This Man Is So Good-Looking, I Want Him

Black puppets aren't necessarily black; the name represents a more advanced divine method. Incorporating seastone into the puppet's bones not only strengthens its durability but also provides a restraint against those with Devil Fruit abilities.

"Done!" Arias clapped his hands. With a mere thought, the puppet opened its eyes. No one would ever suspect that it was a magical doll.

"My level of weapon refining has surpassed that of Village Chief Ma!" Arias thought proudly. But he knew that Vegapunk could create clones indistinguishable from humans, using either mechanical technology or biotechnology. There's also the Seraph, which combines cloning technology, the blood factor, and other advancements to replicate the abilities of Devil Fruits, with strength comparable to the original Shichibukai. This old guy isn't simple!

However, Vegapunk isn't truly loyal to the World Government. He has always had his own motives, and the Seraphs only obey his orders. Arias thought to himself, I want to communicate with this old guy when I get the chance.

The so-called magic machine is a technology developed based on Lianjie's theory, which aligns with natural science. If Arias could obtain Vegapunk's research results, his own divine machine would be greatly enhanced. But for now, the priority is to improve his strength.

"Hello, my name is Arias," he said, smiling as he stretched out his hand in front of the puppet. He then manipulated the puppet to speak: "Master, please give Daji your orders."

Oh! A bit creepy, Arias thought as he got goosebumps all over his body. He hid the puppet in the refining room, feeling pleased. He wasn't planning to tell anyone about the doll's existence, not even Hancock. In the future, many tasks that are inconvenient to do in person can be handled by the puppet—like recruiting Franky.

Franky is now twenty-four years old, and Tom has not yet been executed. Arias wants not just Franky but also Tom, the great shipwright. To fight against the World Government and the Celestial Dragons, he needs to develop his own power. Like Roger and Luffy, he cannot rely solely on elite ships; he needs enough manpower and a large fleet. This requires shipwrights, or even shipyards, to accomplish this goal. Who better to build Roger's boat than Tom? To gain Franky's allegiance, Arias must start with Tom. Saving Tom at the moment he is about to be executed is his greatest hope. But this requires making an enemy of the World Government, and Arias doesn't want to be targeted before he is ready.

As they traveled, the temperature on the route dropped, and eventually, snowflakes began to fall from the sky. At the port of Cigu Island, a ship was anchored.

"It's not even winter, so why is it so cold?" In the cabin, a few of the younger crew members huddled around a fire to keep warm. Unprepared for the cold, they shivered in their thin clothes.

Arias, Hancock, Yamato, and others used Qi to cover their bodies, rendering them invulnerable to cold and heat. Hiyori had achieved a small level of Qi training and had good resistance to cold. Kuina transformed into her human-animal form, relying on thick panda fur to maintain body temperature. The others were not so fortunate. Even sitting around the stove, their teeth chattered from the cold.

"D-d-d-damn, it's c-c-c-cold," Zoro muttered, trying to act tough despite shivering uncontrollably. He began high-intensity training to warm up his body.

"I-I'm not c-c-c-cold either!" Little Sanji, not wanting to admit defeat in front of Zoro, distanced himself from the fire and began intense physical training.

Usopp, however, had no such pride. He openly admitted to being cold and even contemplated getting directly into the fire.

"Alright, you stay on the boat. I'll go to the island and see if I can find some cotton clothes," Arias said. "If I'm lucky, I'll bring back a pet."

"Pet?" Salome's ears perked up. She didn't care about the others, but she was wary of any pet that might take away attention from her and Arias.

"Sister-sama, I want to go too!" Salome hugged Hancock's arm tightly, and Hancock affectionately patted her head.

"Anyone else want to go?" Arias asked. Yamato, Hiyori, and Kuina, all able to withstand the cold, wanted to see the magical Winter Island. But if they all left, the oldest remaining on the ship would be Nami, and the strongest would be little Zoro—not an ideal situation.

"Okay, I'll go to the island to buy some cotton clothes, and then we can all explore together," Arias assured them.

Before leaving, he summoned three Ruhua, which he had created along with the black puppets. Though their combat power wasn't as high as the black puppets, they were strong enough to defend the ship until reinforcements arrived.

Arias, Hancock, and Salome landed on Drum Island. The islanders, accustomed to heavy snowfall, managed to achieve a basic level of food and clothing. The Iron Bucket Kingdom on the island was a major medical power, known for its world-renowned doctors and top-notch medical conditions. Many outsiders came to Cigu Island seeking medical treatment, providing the residents with more opportunities to make money.

It was now Sea Circle Calendar 1510, and Wapol was still a prince. This was one reason the islanders could manage their lives despite the harsh conditions.

As they arrived at a village, they noticed it was decorated with lanterns and banners. Upon closer inspection, they realized the Miss Universe competition had come to Drum Island. This contest was highly popular in the pirate world, attracting numerous participants and viewers. Beautiful women, regardless of the world, were always in high demand.

Arias didn't care about the competition; his only purpose was to find Chopper. But first, he needed to buy enough warm clothes for the little ones.

"Excuse me, where can I find a clothing store around here?" Arias asked a middle-aged man.

The man, rough-skinned and simple in appearance, was an ordinary local worker. He turned around, and upon seeing Arias and the others, his eyes widened in surprise.

Arias, dressed lightly with a small ponytail and red beads around his bare feet, looked otherworldly. Hancock, in a slim-fitting cheongsam, also barefoot, held hands with him, looking like a goddess. Salome, with her million-horned head and alluring maid outfit, clung to Hancock's other arm. The man swallowed unconsciously, mesmerized by their beauty.

He assumed they were here to participate in the Miss Universe competition. "Are you here for the competition?" he asked, almost instinctively.

Arias chuckled, "No, we're just passing through and need to buy some cotton coats."

The man, puzzled by their lack of winter clothes despite the cold, showed them the way to a market where they could find a clothing store. Arias thanked him and followed the directions to a small store in a nearby market. Inside, they found only ordinary styles, but Arias selected a few that would fit the younger crew members.

As they exited the store, they encountered two women, both wrapped in thick winter clothes but clearly beauties even under the layers. One of them complained about the cold, but as soon as she saw Arias, her complaints ceased, her eyes locked on him.

Her companion, equally captivated, murmured, "This man is so good-looking, I want him!"

As the two women followed Arias and his group, Hancock noticed and frowned. She was well aware of Arias's charm, but having other women blatantly follow them was too much. With a slight tilt of her head, she emitted an aura of majesty. Though she didn't release her Conqueror's Haki, the mere presence of her emperor's power and dominance shocked the two women, making them stop in their tracks.

As Arias and the others moved away, the women came back to their senses, their hearts pounding with fear and anger. "Who was that woman?" one of them asked, still trembling. But Candrela, the bolder of the two, vowed to find out who they were and win Arias's affection.

Back on the ship, Arias distributed the cotton-padded clothes to the younger crew members. Nami and the others eagerly chose their favorite styles, while Zoro and Sanji continued their rivalry, albeit reluctantly donning their new clothes to avoid being left behind.

Once they were dressed, the crew stepped off the Dawn and into the thick snow. For many of the little ones, this was their first time experiencing such heavy snowfall. As they played in the snow, Nami, curious as always, asked Arias why he wasn't affected by the cold.

"Because of Qi," Arias explained, wrapping a ball of Qi around Nami to keep her warm. "When you succeed in practicing Qi, you won't be afraid of cold or heat."

Determined to improve their Qi training, the little ones vowed to work harder. The group entered the village, taking in the sights as Arias inquired about any strange creatures in the area.

"Strange creatures?" one of the villagers responded. "We don't have any here, but I've heard there are monsters near Drum City."

Arias suspected that the "monster" was likely Chopper, who was probably seen as a Yukio after eating the Human-Human Fruit. Chopper, born in Sea Circle Calendar 1505, was only five years old now and living under Dr. Shiruluk's care. Arias decided to head to Drum City the next day to meet Chopper.