"Don't worry. This ship has the same effect as Seastone. Sea Kings won't attack us," Alvin said calmly.
"Seastone?!" Kalifa was stunned. She had carefully inspected the ship inside and out, yet she hadn't found any Seastone components at all.
Still, Alvin had no reason to lie to her about something like this.
"That's good. Otherwise, we might run into Sea Kings. But what do we do now?" Kalifa said, still feeling a chill as she looked at the dark, storm-torn sky over the Grand Line.
If Alvin hadn't been able to fly and move at such high speed earlier, they would have already been swallowed by that terrifying storm.
"A storm of this scale probably won't stop for a few days. Let's find an island and rest there for a while," Alvin decided quickly.
Although they could stay on the yacht, this was the Calm Belt, the territory of giant Sea Kings. Resting on land would be much safer.
Kalifa nodded. Their ship didn't rely on wind power and possessed Seastone-like properties, so navigating the Calm Belt was not an issue.
Moreover, they had an Eternal Pose pointing to the next island, the Saint Olka Kingdom, so they didn't have to worry about losing their route.
Fortunately, before long, they discovered a medium-sized island covered in dense forest, with towering trees comparable to those on the outskirts of Chronos Forest.
After docking, just as Alvin was about to store the yacht in his spatial storage, Kalifa stopped him.
"Wait, Alvin. I need to take a bath and change clothes first. I can't go into the forest dressed like this, can I?" Kalifa said seriously, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks.
Alvin turned around, crossed his arms, and looked at her thoughtfully. After a brief moment, he had to admit she had a point. Her current bikini outfit was indeed unsuitable.
"Alright. I'll wash up too. How about we save water and bathe together?" Alvin blinked and said casually.
"No, Alvin I can help wash you, but we are not bathing together," Kalifa replied coolly, then swayed her hips as she walked into the cabin.
A trace of regret appeared on Alvin's face.
Alvin then entered the cabin and headed toward the small pool at the stern. There was only one bathroom, so there was no point competing with Kalifa for it.
However, the moment he stepped into the water, a wave of weakness spread through his body. It wasn't enough to incapacitate him, but it was definitely uncomfortable.
"System, can I remove the side effects of my Devil Fruit using bounty points?" Alvin thought silently.
"Ding~"
"Confirmed."
"100 million bounty points deducted. Devil Fruit side effects removed successfully."
"Ugh..."
"That's much better. Otherwise, what kind of Transmigrator would still be restricted by something as basic as Devil Fruit weaknesses?"
As the side effects vanished, the sense of weakness disappeared as well, replaced by a feeling of lightness and ease.
Being a Devil Fruit user who could swim truly felt incredible.
Alvin floated freely in the pool, enjoying himself, while Kalifa remained in the bathroom, using her Awa Awa no Mi ability to cleanse her body.
In truth, she didn't need to use the bathroom at all. With her ability, she could easily cover herself in bubbles and clean herself instantly, leaving her skin smooth and flawless.
Still, she preferred the comfort of soaking in the bathtub, surrounded by soft foam.
After about twenty minutes, Kalifa stepped out of the tub. Not a single drop of water clung to her delicate skin, yet it looked incredibly supple and hydrated.
She walked barefoot to her wardrobe and opened it, revealing a dazzling array of stylish and alluring outfits.
After hesitating for three seconds, she made her choice.
She selected a pair of black suspender fishnet stockings, black lace safety shorts, a black fishnet top that barely concealed her figure as innerwear, a black deep V body-hugging dress with a high slit, and a pair of black gloves.
Looking at the outfit she had chosen, Kalifa smiled softly and nodded in satisfaction.
Then she dressed herself piece by piece.
Cough cough~
Finally, she walked over to the shoe cabinet, which was filled with various elegant high heels.
She bent down slightly, took out a pair of black stiletto heels with a seven-centimeter heel, placed them on the floor, and smoothly slipped her feet, wrapped in fishnet stockings, into them.
Lastly, she put on the gloves.
After getting dressed, she walked to the full-length mirror. Looking at her refined, alluring, and flawless reflection, Kalifa felt completely satisfied.
Then she stepped out of the room, her heels clicking softly as she swayed her slender waist toward the stern of the ship.
————
At this moment, Alvin was floating on his back in the water, eyes closed, completely relaxed.
Kalifa arrived at the pool and froze in shock when she saw him.
Why wasn't he sinking?
She had come to help him bathe, expecting him to be waiting by the poolside. Instead, she was met with this unbelievable sight.
"Alvin, you can actually swim?!" Kalifa asked in astonishment.
"It's nothing special. If your physique is strong enough, a Devil Fruit user can resist the sea's influence to some extent," Alvin replied calmly.
He swam to the edge of the pool and lay down on the floating waterbed.
"I was waiting for you. Can you wash me now?"
"Oh... alright..." Kalifa's mind was still a bit confused, but her body instinctively activated her Awa Awa no Mi ability, coating Alvin in cleansing bubbles.
A Devil Fruit user who could swim... this completely overturned her understanding.
————
Meanwhile, in the Saint Olka Kingdom, King Olives received news that Red Hawk would soon arrive.
Seated on his luxurious throne, he frowned deeply, considering how to approach Red Hawk and complete the task assigned by Miss Baccarat.
Six months earlier, he had already aligned himself with Gran Tesoro, the massive entertainment city that had gained considerable fame in the New World.
Saint Olka was a member nation of the World Government, and while it once possessed abundant resources, centuries of exploitation had nearly exhausted them.
Without resources, the nation would quickly decline into poverty. If they failed to pay the Heavenly Tribute, they would be stripped of their status as a World Government member.
And when that happened, the World Government would show them no mercy.
At the moment his kingdom faced that exact crisis, Gran Tesoro had extended a helping hand.
They offered to cover Saint Olka's Heavenly Tribute, but in exchange, the kingdom would become subordinate to them.
This time, Miss Baccarat of Gran Tesoro had contacted him with a mission.
He was to test Red Hawk upon his arrival and determine whether he could be persuaded to join Gran Tesoro.
This task left him deeply troubled.
Red Hawk's reputation had spread across the seas. He was known as a ruthless and dangerous man.
Facing someone like that filled him with unease.
However, Miss Baccarat had also mentioned that Red Hawk was extremely lustful.
At that thought, his mind immediately drifted to the beautiful queen he had recently married but had yet to enjoy...
Perhaps this could be used as a way to approach Red Hawk...
...
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guilt_free_daoist
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