Chapter 232: Far Water Can't Save Near Fire
The Straw Hat Pirates have an extra Bartolomeo.
This was enough to surprise Maud.
If it weren't for the fact that Bartolomeo's signature barrier fruit ability was not indicated in the intelligence, Mord would not be so puzzled.
What surprised Maud even more was that the Don Quixote family was actually involved with the Straw Hat Pirates at this time.
"Don Quixote's intelligence officers have their eyes on the Straw Hats..."
It's a reminder at the end of the note.
It is also thanks to the revolutionary army's excellent intelligence acquisition capabilities.
Otherwise, who would have thought that the famous Don Quixote family would target a small pirate group that had just entered the great waterway?
And the Straw Hats, who were targeted by the Don Quixote family, probably didn't know anything about it.
Maud frowned.
He clearly remembered that the first time the Straw Hat Pirates met with the Don Quixote family should have been on the eve of their trip to the Sky Island.
"Um?"
Suddenly, Maud thought of something.
"Is it because of Usopp..."
Maud's eyes condensed, and there was a lingering luster.
The rebellious gesture on Doflamingo's face flashed in his mind, and he couldn't help but sneer in a low voice.
"Yes, after all, I took out a few of your bones."
Maud's palm oozes shadow fog without warning, sending the parcel of paper into the depths of the ground.
Since the beginning of Rogge Town, the master-disciple relationship with Usopp is no longer a secret.
Under this premise, Doflamingo will target the Straw Hat Pirates, and there are traces to follow.
Most likely, he planned to kill Usopp's Straw Hat Pirates to disgust him.
If it wasn't for the purpose of stimulating Sabo's memory and entrusting Sabo to investigate the movement of the Straw Hat Pirates, it would not have happened to find the information that the Don Quixote family was eyeing the Straw Hat Pirates.
If this matter is not found, I am afraid that the Straw Hat Pirates will withdraw from the stage early.
After thinking about it, it was the "Master" that was casually answered in order to take into account Usopp's feelings.
But now, two years later, so many chain reactions have been triggered.
It's a strange feeling of being one-on-one.
"Usopp and the others are already in Alabasta. If Doflamingo made preparations in advance, he would most likely set up an ambush outside the capital of Alabasta. Even if I set off overnight, it would be impossible for me to catch up. "
Maud squeezed his chin.
Even if I learned the news that the Don Quixote family had attacked the Straw Hat Pirates, it is still... the far water cannot save the near fire.
Presumably, Doflamingo, who suffered several losses under his own hands, also saw this.
"It was a good abacus."
Maud's eyes were cold, but he didn't panic at all, and turned back to the bar.
In the bar, Shaqi, Perona, and Bailey were sitting at the dining table.
Hearing the sound of the door being pushed, Shaqi and the others all looked at Maud who walked into the bar.
"Did something happen?"
Xia Qi was very keen, and he smelled something wrong from Maud's subtle expression.
Perona's face showed curiosity.
Compared to Shaqi and Perona's attention, Bailey stared straight at the dishes on the table, and his saliva was almost drooling.
"Um."
Maud did not deny it, and immediately walked to the dining table and sat down.
Xia Qi took advantage of the situation and pushed a pair of tableware in front of Maud, and asked with concern, "Is it difficult?"
"A little bit, but not a problem."
Maud smiled at Shaqi.
"That's good."
Seeing that Maud didn't mean to say more, Xia Qi didn't go into it.
Soon, the dishes on the table were swept away by everyone.
After dinner, Maud suddenly said: "Aunt Xia, I'm going to travel far in the past two days, and the training of returning my life can only be put on hold temporarily."
"It's alright, wait until you come back to continue."
Xia Qi lit a cigarette, turned to look at Perona who was cleaning the table, and asked, "Are you going to take little Perona with you this time?"
Hearing Xia Qi's words, Perona's body trembled slightly, stopped what she was doing, and pricked up her ears.
She didn't know where Maud's so-called far door was going, but no matter where she was going, she didn't want to go!
"Don't take me, don't take me!"
Perona prayed silently in her heart.
But what Maud said next made her prayers shattered in an instant.
"Take it."
This trip, Perona's ability can come in handy.
If you can bring it, Maud will naturally not let Perona stay in the Chambord Islands alone.
Hearing Maud's response, Perona suddenly burst into tears.
Maud gave no further details on where to go.
Before he left, he had to find someone else.
Speaking of which, the Don Quixote family, which has a lot of abilities, is undoubtedly a very suitable prey to quickly improve the proficiency of the shadow fruit.
In addition, there is also the Barlow Society Works under Crocodile, and there are also many capable people.
Going farther, the BIGMOM Pirates and the Hundred Beasts Pirates are also behemoths with a lot of abilities under their command.
In the final analysis, Devil Fruit is always the best choice to strengthen the forces under your command.
………………
New World, Dressrosa.
In the dimly lit large room, Doflamingo casually straddled the window sill, his eyes looking through the gap in the curtains, fixed on an insignificant grass outside the window.
In the center of the room, many officials of the Don Quixote family stood side by side.
All eyes were on Doflamingo.
"I said, I said, Pika should have arrived in Alabasta by now!"
One of the top officials of the Don Quixote family, Torrepol, the sticky fruit ability man, spoke up.
Diamanti, who is also one of the top cadres with the flying fruit ability, glanced at Torrepol.
"If Pika arrives in Alabasta, he should notify us as soon as possible. Since there is no notification, it means that he has not arrived yet."
"Is that so? Is that so? It seems that Pika's enthusiasm is not very good, otherwise this would have been in Alabasta!"
"Hey, Pika, who has always been taciturn, will take the initiative to take up this matter. There is definitely no problem with positivity!"
"Torrepol, no one can guarantee that the long-distance voyage will be smooth. If you are unlucky and encounter a few storms, it will inevitably take more time."
"Is that so? Is that so?"
"Could it be that Pika forgot to report? Hee hee hee..."
The cadre Dellinger, who was wearing a horn helmet, covered his mouth and smiled. Through his fingers, he could vaguely see his mouth full of fangs.
"Oh hoo hoo, it's not impossible. After all, Baby-5 and Buffalo are both Pika's direct subordinates. In order to vent their hatred and dissatisfaction, Pika may directly forget everything when he arrives in Alabasta. After that, I can't wait to find trouble with the Straw Hat Pirates!"
While the sturdy art fruit person Qola twisted her waist, she supported the rather unique triangular-framed glasses on her face with her hands.
Wearing a black steel helmet, Gradius, one of the cadres with the explosive fruit ability, said in a low voice, "I should go with Pika."
Like Baby-5 and Buffalo killed by Maud, he is a direct subordinate of the top cadre Pika.
The main goal of this mission is to kill Maud's apprentice Usopp, which is a rare opportunity for revenge, so he should follow him.
"Gradius, the target of this mission is just a rookie pirate group that has just entered the great waterway. There is no need to dispatch two officers. Pika must have considered this, so he won't let you follow."
"..."
Gradius was silent.
"After Pika kills the Straw Hat Pirates, I really want to see Bacardi Maud's reaction, hehehe..."
"If that guy knew about this, he would have rushed to Alabasta!"
"Hahaha, what if you know? That guy is in the Chambord Islands. By the time he rushes to Alabasta, the Straw Hats have already been hammered into meat sauce by Pika!"
"The gatekeeper of the new world? Humph, well guarded, haha!"
"Hey hey hey..."
"Oh hoo hoo..."
"Hehehe..."
There was laughter and laughter in the room, as if he had seen Maud's desperate and helpless look.
On the window sill, Doflamingo listened to the laughter from the cadres with an expressionless face.
Just taking one of Maud's "closers" is not enough to end this hatred.
"Furfur..."
Doflamingo sneered in a low voice.
Only by destroying all people and things related to Maud can it be regarded as the real end!
Power, power, power.
That's what exists for.
............
Alabasta, desert.
As far as the eye can see, the rolling sand dunes are unobstructed.
The sun was high in the sky, and there were no clouds in the sky.
The scorching sunlight hit the ground wantonly, and the severe high temperature caused the air to twist slightly, making it visible to the naked eye.
A team of people is struggling to move forward in the desert.
This team was the Straw Hat Pirates who had just arrived in Alabasta.
"Senior Luffy, I saw 'food'!"
Bartolomeo, who was topless, shouted with excitement as if he had discovered a new world.
"food!!!"
Thirsty and hungry, Luffy's eyes lit up, a puff of smoke rolled up under his feet, and he rushed to Bartolomeo's side at high speed.
"Where's the food?"
"That's it."
Bartolomeo pointed to the luxuriant orb cactus growing in the sand pile as if taking credit.
"Oh!"
Luffy's spirit was lifted, and his eyes were shining brightly.
Even if it is just a cactus, it will be a rare delicacy in this hungry environment.
Bartolomeo smiled, took off two ball cacti, and gave one of them to Luffy.
"boom!"
"boom!"
Luffy and Bartolomeo, who were about to get important water from the cactus, were suddenly knocked to the ground by Nami.
"You two idiots, did you listen to what Wei Wei said, especially you, Bartolomeo!!! The lesson of eating bats last time was not profound enough!!!"
"I'm sorry, Nami-senpai!"
"I was wrong!"
Bartolomeo and Luffy drooped their heads, honestly admitting their mistakes.
Nami sighed, only to feel more thirsty.
Chopper, who was almost collapsing from the heat, stood up and observed a large number of ball cacti up close.
Judging from the current growth of cactus, it can be basically concluded that it is poisonous.
Otherwise, the cactus, which is rich in water, would have been eaten up by desert creatures long ago, and how could it have grown so smoothly.
"Weiwei, how long will it take to get to the 'Rain Land'?"
"It's about five more days."
"what……"
Luffy made a weak voice.
Wei Wei, who had beautiful long hair, looked at Luffy and the others who were tortured by the sun and couldn't even shed a drop of sweat.
Nami, with a delicate mind, clapped her hand on the back of Weiwei's waist at the right time, and said with a smile, "Don't worry, the 'toughness' of these guys is very strong!"
"Um."
Weiwei nodded.
She has experienced this all the way through the sea.
"Pfft."
Not long after Nami's voice fell, Chopper collapsed on the sand.
"No, Chopper is stunned by the heat!"
"Hey, Chopper, are you alright?"
Luffy and the others, who were closer, gathered around for the first time.
Sanji looked at Chopper, who was so hot that he couldn't love him, touched his chin and suggested, "Chopper, why don't you shave your hair, it will be cooler."
"Absolutely not!"
Chopper mustered his little strength, and loudly refuted Sanji's suggestion.
Bartolomeo shouted: "Get out of the way, I have a way to cheer up Chopper!"
"any solution?"
Luffy and the others looked at Bartolomeo curiously.
"Fan fan!"
Bartolomeo smiled and raised his right fist, showing a fan-shaped barrier.
"I see!"
Looking at the fan-shaped barrier, Luffy, Usopp, Zoro, and Sanji thumped their fists, all of them suddenly stunned.
Chopper, who was already too hot, looked forward to the fan-shaped barrier in Bartolomeo's hand.
"Chopper, are you ready?"
"Uh-huh!"
Chopper nodded.
"Then here I come, flow barrier, invincible sandstorm!!!"
Bartolomeo took a step forward, his arms twitched like a propeller, and a gust of wind rolled up in an instant.
"Oh!!!"
Luffy and the others watched in amazement at the wind that Bartolomeo was blowing.
At this moment, Bartolomeo's right foot sank deep into the sand, and his body accidentally lost his balance.
Coupled with the action of shaking his arms vigorously, he stumbled and fell straight to Chopper, who was lying on the ground.
The dancing fan-shaped barrier also slammed into Chopper's side.
"Eh?"
Joba froze for a moment.
Before he could react, the fan-shaped barrier slammed on the sand beside him, raising a lot of sand.
The crowd couldn't help but stay stunned.
After the sand fell like rain, Chopper turned his head sideways, his eyes bulged out, staring blankly at the fan-shaped barrier that was only a few centimeters away in front of him.
"Accident, accident..."
Bartolomeo pulled up the fan-shaped barrier and smiled awkwardly.
Chopper's protruding eyes slowly shrank back, and then he raised his eyelids with difficulty, and glanced at Bartolomeo with a complicated mood.
After a while, Chopper closed his eyes and fainted.
"Chopper!!"
The crowd was startled again and became a mess.
"You can't rest easy!!!"
Looking at the group of living treasures in front of her, Nami resisted the urge to punch.
In this environment, even waving a fist is a waste of energy.
Weiwei silently looked at the messed up companions.
For some reason, there was an inexplicable peace of mind.
"Ah……"
A smile appeared on Wei Wei's face.