Pirates: Your emperor has returned!

There's a reason why the rebels chose to occupy this place.

Shantana, as an oasis post station, was a vital transportation route on trade routes within Alabasta.

It has ample supplies and its terrain is easy to defend and difficult to attack.

The royal army dared not destroy the post station, which gave them enough leverage to negotiate.

They wanted King Cobra's support for their great "revolutionary" cause, or at the very least, they wanted Alabasta to protect them from the pursuit of their neighbors.

Having failed in their rebellion, they could no longer consider the success rate of their plan and could only try anything as a last resort.

But now, a strange army suddenly appeared and charged at them!

"Shoot! Shoot!"

The leader of the mutinous army quickly gave instructions.

The musketeers moved forward, occupied the only thoroughfare, and then pulled the trigger.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang...

The lead bullets were fired, hitting the gravel soldiers charging ahead, but the bullets pierced directly through their bodies.

"Natural science?!"

The rebel leader, being somewhat knowledgeable, found it even more unbelievable.

He knew that the Shichibukai Crocodile might be in this country, but he had never heard of Crocodile being able to summon such an army of tens of thousands of sand!

The gravel spear pierced the shield, and the first line of defense collapsed instantly!

The rebel leader looked at the group of gravel soldiers in despair, knelt down on the ground, his mouth opening and closing.

"What is this?!"

……

On the sand dunes.

Crocodile surveyed the battlefield, narrowing his eyes.

In his eyes, the gravel soldiers were being manipulated by Rowan, attacking the rebel lines from different directions.

Ordinary people are of course no match for Logia-type Devil Fruit users.

Soon, the gravel soldiers at the front broke through the chaotic formation of the enemy.

The gravel spears were brandished, piercing through any enemy who dared to stand in their way, and the battlefield became one-sided!

That was an almost superb ability to control the battlefield.

Crocodile suddenly had a feeling that Rowan's gaze over the battlefield resembled that of a chess player.

The battlefield is his chessboard!

As the observation continued, a sinister smile suddenly appeared on Crocodile's face.

He murmured:

"Hehehe, is that so? Looks like I'll have to find a chance to confirm this..."

……

About ten minutes later, the siege ended without any suspense.

The chaotic army was defeated.

Rowan had no intention of waging a war of annihilation, but the chaotic troops still suffered countless casualties.

Cobra ordered the royal army to clean up the battlefield.

Subsequently, Bell, the Zoan-type Bird-Bird Fruit user with Falcon Form who was in charge of reconnaissance, returned from the sky and transformed back into human form from his animal form.

He brought some bad news.

"Your Majesty, a small group of rebel soldiers has found a breach and is fleeing southeast."

Just as Cobra was about to arrange a pursuit, Rowan suddenly laughed:

"I'll go after them."

He placed Vivi back on the ground, and the surrounding gravel surged.

After a few breaths, Luo Wenhua created a sandstorm and disappeared from the spot.

Vivi clapped her hands excitedly, "Our ancestor is amazing!"

But King Cobra frowned slightly.

He was very kind to the people, but he was also a ruthless character who could rival other kings at the World Conference, so he naturally understood Rowan's unspoken meaning.

Rowan had to go and take care of some things, which was why he let a small group of rebels escape as an excuse.

So, what is our ancestor going to do?

Kobra turned around and was taken aback.

Because someone else also disappeared—

Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

[5. Chapter Five: Black Sand]

Oasis Station, Santana, southeast.

This is a deserted area with few people.

The rioting soldiers, numbering in the dozens, who had just been deliberately let go by Luo Wen, were now lying on the ground, their fates unknown.

Their states are divided into two types.

Firstly, it had all the water in its body sucked out, making it look like a dried corpse.

Secondly, those pierced by the sand spears either died on the spot or lost too much blood to get up.

The two people who caused this situation were standing facing each other not far from the chaotic army.

……

The hot desert wind blew the purple ribbons and the black coats.

Crocodile took a puff of his cigar, raised an eyebrow, and quipped, "What a 'benevolent' king, very Alabasta-esque."

Rowan laughed. "Why do you say that?"

"Hey, those guys are a mutinous army, they've invaded your country's territory!"

Crocodile shrugged and joked, "If I were you, I wouldn't stop until I've turned them into a hornet's nest."

However, Rowan's answer was unexpected by Crocodile.

"Really? So someone didn't die."

Upon hearing this, Crocodile paused for a moment, "You don't know?"

Rowan shook his head and corrected him, "It's 'don't care'."

Crocodile frowned slightly.

Rowan continued, "I only care about the direction I'm heading and the opponents I'll face along the way."

"As for them, they are not qualified to be my opponents, so I don't care."

Upon hearing Rowan's words, Crocodile suddenly burst into laughter, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

"Hehehe, as expected of an old monster from eight hundred years ago, his arrogance is so unpleasant!"

"so……"

Crocodile flicked the ash from his cigar, looked up at Rowan, and asked, "Why did you lure me out here alone?"

Cobra could see through Rowan's thoughts, and Crocodile also guessed Rowan's purpose!

The reason he let a small group of rebels escape was to create time for him to be alone with the sand crocodile!

Rowan wasn't surprised. After all, Crocodile was a man who was very good at scheming and plotting. When dealing with someone like that, it's best to be straightforward.

"Did you lead that group of rebels into our territory?"

Rowan's question was simple and straightforward, and Crocodile answered it cleanly and concisely.

"Yes."

He nodded, gently stroking the golden hook on his left hand, and asked, "Then, Your Majesty, eight hundred years ago, do you think I did this?"

Rowan thought for a moment and replied, "You want to test the strength of this country so that you can make arrangements for your next steps."

"As for your true purpose—"

Rowan grinned. "Neferutari once told me that he was tinkering with something really complicated, something like..."

His next words caused Crocodile's pupils to shrink involuntarily.

"Ancient weapon - [Pluto]".

Upon hearing this, Crocodile's face immediately darkened, and a sinister smile slowly appeared.

"It seems my investigation was on the right track."

"So, Mr. King, who is too clever for his own good, I can only ask you, who have just been resurrected, to die again."

Rowan was somewhat surprised. "Hey, are you going to fight me here? How are you going to explain this to Cobra and the others afterwards?"

Crocodile chuckled sinisterly, “An old king who sensed the nation’s peril, manifested himself, and then vanished again; and an old monster who died eight hundred years ago but has been resurrected—you are the second type, but you could also be the first.”

Luo Wen thought about it and it seemed to make some sense.

After all, he never expected that he would be able to open his eyes again after eight hundred years!

"What an impulsive crocodile."

Rowan beckoned with his finger, and the sand surged, causing a sand soldier to rise from the ground.

"How are you going to deal with my soldiers?"

Crocodile suddenly grinned, a ferocious grin on his face. "Don't try to bluff me, you paper tiger!"

Immediately, a sandbag suddenly gathered in his right palm.