Pirates: Your emperor has returned!

Indeed, Ryan Rowan of the Golden Dawn is a legend of the high seas, but isn't Shiki of the Golden Lion just as legendary?

A "legend" is a "legend" after all; it will not fade with the passage of time, but it will not become greater with the passage of time either.

"Legendary" is not fine wine!

In conclusion, the battle between these two maritime legends was truly breathtaking for all who watched.

……

Let's go back to the present.

The messenger noticed Rowan's furrowed brow.

The other person stared intently at the sand table in front of them, as if deep in thought.

"Don't move."

Rowan suddenly spoke up, saying to the messenger, "Tell all the garrisons in Alabasta to remain stationary and continue their defensive duties!"

"Yes!"

The messenger was still full of confusion, but after his conversation with Rowan, a layer of mystery had also clouded his mind.

……

In fact, the messenger originally thought the whole incident was quite "simple".

The Four Seas Alliance wiped out the Don Quixote family.

The Donquixote Family has a business relationship with the Beasts Pirates.

The Four Seas Alliance indirectly disrupted the deal between the Beasts Pirates and the Donquixote Family, causing the Beasts Pirates to suffer huge losses or have their plans completely disrupted.

Therefore, the Beasts Pirates are going to launch a retaliatory operation against the Four Seas Alliance.

Kaido, the captain of the Beasts Pirates, is a mad and powerful pirate.

Instead of choosing other indirect means to retaliate against the Four Seas Alliance, he directly launched a large-scale war against Alabasta!

——It’s over.

It's that simple.

At least that's what the messengers—and indeed most of the people who stayed in Alabasta to fight the battle—believed.

But now, Rowan's words have offered the messenger another possibility.

The battle surrounding the siege of Alabasta seems to be more complicated than it appears on the surface!

……

The messenger relayed Rowan's orders to all parts of Alabasta via Den Den Mushi (snail phone).

Such a strange order naturally puzzled many soldiers.

Guarding the murloc village are the warriors of the murloc race and Cobra, the current king of Alabasta.

The king could have sought refuge in the safe underwater sanctuary to escape the war, but he chose to remain and witness its end.

At this moment, the other soldiers were completely baffled by Rowan's orders.

Even though they were in the fishman village, these soldiers could still feel the strong presence of the rapeseed flowers in the distant port city!

The irresistible aura emanating from afar made it impossible for the soldiers to look away.

"Should we...really not go to provide support?"

The merfolk soldiers hesitated.

Thanks to the inherent characteristics of the merfolk, their soldiers possess exceptional mobility in the sea.

Therefore, even if they have to take a longer route by land and sea, the merfolk warriors should be among the first reinforcements to arrive.

This is the main reason why the Murloc warriors only station themselves in their own Murloc villages.

They were not selfish; they were fully confident that they could arrive at the battlefield the moment the battle broke out!

But now, because of Rowan's orders, these merfolk warriors who were already prepared to provide support are unable to take action.

"Mr. Rowan..."

The merfolk warriors are waiting.

"Lord Ancestor..."

Cobra, sitting cross-legged on the ground, was deep in thought.

Why did our ancestor do this?

Cobra narrowed his eyes and began to ponder Rowan's intentions.

As the king of a country, Cobra certainly understood the principle of "balance".

Therefore, he was also wondering why the World Government would send the Navy to interfere when Rowan had demonstrated enough strength to deal with the Beasts Pirates.

Does the World Government really want to defeat the Beasts Pirates?

No, if that were the case, the balance of power at sea would be broken in an instant!

Could it be... that another force is planning to intervene in this war surrounding Alabasta?!

If that's the case, then it can only be a force on par with one of the "Four Emperors"...

A sense of foreboding washed over Cobra.

Almost at the same time, Cobra and everyone else present heard bursts of singing.

—That's a nursery rhyme?

[Chapter 253. The Singing Boat]

A strange song came from the direction of the sea.

If you listen carefully, you can vaguely hear something like, "I am a ship... I am a ship..."

"what?"

"Singing? Where did it come from?"

Who's singing?

"..."

With the arrival of the Four Emperors' pirate crew, everyone in Fishman Village was on high alert.

Therefore, when that inexplicable children's song reached everyone's ears, their emotions immediately became agitated.

No one can calm down and analyze such a strange song when they are under a lot of stress.

In the hearts of the soldiers stationed in the fishman village, such singing was undoubtedly a dangerous signal!

Just as everyone was about to descend into chaos due to the inexplicable children's song, a muffled cough broke the silence.

"cough!"

The one coughing was none other than King Cobra, who was stationed in the Fishman Village!

His voice was deep, and his expression was frighteningly serious.

Seeing the slightly flustered crowd, Cobra growled and shouted, "Calm down!"

He is indeed the current king of Alabasta.

Upon hearing Kobra's words, the soldiers present finally managed to calm down.

But Cobra's words did not stop there.

Given the situation just now, Cobra was already filled with resentment.

"Are you still the army of the Four Seas Alliance?!"

The merciless shouts and curses drowned out the eerie nursery rhyme.

Upon hearing this, even Weiwei, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground with her father, couldn't help but turn her head, her pupils shrinking slightly, and her heart began to tremble.

Vivi had never seen Cobra so angry.

The king's gentle demeanor in daily life was so much so that others could forget his royal status!

But actually?

This man named "Cobra" is actually the king of a member state of the World Government!

At the same time, his country is located on the Grand Line and is a top-tier or even top-tier superpower on this sea!

How could such a man be a completely "weak and gentle" fellow?

"Support? Who are you going to support?"

Cobra gripped the longsword he had previously stuck in the ground with one hand and slowly stood up.

Seeing this, Weiwei, who was standing to the side, also stood up like her father.

Cobra's voice echoed in the ears of everyone present.

"Think clearly about what our purpose is!"

"Our goal is to defend Alabasta and then drive away those enemies who dare to invade the territory of our Four Seas Alliance!"

What are you thinking about right now?

"Support? Is it just seeking psychological comfort?"

Cobra's rebuke was somewhat inexplicable, especially to the merfolk warriors who were not good at understanding the implied meaning.

But what Cobra said next was much simpler and easier to understand.

"If we were to engage the enemy, if we were to face the Beasts Pirates, would we want our allies to abandon their positions and come to our aid?"

No answer is needed, because there should only be one answer.

Of course not.

"Of course not!"

"Because that would only make us look like a bunch of incompetent people who can't even complete our tasks!"

"If such rash actions lead to the loss of positions that should have been defended, we will be held accountable!"