Barnett quickly went to work out; the promise Vic had made for him sounded too good to be true, and he wanted to get to enjoy it as soon as possible.
Barnett left, Vic's place became quiet again. Just then, Rebecca and Wendy walked over.
"You two aren't training, you've come here to slack off!" Vic said with a smile.
"No, we've been training really hard. Can't we take a break? Besides, we're almost at Sift Island. We can already see ships coming and going on the sea!" Rebecca muttered.
"That's right, you're obsessed with cultivation, but you can't force it on us!" Wendy chimed in.
Vic looked out at the sea and saw that there were indeed ships sailing, but he hadn't seen any islands yet.
" Vic, what were you whispering about with Barnett just now? I saw Barnett leave looking really excited. You two wouldn't be..." Wendy said mischievously, giving a thumbs-up as she spoke.
"Slap"
Vic slapped Wendy on the head, making a soft sound.
"What are you thinking with that little brain of yours? Where did your elegance go when we first met? How did you become like this!" Vic sighed speechlessly, while Rebecca burst into laughter.
"It's all because of you. You train us like men every day. How could things not change?" Wendy rolled her eyes.
Vic awkwardly touched his nose. This was indeed related to him. After confirming that Wendy would be the sniper on his ship, Vic subjected Wendy to inhumane, no, rigorous training, all to help her catch up with Rebecca.
However, Vic would absolutely not acknowledge the change in his thinking; he believed it was innate, and that he simply hadn't Awakening to it before.
Wendy is no longer just a girl who only knows how to play with guns; she has now learned to shave and can play with guns while moving at high speed.
His strength is among the top in the Elite Camp. Although his Observation Haki has not yet Awakening, he can already dodge with Kami-e. He has also mastered two of the Six Powers.
"I just talked to Barnett about the direction he's taking to develop his Devil Fruit, and he thinks it's pretty good!" Vic explained.
"Oh, are you planning to let him on board?" Wendy said thoughtfully.
She knew Vic to some extent; he rarely worried about things that weren't his concern unless there was a special reason.
"Yes, Barnett is very capable and has great talent. He will be very successful in the future! He is my chosen head butler."
"Yeah, I think he's good too! You don't like to get involved, so it's perfect for him," Wendy replied.
Poor Barnett has no idea that he's already been thoroughly dealt with; he's destined to become a Grand Steward.
" Rebecca, are you really not going to eat Devil Fruit?" Vic asked Rebecca again.
"I don't have any ideas yet, I'll consider it later if needed! Does Devil Fruit really taste like eating shit? Has anyone actually eaten shit?" Rebecca pondered.
"Cough cough, can't you stop thinking such disgusting things? You're a girl!"
"Not eating a Devil Fruit is fine too. Right now, your strength is still developing, and you don't really need the power of Devil Fruit."
"But Wendy, there's a Devil Fruit would be perfect for you, but the user of that fruit is locked up in Impel Down, so we can't get it right now," Vic said to Wendy.
"I'm not in a hurry either. My skills are improving, so I can wait."
"Yes, I'll find a way to get that fruit then," Vic said seriously, which sounded like he was about to kill someone!
The warships continued sailing forward, and more and more merchant ships passed by, indicating that they were getting closer to the island.
Soon, Vic spotted a dark shape; many cargo ships were coming from that direction, and other vessels were sailing in that direction as well.
A moment later, the warship arrived at the island's dock, but there was nowhere to moor. The dock was too busy, with many cargo ships queuing up to dock.
"The trade here is so bustling! There must be dozens of cargo ships here. No wonder they kidnapped their princess; this country must be incredibly wealthy!" Barnett exclaimed.
That's right. The docks were bustling with activity, filled with porters loading and unloading cargo. They ignored the approaching naval warships, and the other cargo ships showed no intention of making way; everyone was busy with their own tasks.
"This is unbelievable! They'd even abandon their own guardian angel for money. I'm afraid they'll make money but not live to spend it!" Vic exclaimed.
"Ahem, it's not as exaggerated as you say. These cargo ships mainly deliver supplies to the three major government agencies and also serve as transit points to surrounding islands. They are very important transit points, and pirates generally wouldn't dare to attack them. This place isn't far from the three major agencies, so it's easy to provide support," Zephyr said.
"Teacher, since this is considered a logistics base for government departments, why not set up a Marine Base here? It must be very necessary!" Vic asked with some doubt.
This is indeed illogical. There are Marine Base near the entrances to Reverse Mountain in places like Loguetown and the other three sea areas. Logically, this place should be even more important in terms of geographical location.
"I don't know the specifics either. I've only heard that government personnel are stationed on this island, so there's no need for Marine Base!" Zephyr explained.
"So what do we do now? The warships can't dock, and many people will have to stay on the ships." Vic asked.
"I'll go talk to the dock manager. You all wait a bit." Zephyr said, then flew onto the dock using Geppo.
Vic and his crew waited on the ship for a long time, thinking the warship wouldn't be able to dock. Then a cargo ship finally made way for them, its crew cursing and swearing. Vic wished he had Conqueror's Haki; otherwise, he would have definitely taught them a lesson.
Zephyr flew back to the warship with a livid face, clearly furious.
"The government officials guarding the dock completely disregarded us; I almost couldn't resist taking action!" Zephyr said bitterly.
"These officials are really outrageous. Do they think we can't do anything to them just because they have the government backing them? Let's put a sack over their heads and sink them into the sea tonight, so they won't be an eyesore!" Vic said indifferently.
Everyone on the boat burst into laughter, surprised that Vic had this side to him.
"Don't do anything reckless. They're on the same level as our Marine Headquarters; there's no superior-subordinate relationship. Luckily, he managed to contact his superiors in the end, and it's all settled. We can dock now!" Zephyr said helplessly. Having someone above him was really frustrating, but if Vic were to do anything reckless, his future would be ruined.
Vic was just joking; he didn't want to get involved in this kind of thing right now. He wasn't crazy enough to kill someone over a minor disagreement.
A space was cleared at the dock just wide enough for the warship to dock. The warship had to bump into the cargo ships on both sides before it could get in, which drew a barrage of curses from the cargo ships on both sides!
The Elite Camp furious, but they didn't take action. They still had a mission to complete, and apart from the trainees, all the personnel on the warship stayed on board to watch over the ship. Zephyr led the trainees ashore.
Since there's a kidnapping case, the trainees might have a chance to gain combat experience this time.
Vic looked at the dock piled high with goods, most of which were moved by manpower, with no technological products at all.
"Professor Zephyr, should we go directly to the kidnappers or go to the palace?" Barnett asked Zephyr.
"Let's go to the palace first. We don't have any clues right now, and searching directly will be a waste of time. Let's go to the palace and ask for clues first!" Zephyr replied.
After saying that, he led everyone towards the island. Vic didn't say anything, but followed behind, using his Observation Haki to sense the island.
In Vic's perception, the people of this country lived a decent life. As long as they wanted to earn money, they could find a job. The island's commerce was very developed, so all industries on the island were thriving.
"The country is wealthy, and its citizens can make a living. This royal family still has some conscience; they can help find that princess!" Vic thought to himself.
Sift Island isn't very big, about the same size as the Sabaody Archipelago, but its geographical location is really good, and it's connected to government agencies.
" Vic, it's so lively here! Let's explore the area after we rescue the princess!" Rebecca said excitedly.
"Hehe, do you think rescuing the princess is as easy as eating and drinking? You make it sound so casual, you don't even know who the kidnappers are, the outcome is still hard to say!" Vic smiled.
"With you and Professor Zephyr, can't we rescue them immediately?" Rebecca asked doubtfully.
"I don't think Professor Zephyr will intervene. If he does everything, how will we achieve our training goals? So this time, we'll have to find it ourselves!" Vic replied.
"Is that so? Then let's look for it together?"
"Alright, you two come with me. My chances of finding the kidnappers should be much higher!"