Upon hearing Bee's words, everyone froze with anticipation, their eyes fixed on him as if they could see beyond, their excitement growing ever stronger.
"HOHOHOHO, STAY TUNED!..." Bee exclaimed, a confident grin lighting up his metallic face. "Bumblebee Super Evolution!"
Wham!
Suddenly, Bee's enormous mouth flew open and swallowed him whole, from top to bottom. In an instant, his body vanished, leaving only a barrel-shaped block of metal, motionless in place.
"Is that it?" Nami exclaimed, her eyes wide, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
"What?" Leo said incredulously, crossing his arms. "Seeing you so confident, I thought you were going to show us something epic! But you just ate yourself and turned into a block of iron."
"That's right… this ability doesn't seem like much," Bee admitted with a somewhat overconfident laugh. Hearing this, Leo and José exchanged a disappointed glance.
Although he saw everyone's skeptical expressions, Rody didn't look away. He remembered that Wapol had modified his body by devouring himself, transforming into an agile and powerful warrior.
ROAR!
And then it happened. The metal block began to vibrate violently, throwing off sparks, while a mechanical whine echoed through the air.
Suddenly, with a deafening roar, the block exploded, raising a cloud of smoke that enveloped everything. Leaves, dust, and snow flew everywhere as if a tornado had swept them up.
When the smoke finally cleared, everyone held their breath. Before them loomed a gigantic and imposing yellow humanoid motorcycle, with two shoulder-mounted cannons, a gleaming metallic body that reflected every ray of sunlight, and an aura of absolute power that made the ground vibrate beneath its wheels. It appeared on its knees.
"The debut of Super Bumblebee!" Bee roared, radiating an energy that seemed to defy gravity.
"Prepare to see what true power means!"
"Oh wow... are you really Bee?!" Leo and José exclaimed in surprise, staring at Bee's body, which shone with a metallic sheen that reflected the light in an impressive way.
"Bee, you're completely different now than you were a moment ago," Leo commented, taking in every detail of the imposing mechanical figure.
"No... no... I'm not Bee... now I'm Super Bumblebee," Bee replied, extending his index finger and waving it theatrically, with a look of pride that seemed to say, "Look at me, I'm unstoppable!"
"Super Bee, besides looking more impressive than before… what else have you improved?" asked José, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Hehehe, I'm glad you asked! I'm much better than before!" Super Bee exclaimed enthusiastically. "I'm faster, more agile, more resilient… and this is just the beginning."
"That might not be enough for you to feel the changes," he said, leaning slightly forward. "See these two super cannons on my back?" Super Bee pointed proudly, unleashing a burst of energy that coursed through the cannons, illuminating their metallic structures and making the ground beneath them vibrate.
"With these, I can fire devastating blasts, control my speed and power like never before, and instantly modify my body to suit the situation."
"Get ready…" Bee said with a confident smile. "Because Super Bumblebee isn't just faster, stronger, and more resilient, he's also capable of creating, attacking, and adapting to anything he can imagine."
"These two cannons don't look like much!" said José, frowning.
Bee, visibly annoyed, frowned and replied firmly:
"Hmph, now let me show you the true power of these super cannons."
Without further delay, he spun around with impressive speed, pointed his cannons at the Little Snowy Mountain that loomed in the distance.
"Super Powerful Wind Cannon, activate!"
BOOM!
"Quintuple Cannon!"
In the blink of an eye, blue energy condensed furiously in the cannons, swirling and sparking with an electric roar.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
BANG!
The next instant, five projectiles of pure blue energy were fired simultaneously, whizzing through the air like meteors, and with a deafening roar, they slammed directly into the mountaintop, shattering rocks, evaporating the snow, and hurling debris everywhere.
"Awesome!" exclaimed Vivi, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Super Bee, you're incredibly powerful now!"
Super Bee twirled slightly, letting the flashes from his energy cannons illuminate his metallic body with an intense blue glow, as his voice boomed with pride.
"Of course... I'm a superstar now!"
Suddenly, Leo and José couldn't contain themselves any longer at how incredible Bee looked. They ran toward Rody, their eyes shining with excitement and anticipation, and said in unison,
"Mr. Rody! We want to eat the Devil Fruit too! Is that alright?" they both exclaimed.
Rody looked at them with his usual calm, shrugged slightly, and replied with the same composure,
"Fine... if you find a suitable Devil Fruit, I'll let you eat it." His tone was nonchalant, as if he didn't care about so-called Devil Fruits, and that was true. Although for some, a Devil Fruit is a treasure they would kill for, for Rody it was nothing out of the ordinary. With so many Devil Fruits in the world, it wouldn't be difficult to choose two that would be useful to these two guys.
With that, the purpose of their visit to Drum Island had been fulfilled.
Rody had obtained the Baku Baku Fruit with ease, confirming that his mastery was perfect for hunting Devil Fruit users and restoring their abilities, just like Teach did. There was nothing to do on Drum Island, not even anything interesting to see, so Nami didn't even go shopping.
Now that everything was settled, only one new objective remained: to set sail for Alabasta and give that Crocodile guy, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, a good thrashing.
"Come on, get in the car!" Rody ordered, a flash of enthusiasm in his eyes.
He opened the SUV door first, settled into the driver's seat, and the next moment the others climbed in one after another, their faces filled with anticipation.
"Hehehe… in that case, Grandma Kureha, we'll say goodbye," Nami said with a warm smile, sticking her tongue out like a kitten.
"Thank you so much for revealing your secret to staying young—I hope that when we meet again, I'll still have as much energy as I do now," Sebas added, his tone full of respect and gratitude.
"Hehehe! How rude you brats are!" Dr. Kureha replied with a laugh, raising her wine bottle. "I've made it perfectly clear that I'm still young, not a grandmother."
"Hehehe, sorry, Grandma!" Nami responded, making Dr. Kureha feel helpless.
Rody started the SUV's engine while Nami yelled from the passenger seat
"Start it!"
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
ROAR!
The vehicle roared to life as Rody released the handbrake and floored the accelerator. The next moment, the SUV kicked up a huge cloud of dust as it sped toward the docked ship, which was waiting, ready to set sail.
As the SUV slowly disappeared over the horizon, Dr. Kureha swirled the empty bottle in her hand and adjusted her glasses thoughtfully. "Alabasta… that country has always been special… after all, the family there…"
Dr. Kureha paused, sighed, and muttered to herself, "Forget it. None of that concerns me. Besides, that happened centuries ago… Instead of dwelling on it, I should go see how my stupid son is doing with his medical skills, hahaha."
Without another word, she turned and walked away, vanishing into the snow that blanketed the island.
Meanwhile, a burst of music flooded the SUV's interior as it sped across the snow. The notes resonated off the vehicle's walls, creating a vibrant and energetic atmosphere.
"Rody, what's this song?" Nami asked, intrigued, turning up the volume and letting the melody fill the car.
"Hmmm... I don't know either," Rody replied indifferently, shrugging his shoulders. "Bumblebee built this car, so... you'd better ask him. He'll definitely know."
Nami glanced at Bee, who was elegantly following them in his vehicle form across the snow, leaving tire tracks in his wake.
Nami wanted to shout something to him, but between the roar of the engine and the wind, he couldn't hear her. Nami sighed; all she could do was wait until they reached the boat to ask Bee.
"Wait... I'm going to accelerate," Rody said with a mischievous glint in his eyes, as the SUV responded instantly, roaring like a wild animal as it hurtled even faster across the white expanse.
"Whoaaaahhh, wait... wait, Rody!" Nami exclaimed in a panic, gripping the seat tightly as she felt the SUV's speed.
Arabasta, Nanohana Port.
"Captain Igaram, will the princess arrive today?" asked Pell, the sub-captain of the Arabasta Royal Guard, adjusting his white robes adorned with black lines. The man wore dark purple makeup under his eyes, giving him a stern and menacing air.
Igaram, with a firm and serene gaze, nodded confidently. "Yes. I confirmed with the princess through Den Den Mushi. She'll be here soon."
Pell frowned, a hint of worry and bewilderment crossing his usually serious face.
"Captain... will Rody the Assassin be able to defeat Crocodile?"
Igaram crossed his arms, observing the horizon with an impassive expression, as if mentally calculating every possible scenario. His voice, calm yet authoritative, resonated in the dry desert air.
"Rody the Assassin is no ordinary newcomer to the Grand Line." What many consider impossible, he can accomplish. We simply must trust that his strength will be sufficient… and hope that, with luck, Crocodile underestimates his enemy."
Pell swallowed, trying to contain his anxiety. Even a serious person couldn't help but feel a little nervous. The sun shone brightly over Arabasta, reflecting off the golden sand and the citadel walls, and a heavy silence settled between the two officers, as if the desert itself held its breath before the princess's imminent arrival and the confrontation that was about to erupt.
At that moment, a subtle silence enveloped them both for a few minutes. Pell, still uneasy, was the first to break the stifling silence.
"Crocodile is one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and we have all witnessed his power when he became the nation's hero." No matter what happens, no attack can reach him, and he can also unleash sandstorms at will. He is like a natural disaster in human form.
Pell shuddered at the memory of that horror: collapsed buildings, sand rising like giant waves, and the desperation of the people under the scorching desert heat, their bodies mummified by Crocodile with barely any resistance.
"It's true that Crocodile is formidable; after all, he's one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea for a reason. But believe me, that guy is just as destructive as Crocodile… so don't be so pessimistic," Igaram murmured, his gaze steady but thoughtful.
Pell swallowed and narrowed his eyes. "Captain, you and Princess Vivi…"
"I fought the Assassin," Igaram interrupted with a soft sigh. "No… you can't really call it a fight. When I faced him, the mere aura he emanated made me tremble from head to toe."
Pell wanted to ask something else, but his words were cut short when he saw Igaram take the lead, walking briskly toward the ship docking in the harbor, closely followed by Pell.
"Igaram, it's you!" exclaimed Vivi, her eyes shining with excitement as she stepped off the ship.
"Your Highness," Igaram and Pell said in unison, bowing.
Vivi, curiosity and concern etched on her face, asked bluntly, "How is Papa's health?"
"The king is in good health," Igaram replied solemnly.
"But he may not be in the best of spirits. The rebellion shaking the country has left him mentally exhausted."
Before the conversation could turn any more somber, an indifferent voice interrupted them:
"Well, enough about the past. Now take me to find Crocodile." "I'm not interested in listening to your nonsense," Rody said, his tone brooking no argument.
…
Vivi and Igaram nodded and decided to take him to Crocodile's hideout.
…
The enormous SUV roared across the desert sand, kicking up clouds of golden dust in its wake.
"How comfortable… I don't feel any heat in the desert," Nami sighed, leaning back in her seat and enjoying the SUV's air conditioning.
"Hmm, you're right, it seems letting Bee eat the Baku Baku Fruit was a good decision," Rody replied with a grin, adjusting his sunglasses as he gripped the steering wheel firmly with his right hand.
Suddenly, the desert silence was shattered by a thunderous roar: the sand in front of them shifted violently. A huge lizard emerged from the ground, its scales gleaming in the blazing sun. It opened its mouth with a deafening roar, revealing rows of razor-sharp fangs that gleamed like blades.
ROAR
The enormous, ferocious creature roared toward the SUV and, with terrifying speed, lunged at it in a furious, murderous rage.
Seeing this, Rody didn't panic; instead, he offered a faint smile. The next instant, he pressed a button on the driver's seat.
SWISH
Instantly, two cannons emerged from the headlights, and two spheres of blue light began to glow intensely.
HUMB
SWOOOOSH
With a roar reminiscent of thunder, two balls of blue energy shot out at high speed, crossing the desert in a flash.
BANG
SPLAAASH
The enormous balls of blue energy slammed head-on into the creature, giving it no time to react. Upon impact, two huge holes ripped open in the beast's skull, and blood and flesh gushed out like a storm.
DUMB.
The lifeless body of the enormous creature fell onto the dunes of Arabasta, staining them blood red.
"Wow, great shot, Rody!" exclaimed Nami, looking out the window at the creature's massive body lying on the sand.
Rody smiled slightly and continued driving. The SUV slid between the dunes, leaving a trail of sand and smoke in its wake.
"Hey, Rody, why did Bee stop at those ruins over there?" Nami muttered, frowning, her voice thick with confusion.
Rody noticed it too and shook his head. "I don't know. Maybe there's something important on the other side. Let's take a look," Rody replied with a faint smile.
"Hmm, okay!" Nami nodded.
After traveling just a few meters, he stopped the SUV in front of Bee, who waited patiently, the sand swirling around him.
Among the desert ruins, a gaunt old man, covered in dust and sweat, laboriously dug in the sand, as if searching for something long lost.
"This used to be an oasis… how did it become this?" Vivi whispered in disbelief as she emerged from Bee's Earth mode, surveying the desolate ruins before her with horror.
"My name is Vivi." "Excuse me, old man, isn't this the headquarters of the rebel army?" she asked cautiously, her gaze sweeping over each ruin scattered across the landscape.
The old man slowly raised his head, surprise and emotion in his eyes at the sound of that familiar yet distant name. "You said your name was Vivi?" he whispered, his voice trembling. "It's me…! Don't you recognize me?"
Vivi frowned; a distant memory flooded her mind. Her eyes widened, and disbelief and emotion mingled on her face.
"Grandpa Toto!" "Viv!" Vivi exclaimed, her voice breaking as she remembered who the old man was.
At that moment, the old man burst into tears, letting them stream down his wrinkled face.
"Yes… it's me, Vivi… my child!"
Between sobs, he began to tell Koza's story, his voice cracking with pain and longing. Every word was steeped in suffering and loss.
"Damn Crocodile! Mr. Rody… please… make sure you defeat him," Vivi pleaded, kneeling down, tears streaming down her face as she begged for justice and vengeance.
Rody looked at Vivi with a serene expression and replied, "Whatever it takes, let's leave quickly."
Rody turned and walked towards the SUV, thinking: "In this world... all the misfortunes that befall people, or even entire countries, come from their own weakness."