Volume 1 - CH 102

After taking a few days to recuperate, Rhodes and his companions quietly left the Island of Monsters and Barbecue, leaving behind them the tale of dragon slaying.

On the deck of their sailboat, Vivi watched Snowy as she diligently practiced her swordsmanship. She couldn’t help but feel envious of Snowy’s natural talent.

Despite her own weakness, Vivi’s keen observation as a princess of a major kingdom allowed her to see Snowy’s potential. Even at the age of eleven, Snowy’s physical abilities were already on par with those of an adult. This meant that no matter what path she chose to pursue, Snowy could easily become a formidable force to be reckoned with.

With a bright smile on her face, Snowy listened as Vivi praised her efforts. But then, her smile faded as she remembered what Rhodes had said to her. He had told her that she had a little natural talent for swordsmanship and that it would be difficult for her to achieve greatness in this area.

Snowy began to feel disheartened. She had been practicing her swordsmanship for over a month, yet she had not even come close to mastering the basics that Rhodes had conquered in just three days. The gap between their abilities was vast, and it left her feeling frustrated and dejected.

Vivi could see the disappointment written all over Snowy’s face. “What you consider an achievement may be different from what he considers an achievement,” Vivi reassured her. “For Rhodes, becoming a great swordsman is the pinnacle of success in swordsmanship.”

Vivi used a metaphor to try and ease Snowy’s worries. “It’s like making money. Some people believe that earning a billion bellies is the ultimate goal in life. But for you, that billion bellies may just be pocket change.”

Vivi was aware of Snowy’s family background and her immense wealth.

To be frank, when Snowy inherits Gates’ empire, she’ll have no trouble buying up the entire city of Alabasta. Snowy nodded her head, seeming to understand. She flashed a smile and said, “Sister Vivi, you’re so clever. You’ll lead Alabasta to prosperity and strength.”

“By the way, Snowy wasn’t always this powerful. It was all thanks to Rhod-ni, who gave me a special kind of training that strengthened my body.” She flexed her fist, unleashing a gust of wind that belied her delicate appearance. In fact, her punches could shatter stone, and her strength rivaled that of an adult.

“Training? Strengthening?” Vivi was curious. Rhodes could help others get stronger?

It seemed unbelievable.

Snowy noticed Vivi’s curiosity and proceeded to tell her the story of her own training.

“At first, it hurt so much, like an electric shock running through my body. But then, it felt like a strange tingling sensation, and I passed out. I don’t remember much after that.”

“Oh, and there was this weird, hot feeling like something was wriggling around inside me.”

Vivi was increasingly perplexed, her forehead wrinkling with concern. “This pervert!” she gritted her teeth.

Her mental image of Rhodes as a noble and upstanding figure was shattered.

Garbage!

“Pervert?” Snowy was confused. “Why do you think Rhodes is a pervert? Even though it hurt at first, it felt so good later on.”

“I really want to do it again, but Rhodes said the first time was the most effective.” The little girl’s eyes sparkled with longing.

“It’s truly miraculous. In just one day, Snowy grew two or three centimeters taller and became much stronger.”

I heard that Rhodes trains himself like this every day. No wonder he achieved such great success at the age of seventeen.”

As Vivi heard this, she began to blush.

It seemed that she has misunderstood the situation.

“But, it’s so embarrassing to even think about it. What if he refuses?”

Vivi hesitated, but her desire for strength ultimately prevailed. She got up and went to find Rhodes.

…

Inside the cabin.

“Do you want it more intense, or gentler?”

“Is there a difference?”

“Of course there is. If it’s too intense, it will be painful, especially the first time. If it’s gentler, it will be more comfortable, but the transformation will be less drastic.”

“More intense, please.”

After saying that, Vivi’s delicate face turned red and steam emanated from her. She closed her eyes, but could still feel her heart beating fiercely as if it was about to burst out of her chest.

The process that followed was similar to the one with Snowy.

However, at Vivi’s request, and because her body was much more durable, Rhodes increased the electric current intensity.

In the dim cabin, the sound of electricity crackled, and a gradually rising chorus of breathless moans filled the air.

…

Due to the death of Nightblade, the assassins of the dark world gave up their unwise intentions.

The journey proceeded smoothly and quickly, and soon November arrived.

Rhodes and the others finally arrived at Alabasta and landed at the Nanohana port.

“For now, you will wait for me at the port.”

“Yes.”

Gates nodded respectfully.

“Brother Rhodes, come back soon, okay?”

Snowy spoke in a crisp voice.

“Sure.”

Rhodes patted Snowy’s little head, then left with Vivi, heading to the Rainbase. He was determined to take Crocodile down!

“Crocodile is one of the Shichibukai, the powerful and feared pirates who rule the Great Seas. Isn’t this too reckless of us? Mihawk, you know him right?! He’s the world’s greatest swordsman, and he’s also a Shichibukai. Even if Crocodile is a close second, he’s not much weaker.”

On the way, Vivi hesitated for a long time, expressing her concerns.

After all, she was only fifteen years old, her perspective was limited, and her experience was lacking. She didn’t quite understand the power levels of the upper echelons.

In Vivi’s eyes, the Shichibukai were enormous and powerful entities, with tremendous prestige on the Grand Line, especially in the first half of it. They represented absolute strength, and even the most ruthless pirates dared not offend them.

Besides, Rainbase was the headquarters of the Baroque Works, where many devil fruit users resided. It was reckless to charge in without careful consideration.

Vivi thought they should discuss the matter further.

Rhodes shook his head, not bothering to explain.

Crocodile and Gecko Moria were nothing but weaklings, dragging down the average strength of the Shichibukai in the first half of the Grand Line.

Whether it was Doflamingo, Kuma, or Mihawk, they could easily beat those two.

Even Empress Boa Hancock, who was in the middle, could easily defeat Crocodile and Gecko Moria.

In the world of pirates, strength was everything.

Powerful strength was important, but a powerful heart was the true core.

Crocodile and Gecko Moria lost their strong wills after being defeated by the Four Emperors, and put their hopes in outside forces, eventually becoming mere stepping stones for the Straw Hat Pirates.

Seeing that Rhodes had made up his mind, Vivi remained silent. After spending these days with him, she understood what kind of person Rhodes was.

Their daily interactions were gentle, and occasionally, he would make jokes that makes her blush and skip a heartbeat. But once he decides on something, he would not tolerate any doubts.

As Vivi fretted, the two of them quickly crossed the desert and arrived at Rainbase.

Compared to the desert landscape they had just traversed, the newly risen metropolis was bustling and lively, like a completely different world.