Chapter 276: Rumble Ball, Muscle Marisa
Yelena removed her gas mask, revealing her true face to Cobra and Vivi as she lowered her crimson eyes.
Cobra looked at her familiar features, his mind flashing back to the woman who had stood in his royal hall years ago. She had been dressed simply, but her striking appearance was impossible to hide. He clearly remembered his own shock and anger as she laid the evidence before him.
Vivi, standing on the sea of sand, looked up at the woman who had stopped the bloodshed in Alabasta.
Although she had already guessed the famed "Snow Monster" was a woman from her voice, seeing her face was still stunning. Based on the Snow Monster's tall, imposing figure, Vivi had assumed the person under the armor would be someone like Miss Monday.
But the person before her was a young woman with fair, radiant skin and soft, delicate features. Her long, smooth hair was neatly pinned up, with a few strands framing her face. Her crimson eyes were bright and gentle, and a soft smile made her seem incredibly kind—a stark contrast to the person described in the news reports.
Cobra slowly came back to his senses. Meeting Yelena's expectant gaze, his expression became complicated. "The person who came to Alabasta back then... she looked very much like you. From her age, I would say she was your mother."
"But, I'm sorry to say, she didn't leave anything here. By the time my World Conference ended and I tried to contact her, I was only told that she had been assassinated and was missing."
"Is that so..." Yelena had anticipated this outcome, so she wasn't overly disappointed. She hadn't been holding out much hope, but had decided to ask simply on the principle of "I'm already here, so I might as well."
"However," Cobra continued, Yelena's face blurring with the memory of the other woman, "your existence tells me that she survived that assassination attempt."
"Your mother... that princess who wandered the seas alone as a teenager. How is she now?" Cobra's voice was filled with emotion. A young woman, with no combat power, daring to travel the treacherous seas for the sake of her country... her courage and drive were worthy of respect.
He glanced at Vivi. What his daughter had done for Alabasta was no less than what that woman had done.
Vivi, hearing this, paused. She felt a deep sense of empathy. She remembered the words spoken in the clock tower yesterday and finally understood why the Snow Monster had said that to her.
But at Cobra's question, Yelena fell silent. Her voice became low. "She died... later, in the New World, while trying to rescue someone."
"..."
Vivi was stunned once again.
"Is that... so?" Cobra's face was etched with sorrow.
Just then, a portal, shimmering with an unnatural light, opened behind Yelena. The two royals stared at it.
Yelena looked toward the distant palace and slowly fastened her gas mask. "Cobra, Vivi, our talk ends here. Follow me. This gate leads back to the palace."
She turned and stepped toward the portal.
But Vivi suddenly cried out, "Wait!"
Yelena stopped, turning her head to meet Vivi's eyes.
"Can you tell me your name?" Vivi clenched her fists, her face full of emotion. "I want to remember you! The person who helped Alabasta shouldn't be lost to history!"
Cobra looked like he wanted to stop her, but he remained silent.
Yelena turned back, her gentle, clear voice coming from behind the mask. "Yelena."
"Yelena...?" Vivi repeated the name, her tone becoming firm. "I will keep this secret until the day you walk the seas with your own face and name!"
Yelena smiled, then stepped through the portal. Cobra and Vivi took a deep breath and followed her.
Back in the palace, the trio reappeared. The Straw Hats and the Alabastan generals breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Luffy instantly rushed over, his eyes sparkling as he marveled at the portal. "Whoaaa! What a cool way to travel!"
"Chopper! Usopp! Look at this!!"
In the next second, the antlered raccoon-dog and the long-nosed man were at his side. The three of them danced around the closing portal, dying to try it.
When it vanished completely, they looked crestfallen and turned to Yelena, their eyes instantly welling up with tears.
"Can you do it one more time?!"
"Please!!"
"..."
Yelena didn't know what to say. Ulti and Page One's expressions became even more disdainful.
The rest of the Straw Hats slapped their foreheads, as if they couldn't bear to watch. Vivi, however, just giggled.
But No. 1, who had been silent and cold, tilted her head. Her icy, seemingly emotionless gaze landed on Chopper and Luffy.
"I can. But it will cost you."
The dining hall fell silent. Everyone looked at No. 1. Zoro sensed that she didn't feel... alive.
Sanji looked at No. 1's exquisite face, confused. She was beautiful, but his "Lady Radar" was completely silent.
Luffy, however, looked as if he'd just noticed her. He stared, and then his eyes lit up.
"A real robot?!" He slammed his hands on the table in front of her.
"Can you combine with other robots?"
"Do you shoot lasers?"
"Do you poop?"
Before anyone could react, Luffy had blurted out a string of rude questions. The room was speechless. Nami, however, instantly flared up, appeared behind him, and punched him on the head.
"That's so rude!"
Then, Chopper trotted over to No. 1, his little hooves tapping. He gently touched her exposed mechanical parts. "What... what's the price?"
"One Rumble Ball," No. 1 replied flatly.
"A Rumble Ball?"
The Straw Hats were confused. They knew it was that thing Chopper ate during fights, but they couldn't imagine why one of an Emperor's officers would want one.
Chopper instinctively glanced at his bag, just as confused as everyone else.
Yelena's group, who had been about to leave, also paused. They had no idea why No. 1 would make such a request, or what a "Rumble Ball" even was.
Under everyone's gaze, Chopper took out a yellow, ball-shaped pill and handed it to No. 1. "This... is it?"
No. 1 carefully stored the Rumble Ball, then opened several interconnected portals in the room.
"These gates will remain stable for 30 minutes."
The words were barely out of her mouth before Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper let out a war cry and dove in, so fast their crewmates couldn't stop them.
With the Rumble Ball secured, No. 1 rose and returned to Yelena's side, ready to leave.
Yelena tossed a crystal onto the floor, opening a gate back to Terra. She stepped through, but paused before she vanished.
She looked back at Zoro. "Roronoa Zoro. If you don't want to lose to Kuina, then get to the New World. Paradise can't raise a great swordsman."
With that, Yelena's figure vanished. The brilliant gate shimmered like water and disappeared.
Zoro stood silently, his hand tightening on his sword. "The New World, huh? We'll get there. But we're not changing the pace of our adventure just because you said so."
Inside Avant Heim.
The four figures stepped out of the portal into the garden-like interior.
The moment they arrived, No. 1 took out the Rumble Ball and opened a new gate to the research lab.
Before she could step through, Ulti leaned in, her pink eyes staring at the small pill.
"What is this 'Rumble Ball'? What's so special about it? Why did you want it?"
No. 1 raised a hand, rudely shoved Ulti's face away, and stated in a cold, flat voice, "According to Father's data, it is a substance that can interfere with the transformation wavelength of a Zoan Devil Fruit. A Zoan user who ingests this and undergoes special training can gain several transformations beyond the original three."
"If you damage this, your punishment will be far worse than cleaning the castle."
Hearing this, Ulti realized the item's importance and instinctively scrambled back, putting distance between herself and the pill. If No. 1 was right, and she did break it, her punishment would be... sweeping all the leaves in the entire wilderness.
"Hey, hey, that's impossible!" Page One (a Zoan user) was agitated. "Three transformations is the iron law for Zoan types, isn't it? It has been for hundreds of years!"
He knew exactly how important this was. Even if the extra forms didn't make him stronger, it was a different story for others. If the Beasts Pirates ever found out about this...
Yelena's crimson eyes flashed. "Extra transformations, you say?"
Even if she had no need for it, its value was undeniable. The Archangel Pirates had many Ancient Zoan users. If they could replicate the Rumble Ball and distribute it, it could lead to new inspiration, new strength.
No. 1 stepped through the gate into the lab, disappearing from view. She had to get this to the specialists immediately.
Ulti flopped onto a sofa in the garden, crossing her arms and legs. "That Straw Hat crew is so weird. They're total idiots. Why would they just hand over something like that?"
Page One slouched beside her, his eyes blank. "Who knows? Maybe it's fake, or it doesn't work. Never underestimate how treacherous a pirate on the Grand Line can be."
Yelena ignored them. She ordered Avant Heim to open the main door and stepped into the castle's main hall.
Violet, who was reading a newspaper, stood up. "Lady Yelena."
"Has anything happened on Terra in the last two days?" Yelena asked, walking past her toward the dojo. With her Glare-Glare Fruit, Violet's 4,000-kilometer-radius vision made her the perfect security system when Louis was away.
"There were a few minor disturbances, but the squads handled them," Violet replied softly. "The only thing of note was Marco, the 1st Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates. He crossed the wilderness and reached the perimeter of the open-air mine. I spotted him and contacted Asmodeus of the 1st Division, who teleported over and intercepted him. He retreated as soon as the others arrived."
"..."
"Whitebeard's 1st Division Commander?" Yelena stopped, turning her head. "So, they finally figured out that we captured several thousand of their allies in that war?"
Ever since that battle, the Archangel Pirates had been holding thousands of POWs. They had been put to work in the wilderness, and when Hajrudin started bringing back islands with mineral deposits, the prisoners were sent to the mines. Today, the Whitebeard Pirates' allies were a cornerstone of Terra's steel industry.
After a long pause, Yelena's eyes hardened. "Violet. From now on, I want you to watch closely. Report any sighting of the Whitebeard Pirates immediately."
"Understood."
Yelena continued on her way. As she walked, she took out a Den Den Mushi and put every division on high alert.
It wasn't that she was afraid of Whitebeard. She was fully confident she could crush any force he sent. But... if Terra was thrown into chaos while Louis was away, she would lose face. Louis might not say anything, but Yelena would not tolerate such a failure.
Elbaf, West Village.
West Village was one of Elbaf's largest. Towering wooden houses stood everywhere, and giant warriors carrying massive weapons came and went. Waterfalls hundreds of meters high plunged from above, falling into the cold, dead underworld. The Bifrost, the rainbow bridge connecting the two worlds, hung in the sky.
Uta sat where the giants had placed her, staring at house-sized chunks of meat, bread, and fruit. Barrels of sake nearly ten meters high stood all around, and the demonic, wailing songs of drunk giants echoed in her ears.
Uta's mouth twitched. She'd been here for a bit, but she still had no idea how to even start eating.
Gaban laughed, seeing her predicament. "Bothered by the portion sizes? I was the same way when I first moved here. Always got grease all over my clothes." He used his giant axe to slice off a small piece for her.
"Thanks!" Uta popped the food in her mouth, her face lighting up. "Delicious!"
Lipuri smiled and poured her a human-sized juice. "Take your time, there's plenty!"
Across the table, Gaban looked at Louis, who had changed into a "Giant Form" and was eating and talking with Dorry and Brogy. Gaban's eyes filled with envy.
"The power of Devil Fruits is truly bizarre. I'm so envious of Louis-bro!"
"Huh?" Uta was confused. "What's there to be envious about? Louis has only used that form, like, once in a battle."
Gaban waved his hand. "I'm not talking about that!"
"Then what?" Uta asked, swallowing her juice.
This time, Gaban didn't answer. But Lipuri's face darkened, and she shot him a murderous glare. Uta was completely baffled.
Behind her, Gerd just shook her head.
Just then, Kolon, the pink-haired giant child with a helmet and a small two-handed sword, ran into the village.
"Is that Captain Louis?!" He spotted the giant with white wings and golden hair. "How did you become a giant?!" He was clearly terrified, his tongue waggling in shock.
Louis, who was now taller than Kolon, glanced at him and casually held up a grape. "Because Elbaf's giant grapes are hard to enjoy at a human size."
"That's not what I asked!" Kolon balled his fists, exasperated. "I'm asking how you became a giant!"
Louis ate the grape, then raised his hand. A warm glow, as if woven from countless golden threads, appeared in his palm. He held it out to Kolon, erasing the boy's fatigue and injuries from training. "It's obvious, isn't it? A Devil Fruit ability."
Kolon felt the exhaustion vanish, replaced by a surge of vitality. His eyes lit up. "A Devil Fruit ability?! That's amazing!"
Gaban, who had appeared on Kolon's shoulder, grinned. "You can't make a name for yourself with just a Devil Fruit! Haki is the true measure of strength!"
Dorry slammed his tankard on the table and let out his signature laugh. "But Gaban, Louis's Haki is way stronger than yours, too! Gyegegegege!"
Gaban: "..."
Brogy chugged a ton or two of sake, wiped his mouth, and roared. "Gababababa! Hey, Dorry, you can't say that in front of Kolon! Sometimes you have to tell a white lie!"
Kolon, however, seemed to have heard nothing. He plopped down next to Louis. "Captain Louis... can your Devil Fruit ability turn my father into a giant, too?"
Gaban was stunned. He had no idea why his son would ask that.
"Unfortunately, no." Louis's answer was blunt. He ate another giant grape and glanced at Kolon, who was starting to pout. "You seem to really want Gaban to be a giant?"
"Yeah!" Kolon flopped onto the table, grabbing a giant apple. "My father is just a normal human. He's already old. If he became a giant... he could live as long as Mama."
Gaban's expression became incredibly complex. He reached out and stroked his son's cheek, for once looking serious.
Lipuri fell silent. This was the problem every human-giant couple in history had to face, without exception.
Louis popped the last grape into his mouth, his gaze sweeping over Gaban and Lipuri, his expression calm.
"Ah, the classic 'lifespan dilemma'..."
Everyone looked at him, not understanding.
"The power of love is infinite!" Louis said, meeting their gazes.
Even as he said it, he knew how corny it sounded. But... this world truly did have more than one way to extend a life.
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