"So, I can ask you for help instead of Gion?" Rifan asked with excitement.
"Well, not for now," Kalifa chuckled, then turned her gaze elsewhere.
Rifan shook his head regretfully. What he didn't know was that in fact, Kalifa already had the idea of helping Rifan after she saw Gion state.
Gion looked at her chest, then at Rifan, recalling in her mind once again how Rifan was in her arms like a child.
"Speaking of which, boss, why don't you call Bonney?"
"If you use her ability, boss, maybe you can really act like a child in Ms. Gion's arms," Kalifa suggested with a mischievous tone.
"Y-you want to d-do it again?!" Gion was startled and quickly stood up while supporting herself with both hands on the platform.
"That's an interesting proposition, Kalifa. However, Gion's production capacity seems to have reached its limit for the time being. Now that I have become a child, I have no way to experience her not hugging me from a child's perspective. So let's wait."
"By the way, if that woman Bonney knew that I had developed such an ointment... I don't know if she would like to experience it too, hahaha," Rifan laughed loudly.
Rifan's question made Kalifa fall into deep thought. She thought again about her use of the ointment when Rifan applied it for her.
"Rifan, you said that my production capacity has reached its limit."
"Why, haven't they returned to their original state?" Gion took a deep breath, stood up from the bed, pointed to her chest, and asked Rifan.
"I'm just saying that their production capacity is temporarily over. After more than 20 hours, your production capacity will be restored. You don't need to be that frightened. According to my observations on your body, the effect of the ointment I used lasts about half a day. In other words, you only need to produce it once," Rifan gave Gion a thumbs up and said with a smile.
"In this case, I have to prepare some containers," Kalifa pushed her glasses, her tone playful.
Gion twitched the corner of her mouth, thinking that Rifan might take what she produced and drink it every morning.
She felt a wave of emotions in her heart. After taking a deep breath for a while, Gion calmed down.
"Rifan, my side is over. Next, it's time for me to 'skincare' for you." Gion deliberately emphasised the word skincare. She pointed at the bed she had used before after speaking.
"Since that's the case, I'll thank you, Ms. Gion," Rifan said. "Kalifa, you don't have to stay here any longer. Go and do other things."
Gion squinted after seeing Kalifa leave. She picked up the special ointment left by Rifan and applied it to Rifan's chest. She couldn't help but have a vengeful smile on her face, considering that Rifan might take what she produced and drink it every morning.
It's just a pity that after some time had passed and Gion had almost finished the massage, Rifan's chest still hadn't changed.
"Are you puzzled, Gion?" Suddenly, Rifan opened his eyes and asked Gion with a smile.
"Rifan, you know?"
"Of course, I know. You just wanted to use the same ointment on me, didn't you?"
"So, did you use some kind of ability to eliminate the effect of this ointment?"
"Of course not. The reason my body hasn't changed is because this ointment only works on women."
"Only works on women!?"
"Why are you so surprised? Isn't this a matter of course, after all, men don't have the conditions to give birth, don't they?"
"So my actions were all in vain?"
"It's not in vain. After all, this ointment not only has the effect of an aphrodisiac but also has a skin care effect, although it is not as good as special skincare products."
Gion sighed faintly when she heard Rifan's words. She understood that it was impossible for her to make Rifan suffer in Rifan's territory.
"Okay, you don't need to do it anymore. Consider this encounter as a rehearsal in advance. When you have children in the future, you may use this experience."
Rifan got up from the massage platform and stretched lazily.
"This time, the agreement between us is considered complete. Thank you for your service, Gion. I enjoy it. But if you can let go a little more, I will be happier. Next, I have to teach Robin and the others. Next, take a good rest."
Rifan patted Gion's shoulder while his other hand was on her swollen chest, pinching her pink bud.
He changed his clothes under Gion's resentful gaze, walked out of the room, and headed towards Robin, Vivi, and others.
Gion looked at the back of Rifan as he left. Although she wanted to understand how Rifan trained Robin and the others, she fell into hesitation for a moment.
Meanwhile, on the other side, where Charlotte Smoothie is.
After recovering and composing herself for a while, she finally picked up the Den Den Mushi and called her mother, Charlotte Linlin, to report her mission failure.
"So, you just fled and came back, Smoothie?" Charlotte Linlin's voice, heavy with displeasure, reached Smoothie through the Den Den Mushi.
"I'm truly sorry for not being able to complete the mission, Mom. But there's a reason for it," Smoothie responded.
"Although I intended to use my strength to make Rifan and his crew submit, the power of the Black Pearl Pirates is beyond what I can handle. Rifan didn't even have to lift a finger. Nico Robin alone defeated me."
"Nico Robin has mastered the Armament Haki of the advanced class and Conqueror's Haki. In addition, it seems that her Devil Fruit has awakened."
"I really couldn't handle her."
Nico Robin's bounty was only 80 million Berries, and Smoothie knew that failing against someone with such a low bounty would infuriate her mother.
Charlotte Linlin's angry reprimand was expected, but after learning about Nico Robin's strength, even Linlin was taken aback.
"Smoothie, are you sure you're not exaggerating? This Nico Robin, with a bounty of only 80 million Berries, possesses this level of power?"
After a moment of silence, Linlin furrowed her brows and inquired further.
"It's true, Mom. Even if it weren't for me, we have a new crew member who has social ties with Rifan. Without that connection, I might not have made it back to Totto Land."
Smoothie glanced at Ada Wang, who was standing nearby. Even at this moment, she shuddered when she recalled how close she was to being strangled by Nico Robin.
"Mom, it's not just Nico Robin. Mikita, the vice-captain of the Black Pearl Pirates, is also a formidable opponent. Mikita exhibited Conqueror's Haki that was even more potent than Nico Robin's. Our ship trembled under its power, and some of the structures on the deck sustained damage."
When Linlin heard Smoothie's words, her eyes widened.
"What?! Mikita possesses a Conqueror's Haki of that caliber!?"
"Mom, this is what we experienced firsthand. We also made another shocking discovery about Mikita."
"Anything else unusual?"
"Yes! That woman used Golden Lion Shiki's Devil Fruit ability!"
"Shiki's Devil Fruit?! Is this some kind of joke, Smoothie?!"
Charlotte Linlin's disbelief was expected by Smoothie. Fully prepared, she explained everything to her mother over the Den Den Mushi.
"Mom, I understand that this may be hard to believe. After all, Golden Lion was recently killed by Rifan and the Marines. But we witnessed it with our own eyes. Mikita even manipulated the floating clouds in the sky to create a colossal lion's head."
On the other end of the Den Den Mushi, Charlotte Linlin's expression became increasingly perplexed.
"Could it be that Rifan acquired the Devil Fruit from killing Shiki? What are the odds that Rifan and his crew obtained Shiki's shortly after his death?"
"Moreover, Mikita's rapid development of the Float Devil Fruit's abilities is extraordinary."
Charlotte Linlin pondered aloud, her doubts growing.
"Mom, I suspect that Rifan might have a way to obtain the Devil Fruit powers of those he defeats."
"How could that be? I've never heard of anyone having such an ability!"
"Mom, before Rifan became known in the seas, we were unaware of the existence of individuals with the power to wield multiple Devil Fruits."
Smoothie's curiosity, which had long been buried, was reignited.
"Mom, Robin and Mikita are undoubtedly powerful. But the one who left me most astonished was Rifan."
"That man wields too many strong Devil Fruit abilities."
As Smoothie spoke, she explained Rifan's Fruit abilities in front of Charlotte Linlin, as well as Chopper's use of the Munch-Munch Devil Fruit and Rifan control of the Darkness Devil Fruit. She also recounted his abilities of swallowing people to heal, as well as the powerful air cannon he could unleash.
The more Charlotte Linlin listened, the more her eyes lit up. By the end of the conversation, she was sitting upright on her bed.
"A lower-ranking crew member was able to knock you back, and Rifan, in particular, has mastered a method of utilizing his crewmates' Devil Fruit abilities!"
"Is it possible that he can also utilise the power of Shiki's devil fruit?"
"What race is this person, and which Devil Fruit has he consumed?"
"The Black Pearl Pirates are truly intriguing. It would be a shame if such an intriguing individual couldn't be persuaded to join Totto Land. Mamamama!"