The journeys in the Grand Line are always full of the incredible. Just a few days ago, it was a winter island with swirling snow that nearly froze everyone into popsicles; in the blink of an eye, the Going Merry had sailed into a sea of rolling heat.
The sun hung high, and the air was distorted by the scorching heat. Nanohana, the port city of the Kingdom of Alabasta, had arrived.
To avoid the eyes and ears of the Navy, the Merry quietly docked behind an inconspicuous hidden rock in the harbor.
"So... so hot..."
As soon as they hit the shore, the rolling heat wave struck Chopper, who was used to the cold, like a heavy punch. The reindeer was covered in thick fur from head to toe; currently, he felt like he was standing in a sauna wearing a down jacket. He collapsed on the deck, tongue lolling out, eyes rolling back.
"I can't... I'm melting... I'm turning into dried venison..."
"Hahahaha! Who told you to wear such a thick coat!" Usopp held a water flask, playfully splashing water on Chopper to cool him down. "Hang in there, Chopper! This is a desert nation; it gets much hotter than this further in!"
To avoid drawing attention and to resupply as quickly as possible, the crew decided to split up.
"I'm going to buy spices and ingredients; a place like this is bound to have specialties," Sanji said, lighting a cigarette.
"I'm going to buy gunpowder and some cooling tools for Chopper." Usopp dragged the half-dead reindeer off the ship.
Vivi grabbed Nami. "Nami-san, let's go buy some desert clothes and sunscreen."
"Caw! Big Sis, wait for me!" Klay flapped his wings and followed.
As for Zoro, who was supposed to guard the ship... in the time it took everyone to turn around, the marimo-head had already vanished into thin air.
"I'm going too!! Restaurant!! MEAT!!!"
Luffy's nose twitched; he had caught the scent of food drifting from the city. With stars in his eyes, he didn't wait for anyone. Like an unleashed husky, he shouted and vanished in a cloud of dust.
"Hey!! Luffy!!"
Viktor, who had been entrusted with the heavy responsibility of keeping an eye on Luffy, reached out but grabbed only empty air. He stood on the deck, looking at the trail of dust, and let out a long, helpless sigh.
"I knew it... expecting that idiot to listen is like expecting a pig to fly." Viktor adjusted his light clothing. "I really can't deal with you."
With a light tap of his toe, Viktor leaped nimbly onto the roof of a nearby building. "I guess I'll just have to fish him out of the place he's most likely to appear."
At the same time.
A naval vessel flying the Marine flag sailed into the port of Nanohana.
"Captain! No sign of the Straw Hat crew has been found!" a Marine reported.
Smoker had two cigars clamped in his mouth—a habit he refused to give up even in the desert. He stood at the prow, looking over the bustling city with eyes sharp as an eagle's.
"No... my intuition tells me they're here." Smoker jumped off the ship; it was the instinct of a hunter for his prey. He walked alone through the streets of Nanohana, the bustling crowds failing to distract his judgment.
Suddenly, a familiar, irritating aura seemed to drift through the air. Smoker stopped and looked toward a lively restaurant at the end of the street. "That unique... scent of trouble."
Inside the restaurant, the noise was deafening.
"Boss!! Fifty more servings of fried rice!! And meat on the bone!!"
Luffy was sitting at the bar, his hands moving in a blur as he frantically stuffed food into his mouth. The plates in front of him had already piled up into a small mountain.
In the seat next to him sat a strange black-haired youth. He was shirtless, with a large purple skull tattoo on his back, wearing a string of red beads and an orange cowboy hat. At this moment, the youth had actually fallen asleep in the middle of his meal. His entire face was buried in a plate of pasta, and he was even snoring.
"Hey... is that guy dead?" "Looks like he died suddenly while eating..." "Ah, how scary. Should we leave?" The surrounding diners were whispering.
Creeak—
The restaurant door was pushed open. Smoker walked in with heavy steps. He scanned the room, his gaze instantly locking onto the back of the gluttonous Straw Hat.
He really is here.
Smoker walked up behind Luffy and spoke grimly: "Straw Hat!!"
Luffy, who was happily eating with his cheeks puffed out like a hamster, heard someone call him and instinctively looked back. "Hmm? Who is it?"
When he saw the ferocious, white-haired man behind him, he panicked.
"PFFFT————!!!"
Luffy jumped in surprise, and the chewed-up meat and rice in his mouth sprayed out like a shotgun blast, coating Smoker's face entirely.
Deathly silence. Smoker closed his eyes, the food debris slowly sliding down his face as the veins on his forehead pulsed.
"Cough! Cough!" Luffy choked, finally recognizing the man. "Ah!! It's you! The smoke guy from Loguetown!!"
"Since you know it's me... then prepare to die!!" Smoker roared in rage, his arm instantly transforming into white smoke to grab Luffy.
"Whoa! I don't want to fight you! I'm running away!" Luffy grabbed the last big piece of meat on the table and bolted.
THUD!
Because his start was so violent, Luffy slammed directly into the sleeping black-haired youth next to him.
CRASH!
The poor youth, chair and all, was sent flying, smashing through the restaurant wall and into the alleyway next door.
"Don't even think about running!!" Smoker ignored the bystander, transforming into smoke to give chase. The two burst out of the restaurant and began a high-speed pursuit through the streets.
"White Out!!" Smoker's smoke accelerated, and he was just about to grab the back of Luffy's collar.
At that critical moment—
BOOM————!!
A blazing orange flame suddenly shot across the path, standing like a wall of fire between Luffy and Smoker. The smoke slammed into the fire, making a sizzling evaporation sound.
"Who's there?!" Smoker was forced to stop, his expression solemn.
The flames dissipated. The black-haired youth who had been sent flying earlier was now crouching atop a water tower by the road. He adjusted his orange cowboy hat, flames rising from his bare torso, a confident and bright smile on his face.
"Ah, what a coincidence." The youth stood up slowly, looking down at Smoker with a hint of playfulness. "Hey, hey, I think you've done enough, haven't you?"
"Could you... let my brother go?"
Luffy heard the voice, stopped dead in his tracks, and looked back in surprise. "Eh?! Ace?!!"
The youth bearing the Whitebeard tattoo, surrounded by roaring flames, announced his name: "Whitebeard Pirates, Ace, has arrived!"
On another high rooftop outside the restaurant.
Viktor had actually arrived long ago. He wasn't in a hurry to intervene, simply crossing his arms and watching the scene unfold. When he saw the pure fire elemental energy rising from Ace—
Hum—
The Three-Tomoe Sharingan in Viktor's eyes instantly activated, spinning rapidly.
So that's it... the Logia-type Flame-Flame Fruit? The fire reflected in Viktor's eyes as he made an internal comparison. It's different from my Fire Style... that is a total transformation of the self into the fire element. No hand signs, no chakra consumption—as long as the stamina holds, he can release it infinitely.
What an enviable ability.
Viktor glanced at the tense standoff below and then at the Marines gathering in the distance.
"However..." Viktor's lips curled slightly as his form flickered. "It's not time to just watch the show anymore."
Shing!
His silhouette vanished from the rooftop.
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