Starting as a working person from Naruto

Chapter 376 The Storm Over Alabasta! (10,000 words!)

On the Straw Hat Pirates' ship.

The Straw Hat crew members trembled with fear.

Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji, the three strongest members of the group, watched Akihara Kagura, who had landed on their ship, with tense expressions, worried that she might suddenly attack them!

The Marines who single-handedly defeated the entire Straw Hat Pirates in Cocoyasi Village have actually chased them all the way here. Why is this guy here?

"take it easy."

Akihara Kagura gestured with her hand and said with a light laugh, "We're not here to catch pirates, we just want a ride..."

"Ara ara...do you know each other?"

Aokiji glanced curiously at Akihara Kagura.

"I've seen you before..."

Kagura Akihara glanced at the Straw Hat Pirates and casually pinned the blame on them: "Back then, the Straw Hat Pirates defeated the Arlong Pirates in the East Blue, killing all the Marines who were attacking them, and I was the only one who survived..."

"Hey! Hey! Hey!"

Nami's forehead throbbed with anger, and she quickly stepped forward to retort, "Arlong was the one who killed the Marines..."

"..."

Looking at the tense expressions on the Straw Hat Pirates' faces, Aokiji suddenly understood. It seemed that it was Akihara Kagura who had scared them before.

Compared to the Straw Hat Pirates' wariness of Akihara Kagura, Ace, the only one who had seen the world in the New World, looked at Aokiji with even more vigilance and unease!

Ace knew the strength of this Marine Admiral. If Aokiji really made a move, it would be a catastrophic disaster for his brother's Straw Hat Pirates!

"Aokiji, what are you doing here?"

Ace conjured a ball of flame in his hand, ready to attack Aokiji at any moment: "Luffy, you guys are ready to leave this place at any time. This guy is a Marine Admiral!"

"General...general!"

The Straw Hat Pirates were trembling with fear!

They missed the fight between Aokiji and the tattooed man in Loguetown, and never expected to run into a Marine Admiral here!

"The other party is indeed a Marine Admiral..."

Princess Vivi of Alabasta looked at Aokiji with unease, yet bravely stood in front of him, saying, "Admiral, they are my friends!"

"I'm not here to arrest anyone..."

Aokiji waved his hand dismissively and said, "I'm just here on someone's behalf to urge Straw Hat and Fire Fist Ace to leave Alabasta immediately..."

"I'm not leaving! I'm here to beat Crocodile to a pulp!"

Luffy brandished his fists, resolutely refusing to submit to the Marine Admiral. He still wanted to help Vivi resolve the crisis brought about by Crocodile!

"Very good, very courageous!"

Kagura Akihara nodded in praise, then slowly added, "In just a few days, Vice Admiral Garp will be arriving in Alabasta..."

"..."

Luffy and Ace both pulled their heads back in at the same time.

Obviously...

The name Garp is still quite useful...

Luffy gritted his teeth and stubbornly raised his fist again: "Even Grandpa can't stop me from doing what I'm going to do! I'm going to beat Crocodile to a pulp!"

"Grandpa...Grandpa?"

"Is Lieutenant General Garp your grandfather?"

A group of pirates stared at Luffy in disbelief. Was Luffy's grandfather actually a Marine Vice Admiral? And not just any Vice Admiral!

"Monkey D. Garp?"

Nami, who hails from the East Blue, heard the name and her eyes glazed over: "I think that's the name of a naval hero..."

"yes…"

"We only let you go because of Vice Admiral Garp. Your grand adventure was nothing more than a childish game that the Navy turned a blind eye to..."

Kagura Akihara looked at them with a smile: "But Vice Admiral Garp is an incorruptible man and will be coming to hunt you down soon, so you'd better hurry if you want to do anything, because Crocodile is probably about to start his operation as well..."

"Is Crocodile about to make his move?"

Princess Vivi's face was deathly pale!

They haven't even had a chance to do anything yet! They haven't even seen Crocodile, and that guy is already making his move?

"Yes, you need to be faster."

Akihara Kagura looked at them with a smile and said softly, "They probably won't pay any attention to any rebel army. They'll likely head straight for the Alabasta royal palace. If you're a little slow, you might just have to mourn for this kingdom..."

"We can let the Straw Hat crew leave to save this country..."

Kagura Akihara then looked at Portgas D. Ace and said with interest, "However, this requires Mr. Ace to sacrifice himself for his younger brother and temporarily become our prisoner. After all, we Marines can't just do nothing, can we?"

"General Aokiji!"

Princess Vivi's forehead flashed with rage as she sharply questioned Akihara Kagura and Aokiji: "You Marines ignore the evil pirates' invasion of Alabasta, yet you dare to threaten those with good intentions here? Are you even Marines?!"

"..."

Aokiji hesitated for a moment.

This matter…

Indeed, the navy also has problems.

"The real navy."

Akihara Kagura showed off her naval rank and spoke up, "I'm currently a lieutenant in the Navy Headquarters, but who knows, I might become an admiral in the future..."

"I've come to deliver Crocodile's information to you. It's not convenient for our Navy to take action against a Shichibukai, so we can only ask you to do it..."

"asshole…"

Princess Vivi felt like she was about to cry; her eyes were red and swollen. "Alabasta is a member state of the World Government! You clearly know Crocodile's evil intentions, and the Navy's power in Alabasta is enough to stop him, yet you still refuse to step in! This Navy, this World Government, is utterly despicable!"

"Why do you always seem to make beautiful ladies cry...?"

Sanji, the Straw Hat Pirates' cook, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, exhaled a thick smoke ring and suddenly kicked Akihara Kagura!

just now…

Sanji's strength is different from before!

Sanji now clearly understands that he has become stronger during his time on the Grand Line, and he is confident that he can keep up with the opponent's speed!

however…

Akihara Kagura made no move.

Just as Sanji was about to deliver a whip kick to Akihara Kagura, the sharp wind even blew up Akihara Kagura's hair, but the whip kick could not go any further!

Karin appeared behind Sanji, and in the blink of an eye, she drew her ninja sword. The blade struck Sanji's neck, stopping his next move!

"Don't move!"

"You'd better not move around too!"

In an instant, Zoro, the vice-captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, also drew his sword and placed it across Karin's shoulder, as if he could slice her neck open at any moment!

Bang!

Karin's eyes flickered, and despite the cut on her neck, she kicked Zoro without a care, sending him flying!

next moment!

The blood-red gash on Karin's neck healed rapidly, emitting a wisp of smoke. The eerie speed at which the wound healed was somewhat frightening to watch…

"How did her wound heal so quickly..."

Chopper, a member of the Straw Hat Pirates, huddled in a corner, trembling with fear. He had studied medicine for several years but had never seen such a bizarre situation before!

The others also felt somewhat uneasy.

Only Aokiji, who had witnessed Karin heal Kizaru, remained somewhat unfazed, having already guessed that the other party must also possess a rather strange self-healing ability.

"You're injured, Karin."

Akihara Kagura raised her eyebrows.

Karin didn't care at all, and said softly, "Because of the existence of Yang energy, there's no need to worry about getting injured, so it's inevitable that I won't care about some minor troubles..."

"General Aokiji, are you still going to stand here?"

Kagura Akihara turned to look at Aokiji, who had been standing by without intervening, and said with a smile, "Help us stop Portgas D. Ace and prevent our Marines from getting hurt again, right?"

"..."

After a moment of silence, Aokiji stepped forward.

A ball of cold air appeared in the tall man's hand, and he raised his hand to envelop Ace's body!

next moment!

Ace's figure suddenly transformed into a ball of flame!

However, Aokiji was even faster, freezing Ace's body almost the instant he entered elemental form!

"Ace!"

Luffy swung his fist and smashed it towards Aokiji!

Bang!

Aokiji's body turned into a ball of ice and was smashed into pieces by Luffy's punch!

The admiral appeared behind Luffy in an instant, freezing Straw Hat Luffy and instantly rendering the entire ship powerless!

this moment…

Everyone witnessed the terror of a naval admiral!

"Don't hurt him."

When Akihara Kagura took Ace off the ship, she even offered the Straw Hat crew a way to thaw Luffy out of the ice: "Soaking him in water will revive him."

"..."

A group of people watched them leave with faces full of despair.

"Please also tell Straw Hat Luffy..."

Looking at the Straw Hat Pirates, Akihara Kagura continued, "This time, his brother sacrificed himself for him. Next time, I hope he can do his best..."

"..."

The Straw Hat crew still looked despairing.

However, they dared not waste any more time, so they took Luffy to the bathroom to soak in water to thaw him out, and hurriedly piloted the Going Merry to Albana.

"Why did you capture Fire Fist Ace...?"

Aokiji frowned, looking at the Fire Fist Ace Ice Block slung over his shoulder: "Going to war with Whitebeard at this time would be a huge problem..."

Kagura Akihara glanced at Portgas D. Ace, who was frozen in place with a face full of resentment: "Portgas D. Ace is a bit too strong... He's bound to interfere with Crocodile's plans... Once things are over, the position of the Whitebeard Second Division Captain will naturally be filled..."

The Konoha Pirates will definitely come to the rescue of Fire Fist Ace.

The Konoha Pirates might even learn some secrets about the Pirate King from him!

Fire Fist Ace's identity...

It's much more useful than Crocodile's name!

"What exactly is Crocodile's plan?"

Aokiji no longer cared about Ace's question; his brow remained furrowed as he sought answers regarding Crocodile: "That Crocodile guy... will he really attack the Alabasta royal palace as you said?"

Of course.

Kagura Akihara nodded and clasped her hands together: "Because of me, the Konoha Pirates need the Sand-Sand Fruit's power to learn the secret of the Golden Palace. Unfortunately, Mr. Crocodile doesn't want the secret of the Golden Palace; he already knows the location of another secret in Alabasta..."

"Crocodile is inherently unyielding. The Konoha Pirates know that violence won't subdue him, so they might as well make Crocodile face reality and turn that Shichibukai into their pawn..."

piece.

The Konoha Pirates had already laid the groundwork.

Theoretically speaking, Crocodile does need some time before he can take action, and may even need to manipulate the rebel army to seize the country before he can officially begin his operation.

However, Mr. Daz Bonis brought a message to Baroque Works.

The Navy has learned of Crocodile's plan to overthrow Alabasta and has sent people to arrest this Shichibukai. They have even dispatched a Marine Admiral!

This news…

It reached Crocodile's ears directly!

To save time, Crocodile summoned the top agents of Baroque Works to meet with him; he needed to begin his operation as soon as possible!

exactly…

Right at this time…

Crocodile also learned of Smoker's appearance as a Logia-type Smoke-Smoke Fruit user in the port city. He immediately realized that the Navy might have already begun to take action, but the Navy Admirals had not yet shown up, and he didn't know if they had already arrived in Alabasta...

Although Crocodile originally intended to betray the World Government, the World Government and the Navy actually wanted to betray him ahead of time!

"I haven't even flipped the table yet..."

Crocodile, cigar in his mouth, took a deep drag and shoved the cigar into the glass ashtray: "They actually came to arrest me first..."

This is exactly what Crocodile wanted after going to great lengths to overthrow Alabasta. He needed to steal Alabasta's crown so as not to alarm the World Government before obtaining Hades!

but…

The situation has changed slightly…

If the navy is about to break off relations, then I don't need to care so much!

Crocodile directly revealed his identity as the owner of Baroque Works, ordering Mr. 1 Daz Bones and Mr. 2 Bon Clay to rush to Rain Party, preparing to obtain Alabasta's national treasure, Pluton, before the Navy's operation!

As it happened, Mr. 3 Gardino, in order to save his companions who had failed in their mission at Baroque Works, had been secretly following Baroque Works agents and took this opportunity to infiltrate Crocodile's headquarters...

"I'm... here to beg for my life."

Mr. 3 Gardino negotiated with Crocodile cautiously.

"I can tell you information about Bucky the Joker..."

"Buggy and his crew aren't very strong. His bounty is only for killing a Celestial Dragon. Buggy came to Alabasta to steal the golden palace left behind by the king who helped establish the World Government eight hundred years ago..."

This man with candle-shaped scalps desperately hoped to exchange information about Bucky the Joker and the Golden Palace for Crocodile's promise to stop hunting him and the four agents—Miss Goldenweek, Mr. 5, and Miss Valentine—whose missions had failed.

"I am very interested in the intelligence you brought back."

Crocodile squinted at Mr. 3, pondering whether he should eliminate him or use him as a pawn.

The situation in Alabasta is complicated right now. A Marine Admiral could arrive at any moment, and both the Straw Hat Pirates and the Buggy Pirates are a problem. He doesn't have enough pawns left…

"If you complete just one more task, I'll grant your request."

Crocodile's face broke into a cruel smile. In an instant, he figured out what he had to do: "Infiltrate the Buggy Pirates and let that arrogant clown draw the Navy's attention until my Utopia Operation succeeds..."

"Okay, okay!"

A look of wild joy flashed across Mr3 Gardino's face!

Now he finally saw a glimmer of hope for himself and his companions to escape death!

Compared to the imminent threat from the Navy, Mr. 3 Gardino was more afraid of being hunted down by Baroque Works, because he was also a former agent who had handled a failed mission!

"If this mission fails again..."

Crocodile picked up a cigar from the table, gently brought it to his nose and sniffed it, his lips still curling into that cruel smile.

"No way! No way!"

Mr. 3, Gar Dino, nervously raised his hand and repeatedly said, "I'll definitely complete the mission! Bucky and his gang are idiots, they'll listen to whatever I say!"

"Then let's go."

Crocodile nodded in satisfaction, waved to Mr. 3, and skillfully painted a rosy picture for the employee: "When our Utopia Project succeeds and rises above the World Government, you will still be a part of it..."

"yes!"

Mr. 3 Gardino ran out happily.

To him, Crocodile was already a big shot!

This powerful figure is willing to promise to forgive him and his companions, as long as he completes the task of using Bucky the Joker, they will surely live!

but…

How can we get Bucky the Clown to attract the Navy's attention?

Just as Mr. 3 Gar Dino was leaving, he received some bad news: Bucky and his gang had been arrested by Navy Captain Smoker in the port city…

After all, Smoker is a legitimate Logia-type Devil Fruit user. If he couldn't catch Straw Hat Luffy and Fire Fist Ace, how could he not catch Buggy the Clown?

"Those guys are really weak..."

Mr3 Gardino couldn't help but burst into tears upon hearing the news.

really…

His feeling was right.

Bucky the Clown and his gang are really weak!

However, in order to complete the plan assigned by Crocodile, he also had to find a way to actively rescue Buggy the Joker, and then use Buggy to continue to draw the Navy's attention...

Rain Banquet.

After Mr3 left.

Crocodile lit a new cigar, seemingly still pondering the news brought by that candle-stubby good-for-nothing: "Nicole Robin, do you think his news about the Golden Palace is true?"

"Uncertain."

A woman wearing a top hat emerged from the shadows, holding a logging pointer in her hand. She spoke softly, "However, there was indeed a magnetic field anomaly in Alabasta. All the logging pointers are pointing to the Alabasta desert region. I went to investigate in the center of the desert, but I didn't find any secrets. We should be able to find out that it's the burial place of Hades once we decipher the Poneglyphs in the Alabasta Royal Tomb..."

Crocodile, his face contorted with rage, coldly declared, "Now that a Marine Admiral could arrive at any moment, there's no need to concern ourselves with the troubles of the rebel army or the royal army. Let's attack the Alabasta royal palace directly and force King Cobra to lead us to the royal tomb!"

"An admiral?"

The woman slowly lowered her head.

"I wonder which guy will come..."

Crocodile muttered to himself, feeling that each of the three admirals was a problem, and he had no real confidence in defeating them.

Crocodile had been receiving nothing but bad news lately, and his mood was terrible; the chances of him seizing territory and becoming king had greatly diminished…

I just hope...

The national treasure of Alabasta, Hades, will not disappoint him.

at the same time.

On the ship of the Konoha Pirates.

Kizaru is an outgoing and sociable person.

This admiral acted as if he were one of the crew, and with an incredibly thick skin, he quickly figured out the situation of the Konoha Pirates.

This is a terrifying pirate crew whose goal is to overthrow the Celestial Dragons and the World Government. They have planted two spies, Akihara Kagura and Aokiji, within the Navy, and also want to recruit him, a Navy Admiral, probably to prevent the Navy system from collapsing when they overthrow the Celestial Dragons in the future.

to be honest…

This pirate crew is much smarter than those who overthrow the World Government. Their goal is not to plunge the world into chaos, but to maintain world order.

Kizaru adheres to an ambiguous and neutral approach to justice, believing that having an extra job is no big deal. He's always just doing his job, the only downside being that it seems to offer little to no pay, only a method for chakra training…

The Konoha Pirates already had Admiral Aokiji as a spy, so having one more or one less wouldn't make a difference...

So…

It's normal that this job doesn't pay wages.

Kizaru followed the Konoha Pirates across the desert. They found the burial site of the Golden Palace and discovered that the Sand-Sand Fruit was needed to excavate it intact.

During this period, very few people were able to get close to the Golden Palace.

Only one woman wearing a top hat came here. After examining the pyramid tip of the golden palace, she stroked her chin and left.

"Looks like we're going to have to threaten Crocodile, aren't we?"

Kizaru felt that capturing a Shichibukai shouldn't be too difficult for this pirate crew, so he proactively deflected responsibility, saying, "However, I am a Marine Admiral. If I rashly attempt to capture Crocodile, a Shichibukai, the World Government will definitely suspect me, and it will also hinder our espionage plans..."

"..."

The Konoha Pirates all took notice of this.

no…

What's going on with this general?

How could he so casually suggest wanting to slack off? He even managed to find a reason like that? And they couldn't even find anything wrong with it…

"Crocodile is unrestrained and will never submit to us."

Sasori shook his head, his voice mechanical and calm. He watched the figure of a woman in a top hat disappear into the distance, and said coldly, "However, human nature is extremely complex. The people around Mr. Crocodile will offer to let him come and excavate this golden palace..."

Orochimaru crossed his arms and chuckled, saying, "Crocodile might not be interested in the dungeon... It seems unlikely he'd want to come here."

"Because there is something else that interests him more."

Sasori of the Red Sand remained unperturbed and continued softly, "Mr. Crocodile has worked for four years for Hades. If someone refuses to tell him the true existence of Hades, he will definitely be furious and want to kill. In order to survive, that person will definitely use the Golden Palace to deceive him..."

That golden underground palace…

It was originally intended as bait to attract all of Alabasta.

Everyone wants to reach that golden palace; some are after its wealth, while others are after it for survival, using the suddenly appearing golden palace as bait.

The whole of Alabasta is in turmoil.

The Konoha Pirates lay in wait in the desert, with one of their captains, Hashirama Senju, occasionally sneaking out to gamble.

Crocodile led his Baroque Works to Albana, the capital of Alabasta, intending to launch a brute-force attack on the palace and force King Cobra to take him deep into the royal tomb to uncover the secrets of Hades.

The Straw Hat Pirates were also heading towards the royal palace. They had overheard Akihara Kagura's speculation and had no choice but to rush to the palace first to prevent King Cobra from being killed.

The Buggy Pirates, captured by the Navy, were rescued by Mr. 3 Galdino. Buggy, the Clown, tearfully recognized Mr. 3 Galdino as one of his own and, following Galdino's advice, embarked on a grand search for the Golden Palace…

Marine Headquarters Captain Smoker and his crew are in a frenzy, chasing after Straw Hat Luffy and Clown Buggy. He doesn't know whether he's also searching for the Golden Palace or heading to the Alabasta Royal Palace; he just feels he desperately needs reinforcements…

fortunately.

Smoker is a qualified naval officer.

Upon hearing that the Alabasta royal palace might be attacked by Crocodile, the sand crocodile, the naval captain rushed to the Alabasta royal palace to protect the royal family.

Unfortunately…

Crocodile's strength was extraordinary, and he ruthlessly defeated everyone. Everyone also underestimated the Baroque Works under Crocodile's command!

Albania.

Inside the royal palace of Alabasta.

A desert storm engulfed the entire center of the palace!

Crocodile stood in the middle of the palace, raising his hand to manipulate the yellow sand and defeat Monkey D. Luffy, the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, and Marine Captain Smoker, who were trying to stop him!

"A bunch of boring idiots..."

Crocodile felt that the Straw Hat crew's trouble with him and Marine Captain Smoker was an insult: "I don't have time to play these childish games with you. There are differences even among Logia-type Devil Fruit users..."

Crocodile nonchalantly puffed on his cigar, seemingly unfazed by the battle, brazenly displaying the power of a Shichibukai in front of everyone and utterly defeating his opponent.

of course.

This means that one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea has broken ties with the World Government!

This pirate dared to attack the king of a World Government member state in broad daylight, and this member state was of considerable status!

The world government will absolutely not allow this to happen!

but…

Crocodile no longer cares.

"Take me to the king's tomb."

Crocodile looked at King Cobra of Alabasta and said coldly, "I've heard that the secret of Hades is buried in the royal tomb of Alabasta. I've wanted to know this secret for many years, which is why it hasn't rained in Alabasta for so many years, and sandstorms have been constantly attacking the city..."

"pity…"

"I originally wanted these common fools to support me and put me on your throne."

"But now the navy has arrived, and they've even discovered my desire to ascend the throne. I have no choice but to obtain the secret of Hades first..."

"So it's all for Hades..."

Cobra's face showed a hint of tension, but then his brow relaxed: "So all the disasters in Alabasta are caused by you... If I take you to the King's Tomb, you won't cause any more natural disasters in Alabasta, right?"

"certainly."

Crocodile gave a disdainful snort, saying with utter contempt, "I'm not going to be so short-sighted as to fixate on this..."

His goal…

But he is a king who reigns above the World Government!

"I see."

King Cobra himself was not very familiar with his country's secret treasures, but he could not allow Crocodile to go on a killing spree: "Then tell your men to stop and spare everyone present, and I will take them to the royal tomb..."

"Can."

Crocodile was very satisfied with the deal. He glanced at Mr. 1 Daz Bones in the distance and said, "Mr. 1, you can stop now."

"Yes, President."

Daz Bonis withdrew his dark claws.

Standing opposite Mr. Daz Bones, two people were panting heavily. They were none other than Marine Sergeant Daschi and Roronoa Zoro, the Straw Hat crew's first mate!

This battle was always somewhat strange.

Marine Captain Smoker and Straw Hat Pirates Captain Luffy face off against Crocodile, while their first mates join forces to deal with Crocodile's second mate, Daz Bones!

but…

Their experiences were all the same!

Everyone suffered a crushing defeat!

Straw Hat Luffy and Smoker lost because they didn't understand Crocodile's Sand-Sand Fruit ability, while Daz Bones defeated Tashigi and Zoro with sheer strength!

"This guy... his strength is terrifying..."

Zoro gripped two swords in his hands, another one clenched between his teeth, an overwhelming fighting spirit surging within him: "The Grand Line... it's truly full of monsters..."

"You're a monster too, aren't you..."

Tashigi suffered an even more devastating defeat.

If Zoro hadn't intervened to save her, she would have died by Daz Bones's blade long ago. She never expected her opponent to be so terrifyingly strong!

In this battle, Daz Bones, the Baroque Works assassin, displayed unprecedented strength!

Any part of his body can become extremely hard, and any part can even transform into strange and sharp blades. Even his breath can spray out tiny blades!

The most troublesome thing is...

This guy has mastered a jet-black power!

This power allows him to easily block any attack and makes his own attacks more powerful. This guy named Daz Bones has awakened Armament Haki!

"I am not a qualified swordsman..."

Mr. Daz Bonis looked at the two panting men opposite him and said calmly, "But I am the best assassin in the West Blue."

"Hmph...you're getting stronger and stronger..."

Crocodile looked at the honest and simple Mr. 1 Daz Bones and felt that he had finally found a reasonably competent subordinate after all these years: "Let's go, let's go and call that woman Nico Robin, let's go into the Alabasta King's Tomb together..."

The royal tombs of Alabasta.

The kings of Alabasta are buried here.

The king who once helped create the World Government also left behind a historical stele in his tomb, which records an astonishing secret.

Crocodile learned of this by chance and was eager to know the contents of the Poneglyphs, which is why he recruited Nico Robin, the last archaeologist in the world.

Inside the king's tomb.

Nico Robin followed Crocodile, Cobra, and the others. After seeing the square stone monument with the Poneglyphs, she walked over to it without thinking.

"Hurry up and take a look..."

Crocodile urged Nico Robin on, a greedy glint in his eyes: "Nicole Robin, it's time for you to prove yourself! Quickly read the Poneglyphs on the stone tablet and tell me where Hades is hiding..."

"..."

Nicole Robin did not speak.

The archaeologist, known as the "Child of the Devil," slowly reached out and carefully touched the ancient writing on it. She had already deciphered the secrets hidden in the historical text, yet she was still amazed at those who had placed the ancient writing on it.

but…

Nicole Robin was somewhat disappointed.

Because she thought the official history would record blank history.

It's a great pity...

This document contains the secret of Hades that Crocodile desires, but the author does not wish to share this secret with Crocodile.

Nico Robin's original intention was to use Crocodile to see the Poneglyph; she never imagined that a weapon like Pluton would fall into the hands of an evil person like Crocodile.

Nico Robin had considered what to do next. Perhaps confronting Crocodile at this point was an option; she was already exhausted after so many years on the run…

but…

The golden palace that appeared in the Alabasta desert gave Nicole Robin another option; an archaeologist would never overlook any tangible relic.

and…

Now, Nicole Robin is certain of one thing.

This historical text records the secrets of Hades. There could not possibly be Hades in that golden palace. Perhaps it is just a record of the history that he wants to know. The historical records in that golden palace must be written in ancient script, recording a blank hundred years of history!

The golden palace is surrounded by quicksand, and Crocodile's Sand-Sand Fruit ability is needed to dig it out. He can use this to fabricate a lie...

"Mr. Crocodile."

Nico Robin slowly released her hand from the Poneglyph, her gaze falling on Crocodile, a sinister smile playing on her lips.

"We've come to the right place. Alabasta is extremely careful in protecting Hades, and this Poneglyph does indeed contain clues about Hades..."

"but…"

"One thing was mentioned above..."

"The location that records the true position of Hades..."

"The golden palace in the Alabasta desert!"

Nico Robin's smile grew wider, as if she were born with the ability to deceive: "I've already found the location of the Golden Palace through the Poneglyphs here. They also record the true method for bringing the Golden Palace to light. They mention that only a user of the Sand-Sand Fruit can excavate the Golden Palace buried deep in the desert from the quicksand..."

Nicole Robin is a little happy.

Although deceiving Crocodile, a dangerous pirate, would put my life in danger, I'm fortunate to be able to see two Poneglyphs today.

"I see..."

Crocodile frowned slightly. He was somewhat dissatisfied that he had to go through so much trouble again, but finally finding a clue to Hades gave him some peace of mind.

Once I find Hades' whereabouts in that golden palace, and once I obtain Hades' legendary weapon, everything will be alright...

He no longer needs the pursuit of the Navy Admirals or the ridiculous position of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. He can be above the World Government!

"Then let's go to that golden palace..."

Just as Crocodile was about to lead everyone away, his Den Den Mushi suddenly rang, the urgent sound of the Den Den Mushi interrupting their conversation.

"Puff... puff..."

"Plu...Plu...Plu..."

Crocodile, annoyed, pulled out his Den Den Mushi, clearly displeased that a phone call was interrupting his daydreams about the future: "You'd better tell me why you're calling within ten seconds..."

"I am Fleet Admiral Sengoku..."

The Den Den Mushi gradually transformed into Sengoku's appearance, his voice calm: "Crocodile, I have now arrived in Alabasta, and I am doing this in the name of the World Government..."

"roll!"

Crocodile hung up the Den Den Mushi immediately. He could roughly guess what kind of nonsense the Fleet Admiral Sengoku was going to say, which was nothing more than wanting to strip him of his position as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea!

The Shichibukai's face suddenly turned crazed, and he became extremely tense: "Hey, Nico Robin, take me to that golden palace right now!"

"OK…"

Nicole Robin smiled knowingly.

Ports in Alabasta.

Fleet Admiral Sengoku's warships have just arrived.

The admiral rushed here as fast as he could and finally arrived.

Sengoku immediately began to plan his battle strategy, the first step of which was to recruit Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, to assist in the war against the Konoha Pirates.

result…

That bastard actually hung up on him!

Crocodile, that bastard, does he not want his position as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea anymore?

Undeterred, Sengoku launched another attack, but received no further response.

Both Admirals Aokiji and Kizaru were monitoring the Konoha Pirates' activities in the desert, and only Navy Headquarters Lieutenant Kagura Akihara came to greet them.

"Speaking of which..."

"Could Crocodile have allied with that pirate crew?"

Seeing the Fleet Admiral enraged by Crocodile's actions, Akihara Kagura took the initiative to speak favorably of Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea: "While monitoring the Konoha Pirates' activities, we discovered that their captain, Senju Hashirama, seems to have a penchant for gambling, frequently losing large sums of money at casinos. Crocodile happens to own one of the largest casinos in Alabasta..."

"!!!"

Veins bulged on Sengoku's forehead, radiating fury, yet he maintained his composure as marshal before a lieutenant: "Why wasn't this reported to me...?"

"that…"

Kagura Akihara glanced at the Fleet Admiral with surprise and said softly, "I reported to the two Admirals... Crocodile also seems to be investigating the secrets of Alabasta. He attacked the Alabasta Royal Palace this morning, attempting to obtain the secrets of Alabasta. Colonel Smoker is resisting..."

"I haven't received any reports about this..."

Sengoku was still suppressing his anger towards the two admirals, and turned to look at Vice Admiral Tsuru: "Tsuru, hasn't Garp arrived yet?"

"arrive!"

A loud voice came from the port.

A dog-headed warship slowly docked in the harbor.

A robust old man leaped up and landed next to Zhan Guo and He.

The old man landed on the ground, still chewing on his donut, and loudly ordered his men, "You all stay on the ship!"

The battle that follows…

This is not something that these subordinates can get involved in right now.

Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp, Vice Admiral Tsuru, and Fleet Admiral Sengoku finally gathered in Alabasta, and all the personnel involved in this grand event were now present.

exactly.

It was at this time that...

Everything seemed to be preordained by fate.

Everyone's fate is like a tangled mess of threads, but at this moment they are all drawn together into a single line.

The Golden Palace left behind by Queen Nefertari D. Lily of Alabasta, who founded the World Government eight hundred years ago, has become the focus of everyone's attention, with pirates and marines from Alabasta rushing towards it.

Inside the royal palace of Alabasta.

After Smoker and Luffy's bodies were moistened by water, they quickly recovered.

"Hey, Uncle King, where's Crocodile?"

Luffy looked at King Cobra, a resolute glint in his eyes. He still hadn't given up on defeating Crocodile!

"Crocodile went to a golden crypt left by our ancestors..."

King Cobra frowned, pondering the messages left by his ancestors and the words he had overheard in the royal tomb: "But... in Alabasta... is there still a golden palace hidden by our ancestors?"

This kind of thing...

How come I, a descendant of royalty, didn't know?

There are too many pirate characters...

There aren't even any threads... it's all so intricate and complicated...

(End of this chapter)