"Luffy? Are you going to exercise?"
Vivi watched with uncertainty, her mouth slightly open, as Luffy approached them carrying a piece of iron that stood several people tall.
"Yeah, I've been staying in the palace all day long. I've fallen behind in my daily routine. I need to get back on track," he replied casually.
Then, under Vivi's astonished gaze, Luffy moved to an open area, stood upside down on his hands, and began to exercise by supporting the massive piece of iron—weighing at least ten tons—with his feet.
"So this is what it means to be an admiral? He really is something of a monster," Vivi sighed in genuine amazement.
Listening to the princess's awestruck comment, Ain couldn't help but smile with amusement.
"Want to try?" she offered.
"Huh?" Vivi turned her head in surprise, pointing first at Luffy who was exercising, and then at herself. "Me? No, no, I couldn't possibly do that."
She waved her hands frantically, certain she couldn't handle anything so intense.
"You don't have to do something so extreme," Ain assured her. "Just some running and push-ups would be good."
Without waiting for an answer, Ain took the girl's hand and led her to jog around the ship's facilities. Though initially reluctant, Vivi was also curious. Following Ain's instructions, she began to regulate her breathing and soon found her rhythm.
Half an hour later, when Nami returned with snacks after taking care of her duties, she found the three of them drenched in sweat. She glanced up in confusion at the sun setting in the east through the skylight, three imaginary question marks appearing above her head.
"What on earth? Is this how they build relationships? That's certainly a unique approach," she muttered quietly.
Nami set the plate of snacks aside, took off her jacket, rolled up her sleeves, and started running to join the impromptu exercise group.
"BREAKING NEWS: The heir to the world power Alabasta Kingdom has boarded Admiral Luffy's warship and joined his diplomatic mission to the member states of North Blue.
Does this move by the Alabasta royal family confirm that the rumored engagement between Princess Vivi and the rising Marine Admiral is true?
Could this be a sign of strengthening ties between the Marines and Alabasta?
Now, I will explain the background of this development and offer my analysis..."
After finishing the latest newspaper article, Hancock slammed the paper forcefully on the table, her face dark with anger.
"That bastard! It's just a poor, shabby desert country, what's so great about it? Isn't my Amazon Lily much stronger than Alabasta?!"
Hina, who had been reading the same headlines while sipping her coffee, peered over the top of her newspaper with a look of exasperation and gave Hancock a mocking glance.
She swept her almond-shaped eyes around the dining table, hoping to gauge the sisters' opinions on the matter. But the other women were absorbed in their own activities, showing little interest in engaging with Hancock's outburst.
Only Viola seemed to share Hancock's sentiments on this matter, and she chimed in sourly:
"That's right. They just have more people and a larger territory. If it came to an actual fight, they probably couldn't even stand against our Dressrosa. What's there to be proud of?"
"Oh, please," Hina interjected. "Every Amazon Lily warrior is formidable—their strength is well-known to all. But what does your Dressrosa have to offer? A population just over 100,000, which is less than the size of Alabasta's army? Do you still have the nerve to look down on them? Heh!"
"You...!"
Hina's disdainful look and cutting words left Viola so furious that she could only point at her, trembling with rage but unable to form a coherent rebuttal.
Meeting her angry glare, Hina simply raised her chin proudly, exposing her elegant neck in a gesture of defiance.
This argument between the two women didn't attract much attention from the others. Ever since Luffy and Ain had departed, the dynamics among those left behind had shifted. Without their mediating presence, petty disputes had become increasingly common.
Almost daily, they would quarrel over matters both significant and trivial. In more serious cases, when neither could defeat the other verbally, they would directly challenge each other to a fight or a duel.
Fortunately, despite all their arguing and noise, the women always maintained their composure at a fundamental level. After each quarrel, neither harbored lasting resentment or hurt feelings.
"Hmph, you don't need to remind me," Hancock declared haughtily. "In a few years, when my training regimen bears fruit, Amazon Lily will be the strongest nation in the world, and I will be the queen of the world's most powerful kingdom. When that happens, I'm certain Luffy will be even more captivated by me~"