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Chapter 113: Cobra
"This ends here, Straw Hat Kid."
Smoker's deep voice echoed through the street.
He used his weapon, tipped with Seastone, to firmly suppress Luffy's chest, rendering the rubber user immobile.
"Damn it... can't move..." Luffy struggled, but the neutralizing effect of the Seastone made it impossible for him to even lift his arm.
Smoker ignored Luffy's struggles. Maintaining the pinning stance, he pulled a Den Den Mushi from the inner pocket of his white coat.
He prepared to call his nearby subordinates to take the Straw Hat captain into custody on the warship first.
If nothing went wrong, after dealing with this big fish, 'Frost Arrow' and 'Pirate Hunter' would be waiting for him to deal with.
"This time, I definitely won't lose again."
Recalling his defeat, a sharp light flashed in Smoker's eyes.
This time, he would not be careless. He would absolutely not let the opponent take his weapon again.
As a Logia fruit user, in the first half of the Grand Line where Haki masters were rare, as long as there was no Seastone or seawater, he was practically invincible against any opponent.
The Den Den Mushi made a purupuru sound, waiting to connect.
In that instant.
Splash!
A bucket of water fell from the sky without warning.
"What?!" Smoker jerked his head up, his pupils shrinking.
But it was too late.
Both he and Luffy were drenched to the bone by the sudden deluge.
For Devil Fruit users, large-scale contact with seawater was no different from a patient being injected with anesthesia.
Both of their bodies lost all strength at almost the same time.
With a clatter, Smoker collapsed to the ground. The Jitte slipped from his powerless hand and rolled aside.
"H-How... is this possible..."
Extremely weak, he spat out a few words, watching helplessly as a long-nosed figure vaulted over a stone wall on the side of the street.
The person had panic written all over his face, yet his movements were surprisingly fast.
"Sorry, Mr. Marine! I didn't mean to!"
The long-nose gave him a sheepish smile, then dragged up the equally weak Luffy.
"Luffy! Quick, we have to go!"
"Usopp... it's you. Weird... I have no strength..." Luffy smiled forcefully upon seeing his nakama, and with Usopp's support, they retreated rapidly.
"His weapon is tipped with Seastone. You ask what Seastone is? Idiot, didn't Ganyu explain this usually? Seastone is specifically used to deal with ability users like you!"
The two drifted further away as they talked, gradually disappearing from the scene.
A long time passed before Smoker finally recovered. The Den Den Mushi in his hand had connected, and Tashigi's voice came through.
"Captain Smoker, what happened? Is something wrong on your end?"
Smoker sat on the ground, holding the Den Den Mushi with one hand. With the other, he smoothed back his hair, which had been messed up by the seawater. He took a cigar from his pocket, clamped it in his mouth, and said:
"Keep an eye on the Straw Hat ship. Once I arrive, surround them all!"
.....
Meanwhile, on the other side of the capital, Alubarna.
After traveling for some time, Ganyu, Vivi, and Ace finally arrived at the outer perimeter of the Royal Palace.
The towering city walls gleamed golden under the desert sun. Guards dressed in traditional Alabastan attire stood on both sides of the city gates, holding spears.
"I won't go in," Ace stopped, pulled down the brim of his orange cowboy hat, and flashed a cheerful grin. "Meeting a King isn't really suitable for a free-roaming pirate like me."
"Then look around the capital. I estimate we won't be long," Ganyu blinked.
She thought for a moment, then untied a coin purse from Vivi and tossed it directly to Ace.
"Take this. Don't eat and run again."
Then, ignoring Ace's reaction, she took Vivi's hand and entered the palace together.
Ace watched their retreating figures, weighing the purse in his hand, and shook his head with a wry smile.
"Luffy's crewmate really is something."
Now, he really felt obligated to help this princess.
Before long.
The two entered the palace and soon met Vivi's father, the current King of Alabasta—Nefertari Cobra.
He was a man who looked much older than his actual age.
Sunken eye sockets, graying hair at the temples, and the sorrow knit into his brow all spoke of the pressure this king had endured over the years.
"Vivi..." Cobra's voice trembled, but he quickly controlled his emotions, his expression becoming complicated. "You shouldn't have come back at this time."
There was no enthusiastic embrace as imagined, no joy of reunion.
In fact, Cobra's expression was incredibly heavy.
"Father?" Vivi was stunned. The thousands of words she had prepared were stuck in her throat. "I... I came back. For the past two years, I was—"
"I know what you were doing," Cobra interrupted her, sighing. "Infiltrating Baroque Works to investigate the truth behind the civil war. I know it all."
Vivi's eyes widened. "You knew? Then why..."
"Why didn't I do anything?" Cobra smiled bitterly. "Vivi, things are not as simple as you think."
At this moment, Cobra's gaze shifted to Ganyu beside Vivi.
His eyes moved slightly, seeming to notice an unusual quality in the blue-haired girl.
Her otherworldly beauty made one feel she was extraordinary at a glance.
Moreover, Cobra sensed a powerful yet peaceful aura from her. He had only seen such presence in high-ranking officials of the World Government before.
"And this is?" Cobra asked.
Vivi snapped back to reality and hurriedly introduced her. "This is Ganyu, a friend I met outside. She and her companions protected me from Baroque Works' pursuit and escorted me all the way back to Alabasta. If not for them, I might have already..."
She didn't finish, but Cobra understood.
The King's expression softened slightly, and he nodded to Ganyu. "Thank you for protecting my daughter. But I apologize. The national treasury is in dire straits; I'm afraid I cannot give you the reward you deserve."
Ganyu shook her head gently, her voice as calm as water. "We helped Vivi because she is our friend. Between friends, no reward is needed."
She was actually voicing the sentiments of the entire Straw Hat crew.
Initially, they agreed to help Vivi for the reward.
But after spending time together, everyone had come to regard Vivi as a close friend and companion. Helping a companion was naturally the right thing to do.
"Thank you, Ganyu." Vivi looked at Ganyu with gratitude.
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