Chapter 50: Power Scaling

To ensure things wouldn't be too awkward when they set sail and invariably had to share the same quarters, Thomas introduced Caenis, Astolfo, Atalanta, and Benienma to Vivi. He had already told her about them, but meeting them directly, especially after they had sex, was an important step forward if he wanted to establish a harem in the future.

Fortunately, Vivi was a very 'diplomatic' woman, so she had no trouble getting along with the other girls, even Caenis. Rather, since they knew she was the reason for the shift in his behavior, they had a much better impression of her than Nami.

Speaking of Nami, the orange-haired woman had attempted to make amends with Thomas by inviting him for drinks the evening of their third day in Whiskey Peak. He accepted but only stuck around for half an hour before parting ways to spend the remainder of the evening with Vivi and Astolfo.

With Vivi effectively giving him 'permission' to sleep with other women, Thomas no longer felt an inclination to try and impress upon someone like Nami. A few months prior, he would have readily abandoned the notion of pursuing a harem if he could be with a woman of her caliber. Now that she had treated him like an enemy and tried to control him, he wouldn't be the one making concessions if they were to enter a relationship...

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As preparations to set sail had been completed, Thomas entered the prison containing Igaram, Mr. 9, and Miss Monday, spinning a ring of keys around his finger as he revealed, "You guys are lucky we're magnanimous. We're about to set sail, so I'm going to release you and permit you to flee. If you're smart, you'll find a different career path."

Opening the door to Miss Monday's cell, Thomas's smile cramped when the muscular woman cupped her hands over her lap and gave a demure bow, expressing, "Thank you for sparing my innocence. I don't know what I would have done if I could no longer be married..."

Suppressing his momentary stupor, Thomas answered, "You're welcome?" before opening the door to Mr. 9's cell. The latter's injuries had closed up and begun to heal on their own, but he was still a little sluggish, requiring Miss Monday's aid to flee the prison. In the process, he stared daggers at Thomas as, much like the other men in Baroque Works, he had a crush on 'Miss Wednesday.' Being assigned as her partner gave him hope that they would become more, so he resented Thomas deeply for stealing her away from him...

Once the other two had departed, Thomas stopped in front of Igaram's cell, staring into the man's beady eyes as the latter looked at him with a grim countenance. Vivi had apprised him of the situation during one of his designated bathroom breaks. During that conversation, the blue-haired Princess had clarified that she was the one to 'seduce' Thomas. Despite this, the wig-haired man couldn't help thinking that Thomas was the one to take advantage of her, resenting him and feeling like he had failed her father, King Cobra.

With Benienma materializing behind him to declare, "They're gone, dechi," Thomas stated, "The Princess will travel with us until we reach Alabasta. You're welcome to escort her, but only if you agree not to make a scene..."

Inhaling a deep, steadying breath, Igaram replied, "The Princess says she trusts you with her life and the fate of Alabasta. I trust her judgment even more than my own, so I will do what I can to buy you some time..."

Adopting a smile, Thomas remarked, "Vivi is fortunate to have such a loyal retainer. And don't worry. Once we save the Kingdom and revitalize the Sandora River, the only people who will protest my relationship with the Princess are those who covet her for themselves."

Releasing Igaram from his cell, Thomas was unsurprised when the former suddenly threw a haymaker at him. Instead of attempting to dodge, he allowed it to connect with his left cheek, maintaining a relaxed smile as a ripple spread across the previously invisible barrier covering his body. His weakness to seastone and inability to use Observation Haki required him to be extra careful. Thus, he almost always had at least a bulletproof layer of magical energy covering his body.

Retracting his fist, Igaram's expression remained steely and unflinching despite his bleeding knuckles. Then, in a deep and somber tone, he said, "Take care of the Princess..."

Nodding his head, Thomas replied, "Of course," before stepping aside and allowing Igaram to leave the prison. The latter had been watching over Vivi since she was a little girl, so he couldn't blame the man for resenting him. Rather, once they reached Alabasta, Thomas was expecting a similar reaction from her father and childhood friend, Koza...

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After a tedious eight days on the water, requiring near 24/7 vigilance, the Going Merry approached a forested island with several volcanoes and two massive landmarks resembling giant skulls.

Instead of asking Thomas for information, Nami approached Vivi, asking, "You've traveled this section of the sea before, right? Are you familiar with this island...?"

Adopting a wry smile, Vivi replied, "Indeed. Despite its size, it's known as Little Garden, a Summer island populated by Prehistoric creatures known as Dinosaurs..."

Overhearing the discussion, Usopp's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as he exclaimed, "Dinosaurs!? That's impossible! They're just monsters from a fairy tale...!"

Shrugging her shoulders, Vivi replied, "I believed the same when I was a little girl, but it's a 'fact' that there are Dinosaurs on Little Garden. If that wasn't problematic enough, it's rumored that a duo of bloodthirsty giants rules the island, killing anyone unlucky enough to encounter the infamous island during their journey..."

Seeing Vivi's expression become grim, Usopp and Nami began to tremble. Before they could have a panic attack, however, Thomas chimed in to say, "While it's true there are dinosaurs and Giants present on the island, they aren't the reason people never return from it..."

With Thomas willfully joining the conversation, Nami asked, "Really? Then what's the actual reason...?"

Adopting a smile, Thomas replied, "There is a giant goldfish known as the Island Eater that patrols the waters around the island. Its size allows it to swallow small islands, so most ships sailing through this region end up as fish flakes..."

Though Nami, Usopp, and even Vivi had become as white as sheets, Thomas adopted a devilish grin as he added, "Furthermore, any ship that 'does' land on the island ends up being beached for a full year, waiting for their Log Pose to calibrate. If we didn't already possess an Eternal Pose, we would suffer a similar fate."

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With Thomas's reminder, Nami shouted, "That's right! We have an Eternal Pose! We can just skip this hellish island entirely...!"

Hearing Nami's outburst, Lucy and Zoro replied, "No way...!" at nearly the same time. The thought of meeting giants and fighting dinosaurs was too enticing, so there was no way they would simply sail around it.

Voicing her thoughts aloud, Lucy asserted, "I'm not afraid of some fish! We're landing on that island, and that's that...!"

Nodding his head, Zoro remarked, "We should at least stay a few days to replenish our food reserves. I'm also curious to see how my Observation Haki fares against something like a dinosaur..."

With her left eye twitching, Nami raised her right hand, forming a fist as she retorted, "Have you lost your minds!? What are we supposed to do if the Island Eater shows up and decides we're lunch!? Do you think you can take out a monster capable of swallowing entire islands...!?"

Before Lucy or Zoro could respond, Thomas stated, "They don't have to. I already sent Caenis to take care of it. With her strength, indestructibility, and prowess in the sea, she should be able to take care of a giant fish. No problem..."

Blinking in surprise, Nami asked, "Seriously? I know Caenis is strong but can she really take on such a monstrous creature...?"

Nodding his head, Thomas replied, "As massive as the Island Eater is, it's fairly weak compared to the average Sea King. See those two mountain-sized skulls? They are the remains of actual Sea Kings, slain by the giants occupying the island. If they were to attack the Island Eater, they could probably kill it in a single blow."

With everyone's attention focused on him, Thomas added, "Compared to the most powerful people in this world, those two giants are fodder. Most Pirates with a Bounty exceeding 100,000,000 Berries could defeat them if they avoided a physical confrontation. As for powerhouses like the Marine Admirals, they could take out both giants without moving from their initial positions..."

Directing his gaze to the presently calm sea, Thomas narrowed his eyes as he confidently asserted, "If Caenis were assigned a Bounty based on her current power, she would easily transcend a billion Berries. Unless she is pitted against Mihawk, an Admiral, or one of the Four Emperors, she is practically invincible..."

While everyone else exhibited varying degrees of shock, Vivi had a fairly pragmatic reaction, questioning, "Is she the reason you're so confident in defeating Sir Crocodile...?"

Shaking his head, Thomas looked at Lucy as he said, "Caenis is more like my personal bodyguard. Unless shit hits the fan, she won't step in or take action without my direction. As for Sir Crocodile, I genuinely believe our Captain has what it takes to defeat him. If not on her own, then definitely with our support."

Rubbing the underside of her nose, Lucy issued one of her 'Shishishi~' type laughs before stating, "You're embarrassing me, Tom. I'm not 'that' great..."

With the corners of his smile rising, Thomas replied, "Not yet, perhaps. But there is a reason Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and I have decided to follow you. You have the capacity and the temperament to make the impossible a reality..."

Feeling uncharacteristically sheepish, Lucy scratched the back of her head and adopted an awkward smile. She wasn't good with compliments or receiving praise, so she kind of wanted to punch Thomas in the face to get him to stop. Before she could, a tremendous explosion erupted a few kilometers from their position, culminating in a column of water nearly a kilometer high and several across erupting from the sea...

Reacting quickly, Thomas pulled Nami and Vivi close, shielding them with his body as both a shockwave and a wall of vaporized water impacted the Going Merry and everyone onboard. Usopp was nearly sent flying off the quarterdeck, but Lucy caught him with her outstretched arm while Zoro attempted to cut through the shockwave with a vicious, determined grin on his face. He was ultimately unsuccessful, but he managed to create a noticeable 'channel' within the wall of vapor before it promptly collapsed and impacted him like a truck...

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Nearly a full minute after the shockwave rippled across them, leaving a heavy mist permeating their surroundings, Thomas released Nami and Vivi from his embrace. The former adopted an awkward smile as he did so, but before she could think to express her gratitude, Vivi abruptly pounced at him, linking her arms around his neck and planting a kiss on Thomas's lips. Afterward, she continued dangling from his neck, whispering, "My hero..." in a sultry tone.

Adopting a wry smile, Thomas replied, "Maybe not..." before setting the confused Princess down and surveying the damage to the Merry. Their main sail had been ripped to shreds, and the secondary mast had been torn off completely. Nami's tangerine trees had also taken a considerable amount of damage, shedding most of their leaves and tangerines...

Before Vivi could ask what Thomas meant, the figure of Caenis popped out of the sea, landing on the deck with a triumphant smile on her face. The explosion was the result of her 'igniting' her Divine Core, so while it was true that Thomas had protected Nami and Vivi from harm, him asking Caenis to eliminate the Island Eater was the reason they were in danger in the first place...

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(A/N: Big boom...)

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