Chapter 126

"Emporio Ivankov, didn't Carl mention me to you?"

Hearing this name, Lucia slowly lowered her hand from the hilt of her sword, frowning as she looked at the purple-haired woman standing before her.

Carl had, of course, mentioned Ivankov to Lucia, and she remembered that Ivankov was a man.

Lucia's gaze swept over Ivankov, starting from the chest down, and then Ivankov blinked, as if realizing what she was thinking, and said,

"Hold on a moment!"

Without warning, Ivankov's ten fingers morphed into sharp needles, stabbing into both sides of their waist.

"Ohhh!"

Ivankov let out a seductive moan, which only deepened Lucia's frown. But soon, Lucia's face showed complete shock. The voluptuous woman with the charming face had vanished, replaced by a man with a huge head, rugged features, and still wearing the same eye-catching red leather jacket.

Even Lucia, usually so composed, couldn't help but twitch the corners of her mouth when she saw Ivankov in his true form.

Now she understood why Carl had once described Ivankov as "a bit... eccentric."

After transforming back, Ivankov spun dramatically on his toes. The crew members on the ship erupted into cheers as if they'd just been injected with pure excitement.

"Look! It's our King!"

"Such grace! I love you!"

"Ahhhh!"...

Lucia's face darkened. She thumbed the pendant hanging from her waist, revealing a cold glint from the hidden sword as she barked,

"Enough!"

Ivankov stopped twirling, tossed a wink at Lucia, and said,

"Well, Lucia, isn't this the power of the Hormone Fruit simply marvelous?"

Turning her head stiffly, Lucia replied,

"I've... certainly learned something new."

At that moment, Carl appeared beside Lucia, a flash of speed leaving a trail of crimson in his wake. He placed a hand on her shoulder and sighed,

"Alright, Lucia, I heard everything. Thank you for holding it together."

Lucia, clearly relieved, tilted her head, nuzzling Carl's hand before retreating a step behind him.

Carl, now facing Ivankov, smiled warmly.

"Ivankov, it's been a long time."

Hearing that familiar voice, Ivankov froze for a moment, eyes wide, lips trembling.

"Brother Carl..."

Before Carl could respond, Ivankov burst into tears. He opened his arms wide and rushed forward, engulfing Carl in a tight embrace.

"Brother Carl! I can't believe I'm seeing you again! How are Kuma and Ginny?"

Ivankov, towering at nearly four and a half meters, had Carl's face pressed directly into his chest as he spoke, his voice muffled.

"They're fine, Ivankov. Please... let me go first. It's a bit difficult to talk like this."

Realizing, Ivankov released him quickly. Carl straightened his coat, glanced around the gathered crowd, and smiled.

"Ivankov, I see you've found a group of like-minded people. I'm glad for you."

Ivankov placed his hands on his hips, grinning.

"Yes! Aren't they simply adorable?"

Carl's smile froze. He couldn't bring himself to crush Ivankov's enthusiasm, so he awkwardly agreed,

"Yeah... adorable. Just like you."

Ivankov twirled around in joy, much to the delight of the onlookers, who cheered louder. One particularly flamboyant man in a blue pleated skirt, sporting a chin full of stubble, stepped forward with exaggerated elegance.

"Lord Carl, it's such an honor to meet you. I'm Tibany~"

Carl's mind flashed back to Kalain's role in the original story, where he was infamous for his... overly enthusiastic hospitality towards Sanji on the Kingdom of Kamabakka. This meant that Ivankov had already visited the island, advancing the timeline of events.

After a brief polite exchange, Carl's eyes landed on Inazuma, standing elegantly with a glass of red wine. Ivankov's most trusted subordinate was just as composed as ever.

Noticing Carl's gaze, Inazuma leaned forward in respect.

At that moment, the man tied up on the ground began to stir. Slowly regaining consciousness, he blinked as he saw Carl's Navy Admiral coat flapping in the wind. His eyes widened in disbelief.

"You... you're the Navy Admiral Black Dragon! Please, save me! I'm King Gipps of Kamabakka Kingdom! These... perverts kidnapped me!"

Carl glanced at him coolly before turning to Ivankov.

"Ivankov, care to explain?"

Ivankov suddenly looked a bit uneasy, clearly realizing he might have overstepped. In a quieter voice, Ivankov began to recount the tale.

Half a year ago, Ivankov had arrived at the Kingdom of Kamabakka, which was in the throes of a devastating plague. People were dying in droves, while King Gipps holed himself up in his palace, taxing the suffering citizens and indulging in luxury, oblivious to the chaos outside.

Determined to help, Ivankov had used the power of the Hormone Fruit to heal the afflicted. Though the plague wasn't as severe as it had been made out to be, most of the deaths were due to a lack of medical care, not the virulence of the disease. Ivankov's interventions, while not miraculous, had earned him the undying love and loyalty of the people.

As the treatment progressed, the citizens began worshipping Ivankov as their king, dubbing themselves the "New Humans."

When King Gipps tried to send soldiers to suppress the uprising, many of them defected to Ivankov's side, and those who didn't were quickly dealt with. Eventually, Ivankov stormed the palace, arrested King Gipps, and was unofficially crowned the new ruler of Kamabakka.

But Ivankov, ever the adventurer, had no interest in ruling a kingdom. At Inazuma's suggestion, he took on the title of king in name only, selected a handful of "gifted" followers, and set sail once more, leaving the kingdom in the hands of his devoted subjects.

"And now," Ivankov concluded, "here we are!"

Carl listened silently, nodding in understanding before turning his attention back to King Gipps, who was still bound and glaring angrily at the situation.

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