For top-tier fighters like the Four Emperors, Devil Fruit abilities are important, but physical strength and Haki are paramount. Take Shanks, for example. Even without consuming a Devil Fruit, he stands among the strongest.
Without exceptional physical strength, even the most potent Devil Fruits cannot be utilized to their fullest potential. Jewelry Bonney had just demonstrated this by effortlessly creating a massive ice mountain, proving that her physical capabilities had drastically improved, now rivaling those of the Four Emperors.
Bonney's proud expression became even more pronounced. She puffed out her chest and nonchalantly explained: "It's nothing special. Lord Alex can enhance our physical attributes. He boosted my strength to this level, and this isn't even his limit.
"Look at that long-nosed loser guy over there," she continued, pointing at Usopp. "He was also strengthened by Lord Alex and managed to defeat Admiral Aokiji with ease."
All eyes turned to Usopp as Bonney introduced him.
Usopp, instead of being offended by Bonney calling him a "loser," beamed with pride. After all, he had defeated Admiral Aokiji once. Although Alex later reclaimed that power, Usopp remained the Straw Hat crew's strongest—God Usopp, the only one with a victory over an Admiral, a feat even Luffy and Zoro hadn't achieved.
Everyone was stunned, their gazes shifting back to Alex, now filled with awe. They hadn't expected the infamous Alex to possess such terrifying abilities. Their admiration quickly turned to desire—who wouldn't dream of ruling the seas?
If they could become Alex's subordinates, their dreams could come true effortlessly. Even if they couldn't surpass Alex, reaching the level of the Four Emperors or Admirals would make them among the strongest on the seas.
The residents of Fish-Man Island began clamoring:
"Lord Alex, look at me! I'm hardworking and resilient!"
"Choose me, Lord Alex! I'll keep your bed warm!"
"Over here! I'm the most beautiful girl on this street!"
What started as an ordinary competition soon spiraled out of control, as the stunning mermaids used their beauty to dominate the attention, easily outshining their male counterparts.
Notably, the mermaid who offered to warm Alex's bed had her husband standing right beside her. Yet, faced with his wife's assertiveness, he dared not protest, watching helplessly as she flirted with another man.
Amused, Alex took note of the bold mermaid. Since he already intended to integrate Fish-Man Island into his pocket universe, he thought she'd make a fine addition to his growing maid squad. After all, there's something special about a married woman, right?
Seeing the escalating fervor among the crowd, some of whom ignored the royal guards entirely, Neptune frowned. He quickly intervened, raising his voice: "Silence! Anyone who continues to disrupt order and disturb Lord Alex will be sentenced to death!"
Neptune's stern declaration immediately quelled the chaos. The crowd, now subdued, dared not act out further.
Once calm was restored, Neptune hesitated briefly before addressing Alex: "Lord Alex, would you do us the honor of visiting Ryugu Palace? I'd like to prepare a feast of our kingdom's finest delicacies for you and your companions."
Before Alex could reply, Luffy's excitement got the better of him.
"Yes! Yes! I want to visit the palace!" he shouted eagerly.
Hearing about food, Luffy could no longer keep quiet. His excitement mirrored Alex's own, prompting Alex to smile and reply to King Neptune:
"Of course, we'd be delighted."
The group boarded two massive bubble-clad whales, slowly ascending toward the sky. Along the way, Alex noticed numerous bubble-encased houses floating serenely. The unique architecture caught his interest, sparking the idea of replicating such structures in his pocket universe.
After a short flight, they reached a steel ring anchored in bubbles. King Neptune pressed a red button, speaking briefly with a guard. Moments later, a bubble-enclosed passage descended from Ryugu Palace, connecting seamlessly to the ring.
"Oh, and take these," King Neptune said, handing over several pink coral pieces.
Luffy held his coral with curiosity. "What's this for?"
Camie chimed in to explain, "It's bubble coral, a tool for creating bubbles easily."
King Neptune added, "The palace is filled with seawater at all times. You'll need these to move around inside."
Following Camie's instructions, the crew pressed their bubble corals. As air was drawn in, sturdy bubbles emerged from the coral bases, enveloping them completely.
"This is so convenient!" Usopp exclaimed in awe.
Meanwhile, Nami noticed Alex standing outside the bubbles and reminded him, "Alex, we're about to enter Ryugu Palace. You should get inside a bubble too."
Alex turned and smiled. "No need. I don't require air to survive, even underwater."
Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp were amazed. "That's incredible!" they shouted in unison.
For Alex, eating and breathing were no longer essential for survival. Eating was a matter of enjoyment, and breathing was merely a habit. With his current power, he could survive even in a black hole, let alone at the bottom of the ocean.
They emerged from the passage and arrived before a massive golden gate. Upon noticing King Neptune's arrival, the guards promptly opened the gate, welcoming them into Ryugu Palace.
Behind the gate lay an enormous hall, designed to accommodate the royal family's colossal stature. For Alex and his companions, the scale felt vast and spacious.
As King Neptune entered, the palace guards lined up on both sides and shouted in unison, "Welcome home, Your Majesty!"
The grand palace left everyone in awe. Its dazzling gold and jewel embellishments made Nami's eyes sparkle. Even Luffy, with little appreciation for art, couldn't help but marvel.
"Wow, hahaha! This castle is amazing!" he exclaimed.
Crossing his arms, King Neptune grinned with pride. "This is my castle. Feel free to relax and enjoy yourselves!"
"King Neptune, are these your esteemed guests?" a voice called out, drawing the crew's attention.
A tall man, about two meters in height, with short blonde hair, approached them. His curious gaze lingered on Luffy briefly before settling on Alex. Clearly, he found Alex, the infamous "Most Wanted Criminal," far more intriguing.
King Neptune scratched his head and introduced the man to Alex and his crew: "Ah, I almost forgot to introduce you. This is Marco, the first division commander and ship doctor of the Whitebeard Pirates. He's also a guest at Ryugu Palace."
Alex already knew why Marco was here. Given the timeline, Portgas D. Ace had likely been captured by the Marines, with news of the impending execution of the Pirate King's heir spreading worldwide.
Whitebeard, deeply protective of his "sons," would undoubtedly make his move to save Ace, especially since Ace was also the son of his late friend, Gol D. Roger.
Marco's current presence on Fish-Man Island was for coating his ship in preparation for the upcoming rescue mission.
King Neptune continued his introductions, saying:
"These esteemed guests are Mr. Alex and the Straw Hat crew. I assume Mr. Marco needs no introduction to Mr. Alex?"
"Indeed, who hasn't heard of the notorious 'Most Wanted Criminal' Alex? Killing two Celestial Dragons, abducting another, and emerging unscathed from a clash with two Admirals. He gravely injured Aokiji and forced Kizaru to retreat. His bounty now stands at a staggering 6 billion, surpassing even the Pirate King Roger's. Many speculate he's the next Pirate King." Marco's tone was polite, but his eyes held a wary seriousness.
Even as the wielder of the Phoenix Fruit, Marco understood the need for caution against someone capable of besting Admirals.
At this, Usopp couldn't contain himself. He shouted at Marco:
"Hold on, Aokiji wasn't defeated by Alex—it was me! Get your facts straight!"
Marco's attention shifted to the long-nosed youth. At first glance, Usopp's resemblance to Yasopp of the Red-Haired Pirates struck him. Recalling rumors of Yasopp having a son, Marco quickly deduced that this must be him.
Still, despite Usopp's protests, Marco couldn't believe someone of his apparent physical caliber had defeated an Admiral. Facing monsters like the Admirals, a regular human—even one slightly stronger than most—stood no chance, much like Marco himself had once been outmatched by the legendary Silvers Rayleigh.
Marco's skeptical expression was evident, and Usopp, seeing this, became more animated.
"You don't believe me, huh? But I'm telling you, just let Alex boost me again, and I'll beat you with one hand!"
Marco chuckled, his tone turning playful as he responded, "Oh, really? I'm so scared."
His dismissive attitude only further agitated Usopp. At that moment, King Neptune stepped in: "Mr. Marco, what Usopp says might actually be true. Mr. Alex possesses such a power."
Had someone told him this before today, Neptune would have dismissed it outright. However, after witnessing the feats of the enhanced Bonnie, the truth was undeniable. Neptune had become a firm believer in Alex's abilities.
Marco's expression shifted to one of deep contemplation as he turned his gaze back to Alex.
Could it really be true? Could Alex empower anyone to reach Admiral-level strength?
As one of Whitebeard's closest confidants, Marco immediately realized the implications if Alex's powers were indeed real. It explained Alex's astonishing bounty and the unprecedented level of attention from the World Government.
If this man truly possesses the power to upend the seas, it's no wonder the government considers him such a threat, Marco thought.
His gaze turned intense as he looked at Alex. If Alex were willing to help, the upcoming mission to rescue Ace could proceed with far fewer casualties.
However, Marco quickly dismissed the idea. They had no prior ties to Alex, and asking him to assist in a raid on Marineford seemed far-fetched. Still, it was worth a shot.
"Mr. Alex," Marco began cautiously, "our Whitebeard Pirates have a pressing matter. Ace, one of our commanders, has been captured by the Marines and is set to be executed. We would like to enlist your help in rescuing him. Should you agree, you'll have our eternal gratitude and be handsomely rewarded."
He didn't expect much, but to his surprise, Alex nodded.
"Sure, I'll help. Not only will I help you rescue Ace, but I can also heal Whitebeard. Now, what will you offer in return?"
Marco was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected Alex to agree so readily.
"You… you can heal Pops?" Marco's voice trembled with a mix of hope and disbelief.
Whitebeard was the linchpin of their crew, a father figure whose health was steadily deteriorating. His death would shatter the cohesion of the Whitebeard Pirates. If Alex could truly cure him, it would change everything.
"Yes," Alex confirmed, his tone casual. "But that depends on what you're willing to offer."
Marco quickly regained his composure, realizing the gravity of this opportunity. After a moment of thought, he offered:
"Pops' life is invaluable to us. Whatever you want—devil fruits, money, territory, anything—we'll provide it."
Alex nodded in satisfaction. "Good. I need as many devil fruits as you can gather."
Without hesitation, Marco agreed. "Consider it done. If you can save Pops, we'll get you every devil fruit we can find."
Their negotiation didn't last long, but even the brief exchange was enough for Luffy to grasp the situation. His face turned pale as he shouted, "Ace has been captured and is going to be executed?! I'm going with you to save him!"
Marco looked at Luffy, understanding the bond between the two brothers. However, he couldn't ignore the fact that Luffy's strength was far from sufficient.
"Listen, kid," Marco said bluntly. "The battle ahead isn't like the skirmishes you've faced. It's a war between the Whitebeard Pirates and the Marines—a clash of monsters. You're not ready for that."
Luffy clenched his fists, his eyes blazing with determination. "I know it's dangerous, but Ace is my brother! I have to save him! I'm going to be the Pirate King!"
The rest of the Straw Hat crew stepped forward, standing firmly behind Luffy.
"That's right!" they declared in unison. "Luffy's going to be the Pirate King. Don't underestimate him!"
Marco stared at them for a moment, their fervor reminding him of Ace's younger days. Finally, he smiled.
"Alright," he said, "you can come. Just stay out of the central battle. Anyone in that arena could take you out in an instant."
°°°
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