Alubarna, the royal capital of the Kingdom of Alabasta.
This was the economic and political center of the entire kingdom.
The Nefertari Family, who had voluntarily given up the privileges of the Celestial Dragons, held the fate of this nation in their hands.
The current king, Nefertari Cobra, was a ruler who loved his people as his own children and was devoted to them.
However, in Raleigh's view, this king's methods were somewhat lacking.
After all, the Kingdom of Alabasta maintained a standing army of 600,000—a number comparable to the entire population of some smaller countries.
Moreover, it had the support of the people as its foundation. In theory, such a king should have been able to control Alabasta.
Yet, it was precisely this king who had been manipulated by Crocodile like a puppet, leaving Raleigh puzzled.
He and Gion rode on desert camels, the bells jingling as they swayed toward Alubarna.
He wanted to know the reason.
"Raleigh, how much longer until we reach Alubarna?" Gion asked in a muffled voice.
She had changed into a new set of clothes.
Her original outfit was revealing, and prolonged exposure to the scorching sun could easily lead to sunburn.
So, when passing through a small town, both of them purchased the common white clothing of Alabasta.
Gion also wrapped a white veil around her face.
Raleigh looked up, using his Observation Haki. "About sixty kilometers left. Riding camels, it should take three to four hours."
The desert might seem empty, but many dangers lurked in unknown corners.
Such as quicksand.
Although it posed no threat to Gion or Raleigh, if a camel fell into it, it would be difficult to handle.
"By the way, when you warned Crocodile at Rain Dinners, did it have something to do with the affairs of the Kingdom of Alabasta?"
Gion recalled the words spoken in Crocodile's office at Rain Dinners. Among them, one seemingly insignificant sentence had stuck in her memory.
"I'm not entirely sure if it was Crocodile's doing, but that guy is untrustworthy, so a warning was necessary."
In truth, Raleigh knew that all of this was Crocodile's doing.
How does one replace a highly respected and beloved king? By using despicable means to drag that king down from his pedestal.
First, use Dance Powder to gradually reduce the rainfall in the kingdom. When the people's survival becomes an overt issue, no matter what the king does, he becomes the primary person responsible.
Because it happened during his reign.
If the problem remains unresolved for too long, it becomes a black mark hanging over his head.
Raleigh wasn't there to expose Crocodile's actions.
He simply wanted to see the future queen of Alabasta, Vivi.
At that moment, in the palace of Alubarna, the young Cobra was amusing his daughter, Vivi. The recent events within the kingdom had placed immense pressure on him.
Fortunately, he still had such a lovely daughter to lift his spirits.
"Your Majesty, this is a letter of visit from the Navy."
The man with the bizarre hairstyle was Igaram, the current captain of the King's Guard.
Not only was he responsible for the safety of the palace, but he also reported all matters within the kingdom to Cobra.
This included the dissatisfaction of the people toward King Cobra, which Igaram had conveyed to him.
"The Navy... Lately, there doesn't seem to have been anything worth the Navy's attention, right?"
Cobra couldn't understand why he had received a letter of visit. He believed he had governed the kingdom well.
Although the people weren't living in happiness and prosperity at the moment, Cobra thought this was only temporary. Once the extreme weather passed, everything would be fine.
"Igaram, please escort the Navy to the reception hall. I'll be there shortly."
After saying this, Cobra patiently explained to his daughter in his arms that he needed to show the Navy some respect.
Young Vivi blinked her wide eyes, not fully understanding what Cobra meant.
But she knew that Cobra was about to leave her.
"Daddy, waaah..."
Cobra called for the nanny and began comforting Vivi.
...
In the palace's reception hall, the decor seemed less impressive than Crocodile's office in Rain Dinners.
But this was understandable.
First, the Kingdom of Alabasta was not a wealthy nation.
Second, Cobra was not a monarch who indulged in luxury.
Raleigh and Gion sipped their specialty drinks, waiting patiently. After a long while, Cobra arrived in a hurry, his clothes slightly wrinkled.
"My apologies, Vice Admiral Raleigh and Rear Admiral Gion. I was delayed by some matters." Cobra offered an apology.
Raleigh waved his hand, indicating it wasn't important, and spoke.
"Lord Cobra, we're only here to check on Crocodile's situation and ask if he has carried out the World Government's orders."
Cobra breathed a sigh of relief.
He had thought it was something more serious.
"Lord Crocodile is very popular among our people. He and his subordinates have repelled many groups of pirates attempting to rob the people of Alabasta. Just a few days ago, Lord Crocodile took action again and eliminated several hundred pirates."
Raleigh and Gion exchanged a glance.
They understood what had happened.
It must have been that Crocodile, having suffered a loss at Raleigh's hands, vented his anger by targeting those pirates.
Raleigh spoke directly. "Lord Cobra, although we knew Crocodile had a high reputation in the Kingdom of Alabasta, we didn't expect it to be this high. However, the Navy is not entirely at ease with Crocodile. This man harbors hidden ambitions. If there's anything you wish to say, please speak freely. After all, you are a World Government Affiliate Nation, and the Navy unconditionally stands on the side of such nations."
Cobra hesitated. "It's strange, but according to the timing reported by some citizens, the abnormal climate in Alabasta began after Lord Crocodile arrived. Of course, we are not saying that Lord Crocodile is necessarily related to this matter. We merely have our suspicions."
Raleigh smiled.
He had known all along that not everyone in the kingdom could be a fool. It must be that Cobra and the ministers discovered something amiss, but the World Government and the Navy paid no attention to it, forcing Cobra to resolve the matter on his own.
However, given Cobra's capabilities, he posed no threat to Crocodile, which ultimately led to events unfolding as they did in the original story.
"Rest assured, Lord Cobra. In the coming days, we will do our utmost to investigate the causes of these issues."
Raleigh assured Cobra, as Alabasta still held many secrets that Raleigh needed to uncover personally.
...
At the entrance to the New World, deep within the sea, lies Fish-Man Island.
Recently, the Fish-Man tribe frequently noticed abnormally large Sea Kings wandering outside Fish-Man Island.
Fearing that the Giant Sea Kings might pose a threat to the island, they reported the information to their king.
The king dispatched his son to handle the matter, but due to the reluctance to provoke the Giant Sea Kings, the situation concluded with the Sea Kings collectively departing.
What they didn't know, however, was the whispered conversations among the Sea Kings.
"Is this our king?"
"Our long-awaited king has finally arrived. I can't wait for the day our king summons us."
"Let's go, everyone. Let's not disturb the king's life any further."
"Indeed, the king's identity here is noble. For now, he doesn't need our protection. When the king awakens, he will call upon us."
Neptune harbored some suspicions about the arrival of the Giant Sea Kings, but he dared not share his thoughts with others.
This legend had only been passed down sparingly within the royal family, unknown even to many members of the royalty.
Sea King—Poseidon.
....
The Celestial Dragons' holy land, Mary Geoise.
Amidst layers of corpses, a hand emerged from within. A Fish-Man with a head of thick, curly hair and scars from an explosion on his neck crawled out.
He grabbed the collar fastened around his neck and yanked it forcefully.
Crack.
The collar shattered.
Holding the remnants of the collar in his hand, his eyes burned with hatred.
"Freedom... All this filth will eventually be changed!"
He was a Fish-Man, a slave captured from Fish-Man Island by human traffickers. The traffickers sold him at a high price to the World Nobles, the Celestial Dragons.
From then on, he wore a Slave Collar, stripped of his freedom.
However, not long ago, his collar exploded. The Celestial Dragons assumed he was dead and casually ordered the guards to discard him.
Fortunately, the Fish-Man tribe possessed robust physiques, allowing him to survive the intense explosion.
"I will return!"
With one last glance filled with rage at Mary Geoise, he vowed.
Only those who have been slaves know that the Holy Land Mary Geoise is the closest place to hell in this world.
Bearing a body covered in wounds and a heart full of hatred, he began his descent from the Red Line.
The natural structure of a Fish-Man's hands provided the means for his escape.
'When I return, I will bring you a different kind of fear.'
No one in Mary Geoise knew, nor did anyone care.
A Fish-Man, presumed dead, had managed to climb down the Red Line with his bare hands, relying solely on his own strength.
...
After a long time, this Fish-Man finally returned to his homeland—Fish-Man Island.
"Finally, I'm back!"
When Fisher Tiger's feet stepped onto this land, it declared his powerful return.
His steps did not linger, heading with determination toward the direction of the palace.
At the same time, people on the street recognized Fisher Tiger.
"Lord Tiger, is it really you who has returned?"
"Lord Tiger, where have you been? We were all worried about you."
"Lord Tiger is back!"
Along the way, the citizens expressed their excitement.
Tiger did not stay for long, simply answering a few questions from the people before heading straight toward the palace.
In the Fish-Man District, since Tiger's disappearance, the factions had roughly divided into two groups.
One group was led by Arlong, who despised humans and believed that Fish-Men were the most superior race.
The other group was led by Jinbe, who advocated that no race was superior to another and that humans and Fish-Men could coexist.
But just as their arguments were at their most intense, a sudden loud shout interrupted their quarrel.
"Big Brother Tiger is back! He's on his way to the palace!"
Arlong and Jinbe were stunned at first, then their expressions changed dramatically.
Their faces filled with shock and joy as they looked toward the other mermaids heading in the direction of the palace.
"Big Brother Tiger!!"
...
In the undersea palace, King Neptune and Queen Otohime sat in their seats, listening to their subordinates' reports.
Because it was the most famous traveler of Fish-Man Island—Fisher Tiger—requesting an audience, they had no choice but to wait here.
Soon, Fisher Tiger, covered in scars, arrived before King Neptune and Queen Otohime.
He knelt on one knee on the ground, paying his respects.
"Tiger, where have you been all this time? We haven't heard from you in so long. If it weren't for our faith in your strength, we would have thought you wouldn't return."
Fisher Tiger replied in a muffled voice. "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty, but I truly almost didn't make it back."
Otohime frowned, looking at the scar on Fisher Tiger's neck and asking, "This scar doesn't look like a battle wound. What caused you to have this scar?"
Fisher Tiger pointed to the scar on his neck and said expressionlessly.
"This scar was caused by a bomb called a Slave Collar. During my time away from Fish-Man Island, I was captured by human traffickers outside, drugged, and sold to the Celestial Dragons as an ordinary Fish-Man."
"That period was like a trial in hell, a nightmare I dare not recall. Besides me, I also saw many of our Fish-Man brethren in Mary Geoise. Like me, they had become slaves of the Celestial Dragons, stripped of all human rights. The Celestial Dragons killed them whenever they pleased."
Neptune stood up angrily. "How could such a thing happen? The world nobles, the Celestial Dragons, are treating our people as slaves!"
The queen comforted her husband while turning her gaze to Fisher Tiger.
Tiger showed a bitter expression and continued. "It's not just our Fish-Man race, other races, even including humans, are their slaves as well. In their eyes, any creature other than the Celestial Dragons does not deserve to be called human and should be their slaves."
Neptune stared at Tiger and asked, "Tiger, what do you intend to do?"
Fisher Tiger raised his head, revealing crimson eyes as he said.
"I will liberate the slaves of Mary Geoise!"
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