Yuba

Yuba, a city built in the desert oasis in the last ten years, connects Rainbase and Alubarna. It's a place where desert merchants must pass to rest and replenish supplies, making it an important transportation hub.

Since its construction, it has been rich and prosperous, but with no rain for over a year, Yuba's oasis has begun to gradually dry up, and the sand is advancing towards it. Recently, nomads have entered the area, making water resources even more scarce, and the water provided to Yuba through the aqueducts is becoming less and less.

The person who built Yuba was Doto, the father of the future rebel leader, Koza.

The Dancing Powder incident was exposed not long before Rodney arrived, causing a national uproar and making many people who trusted King Cobra suspicious. Even more radical people joined the rebel army.

But Doto always trusted the King and didn't believe the King would do such a thing. His son, Koza, although he believed in Cobra, chose to join the rebel army for the sake of the working people, and with his natural leadership qualities, he successfully rose to the position of leader.

But he hasn't gone yet.

Rodney came to this once prosperous oasis, which is still more prosperous than Alubarna, but the pedestrians still look worried because there is less and less water. Few merchant groups have passed through here recently, causing the service industry to decline. The people here can't make money and are threatened with their lives, so they will choose to move away to protect themselves.

There are still some trees here, all very heat-resistant and drought-resistant varieties. I can't name them, but hiding in the shade of the trees, a gust of wind blows... a mouthful of sand!

Rodney: "..."

A sandstorm is coming!

The yellow sand in the distance is rolling, like the end of the world. The sand is blown into the sky by the wind, covering the sky and the earth, like a prehistoric beast, wanting to swallow this pearl in the desert into its belly.

Just when he thought the people here would hide in their houses, a group of people rushed out. The leader was a somewhat wealthy old man, his rough hands tightly gripping a shovel, his eyes full of determination: "Come on, everyone, Yuba will never be swallowed by a mere sandstorm! We will definitely restore Yuba to its former glory!"

His words seemed to have a force that inspired people. A group of strong young men raised their shovels and shouted loudly, rushing forward, or rather, rushing towards the aqueduct, absolutely not allowing the aqueduct to be swallowed by sand, that is Yuba's last hope!

Rodney watched all this, sighed, and followed. He felt like he was meddling, but he just couldn't help himself. It's just helping, it's nothing.

He bought a Sunagakure-made windproof veil in the system shop, breathable and sandproof, the kind that is very useful, plus windproof sunglasses, it can be said that he is fully armed.

The sandstorm came quickly. Rodney entered the sandstorm, and the visibility was very low. Just now, those people were surrounding the aqueduct, shoveling away the yellow sand that was about to slide into the aqueduct.

However, manpower is no match for fate, not to mention that some people are doing it on purpose. Rodney appeared on the side, creating clones. The crowd was startled by his sudden appearance. The old man, Koza, the son of Doto, the builder of Yuba, came out and asked, "Who are you?"

Rodney didn't respond to him. All the clones were distributed on both sides of the aqueduct, their movements exactly the same, and they said in unison: "Earth Release: Earth Style: Mud Wall!"

In the shocked eyes of the others, wall after wall of earth rose from the ground, pieced together, forming a long sand barrier.

And the clones kept moving, piecing together the sand barrier.

When the sandstorm stopped, all of Rodney's clones were exhausted and disappeared. When Doto and Koza found him, he was panting and sitting on a dead purple scorpion.

"Honorable guest, may I ask your name?" Doto gave Rodney the highest Alabasta etiquette. His son, Koza, and the others did the same. To them, this stranger was worth it.

The construction of the sand barrier greatly reduced their daily work and protected the aqueduct, which was equivalent to protecting the lives of the people in this city.

"Rodney. You can call me that." He stood up, the Chakra in his body had been consumed a lot, leaving only a small half of what it used to be, but he still had some left. Since learning the Byakugou Seal, he would inject some Chakra into his forehead every day, but the Byakugou Seal had not yet appeared.

He doesn't plan to use it now, after all, it's not a critical moment, he doesn't plan to use his savings.

He said with a smile: "Uncle, I want to stay here for a few days, can you waive my travel expenses?"

Doto turned his head and said: "Of course, it will definitely be waived. You have done so much to protect the lifeline of this city. I will do my best to get what you want. I am the mayor here, my name is Doto, this is my son, Koza."

Koza was relatively taciturn, but the look in his eyes towards Rodney was obviously respectful, but the respect also carried some vigilance, because the power Rodney had just used was the power of a Devil Fruit. He had also seen Devil Fruit users before, but not such a magical ability.

"Thank you, Uncle." Rodney smiled and dragged away the scorpion that had attacked him while building the Earth Style: Mud Wall. Such a big body must be delicious, right?

Originally, everyone wanted to help him drag the scorpion away, but when they tried, they found that it was difficult for a group of people to drag it, but in Rodney's hands, it was like paper.

Sitting in the best hotel room arranged by Doto, he let out a long breath. Water resources here are very precious, and it would be troublesome to take a bath. Fortunately, Rodney has Water Release, but to avoid misunderstandings by the people here, he chose to take a bath at night.

"Knock knock knock!" A knock on the door sounded.

"Come in."

The person who came in was Koza, "Excuse me, my father asked me to come here to see if Mr. Rodney needs anything."

"Oh, nothing, it's very comfortable here, by the way, what about the scorpion I killed?" Rodney asked.

"It's placed behind the hotel. May I ask, what do you want this for?"

"To eat."

"Eat? Such a big scorpion?" Koza was dumbfounded. They never thought that this kind of thing could be eaten.

"Naturally, oh, by the way, I really need to trouble you to prepare an iron plate and a few stones and firewood, oh, and some seasonings, I want to make teppanyaki." Well, teppanyaki scorpion.

"Okay." Koza left silently.

Although he was puzzled, he still chose to satisfy Rodney. Soon, he found the requirements for teppanyaki. In the evening, as dusk approached.

Rodney lit the fire, dissected the scorpion, threw away all the useless things, peeled off the shell, revealing the white meat inside, which was very tender, just like the meat inside a crab claw, placed it on the iron plate and sizzled, sprinkled with seasonings, making the children on the side cry with envy.

"Come on, let's eat together!" Rodney called people over and held a bonfire party.

The bonfire party lasted until late at night before everyone returned to their homes.

At night, Rodney finished his bath, wrapped in a robe, and came to the roof of the hotel. The starry sky was brilliant and breathtaking.

Looking down, it seemed that someone was waving at him. Upon closer inspection, it was Doto.

He jumped down and asked with a smile: "What's wrong? Uncle Doto, staying up late is not good for the elderly."

Doto smiled and shook his head, saying: "It's nothing, I'm used to it, I get up late in the morning, what's wrong, can't sleep?"

"No, I'm just curious where Yuba's water comes from." He created Earth Style: Mud Wall on both sides of the aqueduct today, but he has never found the source.

Doto didn't hide it from him, saying: "That's groundwater, coming from deep underground to the surface, providing vitality to this city."

"I see, can you dig a well?" This is not Alubarna, which is close to the Santara River. This is located in the center of the desert, relying on groundwater and rainwater to live.

"Digging a well is difficult, we have been working hard." Doto said, he is not a pedantic person, naturally knows to dig a well, but he has dug many wells, but none have produced water.

However, Doto, an old man with a calm face in the face of sandstorms and a spirit as tenacious as steel, will never be defeated by such difficulties and will continue to fight for Yuba.