One Piece : Wild Hunt

After an afternoon of reviewing migration forms and approving expense requests, Thomas decided to take a break in the Imperial Suite's private bath, a large, square-shaped tub that could easily accommodate 40-50 people with room to spare.
As everyone living in the Imperial Suite had access to the bath, Thomas was unsurprised to find Robin and Astolfo getting their backs scrubbed by two of the suite's rotating personnel, a duo of fairly young-looking kitsune with fox ears and tails. Thomas was originally against having them work in the bath, but, as the girls could apparently accumulate 'merits' by serving high-ranking guests, he eventually relented.
Noticing Thomas's presence, Astolfo adopted a bright smile and called out to him while Robin waited for him to approach before calmly inquiring, "Another tiring day~?"
Having gotten used to communal bathing, Thomas sat beside Robin and Astolfo without batting an eye, answering, "We're getting pretty close to 100,000 residents." in a casual but audibly fatigued tone. He really wasn't cut out for administrative work, but he was doing his best to lessen the burden on Vivi. She had been given the position of Viceroy by her father, making her the 'official' Governor of Erumalu. Compared to her workload and responsibilities, his were fairly light.
Nearly as soon as Thomas sat down, a marginally more mature-looking kitsune entered the bath, hurrying over to help wash his back. This was typically Benienma's 'responsibility,' but the dutiful sparrow was currently away, serving as one of Vivi's bodyguards while she hosted an economic conference.
While the somewhat nervous-looking kitsune gave his back a thorough cleansing, Thomas carried on a conversation with Robin and Astolfo. The former had originally offered to serve as his assistant, filling the same role for him as she did with Crocodile, but Thomas ultimately refused. Instead, he made her the acting Okami of the second Enma-tei, utilizing her insight as a member of the Underworld to bring their practices and policies up to speed.
Once their bodies were thoroughly scrubbed down and rinsed, Thomas and the two girls entered the bath while their attendants went to ready sake, ice, and Tamago. Instead of sitting apart, however, Thomas relaxed with his arms spread wide, allowing the duo to nestle close to him. He and Robin had yet to have sex, but she would occasionally 'surprise' him with her Devil Fruit's abilities. Once, after learning it was his birthday, she even sprouted a mouth on her palm, using it to give him the most confusing yet stimulating hand-turned-blowjob he had ever received...
While tracing her finger along Thomas's chest, Robin asked, "Since we're about to reach 100,000 residents, does that mean you'll be leaving soon?"
Nodding his head, Thomas replied, "I want to set up a few more Enma-tei before our relationship with the Underworld worsens. One of the islands Astolfo scouted has a modern setting and an underground fighting arena. It's also fairly close to Karakuri Island, the birthplace of Dr. Vegapunk, so I plan to check it out and see if I can't acquire some modern or 'futuristic' goods."
Even without Thomas referring to it by name, Robin immediately knew which island he was referring to, remarking, "You must be referring to Tokyoku Island. There is a substantial Marine presence in the area, and I heard the people there aren't very welcoming to outsiders."
As he had already done his homework on the island, Thomas replied, "That's true under normal circumstances, but they make an exception for those attempting to enter the Underground Fighting Arena. So long as you can pay the entrance fee and are willing to sign a waiver, they'll let pretty much anyone enter the country. Then, once you become famous, you can move about as you please."
Having heard the rumors of Tokyoku's passion for celebrities and idolatry, Robin didn't attempt to dispute Thomas's statement. Instead, she asked, "Who will you take with you? I initially assumed you would sneak into the country with Astolfo, but it seems you have something different in mind."
Hearing Robin's words, Astolfo blurted out, "I'm going with you...!" in an assertive tone. The thought of being left behind was unbearable, so she immediately adopted a pouty expression to pull at Thomas's heartstrings.
Exhaling a faint chuckle, Thomas pulled both girls closer as he muttered, "As if I could leave you behind..." Then, before Astolfo could respond, he silenced her with a kiss, soothing and exciting her simultaneously.
With Astolfo temporarily becoming as meek as a kitten with a full belly, Thomas caressed her head as he responded to Robin, stating, "Caenis already has a substantial reputation, so I was thinking of registering her for the arena while playing the part of a Sponsor. What do you think...?"
Blinking in surprise, Robin admitted, "I honestly expected you to seize the spotlight for yourself. Haven't you been looking for an opportunity to test your strength?"
Adopting a wry smile, Thomas said, "Be that as it may, my greatest asset is the people who support me. If I can help Caenis attain her Ascensions, I'll have a lot of leeway moving forward."
Returning a smile of her own, Robin mused, "How thoughtful..." before resting her head on Thomas's chest. Then, in response to his previous question, she stated, "It's a reasonable plan. While the Emperors of the Underworld are presumed to possess great strength, no one knows their actual capabilities. If Caenis claims the title of Champion yet treats you with deference during 'negotiations,' it will drastically affect how others perceive you..."
Inserting herself into the conversation, Astolfo remarked, "It also gives Caenie a chance to beat up bad guys. Then, once her excitement reaches the peak, Master can give her a big, fat reward..."
Punctuating her words, Astolfo grasped Thomas's semi, gently kneading it with her fingers as she narrowed her eyes and licked her lips. Her 'switch' had been flipped since Thomas kissed her, so she was eager to move the discussion from the bath to the bedroom. If not for the rule prohibiting it, she would have already pounced.
Never one to disappoint his women, at least when he had the option to avoid it, Thomas planted another kiss on Astolfo before releasing his hold on the two girls and responding, "I've got time..." in his best attempt at a smoldering tone. Fortunately, as his mastery over his Adaptive Trait had increased quite a bit in the past few months, he could even give someone like Vin Diesel a run for his money if he wanted.
As an indicator that his efforts weren't for naught, Astolfo closed her eyes and trembled. When she subsequently opened them, a glossy sheen was present as she whimpered, "I don't think I can wait much longer..."
Finding Astolfo's behavior adorable, Thomas planted one final kiss on her forehead before turning to Robin and asking, "How about it? Want to come along?"
Though she appreciated the invitation, Robin ultimately shook her head, answering, "I still have work to do. I only came to bathe because Astolfo asked me to accompany her. Feel free to invite me again the next time our paths cross like this..."
Adopting a faint smile, Thomas replied, "Something to look forward to..." before promptly rising to his feet with Astolfo tucked under his left arm. She enjoyed being carried like a Princess, but she 'preferred' being thrown over his shoulder or carried like a sack of potatoes as she wriggled about, laughed, and cupped her cheeks with a silly grin on her face...
Following Thomas's and Astolfo's departure with her eyes, Robin waited until they ascended the stairs to the second floor before exhaling a tired but audibly steamy sigh. If Thomas had pressed a little harder, she would have readily accompanied him. Unfortunately, while he had become more assertive, he wasn't quite as bold as she would like him to be.
Interrupting Robin's thoughts, the kitsune carrying sake approached her to ask, "Does Okami-sama plan to stay in the bath, or should we take the sake to your room?"
Regaining her smile, Robin replied, "The heat appears to have gone to my head, so please prepare a cold compress. As for the sake...please place it in a bucket of ice and set it near my desk."
Bowing respectfully, the kitsune attendant replied, "As you will, Okami-sama," before quickly scurrying off to carry out Robin's orders. As she and the other kitsune did so, Robin exhaled another prolonged sigh, this time sinking into the bath until she was blowing bubbles beneath the water...
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In preparation for his visit to Tokyoku Island, Thomas informed both Vivi and the King, the former completely clearing her schedule so they could spend at least a week together before his departure. He wasn't planning to be gone for more than a few weeks, but Vivi insisted they spend time together since there was no way of knowing what incidents might occur on his journey. If he received news that the Straw Hats were in need of assistance or encountered a powerful foe with an Install Card, his return could be delayed by weeks, potentially even months.
As he enjoyed relaxing and spending time with Vivi, Thomas didn't even attempt to argue with her. Instead, he gave her a ring made of the same material as Poneglyphs, assuring her that, no matter what happened, he would always return to her. Alabasta may not be his place of birth, but so long as he knew Vivi was waiting for him, Thomas considered it his home.
Spurred by her indestructible ring and Thomas's promise, Vivi practically locked him in her room for the better part of their week together. Caenis and several others came to check on him, but that just resulted in them getting pulled in to join them.
Fortunately, not that he minded knocking Vivi up, one of the first spells Thomas had learned from Chiron was a contraception spell. He looked forward to becoming a father one day but didn't plan on having kids until he was nearing the end of his journey. He might have considered it if Vivi asked him to impregnate her, but other than insisting that he cum inside her, she never 'expressly' mentioned wanting to become a mother.
Just in case, Thomas had some of his semen frozen and preserved so that Vivi could bear his child even if something happened to him. There was no guarantee that she would want to, but after spending so much time together, Thomas was fairly certain she would at least consider it. She and Benienma had become friends, and, during their time together, the ever-faithful sparrow had gone to great lengths to implant the notion of preserving his lineage in the dutiful blunette's mind...
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After tying off some loose ends, Thomas, accompanied by Caenis, Astolfo, Artoria, Illya, Chloe, and Ruby, boarded Meng Zhi's flagship, the Feilong. It was a three-masted ship with unique red sails, but its most prominent features were its pagoda-like quarterdeck, draconic bowsprit, and the more than one hundred cannons lining its hull. It also had wheels and numerous ports for oars, so it could even sail through the Calm Belt if Meng Zhi felt so inclined.
As he would be entering Tokyoku as Caenis's sponsor, Thomas decided to enter via the port rather than trespassing using Astolfo's Hippogriff. Their chosen route would also take past Amazon Lily, so he intended to offload Illya and Chloe, at least for a short while, as they sailed into the Marine-infested region. Karakuri and Tokyoku were only a few hundred kilometers away from both Marineford and Impel Down, so sailing through the region with two of the world's most infamous lolis was practically pleading for an Admiral to race over and apprehend them...
Coincidentally, Tokyoku and Karakuri also happened to be near Sabaody, a place the Straw Hats 'had' to stop at before entering the New World. If a major event such as the Paramount War occurred, Thomas wanted to be in a position to act. Though, considering he hadn't received even an iota of news pertaining to Blackbeard, his expectations were low...
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(A/N: Inb4 Thomas 'forgets' to pick up Illya and Chloe on his return trip...)

Though the Feilong was much faster than other ships its size, Thomas and Co were barely a quarter of the way to their destination after a week on the sea. They had more than enough supplies to last an entire month, but Thomas was becoming restless after getting used to doing paperwork and always being busy.
Fortunately, just as Thomas was beginning to feel as though he had a case of cabin fever, a News Coo arrived with his monthly subscription and a thick stack of Bounty Posters. Before perusing the latter, he opened up the newspaper to find a bold headline, stating, 'ENIES LOBBY ATTACKED!' in all caps. There was also a picture of a beaten and bloody Lucy standing amid a crowd of Marines, seemingly releasing a warcry as she stood over the body of a man Thomas recognized as Rob Lucci.
"What the fuck?" muttered Thomas, his mind unable to comprehend how the Straw Hats found themselves at Enies Lobby. The Water 7 Arc wasn't one he remembered clearly, but he was fairly certain their main reason for assailing Enies Lobby was to save Robin. With the latter safely concealed, the only explanation Thomas could think of was that Franky had captured to obtain his knowledge of Pluton.
Reading through the article, the only things Thomas learned were clearly propaganda. It accused the Straw Hats of attempting to assassinate the Mayor of Water 7, taking advantage of the Aqua Laguna to devastate the city, hijacking the Sea Train, and 'massacring' hundreds of brave and loyal Marines at Enies Lobby.
Though Thomas did not doubt that Lucy had inadvertently killed people, she wasn't the type to perpetrate a massacre. Zoro had fewer inhibitions, but his mastery had reached the point where he could decide when and when not to cut through an object.
Setting aside the paper, Thomas began flipping through the updated Bounty Posters. His Bounty hadn't changed in the slightest, but there were quite a few new Bounties worthy of mention. This included Chiron, who had been assigned a Bounty of 992,000,000 after being recognized as Drake's second-in-command, but the most notable listings were those of Lucy, Zoro, Usopp, Chopper, Franky, and, most surprisingly, the 'Dead Only' Bounty of Nami...
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[WANTED]
[Photo of Lucy smiling and making peace signs]
Dead or Alive
"Straw Hat" Monkey D. Lucy
Bounty: 280,000,000 Berries
Crimes: Attempted Assassination, Hijacking the Sea Train, Attacking Government Officials, Assaulting Marine Officers, Kidnapping, Terrorism, Using a Devil Fruit to Commit Criminal Acts
--------------------
--------------------
[WANTED]
[Photo of Zoro grinning like a demon with a sword in his mouth]
Dead or Alive
"Pirate Hunter" Roronora Zoro
Bounty: 140,000,000 Berries
Crimes: Attempted Assassination, Hijacking the Sea Train, Attacking Government Officials, Assaulting Marine Officers, Kidnapping, Terrorism, Maiming Hundreds of Marines
--------------------
--------------------
[WANTED]
[Photo of Usopp wearing David's outfit]
Dead or Alive
"Slingshot" Usopp
Bounty: 30,000,000 Berries
Crimes: Attempted Assassination, Hijacking the Sea Train, Attacking Government Officials, Assaulting Marine Officers, Kidnapping, Terrorism
--------------------
--------------------
[WANTED]
[Photo of Chopper in his Monster Point, hands covered in blood]
Dead or Alive
"Monster Doctor" Chopper
Bounty: 75,000,000 Berries
Crimes: Attempted Assassination, Hijacking the Sea Train, Attacking Government Officials, Assaulting Marine Officers, Kidnapping, Terrorism, Utilizing Illegal Drugs, Using Chemical Weapons on a Civilian Population, Using a Devil Fruit to Commit Criminal Acts
--------------------
--------------------
[WANTED]
[Censored photo of Franky striking a pose]
Alive Only
"Streaking Cyborg" Franky
Bounty: 88,000,000 Berries
Crimes: Attempted Assassination, Hijacking the Sea Train, Attacking Government Officials, Assaulting Marine Officers, Kidnapping, Terrorism, Streaking, Illegal Body Modifications, Stealing Government Property
--------------------
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[WANTED]
[Photo of Nami wearing traditional Shandoran garments]
Dead Only
"Lightning Tyrant" Nami
Bounty: 500,000,000 Berries
Crimes: Attempted Assassination, Hijacking the Sea Train, Attacking Government Officials, Assaulting Marine Officers, Kidnapping, Terrorism, Theft, Burglary, Extortion, Using a Devil Fruit to Commit Criminal Acts
--------------------
Seeing the ring of drums framing Nami's head, Thomas had an expression of genuine disbelief as he asked, "How the fuck did she acquire the Goro-Goro-no-Mi...?"
Though he always suspected the Straw Hats would eventually encounter Enel, Thomas never expected one of the most powerful Devil Fruits in the entire world to fall into Nami's hands. The only explanation was that Enel had been killed, causing his Devil Fruit to respawn somewhere in Skypiea.
Considering Enel found the Goro-Goro-no-Mi in Skypiea, it wasn't too difficult to believe that it would respawn there. What Thomas couldn't believe was that Nami, of all people, had found it. He knew she had an affinity with weather and lightning, but this was far too ideal an outcome to be coincidental...
Raising his eyes skyward, Thomas imagined he could see the wrinkled face of Zelretch smiling down at him. At the same time, he imagined how his future encounter with Nami would go. She never struck him, but she was prone to violent outbursts even as a fairly ordinary person. With the power to command lightning...well, it wasn't difficult to imagine why she had been given the moniker 'Lightning Tyrant.'
Deciding to look at the silver lining, Thomas muttered, "At least now I don't have to worry about them lacking firepower..."
As the Goro-Goro-no-Mi was a Logia that gave the user the power to transform into, manipulate, and emit lightning, it was one of the few Devil Fruits considered to make the user 'invincible.' It was hard-countered by Lucy's rubber body, but any other person would be overwhelmed by the fruit's ability to pump out lightning exceeding 200,000,000 Volts. If that didn't work, the user could simply escape at the speed of lightning, a velocity that could only be exceeded by the wielder of the Pika-Pika-no-Mi.
"Read anything interesting?" asked a voice from behind Thomas.
Turning around, Thomas found Chloe standing behind him in an outfit not all that dissimilar to Caenis's bikini+jean-shorts combo. The notable differences were that she had on a pair of thigh-high striped leggings and, unlike Caenis, she didn't have much to show even when wearing scant attire.
Furrowing her brows, Chloe asserted, "You just thought something very rude, didn't you...?"
After putting up with Chloe's antics for more than four months, three of which were spent cohabitating within the Imperial Suite, Thomas barely had a reaction to her appearance and accusation, replying, "Despite the changes we've introduced to the timeline, Lucy and the Straw Hats still ended up attacking Enies Lobby. Nami also came into possession of the Goro-Goro-no-Mi, a Devil Fruit that allows her to become and manipulate lightning."
Raising her brows, Chloe remarked, "Sounds OP," before picking up the discarded newspaper. She had gotten along fairly well with Lucy during their short time together, so she was curious to see what the article said despite knowing it was 90% nonsense.
With a reading rate exceeding 20,000 words per minute, Chloe grasped everything written in the article in a single glance, her face forming into a frown as she remarked, "These bastards don't hold back when it comes to laying out accusations, do they...?"
Exhaling a faint sigh, Thomas held up one of the many Bounty Posters as he said, "If only that were the case with my Bounty..."
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[WANTED]
[Photo of Thomas with obsidian-black skin covered in glowing, circuit-like patterns]
Dead or Alive
"Steel-Body" Thomas Jensen
Bounty: 71,000,000 Berries
Crimes: Grand Larceny, Assaulting a Marine Officer, Resisting Arrest
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Adopting a mischievous grin, Chloe playfully remarked, "You have no one but yourself to blame for being such a 'good guy.' From the perspective of the Marine higher-ups, you probably aren't even considered a legitimate threat. I mean, you literally marched the Marines attempting to catch you out of the city, all to avoid civilian casualties and collateral damage."
Furrowing his brows, Thomas set the Bounty Posters aside, responding with a lazy, "Yeah, yeah..." before meeting the pink-haired imp's gaze and asking, "So, what's up? Today's Sunday, so we shouldn't have any training or lessons."
Shrugging her shoulders, Chloe revealed, "I was playing Mahjong with Caenis, Astolfo, and Ruby when things started getting a little heated. I came outside to get some fresh air and noticed you talking to yourself. I thought you might have finally lost it, so I came over to check. Now that I'm here, it looks like I was worried for nothing."
Exhaling a tired sigh, Thomas turned and leaned against the railing of the ship, staring out at the seemingly endless blue sea as he muttered, "There really isn't much to do when sailing from island to island, is there...?"
Making herself a little too comfortable, Chloe joined Thomas in leaning against the ship's railing with their elbows touching as she said, "Well, if the information we've acquired is accurate, Tokyoku should be similar to Japan in the late 1900s. They even make their schoolgirls wear bloomers during gym class."
"..."
Looking down at the pink-haired nymphette, Thomas waited for Chloe to return his gaze before remarking, "You're such a degenerate..." in a dull, accusatory tone.
Instead of refuting the claim, Chloe narrowed her eyes and grinned from ear to ear. Though she had a keen interest in the relationships between men and women, most of her 'experience' was with other young girls. She enjoyed teasing Thomas, but nowhere near as much as she liked messing with Illya, Miyu, and several other girls from her world.
Bumping into Thomas's shoulder, Chloe teased, "Maybe I wouldn't be so focused on other girls if I had a strong, kind-hearted man to depend on..."
Shaking his head, Thomas retained a cool head as he replied, "At this point, I barely even feel like aiming for my original targets. I might have considered it if you used a Spell or Devil Fruit to age yourself up, but I'm not exactly hurting for intimate partners..."
Exhaling a tired sigh, Chloe propped her head up on the palms of her hands as she muttered, "Illya and I are presently the same age as your little Princess. If the Straw Hats end up training for two years, we'll be eighteen by the time you start getting serious..."
Turning her eyes up at Thomas, Chloe added, "Other than Shirou, there aren't a lot of guys we can 'entrust' ourselves to in this world. Even if we found one, would you really allow a guy to move into the Imperial Suite and share the same bath with your other women?"
Without missing a beat, Thomas replied, "There are baths in each room for a reason. There is also nothing 'requiring' you to stay in the Imperial Suite. It's just safer and more convenient..."
Adopting an uncharacteristically somber expression, Chloe's voice was barely a whisper as she asked, "So, that's it, then? We're completely legal back in our world, mentally mature, and fully willing, but you still won't lay a hand on us? You're going to make us find some random guy or have us wait until the end of your adventures to experience something you get to experience every day?"
"..."
Instead of immediately responding to Chloe's words, Thomas rose from the taffrail and ran his fingers through his hair. He knew he wasn't exactly being 'fair.' In fact, back in his previous world, he would argue in favor of legal lolis being able to enter into physical relationships as the alternative didn't make sense. It was as nonsensical as that female politician from GATE attempting to talk down to and lecture the character Rory Mercury despite the latter being a 961-year-old Demigoddess...
"Tell you what..." said Thomas. "If you can get Illya's, Miyu's, and Shirou's permission, I'll no longer make a fuss over your appearance. Deal?"
Without hesitation, Chloe slapped the taffrail and replied, "Deal!" with a massive grin on her face. She originally had no plans to pursue Thomas seriously, but his perpetually expanding Mana capacity was beginning to drive her crazy. Being around him and his Servants was like having a vast buffet in front of her but only being allowed to eat oatmeal. Sure, it might be her 'favorite' oatmeal, but variety was the spice of life...
Seeing Chloe abruptly vanish into thin air, a wry smile developed across Thomas's face. He felt like his toe had slipped over a line he himself had drawn, but he didn't let it bother him. Chloe had made some reasonable points, and now that he had decreased his height to a comparably tame 190cm, she didn't appear nearly as tiny as she used to...
With such thoughts in his mind, Thomas mused, "At least Benienma will be happy..." Not just because she was suddenly in the running as one of his bedmates, but because he would definitely be going to Hell if or when he died...
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(A/N: Don't worry, Thomas. One day, you too will have a big boi Bounty...)

After a fairly awkward breakfast and helping transport supplies to the Going Merry, Thomas, Vivi, Caenis, Astolfo, Benienma, Atalanta, Robin, Illya, Chloe, Artoria, and Ruby stood on the shores of the Sandora River as they saw off Lucy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Chopper. Vivi, Astolfo, and Chopper teared up quite a bit during the departure, but virtually everyone wore smiles as they vowed to meet again.
"There they go..." muttered Thomas, his eyes fixed on the quarterdeck where Lucy, Usopp, and Chopper continued to wave.
Resting her head against Thomas's bicep, Vivi replied, "I'm certain we'll see them again..."
Though he nodded his head, neither Thomas nor anyone else present said anything until the Merry had become a dot on the horizon. Unsurprisingly, the first to disrupt the silence was Caenis, questioning, "How much longer are we planning to just stand here?"
Exhaling a faint sigh through his nose, Thomas replied, "This is long enough," before turning to Robin and asking, "You about ready to read your first Poneglyph...?"
As her smile became more prominent, Robin mused, "I've had twenty years to prepare. However, shouldn't we wait until this evening before making our move?"
Answering in place of Thomas, Astolfo adopted a massive grin as she revealed, "I discovered a secret access tunnel while I was exploring the underground waterway. Alubarna actually has a ton of secret passages and hidden chambers to explore."
Narrowing her eyes slightly, Robin replied, "I see..." before looking to Thomas and questioning, "Will you be a gentleman and escort me~?"
Though he was originally planning to help Benienma set up an Enma-tei near their current location, Thomas didn't hesitate to reply, "Sure. I doubt you need one, but I don't mind accompanying you."
Exhaling a faint chuckle, Robin stared directly into Thomas's eyes as she remarked, "I'm actually a lot more vulnerable than I appear..."
Raising his brows, Thomas resisted the urge to express his doubts. Robin hadn't been made Crocodile's partner simply because of her knowledge and ability to read Poneglyphs. She had remarkable mastery of her Devil Fruit, so much so that she could effortlessly defeat the 'strongest' warrior of Alabasta in an instant.
Seeing through Thomas's thoughts, Robin mused, "You think too highly of me..." before shifting her gaze to Caenis and adding, "Compared to some of the other women around you, I'm fairly average."
Adopting a toothy grin, Caenis asserted, "You're a scholar. I'm a warrior. We may both be women, but our specializations are completely different. Comparing your strength to mine is just stupid. You won't find me pitting my knowledge of this world's history against yours."
Not expecting Caenis to be so 'reasonable,' Robin's eyes widened ever so slightly. She had a pretty good sense for other people's characters and thought Caenis to be the type that boasted unabashedly. It was rare for her to be wrong.
Worried that a fight might break out, Vivi promptly suggested returning to the palace. Thomas agreed with her, but as they were already at the site of the future Enma-tei, he had Benienma utilize her Inn Creation ability to construct an enormous bathhouse. Cobra had gifted him the ruined city of Erumalu as part of Vivi's 'dowry,' so Thomas intended to turn the former Green City into a metropolis even greater than Alubarna and the port city of Nanohana...
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With the amenities of the Enma-tei drastically exceeding even those of the Royal Palace, nearly everyone chose to stay behind when Thomas, Vivi, Robin, Astolfo, and Artoria returned to Alubarna. There, after Vivi informed her father that the Enma-tei had been established, the group made their way into the underground waterway, spending nearly two hours to reach their destination, a large chamber with ornate yellow walls and reflective blue tiles that contained a large, purportedly indestructible blue cube.
Seeing a Poneglyph for the first time, a genuine, almost child-like smile developed across Robin's face. She wasn't exaggerating when she said she had just about given up on her dream to ascertain the true history of the world. It was impossible for a single woman to oppose the entirety of the World Government, and she didn't trust the Revolutionary Army. Thus, she almost couldn't believe that one of the stones she had spent much of her life searching for was standing right in front of her...
Interrupting Robin's daze, Thomas asked, "Do you think these tiles are made from the same substance as the Poneglyphs? They have a similar color."
Looking down, a thoughtful glimmer flashed across Robin's eyes as she replied, "You're right..." Then, with a playful smile on her face, she looked back at him and asked, "Want to try punching one?"
Returning a smile, Thomas replied, "I had something a little different in mind," as he pulled out the EMIYA Install Card. The Trace ability allowed him to analyze the structure of objects down to the molecular level. Then, using Material Transmutation and Projection Magecraft, he could replicate the material to produce nearly indestructible weapons and armor.
Seeing Thomas pull out his Install Card, Robin discretely pulled out her own, concealing it in her sleeve and palm. She wanted to believe she could trust him, but twenty years on the run had made her 'very' cautious around other people.
Oblivious to Robin's thoughts, Thomas installed the EMIYA card before approaching the Poneglyph and placing his hand on it. The moment he did so, various images appeared in his mind, almost like he was looking out at the world from the perspective of the Poneglyph. Unfortunately, perhaps due to his limited Mastery and Affinity, Thomas couldn't make sense of the massive influx of information. As a result, he experienced a feeling similar to the frustration one would feel when trying to remember the name of a person or place they should know but couldn't recall.
Retracting his hand from the Poneglyph, Thomas looked down at the tiles beneath him as he said, "They really are the same material. The molecular bonds are so strong that they adhere to each other in a process similar to cold welding. If someone wanted to steal or relocate this Poneglyph, they would need to move this entire structure, not just the primary cube."
"That's one way to prevent theft," mused Robin. Then, after slipping her Install Card back into her sleeve, she approached the Poneglyph, placing her hand on it as she asked, "Would you like me to read it aloud...?"
Shaking his head, Thomas replied, "While I'm interested in the true history of this world, I'm not a very patient man. I'll wait until you've translated all the Rio Poneglyphs before asking for the specifics."
Shifting his gaze to Vivi, Thomas added, "The real people you should be asking are Vivi and her father. I'm sure they'd like to learn the secret their family has been protecting these past eight hundred years."
Though it was imperceptible to everyone present, Robin furrowed her brows when she heard Thomas's words. She wanted to retort that the Nefertari Family hadn't been protecting the Poneglyph, but she honestly wasn't sure. Given what she had learned from Thomas, there was a good chance that the Nefertari Family had secretly been standing in opposition to the World Government since the Void Century.
Shaking her head, Vivi answered, "I'm fine with remaining in the dark, at least for the time being. However, once you've concluded your journey, I'd like to know everything..."
Adopting an affectionate smile, Thomas approached Vivi, extending his hand to caress her head as he whispered, "You're so fucking adorable..."
Though she wasn't really upset, Astolfo issued a pouty, "Awww..." before asking, "What about me? Am I not adorable...?"
Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Thomas gestured for Astolfo to come over so he could caress her alongside Vivi. He then noticed that Artoria was staring at them with a deadpan look on her face, but, as he was still a little perturbed by her inclusion in their group, he suppressed the urge to invite her over to join them...
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With Robin committing the Poneglyph to memory and Thomas's journal making a perfect copy of the text, the group returned to the Royal Palace for a quick audience with the King before returning to the Enma-tei. Cobra had already dispatched a preliminary workforce of six-thousand people to assist in reclaiming and eventually settling the city, but they still had a lot of work to do.
Unfortunately, unless Thomas paid off their debts, the Yokai within the Enma-tei could not leave its grounds. He had already done so with a few Oni, forming the Enma-tei's security forces, but he couldn't force them to do manual labor. His Bounty also prevented him from drawing too much attention to himself, so his options were to leave the reclamation to the people of Alabasta or abide by Benienma's suggestion to contract a group of merchants to operate outside the Enma-tei.
Since he would eventually need to create a fleet of ships to 'explain' how he was able to transport goods between the various Enma-tei, Thomas decided to follow Benienma's suggestion, investing 3.8 billion Berries in a small fleet of ships and enough people to crew them. This included a red-haired woman that reminded Thomas of Baiken from Guilty Gear. The two had strikingly similar appearances, but the woman was named Wang Zhi, a former smuggler-turned-Pirate Lord who eventually became an Oni due to introducing and spreading firearms throughout Southeast Asia. She even smuggled goods for Oda Nobunaga, putting her on a similar level as many 'modern' Heroic Spirits.
Though Wang Zhi alone had cost him nearly a billion Berries, Thomas believed her to be a sound investment as she possessed Voyager of the Storms and a form of Presence Concealment that applied to all ships within her fleet. By flipping themselves over, her ships could enter the Boundary between Hell and the Mortal World, a method remarkably similar to how people entered 'Davy Jones' Locker' in the Pirates of the Caribean movies. Their reflections could still be seen in the water, but they were impossible to interact with unless you had a similar ability to cross Boundaries.
With Wang Zhi's help, it only took three weeks for the area between the Enma-tei and the Sandora River to be transformed into a fully functional port, complete with several warehouses, a wharf, and a drydock. The rest of the city took much longer to reclaim, but the process gradually sped up as people from all over Alabasta migrated over to benefit from the Enma-tei's provisionally free food and baths.
In a mere three months, Erumalu went from being a half-buried ghost town to the fifth most populous city in all of Alabasta. During that time, Thomas remained hidden within the Enma-tei, dividing his time between training, supplying Mana to Caenis, and coordinating the formation of his burgeoning information network with Robin. Through her, he learned that most islands in the Grand Line, even Alabasta, had an underground family or Mafia managing the black market. Baroque Works had taken over that position during Crocodile's reign, but now that he was absent, there were a lot of people attempting to make a move on Alabasta.
Fortunately, as Cobra was concentrating forces in Nanohana, most of the people wishing to create a foothold within Alabasta were forced to sail up the Sandora River, invariably finding themselves at the revitalized Erumalu and, shortly after that, the doors of the Enma-tei. In their eyes, the latter was a prime choice for a base of operations, so Thomas, having changed his appearance and adopted the alias 'Tenno,' was rapidly gaining infamy in the underworld by crushing anyone that attempted to encroach on his territory and benefit from Alabasta's imminent economic boom. He even received a delegation from one of the Six Underworld Emperors, the one responsible for shipping, 'Deep Ocean Current' Umit.
Though Umit's group threatened to scuttle Meng Zhi's fleet if they didn't yield 30% of their total earnings, Thomas ignored their warning. Instead, he ordered Meng Zhi to sink any merchant or pirate ship lacking a permit to conduct trade in Alabasta's territorial water. This kicked off a miniature war between Thomas's and Umit's forces, but as the latter was never able to secure a foothold in the region, their skirmishes were 'very' one-sided. Umit had developed a unique method of Coating that allowed his ships to travel great distances under the sea, but, even with numerous Fishmen in his crew, his men were absolutely no match for Caenis, who, after sinking more than a hundred ships, earned the epithet 'Humanoid Sea King'...
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(A/N: Sasuga, Tenno-sama...)

Chapter 92: Setting Sights on a New Island