Uchiha Puppet Master, Starting from One Piece.

"Kanna, these are the vehicles of the desert. Without them, we wouldn't have made it to Albana. I just don't know if these guys will behave and leave us stranded in the sand halfway."

"It's alright, Rangiku-neechan, Kanna can fly everyone over there..."

"Choose one with sturdy limbs and even breathing. Look at these few, their coats aren't particularly shiny, but their hooves are thick and sturdy, so they should be able to walk a lot."

"This lady has a good eye and knows her stuff. These are my best desert camels, each one can carry two or three hundred pounds. Five guests, right? Well, young lady, you can sit with your older brothers and sisters. I'll pick out four of the strongest ones for you. One price, 100,000 Berries each!"

One head costs 100,000 Berries, so five heads would cost 500,000 Berries. That's an outrageous price in Alabasta.

Robin was squatting to the side looking at the woven ornaments around the camel's neck. Hearing this, he looked up and gently twirled a stray hair behind his ear with his fingertips: "Boss, your price is not honest. We just came from the dock. We've looked into it. These camels usually cost 50,000 each, but they're sold to local merchants in Alabasta for about 45,000."

Nico Robin has traveled extensively and is an expert in bargaining. She speaks with a gentle smile, yet every word hits the nail on the head.

The stall owner's face stiffened for a moment, then he rubbed his hands together and chuckled twice, trying to explain: "That's different! My camels are purebred, high-quality desert camels, much better able to walk than those mixed-breed camels next door. Those are all sickly, they'll give up halfway! I can give you 48,000, that's the lowest I can go. You can't even buy them at this price in Rapeseed Flower Port!"

"The camels of Rapeseed Flower Port don't have to walk through the quicksand of Alabasta."

Bai Yu spoke, putting Kanna down and letting her hold his hand. His gaze fell on a brown camel that the stall owner had tied up. This camel was of medium size, not as robust as the others, but it had gentle eyes. When it saw Kanna looking at it, it gently shook its head: "We want a gentle and durable one."

"No problem, I'll bring you some more fruit."

"make a deal."

Bai Yu nodded, took out some Bailey from his pocket and handed it to the stall owner. The stall owner took the money and immediately beamed. He turned around and took out some coarse hemp thread and cowhide from the tent. He squatted down and quickly mended the saddle, while also giving a long, rambling instruction: "Feed these camels with lightly salted water, not sweet. When walking in the desert, rest every two hours. Don't force them. They are wary of strangers. Touch their necks more often, and they will behave."

Retsu Unohana crouched down and gently stroked the neck of the brown camel. The camel rubbed against her palm gently.

The group led the camels, testing their gait. All four camels were quite docile, not jumping or leaping around. Kanna was lifted onto one of the light yellow calves by Bai Yu. The little girl gripped the saddle handle and excitedly swung her legs, exclaiming, "Wow, Kanna's gotten taller!"

Rangiku also climbed onto a camel and laughed, "I didn't expect there to be so many tricks involved in buying a camel. Luckily, we had Robin and Shiraha with us, otherwise we would have been ripped off by this shopkeeper."

"It was just following the rules of the market."

Robin gracefully mounted the camel, sitting on the saddle without any sign of discomfort, her gaze fixed on the desert: "Next, the real desert journey begins, but we still need to prepare our supplies."

Bai Yu led the way, carrying Kanna's camel: "Let's go buy supplies!"

The supplies you need to buy are actually quite simple. The most important things are water in leather bags, dry food that can be stored for a long time, sun-protective clothing and tents, and finally some hay for the camels.

As for these things, Bai Yu's puppets are already on standby. As nuclear-powered oxen and horses, these puppets are tireless.

As for why they rode camels instead of dolls...

When you travel to a new place, don't you try to experience the local specialties?

Chapter 100 Sandstorm

Bai Yu and his companions followed the gravel road into the interior of Alabasta. In less than half a day, the shade of the roadside trees and the hustle and bustle of the market were completely left behind. All that could be seen was the endless yellow sand, like surging golden waves, stretching all the way to the horizon.

The hot wind, carrying fine sand, stung her face. Kanna, who had initially found it novel, now buried her face in Bai Yu's chest, revealing only her round eyes. Her little hands gripped his clothes tightly, and she even forgot to lick the coconut juice from her mouth.

"It's so hot, Bai Yu."

Connor felt very hot, and the sun was making her uncomfortable, giving her a burning sensation.

"Then you just need to hide well, I'll use Ice Release to cool you down."

"Yes, Bai Yu, you're so kind..."

The sand beneath their feet was scorching hot, and the camels' hooves made a slight crunching sound as they stepped on it. The four camels moved slowly forward, their breath steaming in the air, their heavy eyelids drooping. Only when they occasionally flicked their tails to drive away the sandworms that clung to their bodies did they show a bit of vitality.

Retsu Unohana walked on the left side of the group, her white robes fluttering in the hot wind. She was also somewhat unaccustomed to this kind of climate, as the climate of the Soul Society's Seireitei was relatively good.

She pulled the brim of her straw hat down further, covering her eyebrows and eyes, revealing only her soft jawline. Her fingertips occasionally brushed against the neck of the camel beside her, smoothing its tangled fur. The brown camel seemed particularly affectionate towards her, nuzzling her palm with every step it took, very docile.

As for Rangiku, she couldn't keep up her usual boisterousness in this weather. She had long lost the excitement she had when she first set off. She wrapped a thin sun-protective veil around her head, leaving only her almond-shaped eyes exposed. She held a palm-leaf fan in her hand and fanned herself weakly: "The desert is really tough. The sand can't even cover my neck with a scarf. I need to add another layer."

As she spoke, she reached out to add a scarf, only to find her fingertips covered in fine sand. She couldn't help but frown and pout.

"How annoying."

Compared to the restless Matsumoto Rangiku, Robin sat on the camel with her elegant posture. She tied a sun-protective scarf around her neck, and the edge of it was blown by the wind, brushing against her cheek. Her gaze was fixed on the sand dunes in the distance.

Sunlight spilled onto the sand, refracting a dazzling light, and the outlines of the dunes constantly changed under the sculpting of the wind: "The Alabasta desert is more arduous than I imagined. I hope the harvest of the historical texts will outweigh the hardships of the journey."

Not long after Robin finished speaking, Bai Yu pointed to a clump of dead trees not far ahead, where several tattered water bags were scattered, along with camel skeletons half-buried by the wind and sand. Small pieces of cloth were stuck in the gaps between the skeletons, presumably left behind by passing travelers.

"This is still in the desert near the edge, and it's already like this."

Bai Yu's voice was calm: "Ordinary people need to prepare supplies for several months in advance to cross the desert, and they also need to gather enough people to travel with them. Even so, many people still perish on the way, either dying of thirst, being swept away by sandstorms, or encountering wild animals in the desert."

Everyone's gaze fell upon the skeleton, and a wave of sorrow washed over them.

Kanna looked at the withered trees, seemingly understanding but not quite. She frowned and reached out her little hand to tug at Bai Yu's sleeve: "Bai Yu, do they have no water to drink?"

Bai Yu rubbed her little head and nodded, saying, "Yes, water is very important in the desert environment. If we don't fly there, we should cherish the water we have and not waste it."

Kanna nodded vigorously.

"But there's no need to worry too much, the dolls have plenty of water and food on them."

Bai Yu and his companions walked for about two hours. The sun gradually moved to its zenith, and the sunlight was so scorching that it felt like it would melt people. The temperature in the air was getting higher and higher, and even breathing felt like being burned.

The yellow sand by the roadside was scorching hot. Occasionally, a lizard would emerge from the sand, dart quickly to another dune, leaving a shallow sand trail that would be smoothed over by the hot wind in the blink of an eye.

Rangiku was fanning herself rapidly with the palm-leaf fan, beads of sweat streaming down her face. She looked at the water pouch in her hand and took another big gulp.

Water Release techniques are difficult to use in the desert, and the same goes for Ice Release techniques. That's why people cherish ice.

Retsu Unohana took out several bottles of plum juice from the doll's bag, added ice cubes from Shiraha, and then distributed them to everyone. The cool liquid slid down their throats, instantly dispelling some of the heat.

Rangiku took a sip, couldn't help but squint her eyes, and exclaimed, "Hana-nee, this tastes amazing!"

Unohana Retsu smiled faintly but didn't say anything. She simply handed a bottle of plum juice to Kanna, who sipped it slowly. The cool liquid made her squint her eyes, and a satisfied expression appeared on her face.

Just as everyone was taking a short rest and preparing to continue their journey, the sky in the distance suddenly darkened. The once azure sky was shrouded in a layer of yellowish-brown mist, and the wind suddenly became violent, whipping up yellow sand and making a howling sound like the roar of a wild beast. Bai Yu looked up and his brows furrowed instantly: "It's a sandstorm!"

Before the words were even finished, a fierce wind swept in, carrying a vast expanse of yellow sand. Everything in front of us was completely obscured, leaving only a hazy yellow view. The sand grains hit us like small pebbles, stinging painfully.

"Everyone, move closer together!"

Bai Yu shouted and reached out to hug Kanna, but even so, fine sand still seeped in through the gaps, making it hard for her to open her eyes.

The camel was agitated by the sandstorm, shaking its head and emitting low moans, constantly pawing at the sand with its hooves. Rangiku gripped the saddle tightly, her body swaying from side to side in the gale, shouting, "This sandstorm is too fierce, we need to find a good place to hide!"

Robin leaned against the camel, one hand gripping the saddle and the other holding her straw hat to keep it from being swept away by the gale. Her gaze swept across the dim sandstorm, and she said in a deep voice, "This sandstorm came suddenly, and it doesn't look like it's going to stop anytime soon. We need to find a place to shelter from the wind!"

Bai Yu nodded, his eyes quickly searching the surroundings. Soon he saw a sunken sand dune not far away, like a cave hollowed out by the wind and sand.

"Earth Release - Earth Prison Hall Without End!"

Earth Release: Earth Prison Hall is a type of Earth Release ninjutsu.

The effect of the technique is not complicated: the practitioner uses earthen walls to create a closed earthen prison, trapping the opponent inside.

The caster can stand on one side of the earthen prison and fill it with chakra, allowing the earthen walls damaged by enemy attacks to quickly recover. This technique was modified by Uchiha Hakuba, and it is quite suitable for resisting sandstorms.

Everyone immediately collapsed to the ground, panting heavily.

Chapter 101 Desert Lizardmen

Everyone was covered in a thick layer of yellow sand. Their hair, collars, and faces were all covered in fine sand. Rangiku raised her hand to wipe her face, only to find her hand covered in sand. Even her eyebrows were stained a yellowish-brown by the sand. She looked at everyone's appearance, paused for a moment, and then burst into laughter: "Unexpected situation, everyone is a bit covered in dust."

Upon hearing Rangiku's words, Kanna raised her hand to touch her face, only to find her hand covered in sand. Her brows furrowed even more, and she looked at Shiraha with a wronged expression: "Shiraha, Kanna is dirty..."

Bai Yu looked at her chubby little face and couldn't help but laugh. He then took out a wet wipe and gently wiped her face, saying as he did so, "It's okay, we'll set off again after the sandstorm stops."

Retsuya Unohana took a towel from the doll's hand and handed it to everyone. He then slowly wiped the sand off his face. After the plain white towel was used, everything returned to normal.

Robin wiped the sand off her face, pressed herself against the wall, and listened to the sounds outside. The sandstorm was still raging, with yellow sand filling the sky, and she couldn't see anything outside. She said, "The sandstorm hasn't stopped yet. We have to stay here for a while. Luckily, we prepared enough supplies in advance, otherwise we would be in trouble."

Bai Yu nodded, took out some dry rations, and distributed them to everyone.

"Let's eat something first to replenish our energy, and then continue our journey once the sandstorm stops."

The group sat together, eating dry rations with water, while the sandstorm outside howled like a somber song.

Kanna leaned against Shiraha's chest, munching on pastries, Rangiku ate while complaining about the harshness of the desert, and Unohana Retsu ate quietly, occasionally stroking the fur of the camel beside her.

About two hours later, the wind outside gradually subsided, the yellow sand slowly dissipated, and sunlight filtered through the sand curtain, casting dappled light.

Bai Yu got up and removed his protective gear. He peeked out and saw that the sandstorm had stopped. The yellow sand outside was still endless, but it had returned to its usual calm. However, the familiar sand dune outlines had been completely altered by the sandstorm, and he could no longer find the way he came.

"We're lucky. It wasn't one of those sandstorms that lasts a long time. This was just a small-scale one. Some sandstorms can last for several days. Now that the sandstorm has stopped, we should set off."

Bai Yu turned around and said. Upon hearing this, everyone stood up, patted the yellow sand off their bodies, and led their camels out of the sunken sand dune.

The four camels, exhausted from the sandstorm, still walked gently. The brown camel, in particular, walked up to Retsu Unohana and gently nuzzled her palm, as if it were being affectionate.

Rangiku stretched and looked at the completely transformed desert before her, exclaiming, "This sandstorm is incredible! Luckily we have camels, or we would have really gotten lost in the desert."

Bai Yu glanced at the direction and said, "Luckily we have camels. As long as we can head towards Albana, that's good."

Leading their camels, the group continued their journey through the desert. After being battered by the sandstorm, the air temperature had dropped a bit, and the wind had become gentler. Occasionally, a cool breeze would swirl up fine sand and brush against their cheeks, which was quite pleasant.

Kanna remained nestled in Bai Yu's lap, her usual liveliness returning. Her little head darted around, her round eyes brimming with curiosity. Every now and then, she would point to the distant sand dunes and shout, "Bai Yu, look! That sand dune looks like a little cake!"

However, as night approached, several small figures suddenly darted out of the yellow sand ahead. They moved with incredible speed and quickly reached the group, blocking their path.

Upon closer inspection, everyone saw that they were several small creatures, each less than 1.3 meters tall, covered in pale green scales, with lizard-like heads, round eyes, and short but exceptionally agile limbs. They held several sharpened wooden sticks in their hands, striking a fierce and menacing pose, and making squeaking noises as if warning everyone.

"Is this... a lizardman?"

Robin raised an eyebrow, a hint of curiosity flashing in his eyes: "I didn't expect to encounter lizardmen in the Alabasta desert. They are said to be the native inhabitants of the desert, skilled at traversing the sand, and quite lively in character."

Seeing that the group had stopped, the lizardmen became even more arrogant. The lizardman at the front, with a tuft of red scales on his head, seemed to be the leader. He waved his wooden stick and squeaked at the group.

Kanna's eyes lit up instantly when she saw the little lizardman in front of her. She peeked out from Bai Yu's arms, stretched out her little hand, and pointed curiously at the red-scaled lizardman, asking, "Bai Yu, what is this? Can I eat it?"

As she spoke, she tried to jump off Bai Yu's arms.

When the lizardmen saw Kanna extend her hand, they thought she was going to attack them. They were so frightened that they took a few steps back and assumed a defensive posture. Their squeaks became more rapid, but their eyes were secretly observing Kanna, as if they were curious about the background of this little girl who was about the same height as them.

Rangiku couldn't help but laugh at the amusing scene before her: "I didn't expect these lizardmen to be so timid. They were scared by Kanna's glance."

As she spoke, she tried to step forward, but as soon as she took a step, the lizardmen waved their wooden sticks and squeaked at her, as if in a show of defiance. However, their small bodies, coupled with their fierce expressions, were not scary at all, but rather quite comical.

Unohana, on the other hand, took out some dried fruit, placed it in her palm, waved to the lizardmen, and made soft sounds.

The lizardmen's eyes lit up instantly when they saw the dried fruit in her palm. Their noses twitched as if they were smelling it, but they remained wary and stood still, not daring to approach.

The red-scaled lizardman took a step forward, then three steps back, looking left and right as if hesitating. Its gaze fell on Unohana Retsu's gentle face, then at the sweet dried fruit in her palm. Finally, unable to resist the temptation, it cautiously walked up to Unohana Retsu, stretched out its tiny paw, picked up a piece of dried fruit, put it in its mouth, and chewed it slowly. Its eyes instantly narrowed into slits, revealing a satisfied expression.

With their leader taking the lead, the other lizardmen lowered their guard and surrounded Unohana Retsu, stretching out their little paws to grab the dried fruit from her palm, chattering as if they were thanking her.