Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye a week had gone by. Alvin's Log Pose had fully recorded the magnetic field, which meant it was finally time to leave Erguotou Mountain.
Perhaps sensing that Alvin would soon depart, Madam Serena and Miss Celia temporarily set aside their rivalry and personally prepared a table filled with delicious dishes so that Alvin could enjoy the unique cuisine of Erguotou Mountain one last time.
Alvin did not refuse.
That night he ate with great satisfaction. The warmth of Erguotou liquor and the rich flavor of the dishes made him feel reluctant to leave.
The next morning, even simple daily routines such as washing were carefully arranged by the two almost overly enthusiastic women.
They behaved like guardians preparing a child for a long journey.
Madam Serena and Miss Celia's meticulous care made Alvin feel extremely comfortable, to the point that he almost did not want to leave.
At this moment, in front of Madam Serena's house, the two women held tightly onto Alvin's arms, one on each side. Their eyes were filled with affection and reluctance. Their expressions were as though Alvin's departure would take away the last light in their lives.
"Wuwuwu... Red Hawk, will you come back for us in the future?" Miss Celia asked through soft sobs, tears gathering in her eyes.
Madam Serena was crying as well, her body trembling slightly as she spoke with a choked voice.
"Red Hawk, you must come back to see us again. We still have a lot of fine wine that you haven't tasted yet.
Last night you even praised our wine and said it was the most delicious in the world."
"Alright, alright, I will definitely come back to visit you. Look at your eyes. They are swollen from crying like two little rabbits," Alvin said with a smile as he gently comforted them.
"Thank you, Alvin. Then we will wait for you to come back to us." The moment Miss Celia heard Alvin agree, her crying stopped immediately and her eyes sparkled with surprise and anticipation.
Madam Serena was so excited that she could not speak.
She suddenly jumped up, grabbed Alvin's neck with both hands, pulled him down toward her, and gave him a passionate farewell kiss, as if she wanted to pour her entire soul into that kiss.
"Mmm."
Celia was startled when she saw this, and then a trace of unwillingness flashed through her eyes.
That woman Serena!
After Serena and Alvin separated, Celia ignored everything else and quickly leaned forward to kiss Alvin on the cheek.
However, Celia lingered for a long moment, expressing her reluctance silently before finally letting go with visible satisfaction.
"You two troublemakers are quite bold. Aren't you afraid of suffocating me?" Alvin said while pretending to be angry as he glared at them.
Madam Serena covered her mouth and laughed softly. Her laughter rang like silver bells in the air.
"We only wanted to leave Red Hawk with a sweet memory, so that you will never forget us."
"That's right, Red Hawk. Goodbye." Miss Celia said as she slowly released Alvin's hand. She knew very clearly that Alvin was truly leaving this time.
Madam Serena also let go.
In an instant Alvin felt the warmth on both sides of his body disappear, and the gentle softness in his hands vanished as well.
"Madam Serena, Miss Celia, don't worry. I will definitely come back for you." Alvin's voice was firm and confident, as if declaring his promise to the entire world.
Under the deeply affectionate and emotional gazes of the two women, Alvin turned around and left Madam Serena's house with steady steps.
He arrived at the port, launched his jet ski, and sped toward the next island. His figure gradually faded into the distance until it disappeared at the line where the sea met the sky.
After Alvin left, Madam Serena and Miss Celia walked back into the house. At the same moment, relaxed smiles appeared on both of their faces.
They exchanged glances and saw the same satisfaction in each other's eyes.
"Now nobody on the island should dare to bother us anymore, right?" Celia said excitedly.
"Many people must have heard what Red Hawk said earlier. Unless someone has a death wish, they will never dare to provoke us again." Madam Serena lifted her chin confidently.
"Yes, finally we can live peacefully. Still... I wonder if Red Hawk will truly come back for us in the future." Celia sighed softly, and a trace of loneliness appeared in her eyes.
Madam Serena immediately shattered her thoughts.
"Don't entertain such fantasies, Celia.
Red Hawk is very intelligent. He probably saw through our intentions long ago, which is why he deliberately spoke so loudly at the end.
A man like him is destined to have many women in his life. Whether he remembers us again is uncertain."
"I know. I was only thinking out loud." Celia said shyly, her cheeks turning slightly red as she lowered her head.
"Stop dreaming. The Berries Red Hawk gave us this time are enough for us to live comfortably for the rest of our lives. From now on we just live peacefully." Madam Serena spoke with a calm and serious tone.
"Mhm. I understand." Celia lifted her head and nodded firmly.
On the other side, the sea breeze roared across the open ocean.
Alvin rode his jet ski away from Erguotou Mountain like an arrow released from a bow.
The deep blue ocean sparkled under the sunlight as waves rolled across the sea. The jet ski cut through the water and sent sprays of shining droplets into the air.
After spending several days surrounded by warmth and companionship, the sudden silence of traveling alone felt strangely unfamiliar.
But when Alvin thought about Oro and Hanafuda, excitement immediately flashed in his eyes.
The Shichibukai Hanafuda, a man who never appeared directly in the main story of One Piece and who was defeated by Portgas D. Ace, had already become Alvin's next target.
And this man's bounty was as high as 400 million Berries.
Four hundred million.
Just thinking about it made Alvin extremely eager.
The next island was the Volunt Icefield, which was also where the Floran Kingdom was located.
Volunt Icefield was a winter island somewhat similar to Drum Island, but it had its own unique characteristics.
Drum Island was covered with heavy white snow throughout the year, while Volunt Icefield was an endless world made entirely of ice.
Snow rarely fell here, yet the bitter cold never faded. Even the plants that grew on the island displayed a deep azure color, as though nature had painted them with the purest blue pigment.
The animals living on the island had evolved extremely sharp claws in order to adapt to the slippery environment, allowing them to move easily across the frozen ground.
Alvin felt a sense of anticipation as he imagined this magical frozen world.
He could almost see that crystal blue landscape already, and in his mind he could hear the miserable screams of Hanafuda and Oro.
Thinking about this, Alvin twisted the throttle.
The jet ski surged forward like an arrow, racing toward Volunt Icefield at full speed and leaving a long white trail across the sea behind him.
At that moment on Volunt Icefield, inside the Floran Kingdom's harbor city known as Winter Harbor, the cold wind howled through the streets.
Icicles hung from the edges of rooftops, shining brightly under the sunlight.
Hanafuda and Vice Admiral Vlad had already met there. With the assistance of Oro's royal guards, they had made complete preparations.
All they had to do now was wait for Alvin to step directly into their trap.
The moment Alvin left Erguotou Mountain, the news reached them immediately.
This time they were determined to make sure Alvin would remain permanently on Volunt Icefield.
...
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