Bang Bang Bang!
A series of cannon fire tore through the sky like a horn announcing miracles.
The next moment, under all Drum Island residents' gazes, a massive, brilliantly pink cherry blossom cloud thunderously bloomed in the high sky!
Countless cherry blossom petals slowly drifted down from the clouds.
This was Drum Island's special farewell ceremony for Hiriluk.
Rayquaza slowly departed from the port. Hiriluk stood alone at the bow, gazing up at the scene he'd witnessed countless times in dreams. Two silent tears streamed down his weathered face.
Kureha leaned against the rail, glancing at her old friend's trembling back, smiling faintly as she raised her hand and poured a large gulp of beloved plum wine into her mouth.
Witnessed and farewelled by this grand cherry blossom rain, Rayquaza formally bid goodbye to Drum Island.
Next stop—Alabasta Kingdom.
Located in the Grand Line's first half, this superpower had a population of over ten million with a standing army of 600,000.
Though in Kai's view, a mere ten million population hardly qualified as a superpower—even calling it a major nation was generous. But compared to most nations on the seas with only one city, Alabasta was undeniably a behemoth.
Therefore, ordinary pirates didn't dare act too brazenly in Alabasta. Of course, perhaps pirates simply had no interest in this country.
Though Alabasta's territory was vast, similar to Egypt, most regions were barren desert—only the green belt along the Sandora River was habitable. Consequently, the entire nation's economy was always tight.
If not for the territory and population supporting it, Kai doubted whether Alabasta could timely pay the World Government's Heavenly Tribute.
However, none of this concerned Kai. Alabasta had no resources worth taking, not even talent.
His purpose for this trip had only one goal: finding the secret letter the first Queen Lily left for her brother.
"Wh-what exactly are you going to do to this king?"
On deck, Wapol tightly hugged his arms to his chest, cowering in a corner, face full of terror.
"Relax, I only want your body." Kai smiled.
Wapol panicked even more.
"What?! Don't even think about making me sell my chastity!"
His voice instantly rose eight octaves.
Black lines instantly appeared on Kai's forehead as he irritably explained. "Who wants your chastity! I want your ability—to work for me!"
He crouched down, patting Wapol's shoulder while switching to a business smile. "As long as you properly utilize the Munch-Munch Fruit's abilities to research and manufacture new alloys for me, I absolutely won't mistreat you."
"But—"
Kai's face instantly darkened, invisible pressure enveloping Wapol. "If you dare pretend compliance while harboring other thoughts—I guarantee you, living will become your greatest suffering."
Wapol's face instantly paled as he nodded frantically, hurriedly expressing he was Kai's person in life and Kai's ghost in death.
After this minor episode, Rayquaza continued steadily advancing toward Alabasta.
Several days later, the ship had reached Alabasta's outer seas. In the distance, the endless golden desert was already clearly visible.
Completely opposite the winter island of Drum Kingdom, the closer to Alabasta, the more fierce the scorching heat waves became.
Current Wapol had long since shed his heavy fur coat—vest on top, shorts below, exactly like a retired old man. If not for Kai's stern warning, he wouldn't even want clothes.
But the ship's worst-off wasn't Wapol—he could still strip. As a reindeer, Chopper couldn't exactly peel off his skin.
"So—so hot—"
Chopper collapsed on deck, tongue hanging out as if his soul would float from his mouth.
Fortunately, the ship didn't lack freezing abilities. Yamato touched her finger to a water-filled basin. In just seconds, an ice block was created.
"Ahh—came back to life—"
Chopper grabbed the lifeline, four small hooves tightly clutching the ice block, his whole body pressed against it, so comfortable his eyes narrowed to slits.
Nearby, Bonney watched enviously—she also wanted to embrace an ice block like Chopper. But this unhealthy idea was immediately vetoed by doting-yet-principled Kuma.
Fortunately, besides Yamato, the ship had weather-controlling Kai.
"Freezing Wind."
Under Kai's control, a weak yet continuous cold wind completely at odds with the surrounding environment was forcibly generated on Rayquaza's deck, like an invisible barrier isolating the heat outside, as if installing a high-powered central air conditioner.
"Saved!"
This perfectly timed cool breeze made everyone aboard collectively sigh with relief.
Having done this, Kai casually sat back beside the pile of meteorites he'd just pulled from space, picking up a meteorite fragment and crunching it like a cookie, diligently absorbing the cosmic energy within.
Yamato leisurely sat on the rail, swinging two fair legs as if the surrounding heat were completely irrelevant.
Soon, Rayquaza successfully reached Alabasta's coastline. Then the ship sailed upstream along the Sandora River toward the capital, Alubarna.
The Beast Pirates flag-flying Rayquaza immediately caused massive panic among riverside residents. After all, they were now not just slightly famous—one could say they could stop children's nighttime crying.
"Natural Disaster Kai is here!"
This news seemed to grow wings, spreading rapidly throughout Alabasta's entire territory, accompanied by panic and terror along the Sandora River.
Alubarna, Royal Palace
"What?! Beast Pirates' Natural Disaster Kai came to Alabasta?!"
Upon receiving the news, King Cobra was so shocked he directly stood from his throne, face full of disbelief.
"Absolutely confirmed, Your Majesty. I personally verified from high altitude that uniquely distinctive giant ship; I absolutely couldn't mistake it."
Alabasta Kingdom Guard Vice-Captain and Zoan Bird-Bird Fruit, Model: Falcon user Pell knelt on one knee, speaking with certainty.
Cobra's eyes sharpened as he decisively decided. "Quickly, take me there!"
He immediately summoned the Guard, preparing to personally welcome Kai's group.
Yes, welcome.
This was the weak's sorrow and survival method—before absolute power, they could only place hope in the strong's mercy and rules rather than futile resistance.
"Father! I want to go with you too!"
A blue-haired little girl excitedly ran from the inner palace, face full of excitement and curiosity. She'd just been hiding behind pillars eavesdropping—naturally couldn't miss witnessing such a grand scene.
Cobra looked at his daughter, helplessly holding his forehead, his tone rarely stern. "No way, Vivi! Just stay obediently in the palace and don't go anywhere!"
Usually indulging and doting on his daughter, he now rarely steeled his heart.
Natural Disaster Kai wasn't an ordinary guest. Even the World Government and Marines couldn't do much about him, much less a nation like his.
The so-called superpower title and 600,000-strong army were probably worthless before this level of powerhouse.
After decisively refusing his daughter's request, Cobra didn't dare delay, leading numerous guards hurriedly leaving the palace.
Left behind, Vivi watched her father's departing back. Those lively eyes spun around as a "brilliant" idea surfaced.
Yuba
Alabasta's western trade center.
A formerly bustling street was now shrouded in panic.
"Bastards! Quickly hand over all your berries and valuables!"
A scar-faced man viciously raised his pistol, firing twice skyward!
The piercing gunfire, like death knells, scared the crowds into screaming flight. But quickly, those citizens were herded back by Scarface's accomplices, trapped in the street center, and unable to move.
"Hurry up! Don't dawdle! Hand everything over! Otherwise, hmph—"
Scarface expertly twirled his gun, face muscles trembling, his threat clear. "This gun doesn't care who you are!"
"Gyehehe—"
Scarface's accomplices laughed maniacally in agreement.
One still-spirited young man mustered courage, trembling. "You—aren't you afraid the kingdom's army will arrive and arrest you all?"
Bang!
His answer came in the form of a merciless gunshot!
"Ahh—my leg!"
The young man fell, clutching his instantly blood-soaked thigh, releasing heart-wrenching wails.
This bloody scene completely shattered the crowd's psychological defenses. Citizens trembled all over, faces bloodless.
These people really dare to kill! Someone... someone save us...
"Hmph, army?"
Scarface contemptuously blew on his gun barrel's smoke, disdainfully sneering. "By the time they slowly crawl here, it will be perfect timing to collect your corpses!"
He then impatiently surveyed the terrified crowd, his tone becoming more irritable. "Don't make me wait too long! We brothers haven't tasted meat in ages. What they might do, I wouldn't know."
Under naked life threats, finally someone couldn't withstand the pressure, tremblingly starting to produce their possessions, trying to buy safety with money.
With the first, came the second and third—the submission wave rapidly spread.
Just as despair's atmosphere was about to swallow everything—
"Stop!"
A deep, weathered voice rang from above, carrying undeniable authority.
Scarface's heart jumped as he suddenly looked up.
On a nearby building's roof, a figure gazed down at them.
The man had slicked-back hair, a long horizontal scar across his face, a thick cigar steadily clamped in his mouth, and ice-cold eyes. Most eye-catching—the man had no left hand, replaced by a golden hook.
This highly distinctive appearance instantly made Scarface recall that absolutely untouchable name in this land.
"W-wait! I can return all the valuables. Right now!"
Scarface panicked, incoherently volunteering to return the stolen goods, completely different from his earlier arrogance.
"It's Mr. Crocodile!"
"Our hero came!"
In stark contrast to Scarface's panic, the narrowly escaped citizens burst into cheers.
Because the newcomer was precisely one of the Seven Warlords—Sand Crocodile Crocodile.
These years, he'd repeatedly helped clear pirate harassment before the kingdom army arrived, long becoming the irreplaceable hero in people's hearts.
As long as he came, justice prevailed.
Indeed, Crocodile had no interest in negotiation—he opened with a killing move.
"Desert Spada!"
His right arm instantly turned to sand and rapidly expanded, transforming into a massive crescent-shaped sand blade.
As his arm fell, the sand blade swept toward Scarface's group.
In a flash, before those pirates could react, surging sand swallowed and wrapped them all, turning them into immobilized sand humans.
No one noticed one extremely lucky pirate seemingly overlooked by Crocodile, fortuitously standing outside the attack's range.
"Guah—"
Scarface's group only managed one syllable before instantly dehydrating and shriveling, becoming mummies with twisted postures and faces frozen in terror.
Thud Thud…
The mummies powerlessly toppled, the just-stolen valuables sliding from their stiff hands, scattering everywhere.
Crocodile's face rapidly switched to a gentle, reliable expression, loudly addressing the shaken crowd. "Go, take back what belongs to you!"
"Thank you, Mr. Crocodile!"
"You're our hero! Always will be!"
The recovery of their valuables plus the wild joy of a narrow escape made people's gratitude and reverence toward Crocodile reach its peak.
After successfully harvesting a wave of prestige, Crocodile left without looking back, disappearing around the corner. A hero who sought no recognition.
Through several quiet alleys, that lucky escaped pirate extremely naturally approached him.
Only now, this person had changed appearance—face painted with exaggerated bizarre makeup, wearing long false eyelashes.
Okama Mr. 2 Bon Clay lowered his voice, reporting. "Boss, the funds we used hiring those idiots—I've completely recovered them."
Crocodile merely nodded slightly, no praise intended. If he couldn't handle such small matters, Bon Clay wouldn't deserve the Mr. 2 title.
Crocodile asked, "When does the next pirate group arrive?"
Bon Clay hesitated, gritting his teeth while explaining. "Boss, recently pirates death rate in Alabasta is somewhat high. It's hard finding reckless pirates willing to come here and die. Even secretly hiring—can't find anyone willing to take jobs."
Crocodile stared at him deeply. After a long pause, he finally spoke. "Then hurry. My plan to gain Alabasta people's prestige cannot be interrupted!"
Seeing the boss had no punishment intent, Bon Clay sighed with relief, hurriedly nodding.
Then he reported another important matter.
"Natural Disaster Kai—has arrived!"