[OP Marine Officer Luffy] Chapter 556 - 560

Chapter 556: Cobra's Dilemma

The next day, when Cobra woke up in frustration and heard the news, he was completely dumbfounded.

"What?! You're going to North Blue?!!!"

At the dinner table, Cobra nearly spat blood. His dignity as a king forgotten, he leaped from his chair and stood atop the dining table.

Igaram, Chaka, and Pell—the king's three trusted confidants who were standing nearby—were also startled, frozen in place by their monarch's outburst.

Faced with her father's exaggerated reaction, Vivi, dressed in a casual short-sleeved shirt and long pants perfect for traveling, nodded with serious determination.

"Yes, I've made my decision. This opportunity will not only allow me to see the outside world, but more importantly, it will help me test my feelings toward Luffy and see if there's any possibility for us to be together."

Cobra subconsciously ignored the first half and zeroed in on the words "test my feelings." In that moment, scenes of his daughter running away from home, eloping, and even getting married and having children flashed through his mind.

Just imagining these possibilities made Cobra break out in a cold sweat. Although he knew this day would eventually come for his daughter, he never expected it so soon—and he certainly wouldn't allow Vivi to leave alone with some man!

As these distressing thoughts swirled in his mind, Cobra's eyes flashed with intensity as he glared at Luffy, who sat silently to his right, head lowered while quietly eating his noodles.

For some reason, Cobra suddenly recalled his first meeting with Luffy yesterday in a completely different light.

"Luffy, who had just disembarked from the Stormbreaker, sauntered up to him casually. With a flip of his hair, he pointed his thumb back at the ship and said flippantly: 'Oi, old man, I am taking your daughter, is that cool?'"

"I'm her father!!!"

This memory must have had such a powerful impact on Cobra that it broke through his usual composure, causing him to roar out loud.

Luffy, who had been feigning obliviousness out of guilt, looked up in surprise at Cobra's sudden outburst.

Vivi, Igaram, and the others who knew Cobra well exchanged astonished glances. In all their years together, this was the first time Vivi had seen her father lose control like this.

Igaram couldn't help but reflect inwardly that the last time he'd seen His Majesty this angry was when Princess Vivi had been bullied as a child. Indeed, no matter how wise and powerful the King might be, he was first and foremost a father—an old father perhaps a bit too devoted to his daughter.

While everyone was still recovering from their shock, Cobra continued, breathing heavily:

"Listen to me, kid. No matter what sweet words you say, I will never let Vivi go to such a distant place with you! Even if you truly love each other, you should wait until Vivi is older. For now, regardless of the reason, I refuse to agree!!!"

Luffy, now the target of Cobra's fierce glare, recovered from his initial surprise. He glanced at Vivi, who appeared equally taken aback, and shook his head helplessly.

Before confronting Cobra, the princess had confidently assured Luffy that she could convince her father. But judging from the results, not only had she failed to persuade him, she'd actually made him even more resistant to the idea.

There was no other option. After all, this was his potential future father-in-law, so Luffy decided it would be better if he addressed the situation himself.

"Ahem, Uncle Cobra, please calm down first."

Looking at Cobra, who was still standing on the table and breathing heavily, Luffy tried to defuse the tension with a few gentle words.

Despite his outburst, Cobra was still the ruler of a nation, and with Luffy's calming influence, he managed to take several deep breaths to suppress his anger before finally sitting back down.

Seeing that the King had regained some composure, Luffy began explaining carefully:

"Uncle Cobra, to be honest, this wasn't only Vivi's idea, but mine as well. Just as she said, I believe we need time to properly get to know each other. And to truly understand one another, there's no better way than living together for a period of time."

Luffy paused here, gauging Cobra's expression, before delivering the decisive point:

"After all, you wouldn't want your daughter to marry someone she doesn't truly know and live an unhappy life forever, would you?"

Cobra, who had been consumed by fury moments before, suddenly felt as though someone had poured a bucket of cold water over him. Luffy's words cut through his anger, leaving him in a moment of stark clarity.

Chapter 557: A Father's Reluctant Farewell

Cobra's realization left Igaram and the others feeling lost. There are several kinds of children who grow weary of their family's constant protection.

Of course, Cobra didn't want to see the situation Luffy had described. No matter what, Vivi was his precious daughter, his most beloved little princess. Compared to Luffy's current strength and reputation, what Cobra cared about most was whether his daughter could truly be happy. If even this couldn't be guaranteed, he would rather keep Vivi by his side for the rest of his life. After all, it wasn't as if he couldn't afford to support her—he had an entire kingdom's worth of assets at his disposal.

After thinking all this through, Cobra slumped in his chair like a deflated balloon. When he turned to look at Vivi, tears had already welled in his eyes, as if the two of them would never see each other again.

Vivi felt helpless when she saw this, but also felt a warmth spreading in her heart.

"Dad, we agreed that we're just going to North Blue to take a look around, not to elope," she said softly.

Cobra waited anxiously for Vivi to continue.

Vivi solemnly raised four fingers and promised, "I'll send messages regularly—every four days!"

Cobra sighed. "...I still have a bad feeling about this."

Whether Cobra's feeling was correct or not remained to be seen. In short, after Luffy's persuasion, the old king finally agreed to let Vivi, Luffy, and the others leave together. But he still couldn't bear to let Vivi go alone, so he insisted on sending Igaram, Pell, and Chaka along with them.

However, Vivi firmly rejected the idea.

In her words, her potential fiancé was one of the most powerful admirals of the World Government. If it was dangerous to follow him, it would be useless even if Cobra sent an entire army with her.

But Cobra's protests weren't completely in vain. At least after her father's repeated pleas, Vivi, whose mind had already drifted far away with thoughts of adventure, reluctantly agreed to stay with Cobra for three more days before departing.

These three days of companionship made Cobra feel much better. His attitude toward Luffy returned to the camaraderie they'd shared when they bathed together, and he no longer harbored any hostility toward the young Marine.

Luffy also took the opportunity to make a positive impression. Thinking that since he was already here, he might as well do something meaningful, he asked Nami to use her weather abilities to summon rain clouds. Soon, a rare rainfall blessed Western Alabasta.

The whole water-scarce country was plunged into jubilation. Even though this feat hadn't been publicly announced, many citizens correctly linked the heavy rain to Luffy's arrival. They believed it was the hero's presence that caused the gods to bestow this precious rainfall upon them.

For a time, Luffy's reputation among the people of Alabasta reached new heights. As for Cobra, who had witnessed the entire process, he was so overcome with gratitude that he nearly knelt on the spot, begging Luffy to let Nami stay in Alabasta permanently.

To sweeten the deal, he offered to grant Nami a vast tract of land and the title of duchess. The notoriously money-loving Nami almost nodded in agreement right then and there. If Luffy hadn't intervened and spoken with Cobra, promising to help Alabasta find a permanent solution to its water shortage in the future, the king might have gone so far as to offer his throne to Nami in exchange for her staying in the country.

Three days later, outside the city of Alubarna, Vivi stood ready to depart, carrying a suitcase filled with only some spare clothes. Her role had changed—from being the host who had greeted Luffy a few days ago, she was now a guest joining his journey temporarily.

"Goodbye, Dad, Igaram, Pell, Chaka, and everyone! I'll call you often, so please don't worry about me," she said cheerfully.

Poor Cobra took the handkerchief Igaram handed him, wiped his tears vigorously, and said with reluctance:

"Be careful out there. Listen to Luffy and don't wander off on your own. When you meet the royal families of the member states, remember to be polite and send them your father's regards. Likewise, if anyone dares to bully you, don't suffer in silence—Alabasta is not to be trifled with!"

Although Vivi had heard these words countless times during the past three days at the palace, she didn't show any impatience.

With a light laugh, she affectionately took Luffy's arm and said jokingly, "Don't worry, I have Luffy here. If anyone dares to bully me, I'll have Luffy beat them to a pulp."

After saying this, she raised her head and looked at Luffy with hopeful eyes and asked sweetly, "Right, Luffy~?"

Chapter 558: The Awestruck Princess

Luffy would have protected Vivi even without her saying anything. As a high-ranking Marine officer, how could he allow his potential fiancée to be bullied by others? What would be the point of his position if he couldn't even do that? He might as well resign and go home.

"Of course, my little princess, I'll protect you well," Luffy assured her with a smile.

"Hehe~" Hearing Luffy's answer, Vivi rubbed her head against his arm affectionately.

Cobra didn't miss any of these small, intimate gestures between them. At that moment, he suddenly felt a pang of regret. The way they acted around each other made it clear there was no need to "test" their relationship. Even when he was young, he and Vivi's mother hadn't been so inseparable!

As these thoughts ran through his mind, his expression toward Luffy grew increasingly disapproving.

Sensing the hostile intent, Luffy turned his head and met Cobra's gaze. Noticing the king's reddening eyes, he remained silent for a moment before breaking into a wide, disarming smile.

"Well then, Uncle Cobra, we'll be taking our leave now."

At Luffy's words, Vivi raised her head and waved goodbye to her father and the others. Though his heart was heavy with reluctance, Cobra forced a smile onto his face.

Luffy turned around and took Vivi's small suitcase. He then called out to his crew who had been waiting patiently—Ain, Nami, Sanji, and Zoro among them:

"Let's go! Our destination is North Blue—set sail!"

"Oh my goodness! The top of the ship is actually transparent!"

"Wow!! A swimming pool! There's an entire pool area on this battleship?!"

"Hey—there's even a beach! Is this really a warship and not some luxury yacht?"

Vivi explored the ship with childlike enthusiasm, running from one marvel to the next. Luffy took her luggage to her assigned room first.

Nami was in charge of the ship's command at the moment, so for the time being, only Ain accompanied Vivi.

The princess had removed her sandals and dipped her bare feet into the clear water. She sat on the edge of the artificial beach with her eyes half-closed, clearly enjoying herself. With amusement, Ain removed her Marine coat of justice, took off her shoes as well, and sat down beside Vivi.

"Is it different from what you imagined a warship would be like?" Ain asked.

Vivi opened her eyes—large and sparkling with wonder—and nodded vigorously.

"It's completely different!"

Speaking of the ship, Ain couldn't help but feel a touch of pride.

"Don't be shocked when I tell you this, but the cost of this ship is 3.5 billion Berries."

"How much?!" Vivi screamed in astonishment, nearly falling into the swimming pool. Fortunately, Ain reached out quickly and caught her in time.

Even so, Vivi couldn't recover from the shock of hearing such an enormous sum. With her mouth slightly agape, her mind began to process what this meant.

Over recent years, because of Crocodile's secret sabotage, Alabasta had been plagued by sandstorms and drought. As a result, a large portion of the kingdom's residents were struggling to survive. Her father Cobra, unable to bear witnessing his people's suffering, had been using the royal family's private coffers to supplement the national treasury—buying food, fresh water, and other essential resources from overseas.

After years of these subsidies, the royal family's private treasury had been stretched to its limits. Apart from precious antiques and heirlooms passed down through generations, even the Alabasta royal family couldn't produce such a staggering sum as 3.5 billion Berries at once.

Only with Crocodile's interference eliminated, had the kingdom's climate begun to stabilize. There had been occasional rainfall, and crops were growing again. The situation had improved considerably. Otherwise, Cobra might have soon needed to start selling family heirlooms to support the national treasury.

Vivi found it astounding that the private treasury of her own royal family—a dynasty that had existed for thousands of years—couldn't even afford the ship she was currently standing on. What made it even more remarkable was that this ship belonged to a single Marine officer. When had the Marines become so wealthy? Surely Luffy hadn't embezzled public funds?

Looking at Vivi's expressions shifting between surprise, concern, and hesitation, Ain could easily guess what she was thinking.

"Don't overthink it," Ain reassured her. "It is an extravagant sum to spend on a single vessel, but this ship was approved directly by Fleet Admiral Sengoku himself. Besides, the Stormbreaker is the world's first electric-powered, integrated sea-and-air unconventional warship. It's far more advanced than it appears, and the 3.5 billion Berry cost is absolutely justified."

After hearing Ain's explanation, Vivi finally relaxed. She began asking Ain more questions about the Stormbreaker's capabilities. The princess was still deeply engaged in conversation when Luffy arrived, shirtless and carrying exercise equipment. Upon seeing him, her curiosity only grew stronger.

Chapter 559: The Left-Behind 'Family', A Jealous Quarrel

"Luffy? Are you going to exercise?"

Vivi watched with uncertainty, her mouth slightly open, as Luffy approached them carrying a piece of iron that stood several people tall.

"Yeah, I've been staying in the palace all day long. I've fallen behind in my daily routine. I need to get back on track," he replied casually.

Then, under Vivi's astonished gaze, Luffy moved to an open area, stood upside down on his hands, and began to exercise by supporting the massive piece of iron—weighing at least ten tons—with his feet.

"So this is what it means to be an admiral? He really is something of a monster," Vivi sighed in genuine amazement.

Listening to the princess's awestruck comment, Ain couldn't help but smile with amusement.

"Want to try?" she offered.

"Huh?" Vivi turned her head in surprise, pointing first at Luffy who was exercising, and then at herself. "Me? No, no, I couldn't possibly do that."

She waved her hands frantically, certain she couldn't handle anything so intense.

"You don't have to do something so extreme," Ain assured her. "Just some running and push-ups would be good."

Without waiting for an answer, Ain took the girl's hand and led her to jog around the ship's facilities. Though initially reluctant, Vivi was also curious. Following Ain's instructions, she began to regulate her breathing and soon found her rhythm.

Half an hour later, when Nami returned with snacks after taking care of her duties, she found the three of them drenched in sweat. She glanced up in confusion at the sun setting in the east through the skylight, three imaginary question marks appearing above her head.

"What on earth? Is this how they build relationships? That's certainly a unique approach," she muttered quietly.

Nami set the plate of snacks aside, took off her jacket, rolled up her sleeves, and started running to join the impromptu exercise group.

"BREAKING NEWS: The heir to the world power Alabasta Kingdom has boarded Admiral Luffy's warship and joined his diplomatic mission to the member states of North Blue.

Does this move by the Alabasta royal family confirm that the rumored engagement between Princess Vivi and the rising Marine Admiral is true?

Could this be a sign of strengthening ties between the Marines and Alabasta?

Now, I will explain the background of this development and offer my analysis..."

After finishing the latest newspaper article, Hancock slammed the paper forcefully on the table, her face dark with anger.

"That bastard! It's just a poor, shabby desert country, what's so great about it? Isn't my Amazon Lily much stronger than Alabasta?!"

Hina, who had been reading the same headlines while sipping her coffee, peered over the top of her newspaper with a look of exasperation and gave Hancock a mocking glance.

She swept her almond-shaped eyes around the dining table, hoping to gauge the sisters' opinions on the matter. But the other women were absorbed in their own activities, showing little interest in engaging with Hancock's outburst.

Only Viola seemed to share Hancock's sentiments on this matter, and she chimed in sourly:

"That's right. They just have more people and a larger territory. If it came to an actual fight, they probably couldn't even stand against our Dressrosa. What's there to be proud of?"

"Oh, please," Hina interjected. "Every Amazon Lily warrior is formidable—their strength is well-known to all. But what does your Dressrosa have to offer? A population just over 100,000, which is less than the size of Alabasta's army? Do you still have the nerve to look down on them? Heh!"

"You...!"

Hina's disdainful look and cutting words left Viola so furious that she could only point at her, trembling with rage but unable to form a coherent rebuttal.

Meeting her angry glare, Hina simply raised her chin proudly, exposing her elegant neck in a gesture of defiance.

This argument between the two women didn't attract much attention from the others. Ever since Luffy and Ain had departed, the dynamics among those left behind had shifted. Without their mediating presence, petty disputes had become increasingly common.

Almost daily, they would quarrel over matters both significant and trivial. In more serious cases, when neither could defeat the other verbally, they would directly challenge each other to a fight or a duel.

Fortunately, despite all their arguing and noise, the women always maintained their composure at a fundamental level. After each quarrel, neither harbored lasting resentment or hurt feelings.

"Hmph, you don't need to remind me," Hancock declared haughtily. "In a few years, when my training regimen bears fruit, Amazon Lily will be the strongest nation in the world, and I will be the queen of the world's most powerful kingdom. When that happens, I'm certain Luffy will be even more captivated by me~"

Chapter 560: Viola's Decision

Seeing Hancock lost in self-indulgent fantasies after just a few words, Hina immediately turned the tables on her:

"I give you a small compliment, and you completely lose your dignity. The strongest in the world? Wait until your people exceed 10,000 before you start making such ridiculous claims."

Viola, who had just been mocked herself, wasn't about to let the opportunity pass and added sarcastically:

"That's right. Do you really think you'll be invincible just because Amazon Lily adopting a few children? You should wait until they're weaned from breast milk before making grand declarations!"

"You two bastards!"

Hancock stood up angrily and glared at them both.

Hina and Viola were not intimidated and rose to confront her.

Olivia, Yamato, and Kalifa cast expectant glances their way, clearly hoping for some action. But after waiting for some time and seeing that the three had no intention of actually fighting, they turned away in disappointment.

"Tsk, all talk and no action. Why don't you just fight already?" Yamato complained.

She poured an entire plate of sushi into her mouth, barely chewing before swallowing it all. Then she stood up, patted her full stomach, and announced to everyone:

"Well, I'm full. You all take your time eating—I'm going to teach the kids now."

"Bye, Yamato," Kujaku waved lazily.

Nodding, Yamato grabbed her coat and hurried outside, beginning a new day in her role as the children's instructor.

Not long after she left, Robin also put down her knife and fork and stood up. She glanced at Olivia, who was already prepared to leave, and then asked Koala, who had finished her meal as well:

"Would you mind taking us to Dr. Vegapunk's laboratory today?"

With Luffy and Nami away, Koala—who could control auspicious clouds—had naturally become their primary transportation provider.

"Sure, let's go now," Koala agreed without objection. She said quick goodbyes to the others and departed with Robin and Olivia.

As the household members dispersed for their daily activities, soon only Hancock, Hina, and Viola remained in the room.

Oh, and there was also Alpha, the outsider.

Since the supply of seastone had remained relatively stable recently, most of the CP8 agents had been reassigned elsewhere. Only Alpha, who had a special relationship with Kalifa, had managed to stay behind after she concealed certain details from her superiors. Her assignment was to monitor G66, which everyone was well aware of.

There was little activity in CP8 these days, and Alpha held no official position in the Marines. She had naturally fallen into the role of caretaker. When at home, she handled most of the housework—a task she seemed to genuinely enjoy.

Ignoring the tense atmosphere between the three women, Alpha hummed a cheerful tune as she began clearing the table, removing plates, bowls, knives, and forks from in front of them.

"Excuse me, I need to clean this area."

"Please lift your feet so I can mop the floor."

"I've prepared some fresh fruit. Would you care for some, Your Majesty?"

Faced with Alpha's busy, unperturbed demeanor, the three women gradually lost their will to continue quarreling.

After glancing calmly at her two rivals, Hancock snorted coldly and called out to Alpha's retreating back:

"I'm leaving. Remember to tell Koala to pick me up at Onigashima this evening."

Alpha didn't look back but simply adjusted the pillows on the sofa and raised her hand to make an "OK" gesture.

Having received confirmation, Hancock didn't linger. She strode away on her high heels, quickly returning to her own territory.

Watching her departure, Viola lowered her head and rested her chin on her hand, deep in thought. After a moment of contemplation, something seemed to click into place. She suddenly called out to Hina, who was about to leave for work:

"Hey, Hina, would you like to come back to Dressrosa with me to witness my coronation as Queen?"

Hina, who had already changed into her work clothes, paused when she heard this. She turned around with a confused tilt of her head.

"What?"

One month later.

"A new monarch has ascended the throne! The world's nations have once again welcomed a beautiful queen. And behind this coronation, that person's shadow appeared again. Follow this editor's investigation as we reveal the untold story of Viola, the new Queen of Dressrosa..."

In North Blue, Luffy, who had just awakened, stared at the newspaper in his hands and fell into deep thought.

"What on earth did I miss?"