With this thought in mind, Gojo had already asked Vivi to forge Sea Stone cuffs for him—specifically using the raw material he had confiscated from Crocodile. Vivi quickly arranged for it, and after a few days, she delivered the completed cuffs to his secluded cabin.
Inside the room, the atmosphere was unusually quiet. Gojo looked at the metal in Vivi's hands. It looked completely ordinary—just cold, unimpressive iron. But Gojo knew better.
He took the cuffs. Before making proper contact, he slowly deactivated the Limitless barrier surrounding his body. For a brief second, nothing happened.
Then, the moment his bare skin touched the Sea Stone, Gojo's expression shattered.
His body instantly lost balance. It felt as if he weren't holding a pair of cuffs, but an entire mountain pressing down on his spine. His knees gave out with a heavy thud, crashing against the floorboards. Instinctively, he slammed a hand against the ground to stabilize himself, his breathing turning ragged and heavy.
The endless, overflowing energy that usually rushed through his veins vanished into an uncomfortable, hollow emptiness. His muscles felt like lead; even twitching his fingers required a massive effort of will.
Gojo remained on all fours for a moment, exhaling a slow, shaky breath. "Damn…" He looked up at the cuffs, a strained smirk forming on his face. "So this is what Sea Stone feels like."
Experiencing the suppression firsthand was entirely different from expecting it. The complete absence of his power felt fundamentally unnatural, like suddenly losing a limb. Stretching his hands out toward Vivi, he said, "Lock them on."
Vivi looked at him, her face tight with worry. She stepped closer but hesitated, the metal clicking softly in her hands. "Are you sure? Gojo, if you wear these, you'll completely lose your strength. It's too dangerous."
Despite his heavy breathing, Gojo offered her a reassuring smile. He leaned back slightly against the wall. "Why do you think I'm living in this isolated place? It's to stay hidden. And more importantly, this is vital for my training. If I always rely on my Devil Fruit abilities, there are aspects of my strength that will never improve."
When Vivi remained silent, Gojo tapped his temple lightly. "Don't worry too much. Even if the Sea Stone suppresses my Devil Fruit and drains my physical energy, my Observation Haki is still intact. Plus..." He flashed a casual grin, holding the key of the cuffs. "I'll always carry the key with me. I can handle it."
Vivi stared at him, still entirely unconvinced. The legendary man who had walked straight into Marineford and left completely unscathed was currently sweating on the floor just from touching the metal. But knowing his stubbornness, she quietly stepped forward.
Click.
One cuff snapped shut. Then the second.
As the Sea Stone locked into place, a second, heavier wave of suppression crashed over him. His shoulders slumped, his breathing deepened, and his body suddenly felt entirely foreign. For the first time in his life, the overwhelming, infinite strength he took for granted was gone.
Yet, Gojo simply smiled. His training had officially begun.
From that day onward, Gojo never took the Sea Stone cuffs off. For the next month, his life was stripped down to three brutal basics: eat, sleep, and endure.
In the beginning, simply moving around the cabin was an ordeal. Walking a few paces left him drenched in sweat, and standing for long periods entirely drained his stamina. His body, long accustomed to the effortless, absurd support of his infinity, had to relearn how to function under constant gravity. The first week was brutal; many times, he would collapse onto his bed after merely trying to cross the room. There were no shortcuts—only adaptation, willpower, and raw endurance.
By the end of the month, he was finally able to run. It was a clumsy, agonizing hundred-meter sprint, but it was progress.
Gojo didn't celebrate. He simply pushed harder.
As the months rolled by, he escalated the intensity. Running turned into grueling bodyweight exercises, physical conditioning, combat drills, and relentless endurance training. The more he fought against the Sea Stone, the heavier the toll. His muscles constantly ached and his recovery time plummeted, but the benefits were undeniable. His body was becoming fundamentally tougher, his movements cleaner, and his physical control infinitely more precise.
There was also an unexpected, profound side effect: under the weight of the Sea Stone, his Six Eyes had completely turned off.
For the first time since his childhood, his vision was normal. The endless, exhausting flood of information had ceased. There was no sensory overload, and no need to wear a blindfold. That strange, absolute quietness became a sanctuary of its own. Gojo realized just how heavily he had depended on his natural gifts. Now, he was learning to survive without them.
Days bled into months, and months turned into years. Gojo refined his Armament, Observation and Conquerors Haki under the crushing weight of the cuffs until exhaustion became his new normal.
To test his limits, he began regularly sparring with Pell and Chaka. Gojo deliberately kept himself restricted, fighting through a massive disadvantage. The handicap forced the two Alabasta guardians to adapt rapidly, their own strength skyrocketing just to keep up with a suppressed Gojo.
Eventually, Gojo started training Vivi as well. At the very least, he wanted her to master basic Haki for self-defense. The training was unforgiving, but Vivi never uttered a single complaint—partly out of a fierce desire to grow stronger, and partly because she genuinely cherished the time spent by his side. She followed his instructions meticulously, practicing meditation, combat fundamentals, and observation exercises day after day.
She kept his words locked tightly in her mind: "If you want to stand by my side, you need the strength to protect yourself. Otherwise, you'll just become a burden."
She refused to be a burden. Not now, not ever.
But Vivi's ambitions weren't limited to physical combat. She understood perfectly well that strength wasn't just about fists and battlefields. Influence was power. Information was power. Used correctly, leverage could reshape the world far more effectively than brute force.
Over those two years, Vivi quietly cultivated an intricate intelligence network. She systematically built relationships with underground journalists, carefully maintaining contacts to ensure she received global news ahead of the World Government.
Furthermore, she wanted the power to shape narratives. She wanted to influence how the public perceived Gojo. He shouldn't just be viewed as a terrifying monster, the lunatic who killed a Celestial Dragon, or a threat to global peace. She wanted people to understand him, to feel sympathy, and to question the World Government's propaganda.
Using Alabasta as a hidden hub, she gradually sowed her eyes and ears across different kingdoms, islands, and towns. They traveled as merchants, laborers, or ordinary citizens, quietly observing and reporting back.
Her greatest asset in this endeavor was Koza. Believing that a powerful network would secure Alabasta's long-term survival, Koza threw himself into the work. Having led a rebellion, he knew how to organize people and foster absolute loyalty. One by one, Koza deployed his most trusted subordinates to key tactical locations. They established small taverns and unassuming inns—the exact places where travelers gathered, rumors bred, and information naturally spilled over drinks.
It was a slow, patient web, spun entirely in the shadows.
Two years later, the world outside kept turning, and the day of departure finally arrived.
Vivi stood on the docks of Tamaris. The ocean breeze whipped through her hair as she watched a vessel slowly pull away from the harbor, its sails catching the wind.
Gojo's ship.
After two years of isolation, brutal training, and preparation, he was finally stepping back onto the world stage. Vivi watched in silence, her expression perfectly composed, though her eyes remained locked on the shrinking horizon.
Igaram stood beside her, letting out a heavy, weary sigh. "I shudder to think what kind of storm that man is going to brew this time."
A small, knowing smile graced Vivi's lips. "Whatever storm it is... it definitely won't be a small one."
"Indeed," Igaram agreed, his gaze softening with gratitude. "He was a strange guest, but because of his relentless sparring, Pell and Chaka have improved immensely. At this point, they're likely capable of matching, if not defeating, a Marine Vice Admiral." He turned to Vivi, pride beaming in his eyes. "Not to mention you, Princess. Mastering both forms of Haki is an extraordinary feat."
Vivi dismissed the praise with a slight shrug. She didn't care about her own accolades; her thoughts were entirely focused on the dangers awaiting Gojo out at sea.
"I just hope he stays safe," she murmured.
Then, the softness vanished from her eyes. The gentle princess disappeared, replaced instantly by the cold, calculating focus of a ruler. She turned to her advisor, her voice steady and commanding. "Signal the network. Tell everyone to activate."
Igaram blinked, straightening up.
"Gojo is incredibly powerful, but we will be his eyes and ears," Vivi continued, watching the last sliver of his ship vanish past the horizon. "We didn't build this network for nothing. Have our people track his movements, gather any intelligence he might need, and quietly fulfill any promises or alliances he makes out there. If he moves, we move."
Igaram's expression turned solemn. He understood the gravity of her orders. Gojo was no longer just a strong rogue; he was a force of nature capable of toppling the world order. Supporting him meant aligning Alabasta with a revolution.
"Understood, Princess. It shall be done."
Vivi gave a sharp nod and turned on her heel, her dress swirling in the sea wind as she walked away from the port. "How are the preparations for the Reverie coming along?"
Igaram quickly fell into step beside her. "Everything is proceeding flawlessly, Your Highness. No issues to report."
Vivi nodded, her mind already calculating the political chessboard ahead. Gojo had made his move. The world was about to fracture, and very soon, Alabasta would step directly into the center of the chaos.
----
Want to get daily updates and read 20+ chapters? Then join my Patreon!
Patreon Link: https://[email protected]/Hkj822
Join Discord Link: https://discord.gg/c4m4BxQq