One Piece: I'm Destined to Be the Son-in-Law King!-Chapter 228: You Plant the Trees, I Water Them!

The sun peeked over the horizon, painting the sky with soft hues.

Inside the Royal Palace, in a room filled with the gentle clinking of silverware, Cobra and Princess Vivi shared a meal with Yamato and Uta. The Peace Band, with their music echoing throughout the world, had become a force for good, especially known for their dedication to world peace.

Cobra, eager to show his appreciation, treated Roya and his companions with the utmost respect. And with the recent, welcome rainfall, he felt only more generous. "Your Majesty Cobra!" A voice, breathless and urgent, sliced through the morning calm. Vice-Captain Falco Pell burst into the dining room, his words tumbling out, "A massive forest has sprung up outside the Royal Capital!"

Cobra's fork clattered against his plate. "A forest?" He echoed, bewildered. Alabasta, a kingdom sculpted by sand and sun, wasn't exactly known for its lush greenery. Small oases dotted the landscape, yes, but nothing resembling a forest. "Pell, are you certain of what you saw?"

Pell, chest heaving, insisted, "Yes, Your Majesty, it is indeed a forest!" The news had sent ripples of astonishment throughout the capital. Overnight, a dense, sprawling forest had emerged from the barren desert surrounding the city. It can only be described as a miracle, a blessing from the heavens.

"Your Majesty Cobra, the forest didn't just appear!" Pell's eyes still held a wild, shocked look. He'd raced outside the city the moment he heard the unbelievable news, needing to see it with his own eyes. "I saw two incredibly powerful people fighting. The forest grew as they battled, and it's still spreading!" He quickly recounted the incredible scene he'd witnessed.

Yamato's voice cut through the air, firm and certain, "One of them is Roya!" She'd felt Aramaki's presence during the concert the night before. Afterward, Roya had asked her to protect Uta while he went to confront the Admiral. I didn't realize their battle would last this long.

"Vice Admiral Black Hair is fighting someone?" Cobra and Pell exchanged puzzled glances.

"We must see this for ourselves!" Cobra declared, rising from the table. No matter the reason, they had to investigate.

When Cobra arrived outside the city walls, the sight that greeted him stole his breath. An endless expanse of green stretched before him, a vibrant tapestry woven into the desert landscape. "By the sands!" he whispered, awestruck. What kind of power could create something so extraordinary?

----

Meanwhile, at Rain Dinners, the atmosphere was far less serene.

"A forest... in the desert?" Crocodile practically spat the words, his usual composure cracking. He could tolerate a little rain, it was an annoyance at best. But this, this blatant defiance of the desert's natural order... "This is unacceptable!" he roared.

Forests are resources! He thought furiously. Alabasta was on the brink of civil war, fueled by the desperate scarcity of water and resources. The people were suffering, and he would not let them be given a gift he had planned to take himself. If there were enough water and forests, why would they need me? How could my Utopia Plan succeed?! "Damn it all!" he cursed, slamming his fist on the table.

----

Deep in the heart of Alabasta, the clash of titans continued.

Two figures danced a deadly ballet, each move a calculated risk, each strike aimed to cripple. Hours of fighting had passed, but neither showed any sign of weakening. The battle seemed to fuel them, their attacks growing more ferocious with each passing moment.

"Lahahaha, Black Hair, you young pup!" Aramaki bellowed, his voice echoing across the dunes. His wood-infused fist slammed towards Roya with the force of a battering ram. "I am nature itself! You can't possibly hope to outlast me!"

Roya, agile as a serpent, dodged the blow. "Maybe not," he retorted, swinging his sword in a flash of steel, "but you're in a desert, Aramaki. All this power you're using must be draining you!" His blade met Aramaki's Haki-hardened arm, sinking into the dense wood. He's incredibly strong, almost my equal in raw power. Roya pressed his weight against Aramaki's arm, taunting him, "If you're so full of energy, why don't you get bigger?"

"Think I'm an idiot?" Aramaki roared, slapping Roya's sword away. He flung open his palm, his five fingers morphing into razor-sharp tentacles that lashed out at Roya. "Getting bigger drains me too much!"

"Don't push yourself!" Roya retorted, backpedaling rapidly, his sword a blur as he sliced through the incoming tendrils. He braced himself, then unleashed a powerful kick. "Storm Leg: Moon Ring!" Dozens of crescent-shaped arcs of compressed air hurtled towards Aramaki.

Boom boom boom!

Roya stopped retreating and lunged forward, his sword a silver streak in the dust-filled air, his other hand clenched into a fist. Aramaki met his charge head-on, his own fist raised in defiance.

"Bang!" Their fists collided, a shockwave rippling outwards, stirring up a whirlwind of sand and petals that danced in the air like a bizarre, beautiful storm.

Both men grinned, a flicker of respect passing between them. "Orah orah orah!!!" They roared, a flurry of fists exploding outwards in every direction, each blow shaking the very ground beneath their feet.

"Bang!" Finally, with a final, earth-shattering impact, their fists locked. The two warriors, drained and battered, were hurled backward, crashing into the distant sand dunes in a cloud of dust.

"Ptooey!" Aramaki spat a mouthful of sand, scrambling to his feet. Almost instantly, vibrant flowers and lush plants erupted from the ground around him. "Fighting in this wasteland is worse than I thought," he grumbled. "Too little water. It's hard to make things grow around here."

Roya slowly rose to his feet. He's a Logia, but the Wood-Wood Fruit is unique. He has a physical form, but destroying it doesn't seem to hurt him much. He'd sliced through Aramaki countless times, but the wounds always healed. The pain is real, though.

"Root system?" The thought struck him like lightning. That must be it! Like plants, he can probably regrow as long as the roots are intact. He probably roots himself when things get too tough. "Tricky," he muttered. He leaped into the air, using Moon Walk to gain altitude.

"Huh?" Aramaki watched Roya ascend, understanding dawning in his eyes. "Lahahaha, figured out my weakness, have you? I'm not stupid enough to fight you in the sky!" Forests needed roots. As long as he was connected to the earth, he was virtually invincible. In the air, without his connection to the soil, he would be vulnerable. He wasn't built for aerial combat.

Roya chuckled. "Aramaki, coming up?"

"No thanks!" The two men locked eyes. Roya was stumped. He couldn't kill Aramaki, and the man was drawing power from the earth, making him almost tireless. And he doesn't even need to eat! His stamina is unbelievable, even Issho can't compare. He considered having Little Pink breathe fire... No, Aramaki is too tough for that. Little Pink is a sword first, after all. He guarantees minimum strength, not maximum. Issho would be better, one wave of flames from him and Aramaki would be begging for mercy.

"Alright, how about I give you some rain?" Roya flicked his sword, transforming the blade into a shimmering pink dragon. After whispering a few instructions, Little Pink zipped towards the sea.

Moments later, the dragon returned, trailing clouds and mist. "Drizzle, drizzle!" Rain began to fall, light and refreshing. The sudden downpour left Aramaki speechless. Flowers bloomed in his hair, nourished by the unexpected moisture.

"Black Hair, what do you think you're doing?"

"You must be tired after planting all these trees," Roya replied, spreading his hands innocently. "I thought I'd give you some water."

"Look," he continued, "we've been fighting all night and we're at a stalemate. Continuing this is just a waste of time. Not to brag, but I can definitely take Uta if I want, you wouldn't be able to stop me. Just look at the dragon under my butt."

"So, Aramaki, why don't you plant trees and I'll water them? We can do something meaningful! And after, we could grab a drink and relax! As for Uta, you've already fought me, that should be enough to explain to the higher-ups. If the Five Elders have any objections, they'll come after me."

Aramaki sank into deep thought. The kid makes a point!

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[T/N:

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