Seeing the Straw Hat crew's extreme reaction, Alex figured they must have misunderstood something and explained:
"Don't worry—it's just research, with no danger to your life. I can even pay you for it; these are some of the products I've developed."
As he spoke to Robin, Alex started pulling items from his pocket dimension:
"Look at this bracelet. I compressed a piece of space inside it, creating 100 cubic meters of storage."
He placed a platinum bracelet in front of them, embedded with jewels, and demonstrated by storing some stones from the ground inside. Then he brought out a thick black, sticky substance.
"This is a symbiote from the void. I've removed its will, so it's no longer dangerous. It has a wide range of applications, like forming any clothing you want and greatly enhancing the wearer's physical strength."
Alex continued, pulling out a small capsule inspired by the Dragon Ball anime.
"This is a storage capsule. Unlike the bracelet, it has a fixed interior—it seals an entire villa inside. You can open it anywhere for a comfortable living experience."
He tossed the capsule onto the grassy ground, and a three-story villa appeared in front of them. The sunlight reflected off the water in the rooftop pool, making everyone's eyes shine.
Before Alex could reveal more, Nami couldn't hold back. Her eyes sparkled as she stared unblinking at the villa and the jeweled bracelet. She exclaimed, "Mr. Alex, how about me? I'd be easy to study!"
Nami, being Nami, couldn't resist anything sparkly, especially such magical items.
Alex studied her seriously. She was still young and not yet fully developed compared to the older, two-years-later version. Her skin was slightly tanned from years of working and saving money, and she had yet to grow into the beauty she'd become, but Alex knew her future was promising.
After rubbing his chin and pretending to think, Alex finally said, "Miss, I heard you're an outstanding navigator who can even hand-draw precise maps. If you join me, all these things could be yours, and I could offer you even more valuable items."
Hearing there were more valuable, magical items, Nami's eyes sparkled even brighter. She impulsively shouted, "I agree, boss!"
Before Alex could respond, Sanji, burning with jealousy over the prospect of losing one of their crew's ladies, pointed an accusing finger and shouted angrily, "Damn it! You're trying to steal Nami! You'll have to get through me first!"
Finally realizing that his hardworking navigator was about to be poached, Luffy joined in, shouting, "You jerk! I'll punch you!"
Alex easily dodged Sanji's kick and Luffy's punch, smiling all the while. "Of course, if any of you would like to work for me, I'm willing to offer similar terms…"
Both Sanji and Luffy yelled in unison:
"Who'd want to work for you, jerk?"
"I'm going to be the Pirate King!"
Alex casually shielded himself from their spit with a force field, his smile unwavering.
"My crew consists of thousands of beautiful female warriors."
"What?!" Sanji clutched his heart, tempted.
"And an endless supply of the most amazing roast meats."
"Ahhh! Meat! Meat!" Luffy's sanity was slipping at the thought.
Nearby, Zoro looked at his crewmates in disdain, thinking how foolish they were to be swayed by such trivial things. Chopper, the voice of reason, was also urging them, "Everyone, stay calm! Stay calm!"
But Alex's voice echoed again:
"And many famous swords that are every bit as good as the Twelve Supreme Grade Blades!"
"And advanced medical techniques, including the secrets of resurrection!"
"And last but not least, various robots, indistinguishable from humans, each capable of destroying an island on their own!"
At this point, everyone in the crew, except Robin, was captivated.
Hatchan and Pappag, the starfish, looked at the Straw Hat crew in shock. What just happened? Was the crew really going to break up over this?
Don't you each have your own dreams for sailing the seas? Could it be that all those dreams were fake and that meat and women were your real goals?
They turned anxiously to Robin, hoping she would be able to resist. But then they saw Robin looking at Alex with a complicated expression and asking, "Do you truly have the ability to bring someone back to life?"
Alex understood why she'd ask. Having lost her home, Ohara, and her loved ones to the Buster Call, she had many people she'd wish to bring back.
"Of course!" Alex replied. "But currently, the best resurrection technology has one requirement—the body of the deceased must still exist, relatively intact. If the remains are completely gone, I'm afraid I'm powerless."
"But my technology is advancing quickly. Just because it's impossible now doesn't mean it'll always be. Come, join me, and I'll give you everything you're looking for."
At the moment, Alex had only one method of resurrection: by consuming vast amounts of energy, he could use the rct to resurrect the dead. However, this technique required at least a trace of the person's remains. Without them, it was impossible.
If he could upgrade the reverse technique further, though, he might be able to locate someone's soul in the fabric of reality and pull them back from the river of time, resurrecting them!
Robin fell silent. This was incredibly tempting—what should she do?
Compared to the others, Robin was calmer and voiced her doubts:
"All of this is just your word. There's no proof that what you're saying is true. If you can show me that everything you've claimed is real, I'll seriously consider it."
Alex gave a mysterious smile, snapped his fingers, and a golden, spark-filled portal opened behind him, revealing a paradise-like island straight out of myth.
He stepped through first, giving an elegant bow. "Welcome to my world!"
…
A moment later, the portal reopened, and Nami was the first to step out, her legs trembling as she murmured, "So huge… such gigantic pearls actually exist!"
Robin's legs shook as well, her heart still racing.
"It's just incredible. People really can be brought back from the dead…"
The rest of the Straw Hat crew emerged, with Sanji needing to be carried out after seeing the many Amazonian warriors and mermaid attendants—he'd fainted from a severe nosebleed.
When everyone had returned from Alex's pocket dimension, they all fell silent. They realized that by joining Alex, they could have every need and dream fulfilled, possibly even eternal youth and immortality.
Their reasons for adventuring suddenly felt less important!
Stuffed full of food, Luffy patted his swollen stomach, contentedly saying, "That was amazing. I'll really miss food that good!"
Alex smiled and tempted, "So, what do you say? Join me, and you'll get everything you want."
To Alex's slight surprise, Luffy shook his head firmly. "No, I'm going to keep sailing. I need to reach the end of the Grand Line, find the One Piece on Laugh Tale, and become the Pirate King. That was my first dream, and I won't give it up!"
Luffy's words snapped the others out of their thoughts. Zoro was the first to pull himself from the lure of legendary swords. "Right. I'm aiming to be the world's greatest swordsman."
Sanji lit a cigarette and said seriously, "I like the ladies, but I still have to see that legendary ocean for the old man."
The others also declined. Alex wasn't surprised; if they'd easily given up their dreams, they wouldn't be the Straw Hat crew he admired.
Seeing their expressions, struggling with letting go of his tempting offers, Alex chuckled.
"No worries; my invitation has no expiration. Even after you achieve your dreams, you can still join me."
Hearing this, Luffy's eyes sparkled. He stepped forward, shook Alex's hand enthusiastically, and said, "Really? Alex, you're the best!"
"Hooray, hooray!" Chopper chimed in.
Just then, dozens of figures approached from a distance, surrounding them with wicked laughter.
"Today's our lucky day! Not only is Straw Hat Luffy here, but we've also got some merchant in cahoots with pirates. Time to serve justice!"
"Yeah! I can't wait to behead Straw Hat!"
"Are you guys idiots? Sure, Straw Hat's worth 300 million berries, but that merchant has to be even richer. Didn't you see that magical island? If we grab him, we get his fortune and the ladies!"
"Kids make choices; adults take it all. Attack—kill them all!"
Seeing the bounty hunters surround them, the merchant nearby dove under his table, shaking, while the Straw Hats took positions in front of Alex, protecting him.
"Stay back, Alex! We'll handle these bounty hunters!" Luffy shouted.
The Straw Hats charged in, quickly cutting down the hunters. Even Nami, the weakest in combat, could easily take one out.
However, a few hunters slipped past them and reached Alex, Camie, and Pappag. Unlike in the original story, one of the towering hunters ignored Camie and Pappag, raising his sword at Alex with a cruel smile.
"Haha! Your fortune is mine now!"
Noticing this, the Straw Hats cried out:
"Alex!"
"Mr. Alex!"
Nami, Robin, and Zoro's voices were the loudest; each had a special reason to want him safe.
Robin, the closest, was still too far away to reach him. All she could do was watch as the bounty hunter's sword swung down toward Alex.
Alex heard their worried cries and looked at the sneering bounty hunter. He laughed, relishing the rare moment of being underestimated.
In the next moment—Vector Manipulation.
With a single finger, he blocked the hunter's blade mid-swing. The sharp edge didn't leave a mark on him.
Alex smiled at the stunned Straw Hats. "A merchant isn't defenseless. Sometimes, you've got to prove your strength to get people to negotiate."
As he pulled his finger away, the sword disintegrated, breaking into dust that floated away, followed by the rest of the hunter's body.
Nami gulped, staring at Alex with a mix of awe and shock.
"I think… we might have a different idea of what a 'merchant' is."
"Yeah, yeah!" Chopper nodded quickly.
After dispatching the rest of the hunters, the Straw Hats regrouped around Alex, and Luffy exclaimed, "Alex, you're so strong! Was that your Devil Fruit ability?"
Alex smiled back, replying, "It is a Devil Fruit ability, but I removed its weakness to seawater, so I can still swim."
Having seen him with Devil Fruit powers, Alex had instantly known he could use his Reverse Cursed Technique to eliminate its seawater weakness.
Unlike the clueless Luffy, the others quickly understood the value of what Alex had just revealed. Robin spoke seriously:
"A technology like that would completely overturn the world. Why haven't we heard about it before?"
"Because it's not widespread. Only my employees can access it—it's one of the perks."
"So, Robin," he continued, "now that you know it's real, how about reconsidering? If you don't want to join, you could at least help with my research, and I'll grant you one wish."
Knowing Alex truly had the ability to resurrect people, Robin quickly agreed.
"I accept, but not just yet. I'll help after we leave the Sabaody Archipelago."
Alex didn't mind waiting; he had plenty of time. "Deal!"
After defeating all the bounty hunters, the Straw Hat crew split up to go about their own tasks. Sanji headed back to the Sunny to prepare lunch, Zoro insisted on taking a walk despite his crewmates' warnings, and Nami and Robin stayed with Luffy and Alex, given they needed his help and wanted to stick with him.
After parting ways, Alex joined Luffy and Hachi in a bubble car race and claimed first place. Eventually, they all arrived at the numbered area 31 of the Yarukiman Mangrove.
Despite losing the race, Luffy showed no signs of disappointment, laughing heartily as he said, "Alex, you're really amazing! How about joining my crew? Let's go find the final island together!"
Really? Now it was Luffy trying to recruit him! Wasn't it supposed to be Alex inviting them to join him as subordinates? Alex simply gave a slight smile in response, choosing not to answer.
A little while later, they arrived at a small town beneath the 31st Yarukiman Mangrove. Similar to other parts of the archipelago, the main structures here were made from large, durable bubbles that floated around the island's unique atmosphere, sturdy enough to support buildings.
Alex curiously observed everything around him. Every island on the Grand Line had its own unique scenery, and each new location felt like entering a different world—a huge part of the appeal of the Pirate World.
Just as they were taking in the sights of the small town, a commotion broke out in the crowd ahead. A large man with a slave collar around his neck rushed out from across the street, grabbing a young woman by the throat, desperately pleading, "Please, someone help me! Break this collar—hammer, saw, anything, please! I just want to go home. I left when my child was just born; he doesn't even know what his father looks like. Please, help me!"
But apart from the terrified young woman he held captive, no one in the crowd moved to assist him. They all knew he belonged to the Celestial Dragons, and no one dared interfere.
Hachi, seeing the scene, nervously whispered to the others, "Let's not get involved with him. He's probably a pirate who was kidnapped by slavers and brought here by his buyer. He's just trying to escape."
He turned specifically to Alex, cautioning him, "Mr. Alex, we can't help him. The Celestial Dragons are not to be messed with."
Alex raised an eyebrow at Hachi's anxious expression. Did he really look like someone with a bleeding heart? He didn't have much sympathy for strangers, and in this case, the man was just another pirate—a criminal with his own share of bloodshed and crimes. If Alex was in a good mood, he might consider finishing him off quickly, but he certainly wouldn't save him.
This world wasn't like the fantasy Pirate World of the anime. The pirates here weren't some innocent adventurers like the Straw Hat crew—they were killers.
With a deafening boom, the collar around the pirate's neck started beeping faster and faster until it exploded. Despite the explosion, he managed to survive, but he lay bleeding and unable to move.
Brook covered his face, slightly panicked, "Should we… do something?"
Pappag quickly rebuked him, "Idiot! No matter what happens, stay out of it!"
Then Hachi spoke up, "Everyone, get off the bubble cars."
As he finished speaking, a dog wandered over and lifted its leg to urinate on the collapsed pirate's body.
"Quickly, everyone, get down on your knees!" Hachi urged in alarm.
He forced Luffy down, glancing around to see that everyone was kneeling—everyone except the mysterious Mr. Alex. Seeing the faint smile on Alex's face, Hachi was overcome with a deep, soul-chilling fear. He knew Alex would never kneel to the Celestial Dragons, so he quickly turned his body, trying to shield Alex with his two-meter-tall frame, even while kneeling.
In a low voice, he whispered urgently, "Mr. Alex, please, kneel down quickly. The Celestial Dragons are coming. If they see you standing, they'll have you killed!"
Alex glanced at him, still smiling faintly but with eyes as deep and emotionless as a bottomless lake. "Celestial Dragons? Just a bunch of pigs blessed by their ancestors."
Hachi dared not say another word, realizing that this seemingly friendly Mr. Alex was even more troublesome than Luffy.
Everyone around was now on their knees. A young woman's voice sounded from up the street, cold and filled with disdain, as if addressing the death of a mere insect: "Pathetic monkey…"
The sound of heavy footsteps grew louder as a man and a woman dressed in luxurious clothing with bizarre bubbles on their heads approached. The earth trembled with each step—a result of the giant slave, led by the male Celestial Dragon, crawling on the ground.
The female Celestial Dragon, with a veil over her face and heart-shaped earrings, continued in a haughty tone, "Disgusting. Another one broken, Father."
The middle-aged Celestial Dragon sighed. "Are you giving it its sedatives regularly?"
"Yes, but it doesn't seem to work on this brute. Father, please, get me a new one," she replied, like she was discussing a defective toy, entirely detached and heartless.
The woman kicked the barely alive pirate repeatedly, sneering in frustration, "Family, family… A grown man crying for his wife and child. Just a lowly human—how absurd!"
Everyone around looked away, unable to stomach the sight, while the Straw Hat crew clenched their teeth in rage. Only Alex rolled his eyes at their reaction, baffled by their outrage. He silently resolved that if Nami and Robin ever joined him, he'd teach them to adopt a better perspective.
After a disdainful "how annoying," the female Celestial Dragon, Saint Charloss, pulled out a handgun and coldly shot the downed pirate multiple times, killing him on the spot.
Seeing this, Luffy could no longer contain himself and tried to jump up, but Hachi held him back. In restraining Luffy, though, Hachi inadvertently revealed Alex, standing upright behind him.
The male Celestial Dragon, Saint Rosward, noticed Alex's defiance and immediately grew furious. "You filthy human! How dare you remain standing in the presence of a Celestial Dragon!"
He began to command his guards to kill Alex, but Saint Shalria interrupted him. She looked at Alex's tall, handsome figure, especially his striking blue eyes, her face flushing slightly as she said shyly, "Father, don't harm him. I think he'd make a fine plaything!"
With mild exasperation, Rosward finally nodded. "Fine, he's yours then."
Hearing their detached conversation, Alex's smile only grew brighter. Hachi, however, couldn't shake his terror. He wasn't worried for Alex's safety; he was worried about what was about to happen next. After spending even a short time with him, Hachi understood that Alex was more unpredictable and dangerous than Luffy.
Sure enough, Alex began walking slowly toward the two Celestial Dragons. Hachi wanted to stop him but found that his hands froze a meter from Alex, unable to move closer. All he could do was watch in mounting horror and pray that Alex stayed calm.
As Alex approached, Saint Shalria's face grew even redder. The moment she saw him, she had decided to keep him alive for as long as possible to enjoy him fully, unlike her other 'toys' that had broken too soon.
Rosward casually instructed his guards, "Bring him here and put a slave collar on him."
Years of unchecked privilege had convinced them that anyone approaching must be submitting to them. But as a guard neared Alex, his body suddenly halted before being sliced apart by an invisible force, his flesh and blood splattering across the pristine garments of both Celestial Dragons.
The two stared in shocked silence as Alex reached out, shattered Shalria's bubble helmet, and gripped her chin, smiling. "So you like slaves, huh? Let's make sure you get your fill."
Everyone who saw this was stunned into absolute silence. They knew the winds on Sabaody Archipelago had just changed forever.
°°°
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