari raised her hand and saluted, her voice choked with tears, "Absolutely obey orders! Major Rorschach!"
"Excellent! Then I'm counting on you."
As Rorschach spoke, he grabbed with both hands in front of him. Invisible air currents surged, transforming into ropes of air that bound everyone present, pulling them all onto the Kirin-go's deck.
Vivi was among them.
She wanted to say something, but she only saw that tall, imposing figure flash her a smile.
The next moment, a violent current of air swept through the heavens and earth, lifting the massive Kirin-go into the sky and sending it flying towards the desert land behind Alubarna.
Rorschach's eight-meter-tall body pulsed with electricity and air currents. He soared into the air, manipulating the wind to propel the Kirin-go rapidly over the royal capital, landing it on the desert ground at the back gate.
"Hina, Hibari, Law, Enel! They're in your hands! Take everyone and leave! Don't worry about the Kirin-go, just evacuate directly!"
Rorschach, standing in the sky, threw out these words. A roaring burst of air exploded beneath his feet, and his burly figure shot into the sky like a rocket, rapidly streaking towards the distant horizon.
The pitch-black Dragon's Heavenly Halberd shot out from the Kirin-go, following closely behind him.
"Big Brother Rorschach!"
"Major Rorschach!"
Shouts came from the Kirin-go.
Hibari and Vivi collapsed weakly onto the deck, their eyes hollow as they stared at the figure that had completely disappeared.
Giant spherical covers dropped from the sky, bringing bewildered royal city residents.
Law, drenched in sweat, looked at the panicked Marine soldiers and couldn't help but shout, "What are you standing around for? Hurry up and move, evacuate the people! Contact Headquarters, ask for reinforcements! Ask where Admiral Kizaru is and tell him to get here as fast as possible!"
"Hina is dialing now." Hina bit down on her unlit cigarette, forcing herself to stay calm, rapidly dialing on the Den Den Mushi.
But her slightly trembling hand still betrayed her nervous state.
I hope Major Rorschach can hold on.
Thousands of meters above the desert of the royal capital, Rorschach made no attempt to hide his aura. The imposing presence emanating from him surged like a volcanic eruption, climbing steadily.
Rumble!
Thick, dragon-like bolts of lightning burst from within his body, roaring and exploding across the sky.
Violent air currents propelled his burly figure, drawing a straight wake of air beneath the heavens, as he actively charged towards the large, faint outline of a blue dragon that was now visible in the distance!
"Wororororo! What a spirit! Truly the talent I've taken an interest in. You ate my Mythical Zoan Kirin Fruit, so why are you still a damn Marine? Marine brat named Rorschach, come with me to the New World and start a grand war that will sweep the world! Wororororo!"
Watching Rorschach charge like a meteor, the massive blue dragon, hundreds of meters long, opened its mouth and let out a laugh like muffled thunder.
Rorschach gritted his teeth. A powerful, deep blue Haki burst forth from within his body, covering him completely. Flashing lightning illuminated the sky, and his broad hand wielded the four-meter-long Dragon's Heavenly Halberd as a one-handed weapon, sweeping aside layers of sky clouds, and slashing fiercely towards Kaido's open dragon maw.
"Defeat me first, Kaido!!"
(End of Chapter)
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