137 Chapter 137 - Alabasta 06.
[Chapter Size: 2000 Words.]
Third Person POV
Alabasta, First Half of Grandline.
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The Black Pearl continued to sail through the desert, a nearly surreal vision against the vast sea of sand. The rolling dunes stretched for miles in every direction, a golden ocean of sand under the clear blue sky. With its sails unfurled, it cut through the dunes as if it were navigating calm waters.
'This ship was worth every one of the millions I spent on it...' Luffy murmured, looking at the landscape the ship was passing through.
On deck, there was a flurry of activity, with crew members attending to their tasks, chatting, and laughing, while others simply enjoyed the journey, marveled by the unique landscape surrounding them, as it was a time of rest before returning to training.
Chopper was adapting very well to the crew in Luffy's opinion, and he was happy about it, seeing him having fun with Usopp and Bepo while they played silly and childish pranks.
From time to time, the ship encountered an oasis, a splash of green and water amidst the vastness of the desert. At these stops, the crew would disembark to replenish their water supplies, briefly explore, and sometimes even take a quick refreshing dip or train in the middle of the desert.
As the day progressed, the shadows of the dunes grew longer, and the sunlight became softer, tinting the sky in shades of orange, pink, and purple. Night quickly approached and was marked not only by the chilly temperature but also by a lively feast that Luffy insisted on redoing.
The next day, Hachi spotted something moving in the sand in the distance. Initially, they appeared to be small hills moving against the wind, but as they approached, they realized they were some giant creatures heading towards the ship from beneath the sand.
'These are desert lizards!' Vivi exclaimed quickly.
As they approached the ship, they revealed themselves as immense creatures with scaly skins and vigilant eyes. These desert reptiles, accustomed to dominating their territory, saw the Black Pearl as a threat or perhaps a meal.
The crew quickly sprang into action. Luffy, not wanting to get involved this time, encouraged the crew to prepare for defense. Usopp and Shirahoshi coordinated the cannons, while Lami and Reiju got ready to repel any that got too close to the ship.
As the lizards neared, the Black Pearl fired its cannons. The explosions echoed through the desert, and the cannonballs hit the lizards with deadly precision, raising clouds of sand and causing confusion among the creatures. The lizards, hit and disoriented, began to die as more bullets hit their heads.
'Shirahoshi is so ruthless...' Vivi murmured, seeing the mermaid's cannons killing the creatures mercilessly, as she always saw Shirahoshi as a shy princess.
'Princess?! How can you be so cruel?!' Jimbei had a comical face watching the scene.
Meanwhile, Shirahoshi screamed with joy while hitting her targets from her cabin.
After Lami collected some parts of the dead lizards, Reiju prepared a new feast with the new type of meat. On another occasion, while navigating through a particularly calm region of the desert, the crew spotted another ship in the distance. It was a ship like theirs, moving in the desert.
'Desert pirates?!' Vivi shouted alarmed.
'Does such a thing exist?' Alvida asked a bit dazed.
Luffy, with a sparkle in his eyes, ordered them to prepare for the confrontation. He asked Kuina, Alvida, Bepo, and Hachi to go to the ship using Geppo and destroy all the ships.
'That was quick...' Robin commented, seeing their companions returning 10 minutes later with all the enemy ships left destroyed in the sand.
As the Black Pearl resumed its navigation through the Alabasta desert, Vivi naturally assumed the role of a guide, sharing with the crew the secrets and wonders of her kingdom. With eyes shining with pride and a hint of nostalgia, she described each peculiarity of the vast desert.
'See those rock formations in the distance,' Vivi pointed excitedly, 'They are known as 'The Needles of Taoru.' Legend has it they were created by a desert spirit to protect an ancient treasure.' The crew members gathered around her, listening attentively as they observed the landscape.
'Ancient treasure?!' Bepo, Usopp, and Chopper shouted excitedly.
'Alabasta is one of the oldest regions in the world, and its sands hide more stories than one can imagine,' Robin explained, attracting fascinated looks from the crew members.
Usopp, with his fertile imagination, asked about the desert creatures, and Vivi laughed before sharing stories about the legendary monsters and exotic animals that, according to legends, inhabited the dunes. Chopper listened with special interest, imagining the strange and wonderful creatures that might exist.
Vivi looked out over the desert horizon, her eyes reflecting the vastness and mysteries of Alabasta. "The Alabasta desert is a place of extreme beauty and extreme danger, as we've already seen," she began, her voice laden with a mix of respect and awe. "But there is still much more beneath these sands than stories and legends. Ancient secrets and forgotten powers lie waiting to be discovered, and many of them are unknown even to my family." Her dreamy tone blended with pride, demonstrating her deep love for her kingdom and curiosity for the unknown.
Luffy, hearing Vivi's words, felt the flame of adventure burn even stronger within him. He remembered the original Luffy, who had discovered mysterious things in the desert, perhaps a poneglyph. Motivated by this thought, he quickly accessed the system, an interface that allowed him to search for valuable information and resources. He typed "Hidden treasure in the Alabasta desert" and his eyes sparkled as hundreds of maps and documents appeared. Among them, one in particular caught his attention — the most expensive, costing millions of points. Without hesitation, Luffy used all his last points to acquire it, thinking that even if it was false, it would still be the start of an adventure in the desert.
"Bepo!" Luffy called, turning to the polar bear. Bepo, surprised by the sudden call, quickly approached. "Yes, Captain?!" His voice showed curiosity.
Luffy extended the newly acquired map to Bepo. "I need you to help me find something in this desert," he said, his tone serious. Bepo looked at the map, his analytical eyes scanning every detail, every mark, and symbol showing their position. He murmured to himself as he traced possible routes and marked points of interest.
"Captain, I believe we are half a day's journey from this place, it lies to the east!" His voice was firm, indicating his confidence in the navigation skills he possessed.
Luffy, with a firm nod, turned to Hachi. "Hachi, follow Bepo's instructions, we might have a treasure to find!" His smile was wide. Hachi, with his agile tentacles, adjusted the course of the ship, following the directions given by the navigator when Nami was not with them.
Chopper, unable to contain his excitement, jumped up. "Wait! That's the direction of the Needles of Taoru!" His voice was a mixture of excitement after hearing Vivi's story.
The rest of the crew echoed the excitement with shouts of "Treasure! Treasure!" Imagining finding lots of gold and a great adventure.
Vivi, on the other hand, looked at Luffy with some concern. "Hey, Luffy, are you sure? This is just a legend, and where did you get that map?"
Luffy replied with a confident smile, holding the map in front of him. "I bought it, it was expensive, so I hope to find something with it!" His voice was full of optimism, the possibility of the map being false did not diminish his enthusiasm for the adventure ahead.
Vivi murmured, more to herself than to the others, "I hope you're not wrong..."
The ship, now firmly on course, advanced towards the east. The desert passed by them, a constantly changing tapestry of dunes and rocks. It was then that Chopper, with his sharp vision, spotted something in the distance. "Look!" He exclaimed, pointing to a set of pillars that bravely withstood the test of time.
The ship went in that direction until stopping near the place, "Come on, guys! The treasure won't find itself!" Luffy was the first to jump into the sand, closely followed by his friends.
Bepo consulted the map again. "It should be right here, under our feet, Captain."
Luffy walked for a while, tapping the sandy ground using the force and weight of the moa moa no mi to feel if he found something until he found a hollow surface walking in a certain direction.
'It must be here...' Luffy murmured internally as he looked at the ground with everyone watching him.
He clenched his fists tightly. Energy began to accumulate around him. Then, he pulled his arm back, channeling all his flames into a single focus. Purple flames began to emerge around his fist with more force.
With a movement that echoed through the desert, Luffy launched his fist downward. The impact was monumental, an explosion of force and flames that hit the ground with almost tangible fury. The sand around was thrown into the air in a shockwave, and a crater instantly formed where his fist met the earth.
The purple flames danced wildly, creating a spectacle of light and shadow. The heat was so intense that it seemed to distort the air around, and the Black Pearl even swayed with the impact of the captain.
As the dust settled, the sunlight penetrated through the opening created by Luffy's powerful punch. Everyone's eyes widened as they realized the extent of what had been uncovered. Below them lay ancient ruins long forgotten.
Luffy, with a glint of excitement in his eyes, did not hesitate. "See you inside!" he shouted, his body already in motion as he fearlessly leaped into the abyss.
The crew, though stunned by their captain's sudden actions, wasted no time in following him. One by one, each person overcame the initial shock and moved towards the opening, driven by curiosity and the desire to explore the unknown.
"Incredible, there shouldn't be ruins here!" Vivi exclaimed, her voice full of surprise and admiration. She turned to Lami, seeking assistance to safely descend into the mysterious depths. Lami then helped Vivi with his Room.
Luffy, with a practical gesture, began to light up the place with flames, revealing more of the ancient corridors and chambers that stretched before them.
The atmosphere within the ruins was pure wonder and respect. Each crew member, immersed in their own curiosity, explored the corridors and chambers with eyes shining in admiration. Usopp murmured, almost to himself, "This is incredible..." as his eyes scanned the high walls covered with inscriptions and images from the past.
Robin, with her passion for history and archaeology, walked with an attentive gaze over every detail. Gently touching the surface of an engraved stone, she spoke in an emotional tone, "This is very ancient..."
Meanwhile, the energy and noise of the companion animals filled the air. "Sharky!" "Megalo, be careful not to break anything!" worried shouts were heard as the crew's accompanying animals moved cautiously. Chouchou barked with excitement, his "Woof Woof" echoing through the ancient stones.
Chopper, always curious and amazed by new discoveries, found an ancient helmet and, unable to resist, tried it on. "Look at this helmet!" he exclaimed, his voice muffled by the ancient metal as he turned to show the others.
"Zoro, where are you going?!" someone called, trying to prevent the swordsman from getting lost as usual. "Hey, emo woman, be careful not to break one of these pillars that support the roof, I don't want to get buried," Reiju warned, while Lami responded with a sharp retort, "I should be keeping an eye on you, damn cook!"
'Where is Luffy?' 'He must be further ahead.' The voices mixed, each expressing a mixture of concern and excitement.
It was then that Luffy's voice broke through the murmur of conversations. "Hey, Robin! Come here. I found two more Poneglyphs!" The news reverberated through the ruins, immediately capturing everyone's attention. Their eyes lit up with recognition of the significance of Luffy's discovery, and she quickly moved towards the voice of her captain.
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