Chapter 93 Kung Fu ManateeBy the time Arthur woke up again, he didn't know how much time had passed.The pain of his soul tearing still left him dizzy and disoriented."Damn it, you lousy system, get out here.""Please use civilized language, Host."Phew.Arthur calmed down."System, will my soul tearing cause me any problems?""No, with this System present, you will not have any problems, because this System is omnipotent.""..."Did 'omnipotent' become the System's catchphrase?Heh heh, what a failure.After finishing his conversation with the System, Arthur slowly got up and walked outside."Oh, Arthur, you're awake? Are you okay?" Namiasked with a smile when she saw Arthur come out.Arthur nodded."I'm fine."Nami breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this, and continued, "Chopper examined your body, and he said there was nothing wrong with it. What exactly happened?"Arthur smiled and said,"This is my special cultivation method; it just consumes a lot of mental energy. I fainted from exhaustion. Are we almost there?" Arthur changed the subject.Nami looked at the sea chart, then said, "There's still a little way to go. You should rest a bit more. We're going to cross the desert next."Arthur shook his head."I've rested enough."Then Arthur found his lounge chair, and saw Chopper lying on it.Arthur placed Chopper on his stomach. Then he enjoyed the Zoro-brand hairdryer with him."Heh heh, this guy..." Nami looked at Arthur with some helplessness.Arthur lay on the lounge chair and saw the mark on Zoro's neck.So he spoke."Zoro, how do you feel?"Zoro nodded. Ever since the cursed seal was implanted in his body, the method of using it had also entered his mind.And because of the cursed seal's implantation, his current strength was indeed much stronger than before.However, this power was external, and Zoro didn't really like it, so he decided not to use it."Hmph, I naturally feel very easy controlling such simple power."Arthur believed him.He nodded and continued to enjoy the breeze.On the other side, Ace had also understood what had happened. He was quite disdainful of the Shichibukai's power grab."Pirates seizing power, that such a thing would happen. But if he wants to seize power, there must be an unknown secret in this country that interests him," Ace said.Sanji nodded, listening to Ace's analysis.Ace was different from them, these rookie pirates; Ace might see some things more clearly than them."That's right, but no matter what, we've decided to help Vivi, so this matter must be done."Ace nodded.He understood Luffy.The Going Merry slowly approached the shore. Just as everyone was preparing to disembark, creatures suddenly swam out from the sea. A group of sea cows appeared on the ground, gesturing wildly at them."They say that if we want to come ashore, we have to defeat them first," Chopper translated.Chopper's ability to communicate with animals was indeed very powerful.Then Usopp, seeing such a small group of creatures yelling at them, volunteered and said,"Hahahaha, I am a brave warrior of the sea! Leave the rest to me!" With that, Usopp was the first to get off the ship.At this moment, Vivi reminded him,"Usopp, these sea cows are very strong. Be careful."Vivi's words had just finished.Everyone rubbed their foreheads, because Usopphad already been completely knocked down to the ground."Wuwuwu, Vivi, why didn't you say so sooner?"Arthur smiled and said, "Hahahaha, you were the one who went down first, how can you blame others?"And while no one was paying attention, Luffy had already unknowingly gotten off the ship."Ah! I won!"Luffy's voice came, and only then did everyone notice that he had already disembarked.And Luffy had already defeated the strongest Kung Fu Dugongs.These guys worshipped the strong. Seeing how strong Luffy was, they immediately began to ask him to be their master."Luffy, this guy really is..." Arthur looked at Luffyplaying with the Kung Fu Dugongs and showed some helplessness.However, they needed to hurry and couldn't delay here for too long."Luffy. Say goodbye to them, we need to get going," Arthur said to Luffy.And just as Luffy was about to say goodbye, the Kung Fu Dugongs already understood Arthur's words and were reluctant to part with them.Finally, the Straw Hat Crew, at the cost of half their food, tearfully bid farewell to the Kung Fu Dugongs."I always feel like we lost out."On the way, Arthur muttered to himself.Entering the inland, the wind and sand became violent, and the hot weather made people very uncomfortable."It's so hot."After only a few steps, Luffy began to complain."I want water!" Luffy shouted loudly."Hey, Luffy, we don't have much water. Drink sparingly," Sanji said helplessly."I'll just drink a little!""You've already drunk many times! We've only just walked a few steps!"And his big brother Ace smiled, watching Luffy and Sanji bicker.Arthur seemed to see a hint of doting.After a while, the group arrived at what looked like an abandoned city, already buried by sandstorms.Seeing this, Vivi had a hint of sadness in her eyes."Vivi, what's wrong?" Nami asked from the side."Nothing." Vivi shook her head, then said,"This used to be an oasis city. I never thought it would become a desert now," Vivi said."What exactly happened?" Arthur walked over and asked."The outer cities of Alabasta haven't had rain for three years. Under such a climate, even former oases will turn into deserts. This is all Crocodile's conspiracy.""It's Crocodile again?" Arthur said.Indeed, the most terrifying thing in the world is power. A pirate with power can slowly erode a vast country.Some pirates can even destroy a country by themselves.In such a world, power itself is the most terrifying thing."Yes, although I don't know the specifics, I believe my father wouldn't use something like Dance Powder.""Dance Powder? Is that the incredible powder? It doesn't taste good at all," Luffy said.He had tasted Dance Powder before."That's not for eating, you idiot!" Nami punched Luffy on the head.And the clever Nami had already guessed what had happened."In that case, we will help you defeat Crocodile and restore your country to normal. Please trust us, Vivi."Arthur stepped forward and said to Vivi."Thank you, everyone." Vivi bowed deeply to them."What are you all talking about?"Bang!Arthur placed a bottle of Six Walnuts on Luffy's head.This guy really needed to boost his brainpower.
Chapter 94 Desert WalkingThe scorching sun blazed down.The sunlight harshly stimulated everyone, and coupled with the sky-high sandstorm, it was very difficult to even open one's eyes."It's so hot!" Usopp shouted to the sky, leaning on his crutch."Hey, Usopp, shouting like that will only make you lose more water," Arthur said to him.He had to admit, in this terrible weather, he was also severely dehydrated.He felt his little white snake around his neck had gone limp.Crossing the desert?Is this something a human should do?If only they had an off-road vehicle."Everyone, stick close. If we get lost in the desert, it'll be troublesome," Vivi said to the group."Don't worry, we won't fall behind," Arthur said, patting his chest.The others didn't speak; they were completely unwilling to talk at this point.Especially Luffy and Usopp.And Chopper, who was already being pulled by Zoro in a cart.Ace, standing nearby, kept watching the group, silently following behind without a word.He seemed out of place with the Straw Hat Crew."Arthur, seeing how energetic you are, why don't you also get a cart like Zoro and pull me so I can rest for a while?" Usopp quickly ran forward and said to Arthur.Arthur rolled his eyes at Usopp.How could he even say something like that?"Hey, you're Usopp, the brave sea warrior! Is this all you've got?" Arthur teased.Is this all he's got?What Arthur didn't expect was that Usopp was truly adaptable."Hehe, a brave sea warrior is on the sea. Where are we now? We're in the desert," Usopp said, lowering his head, as if he truly had no strength left.Sanji, standing by, took a drag from his cigarette and said,"Usopp, you're a man."This one sentence, unknowingly, struck a chord in Usopp's heart."That's right, I am a man."At this, Usopp straightened his back and took two steps forward.But it was only two steps; he lowered his head again."But it's still so hot, I want water."At the mention of water, Luffy immediately ran over."Water, water, water, I want water too!" Luffy said.However, this journey was destined not to lack water.They had stored several months' worth of water inside the little white snake, just in case.At this moment, Arthur woke up the little white snake and gave everyone a cup of water.Finally, Arthur walked to Ace at the very back and handed him the cup of water."Ace, have some water."Ace still smiled and said,"Thank you." He then took the water and took a sip."You're welcome."Then Arthur walked to the front.The group continued onward.They hadn't walked long before Luffy came over again and said,"Arthur, I want more water.""...""Didn't you just drink water? Why do you want more?" Arthur said helplessly."But it's so hot!" Arthur looked at Luffy's pitiful expression and, out of helplessness, gave him another cup.Because of the little white snake, all their luggage was inside it, so the group wasn't carrying any weight.However, traveling like this, it would be truly difficult for ordinary people to endure."Look everyone, there's a shaded area ahead," Zoro said, pointing forward to the group.Upon hearing this news, Luffy was the most excited.His previous sluggish state completely vanished, and he immediately rushed to the very front."Where? Where?"Luffy kept looking left and right.Then he saw the area covered by rocks."It's actually, really there! I'm coming, I'm coming!!"With that, Luffy sped towards that place without stopping."That guy!" Arthur said fiercely.That guy was simply a master of changing his tune.And then their group also sped up, because it was about to get dark.Night was approaching.The desert night, as they knew, was equally terrifying.And that area could also shield them from the cold night wind."Everyone, pay attention. The desert's night temperature is the exact opposite of the day's. Prepare for warmth," Arthur said to the group."It's so hot, how could it be cold at night?" Usoppdidn't believe him."Arthur is right, the temperature difference in desert regions is very large, and traveling at night is more dangerous than during the day. We'll set up a temporary shelter to rest soon," Vivi said to the group.Although she was anxious, she wouldn't joke with everyone's lives.They certainly couldn't travel at night.Before the group reached that area, Luffy rushed back."Hey, Chopper, there are a lot of birds passed out there, go save them quickly!" Luffy shouted loudly to Chopper."Birds?" Vivi suddenly thought of something and said, "Hey, Luffy, if I'm not mistaken, those are the desert's Deceitful Birds, specifically to trick passersby. Don't fall for it!""Huh? But they're almost dead," Luffy scratched his head.Then Luffy led the group here.Sure enough, many seemingly injured birds lay here."They really are Deceitful Birds," Vivi said.But luckily, Luffy didn't have any supplies on him.At this moment, Arthur thought of something and said to Luffy,"Luffy, I heard that the meat of Deceitful Birds is incredibly delicious, making people linger and forget to return.""Gomu Gomu!"As soon as Arthur finished speaking, Luffy's arm stretched out and directly grabbed two Deceitful Birds, placing them next to Sanji.Seeing Luffy's actions, the Deceitful Birds realized that the person in front of them wasn't easily fooled.But Luffy was a true foodie.How could he let these Deceitful Birds go after hearing Arthur's words?"Meat! Bird meat! Don't run!!"Luffy shouted while relentlessly chasing the Deceitful Birds."Hey, Arthur, that guy won't get lost, will he?" Usopp said, watching Luffy disappear into the distance."Probably not."He turned to look in Sanji's direction, where one Deceitful Bird had already been plucked clean.The sun slowly set.When Luffy returned again, he had a camel by his side.Seeing that the group was already roasting meat, Luffy quickly walked over with the camel."Meat! Meat!"He said excitedly, saliva dripping.By the time everyone had eaten their fill, the temperature had completely dropped."Why is it so hot during the day and so cold at night!" Luffy said, shivering.The fire was burning, but the surrounding temperature was too low to provide much warmth.Arthur had already buried himself in the sand to slow down his body's heat loss.Chopper had long become the popular one, being hugged by several people for rest.Actually, Arthur wasn't as cold as Luffy, or rather, his body temperature was inherently low.As the fire burned, the group slowly drifted into slumber.And the one on night watch was Chopper, who had been resting all day."Why do I have to be on night watch!"
Chapter 95 Sand ThiefIn the early morning, the sun rose, and the once cold desert transformed, becoming scorching hot once again."Damn it, this weather! Is the Alabasta Kingdom really suitable for human habitation?" Arthurcomplained.In such a desert kingdom, humans would need to adapt to the weather to survive, and with the numerous dangers in the desert, it might indeed not be very suitable for human habitation."It's so hot."This was the first time Sanji said he felt hot.For some reason, Arthur suddenly thought of something and said, "Sanji, I have a set of clothes that are very..."Before Arthur could finish, Zoro, who was nearby, shot him an unfriendly glare.Haha, I won't say it.Sanji also sensed that something was off, so he said, "Never mind. Too few clothes can easily burn the skin, though I don't really care."Usopp and Arthur felt a little disappointed upon hearing Sanji's words."Never mind, we should continue our journey now, while the sun hasn't fully risen."Arthur said to everyone.However, just as Arthur finished speaking, a sound suddenly came from the ground."What's going on?" Everyone became alert.The next second, a giant lizard appeared around them."This is the largest lizard in the desert, and they usually move in pairs. Many travelers have lost their lives to them," Vivi said to everyone.Arthur saw this behemoth, a cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and he retreated behind the others.The oppressive feeling from the behemoth was strong.However, it was no longer enough to make Arthurtremble.But he still habitually retreated from such creatures, moving behind the others.Just then, he unconsciously concealed himself.Rumble.Wait, Vivi just said these big guys like to move in pairs?Thump!The next second, the giant lizard's tongue lashed out at Arthur.His body's alertness made him leap up."Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"Countless small snakes bit the lizard, and the intense pain caused the lizard's body to thrash."So it was just a facade, its strength is so weak."Arthur's body relaxed, and he immediately began to form hand signs with both hands."Shadow Clone Technique!"Immediately after, Arthur and his Shadow Clone simultaneously formed hand signs."Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!""Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" (Orochimaru as a genin should know it, after all, it's a C-rank Ninjutsu.)The wind fanned the flames, and the raging inferno instantly engulfed the lizard.Ace, who was beside Arthur, was deeply shocked by this scene.Mera Mera no Mi, not even a dog would eat it!Meanwhile, in front, Zoro, Luffy, and Sanji attacked simultaneously, defeating the giant lizard in an instant."Hahahahaha, by the orders of Captain Usopp, breakfast is settled today!" Usopp exclaimed when he saw both lizards defeated."Thump!"Usopp was knocked down by a punch from Nami."It's bad enough you're not helping, but you're just standing there making sarcastic remarks."Usopp clutched his head, not daring to look at the tyrant before him.However, Usopp was right; the meat from the two lizards was enough for a grand feast.Even Luffy ate his fill."I'm so full."Luffy patted his stomach.Arthur turned his head and said to everyone,"Let's get going."Everyone nodded.They continued forward under the scorching sun, but at this pace, they wouldn't reach their destination anytime soon.However, Nami and Vivi were different, as they now had camels to ride.To everyone's surprise, a camel walked up to Arthur.At this point, Chopper translated,"Beautiful lady, I am very strong. If possible, I hope to carry you forward with me.""..."Not just Arthur, at that moment, everyone in the Straw Hat Crew fell silent.Arthur felt greatly insulted.This hateful perverted camel in front of him actually didn't see him as a man.Even if I, Arthur, were to let the sun... Hmm, it's foolish not to take advantage of a good opportunity.Arthur lightly leaped onto the camel's back, sitting behind Vivi and Nami.Seeing Arthur get on, the camel proudly twisted its head, then began to move forward with the three of them.After Arthur left,Usopp said,"Suddenly, I feel like Arthur's appearance isn't as feminine anymore. This is simply a great weapon for taking advantage! Why am I built like this, sob sob sob, and I still have to walk! Damn it!"There was nothing for it; the rest could only rely on themselves to move forward.On the camel's back, Arthur felt no embarrassment whatsoever.As long as he wasn't embarrassed, others would be.Meanwhile, Nami chuckled,"Arthur, where was your backbone just now?"Arthur looked up, whistling and gazing at the sky, completely unconcerned by these trivial matters."Can backbone be eaten? Can backbone save me from walking?" Arthur said.Vivi and Nami both rolled their eyes at Arthur's remarks.This guy, how could he have no bottom line?Just then, on the other side of the desert, a ship appeared.And a pirate flag was flying on the ship."That's..." Vivi looked at the pirate flag and said.She had heard rumors of desert pirates before, but she never expected such a coincidence today, to actually see them."Hey, can you even sail a ship in the desert?" Arthurwas a bit curious about this phenomenon.Why would something that defies scientific common sense appear in this world?Well, this world couldn't be judged by common sense anyway.Whether it was the giant creatures or the powers people possessed in this world.Talking about common sense in this world simply wouldn't work."Desert pirates," Vivi said.Arthur nodded."I have a question: could they be our enemies? Or are they just passing by?"No sooner had Arthur finished speaking than the answer to his question appeared.The pirates stopped their ship next to them, and a group of pirates slowly disembarked."It's three young ladies, hahahahahaha! Oh, and a camel! Looks like we've hit the jackpot this time; we can eat camel meat!"At this point, they were surrounded."What should we do?" Nami said."Deal with them?" Arthur looked at the group. These people shouldn't have any true strong individuals.If he were to act, he could defeat them."Let's wait and see for now," Vivi whispered.A tall, burly man slowly walked over and approached the three people and the camel.He looked up, and the next second, a small, pink umbrella appeared above his head.This scene almost made Arthur burst out laughing.This guy was really interesting. Was such an outfit really suitable for a burly man?A contrast moe?At this point, the burly man said to them,"We, the Barubaru Sand Pirates, have a motto: in the desert, everything that moves, besides our comrades, is food."
Chapter 96 Baru Baru Group"They eat everything? Doesn't that mean we'll become food too???""Should we make a move?" Arthur asked the two.The purpose of coming to this country this time was to help Vivi, so he mainly asked for Vivi's opinion.Moreover, Arthur could truly feel that Vivi's perspective and mindset were absolutely incomparable to that of their Pirate Crew.When it came to a country, not a single member of the Straw Hat Crew could manage one."Let's wait and see," Vivi replied after careful consideration.She didn't want to stir up any trouble right now.If the other party had no intention of stopping them, then there was no need to fight.----------"Hey, Sanji, I want water, I want meat!" Luffyshouted loudly."The water and meat are with Arthur; we need to catch up to them first," Sanji said, taking a puff from his cigarette."What's going on? Where are they going? No, I'm going to find them, I want water, I want water!!!"With his shouts, Luffy's speed continuously increased."That guy has so much energy," Usopp said helplessly, looking at the already distant Luffy.On the sand pirate ship."Cheers!!"At this moment, Arthur and the others had already integrated with the sand pirates.It was actually quite simple; these sand pirates were quite interesting. Arthur just took out some food and wine, and everyone already treated Arthur as a companion who couldn't be eaten."Hahahaha, we are the freest people in the desert! Come, cheers! My friend!"The sand pirates raised their glasses and said to Arthur.But what Arthur held in his hand was not wine, but six walnuts.On the other side, Vivi had already found out what she wanted to know.Indeed, sometimes fighting was the most irrational choice.Just as everyone was enjoying themselves, an arm suddenly appeared, then wrapped around the mast.The next second, an ominous premonition filled everyone's hearts.Bang!Rumble!A figure fell from the sky, directly smashing onto the sand pirate ship, creating a hole in it, and their mast, due to the excessive force, directly toppled over."Ah!!!" Everyone from the Barubarusha Pirate Crew gasped.They knew that if their ship didn't have a mast, it wouldn't be able to sail in the desert.If this continued, wouldn't they all die of sunstroke here?"You..." The sand pirate leader looked at Luffy and said."Ah, meat!!!"Luffy ignored everyone and immediately went to the meat, eating it in large bites.Arthur waved his hand helplessly and said, "This is our companion. I'm sorry to have caused you trouble."After hearing this, the sand pirate leader remembered that the food was originally given by Arthur, so he smiled and said,"Hahahaha, it's fine." Then he looked at the mast and said,"But now that the mast is destroyed, our ship cannot move, which is a big problem."Arthur nodded, and at this moment, Zoro and the others had also walked over.Then Arthur pulled Luffy over and said, "Leader, is there another way? Since this guy broke it, let him take care of the rest."Luffy, the troublemaker, was really a headache.The sand pirate leader rubbed his head and said, "The nearest city should have the wood needed to repair the mast, and it's not too far. If your companion goes, then this matter can be resolved."Zoro and the others arrived here and then saw the damaged ship.They knew without thinking that Luffy had caused trouble again.Arthur continued, "Then let Luffy handle this matter."In the end, the group decided that Luffy, Vivi, and two members of the Barubarusha Pirate Crew, a total of four people, would go together to find wood.And everyone else would wait here.After they left, Arthur stretched, intending to rest for a while.He didn't like this kind of weather, having been bathed in the scorching sun for so long.He was very tired.Meanwhile, Usopp was helping the Barubarusha Pirate Crew repair the large hole Luffy had made.Arthur looked around, couldn't see Ace, so he asked Sanji beside him."Sanji, isn't Ace lost?"Sanji nodded, saying helplessly, "It's all Luffy's fault; he always likes to run around. We thought we were lost, but it turns out Ace was the one who got lost."At this moment, Zoro walked over and said."It's fine; Luffy's brother definitely won't have any problems," Zoro said."Oh? You trust him that much?" Sanji asked curiously."Tch, I was forced to be a Pirate Hunter before, so I naturally know a bit about the Whitebeard Pirates. Ace is the commander of the Whitebeard Pirates' Second Division, and his bounty can be as high as 500 million Berries.""What???" Nami appeared between them.This number shocked her."A great pirate with a bounty of 500 million Berries, if he were to get into trouble so easily, then the Whitebeard Pirates wouldn't be such a headache for the Marines," Zoro continued.The few people nodded.Arthur smiled and said, "It seems Crocodile's bounty is indeed pitifully low. The true strong ones were right beside us all along.""Hey, Arthur, don't underestimate the Shichibukai. They are not ordinary pirates, and after becoming Shichibukai, their bounty amount is the bounty they had before becoming Shichibukai," Zoro said.Arthur and Zoro nodded.Meanwhile, Nami's perception of pirates had changed.She had worked so hard for 100 million Berries for so many years.Yet a great pirate could have a bounty as high as 500 million Berries.Arthur stretched again, just about to go rest, when he heard a sound nearby."Hey, those guys are coming!" a member of the Barubarusha Pirate Crew said.Hmm?Arthur walked to the side and quickly saw a group of people approaching.They held weapons and rode camels, quickly advancing towards them.Arthur shook his head, then murmured."These guys don't seem very strong. Just leave them to Zoro and Sanji. I'm going to catch up on sleep; I'm really too tired."Then Arthur went down into the ship's cabin. Without the sunlight, the temperature inside the cabin was relatively cooler.But this smell... indeed, a ship belonging to a group of rough men would never be particularly clean.Finally, Arthur found a girl's room. After all, it was a girl's room, and compared to other places, it was like heaven and earth."Finally, I can get a good night's sleep."Outside the ship at this moment.A giant dung ball came flying towards them."Leave it to me!" The leader of the Barubarusha Pirate Crew leaped up and blocked the dung ball with his palm.But the next second, the dung ball pressed down on him.Seeing this, Zoro snatched two swords from a sand pirate's hand."Cutting snot was disgusting enough last time; I can't use my own sword to cut dung this time," Zoro muttered to himself.Then he lightly leaped, and with two slashes, the dung ball was split in half.Sanji, seeing another dung ball flying, instinctively kicked it.With a bang, all the dung balls were sent flying.Then he looked at his foot."Ugh, I really stepped in it."[Because the store needs to count dividends these two days at the end of the month, I've been calculating accounts until eleven or twelve every night, and I'm busy calculating during the day too. Three chapters per day for these two days, I apologize.][Thank you for your support.]
Chapter 97: Keep Moving ForwardArthur was awoken by the clamor from above the ship. He then sighed, muttering to himself, "It's really too noisy. Can't a person get some proper rest?"Despite his words, he felt as though he had slept for a very long time. He then got up from his bed.Slowly, he walked towards the deck.On the deck, Captain Usopp was repairing the sails, and Luffy and the others had already returned."It looks like I really did sleep for a long time."No sooner had he spoken than Captain Usoppplaced the last plank, officially completing the repairs on the Barubaru Pirate Crew's ship."Phew, that was exhausting, but it's finally fixed!" Captain Usopp smiled, looking at his handiwork.Just then, he turned and saw Arthur.His smile immediately faded."Arthur, you've been sleeping this whole time, you scoundrel!" Captain Usopp said angrily.The others also noticed Arthur waking up.Arthur waved his hand and said, "I couldn't have helped much with this, and I might have even made things worse, so sleeping was the best option for me."As he spoke, he felt a hint of danger and instinctively dodged.Sure enough, Nami's fist missed its target."Don't stand there making sarcastic remarks!" Namisaid.Arthur waved his hand once again."Then, everyone, let's rest for a bit, and then we'll continue?" He offered his suggestion.The group no longer dwelled on Arthur's sleeping and all nodded in agreement.Unknowingly, they had delayed for some time again.A while later...The Straw Hat Crew and the Barubaru Pirate Crew bid farewell. This time, Arthur did not ride a camel but walked with Luffy and the others.Above Arthur's head, a small pink umbrella stood upright.He had asked for it from someone in the Barubaru Pirate Crew because he thought it could at least provide shade, making it somewhat useful.Because they had just rested, their speed increased, but in a short time, due to the scorching sun, Captain Usopp and Chopper began to slow down.A helpless Zoro resumed his cart-pulling journey.Speaking of which, Arthur and Captain Usopp also wanted to lie down in that cart.After walking for a while, they heard a man's shout from afar."Luffy!"Arthur looked up. It was the long-lost Ace.Luffy saw Ace, then pouted and said, "He's only just found us now. This guy is really a handful."...A capital'speechless.'"Luffy, I don't know how you have the nerve to say something like that," Nami said.The most troublesome person on this ship should be Luffy, right?Ace, however, did not come empty-handed. He was riding a giant, gecko-like creature, and behind the creature was a large amount of water and food."Luffy, look at your brother. He went out and brought back so many things. You only ever get yourself lost when you go out."Arthur said to Luffy with a smile."What do you mean? He's clearly the one who's more of a handful."Luffy pouted and said."You, you guy."By then, Ace had already walked over and distributed the food and water to everyone."Where did Ace get all this?" Nami asked Ace, looking at Luffy, who had already picked up food and started gnawing on it.Ace touched his hat, smiled, and said, "There's a village ahead. I found the food there."Hearing this, Vivi thought of something and said, "Ace, you don't have any money, do you? How did you get the food? You didn't steal it, did you?"Ace shook his head."How could I? Our Whitebeard Pirates would never do such a thing. I found a village ahead where three ruffians, calling themselves rebels, were freeloading. They gave me these things," Ace said to Vivi."Ruffians calling themselves rebels?" Nami turned to Vivi and continued, "Vivi, should we drive them away? People who freeload like that are like vampires in a village, aren't they?"Indeed, that was true.However, they still needed to ask Vivi for her opinion on this matter."They're just three ruffians. Although I don't understand the rebels, their behavior certainly seems like it. But they haven't done anything to harm the village; they're just freeloading. It seems the villagers still trust them very much," Ace continued.Vivi lowered her head and thought for a while.With the rebellion now, the entire country was in turmoil.Such people, though despicable, were needed by the populace."Should we go and beat them up?" Luffy stepped forward and said."No, there's no need. However, I'd like to ask everyone to test them. If they truly want to protect the villagers, then whether they are ruffians or not doesn't matter," Vivi said, having thought it through carefully, expressing her idea."Ace is right. The villagers trust them now, so people need such a spiritual pillar. If they don't intend to harm the villagers, then it's fine to leave them be."Hearing Vivi's words, everyone nodded."In that case, let's go," Arthur said with a smile.Everyone nodded.Arthur could feel that this country was truly in a state of panic.People would not give up on a glimmer of hope.Moreover, the rebels didn't seem to be bad people; otherwise, they wouldn't let three ruffians become the people's spiritual support.The group sped up and quickly arrived at the village entrance.Upon reaching the entrance, Arthur saw the people on the wall, then pulled Luffy over and turned his hand into a small snake, letting the snake deliver Luffy's bounty poster to the gatekeepers."What! It's a pirate, with a bounty of thirty million Berries!" The gatekeeper saw Luffy's bounty poster, then saw Luffy, and his body began to tremble.He then immediately turned and shouted, "This is bad! Pirates have come here, and it's a great pirate with a thirty million Berry bounty!"Hearing the gatekeeper's shout, Arthur smiled."Arthur, your method is good, but it's still Captain Usopp who's a better commander."Using this method, they easily created a big stir.Everyone in the entire village already knew about the arrival of the pirates.Most people in this world were still afraid of pirates.In fact, Arthur also knew that although the Straw Hat Pirates were different from other Pirate Crews, they ultimately couldn't escape the label of 'pirates.'In people's minds, the Marines had become synonymous with justice.Pirates were a part of evil.And this idea was not wrong; countless civilians had been violated by pirates, and while the Marines' actions also had flaws or corruption, compared to the harm pirates brought to the people, it was truly insignificant.
Chapter 98: UliwuqiNews of the pirates' arrival had spread throughout the village.The three ruffians had originally planned to flee, but in the end, under the gaze of the villagers and children...Ultimately, they were forced into action, suppressing their fear, and walked out the gate under everyone's watchful eyes."Why does this guy feel so wimpy?" Arthurmuttered.This was Arthur's first impression.And this sentence was overheard by Usopp, who was beside him."Arthur, what did you say? Wimpy?"Haha, you heard me? Then I absolutely must explain it to you.So Arthur said,"This guy is really similar to you."Usopp heard this and then looked forward, touching his own nose.Similar?Not similar at all?After walking out the gate, the leader of the ruffians' legs began to tremble."Is this guy really reliable? Why does he seem even more cowardly than Arthur used to be?" Zoro mumbled to himself.Coincidentally, Arthur's hearing was now far beyond that of an ordinary person."What did you say!" Arthur roared at Zoro."I'm really strong now, okay?"Meanwhile, Usopp seized the opportunity and immediately burst into laughter."Yes, he's really more cowardly than Arthur used to be!"Sanji took a puff from his cigarette and said, "You're in no position to talk about others."This interaction was observed by the ruffians.These guys are ignoring me?If that's the case, why don't you make way for me so I can run away?But he immediately remembered what was behind him.The children with dreams, and he also remembered his own dream.Yes, once upon a time, he, like those innocent children, was a person with a dream."Evil pirates, I, your great lord, have an army of one hundred million Revolutionary Army soldiers! If you know what's good for you, leave here quickly, and I will spare your lives!"But just then, an extended fist interrupted his words.Bang!Luffy punched him, sending him flying."Such an obvious lie, and this guy can actually say it. He's really too stupid," Usopp said, waving his hand."Haha, you're in no position to talk about others. He has two hundred million more soldiers than you, great Captain Usopp," Arthur said, smiling at Usopp.Hearing Arthur's words, Zoro and Sanji also showed a slight smile.Arthur was right after all.This guy really is wimpy."What? Is that a Devil Fruit user?" a resident above said."Damn it, it's a Devil Fruit user! Even the esteemed Revolutionary Army will have a hard time defeating such a guy!""No, the esteemed Revolutionary Army will definitely not lose! He will surely win! He will protect us!"The fallen Revolutionary Army leader, who had intended to play dead, heard the children behind him express their trust.His inner self changed once again.He slowly rose and slowly walked towards Luffy."So what if I'm weak? So what if you are powerful pirates? Rather than living a life of cowardice, I'd rather follow my dream and be a true hero for once."He slowly advanced."I can die, but what about the children with dreams? So if you want to invade this village, you'll have to step over my corpse!"This time, he truly mustered his courage.And his two subordinates, hearing their leader's words, also picked up their weapons."Big Brother's idea is my idea. Since Big Brother has already made his decision, I cannot hold him back.""Yes, we must defend this village!"The three ruffians, pretending to be the Revolutionary Army, simultaneously made their decision.And the leader of the ruffians looked at his two brothers, a smile on his face.Then he charged directly towards Luffy, his legs no longer trembling as they had before."That's more like it! That's how it should be!" Luffylaughed loudly.And at this moment, a light came from a distant rock nearby.This was their signal, indicating that they needed to retreat.The guy in front of them had successfully passed the test from Princess Vivi of the Alabasta Kingdom."Luffy, we need to retreat!" Arthur said.Bang!At this moment, the ruffian leader punched Luffy in the face, and Luffy fell backward."Ah, the Revolutionary Army on the other side is amazing! We need to retreat!" Usopp was the first to speak."Yes, the opponent is so strong!" Luffy also shouted, getting up and running away.Saying this, the group began to withdraw."Let's retreat quickly, they're too strong!" Arthur and Sanji shouted simultaneously.And Zoro, who was running at the very back, inexplicably blushed a little."I wouldn't say such things, damn it, I won't say it!"The group fled frantically, while the three ruffians at the gate were somewhat bewildered.What's wrong with those people on the other side?Did they just win like that?That's it?It wasn't until they heard the shouts from behind that they came to their senses.It turned out they really had become heroes.At least for this moment, they had become heroes.On the other side.Luffy and the others were panting heavily."That should be enough, we've run a long distance," Arthur said.This hot weather was indeed not suitable for exercise.The group nodded.At this moment, Vivi also walked over."Since he made his own choice, I can rest assured leaving this city to them. Let's continue on our journey.""Mhm."Under the scorching sun, the group resumed their journey through the desert.And at this time, Nami asked Vivi,"Vivi, it seems the Revolutionary Army in this country isn't as bad as we imagined. What exactly is going on?"Indeed.The Revolutionary Army actually received support from the populace.Even stranger was that some people in this country supported both the King and the Revolutionary Army.This seemed out of place.Vivi nodded, then began to recount her past story."It all started eleven years ago..."She spoke of her childhood, when she was young and had joined a children's organization called the Suna Suna Clan.Their leader was named Kohza.Arthur listened intently, while Luffy and the others behind him began to bicker.Arthur hadn't expected that a princess's childhood would be no different from that of an ordinary child."Is this Kohza some key figure?" Arthur asked Vivi.Since she was telling this story, it must be related to the Revolutionary Army.Vivi nodded and continued,"Kohza is the leader of the Revolutionary Army."Haha, sure enough, leadership abilities start to show from a young age. That Kohza was indeed someone who could lead a princess when he was a child.After growing up, he became even stronger, directly planning to seize power.Is the next step to make the original princess the queen?Arthur looked at Vivi. In this country, it was indeed difficult to find a second person with Princess Vivi's beauty.However, this was all Arthur's own conjecture.The real situation depended on what Kohza himself thought.
Chapter 99 Ace and Scorpion"So, Vivi, your goal is to use your past friendship to try and stop this war, and then expose Crocodile's conspiracy?" Arthur asked.Vivi nodded."War is the most irrational choice. If both sides truly care about the people, then this war shouldn't happen. If it really breaks out, it won't just fulfill Crocodile's ambitions, but it will also leave this country in utter destitution."Arthur nodded, then said,"Then have you considered one problem? After all, you and Kohza haven't been in contact for eleven years. People always change. Would he really give up for the sake of your friendship? Looking at the current situation, the rebel army is already within reach of victory."Eleven years can change many things, and a person's heart is even harder to fathom.Perhaps Vivi and Kohza's relationship was indeed good back then, but after such a long time, and with Kohza on the verge of success, would he really give up and stop?Arthur felt that if he were in Kohza's position, he wouldn't give up the kingship of a country that was within his grasp for the sake of a woman's past friendship.No goddess in the heart, the sword is naturally divine!"No, he wouldn't," Vivi said with firm eyes.Arthur nodded. Since Vivi, as the person involved, felt that way, it would be wrong for him to persuade her further.The sky gradually darkened.They once again found a hidden spot to rest.Arthur once again buried himself in the sand.The next day.The sun rose.Sanji made breakfast for everyone.Arthur had to admit that Sanji's cooking skills were simply too strong; he could handle almost any cooking method.Because they were walking every day, everyone's appetite had increased considerably.After eating, Ace sat on a rock, wiping his eating utensils. This scene was noticed by Vivi and Nami, forming a stark contrast with Luffy."Why does such a brother have such a troublesome younger brother?" Nami said to Vivi."Yes, it's like heaven and earth."Just then, Ace, who was sitting on the rock, suddenly felt something, but he quickly dismissed it.It was just a momentary sense of crisis, and that crisis had already vanished.A full Arthur stretched, and in that short time, Luffyhad already run off to who knows where."Luffy, that guy, is really full of energy," Arthurmuttered to himself.And then he looked in another direction; Ace was confronting two children.The two children were pointing guns at Ace."I only ate a meal, what exactly happened?" Arthurlooked in Ace's direction, puzzled.Facing Ace, the two children's hands holding the guns began to tremble."No!"Bang!Just as one child tried to stop the other from firing, the gun went off.Even the rapidly flying bullet was difficult for the current Arthur to catch.But an incredible scene unfolded: Ace raised his hand and used a small stone to knock down the fast-flying bullet."As expected of a great pirate, such strength is truly extraordinary," Arthur was astonished.He simply couldn't achieve such a feat.He might be able to dodge bullets now, but he couldn't do what Ace just did.Not just Arthur, but the two little ones who had just fired the gun were even more shocked."How is that possible!"The two looked at Ace in disbelief.However, Ace had no intention of doing anything to the two little ones; after all, they were just children. He merely gave them a few warnings and intended to return to the group.But the two little ones had no intention of letting Ace go.They quickly caught up to Ace and knelt before him under everyone's gaze."You're so strong, I want to ask you to help me track down someone. We'll give you one million Berries as a reward."One million Berries?Nami turned her head, but the next sentence made her turn back again."But we don't have it now. When we grow up, we'll definitely give it to you."Heh heh, an empty promise.Saying that, the two children pulled out a photo and continued,"His name is Scorpion, this is his photo."Ace, who initially didn't want to bother with the two children, became interested when he heard the name Scorpion.Because his purpose was to find Scorpion.And Scorpion, who had gotten news from somewhere, knew that Ace was looking for Blackbeard.He had spread the word that he had already defeated Blackbeard.This was also the purpose of Ace coming to Alabasta Kingdom.Ace took the photo, then he felt something and said to everyone,"Someone's coming, a bird and two people," Ace said.Zoro and Sanji both looked at Ace simultaneously.They hadn't sensed it, but Ace could.Is it Observation Haki?Both of them thought in their hearts at the same time.Just then, Luffy's shouts came from ahead."Hey, everyone!!!"Indeed, just as Ace said, two people, one bird.Seeing the approaching figures, Ace looked down at the photo, then at the person sitting on the bird.Hmm, exactly the same.It truly came without any effort.The person in front of them was Scorpion.Scorpion and Ace faced each other. The originally tough Scorpion surprisingly became nervous. Then he saw the two children behind Ace, and the look in his eyes towards Ace changed."Ace, this uncle said he wants to defeat you. He's a very formidable Pirate Hunter," Luffy said with a laugh.As if he didn't care that the person was trying to defeat his brother."Ah, Luffy," Ace nodded to Luffy, then looked at Scorpion and said,"Scorpion, I've been looking for you for a long time. I heard you defeated Blackbeard."Scorpion shook his head and said, "That was just a trick to lure you here. My goal is your head."Saying that, Luffy and Scorpion both jumped off the bird's back.Arthur looked at Scorpion. His intuition told him that this Scorpion was not a strong person, so why would he choose Ace, who was so powerful, as his bounty target?The other party shouldn't be the kind of person who seeks death.At this moment, Arthur looked at the two little ones; their eyes immediately made Arthur understand something.He was already starting to understand the thought process of this world.Heh heh, I seem to have suddenly become smarter after understanding the thought process of this world.Oh well, this shouldn't be a good show.Arthur opened the umbrella above his head and quietly watched the show.Sure enough, just as Arthur expected, the two children and Scorpion knew each other; they were father and sons. Scorpion, in order to give his children a dream, challenged the great pirate Ace, whom he could not possibly defeat.The outcome was predictable: Scorpion was easily defeated by Ace."Sigh, I guess Ace barely even used any strength in this fight."Arthur, who had wanted to see Ace fight, was a little disappointed.
The scorching sun blazed.Everyone had finished dealing with Scorpion, the Bounty Hunter, and Ace was preparing to bid them farewell.Seeing Luffy with such a crew, he, as an older brother, felt relieved."Ace, are you leaving?" Luffy looked at Ace, a hint of reluctance in his eyes."Yes, since Blackbeard isn't here, I have no reason to stay. Besides, Luffy, I'm here to support Whitebeardin becoming the Pirate King. The next time we meet, we might even be opponents," Ace said with a smile.Luffy chuckled, touched the Straw Hat on his head, and said with a smile, "It's fine, we'll just have a big fight. I'm sure I'll win."Luffy didn't care in the slightest."Hahahahaha." Ace and Luffy laughed at the same time.Ace then took out a piece of paper and handed it to Luffy, saying, "This is my Vivre Card. In the future, we might meet again because of this. You must keep it safe."Luffy took the paper and found that it seemed no different from ordinary paper."Luffy, the next time we meet, we might be at the very top. Goodbye, Luffy," Ace said with a smile.Everyone watched Ace leave.For some reason, Arthur always felt that something bad was going to happen.Forget it, Ace was so much stronger than them, why should he worry?——————The sun was setting, and the sky grew dark."What the heck, did I get lost?" Arthur looked at his surroundings.There was nowhere he recognized."I've been running for so long and still haven't caught up to them?" Arthur scratched his head helplessly.Just at noon, Luffy, parched with thirst, once again drank the juice of a cactus that could cause hallucinations.Zoro, Chopper, and he, the three of them, stayed to look after Luffy. After being punched away by the hallucinating Luffy, Arthur decided to ignore the guy and continued on his own.He left Luffy in the care of Zoro and Chopper.But as he walked, he found that he seemed to be getting further and further away from Nami and the others, until now, as the sky slowly darkened.He finally realized he was lost."I should have just followed Zoro and the others," Arthur muttered to himself."Sigh, that guy Luffy is really infuriating... Never mind, I'll see if my luck is good and if I can find a living person to ask for directions."Arthur sighed.He continued forward."One, two, one, two, one, two."Arthur had only taken a few steps when he heard voices. He immediately moved forward."Huh, someone?"Arthur sped up and walked forward.Sure enough, two large men were doing strange movements.A bit like ballet?Big men doing ballet, could they be seriously ill?"At least they're two living people. I'll ask for directions, I wonder if they'll know."Just as Arthur was about to approach, a tall man appeared in front of them.Bang!The tall man didn't waste words and immediately attacked. The two men were easily knocked to the ground."Damn it, this guy who attacks without speaking must be seriously ill, right?"No.I should leave first.This man looks very strong, it's better not to fight.Thinking this, Arthur intended to leave."Who's there!"He had just turned around when he heard a voice from behind.The tall man casually put down the two ballet-dancing men and, in the blink of an eye, appeared behind Arthur.Arthur turned around again, and their eyes met.This guy's gaze... Arthur felt a chill under his stare, so he said, "I'm lost. I heard voices here and intended to ask for directions. I didn't mean to disturb you, I'm sorry, I'll leave now." Arthur then bowed.It's better to suffer a small loss now; if you can talk your way out, try not to fight.But the tall man wouldn't think that way.The two men he had already knocked down were already acting suspiciously by dancing in such a place.And this guy in front of him was hiding here watching others dance.What kind of good person could he be?Moreover, they had already sent out the signal to gather.It would be better to eliminate this guy."Then, no matter who you are, since you appeared here, I can't let you leave," the tall man said.Damn it, does this guy not understand human language?Arthur took a few steps back, creating distance between himself and the man.He could feel that the person in front of him was not easy to deal with.Even above Mr.3, whom he had defeated."I didn't provoke you, did I? We can talk this over. Would you mind letting me go?" Arthur said helplessly.He was in a hurry to find his companions and really didn't want to fight here.And he still didn't know if he could win.Why did he run into such a dangerous guy?Bald men are indeed not to be trifled with."There's nothing to discuss between us." Saying this, the tall man took up a stance.Seeing this, Arthur immediately shouted, "Stop! Before you attack, you should at least let me know your name, right?""Mr.1"——————Inside a room, the Straw Hat Crew members were discussing something.Sanji took a puff from his cigarette and said, "So, Arthur is lost?"Luffy, Zoro, and Chopper all nodded."He should be fine. Arthur is so strong," Luffy said, scratching his head."But in such a vast desert, accidents can easily happen. And he's never been to a desert, so he could easily get lost. This is very dangerous," Vivi said to everyone.The few of them fell silent again."All my food is with Arthur. That guy should be fine for a while, and I don't believe anything will happen to him," Zoro said.Indeed, in their eyes, Arthur's fighting ability was not weak, and ordinary people certainly wouldn't be his opponents.Moreover, the amount of food Arthur had was unimaginable. If he were on his own, he certainly wouldn't have any problems for a while.How could their companion be defeated by a small desert?At this, everyone relaxed."But..."Vivi wanted to say something else, but her words were interrupted by Luffy."We'll just stick to our original plan. Don't worry about Arthur, he'll be fine. We might even see him again soon."Vivi was like this by nature, a personality she had developed since childhood. However, after hearing Luffy's words, she said no more.Besides, her country could no longer wait."Don't worry, Vivi, although Arthur doesn't seem very reliable on the surface, he is a very strong person," Nami said.Vivi smiled and nodded.She remembered what Arthur had told her. After observing him for so long, she was now truly unsure if Arthur was the strong person he had once claimed to be.[Chapter 100, confetti... Can the protagonist stand up in this arc??]