"Ahhh, my whole body hurts~~"
In the bathroom of the Golden Merry, Nami soaked in the bathtub, groaning: although Roman had secretly 'gone easy', Nami and Vivi still took several punches from the 'pain puppets'.
"Damn Roman, even I have to—"
The damage from the puppet's fists was minimal, but the subsequent stinging...
"Alright, Roman... is doing this for our own good."
Vivi, also soaking in the hot water, helped Nami apply ointment. This was something Roman had bought, which could clear heat and detoxify, promote muscle growth, and stop bleeding. It was very popular in this war-torn world. The usual 'medical paper bandages' were actually paper strips coated with this ointment.
"Ugh, thanks, Vivi."
Leaning against the edge of the bathtub, Nami enjoyed Vivi's application and massage, finally calming down. However:
She felt a bit dizzy?
Was it because she had been soaking for too long...
——————
Crash,
Nami had a bathtub and hot water; but for the boys:
"Ahhh, it's so cold!"
A bucket of cold water poured over his head made the afro-haired Usopp shiver. Meanwhile, the others:
Splash!
Cold water poured over them, but they remained unfazed.
"Are you guys even human?"
Snow had already started falling outside, yet Roman, Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji were all bare-chested, showering. They looked 'refreshed', making Usopp feel increasingly out of place.
Am I the normal one?
Or am I just weak?
"Roman's training method seems pretty good," Zoro closed his eyes and felt carefully, "I can vaguely sense your 'auras'..."
"That's because Marianne's ability still lingers in us, keeping our 'minds' active," Roman took a towel and dried himself off. With a thought, sheets of white paper appeared on his body, forming a set of 'clothes'.
"Her ability is to merge her 'mind' into the paint, thereby influencing others."
"The key to Observation Haki is to 'listen to everything' with your mind. With Marianne's ability, we should soon reach the threshold of Observation Haki."
In that case, even if it doesn't improve 'attack power', it will greatly enhance evasion and survival abilities.
"Unfortunately, as for the 'Armament Haki' you mentioned..."
"There's nothing I can do about that," Roman spread his hands. He knew his limits: fully believing in himself and throwing a punch with all his might was something he, as a transmigrator, couldn't do. However:
"Don't worry, I believe you and Luffy will definitely awaken 'Armament Haki'..."
"Hey, hey, hey, what about me?"
Sanji wasn't having it, as if he was being compared unfavorably to that moss head!
"You..."
If you didn't spend so much time cooking and focused on training, you wouldn't be any worse. Roman stroked his chin but didn't say it out loud.
If they were on a different ship, Sanji might become stronger. Because:
Luffy's appetite... it's a black hole that could exhaust several chefs! Plus, the ship is full of big eaters with high energy consumption, so Sanji has to spend most of his time cooking and balancing nutrition. Therefore:
It's normal for his strength to gradually fall behind the first tier...
——————
"Here, today's snack is cream puffs."
After everyone finished a day of training, Sanji brought snacks and tea to Nami and Vivi like a gentleman. As for the drooling Luffy, Usopp, and the running duck Karoo—
"Yours are in the kitchen, get them yourselves."
"Oh oh oh~~~"
"Quack quack~~"
"By the way, Miss Marianne."
Sanji also prepared rice crackers and red tea for the little girl with a hat and a calm face.
"Thank you for your help, a little token of appreciation."
"Thank you."
The little girl with the hat nodded and slowly nibbled on the rice crackers. Her calm eyes flickered slightly as she looked at the Straw Hat Pirates.
While everyone was eating and drinking, Zoro, shirtless, was still in the 'training ground' at the back, swinging dumbbells weighing hundreds of kilograms.
"2603"
"2604"
...
"I need to get stronger," if it weren't for Roman, they would have almost been... "At least I need to be able to cut steel!"
---
"Alright, let's continue today..."
Thud,
?
"Hey, hey, hey, Nami, you don't have to pretend to faint out of fear—"
Swish,
Roman bypassed the complaining Usopp and helped the fallen girl up, placing his hand on Nami's forehead, feeling the heat!
Heatstroke? Fever? That shouldn't be.
Although Nami's constitution is considered 'weak' among the crew, she shouldn't get sick so easily...
"Today's training is suspended,"
Roman rubbed his temples, trying to recall the 'plot':
After Little Garden is... Drum Island, Chopper?
Right, it seems we need to find a doctor because Nami is sick!
Which means...
———————
In the cabin.
"It might be due to the climate..."
Vivi, who knew more about the Grand Line, explained as she looked at the suddenly feverish and unconscious Nami.
"Because the weather changes so rapidly on the Grand Line, many sailors encounter this situation."
"Although it's just a fever, if not handled carefully, it can become life-threatening." Vivi looked around at the others.
"Does anyone know medicine?"
"Roman!" X3
Faced with the fingers pointing at him from Luffy, Zoro, and Usopp, Roman rubbed his temples.
"No, I only specialize in treating external injuries."
"In fact, I've never had to deal with a fever before..."
The Straw Hat crew's combat members... maybe not immune to all poisons, but at least immune to all diseases. Even Roman himself had never 'fallen ill' since crossing over, only dealing with knife wounds, gunshot wounds, fractures...
Roman could be considered a qualified combat medic, but when it came to internal medicine—
"Just eat meat and you'll be fine,"
Luffy suggested with a simple-minded expression.
"Right, Sanji?"
Do you think everyone is like you, with a built-in 'Seimei Kikan' for eating?!
"I can only make some food suitable for patients," Sanji was more reliable than Luffy, at least knowing that people are different. "But it can only help with recovery."
After all, he's a chef, not a miracle worker.
"And without knowing the specific illness, I can't prescribe the right food."
"It seems,"
Roman looked at Luffy.
"We need to find a doctor for Nami first."
As for the previous goal of Alabasta, it would have to be postponed—
---
....
"I'm fine,"
Nami, who had woken up at some point, sat up, holding a towel to her forehead and pointing to the cabinet beside her.
"Vivi, there's a newspaper in there... I didn't show it to you before."
"What newspaper?"
Roman frowned. Who cares about newspapers at a time like this—
"What?!"
Vivi's face changed dramatically as she took out the newspaper from the cabinet, because it read:
"300,000 Royal Army soldiers defect to the Rebel Army?"
"This..."
"Damn, it used to be 600,000 Royal Army and 400,000 Rebel Army. Now the situation is completely reversed—"
If they didn't hurry back to Alabasta, the strengthened Rebel Army would... and all of this would fall into the calculations of the mastermind, Crocodile!
"So, Vivi, don't worry."
The flushed Nami stood up, uncovering the blanket and pretending to be strong.
"I'm fine, no need to find a doctor for me. Let's head to Alabasta..."
"I refuse!"
Roman had a stern face. Although he couldn't remember why Nami was 'sick', if it was just a simple heatstroke or cold, there would be no need to go to Drum Island to find a doctor...
"Roman! I'm the navigator, you should listen to me—I want to go out and check, don't secretly change the course."
"You—"
Roman frowned, facing the determined Nami. He could only wave his hand, and with a rustling sound, a circle of 'screens' made of paper formed around Nami.
————————
As Roman escorted Nami out, Luffy and Usopp also turned and left.
In the room, only the girl named Vivi was left, clutching the newspaper tightly.
Her country was on the brink of disaster, with millions of people being manipulated by the mastermind behind the scenes, and at any moment, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions of casualties could occur...
She had to, had to get back quickly!
Go back and expose the true face of that 'Seven Warlords of the Sea', and stop all this...
Thud,
The princess named Vivi pushed open the door and walked out, making everyone in the Straw Hat Pirates look at her.
"You let me board the ship, I really have no face to make any requests... but:"
"My country is in an unprecedented crisis, I must hurry back... so:"
Everyone's faces turned serious because they all knew what the blue-haired girl was going to say next—
"I ask you to take this ship to Alabasta as fast as possible!"
Roman's eyelids lowered, and he took a step forward with his left foot.
But Nami, as if she had anticipated Roman's action, grabbed his wrist in advance.
"Of course, wasn't that the plan?"
With a flushed face and panting, Nami held onto Roman while forcing a smile.
"Then, let's find an island with a doctor now!"
Vivi's next words stunned everyone, instantly breaking the tense atmosphere on the Golden Merry.
"Quickly cure Nami, and then head to Alabasta,"
"That's the 'fastest speed' for this ship!"
——
"That's right," Luffy laughed heartily, "Nothing could be faster!"
"Is this okay?" Usopp looked up at the blue-haired girl, "As a princess, shouldn't you be more worried about your millions of citizens?"
"Yeah," facing Usopp's pointed question, the girl named Vivi spread her hands.
"That's why we need to get Nami better quickly so we can continue on our way."
"I'm impressed, Vivi."
This was Sanji, no longer lovestruck.
"Such spirit,"
This was Zoro, holding his katana.
"Sorry, Vivi."
This was Roman, lifting his head, "I just..."
"Alright," Nami interrupted Roman, pointing ahead, "There's a tornado ahead, avoid it quickly!"
"..."
"Got it."
——————————
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