Chapter 102: Great Gains from Capturing the Wandering Cherry Blossom (Please Subscribe, Recommend, and Vote)

Moments later, a white figure appeared not far from the two. Stussy instinctively froze upon seeing Snow Steed’s condition. After composing herself, she spoke seriously, “Buffon and his group just left the city, heading toward the Santo Dora Canal in the south. He didn’t leave with the other crew members but fell behind alone. The Straw Hat crew also left the city; Dazqi is leading the chase.”

“Princess Vivi?” Snow Steed asked with a serious expression.

“No sign of her. It seems she disappeared.”

“Disappeared?” Snow Steed said with a hint of amusement.

Though she spoke so, she had already drawn her own conclusion: Vivi most likely left with one of these two groups. How she concealed her trail, however, was unknown to her.

“I’ll go after Buffon. You continue with your mission. The news of Commander Kamael’s death must not be leaked within the Navy. As for the witnesses in Alabasta, I trust King Cobra will handle them.”

Stussy thought for a moment and asked, “How should I report this to headquarters?”

Snow Steed calmly replied, “Report everything truthfully, every detail.”

With that, she turned southwards and left. Stussy glanced after her, smiled, and hurried away. Yixiao, meanwhile, headed back towards the palace. He wanted to see if there was anything he could do for the people of this country.

...

When Cobra and Kosha reappeared in the square, the remnants of the Baroque Works after the absence of the upper echelon had already crumbled under the joint efforts of the rebels and the royal army. The Navy forces left behind were now taking prisoners.

Before meeting Stussy, Cobra issued a mandatory decree to the people: “From today on, the actions of the magician doctor Buffon shall be a forbidden topic in Alabasta! Anyone who mentions it will be imprisoned for life without release!”

None of the citizens who knew the truth opposed this; instead, they became staunch supporters of the decree.

“Did the magician doctor ever come to Alubana? I’ve never even seen him!”

“What a pity. If only I had gone to the Rainfield…”

At this moment, Buffon was inside the palace, treating the wounded. Those coming and going were told not to reveal Buffon’s identity.

Thus, Toldo, who had come to Alubana just to tag along, and the imperial medical team, became the so-called miracle doctors spoken of by the people.

However, none of this fooled Yixiao, whose Observation Haki far surpassed the ordinary. Yet he did not expose them; instead, he silently took up the role of a bodyguard outside the palace.

Three other CP0 agents tried to sneak in to investigate but were caught and knocked unconscious by him.

The next morning, Snow Steed finally caught up to the Buffon impersonator, Von Clay. After a single strike, she realized he was not on the same level and turned away.

She then contacted Stussy through the Den Den Mushi, learning that Buffon might not have left Alubana at all. As a CP0 agent, she felt an intense shame. CP0 was known as the world’s most informed intelligence agency, always playing others for fools, but now they had been outplayed by Buffon. The frustration was immense, especially since she was a special existence with admiral-level strength.

Before entering the city, Yixiao stopped Snow Steed. “Wait until he finishes treating the wounded. Only then will I let you pass.”

Snow Steed didn’t reply and drew her sword, attacking immediately.

The two fought for an entire day and night. When Buffon finished tending to all the wounded and arrived outside the palace’s west gate, their movements had slowed considerably.

Though both possessed admiral-level strength, the exhaustion after such a prolonged battle was inevitable.

Upon seeing Buffon, Snow Steed — now clad in a set of clothes whose origin was unknown — unleashed a red slash, though its power was no longer what it was at the start of their fight.

Buffon, having gained considerable benefit recently, had slightly increased his strength. With the ebb and flow of power, Snow Steed’s attack was deflected by his goalkeeper’s secret technique: One-Handed Bat.

After several hours of fighting, Buffon finally subdued Snow Steed with his goalkeeper’s secret move, Gate Net Choke, capturing her alive.

“Buffon, if you have the guts, kill me like you killed Commander Kamael! Otherwise…” Snow Steed challenged.

Before she could finish, Buffon used the ability he gained during Miss Golden Week, drawing a yellow-green pattern on her back.

Instantly, Snow Steed began chatting with him leisurely as if they were old friends.

It followed naturally that Buffon treated her wounds.

The body of an admiral-level warrior provided Buffon with unprecedented gains, far beyond what he expected.

Aside from the flowing cherry blossoms, just the swordsmanship alone would increase Buffon’s experience bar by one-third, enough to elevate him six levels.

Though Yixiao could not see the details, the shifts in tone during their conversation left him unable to discern reality. He could only conclude that whatever method Buffon used, to cause such a transformation in a fellow admiral-level warrior like Snow Steed was nothing short of a miracle.

Buffon then examined Yixiao’s numerous fine wounds and asked, “Want me to stitch them up?”

Yixiao had originally paid no heed to such minor injuries, but hearing the praises of Buffon’s medical skills from the people, he wanted to experience it himself.

His body bore no fewer than a hundred cuts from the "cherry blossom petals," all shallow surface wounds. Buffon took less than fifteen minutes to stitch them all.

He then used the Healing Pulse ability of the Meatball Fruit to dispel Yixiao’s fatigue accumulated over the past two days.

Naturally, Buffon did not ignore Yixiao’s blood and the power of the Meteor Fruit.

“Thank you, Doctor Buffon. For the sake of the people of Alabasta, I won’t trouble you this time. If we meet again in the future…”

Before Yixiao could finish, Buffon smiled and interrupted, “Come bother me when you join the Navy.”

Yixiao was stunned, clearly not expecting Buffon to see through his deepest thoughts. But as he had told Snow Steed before, he still couldn’t find a reason to accept the Navy’s justice.

“What do you plan to do then?” Yixiao asked earnestly.

Buffon answered without hesitation, “Fight the Celestial Dragons, the privileged class, to the very end.”

“Will you join the Revolutionary Army?” Yixiao pressed further.

Buffon shook his head seriously, “I have my own will.”

To Buffon, the Revolutionary Army’s influence on the Grand Line was minimal; even the G Army commanders were still stationed in the forward city.

What the Revolutionary Army lacked was this top-tier