As Albert woke up, he opened his eyes to see Nami, clinging to him like a koala, and a contented smile spread across his face.
Albert's physique had become exceedingly strong. While Nami was also experiencing rapid growth in her abilities after practicing with her internal energy, she still couldn't match Albert's strength. Each time, before he could fully indulge, she would plead for him to ease up.
Holding the slumbering Nami, Albert's gaze drifted toward Robin's room, a playful grin on his lips. It had been a few days since Robin joined the team, and she was gradually finding her place. However, Albert found it frustrating that this sly, mature woman often teased him, purposely letting Nami catch on and then punishing him. The past few days had been quite a challenge for Albert. Nevertheless, he celebrated his victory the day before when he demonstrated his prowess, leaving Nami begging for mercy and vowing to curb her jealousy.
Still, Albert recalled the prying eyes and ears that had unexpectedly appeared during their workout the previous night. That's when he activated his Observation Haki and spotted a slightly blushing Robin in the next room. It wasn't until he and Nami concluded their exercises that the clandestine observations faded away.
He smacked his lips and nudged Nami's leg off him, startling her awake.
She replaced her leg, murmuring, "Honey, don't make a fuss. Let me sleep a little longer."
With a mock frown, he playfully slapped her perky backside, teasing, "Still sleeping? The sun is up!"
"Ugh…" Nami moaned in protest, slowly opening her eyes to glare at him. "Hmph, it's your fault for being so wild yesterday and tiring me out!"
Albert whispered, "I didn't even get my fill; how is that my fault?"
Nami's hand shot out, grabbing him possessively, her eyes sparking with mischief, "What? Are you implying you want Robin too?"
Albert felt a pang of pain and quickly vowed, "No way, Nami! You're overthinking things."
"Hmph!" Nami squeezed again, asserting, "I won't let her in so easily; remember, I'm the boss here."
Understanding the implication of her words, Albert felt both guilty and exhilarated, stealing a fiery kiss from her soft lips.
After some time, he said, "You truly are the best wife."
She shot him a beautiful yet scornful look, retorting, "Pfft, you think I'll fall for your sweet talk? Hurry up, I'm getting up."
Despite her words, warmth filled Nami's heart. Albert simply smiled and got up to help her dress.
"Throw this away, and bring me that nipple sticker," she commanded.
He handed her the new sticker—Nami had decided to forgo wearing a bra. This change happened a few days ago after a shared bath with Robin during which she observed Robin's approach. Curious, she asked Robin about it and learned it was beneficial for development. From that moment on, Nami chose to follow in Robin's footsteps.
Albert, thinking about it, couldn't help but glance at Nami's chest. He was unsure if it actually worked, but it seemed noticeably fuller in the past few days.
Regardless of the outcome, Albert supported Nami's choice, as it meant she wouldn't feel the need to don a bra in front of others anymore—a concern of his.
He sighed, marveling at the two-dimensional world they inhabited, where no matter how large someone's chest was, it never sagged. What a blissful thing that was!
...
After breakfast, Albert guided Robin and Bartolomeo in developing their powers.
In Albert's view, Robin's Hana Hana no Mi fruit resembled the Shadow Clone Jutsu, allowing her to create tangible copies. Thus, he focused on enhancing her cloning capabilities. After all, if Doflamingo could create clones, why couldn't Robin, the user of the Hana Hana no Mi?
The thought of Robin summoning an army of clones in future battles was thrilling. Plus, he recalled the giant clone she had created after the Marineford War in the anime; if she could achieve that again, her combat strength would skyrocket.
Moreover, Albert envisioned a day when, if she awakened her powers, she could transform surroundings into flowers, covering them in Armament Haki. He even thought of a fitting name for the move: "Scatter, Thousand Cherry Blossoms!"
As for Bartolomeo, his fruit abilities had advanced, allowing him to cover parts of his body with barriers, akin to a basic version of Armament Haki hardening.
Speaking of Haki, Robin had managed to briefly awaken her Observation Haki within mere days, leaving Albert and the others astonished, dubbing her a "monster." But she casually replied, "I read a lot, so it's easy for me to grasp."
What did she mean by "reading a lot"? Could it really enable such rapid learning? Had he come across a legendary scholar?
Reflecting on it, Albert found solace in understanding that Robin's Hana Hana no Mi allowed her to manipulate any part of her body, which significantly enhanced her perception. Given her need to multitask with the fruit's power and assisted by Albert's energy techniques, it made perfect sense for her rapid awakening.
After spending these days together, Robin found herself increasingly fond of the environment. That night, Albert shared Robin's background with Nami while they were in bed, prompting Nami to shed tears and become even friendlier with Robin.
...
Dressed in his leather boots, Albert tirelessly practiced climbing trees and treading water. Although he struggled to master the techniques and used several times more energy, he was significantly stronger than when he started.
Seated at the table, Robin was busy refining her fruit powers while multitasking and watching Albert's attempts at climbing. Initially, she was amazed by his skills, considering it a technique tailored for Devil Fruit users. If a Devil Fruit user mastered this move, they would have no fear of water.
After watching him fall repeatedly, Robin inquired, "Didn't you claim you could control it well? Why the difficulty now?"
Albert explained the challenges he faced with the move, prompting Robin to chuckle.
"For the sake of avoiding slippers? I genuinely can't comprehend you. If Devil Fruit users knew, they'd love to go barefoot."
Albert frowned, pouting, "But slippers are so lame; leather boots look cool."
Shaking her head, Robin, now aware of the technique's flaws through her practice, suggested, "Have you experimented with the skin of Sea Kings for conductivity?"
Lightning struck Albert as he quickly dashed to the kitchen to test the Sea Kings' skin. Soon, hearty laughter echoed from the kitchen.
He emerged, holding the skin aloft, animatedly gesturing to Robin, "Robin, it works! Not just the Sea Kings, but the skin of other powerful beasts conducts well too. Thanks a ton!"
With her chin propped up, Robin smiled, "No worries. I read a lot and think critically. By the way, are you planning to turn that skin into leather boots? I can assist you."
Albert's eyes ignited with excitement, exclaiming, "Robin, are you an angel? You're so wonderful!"
Creak... Creak...
Nami, who had been quietly lurking behind Albert, gritted her teeth in annoyance.
Amused, Robin chuckled, "I think you should discuss this with Nami first."
"Uh-oh…" Albert turned, meeting Nami's gaze from where she had appeared, and a chill ran through him.
'Damn it, I fell for it again!'
Afterwards, Albert hurried to apologize and explain himself to Nami. To his relief, she forgave him, though Robin, the cunning woman, watched the scene with keen interest.
Although Nami understood Robin's playful intentions, she disliked seeing Albert so close to her. This was her way of affirming her position as the main wife.
"Boss Albert, there's an island up ahead! I see a lot of fruits!" Bartolomeo shouted from the lookout tower, pointing toward an island becoming visible in the distance.
Albert peered at the island, noticing the abundance of fruits, and nodded in agreement; they could use the supplies. After all, without a proper intake of vegetables and fruits, scurvy was a real threat.
****
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