After finishing off the last pirates, Nojiko and the others returned to the tavern where Sora was waiting. But hearing certain... sounds from the second floor, they all exchanged awkward glances.
"Makino, Nojiko, why don't we go loot the pirates' treasure instead?" Kaya, face burning red, suggested quickly, pulling them along.
The pirates had all been dealt with, so there wasn't any danger left in town.
"Let's go too," said Anna and Shalria, following behind. Since Sora always automatically collected the spoils and bounty from defeated enemies, they'd never had the experience of treasure hunting themselves.
An hour later, the group returned to the tavern—empty-handed and crestfallen.
"Those pirates were broke! We couldn't find a single treasure," Kaya huffed.
"Yeah, what a waste of time," Makino agreed.
"Maybe Sora already took it all?" Kaya muttered.
The moment she said it, everyone fell silent.
Right… They'd all completely forgotten Sora had the ability to automatically collect loot. Realizing this, the girls suddenly felt like a bunch of fools.
Back in the tavern, they found Sora and Reiju downstairs. He was lounging on the sofa, sipping wine. Reiju sat beside him, nestled contently against his chest, glowing with satisfaction.
Kaya and the others couldn't help but roll their eyes at the lovestruck scene—and at Reiju's clearly flushed cheeks.
Seeing them return empty-handed, Sora couldn't help but laugh. When the last pirate died, he had been teaching Reiju sword techniques and received a system notification that all treasure had been teleported directly to the Divine Slave.
Of course they'd find nothing.
"Alright, let's head to Little Garden," Sora said, standing up and leading the way.
Anna and Shalria quickly followed. Reiju blushed under the others' knowing stares and hurried after Sora as well. Kaya, Nojiko, and Makino brought up the rear.
Little Garden, Baroque Works Hideout
After a day's sailing, the Divine Slave arrived at Little Garden. It didn't take long for Sora to find the remaining Baroque Works base.
"According to the agents we questioned, the people you're looking for are now in Alabasta," Reiju explained as she sat on Sora's lap, arms draped around his neck. "They opened a café in the desert outside Yuba, the western trade city."
"Good," Sora said, burying his face in her neck with a smirk. "We'll leave after Kaya and the others finish watching the giants' duel."
Sora had already befriended the two giants, Dorry and Brogy, who had invited them to watch their centuries-long battle. Kaya, Anna, and the rest—who had never seen giants before—were thrilled.
Feeling his shifting mood, Reiju blushed and got up, using Makino's method to clean Sora's sword. In the past, she would never have done something like this. But now, if it made him happy, she was willing.
Ever since her mother's death, Reiju had been treated as a tool by Judge. With only cold, unfeeling brothers and distant servants around, her life had been lonely. That is, until she met Sora—and surrendered herself completely.
By the time the giants' duel ended, Reiju had finished cleaning the sword, and the crew regrouped to head for Alabasta.
Drum Kingdom
After some sailing, they arrived at the Drum Kingdom.
Thinking about Chopper's "Rumble Ball" miracle drug, Sora sought out Dr. Kureha, hoping to get her medical notes and the formula.
Thanks to Kaya's cuteness, the old doctor melted immediately and treated her like a granddaughter, personally guiding her in medical training.
Knowing how skilled Kureha was, Sora decided to stay for two days to let Kaya learn.
While Kaya was studying inside, Sora was out training Anna and the others—when fate dropped an unexpected gift into his lap.
That gift... was Wapol, the former king of Drum Kingdom and the user of the Swallow-Swallow Fruit.
After being defeated by Luffy, Wapol had been ousted by the people and was now on the run from the Marines, hiding and plotting his return.
Spotting the unattended Divine Slave docked nearby, Wapol decided to steal it and make his escape.
That... didn't end well.
The moment he stepped onboard, Reiju—who was working in the ship's lab designing a submersible combat suit—discovered him. Furious at the attempt to steal something so important to Sora, and feeling entrusted by him, she attacked without hesitation.
A cloud of deadly poison and one clean strike later, Wapol was dead.
At that moment, Sora received a notification:
『Ding! You have defeated the captain of the Iron-Plate Pirates. You may claim his treasure and bounty—or forfeit the treasure to obtain his Devil Fruit.』
『Ding! Paramecia-type: Swallow-Swallow Fruit. Estimated value: 370 million Berries...』
『Payment required...』
Staring at the Devil Fruit in his hands, Sora was stunned.
He had done nothing. He was literally just sitting outside Kureha's castle, enjoying the snow and watching the girls play beach volleyball in bikinis—when a Devil Fruit dropped into his lap.
And not just any fruit—this one had the power to create Wapol Metal, a rare and expensive memory alloy that could be used to craft battle suits.
Sora already had Reiju to design them. Now, with the Swallow-Swallow Fruit, he could mass-produce Germa-style combat gear.
"Master!" Anna's voice snapped him back to reality.
He looked up at Anna and Shalria, both dressed in skimpy bikinis, laughing and playing volleyball in the snow.
"What is it?" Sora asked, still clutching the newly acquired fruit, a hint of excitement in his eyes.