The fruit vendor casually accepted the money and handed the Flame-Flame Fruit to Takumi.
As soon as the fruit touched his hand, a notification rang out in Takumi's mind.
[Ding! You have acquired the Logia-type Devil Fruit, the Flame-Flame Fruit. Progress increased by 20%. Current progress: 90%. Reward: New Skill, Beginner-Level Great Fire Annihilation.]
Immediately, information about the Great Fire Annihilation technique flooded into Takumi's mind.
Great Fire Annihilation is a powerful Fire Release technique from the Naruto series. By gathering chakra in the throat, the user can spit out a massive fireball that spreads into a sea of flames upon impact, causing devastating damage.
Compared to the Fire Dragon Flame Bullet technique, Great Fire Annihilation covers a much larger area, while the former focuses more on power and precision. Each has its own strengths.
Takumi couldn't help but feel satisfied. Not only had he scored a Devil Fruit for a ridiculously low price, but he'd also advanced his mission progress. It was a deal well worth the effort.
After a moment's thought, Takumi decided to spend a bit more money, buying a large assortment of fruits from the vendor before leaving.
After lunch, Takumi, as usual, found a nearby tavern to enjoy some drinks.
He had only downed two glasses when a familiar voice rang out from outside.
"There he is! I found him!" Vivi's excited voice echoed as she skipped into the tavern.
Behind her, Igaram and Vivi's father, Nefertari Cobra, the king of Alabasta, followed her inside.
The tavern patrons were stunned to see the king and princess walk in. Without hesitation, they all stood up and bowed to Cobra and Vivi.
Before anyone could say anything, Cobra waved his hand and smiled, "It's alright, don't mind us. Please, continue with your drinks as if we're not here."
Cobra was a king who believed that "the kingdom is its people." He was known for his compassion and always prioritized the well-being of his citizens. Even in public, he never put on airs, which made him beloved by his people.
The tavern patrons exchanged glances before sitting back down, whispering among themselves.
"My God, the king and princess are here in this tavern. Did something happen?"
"I have no idea, but Vivi looks pretty happy, so it can't be anything bad."
"Hey, look! Princess Vivi's heading over to that kid at the bar. Are they here to see him?"
Just like before, Vivi took a seat next to Takumi, grinning as she looked at him. "Takumi, Pell and Igaram told me everything. I knew you had to be innocent! I'm so glad it was all just a misunderstanding."
"Yeah, I was too hasty before. Takumi, I apologize." Igaram said, giving Takumi a slight bow.
Cobra took a seat on Takumi's other side, smiling. "So, I hear Vivi invited you to the palace, but you didn't want to come?"
Takumi continued sipping his drink, not bothering to reply.
Cobra chuckled. "Just as Vivi said, you really aren't one for small talk, are you? Still, you saved Vivi twice. As her father, I owe you a great debt. I've heard about your situation. Since what's done is done, there's no use dwelling on it. Life goes on. How about this—you come back to the palace with me today. I'll throw you a feast and treat you well for a few days. How does that sound?"
"Not interested," Takumi said flatly. "And for the record, I'm a solo traveler. I don't have any companions."
"What?" Cobra blinked, looking at Vivi. "Vivi, didn't you say his companion died?"
Vivi looked puzzled. "Yeah, Takumi, don't you have a red-haired companion?"
Takumi hadn't planned on saying anything, but after a moment, he decided to clarify. "That guy didn't die. He's already set sail."
As soon as Takumi finished speaking, Vivi, Cobra, and Igaram all stared at him in shock, their eyes wide and mouths agape.
Takumi simply continued drinking.
Vivi's expression twitched. "Wait… So I misunderstood?"
"Haha, it's alright, Vivi," Cobra laughed awkwardly. "You're still young. It's normal to make mistakes sometimes. I'm sure Takumi doesn't mind, right?"
Takumi stayed silent, taking another sip of his drink.
He really didn't care. It wasn't his problem.
If that red-haired guy found out he'd been presumed dead for a while, he'd probably laugh himself silly.
"Haha, no response—I'll take that as a yes," Cobra laughed again. "Since you don't want to come to the palace, I won't push you. How about this—within my power, I'll grant you one favor. How does that sound?"
Why does that sound so familiar…?
Takumi quickly remembered Rayleigh saying something similar back in Loguetown.
Honestly, he didn't need anyone's favors.
But if he refused, Cobra would probably come up with some other way to repay him.
Without much thought, Takumi said, "Fine. Just cover this round of drinks."
"Wait, what? That's it?" Cobra asked, surprised.
Takumi nodded casually.
Cobra opened his mouth to say something else but changed his mind. "Alright, if that's what you want, then this round is on me. Drink as much as you like, as much as you can. Haha, it's been a while since I've had a good drink myself. Let's drink together."
Cobra then called out to the tavern owner. "Bring out your best bottles!"
The tavern owner nodded quickly, rushing to comply.
Igaram leaned in close to Cobra and whispered, "Your Majesty, you still have a meeting this afternoon…"
"What meeting could possibly be more important than sharing a drink with the man who saved my daughter twice?" Cobra shot back. "Push it to tomorrow. Today, I'm going to have a proper drink."
"Well… if you say so." Igaram sighed, giving in.
Soon, the tavern owner returned with a crate of high-quality booze.
Takumi and Cobra started drinking in earnest.
Since the tavern also served non-alcoholic drinks, the owner prepared a glass of milk for Vivi.
Takumi downed three bottles in a row without even flushing.
Cobra, on the other hand, turned red after two bottles and was visibly tipsy by the time he finished his third.
"Takumi, you know, you're the most remarkable kid I've ever met," Cobra slurred slightly, clearly feeling the effects of the alcohol. "Not only are you incredibly strong, but you saved my daughter, Vivi, twice without asking for anything in return. And you can really hold your liquor… I'm a bit embarrassed as an adult, haha…"
Takumi didn't respond, continuing to drink.
Just then, the system's voice echoed in his mind.
[Ding! You have earned the respect of Nefertari Cobra. Progress increased by 10%.]
[Ding! Alabasta mission complete. Congratulations, host! You have acquired the Master-Level Wind Release: Infinite Sand Dust Great Breakthrough.]
Hearing this, Takumi tightened his grip on his bottle.
Without hesitation, he opened his status panel and glanced at the mission section.
The next stop: Skypiea!
******
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