The victory celebration banquet lasted for several hours. The entire royal city highlands were adorned with lanterns and streamers, and lights twinkled like a galaxy.
Everyone, including hundreds of thousands of rebel army refugees, received enough food and water.
For these long-suffering, lowest-class citizens, perhaps simply having enough to eat was the greatest happiness.
An atmosphere of hope spread as hungry bellies were filled.
Royal City Alubarna, Royal Hot Spring Pavilion.
In the steaming hot spring pool, Rorschach was completely submerged in the warm water, letting the comforting water soak his entire body, washing away all fatigue. He felt warm all over.
After hosting the grand royal palace banquet, Cobra pulled Rorschach to this hot spring for a soak.
Originally, Rorschach wanted to refuse.
The reason was that it was too late. After fighting Moria and then having a banquet, it was now close to one in the morning.
Although Rorschach still had plenty of stamina, everyone else had truly endured a difficult and arduous battle tonight.
Except for Enel, almost everyone sustained injuries, whether light or severe, during the battle.
Those with severe injuries, like Pamela and Bepo, didn't even attend the banquet and were recuperating in Alubarna's Royal Hospital.
After the banquet, Law, worried about Bepo, went to the hospital.
Enel was stimulated and had gone off somewhere to ponder Armament Haki.
Ever since he was repeatedly defeated by Rorschach, this guy no longer thought about escaping. He only wanted to increase his strength, awaken Haki, and then get his revenge on Rorschach.
So, in the end, only Rorschach accompanied Cobra to this Royal Hot Spring Pavilion.
"Comfortable~."
His muscles relaxed by the warm pool water, Rorschach lay on his back at the edge of the pool, his eyes barely able to stay open.
He had drunk quite a bit of alcohol at the banquet earlier.
Now, after soaking in this pool, he immediately felt a little drowsy.
He glanced at the curtain hanging at the hot spring entrance, somewhat puzzled.
Why hadn't Cobra arrived yet? Didn't he say he wanted to chat with him? Never mind.
Rorschach yawned, closed his eyes, and fell asleep right there in the hot spring pool.
In the adjacent hot spring pool, Cobra, wearing only a bath towel, held several bottles of juice meant to sober up and looked around in confusion.
"Huh? Where's Major Rorschach? Strange, did he go back?"
Not seeing Rorschach, Cobra was a bit dejected and left with the bottles of juice.
What a pity. He had originally planned to build a good relationship with that excellent Marine boy in the relaxing environment of the hot spring.
Putting everything else aside, just by Rorschach's effortless defeat of two Shichibukai, Cobra could confidently assert that this young man would definitely become a pillar of the Marines in the future.
No, a main pillar.
Building a good relationship with such a powerful and promising Marine rookie would undoubtedly bring immense benefits to Alabasta's future development.
After Cobra left, about ten more minutes passed, and two graceful figures entered the hot spring pavilion's door.
Vivi yawned, her arm happily linked with the smiling Hibari, as they excitedly walked towards the hot spring pool.
"Hibari, I'm so sleepy. We can soak in the hot spring anytime. Can we go back to sleep now? Aren't you injured? Can I bring you to soak in the hot spring tomorrow?"
Vivi looked helpless.
"No, no! We're already here, how can we go back? I've never soaked in a hot spring in my life. I heard soaking in hot springs is very good for the skin, isn't it, Vivi? Look at you, in a hot desert country like Alabasta, you still have such soft, tender skin. Is it because you often soak in hot springs?"
Hibari, taking Vivi by surprise, mischievously lifted her bathrobe at the waist, revealing a large expanse of fair skin, causing Vivi to shriek and quickly cover herself, her small face blushing crimson.
"Hibari! You... don't mess around." Vivi quickly ran away.
Hibari pouted, "What's the big deal? There are no men here."
As one of the few female soldiers in the Marines, and also Vivi's savior, Cobra had Vivi take Hibari and Hina to her room to rest.
After hearing Cobra recount Hibari's brave deeds fighting the Shichibukai Gecko Moria, Vivi greatly admired Hibari and pestered her to teach her combat techniques.
And Hibari also admired Vivi for daring to stand up and kill Crocodile.
Thus, the two girls of the same age quickly became good friends who could talk about anything.
This Royal Hot Spring Pavilion had two large hot spring pools.
The one on the left was for women, and the one on the right was for men, separated by a wall over ten meters high.
Pushing aside the curtain, one's eyes were met with bubbling, steaming spring water. The dense mist swirling above the pool made it look like a sea of clouds on a sky island, making it impossible to see even a few meters ahead.
The hot spring pool was very large, at least several hundred square meters, practically a small lake.
Hibari looked at Vivi, who was unbuttoning her clothes, and her expression suddenly became a little self-conscious.
"What's wrong? Do you have any injuries?"
Vivi was startled, then stepped forward, looking at Hibari with concern.
"N-no."
Hibari quickly shook her head. Perhaps it was the steam from the hot spring, but Hibari's face also turned pink.
She looked down at her body.
"Why does it suddenly seem bigger? Is it my imagination?"
Ever since she awakened Armament Haki during the battle with Moria, Hibari felt that her control over her own body had become stronger and stronger.
Not only had her physical strength increased, but she had even mastered the advanced Rokushiki technique, Life Return.
The two girls stepped into the hot spring pool, both letting out sighs of contentment.
"So comfortable, so warm. Soaking in a hot spring is truly wonderful. If only there were a hot spring on the ship, then I could soak every day."
Hibari completely sank softly into the warm pool water, only her small head exposed, and let out a comfortable sigh.
"Where would a hot spring come from on a ship?" Vivi couldn't help but laugh at her words. She lay on the water, paddling with her lotus-root-like, fair arms, moving closer to Hibari, who was speaking from within the dense mist. "However, I think you could install a bathtub in the ship's bathroom for soaking."
"Huh? Install a bathtub on the ship? Wouldn't that be a bit much? The captain's cabin bathroom is already small. If we add a bathtub, Big Brother Rorschach might be unhappy."
Hibari's mumble made Vivi, who had swum closer, stunned. "Why? You're installing a bathtub in your own room..."
Hibari squatted in the hot water, only her small head exposed, looking at Vivi who was approaching, and shook her head, "No, that's Big Brother Rorschach's room. I don't have a room on the Kirin-go."
Vivi blinked, her small mouth gradually forming an 'o' shape, and she stammered, "You... you and Major Rorschach... s-sleep in the same room?"
"Mm, is there a problem?" Hibari blinked innocently.
"No..." Vivi's small face flushed, and she turned her head away.
At this moment, the corner of her eye suddenly caught sight of Hibari keeping both her arms in front of her. Vivi couldn't help but ask, "Why do you keep your hands clasped in front of you, Hibari? We're all girls, there's no need to be so shy. A hot spring is a place to relax, don't be nervous."
"Because... because if I don't hold them down, they'll float up," Hibari bit her lower lip, speaking in a voice as soft as a mosquito's, her small face growing even hotter and redder. Slowly, she released her arms from in front of her.
As she released her arms, Vivi's eyes suddenly widened.
"You're kidding, right? Hibari, what did you eat to grow so big? We're... we're the same age, but how are you... how are you so big?"
"I don't know, maybe it's because I awakened Armament Haki? I remember before, they weren't this big," Hibari's small face was red. She clasped her hands in front of her again and shrank into the water, revealing half her face, her mouth bubbling in the water.
Vivi's body was instantly enveloped by a low-pressure aura, and she softly slumped into the pool water.
So envious...
A mischievous glint appeared in Vivi's eyes. She plunged into the not-so-deep pool and swam towards Hibari.
Hibari, who was quietly enjoying her hot spring bath and completely relaxed, was caught off guard. A pair of nimble little hands suddenly emerged from the water, grabbing her under the armpits, instantly startling her and making her jump out of the water with a shriek.
When she saw that the person who had ambushed her was Vivi, who had submerged herself, she immediately pounced on her, clawing and baring her teeth.
"My dear Princess Vivi, you're very bold. Come here, let me see~."
"Ah~! Don't come closer, I... I'm sorry~, I surrender."
Vivi's heart pounded from Hibari's ferocious pounce, and she quickly fled as if escaping.
"You can't escape, Princess Vivi~."
"Wuwu~, Sister Hina, save me."
"Go ahead and scream. No one will save you even if you scream until your throat breaks. Big Brother Rorschach, who's bursting with a sense of justice, isn't here~."
Hibari's small face wore a mischievous grin, her ten fingers wiggling nimbly, like a big bad wolf chasing Little Red Riding Hood-like Vivi.
The hot spring water splashed noisily as the two girls chased and played.
Someone who was having a sweet dream and had entered the wrong hot spring pool was startled awake by the bell-like laughter in his ears. He groggily opened his sleepy eyes.
"Hmm? Has everyone come to soak in the hot spring? Is it Law or Bepo?" The young man shook his somewhat hazy head. Just as he was about to rub his eyes, the mist in front of him suddenly churned and dispersed to both sides.
The next second, two figures, accompanied by two exclamations, simultaneously stumbled forward, falling squarely into his arms.
The air in the hot spring pool suddenly became incredibly silent.
Three pairs of eyes stared blankly at each other.
(End of Chapter)
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