I entered Alubarna under a scorching sun, its heat almost melting the stones. Mudbrick buildings with small windows lined narrow streets, while the crowded market stalls buzzed with vendors shouting:
"Dates! The finest dates!"
"Iced water! Who'll buy iced water?"
I sweated as I pushed through the crowds, the strong spice smell choking my breath. Two soldiers watched from an old wall, their swords hanging ready for trouble.
"This city is burning hot from the inside..." I thought as I headed toward a column's shadow. Even the shade here was hot!
My current clothes made me feel like I was in hell. I needed to get clothes like the locals wore - light ones that would protect my skin from the sun.
I headed to one of the busy clothing shops where light fabrics hung from ropes like colored flags. The old merchant wiped his sweat with his sleeve while arranging his goods.
"I want a robe like what the desert people wear," I told him, pointing to a blue cotton outfit hanging up.
"Very well stranger, these are extremely light clothes that help cool the body even under noon sun," he answered while dusting off the robe.
I paid him a few coins and took the new robe to a deserted corner. I removed my heavy clothes stuck to my skin with sweat and put on the loose robe.
The feeling of breeze passing through the fabric folds was like cold water on my burned skin.
Without any normal clothes, all I wore was fabric wrapped around my body.
"Much better," I whispered to myself as I tied the leather belt. I even replaced my long boots with camel leather sandals. Finally I felt like part of this city, not just a sweating stranger.
I headed to a tavern to drink some wine and eat delicious food.
I entered the "Golden Camel" tavern that was talked about in the market. Warm air full of spice and roasted meat smells greeted me at the threshold. The place was packed with exhausted travelers and merchants after a long day under the desert sun.
I sat on a wooden bench near the window where I could watch the street while resting. The old waiter approached with slow steps:
"What would you like, sir?"
"A delicious meat dish of your choice, fresh bread, with a bottle of your best wine," I answered while rubbing my tired hands.
Minutes hadn't passed before the delicious food smell filled my nose. A medium plate with tasty meat and gravy. I took a sip of the rich red wine, its warm taste flowing down my throat like a boost of life.
In the tavern's center, a small musical band played folk songs. Some customers started clapping to the rhythm while others immersed themselves in laughter-filled conversations. One of the dancers wore bold clothes and danced in a way that made one think of grabbing her and bedding her right there in the tavern.
"Finally some rest," I whispered to myself enjoying my meal with this skilled dancer. After weeks of travel and exhaustion, these moments of calm were worth every penny I spent.
But even in this relaxing moment, I didn't forget my goal. The log pose for Jaya and I'll leave after getting Conrad's bounty.
After two hours of watching and resting, I paid for my meal and went out into the dark street. Night had fallen, and cold air brushed my face. I needed to find a place to sleep before resuming my search in the morning.
After arranging a place to sleep that night, I slept well.
*Next Day:*
I woke up with the first sunrays piercing through the windows of the small inn where I stayed. After wearing my new desert robe, I carried Conrad's mummified head wrapped in thick cloth and headed to the Marine base.
The Alubarna Marine branch was a massive sandstone building with the World Government flag waving slowly in the morning air. On both sides of the main entrance stood stiff-faced guards with shiny weapons.
"Halt!" said one guard extending his arm to stop me. "What's your business here?"
I gestured toward the bundle I carried. "I have a head whose bounty I want to claim."
The second guard looked at me suspiciously. "Let me take a look."
After brief hesitation, I revealed the mummified head. The guards' eyes suddenly widened.
"Wait here!" said the first as he rushed inside.
Within ten minutes I found myself in the Marine officer's office, a short but stocky man with a thick mustache and sharp eyes.
"So..." he said examining the head on his desk. "You're the one who killed Conrad the Black Bear?"
"Yes," I answered simply.
"How did you kill him?"
The desk between us shook and objects began floating in the air. I looked at the officer and said "I have Devil Fruit powers."
The officer was shocked at first but quickly regained his composure. "And what do you want in return?"
"The full bounty. 59 million Berries."
The officer laughed loudly. "That's too much for a boy like you! But..." he paused briefly while examining the head again. "How do I prove this is really his head?"
I took the official bounty poster from my pocket and placed it on the desk. "This is his distinctive mark," I pointed to the large scar on the mummized head's forehead.
After long discussion and careful examination, the officer finally agreed. "Very well. You'll get your money. But..." he added with a cunning look. "Do you have any idea where the rest of his crew is?"
"They're all at the bottom of the sea."
I left the Marine base an hour later, my bag heavier with 59 million Berries. The sun was now at its peak, but my new desert robe made the heat more bearable.
"Now, to Jaya..." I whispered to myself heading toward the market. "To find a log pose leading to Jaya Island."
I wandered through the large navigation shops in Alubarna Market, the scorching sun beating down on my back as I entered the first store. Wooden shelves filled with all kinds of navigational indicators lined up before me.
"Do you have a log pose for Jaya Island?" I asked the handsome merchant who was arranging the goods.
He looked up in surprise: "Jaya? No sir, that's a dangerous island. We don't sell indicators for it."
In the second shop, an old woman sat behind the counter knitting something. When she heard my question, she shook her head firmly: "No one has asked for a pose to Jaya in years. We don't import them at all."
The third shop was larger and more organized. The young vendor looked through his records then apologized: "We don't have any indicators pointing to Jaya in stock. That island is not listed in our official directories."
I pulled out my wallet full of new money: "I'm willing to pay double the price."
But he turned his head away in refusal: "Money doesn't change the truth. I don't have what you're asking for."
I walked out of the shop feeling frustration creeping into my chest. Even with all this money, I couldn't get what I wanted.