There are few erotic elements this time as well.
"Eek"
"Thank you all for your hard work."
At night, four mallards arrived on the Merry.
It is so big that it could easily be mistaken for an ostrich, just like the Karoo duck that was found dying on Whiskey Peak.
"Luffy, what are you going to do?"
However, although the Super Mallard Duck unit arrived as scheduled, there was one problem.
Luffy and his crew consist of seven people, while the Super Mallard ducks are four, meaning more than three people will be staying home alone.
"I'm sure Vivi and I are confirmed. That's right... Nami, you stay behind. We'll need navigation skills if we need to move the Merry later."
"I understand."
In addition to Nanohana, Alabasta has several other ports and coastlines.
If the Merry needed to be moved, only Nami and Tashigi could steer the ship.
"Also, Tashigi, I'd like you to escort the ship. I don't think it will happen, but just in case."
"yes!"
"And then..."
The remaining three are Makino, Nojiko, and Kaya.
If they were just heading to Alubarna, it would be fine for Luffy and Vivi to be alone, but who knows what will happen after that?
Considering the manpower required, it seemed best to take one person with me.
"That's right... I believe Kaya and Makino are on vigil today, so Nojiko, please come with me."
"Yeah"
"I got it!"
"Okay."
-next morning-
The three of them mounted their super mallard ducks and set off early in the morning for Alubarna.
Just as Bibi had boasted, the mallards ran lightly across the desert, which was so smooth it felt like they could easily trip over their feet.
"That's an amazing pace."
"Stomp, are you okay?"
"Que!"
Luffy is impressed by the duck's speed, which is faster than that of a horse, and Vivi calls out to the duck that is chasing after them with water and other supplies on its back.
As if in response, the super mallard duck continued running, kicking up dust.
Meanwhile, Nojiko, who was running alongside Luffy in the lead, looked a little embarrassed as she pulled the hood of her cloak over her head.
"What's wrong, Nojiko?"
"Oh, you... I understand and listen...❤"
Alabasta is a vast desert country on a summer island, which means it's a very hot island.
However, just because it's hot doesn't mean that you should expose your skin; not only will you be exposed to direct sunlight, but you'll also suffer from reflections from the ground, which can lead to sunburn and even severe burns.
Therefore, long sleeves and cloaks are essential when crossing the desert. In fact, all three of them are wearing cloaks to hide their bare skin.
But the problem is what's under the cloak.
"Is it embarrassing? Well, I guess it is, considering you're wearing those clothes."
"Ugh... what's going on here...❤"
"Hehe, this is the formal attire for crossing the desert❤"
Luffy is wearing a cloak over his regular clothes, but Nojiko and Vivi are dressed in very indecent clothing.
Shirts made from thin fabric known as see-through do not wrap around the skin like tights and do not hide the breasts, but rather appear to emphasize them with a strange sheen.
Furthermore, he was wearing pants underneath, but the crotch area was wide open and he wasn't wearing any underwear.
Occasionally, the desert wind would seep in through the gaps in the cloak, giving me an itchy sensation, as if someone was caressing my body with a brush.
"Hmm...❤Ugh...❤I'm scared...! Is this really the kind of clothing that's popular in Alabasta?❤"
"Yes, when you wear this you can feel the cooling wind directly on your skin ❤ Plus, there are holes so you can defecate right there, which is convenient, isn't it?"
"How can that be convenient?! Ah...❤"
Nojiko's face turns red and she protests, but Bibi pays no attention to her and chuckles when she sees Nojiko cry out as the wind gets into her cloak.
Luffy then looked ahead and then towards Vivi.
"Vivi, is there anything up ahead?"
"Huh?... Maybe there's a relay point. There are several restaurants and other establishments in this country that cater to the Desert Brigade."
It is true that it is common for huts to be built along the way for people to rest when hiking, etc. In the same way, it is not strange to have cafes and lodgings as rest areas in the desert.
However, the number of buildings may have increased or decreased while Bibi was away from the country.
"...Then, when we see the building, we'll take a break."
The greatest danger in rushing ahead is taking a risk. It would be terrible to see an accident occur when you exhaust your energy by forcing yourself to cross the desert.
So the safest way to proceed was to take regular breaks.
After driving for a while, the building came into view.
There were horses, camels, and other animals tied up in the building, and it seemed there were other travelers traveling through the desert there.
However, what caught my attention was one animal that stood out in particular.
"...Hey, what's that?"
"...a crocodile, right?"
Since the mallard ducks do not need to be tied up, they can simply wait at the same watering hole as the horses and camels, but there is a crocodile waiting a little distance away.
However, while it is surprising to see crocodiles in the desert, what is even more interesting is their size.
It's bigger than a gondola and has jaws so big it could swallow a human in one bite.
The tip of its nose and tail look like bananas, which is oddly fitting, so I asked if this is also an animal from Alabasta.
"That's an F-type crocodile, a member of the Crocodilian family. There are crocodiles in Alabasta called banana crocodiles, but this particular one has evolved to specialize in living on land. It's slower than the Super Mallard, but it excels in running speed on land. It's a carnivore, but judging by the saddle, it must be someone's pet. It's probably well-trained, too."
Even though Vivi was born and raised in Alabasta, she seemed to feel a sense of danger from the carnivorous banana crocodile and was a little hesitant.
However, the F crocodile was quietly munching on a large piece of meat that must have been prepared by its owner.
Anyway, I went into the building to get some rest.
"Come on in. Take any open seat!"
The inside was like a cafe, where several brigades rested and ate.
However, most of the counters and tables in the small store were occupied, and the staff said this while busily serving customers.
"Um, Luffy...?"
There was an empty table near the back, so Nojiko and Vivi tried to sit there, but before they could, Luffy headed further forward to a four-person table where only one person was sitting.
I was wondering why he would go there when there was an empty seat, when Luffy called out to the person sitting there.
"Can I share a seat?"
"Oh, but are there any other seats available?"
The person's face was hidden by the hood, but I could tell from the voice that it was a woman.
And Bibi and Nojiko recognized that voice.
"That voice...?!"
"Miss All Sunday...!!"
She is Baroque Works' No. 2 and a mysterious woman.
She was surprised to see her there, but Luffy paid her no mind and sat down opposite her.
"You two sit down, you'll stand out."
It's true that if you stand for a long time, you'll stand out. Vivi sat down with Luffy, and Nojiko sat with All Sunday, leaving a little space between them.
Luffy ordered from the waitress, "Three iced teas."
"You got it. I'm here."
"Well, it's an application of my abilities."
In fact, when Miss All Sunday contacted him at Whiskey Peak, Luffy had used his ability on her.
The actual tag tag has the ability to read information from its surroundings and to remove and attach it.
In other words, Luffy can see the information that is being edited.
The tag can be used as a transmitter to track the animal's location.
However, it can only be detected within its effective range, which is why we were able to discover it while traversing the desert.
"But you were here to meet us too, weren't you?"
"...Yes, that's right."
She affirmed without denying it.
However, they didn't know why they were trying to contact them.
"So why did you come to see us? I doubt it's true..."
Vivi said with a wary look on her face, and All Sunday gave a small smile.
"Don't worry, I haven't come to get rid of you. Rather--"
Miss AllSunday said as she took out a roll of paper and placed it on the table.
Luffy picked it up and without looking at it asked, "What's this?"
"Baroque Works' financial flow. Mainly the back channels for procuring the ingredients for the dance powder."
"Dance pow!?"
Surprised, Vivi tried to scream, but Luffy quickly covered her mouth.
I had no idea what it was, but luckily the other customers around me didn't seem to hear it.
"Vivi, be quiet because you'll stand out."
"...I'm sorry."
"So, what is it?"
Luffy, who had no idea what dancing powder was, asked, and Miss All Sunday replied, "It's powder that steals rain."
"If you burn this powder, you can make the moisture in the air - clouds - grow. However, that rain is supposed to eventually fall on the surrounding area. Because of this, countries that created Dance Powder fought over the rain, which led to wars like this country. For that reason, the World Government has banned the production and possession of Dance Powder."
"...But two years ago, dancing powder was discovered in a cart bound for the Kingdom at the port. Of course, both my father and the country forbade the use of dancing powder. So I thought someone must have set me up."
"Yes, as the Princess says. Baroque Works used it to incite rebellion in the country."
Vivi glares resentfully at All Sunday's confession, which is why she and Igaram had infiltrated Baroque Works.
But the problem now is that the flow of funds that serves as evidence remains an important lifeline for Crocodile.
"Officially, the boss is a hero of this country. He can't just show himself so easily, so he relies on information from his employees to understand the situation. And because he hides his existence from his employees, all of that information comes to me at once. I heard the World Government is on the move, right?"
"Yes, that's right."
The World Government has the military power and authority to destroy even a country if it so desires. Even though he is one of the Seven Warlords, there is a world of difference in military strength.
There is currently no evidence that Crocodile has taken over the country, but with Vivi heading to the kingdom, it's only a matter of time.
"I see, so this is a gift, then."
"That's what it comes down to. Do you think you'll trust me a little now?"
"Well, there's no reason for you to lie to us now."
All Sunday gave a small smile at Luffy's words.
If they were planning to trap me, they wouldn't have agreed to a deal at Whiskey Peak.
"...Oh, right. I forgot to tell you one thing, Mr. 8, he's still alive."
"...Huh?"
Bibi understood what All Sunday was saying. Mr. 8 - that is, Igaram.
He was a decoy to attract Vivi and the others at Whiskey Peak, and his ship exploded right in front of his eyes.
"My boss ordered me to eliminate him, but killing isn't my hobby. I hurt him a bit, but he should be recuperating at Whiskey Peak."
"Y-You're lying! That's bullshit...!"
"Whether you believe it or not is up to you, Princess, but it's true."
I never thought he would survive that explosion, but being told he was still alive gave me hope.
If it turns out to be a lie, Bibi will never recover.
"...After Baroque Works is defeated, the Navy will probably take control of each base. We can check then."
"...I agree"
Luffy is right. Even if he confronts All Sunday here, nothing will change.
And I would be happy if he were really alive.
"Well then, I'll be off, but don't forget the deal."
"Huh? Why? Aren't you going with me?"
Luffy asked curiously as Miss All Sunday got up from her seat.
"That's stupid. I'm a member of a criminal organization, you know? And I was originally being pursued by the government. I can't go to a place where there are people from the World Government. And first of all, how am I supposed to meet the king with you guys?"
"…change"
"picture?"
Suddenly, Luffy activated his power.
Suddenly, Miss All Sunday's body changed from that of an attractive woman to that of a toned man.
"Like this?"
"Vivi, I'm glad you're back."
The palace of Aruban. Sitting on the throne is Nefertari Cobra.
He greeted the humans who came as a king.
Cobra was guarded by two adjutants of the Alabasta Kingdom Guard, Chaka and Pell.
"And you continued to protect my daughter..."
"Captain Monkey D. Luffy. I ask permission to introduce myself as your representative. Those behind me are my crew members."
Nojiko wonders who he is, as he greets her so dignifiedly, kneeling on one knee and bowing his head, but because he has his head bowed no one notices.
By the time Cobra said, "Let us express our gratitude as parents and as kings," everyone had regained their composure, although they were once again nervous being in the presence of the king.
"There's no need to be so on guard."
Perhaps sensing Nojiko's nervousness, Cobra spoke in a somewhat relaxed manner. However, due to his position as king, Chaka called him "Your Majesty" but he didn't seem to mind.
"This is an unofficial occasion. I have no intention of arresting my daughter's benefactor for lèse majesté, so take it easy."
"That's right, Nojiko. Relax a bit."
Luffy said, standing up and putting his weight on one leg to relax. Nojiko also replied with a somewhat resigned "Yes" and stood up.
"You too."
"…Yeah"
With that, Miss All Sunday, who had taken on the form of a man, also stood up.
In her case, she was nervous not because she was in front of the king, but because she was worried that he would find out that she had changed her gender using Luffy's tag and was disguised in men's clothes.
Although his body was male, his face resembled her ex-girlfriend's and they looked like brothers.
However, neither Cobra, Chaka, nor Pell seemed to realize Miss All Sunday's true identity.
"Shaw, we have all the information. Leave the rest to us."
A man with a cat-like aura was standing in the room, seemingly having appeared without my noticing.
In his hands were the information Bibi had gathered and the financial ledger that Miss All Sunday had given him.
"Please be careful not to harm the people."
"Oh...don't worry."
Then he left the room without making a sound or even being noticed.
Maybe he's a government official.
"Now, Luffy. You are our greatest benefactors. The rebels could not ignore the government's efforts, and this incident has allowed us to reach a settlement with them. And most importantly, you have brought back rain to this country."
"...Well, that's hindsight."
"Even so, your actions saved the people. We are thinking of giving you a 'reward' for that, but do you have any requests? As you know, this country may not be able to provide you with a worthy reward at Crocodile's hands, but if you have a wish, we will do our best to fulfill it."
When Cobra said this, no one noticed Miss All Sunday's slight reaction.
Because that was the key word in the deal she made with Luffy.
"...Then I have two requests."
"Try it out."
"One, I would like you to support me on my future travels."
When I offered that, Chaka and Pell's eyes sharpened.
Cobra also seemed unsure of the true meaning of the words and asked for more details, "What do you mean?"
"At first, we were just a two-person team, hardly an adventure team, but before we knew it, we had crew members. However, our adventure team is nothing more than a group of individuals with no backing or support. We want an authority that can help us out in case of an emergency."
"I see. But why did you choose Alabasta over your home country? As a hero who saved another country from crisis, it shouldn't be difficult to ask for their support."
That's what Chaka and Pell are concerned about. Even though they were an unknown adventurer, Alabasta is a member state of the World Government.
With Cobra's word, they could request that they become part of the nation in Luffy's home country.
"Unfortunately, I don't have any patriotism towards my own country. I have feelings for my hometown, but I don't show any loyalty to it."
There must have been something in the past that made Luffy distrust his country.
Thinking this, Cobra declared, "I accept it. As of this moment, the Adventure Team is under the protection of Alabasta."
Chaka and Pell seemed to have no objections to Cobra's decision against the country's benefactor.
"So, what's your other request?"
"As I said earlier, we are still in our infancy as adventurers. We have little experience investigating historical ruins and buildings. So we would like to take a tour of the inside of Alubarna Palace. Of course, we promise not to enter any off-limits areas."
"I see, that's good. Chaka, tell the soldiers that they will be roaming the royal palace. Pel, give them directions."
"Oh, Dad! I'll show Luffy and the others around!"
Chaka left the room after hearing Cobra's orders, and when Pell tried to give them a tour, Bibi stepped in.
However, since Luffy and the others had escorted him from Whiskey Peak to Alabasta, he may have wanted to show them around the royal palace, which he could consider his home.
"Hmm... Then Vivi, I'll leave the guidance to you."
"The first hurdle is to break through."
The group left the throne room and were guided around the palace by Vivi.
However, despite being able to move around freely, Miss All Sunday seemed somewhat dissatisfied.
"Isn't this different from what we agreed on? You were supposed to share this country's secrets with the king."
"...What you're seeking is the secret of this country. Even if I had honestly asked you back then, you wouldn't have answered me."
"But Luffy, what are you planning to do?"
Just as Nojiko was worried, the Albana Palace was large. Even if they investigated, if they had no clues, it might take years to find anything. Besides, if they were to sniff around carelessly, it would be inevitable that someone would become suspicious.
"It's okay. Just walk a bit and you'll see."
Afterwards, the group walked around the palace for a while.
After focusing on less popular places, they arrived at the following place:
"Here it is."
"Where is this..."
"This is the funeral hall."
To the west of the Albana Palace is a mortuary temple - the royal tomb.
Even though it was daytime, there was no sign of anyone around, creating a mysterious yet eerie atmosphere.
"[change]"
When Luffy used his power, part of the ground moved and an entrance large enough for one person to fit through appeared in front of the stone statue.
"Wow, I really found it."
"If there's some kind of gimmick, you'll know it from the tag."
Even on the Merry, the state of the sails and rudder can be controlled with tags. Unless you have something like seastone that nullifies the ability, it's easy to control.
After walking down a long staircase and a dimly lit corridor, we came across a square stone larger than a person.
Although it was clearly an artificial object, Nojiko and Bibi were left speechless, as they sensed something mysterious and mysterious about it.
"Is that what you're looking for?"
"Yes, there's no doubt about it."
When Luffy checked, he realized that this was the secret of her purpose.
He immediately began deciphering the unique characters carved into the stone by tracing them with his hand.
Meanwhile, Bibi was also looking around, curious to know the secrets that lay beneath the palace where she was born and raised.
"But still, to think that there's a place like this underground in the palace..."
"It really was part of the country... maybe it was a secret only the king knew about. By the way... why are you dressed like that?"
Before I knew it, Nojiko had taken off her cloak and was left in see-through underwear and pants that revealed her crotch area.
"It can't be helped, it's hot."
There may be air holes underground, but there doesn't seem to be any ventilation system, so although the room temperature is lower than outside, the stale air makes it feel quite muggy.
Saying this, he flapped his hands to cool down, but the warm air did not provide any cooling sensation, and instead he began to sweat.
"--Huh..."
All Sunday sighed, apparently having finished reading it all, but it was soon clear that it was not from admiration or a sense of accomplishment, but from disappointment.
"What's wrong? Did something go wrong?"
"Yes, that's not what I'm looking for. I want to know..."
All Sunday turned around and froze when he saw Nojiko.
Well, it's certainly understandable to be surprised if the person you were with were dressed practically naked.
"Oh, what a way to dress you!"
"Wow, that was a surprise! Don't suddenly shout out loud. Besides, I had no choice but to cross the desert."
"Oh, that was my joke."
"Oh, really?... Wait a minute! Are you kidding me?! You dressed someone like this and said it was a joke?!"
Nojiko, who had no experience crossing the desert, believed Bibi's story, and therefore reluctantly accepted the tight-fitting clothes she had no interest in and the slutty appearance she had to wear "to make excretion easier."
It's only natural to be angry if you find out that all those hardships were a lie.
"What does that mean?!"
"Ever since Tashigi became mine, we've been waiting our turn and haven't had much time to do it, right?"
"H-what-nii"
Luffy reached down to his bare crotch and whispered in his ear, "Don't think you'll be able to sleep tonight."
"Ah❤"
Hearing this, Nojiko realized that dressing her like this for the whole day was just a setup.
Just like a chef preparing ingredients to use her that night, the anger and embarrassment she had felt earlier vanished as she blushed with excitement and let out a sweet sigh.
All Sunday watched the scene in a daze.
"...…n/a"
After that, since they had requested to "tour the palace," the group toured the Albana Palace normally so as not to arouse suspicion.
Of course, we erased all traces of our basement entry, so no one would know we had entered.
"Ahhh... ❤There's someone here...!"
Then, perhaps imagining what would happen tonight, Nojiko began masturbating, sometimes hiding in the shadows even though soldiers and servants were nearby, sometimes in the middle of the hallway.
In the first place, what is underneath the cloak is more embarrassing than being completely naked.
Occasionally, when someone from the palace hears of the princess's return and approaches to greet her, they will call out to Luffy and the others, "Oh, Lady Vivi!" and "Thank you for protecting the princess!"
When I responded to them, I was scared and embarrassed that I might be found out, but I managed to cover it up somehow.
This was incomparable to going without panties or a bra, her nipples were rock hard and love juices were dripping wherever she walked.
"..."
All Sunday pretended not to be interested in what was happening, but his eyes were fixed on Nojiko's nipples, which were slightly erect through her cloak, and her slightly wet crotch.
So, we've arrived at Alubarna.
Baroque Works has been destroyed, and Crocodile has been captured.
Sorry to those hoping for battles, but I'm not planning on a full-scale battle in this series, so the longest battle is the one against Kuro, and the shortest is the one against Arlong.
I was actually thinking of using Marines like Hina or Aokiji, but I decided to go with the CP9, who aren't in Water 7.
But then Cobra's guards... Owl? They talk too much... Jabura? It would just be too chaotic... Kumadori? It would just be too chaotic... so I went with the new recruit, Nero.
At first, I planned to move everyone to Alubarna, but then I realized I didn't have enough Mallards... The downside of pointlessly sending Karoo away is starting to show...!
So, considering who would cross the desert, I decided on Luffy and Vivi, plus one or two more, and decided on Nojiko, who had no erotic element in Little Garden.
He then reunites with Miss All Sunday, also known as Nico Robin.
Sensing the government's actions, he quickly abandons Crocodile.
To be honest, initially, the tag he was going to exchange for Robin was not "gender" but "age.
" It was meant to be something along the lines of, "There's no way a kid like this could be Nico Robin..." However, making her a child would have been the same as a wanted poster, and even if she were slightly younger, it might still be obvious... This was a stretch, so we decided to just change her gender.
Incidentally, the reason he "became a man" with an "information tag" rather than a "recognition tag" that said "he looks male" is because the recognition tag only "looks like that," and if, for example, someone accidentally bumped into Robin and touched her chest and felt something was off, like, "Huh, is this a woman...?", he'd still be found out.
The next episode will be a continuation of this series' first R18 Nico Robin story.
Be warned, however, that there will be TSF and futanari elements.