Alabasta Royal Palace, banquet hall.
Cobra watched as everyone voraciously devoured the food before him, his eyelids twitching uncontrollably.
These people could really eat!
Among them, Caesar, Yamato, Bonney, and Ace had particularly outstanding appetites!
What's more, though this group appeared friendly, the pressure they exuded far surpassed that of Baroque Works' executives.
Most crucially, his daughter had only spent one night out with Caesar, yet she returned behaving like a newlywed wife, demurely clinging to Caesar's arm. This sight shattered the hearts of him, her old father, and others like Igaram.
"Try this special noodle dish—it's an Alabasta specialty!"
Vivi brought over a large plate containing unique noodles. Caesar took a bite—it resembled potato starch noodles but wasn't as springy or translucent.
The noodles themselves were slightly sweet, topped with a poultry-based sauce reminiscent of Xinjiang-style big plate chicken, though with distinct differences.
Caesar gave a thumbs up: "Adding tomatoes would make it even better."
"Ha! You've got quite the palate!"
Vivi's face lit up with joy: "There are two ways to prepare this dish—one includes tomatoes. But Daddy prefers it this way because..."
"The flavor becomes richer and heavier. However, adding tomatoes makes the aroma and spiciness more pronounced, improving overall palatability."
Caesar stated matter-of-factly. His god-tier culinary skills were no joke—though cooking techniques varied by region, he could discern preparation methods or potential improvements with just one taste.
"Exactly!"
Vivi beamed, her smile radiating tenderness.
This was typical of girls newly in love—even the slightest shared understanding could spark deep resonance.
"You're amazing, Caesar!"
"You're amazing~ Caesar~"
By the entrance, Igaram bit down on a handkerchief, tears streaming as he mimicked Vivi's tone to Pell: "Damn it! What exactly happened yesterday? Why has Princess Vivi become... more feminine?"
"Don't ask me—I've never been married..."
Pell shook his head helplessly while Chaka looked equally awkward.
They weren't children anymore. What transpired between Vivi and Caesar was hardly a mystery to them.
The thought that their princess, doted on for over a decade, had been whisked away by some young upstart—along with Alabasta's sovereignty—filled them with urges to skin Caesar alive.
As they seethed in impotent rage, Caesar suddenly turned to Cobra.
"Oh, right, Father-in-law!"
Who the hell are you calling father-in-law, you bastard?!
Cobra's aged face darkened. While he wasn't opposed to fostering their relationship given their compatible ages...
But damn it, your progress is ridiculously fast!
"I forgot to ask earlier—does Alabasta have seawater desalination technology?"
"Seawater desalination?"
Shifting to official matters, Cobra immediately straightened his expression: "You mean converting seawater to freshwater?"
"Correct."
"No."
"..."
Cobra's blunt response left even Caesar momentarily speechless.
Seeing Caesar like this, Cobra also felt a bit awkward and quickly explained, "Although Alabasta has a desert climate, the weather on islands in the Grand Line rarely changes. While water resources are relatively scarce, rainfall has always been stable in the past, and the domestic canals can meet the people's daily needs. The only issue is the difficulty in transporting water resources."
"The ability to withstand risks is still too low."
Caesar shook his head slightly, "In a while, I'll send a Fruit user to help with desert oasis management and protection. Also, if possible, mark out the domestic water sources and dig a couple more canals between the major cities. Additionally, I'll get seawater desalination technology to you as soon as possible."
"This…"
Cobra hesitated, "The cost of digging canals… the royal family might not be able to afford it."
After all, unlike some infrastructure-crazed nations, a country like Alabasta, which hasn't even achieved modernization, would find the expense and time required to dig a canal overwhelming.
Not to mention the threat of sandstorms in the desert—there's no guarantee that a newly dug canal wouldn't be buried under a Sandstorm, rendering all efforts futile.
"I'll invest ten billion."
"Good son-in-law! Vivi is yours from now on!"
Without hesitation, Cobra looked at Caesar with full approval.
"Dad!"
Vivi blushed. Cobra's behavior was hardly befitting a king's dignity.
Of course, she knew that this beloved king was, in private, just a funny guy.
Caesar couldn't help but chuckle.
While his abilities were debatable, Cobra was a diligent and people-loving king. As long as it benefited the country and didn't violate his principles, he wouldn't hesitate to give up his rule if necessary.
What did Alabasta lack the most?
Without a doubt, it was water.
For a transmigrator, this problem was easy to solve. Fruits like the Ripe-Ripe Fruit, Lush-Lush Fruit, and Forest-Forest Fruit all had the ability to accelerate plant growth and prevent soil erosion.
Combined with canals and desalination technology, Alabasta's ecological issues could be resolved quickly.
Of course, the prerequisite was dealing with Crocodile…
"Darling, ah~"
Baby5 held out a piece of meat on a fork, offering it to Caesar's lips.
"Ah—"
Caesar opened his mouth and ate it, then turned to see Vivi handing him a rolled-up flatbread with both hands.
Watching Caesar enjoy the blessings of two beauties, Ace and Deuce suddenly found their meals less appetizing.
"Sir, do you have any other princesses?"
"Nope."
Hearing Deuce's question, Cobra laughed heartily, "Vivi is my only daughter and the sole heir to the kingdom."
"So envious, Captain…"
Except for the aloof and silent Law, the three young men—Barto, Ace, and Deuce—sighed in unison.
Caesar chuckled and casually dangled a carrot, "I'll take you to Kuja when I get the chance."
Ace showed little interest, "Kuja? What kind of place is that?"
"The legendary Women's Country."
"Please take us with you!!" ×N
Instantly, Barto and the others stood up and bowed deeply to Caesar.
Caesar turned his head and saw Cobra, seated at the head of the table, mirroring their posture with a devout expression.
"Dad!"
Vivi's face turned crimson.
Though she knew he could be shameless in private, his behavior in front of so many people still made her somewhat embarrassed.
"Actually, the number of beauties in the Women's Country isn't any less than on Fish-men Island."
Caesar shook his head: "The female warriors there consider strength as beauty—broad shoulders, strong backs, and robust figures are common."
"That may be true, but every generation's leader of the Kuja has been a genuine great beauty!"
Cobra's expression turned serious: "If I kneel before you, will you take me there?"
"Enough!"
Vivi punched Cobra on the head, knocking him over and sparking a wave of laughter in the banquet hall.
After the banquet, late at night.
Moonlight streamed through the window into the princess's chambers. Vivi nestled in Caesar's arms, a blissful afterglow lingering on her face as her fingertips lightly traced the contours of his well-defined chest.
Since they wouldn't be staying in Alabasta for long, Caesar wanted to spend as much time alone with Vivi as possible.
No matter how gentle and considerate a girl might be, she couldn't escape loneliness or jealousy—she needed someone to pamper her.
"The Log Pose for Alabasta takes a week to set... You'll be leaving in a few days..."
Vivi's voice was tinged with melancholy, unable to hide her reluctance: "I'll feel so lonely."
"I'll come back to see you often."
Caesar gently stroked her sea-blue hair: "Alabasta isn't far from Sky Island. At my speed, it wouldn't even take half a day to get here."
"That's too exhausting."
Vivi tilted her head up and lightly kissed the corner of Caesar's lips, her smooth, delicate softness pressing against him under the covers: "What if you get tired halfway and fall into the sea?"
Caesar chuckled: "That won't happen. I could even fly for days without stopping."
"Liar! That would absolutely kill you, wouldn't it?" Vivi looked unconvinced.
"How could it?"
In the hallway, an Alabastan Dash Duck stared longingly at the princess's bedroom door, its eyes full of grievance.
...
The next morning, early dawn.
Caesar walked out of the room with Vivi in his arms when suddenly, the sound of a duck quacking reached his ears.
"Quack quack quack!"
"Karu! What are you doing here?"
Vivi hugged the large yellow duck in front of her: "Didn't I tell you to go to Dad's room first?"
"Quaaack—"
Karu looked aggrieved.
I used to sleep by your bed... Now that you have a man, you're kicking me out?
Vivi gave an awkward laugh, feeling a little guilty, and affectionately tapped Karu's head: "I had to find a boyfriend eventually, right? You'll need a partner too someday, won't you?"
"Quaaack—"
Karu tugged reluctantly at the hem of Vivi's clothes.
"I can't go running with you today!"
Vivi smiled helplessly: "But you can come along on my date with Caesar~"
"Quack!"
Karu blinked its big eyes—the little duck was simple-hearted, as long as Vivi didn't leave it behind.
"Date?"
Caesar smirked mischievously: "Did I say we were going on a date today?"
"Huh? You don't have anything else planned, do you? Let me take you around the city, okay?" Vivi's tone carried a hint of coquetry.
"No, time is tight. I need to teach you some combat techniques. Hmm... the little duck can come along too."
Without waiting for a response, Caesar wrapped an arm around Vivi and led her to the guest quarters, where they found Yamato and the others, as well as the former officers of Baroque Works.
"Everyone, follow me outside the city—it's time to test your strength!"
"Test?" Ace's eyes lit up.
"Ha, ready for a fight?"
Yamato looked eager. "It's been a while since I've gone all out!"
"No way! I haven't even mastered Haki yet..."
Deuce groaned. Compared to these monstrous individuals, he wasn't particularly strong physically, and his combat talent was mediocre at best—his progress wasn't even as good as Nami's.
However, compared to Deuce, the former officers of Baroque Works were even more panicked!
"A test? What kind of test? Are we fighting His Majesty?"
Galdino rubbed his hands nervously. "Oh dear, we're definitely no match for His Majesty..."
Bonis remained silent. He considered himself the strongest among them, but against Caesar, he couldn't even see how the man moved.
"Perfect timing to teach you all something."
Caesar waved his hand. "Also, someone go fetch Pell and Chaka. They should join in—no point wasting two Zoan users."
"Yes, yes! I'll go get them right away."
Galdino bowed repeatedly and soon returned with the two.
Without wasting words, Caesar gestured. "Let's go. Outside the city."
Soon, the group arrived at a vast, open stretch of desert outside the city.
Caesar turned to face them. Aside from Dr. Wolf, who wasn't a combatant, all members of Dawn, the former Baroque Works officers, and the two vice-captains of the royal guard had gathered.
"First, the test rules."
Caesar pointed at the sun in the sky. "Except for Yamato, Kuma, and Issho, the rest of you can cooperate however you want and attack me in any way you see fit. The passing condition—you're still standing by sunset."
His words sent a chill down everyone's spines.
Pell and Chaka exchanged bewildered looks.
Wait, they knew the gap in strength might be significant, but this much?
A dozen people teaming up against one person, and the passing standard is just… staying on their feet?
They didn't doubt Caesar's words—after all, his 2.8 billion bounty spoke for itself. If he said it, he had the power to back it up.
But the way he phrased it was downright demoralizing.
"One more thing—those who fail the test get no dinner tonight, and their training load doubles afterward."
At that, Ace and Bonney looked like they were about to burst into flames.
They didn't care about the doubled training, but no dinner? That was unacceptable! Were they supposed to starve?!
"Um… Your Majesty, does it count as long as we're still standing in the end?"
Galdino's eyes gleamed as he raised his hand with a scheme in mind.
Caesar smiled and nodded. "That's right. Even if you don't attack and just focus on defense, as long as you're standing at the end, I'll count it as a pass."
Seeing Caesar's grin, Barto subtly distanced himself from Galdino.
What kind of wishful thinking was that?
The reason you're being told to attack is for your own protection.
Once this man decides to come at you, the question won't be whether you can stay standing—it'll be whether you can survive!
"I have another question!"
Bon Clay quickly raised his hand and pointed at Yamato and the others watching from the sidelines. "Why aren't they included?"
"Because the gap between them and you isn't even on the same plane. Adding them in wouldn't help sharpen your skills."
Caesar scanned the group. "Any other questions? If not, let's begin."
Everyone exchanged bewildered glances when suddenly, a flash of fire erupted. Violent flames surged dozens of meters, fiercely rushing toward Caesar.
"Fire Fist!!!"
Ace charged ahead with an excited grin on his face.
The scorching heat waves spread out, covering everyone's foreheads with a fine layer of sweat.
"Nani?!"
Galdino's eyes bulged. "That's a Logia Type, right? Even monsters like him need testing?"
"This means... our opponents are even more terrifying!" Bonis said with a grave expression.
Sure enough, as the flames dissipated, Caesar stood completely unharmed, cradling a docile flame in his hand.
"Fire? I can play with that too!"
As his voice faded, the flame in Caesar's hand vanished, and an oppressive, terrifying aura suddenly exploded outward!
BOOM—
Streaks of black-red lightning crackled, and half of the former Baroque Works members collapsed like harvested wheat!
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