The Snow-Snow Fruit?
Xiano was slightly surprised.
Isn't that Monet's ability? The executive of the Donquixote Family who appeared in the Dressrosa arc six years later in the original timeline.
Unexpectedly, this fruit had somehow ended up in his hands now.
"A Logia-Type Ability?"
Kureha also cast a surprised glance. "Such a Devil Fruit is extremely rare. I didn't expect Wapol to have something this good. You're quite lucky, kid."
"For others, it's indeed extremely rare, but for the Captain, Logia-type abilities seem to have become quite ordinary and common," Robin chuckled.
"Oh?" Kureha raised an eyebrow.
"That's true."
Xiano clicked his tongue. "With this one, there are already three Logia-type ability users on the ship."
The Flame-Flame Fruit, the Snow-Snow Fruit, and the Smoke-Smoke Fruit.
If you round it up, it's almost like the ship has its own Three Admirals under his command.
"Not rare enough for you?"
Kureha giggled. "But I think the ability to control ice and snow is pretty cool. Hey, how about using this to pay for the medical fees, handsome?"
"Do you think I'm senile too? The medical fees were already paid!"
"Then how about trading it for something else?"
"What?"
"The secret to eternal youth, beauty, and charm. How about that?"
"Who would want something like that! Besides, old lady, the wrinkles on your face could fit Chopper inside. Where's the youth in that?"
"Hey! Do you want to die, brat!"
...
The two of them got into another noisy fight. When they finally calmed down, Kureha, bruised and battered, stood sulkily with her arms crossed, while Xiano, unscathed, turned to leave, waving with a laugh:
"Alright, I'm really leaving now. See you later, old lady! Chopper!"
"Take care, Brother Xiano, Sister Robin!"
Chopper stood on his tiptoes, waving his arms frantically.
Their figures eventually disappeared into the night.
Chopper stood at the door, unwilling to leave for a long time, until he could no longer see their backs.
"Alright, stop standing there like a fool."
Kureha patted his head. "If you want to see them again, hurry up and study hard so you can graduate early!"
"Yes! Doctoress!"
Chopper wiped away his tears, clenched his little hooves, and a fighting spirit ignited in his eyes.
Kureha casually assigned Chopper his study tasks for the day. When Chopper returned to his room, she comfortably lay back on the sofa and opened another bottle of wine.
Hmm?
She suddenly looked suspiciously toward the top of the wine cabinet.
At that moment, Chopper's cry came from the room:
"Doctoress!"
"Hmm?"
"Where's my cotton candy? I only took a small bite this afternoon and saved the rest to eat tonight!"
"I don't know. Maybe the mice ate it. Who in their right mind would steal your candy for no reason?"
Kureha impatiently brushed it off, her eyes scanning the wine cabinet back and forth.
Compared to worthless cotton candy...
Strange.
She scratched her head, puzzled. Where was that bottle of sherry she had stored at the top of the cabinet for thirty years?
Did she get so drunk yesterday that she accidentally opened that one too?
...
Night sky.
Kuma, who was flying through the air, suddenly felt a chill on his scalp. He instinctively paused and touched the top of his head.
Huh?
Where's my hat?
I distinctly remember picking it up from the table and putting it on my head before leaving the house.
Could it be that I was in such a hurry to get to Dressrosa that I flew too fast, and the night wind blew it off?
Kuma turned his head, hesitated for a moment, and considered going back to look for it. But the vast sea stretched endlessly before him… In the end, he gave up and continued speeding toward the New World.
...
Drum Island's river.
Under the moonlight, Xiano and Robin climbed onto the back of a sea turtle moored there.
"Are we going to meet up with the others now?" Robin asked.
"Yes, I contacted them yesterday using the Den Den Mushi you lent me. They've just arrived at a place called Hot Spring Island. Robin, do you have a pointer to get there?"
"I do."
Robin opened her backpack. "I've prepared Eternal Poses for over a dozen islands near Alabasta."
"You're a lifesaver, Robin!"
Xiano was overjoyed and immediately gave her a bear hug.
Robin stiffened slightly as she was pulled into his embrace, but Xiano quickly let go and excitedly rummaged through the backpack for the Eternal Pose.
She returned to her usual composure, watching Xiano's back with a hint of self-mockery as she rubbed her forehead.
Even though I know the Captain is different from those people in the past—a man I can trust—I still instinctively reacted with resistance…
When will I ever be able to let go of this deeply buried sense of vigilance in my subconscious?
"Why so quiet?" Xiano asked absentmindedly as he searched. "Nervous about meeting the other crew members for the first time?"
"Not really."
Robin stretched out her arm, gazing at the moon through her fingers, and chuckled softly.
"It's just that I've been alone for so long. The thought of suddenly joining a lively group feels a bit overwhelming."
"Haha, don't worry, it'll be fine."
Xiano finally found the pointer and stood up with a laugh. "There aren't many rules on my ship. Everyone's pretty laid-back. Sure, they can be noisy, but that's about it. You'll fit in easily. Oh, and there are cats and dogs on board—feel free to pet them!"
Cats and dogs?
Robin's eyebrows raised slightly, a spark of curiosity igniting in her heart.
The dog must be that incredibly strong giant wolf, but the cat? Is it that soft little creature that looks like Mochi?
How is that even remotely like a cat…
The sea turtle slowly turned, carrying the two of them into the night.
Moonlight shimmered on the sea, creating a silvery path across the water.
...
The evening breeze was cool.
After leaving Drum Island, the temperature quickly became comfortable. Robin took off her thick winter coat and spread it out in front of her seat.
Xiano used it as a pillow, lazily lying on the turtle's shell.
It definitely wasn't as comfortable as lying on Robin's lap, but now that he was fully recovered, it would be awkward to pretend to faint again.
At this moment.
He appeared to be gazing at the starry sky, lost in thought.
In reality, he had already opened the system panel and was carefully tallying the Points he'd earned during his time on Drum Island.
Ever since he obtained Henry's guide to thievery, he had studied it diligently, learning from its strengths and integrating its techniques. His thieving skills had now reached a level of mastery that was almost supernatural.
During his stay in the treehouse, he had made several attempts, and yet, not a single person in the treehouse had noticed.
The rewards, naturally, were substantial.
[You sacrificed Chopper's cotton candy and gained 50 Points.]
[You sacrificed Kureha's treasured sherry wine and gained 300 Points.]
[You sacrificed Wapol's jeweled crown and gained 450 Points.]
[You sacrificed Robin's cowboy hat and gained 1200 Points.]
[You sacrificed Kuma's bear-eared hat and gained 3200 Points.]
The biggest gain was undoubtedly the bear-eared hat, worth over 3000 Points, significantly more valuable than Crocodile's hook.
This also highlighted just how formidable Kuma's strength was.
However, initially, Xiano's target had actually been the Bible that Kuma kept on the table.
This Bible had been held in Kuma's hands for decades, becoming one of his most iconic personal items. Later, it even became a key feature to distinguish him from the Pacifistas.
Thus, it was undoubtedly the most "valuable" item on Kuma. But when Xiano casually flipped through a few pages, he realized:
—This was no ordinary Bible.
The thick book was densely filled with various pieces of information personally recorded by Kuma.
For instance, the cycles of Bonney's illness, her temperature fluctuation curves, the diagnostic opinions of various doctors, the prescriptions tried and their effects…
There were even clipped newspaper fragments documenting scattered reports about Jade Scale Disease from around the world.
The Bridge Kingdom, Weatheria, Boin Archipelago, Baltigo, Amazon Lily… Many places were on his itinerary, some already visited, others not yet.
It was then that Xiano understood.
In the original timeline, at Sabaody Archipelago, when Kuma sent the Straw Hat crew flying to train for two years…
Those were all places he had personally traveled to in his quest to find a cure for his daughter.
The path to salvation lay within.
Xiano immediately closed the "Bible" and returned it to its original place.
If he had actually sacrificed this item, he would have been too guilt-ridden to sleep all night.
In the end, he chose to sacrifice the bear-eared hat, which didn't carry as much significance. It was just a hat Kuma liked, not as valuable as the Bible, but still worth 3200 Points. Combined with the other items, the total came to 5200 Points.
This brought Xiano's remaining Points to 50,700, breaking the 50,000 mark for the first time and leaving him with an unprecedented abundance.
Closing the system panel, Xiano felt a wave of relief and joy.
Tsk, sometimes having too much money can be a burden.
Once he reunited with his crew, the shop would likely refresh in a few days.
He hoped there would be some good items then, allowing him to splurge a bit~
...
Time flew by.
Five days later, Xiano and Robin arrived at Hot Spring Island and successfully reunited with the others.
This Hot Spring Island was also a well-known vacation spot.
The island was dotted with natural hot springs, with springs gushing year-round, shrouded in mist.
Rumored to have healing properties due to the mineral-rich hot spring water, it attracted many tourists every year for recuperation and vacation.
The crew had been waiting here for a while and were already familiar with the place. As soon as Xiano arrived, the crew dragged him to the island's best hot spring bathhouse.
This suited Xiano just fine.
Life on the turtle shell wasn't exactly comfortable after a while, and even basic hygiene became a challenge. He planned to rest here with Robin for a day, replenish his energy, and then set off for the next destination.
...
As the night deepened, the hot spring area was enveloped in a hazy mist. Paper lanterns hung under the eaves, their warm yellow glow diffusing through the steam, casting the entire bathhouse in a dreamlike aura.
Splash—
Amid the rising white steam, Xiano leaned back and sprawled in the volcanic rock pool. The warm spring water flowed over his shoulders and neck, relaxing his muscles inch by inch. The towel on his head had long been wilted by the heat, but he couldn't be bothered to adjust it. Instead, he let out a long, contented sigh.
"Indeed, after escaping that freezing winter island, soaking in a hot spring is the most comfortable thing..."
Suddenly, smoke drifted over from the right.
Xiano sighed in exasperation and turned his head to look at the adjacent pool. "I mean, Smoker, really? You brought a cigar into the hot spring? Can't you go without smoking for just a little while? Is it going to kill you?"
"Can't help it, boss," Smoker grinned, raising the cigar in his hand. "This is a gift from Miss Robin. She said it's the premium stuff Crocodile loves to smoke, worth fifty thousand Berry per stick. I've never had anything of this quality before. Can't miss the chance to savor it properly."
A gift from Robin?
Already making moves, huh?
Xiano raised an eyebrow, amused.
He remembered clearly.
In the original timeline, when Robin first boarded the Merry, apart from Sanji immediately welcoming her, the rest of the crew had been highly wary and hostile toward her.
And Robin?
She effortlessly found the weaknesses of Nami, Chopper, and the others, breaking them down one by one. With just a few small tricks, she quickly dissolved the crew's guard against her.
Now, it seemed his own crew wasn't immune to this either.
If this helped Robin settle in and integrate faster into the group...
Xiano grinned. He'd just sit back and enjoy the show, not bothering to interfere.
"Old man Zeff," he called out, looking across at Zeff, who was engrossed in a book. "Don't tell me Robin gave you something nice too?"
"Eh, Captain, how did you know?" Zeff looked up in surprise, closing the book and showing the cover to Xiano.
"Here, this is what Miss Robin gave me—'The Lost Culinary Encyclopedia of Alabasta.' She said she found it in Crocodile's collection."
He flipped through the pages, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Alabasta truly is an ancient civilization. There are so many dishes recorded here that even I've never seen before! Especially this Gaia Roast—it's cooked on a natural stone slab heated by the blazing sun, with added rosemary and perilla leaves..."
Once Zeff got started on anything related to cooking, he couldn't stop, rambling on and on to Xiano and Smoker.
Xiano let the words go in one ear and out the other, his gaze shifting to the bamboo wall nearby.
Tsk, even the most composed old man on the ship had been easily won over.
He wondered if any of the younger girls could escape Robin's grasp.
...
Meanwhile.
On the other side of the wall, in the women's bathhouse.
Amidst the swirling white steam, dazzling holy light collided and pressed against each other.
"Wow! Thank you, Sister Robin!"
Nami excitedly hugged Robin. "Drum Island, Toll Island... all the islands near Alabasta, you've prepared all the nautical charts and materials? That's amazing! My Grand Line charting project can take a huge leap forward now!"
"It was nothing."
Robin smiled gently. As Nami eagerly ran off to the side to flip through the nautical materials, Robin handed a thick stack of books to Nojiko.
"These are several martial arts manuals collected by Baroque Works, mainly focusing on Mr.2's Okama Kenpo. While this style isn't suitable for girls, there are still some valuable insights inside. You can use them to fill in the gaps and reference them."
Nojiko took the books and, after flipping through a few pages, her eyes lit up.
This is good stuff!
Just as Robin had said, for someone like her who had been practicing multiple martial arts, this summarized version of the manual had many useful points and would be quite beneficial.
"Sister Robin!!!"
Nojiko couldn't help but pounce on her as well.
In the corner of the bathhouse.
Kuina, wrapped in a towel, leaned against the bamboo partition, her cold gaze fixed on that slender figure.
Hmph.
Cunning old woman.
She's just a newcomer who recently joined Xiano's crew, yet she's already using gifts to quickly build relationships with the crew members?
Even Nami and Nojiko are calling her "sister" now!
How infuriating.
This kind of mature woman's ease and confidence is downright maddening!
But...
Since I've already seen through her, I won't fall for it!
As for gifts, I'll just refuse them outright...
"Vice Captain Kuina."
A gentle voice came from beside her, accompanied by a faint floral fragrance. Kuina turned in surprise, only to find Robin standing right in front of her.
"Is it okay to call you that?" Robin blinked. "After all, that's what the newspapers and wanted posters say."
"Uh, it's fine to call me that here," Kuina's face immediately turned red, and she whispered, "But please don't call me that in front of Xiano-sama yet. He... he hasn't officially approved it, so I can't..."
"I'm sure it'll be fine."
Robin leaned in slightly, smiling warmly. "During the battle at the dock, I saw it all. The leadership and strength you displayed make you the perfect fit for this position, don't you think?"
"Ah, r-really?"
Kuina was already feeling a bit dizzy. Damn it, it must be the steam from the hot spring bath making her feel so unsteady!
"Also, Vice Captain, I've prepared a gift for you too. It's a famous sword that has been passed around in Alabasta for a long time."
"Of course, its quality can't compare to your Wado Ichimonji, but as a backup sword, it should be barely qualified."
"This is..."
Kuina's eyes widened, and a look of delight flashed in them. "One of the Skillful Grade Swords, Hanakawa!"
...
On the other side of the bamboo partition.
After hearing Kuina involuntarily call out "Sister Robin,"
Xiano shrugged and withdrew his gaze.
Well, even the Master Swordsman girl has been won over, and my two scatterbrained sisters are no exception. It seems the outcome is already clear.
...
The next morning.
Everyone had replenished their energy and was in peak condition.
The Sunset, with its magnetic charge fully replenished, didn't delay any further and set off from Hot Spring Island that very day, heading towards the next destination indicated by the Log Pose: Alabasta.
Xiano sat under a parasol, leisurely sipping coffee as he gazed at the distant horizon.
Alabasta, huh.
Even though his own adventure hadn't yet taken him there, the shadowy big boss who loomed over that country, Crocodile, had already been dead for what felt like centuries.
It was a rather peculiar feeling.
Baroque Works had already crumbled, and the drought in Alabasta hadn't even begun. It seemed there wouldn't be any major upheavals in that place.
You can take in the cultural and natural scenery of the ancient desert kingdom along the way, then head straight for the target he's most concerned about.
—The Poneglyph deeply hidden beneath the burial palace in the capital city of Alubarna.
It contains evidence of the true existence of Pluton in history, as well as clues to its whereabouts. Robin would probably be very interested in this.
As for Xiano himself…
He wasn't interested in Pluton, but he was quite intrigued by the stone slab itself.
"I've heard that all Poneglyphs are indestructible…"
His eyes sparkled with desire.
As his strength gradually increased, mere steel plates could no longer satisfy his daily physical training needs.
Switching to a Poneglyph seemed like a more promising challenge?
...
Alabasta, Eruma.
This was the famous oasis city of Alabasta.
As the gateway to the Sandora River, it was also the essential passage for merchant ships and travelers entering the heart of Alabasta.
On both sides of the river, stone-built docks extended into the azure waters. Merchant ships laden with various goods often had to dock here, unloading treasures from distant lands.
However—
At this moment, the docks were overcrowded. Masts were packed like a forest in the wide river, and cargo boxes that should have been promptly unloaded were piled up like mountains. Sailors anxiously leaned over the ship rails, looking around.
"Still not letting us pass?"
"What's going on? Are they going to let us through or not?"
"You just got here, right? Don't rush. I've been waiting here all day, and it's still early!"
"You've been here since yesterday, old man? Do you know what's going on?"
"Look over there yourself. Don't you have eyes?" the old Captain snorted coldly. "With such a huge Pirate ship blocking the way, who dares to go past?"
"A Pirate ship?" someone sneered. "How novel. We're all doing business on the Grand Line. Who hasn't seen a Pirate ship before? The Sandora River is so wide. How can one ship block all of us?"
"Idiot, do you think it's just any ordinary Pirate?"
The old Captain sneered, pointing his pipe at the fluttering Jolly Roger. "See that giant figure, five or six meters tall, under the flag?"
"That guy is one of the Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea appointed by the World Government—Hanafuda! A terrifying monster with a former bounty of 500 million Berry!"
"Not all Warlords of the Sea are as approachable as Sir Crocodile. If you want to go get yourself killed, I won't stop you!"
The surrounding sailors gasped in unison:
"A… a Warlord of the Sea?"
"What's he doing here?"
...
The black ship loomed like a beast at the river's mouth, its crimson sails adorned with playing card motifs flapping in the desert wind.
On the broad deck.
A man in a black coat lazily leaned against the railing, with a dozen merchants tied up like dumplings kneeling at his feet.
"You guys, I already told you. Until I get what I want, no ship will be allowed to pass through this river. Why didn't you believe me and had to force your way through?"
Hanafuda said with a smile, and under the terrified gazes of the merchants, he drew the massive scythe from his back—a weapon nearly four to five meters long.
Thud!
The scythe suddenly pierced the deck, embedding itself into the wooden planks right next to a merchant's ear.
The merchants, trussed up like dumplings, collectively convulsed, their bodies trembling. One of them, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, was so terrified that he wet his pants, the stench of urine mingling with the air on the deck.
"Tsk, seems their courage isn't all that great," Hanafuda sneered, leisurely stepping forward and drawing his sickle once more.
"I've been blocking this river all day, and the royal family of Alabasta doesn't seem to care at all. Are they really that indifferent to the losses caused by a day-long blockade, or do they just not take me seriously enough?"
He ran his fingers along the blade of the sickle, speaking in a calm tone, "What do you think? If there's more bloodshed, if a few dozen more lives are lost, do you think the royal family will hurry over a bit faster?"
The deck fell into a deathly silence.
"Why isn't anyone speaking?" Hanafuda's expression turned cold. "You merchants, do you also not take me seriously?"
"Mm, mmm...!" The merchant with the gold-rimmed glasses struggled desperately, tears nearly streaming down his face in his urgency.
Hanafuda stared at him for a couple of seconds before suddenly realizing the issue. He turned his head in a mix of anger and embarrassment.
"Jack, you idiot! I told you to tie these people up, not to gag them as well!"
"Huh?"
The burly, golden-haired young man was momentarily stunned, scratching his head in a simple-minded manner.
"Sorry, Boss Hanafuda! It's my first time accompanying you on a job, and I didn't hear clearly. Please forgive me!"
"Enough with the excuses, just get to work!"
"Yes, sir!"
Under Hanafuda's furious glare, the young man named Jack hurriedly stepped forward and removed the rag stuffed in the merchant's mouth.
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