C188(2)

The war against Wakanda was still months away. Once it began, it wouldn't end easily—unless Wakanda surrendered before the first battle. 

A full-scale war of that magnitude would take time. All Kain had to do was manage his schedule carefully and return before it started.

Though he hadn't gathered much from the clips shown by the trading system, arriving here had made everything clear—his fourth trading world was One Piece.

After realizing that he had arrived in the One Piece world, Kain felt a greater sense of excitement than most would.

With his abilities, he was more than capable of protecting himself here. Based on the power levels of the Marines and Pirates in the original story, he knew he wasn't yet a match for the Logia-class Admirals or the strongest Shichibukai. 

However, when it came to Marine Vice Admirals, very few could pose a threat to him—except, perhaps, for that senbei-loving one.

Kain's strength lay in the sheer versatility of his magic.

With Flight and Apparition, he was effectively immune to most physical attacks. He could unleash Fiendfyre across vast areas, reducing entire towns to ashes. 

His arsenal also included powerful spells like the Blasting Curse and the Killing Curse—both of which would be terrifyingly effective in the One Piece world.

However, while his magic was excellent for handling opponents below the Vice Admiral level, things became trickier against those with strong Haki. 

Anyone who had mastered Armament Haki or possessed immense willpower could potentially resist his Explosive or Killing Curses—at least if they were significantly stronger than him.

Since Kain had never personally experienced Haki before, he wasn't entirely sure how it would affect him. 

However, he suspected that Conqueror's Haki functioned as a form of spiritual intimidation. If that was the case, then Occlumency and other mental defense spells should provide some level of resistance.

For Kain, the greatest treasure in the One Piece world wasn't Haki—it was Devil Fruits. Physical training had never been his strong suit, and he had no desire to start now. 

The longest he'd ever endured any sort of "training" was his time spent exercising with Kushina, and even that was more of a personal record than a habit.

After binding his transaction coordinates with Princess Vivi, Kain awakened Igaram with a spell.

"Ah! Princess Vivi, why are you with this dangerous man?!"

The moment Igaram regained consciousness, he saw Kain standing beside Vivi. Without hesitation, he jumped up, ready to fight again.

But before he could act, Vivi quickly stepped in front of Kain, spreading her arms wide to block him. "Wait a minute, Igaram! Mr. Pent isn't a bad guy—he's my friend now!"

Igaram's eyes widened in shock. "Friend?! But, Princess Vivi, he broke into the palace and attacked me!"

Kain chuckled and raised his hands in a disarming gesture. "I apologize, Captain Igaram. I was a bit too impulsive earlier. But now, Princess Vivi and I have reached an agreement—you could even call it an alliance."

"An… alliance?"

Igaram wasn't sure how long he had been unconscious, but it felt like a lot had happened in that time.

Vivi placed her hands on her hips and nodded firmly. "That's right! Mr. Pent is Alabasta's friend now, Igaram. I'm taking him to meet my father."

"But, Princess Vivi, isn't that—"

"It's fine, Igaram. Trust me."

And so, under Vivi's guidance, Kain was soon led to an audience with King Cobra of Alabasta. The king, with his deep affection for Vivi, quickly agreed to her request.

However, Cobra wasn't the only one present in the Alabasta Palace. Other royal officials and guards, much like Igaram, remained wary of Kain. 

To them, he was still an unknown variable—an outsider whose presence could be either a blessing or a threat.

Bell and Chaka, the other lieutenants of the Kingdom Guard, were also present. Both were Zoan-type Devil Fruit users, making them somewhat similar to Kain's Animagus in terms of abilities.

Upon arriving at the main hall, Princess Vivi ran directly to King Cobra and whispered something in his ear. 

Bell and Chaka, who had been standing on alert, subtly relaxed when they saw her step away from Kain. After all, keeping the princess near a stranger for too long was inherently risky.

After listening to Vivi's words, King Cobra looked surprised. However, trusting his daughter's judgment, he still turned to Kain and asked, "Mr. Pent, Vivi tells me that you're a businessman who can solve Alabasta's problems?"

"That's correct, King Cobra," Kain replied confidently. "Whether it's uncovering who is behind Alabasta's troubles or bringing rain to the kingdom, I can handle it. But as a businessman, I will, of course, require compensation for my services."

Kain knew that the mastermind behind Alabasta's turmoil was none other than Crocodile. Whether he wanted to establish a foothold in the One Piece world or acquire a Devil Fruit for himself, taking the first step was crucial.

For now, that meant acting as a bounty hunter and negotiating business with King Cobra.

Thanks to Pietro and Wanda's assistance, Kain had made significant breakthroughs in human ability enhancement research back in the Marvel world.

 If possible, he wanted to apply his findings to Devil Fruit users—particularly experimenting on how to extract and transfer their abilities.

And Crocodile, a notorious pirate with a dangerous yet intriguing power, was the perfect candidate for such an experiment.

….

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