The four of them rode the Super Spot-Billed Ducks to the coast of Nanohana.
"Captain, where's our ship?"
A large question mark slowly materialized over Nami's head.
Gazing at the empty coastline, she saw that the Tenglong, which should have been anchored here, had vanished.
"Did someone steal the ship?" Vivi asked, equally confused.
In the world of One Piece, a ship was practically currency. It was perfectly normal for one to get stolen, especially if it was left unattended at a dock.
"It's also possible it ran off on its own," Ryuuto added casually.
Vivi might not have known, but the Tenglong was powered by a special Sea Beast. The most likely scenario was that it got spooked and fled.
"Hahahaha, that's true!" Crocus laughed in agreement.
Nami then explained Momoo's existence to a bewildered Vivi.
"Let me see where Momoo is."
Ryuuto leaped into the air, then gently exhaled a puff of air from his mouth.
The puff of air slowly transformed into a breeze that drifted out over the surface of the sea.
Under the pleasant sun, the landscape was a sea of yellow sand, punctuated by the occasional cactus. As the wind passed, their tender needles trembled. The unique scent of the desert filled the air.
This was a unique skill Ryuuto had developed. Using the wind as a medium, he could perceive nearby structures and objects. It was the perfect tool for scanning the vast, open ocean.
The wind swirled across the water's surface, traveling farther and farther from the waves lapping at the shore.
Ryuuto closed his eyes, sensing the information the wind carried back to him.
"Can the captain really find Momoo with his eyes closed?" Vivi asked curiously, feeding the four Super Spot-Billed Ducks some fruit she had brought with her.
"Quack! Quack!" The ducks gobbled down the fruit in single bites, nuzzling against Vivi affectionately between mouthfuls.
"Don't underestimate the captain's abilities! Of course he can!" Nami replied with unwavering confidence, her faith in Ryuuto absolute.
"It feels so nice here! After spending so much time deep inside Alabasta, I realize how much I love the sea breeze." As she spoke, Nami unbuttoned her shirt, holding it in her hand.
The sunlight fell evenly on her skin, giving her healthy complexion a delicate, radiant glow.
Youth was a wonderful thing.
While Nami and Vivi were chatting, Ryuuto found what he was looking for.
About ten kilometers from the coast, Momoo was lazily sunbathing, belly-up.
Thump! Thump!
Suddenly, a gust of wind slammed directly into Momoo, making a pair of muffled sounds against its broad stomach.
"Moo? Mooooo!"
Momoo's large eyes blinked in confusion for a moment before it let out a tremendous cry, its goofy face breaking into an expression of pure excitement. The two impacts of wind were like a clear message: "Still sleeping? Time to come back!"
With a flick of its massive tail, Momoo launched itself into the air. The seawater it displaced caught the light, creating a vibrant rainbow.
Splash!
It landed back in the water with a heavy crash and shot forward, becoming a thin, fast-moving line cutting through the sea.
A moment later, Momoo turned back.
It had forgotten the Tenglong.
Diving back down, it clamped its mouth onto the ship's bow rope. With powerful strokes of its tail, Momoo swam furiously toward the shore.
"Momoo's on its way back," Ryuuto said, opening his eyes and turning to the others.
"As expected of our captain!"
Hearing the good news, Nami threw her arms around Ryuuto in a joyful hug. He was suddenly aware of a soft warmth pressing against him.
"Nami, you're getting a little bold lately," Ryuuto whispered, his lips close to her ear, taking in the citrusy scent of her hair.
"Ah... I can be even bolder, you know."
The tips of Nami's ears flushed crimson, but she refused to back down. She turned and suddenly nibbled on his earlobe as she replied.
"Tonight, I'd like to see that," Ryuuto teased, feeling the body in his arms grow warmer.
"Ah..."
Nami instantly sprang back, her face a deep shade of red.
"Look! Momoo's here!" she exclaimed, desperate to change the subject as she spotted a huge silhouette speeding toward them through the water. But even after saying it, she couldn't resist sneaking another glance at Ryuuto.
"Is that Momoo?" Vivi gasped, watching in astonishment as the massive Sea Beast churned through the water, approaching the shore like a behemoth.
"We met Momoo in the East Blue. He's a real giant, a full forty meters long," Nami explained, noticing Vivi's shock. She then began waving her hands, calling out to him.
"Moo! Moo!"
Momoo spotted the four of them on the shore and let out a series of happy bellows.
"Momoo, it's been a while!" Nami shouted.
Once Momoo had docked the ship, the group bid farewell to the energetic Super Spot-Billed Ducks and leaped aboard the Tenglong.
Ryuuto did a quick inspection of the ship, then went to the bow to chat with Momoo for a bit.
Nami led Vivi into the cabin, where the last available room naturally became hers.
While Vivi was stowing her luggage, Nami went back out onto the deck. Her eyes fell on her tangerine trees, and she let out a cry of alarm. Their leaves were yellow and withered. "Ah... my tangerine trees! Are they dead?"
She rushed to the galley, fetched a bucket of water, and began watering them frantically.
Crocus had already found his familiar deck chair and was now comfortably reclining in it, reading a newspaper he'd brought from Alabasta.
Seeing Nami's panicked watering, he offered some reassuring words. "Don't worry, Nami. Just give them some water, and they'll be fine in a few days."
"Oh, good." Nami looked at the thoroughly soaked soil around the trees and finally let out a sigh of relief.
It was Nami who truly brought a sense of life to the Tenglong.
Meanwhile, at the ship's bow, Ryuuto was checking his Reputation Value.
In the few days since they had left the Alabasta mainland, it had slowly increased by several thousand, rising from 82,000 to over 87,500. It seemed that as his fame continued to spread throughout the kingdom, his reputation was steadily growing with it.
"Too bad I couldn't set up a live broadcast with a Den Den Mushi," Ryuuto thought to himself, rubbing his chin.
Alabasta had a population in the tens of millions. Beyond the few cities he had passed through, there were countless more towns and villages. If all those people had watched him expose Crocodile's plot and defeat Baroque Works, he could have easily earned over a hundred thousand Reputation Value.
Pushing those thoughts aside, Ryuuto began to browse the Exchange List.