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worm novel 200 . xyz '
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Yuba was the trading hub of western Alabasta. Known as an oasis in the desert, this royal city boasted a long history and rich heritage.
Yet for some unknown reason, this unique city had not seen a drop of rain in three months.
Endless sandstorms recently battered the area. The biting wind and sand eroded the rivers, water sources, buildings, and vegetation.
A week later.
Arriving at their destination, Lius and Ace almost thought they had come to the wrong place.
The city that once boasted lush greenery now lay barren. Endless sandstorms ravaged the land, creating a terrifying, apocalyptic atmosphere.
Fortunately, Lius found Nami and the others at a former water source outside the city just as they had agreed.
Of course, even this spring had completely dried up by now.
"Thank goodness! I thought the Marines caught you!"
Tears of joy nearly spilled from Nami's eyes upon seeing the two young men. She lunged forward and threw her arms tightly around Lius. The youthful girl had clearly spent the past few days living in constant fear.
Lius patted her shoulder with a soft, comforting tone. "It's all right. I'm not that easy to catch."
Sweeping his gaze over the area, he noticed Vivi and her loyal servant. Although the duo looked excited by their arrival, a deep gloom and desolation lingered on their faces.
Releasing her grip on the young man, Nami wiped a stray tear from her eye. "By the way, this country has undergone massive changes over the last few days," she said with a worried expression. "We suspect Baroque Works wants to accelerate their plan to usurp the throne!"
Lius furrowed his brows while looking around the desolate area. "I know. But right now, we need to get a good rest."
All the weeds around the dried-up spring had disappeared. Only a barren stretch of yellow sand remained.
"Yeah, I was just afraid you wouldn't be able to find me!" Nami nodded. Her youthful face looked quite dirty after spending so much time in the wind and sand. The girl usually loved staying clean and taking frequent baths, making her current disheveled state look incredibly pitiful.
Lius slapped his forehead. "Ah, we really need to make some vivre cards in the future!"
He should have asked that old man Shiki for some before setting sail. Given the vast resources of the Sky Pirates, obtaining the materials to craft vivre cards would not have been difficult.
"Let's rest here for the day and hit the road again tomorrow!"
A faint smile curled Lius's lips as he pulled a small capsule from his pocket. He tossed it onto the nearby ground under the utterly shocked gazes of Ace, Vivi, and Igaram.
Boom!
Thick smoke instantly filled the air. The outline of a massive building appeared in their line of sight just a moment later.
The smoke eventually dissipated to reveal a highly advanced, three-story survival cabin standing tall on the sand. It looked just like a modern luxury villa.
This was one of the supplies he had received from the system's sign-in rewards. It featured an internal circulation system capable of sustaining life for three months even in the vacuum of outer space. It was the perfect shelter for this desolate desert.
"Ah! How in the world did you do that?" Ace dropped his jaw so low it nearly hit the sand.
Vivi watched with wide, sparkling eyes. "That is incredible. Is it magic?"
Igaram stared in absolute shock. "Is that an entire house?"
"What is there to fuss about?" Nami scoffed at them. "I haven't showered in ages, and now I can finally get properly clean!"
She threw a sideways glance at the dumbfounded group and strutted through the front door. She looked at them as if they were a bunch of country bumpkins.
"Come on in!" Lius called out. "Every floor has bedrooms, a living room, and a bathroom. If you want to take a shower, just read the manual on the door and follow the instructions!"
Without waiting another second, Nami sprinted up the stairs and headed straight for the third-floor bathroom.
"Ace, you take the first floor," Lius instructed. He then turned his attention to Vivi. "As for you two..."
"The princess can go inside. I will stand guard at the door!" Igaram interrupted with absolute resolve. He immediately began patrolling the perimeter of the villa to keep watch.
Lius did not press the issue. He led Ace and Vivi inside the survival cabin.
Bright lights illuminated the modern decor. The highly advanced technological design prompted Ace and Vivi to gasp in awe like a pair of true country bumpkins.
"Vivi, let me take you upstairs first!" Lius guided the princess up the staircase.
He left Ace behind on the first floor. The freckled young man wandered around, touching every surface he could find with absolute shock and wonder.
After getting the other two settled in, Lius finally had a moment of free time. He immediately sprinted to the third-floor bathroom. Thick steam clouded the transparent glass door, obscuring the slender curves of a figure inside.
The constant tension and endless traveling of the past few days were finally over. He could actually get some proper rest.
"What do you think you're doing? Are you trying to cause trouble again?"
Nami shrieked in fright when she noticed the glass door opening. She was just about to snap at the intruder when her gaze suddenly froze.
She caught sight of Lius's bare chest. His upper body was completely covered in dark bruises and minor cuts.
"You're hurt?" Her eyes widened in surprise. Forgetting all about her anger, her youthful face filled with deep concern.
"Yeah. That was Ace's grandpa we were dealing with. We're lucky we even managed to escape!"
Lius stepped to Nami's side and joined her beneath the warm, soothing spray of the shower.
"Let's not talk about him anymore. Next time we cross paths, I definitely won't end up looking this miserable!"
"That's easy to say, but why are you pressing yourself against me?"
"Hehe!"
"You're injured..."
"It's already mostly healed!"
"But..."
...
Two hours later, the freshly showered group gathered in the first-floor living room.
The food stored inside the survival cabin lacked a bit of flavor, but it was much better than starving. Lius and Ace had not eaten a proper meal in days. The two young men tore through the rations like a raging storm, devouring an entire seven-day food supply in a single sitting.
Lius rubbed his bulging stomach in satisfaction. "Now that we've all eaten our fill, let's skip the small talk. I'm sure everyone has noticed the changes happening across this country recently."
His words instantly shattered the relaxed atmosphere, replacing it with a grim and tense vibe.
"This country is on the brink of total chaos," Ace said, narrowing his eyes. "Lius and I passed by a massive number of rebel soldiers during our journey here. We asked around, and every single one of them was marching toward the Royal Capital!"
Vivi kept her head lowered. She clenched her hands into tight fists. "I know."
"It will be fine," Nami said gently, reaching out to pat Vivi's shoulder in comfort. "As long as we reach Rainbase and defeat Crocodile before the rebel army starts a full-blown war, we can stop all of this!"
"No. We aren't going to Rainbase," Lius said, shaking his head with a firm expression. "We are heading straight for the Royal Capital!"
Nami frowned in concern. "But rumors are spreading that we kidnapped Princess Vivi. It won't be easy for us to sneak into the Royal Capital!"
"Who cares about the rumors?" Lius grinned, his face radiating absolute confidence. "Since Crocodile's ultimate goal is taking over this country, he will definitely show up at the Royal Capital when the chaos reaches its peak. All we have to do is get there first and wait for him!"