"Bubble Fruit and Giraffe Fruit? Honestly, I'm not really interested, and we're already Devil Fruit users anyway," Daz Bones said after hearing Rosen speak.
"No need to worry about that. If you want, it's possible. Temporarily, I can't give more than one person two fruits, but there are beings in this world who won't explode even if they eat multiple Devil Fruits. And I happen to know that technique." Rosen's words left Robin and the others visibly stunned.
The boss actually knows such a technique?
"Profound and unfathomable." Xia wasn't in the kingdom, but since this was a rare Dawn crew meeting, and with Andia Kingdom's situation stable and new orders being gradually implemented, she came as well.
"If it were a Logia or something, I'd be interested. But ordinary fruits are hard to develop. I'm already busy developing an Exploding Fruit," MR.5 and the others were not completely uninterested, but these two fruits weren't tempting enough.
"Same here," Valentine said, carrying her umbrella on her shoulder, echoing MR.5's opinion.
"I want it! I want it!" Natalie raised her hand from the back of the crowd, only to be ignored.
"If possible, I want the Giraffe Fruit. I heard that Zoan users have tough skin and incredible regeneration. This could greatly increase my strength, but one Devil Fruit is already valuable enough—I don't think I deserve to have it," Migs said suddenly.
Though he was growing quickly, he still lagged behind Daz Bones and the others. He wanted to become stronger; having followed the captain, he had seen so much and hoped to become better and stronger.
"Boss, are you serious? You can let someone have two Devil Fruit powers? I've never heard of such a rumor. If true, I'd be the first to try it," Robin said, chin in hand, deep in thought.
"Robin, don't worry. I've already prepared it for you, but whether it succeeds will depend on luck. Migs, here, this one is for you." Rosen produced the Giraffe Devil Fruit and tossed it to Migs.
"With me, it's not about deserving. If you're standing here, you're all qualified, even if you're not a senior officer." Rosen scanned all the Dawn crew members in the hall.
Robin smiled slightly, asking no further questions. She trusted that he had it handled.
"Ah, I… this…" Migs was caught off guard and quickly caught the thrown Devil Fruit, deeply moved. This thing was worth hundreds of millions of Berries. Earning that much in a lifetime would already be satisfying.
But now, having to eat such a valuable item in one go was hard to imagine.
Mariejois, the Holy Land.
"Crocodile refuses to compromise. Not unexpected. But at such a sensitive moment, we can't leave our posts. Alright, I've decided: prepare the ship. I'll meet him personally. Andia is stable now, but recruiting forces won't be easy," Rufus said as he rose.
"Lord Rufus, Marine Headquarters has asked us to closely monitor the movements of the New World Emperors. Leaving now might not be wise," a subordinate said, frustrated. Weren't they supposed to stay on duty?
"Relax. Those sea emperors are proud and unruly; their chances of joining forces are slim. That's why we must go quickly and return swiftly. Also, file a report and request to use the special currents."
"For what reason?"
"Visiting a friend."
"That's… not ideal."
"It's fine, just report it as is." Rufus waved his hand.
Near the Valos Fortress, the next day.
"This was once an abandoned port, but now, under Andia Kingdom's new construction order, facilities are being renovated. Of course, the purpose is to cover the port. Supported by multiple fortresses, assistance is prompt, and besides the coast, the surrounding area is sparsely populated, making it very concealed. As a military site, it won't easily arouse suspicion," Xia explained.
"These are all Lantis warriors, no local soldiers. Not that they're untrustworthy, but compared to Andia's soldiers, Lantis warriors are stronger, and the chance of spies is zero," Alice said.
Along the coast were jagged stone hills, and the port lay beneath a cave in the rocks, with old shipbuilding facilities.
"No need to be too secretive. The more you try to hide, the more suspicious it looks. Build ships openly here, recruit builders normally. Though they're not in the same trade, builders have experience and catch on quickly. Of course, security and Enel's core construction mustn't be neglected."
"Hmm, you're right. Hidden in the woods. Fine, let's do it your way," Alice agreed with Rosen's suggestion, seeing it as better than her plan.
"With current materials and two thousand experienced builders, how long until completion?" Rosen asked Enel, who was eager to start.
"If fast, a month is enough. We have the full support of Andia Kingdom and my abilities."
"A month…" Not too long, not too short. But Rosen could wait. Could they see the legendary super ancient warship in a month? He was somewhat looking forward to it.
"Alice, once the domestic situation is stable, gradually move everyone from Flower Basket Island here. But don't abandon it—leave a unit there to maintain contact with the Sky Island."
"Understood."
"This place is in your hands." Rosen told Shia and Alice.
"We can handle this, but where has Her Majesty been? Hardly seen lately—I thought we'd serve her properly," Alice wondered.
"She's probably on a date."
"What?!"
Days passed. Rosen trained his body and powers every day without rest.
At Xia's luxurious mansion, after several days of comfortable living, the training grounds saw Hathaway acting as the instructor for all Dawn crew members.
"First, strengthen your body so it can handle more. Then trigger your explosive power. The stronger your body, the stronger the blast, fool," Hathaway was strict, especially with training—hell mode, no less.
MR.5, still inexperienced with Armament Haki, struggled. Hathaway couldn't stand it, kicked him away, and his near-critical explosive power detonated midair.
"So cool," the Empress watched nearby, sipping juice from a platter of fruits, infatuated with Hathaway.
Interestingly, the Empress had only explained Haki principles to Hathaway the day before; by the next day, Hathaway had fully mastered them.
Sometimes, the Empress wondered: was she teaching Hathaway, or was Hathaway challenging her? She was learning too fast.
(End of Chapter)