Setting Out, Destination: East Blue

"Nani?"

Robin had assumed that Ye Zhuo's invasion of Alabasta had happened so quickly

because he had some unspeakable ulterior motive.

Perhaps he had come for the secret of Pluton as well.

She had never expected that he merely wanted to invite her to become a massage therapist!

"For the sake of my crew's physical health,

my Demon King Pirates urgently need a massage therapist.

Your Flower-Flower Fruit is simply too suitable for it."

After Ye Zhuo finished speaking,

Robin could not think of how to reply. It was her first time encountering someone so unimaginably powerful,

someone who had casually defeated even Crocodile, the great pirate and Shichibukai,

uprooted the undercover CP9 agents in Water 7,

executed Celestial Dragons in the Sabaody Archipelago,

faced the Buster Call without fear, defeated two Admirals, and left them too afraid to show themselves even now.

Such an existence

only wanted to recruit her as a massage therapist?

"May I ask something?"

Robin looked at Kalifa.

"What does she do?"

"A shipwright."

Just as expected. This was far too adorable!

Robin lowered her head and fell silent for a moment. She felt that joining the Demon King Pirates would be the best decision she had ever made in her life.

The scheming Robin could always hit a soft spot in the strangest places.

Cobra, Vivi, and Igaram, who had witnessed this scene with their own eyes, stood there dumbfounded.

They felt as if their entire worldview had collapsed. It was like their breathing had stopped and their minds could no longer think.

Kalifa had already been issued a bounty, declared to be a traitor of CP9.

Yet someone like that was a shipwright?

Robin, the Devil Child, had been wanted since childhood and was a survivor of Ohara, yet she was going to become a massage therapist.

They were speechless and even began to ponder Ye Zhuo's earlier words.

Could those words have truly meant exactly what they said?

Ye Zhuo walked toward Rainbase and tossed out bags upon bags of Dance Powder.

He took out Crocodile's Baroque Works files

and looked over the contact information for its various members.

One Shadow Ninja after another, along with Blade Shadowkhan, departed.

Very soon, Baroque Works would be completely destroyed. Only then would the mission be considered complete.

"This is!"

Cobra held up the Dance Powder, then picked up Baroque Works' secret documents.

The truth suddenly dawned on him.

The reason Crocodile had wanted to save Alabasta and drive out the pirates was all for an unimaginable conspiracy.

He looked at Ye Zhuo's retreating back, his heart filled with shock.

Could it be that Ye Zhuo was wise enough to appear foolish?

"I'm going to build a fountain here. No, it should be a lake, and then a water park.

When the time comes, your royal family can collect the admission fees for me. From now on, aside from spices, managing ticket sales will be your responsibility."

After Ye Zhuo spoke,

the system notification finally sounded by his ear.

[Chain Main Quest Completed: Crew Completion Plan II: Seize Alabasta]

[Quest Reward: Water Demon Aura—Complete Version (includes Water-Summoning Formation)]

Ye Zhuo swallowed the Water Demon Aura in one gulp.

Basha's magic surfaced in his mind as well.

[Chain Main Quest Activated: Crew Completion Plan III: Use Water Demon Aura for the first time and invite Robin and Vivi to become crew members]

[Quest Reward: Advanced Observation Haki—Ultra-Long Range]

A massive dragon tail grew from behind Ye Zhuo, and he quickly drew across the ground.

Then he began chanting under his breath, ignoring everyone's stares.

Before long,

more and more water poured forth from the formation.

This unscientific sight caused Cobra to completely lose his sense of self.

Could Devil Fruits really be this outrageous?

He could not help recalling Ye Zhuo's words from earlier.

"Build a water park, and have the royal family collect the admission fees for him..."

The thought left him both shocked and delighted.

"It's fresh water, fresh water!"

What was wrong with collecting admission fees? Even if Crocodile's plot had been exposed and failed,

only a few places in Alabasta were oases, and rainfall was still scarce.

But what Ye Zhuo had brought was an enormous supply of fresh water!

"What? You prefer seawater?

That's fine. I can summon that too.

While I'm at it, I can turn your Alabasta into Atlantis and sink the whole thing beneath the sea."

Water Demon Basha had once been the ruler of the seas, rivers, lakes, and streams.

"No, no, no, this is wonderful. Let's build a water park right here!

Lord Ye Zhuo, the Alabasta royal family will spare no effort!

We will also pay a certain amount of Beli for this fresh water!"

Cobra said happily.

Demon King Ye Zhuo had become known to the world ever since his name spread from Water 7.

"Whatever. Normal prices are fine."

Ye Zhuo looked at Vivi and invited her again.

"Become my ship's doctor. Like this fresh water, become new hope for this world!"

"I... I like adventure too, but if this kingdom loses me, it definitely will..."

Vivi decisively refused. She still had responsibilities to bear.

She wanted to go on adventures too, but what would become of Alabasta's future without her?

Her father was growing older by the day. How could she bear to let him exhaust himself?

"First of all, Alabasta is my kingdom.

Your father will not need to work so hard in the future.

His main job will be collecting water park admission fees."

Ye Zhuo patted Vivi on the shoulder.

"Second, if you don't set sail,

I'll immediately summon seawater and sink Alabasta beneath the sea.

Your old man won't get to collect any admission fees either."

"Are you threatening me?"

Vivi looked at Ye Zhuo, her gaze blazing.

"Mm. Do you want to become a crocodile or an eagle?"

Ye Zhuo pointed at the unconscious Sand Crocodile.

He had clearly become a real crocodile.

"I'm willing to board the ship."

Vivi's gaze dimmed.

She knew she had no leverage to negotiate with Ye Zhuo.

If she refused, not only would Vivi become a crocodile, but her father, King Cobra, would become one too.

Ye Zhuo's infamous reputation was enough to make children stop crying.

"Ding!"

A system notification sounded by his ear.

Ye Zhuo smiled in satisfaction.

"Alright, you're free now. Get off the ship."

[Chain Main Quest Completed: Crew Completion Plan III: Invite Robin and Vivi to become crew members]

[Quest Reward: Advanced Observation Haki—Ultra-Long Range]

Now Ye Zhuo could truly use Observation Haki from Alabasta's harbor to see Rainbase.

[Chain Main Quest Activated: Crew Completion Plan IV: Head to East Blue, find a female swordswoman wearing glasses, and invite her to set sail]

[Quest Reward: Rumble-Rumble Fruit]

Once Enel died, the Rumble-Rumble Fruit would become available.

Ye Zhuo was very satisfied with this reward.

Still, he had to make a trip to East Blue.

Once he completed the mission, he naturally would not need to take Vivi out to sea.

What would be the point of facing a bitter expression all day long?

"I'm getting off the ship?"

Vivi did not understand. She had not even officially set sail

before leaving the Demon King Pirates.

"That's right, you're already off the ship."

Ye Zhuo said as he turned around.

"We'll replenish supplies here and depart in three days."

He left Vivi alone, utterly confused.

The royal palace.

After returning home, Vivi became even more despondent.

She could not understand how Ye Zhuo's brain worked.

The more Vivi thought about it, the angrier she became. She wished she could go punch Ye Zhuo right then.

Igaram, Pell, and Chaka all came to comfort her.

Demon King Ye Zhuo was simply a moody and unpredictable man.

But Vivi could not take any of it in. Instead, a thought arose in her heart: set sail!

She had to go to sea. She had to get even for this insult!

The underground passage beneath the palace.

Cobra was filled with despair. The secret his royal family had guarded for generations was about to be discovered.

But he had no other choice. Ye Zhuo could destroy the homes of countless people at any moment.

Robin gazed at the Poneglyphs here and said to Ye Zhuo,

"What is recorded here is Pluton's location."

In her view, Pluton would definitely interest Ye Zhuo.

"Oh, there's no need to look for it."

Ye Zhuo took out a set of blueprints.

"It's only Pluton. When we have time, we can just go to Water 7 and build one ourselves."

Cobra, who had been sorrowful moments ago, and Robin, who had intended to use Ye Zhuo to continue adventuring, were both left staring in astonishment.

"I was hunted by CP9 in Water 7 because of this."

Ye Zhuo handed it to Cobra.

"Interested? How about we build two? One for you and one for me."

Cobra glanced at the blueprints, the corners of his mouth lifting.

He laughed.

All the worries in his heart turned to ashes. They had been utterly meaningless.

"Hahahaha, are there really people in this world who aren't interested in Pluton?"

"To be precise, it's Mr. Iceburg of Water 7 who doesn't dare build it."

Ye Zhuo was helpless as well.

"How much else do you know about the Poneglyphs?"

For the first time, Robin realized that her schemes were meaningless.

"The sea will give us the answer!"

Ye Zhuo laughed heartily. His adventure had only just begun.

Like Cobra, Robin looked at Ye Zhuo with shock in her eyes.

Three days later.

The Demon King Pirates set sail.

Robin officially became a crew member, while Vivi secretly snuck aboard.

Cobra clutched his stomach and laughed amid the worried looks of his ministers.

"That's the Demon King among pirates! Princess Vivi will definitely be in danger if she boards that guy's ship!"

"Perfect. Let us hide beneath the Demon King's brilliance for a while."

On the route to East Blue.

Ye Zhuo looked at Vivi in front of him.

"Didn't you say you didn't want to go to sea?"

"I'm going to sea anyway. I'll return in three years, and you won't be able to stop me."

Vivi turned her head away.

"Suit yourself. Ship's doctor Vivi, this Devil Fruit is for you. Develop it well."

Ye Zhuo tossed the Disease-Disease Fruit to Vivi.

"It tastes awful!"

Vivi wore a bitter expression. She stood and looked toward Alabasta, tears immediately streaming down her face.

"I'm setting sail!"

"Crybaby!"

With a single remark from Ye Zhuo, Vivi's tears came to an abrupt stop.

She took another bite of the Disease-Disease Fruit, making herself adapt to life at sea as quickly as possible.

When she looked at Ye Zhuo, he had already fallen asleep on the deck.

The sea breeze blew.

That year, Vivi was still waiting for adventure.

Very soon.

News that the Demon King Pirates had occupied Alabasta spread throughout the Grand Line.

What shocked the world was that Crocodile, the former Shichibukai, had not even left a corpse behind.

A week later, the Crocodile Pirates were established.

Its captain was a crocodile, rumored to have eaten the Devil Fruit of Crocodile, the former Shichibukai.