One Piece: A Guide for Ordinary Players

Having known each other for so long, the two had long since developed a tacit understanding. With just a glance from Robert, Ah San knew that he wanted to intimidate a few old men and recruit them for his own use.

Since it all relies on Devil Fruits anyway, why not just exaggerate the power of the Gluttony Fruit and tell these old men that I can instantly synthesize superconducting materials?

Just as Robert had predicted, when the Indian man returned with the materials, Robert immediately released his control over Harreda and the others, and the old men jumped up.

They practically snatched the coil of silk thread from the Indian man's hands and turned to go back to the island to conduct experiments. Several old men almost strained their backs when they took the metal from Da Luo's hands, but Da Luo took the initiative to deliver it to them in the laboratory.

Nami smiled and said, "We're friends, so you'll take good care of my teachers, right?"

Robert nodded and said, "Don't you trust me? They can get more research funding than they can ever need with me, and more importantly..."

Nami glanced back at Robert: "More importantly, it's about escaping the chaos at sea that's about to unfold."

When Robert first read the manga, he felt that apart from Chopper and Usopp, everyone else in the Straw Hat crew was absolutely sensible.

Even Zoro and Sanji, despite their rough exteriors, harbor deep thoughts, but the smartest people on the ship are undoubtedly Robin and Nami.

“You know Luffy better than I do. He’s been holding back his anger for the past two years. Once he sets sail again, he’ll definitely turn the world upside down. It’s good for you teachers to hide on Skypiea to avoid the storm.”

Nami looked at Robert meaningfully: "What, aren't you coming with us?"

Robert shook his head: "Judging by the time, my new bounty should be coming down soon."

"This time the bounty is probably going to go up a lot again. How can a crew member's bounty be higher than the captain's? I'll come find you guys when Luffy's bounty surpasses mine."

Nami thought about it and agreed. Although Luffy was carefree and might not care, the crew's personnel management would be in trouble after Robert joined.

"Is Karina hanging out with you?"

Robert's expression froze: "How did you find out?"

Nami rolled her eyes: "She held a concert in Dressrosa, so you went to Dressrosa to stage a coup. She held a concert in the Golden City, so you robbed the Golden City. Don't tell me you were actually chasing after Uta."

Chapter 24 should have been handled with ease and composure.

Robert's expression turned serious. He had thought he had hidden it well, but even Nami, who only occasionally reads the news, could connect it to his relationship with Karina. How could the espionage agents in the World Government not have thought of this?

Although Uta's capture essentially made his relationship with the two women public, there are two different things: making it public voluntarily and making it public passively.

Nami's casual question served as a wake-up call for Robert.

I'm not a particularly meticulous or intelligent person; I just benefited from being familiar with the plot and thus having some foresight.

This convenience can only last for three months at most. Once Luffy arrives at Elbaf, he doesn't know what will happen next.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Nami assumed he was embarrassed after she exposed him and was about to tease him when she suddenly exclaimed in surprise: "Wait, could that Robert De Niro also be you in disguise?"

Robert was even more surprised: "How did you guess that?"

Nami was genuinely shocked: "You're incredibly bold! You actually dared to infiltrate the Marines!"

Robert pressed on, "First, tell me how you guessed I was Robert De Niro."

"Others may not know Karina, but do you think I don't? She's a vixen, how could she publicly announce a boyfriend she's been dating for years? Pshaw! Nobody would believe that!"

Nami said matter-of-factly, "Plus, you just admitted that you were indeed hanging out with her, so I just said it offhand, I didn't expect it to actually be true!"

Robert smiled wryly and said, "Kalina is also on the island. Would you like to see her?"

Nami, hands on her hips, said, "I'd rather die than see her! I hate her to death! Didn't she tell you about how she hurt me back then? We're mortal enemies!"

Robert wanted to directly explain the misunderstanding from back then, but after a moment's hesitation, he realized that if he explained it to Karina now, he would lose the emotion that Nami felt after she had figured things out herself, so he kept his mouth shut.

Harreda rushed out excitedly: "It really is superconductivity! It really is!"

Robert smiled broadly: "So, sir, have you all agreed to join my research team?"

The meteorologists who followed unanimously replied, "Of course! We won't leave even if you try to drive us away!"

Robert smiled and waved to the Indians, saying, "I'll take you gentlemen to visit the research center on the central island. In the future, any research needs they have will be approved according to the highest level of authority."

Nami tossed her hair and followed behind the teacher, saying, "I want to go too!"

Robert reluctantly followed, while Nami turned her head and said, "What, are you afraid we'll run away?"

"Go and attend to your important matters. Remember to come back to me at the agreed time. It's the big day we set sail again. Even if you're not joining us, you should at least come to see us off, right?"

Robert smiled broadly: "A week from now, I remember the date, I'll come pick you up then."

Nami waved casually and left excitedly with her teachers.

Robert understood perfectly well that the old men couldn't possibly be swayed by a piece of superconducting material; they were just meteorologists, not physicists who were experts in electrical engineering.

That was just a way to make it seem more reasonable that they were forced to stay on their own island, so that everyone could save face.

In just one more week, it will be the day Luffy promised. Naturally, Nami will be leaving Visalia to return to her crew. So, she probably wants to spend this last bit of time with her teachers who have been teaching her diligently for the past two years.

Robert had to go to Elbaf next. After saying a few words to the big brother who was guarding him, he didn't go to see Ace or Karina again, but left Sky Island directly.

-----------------

Dressrosa, which had only changed hands a week earlier, was filled with repression, and its once thriving scene had changed drastically.

Back when the Whitebeard Pirates' logistics team withdrew, the country had already encountered various problems due to a lack of experienced personnel in various grassroots positions. However, since the evacuation was done in batches, India was able to quickly find people from Dressrosa's residents to fill the vacancies and use a mentorship system to facilitate the transition.

Now that even the Indians have been forced out, the administration of Dressrosa has suddenly fallen into chaos.

Many things seem simple until you try them yourself; only then do you realize how difficult it is to do what others do so easily.

King Ricci Dordor III is now in a real bind, and he often finds himself reminiscing about the days when India was still around.

Although the royal family seemed like puppets at that time, and the military and political affairs of the whole country were controlled by India, he only needed to live a leisurely life and occasionally go out to the people to make his presence known and show a friendly image.

Now that he holds absolute power, King Keliku feels he is about to die, either from exhaustion while diligently governing and caring for his people, or from being dragged to the gallows by the enraged populace.

Robert and his men still had a conscience; they didn't touch the Dressrosa treasury, but only moved their private treasury located on the nearby Greenbit Island. Of course, this was also because they simply didn't care about such a small amount of money.

King Keliku was surprised to find when he personally reviewed the accounts that while Dressrosa seemed to be making a fortune every day, it was just a drop in the ocean compared to the expenses.

It has only been a little over six months since the entire island was destroyed, and the whole country is rebuilding everywhere, which costs money everywhere.

The treasury of Tokushima seemed very full, and everyone was even a little ashamed when they took over. The wealth that the Indians had accumulated in the past six months was no less than the wealth that the Don Quixote family had accumulated over hundreds of years when they overthrew the Riku royal family.

But even the richest family fortune cannot withstand the drain of a country that has been overthrown and completely rebuilt.

Several people who had previously worked under the Indian government, but were now being scrutinized by the newly appointed Finance Minister for several days, arrived at a conclusion that plunged everyone into an icy abyss—

If the current infrastructure plan continues, the treasury of Dressrosa will be emptied in just two months!

But an even bigger question arises: can Tokushima be rebuilt in just two months?

The answer is no. According to Robert and the Indian plan, Dressrosa will only be barely rebuilt after three years. Currently, their business relies more on the undamaged underground factories. The surface area can only support the most basic accommodation and life of the people. Entertainment and other facilities have not yet caught up.

Could we not build it so nicely?

No, that won't work either. Back then, the Indians announced their plans, and the whole country was eagerly anticipating them.

Now that the king has bound the meritorious officials of the reconstruction as a pledge of loyalty, he turns around and cancels all the projects that benefit the country and its people. In that case, the entire royal family of Riku will die even more thoroughly than the Don Quixote family.

The even more serious situation is that not all the money in the national treasury can be used for infrastructure!

Buggy isn't Robert. He became a pirate for money, and the first thing he did after taking over Dressrosa was to ask for money.

The money in the national treasury had long been appropriated by Pakistan Express. Robert had said he could do whatever he wanted, so Pakistan had no worries about the future.

Moreover, Pakistan not only wants money from the national treasury, but also a share of future tax revenue!

Infrastructure construction on the island has come to a complete standstill, but since the government has just changed course, the people haven't started any protests. They expect construction to resume once the transition period ends.

Only King Riku and his family knew that there would be no further investment, only endless exploitation.

Dressrosa is finished!

Before Dressrosa was completely destroyed, the Riku royal family was the first to perish!

Chapter 25 A Tremor Shock

As King Riku plucked handfuls of his sparse hair, Robert sat in a huge, luxurious tent made of clouds, listening to Bucky and the others complain.

"If I had known Dressrosa would be like this, I wouldn't have accepted the role in the first place!"

Robert shook his head and said, "You can't say that. We didn't take a single penny of the national treasury's money, and we've preserved the entire well-established market system of the underground port. We didn't leave any backup plans."

Bucky had a tearful face, and his trusted confidants were sitting around him. He didn't hold back when he spoke: "It's my fault, it's my fault. I oversimplified the process of running a country."

"Back on that deserted island, all we had to do was keep taking on business and sending the pirates out to fight."

"Now that I've taken over Dressrosa, I realize how expensive it is to run a country. My people have calculated that the money in the national treasury will be gone in just over a month. And then I can't exactly send my men out to work to subsidize the reconstruction of Dressrosa, can I?"

At this point, he seemed to have figured something out, and stared wide-eyed at Robert.

"What are you looking at me for? You don't think I'm just dumping Dressrosa on you because I can't keep going, do you?"

Bucky has now figured out Robert's temperament to some extent; he's not the kind of person who's capricious and prone to turning on you at the drop of a hat.

When it comes to joking around, he's even more easygoing than most people.

"Is not it?"

Robert proudly raised his chin: "I promised you before that I would leave Indians to handle all the administrative affairs for you. Buggy Express only needs to fill the defense duties of the Heart Pirates."

"Who would have thought that old man Rick Dordor III would actually use Indians as a pledge of allegiance? We're all bosses, and when our brothers are bullied, I can't just stand up for them, can I?"

Bucky said with a worried look, "You guys got your revenge, but aren't you just setting me up for failure?"

"Should I resume the project now or not? If I don't, the whole country will be in turmoil in a few days, and the revolutionary army will be summoned to overthrow me."

"If we resume the project, what will we do a month later? We can't really send Bucky Delivery out as mercenaries to support Dressrosa, can we? The little money we earn isn't enough!"

Robert laughed and said, "My target for revenge is the Riku royal family, so I certainly can't involve you. I also have shares in Pakistan Express, so I wouldn't go against my own business, would I?"

That's enough. Bucky is very smart; all he wanted was Robert's promise.

He wisely refrained from asking any further questions, as if all his previous worries were feigned, and he actually already knew what to do.

Robert sipped the fine tea that Bucky had specially arranged for him, saying nothing more. Lily, pouting, broke the silence:

"Boss, when are you taking us away? When you agreed to work for you, you didn't say that I had to marry him, did you?"

Although Hajrudin was the eldest son of the former giant king, he was not born of the principal wife, and even his mother's identity was never recognized by the elders. Therefore, Hajrudin set sail to make his own way in the world at a young age.

Lily left Elbaf with her father, Panz Fry, when she was very young. The two did not know each other in their hometown and did not regard the down-on-his-luck prince with any sense of aura. They even disliked him.

Robert laughed and said, "I'm not trying to arrange a marriage for you. I just had some very difficult things to do at the time, and I was afraid of implicating you and your father, so I asked Chief Bucky to take care of you for a while. I'm here today specifically to take you away."