Scholar of Strawhat Pirates

Elumalu was also home to the Kung-Fu Dugongs, and they appeared soon after the Straw Hat crew began exploring the city's ruins.

As the Dugongs approached, Usopp puffed up his chest and stepped forward confidently.

"Leave this to me," he declared. "I can take them all on!"

"Be careful, they're strong!" Vivi warned, but it was already too late.

Usopp charged in, only to be swiftly and easily defeated by the Dugongs. He was knocked flat in seconds, arms flailing as he hit the ground.

"Usopp!" Chopper cried.

Enraged, Luffy leapt into action, fighting the Dugongs to avenge Usopp. Unlike Usopp, Luffy won handily—dodging and countering their attacks with ease.

This victory triggered a cultural custom among the Dugongs: having been defeated in battle, they pledged themselves to Luffy as disciples. Without hesitation, the Dugongs began following the Straw Hats wherever they went, causing more confusion than help.

Luffy, of course, loved it.

"Haha! I'll teach you all Kung Fu!" he declared proudly, mimicking martial arts poses while the Dugongs copied him with awe and enthusiasm.

The situation escalated quickly. As the Straw Hats prepared to leave, the Dugongs eagerly tried to follow them once again.

"Why are they still following us?!" Nami shouted, visibly irritated. "We can't have a parade of Dugongs behind us! We're supposed to be sneaking into enemy territory!"

"It's their custom," Chopper explained, translating their grunts and gestures. "They follow whoever defeats them and serve them as disciples."

Nami groaned, holding her head in frustration.

"Why not just bring them with us?" Luffy asked innocently.

"Luffy!" Nami snapped. "How are we supposed to sneak anywhere with them tagging along? It's like walking around with a giant flashing arrow over our heads!"

Seeing the growing tension, Douglas stepped forward and had an idea. He turned to Chopper and said, "Translate this for me."

He then addressed the Dugongs directly:

"Alright, listen up, Kung-Fu Dugongs! Your master has given you an important mission. Half of you will guard our ship at all times—no less than ten Dugongs. The rest will patrol the nearby waters and coastline in groups of ten, scouting for enemies. If you do this well, your master will teach you new fighting techniques."

Chopper translated the order, and the Dugongs' eyes sparkled with excitement. In unison, they stood straight and saluted the Straw Hat crew, then immediately set off to follow Douglas's instructions.

"Well played," Zoro muttered, impressed.

"Let's move out," Douglas said.

He knelt down and touched the sand beneath their feet, causing the grains to shift and rise. A wide barrier formed above them to shield the crew from the blistering sun, and beneath them, he sculpted a smooth sled-like platform that glided effortlessly across the dunes.

"Whoa, this is amazing!" Usopp said, now recovered and admiring the sand-sled.

"Thanks, Douglas," Nami said, genuinely relieved. "This'll make travel a lot easier."

With shade above them and a smooth ride ahead, the Straw Hats pressed forward into the heart of the desert—one step closer to uncovering the secrets behind Alabasta's drought and the schemes of Baroque Works.

----------

The Straw Hats trekked across the desert toward the Yuba Oasis, where Vivi hoped to reach the Rebel Army and stop them from attacking the capital. She was determined to prevent unnecessary bloodshed.

During their journey, they encountered a flock of Warusagi Birds pretending to be unconscious. As soon as the crew got close, the birds tried to snatch their belongings—but Douglas reacted instantly, pointing his laser arm at them.

"If you don't want to die, drop our stuff and leave," Douglas warned, his laser glowing menacingly.

The Warusagi Birds, understanding his words and clearly sensing danger, paled in fear and immediately obeyed, dropping everything before fleeing into the desert.

Soon after, the crew spotted a camel about to be devoured by a Sandora Lizard—a massive predator with violet, slimy skin. As expected, a second lizard appeared; they always hunted in pairs. While Douglas handled one with ease, Luffy, Sanji, and Zoro defeated the other. The rescue earned them the camel's gratitude and a large amount of meat from the fallen lizards.

"Yahoo! More meat!" Luffy cheered, dragging one of the lizards back to their makeshift base that Douglas created from sand and stone.

"That's a dangerous predator… and they took it down like nothing," Vivi said, stunned by their strength.

"Don't use normal logic with them," Usopp muttered, shaking his head. "They're monsters. We're just regular people." He repeated the phrase under his breath like a mantra, still feeling inferior to the so-called "Monster Trio"—especially now that Douglas seemed to have joined their ranks.

Sanji skinned the lizards, and they grilled the meat, giving the crew plenty of energy for the road ahead.

"We're almost out of water," Nami said as she checked their remaining supply. "There's only a few liters left. Douglas, do you have a way to get more?"

"I could dig for it, but the sand here is unstable. Digging deep enough might cause a cave-in and bury us," Douglas explained. "Let's hold out until we reach Yuba. It shouldn't be much farther, right, Vivi?"

"We still have a few hours to go," Vivi replied, glancing ahead.

After eating and packing up the leftovers, they resumed their journey. Along the way, Chopper was seen talking to the camel they had rescued.

"Everyone, this is the camel that we saved earlier," Chopper said, trotting over. "He says he wants to repay us by carrying two people."

Luffy and Usopp cheered and immediately tried to climb aboard—only to be stopped when the camel bit them on the head.

"Hey! What's your problem?!" Usopp yelped, clutching his scalp.

"He says he's grateful, but he's a gentleman. He only lets women ride on his back," Chopper translated with a sheepish smile.

"Gentleman? You're a pervert camel!" Luffy shouted, kicking the camel. Sanji and Usopp joined in, delivering a playful beating.

"Hey now!" Nami scolded, stepping between them. "I'm sorry about my rude friends. Can you still carry me?"

As she gently petted the camel's head, he immediately perked up and knelt down to let her on.

"Aww, good boy. What should I call you?" Nami asked sweetly.

"He says he doesn't have a name, but you can give him one," Chopper said.

Luffy, Sanji, and Usopp quickly chimed in with sarcastic suggestions.

"Idiot!" Luffy offered.

"Dumbass," said Sanji.

"Octopus," Usopp added.

Fortunately, the camel ignored all of them.

"How about Matsuge?" Nami suggested.

The camel's eyes sparkled in agreement, clearly liking the name.

"That's the weirdest name of them all," Zoro and Douglas said in unison, watching the scene unfold.

Nami climbed onto Matsuge's saddle and offered Vivi a seat behind her. Vivi hesitated, but with encouragement from the others, she eventually joined Nami.

With that, the crew continued their journey toward Yuba, under the scorching sun and shifting sands—one step closer to the heart of the rebellion and the secrets hidden beneath Alabasta's desert.