Screech!
The sound of a sharp creak jolted Kael from his fitful half-sleep.
Three days had passed in his dim cell, and the noise of the door opening caught him completely off guard. He smacked his dry lips, still groggy, before a clear, sharp voice cut through his haze.
"Hey! Wake up, you idiot brother!"
His body was shaken roughly, pulling him fully into consciousness. Blinking rapidly, Kael's disoriented thoughts began to catch up with his surroundings. This wasn't Earth. He wasn't dreaming.
Standing before him was a petite, elegant girl with flowing blue hair, strikingly long lashes, and deep black eyes. She looked no older than fourteen, her expression an unmistakable mix of anger and frustration. It was obvious she didn't want to be here, and whatever drove her to wake him seemed more out of obligation than concern.
"Brother? Why is she calling me that? And why does she look so angry?" Kael thought, completely confused by the new situation.
As he sat up, his gaze shifted to the others in the room. Vice Admiral Momonga stood silently near the door, flanked by a few marines. Yet another figure stood ahead of them all, commanding the utmost attention—even outshining Momonga's imposing presence.
The man was wearing a regal golden crown and a royal blue robe trimmed with intricate gold patterns.
Kael's heart skipped a beat as recognition dawned: "Wait… I've seen this man before. He looks just like… Nefertari Cobra, the King of Alabasta!"
His eyes darted back to the girl with blue hair: "If that's King Cobra… then this girl must be Vivi! And she just called me 'idiot brother,' which means…"
The realization struck him like a thunderclap, leaving him momentarily paralyzed: "My identity… I'm the Crown Prince of Alabasta?! Nefertari Kael?!"
Kael's thoughts spiraled as he processed the revelation. He wasn't just any prisoner; he was a member of Alabasta's Royal Family. His heart pounded, his brain was barely able to keep up.
King Cobra's stern voice broke through Kael's internal panic. His expression was a complex mixture of anger, disappointment, and lingering shame.
"Vice-Admiral Momonga." Cobra stepped forward, exhaling deeply before saying to Momonga, with heavy and bitter voice: "You might as well take this fool and deal with him as you see fit."
Momonga looked at Cobra and said calmly: "Your Majesty, Prince Kael may have sailed with pirates, but he hasn't committed any crimes. Furthermore, he is of Royal Lineage, and he is only nineteen. Young men of his age often act impulsively and recklessly."
Cobra's eyes narrowed, a flicker of hope broke through his disappointment as he listened to Momonga: "Considering the Prince's youth and status, Fleet Admiral Sengoku himself has decided his punishment. Three years of imprisonment have been reduced to two years of house arrest under your direct supervision."
The tension in the room shifted. Though Cobra's face remained stern, a flicker of gratitude passed over his face. For all his anger, Kael was still his only son and the rightful heir to Alabasta's throne.
But Cobra's relief quickly turned to seething fury as his gaze snapped back to Kael: "What have you done, bringing shame to our kingdom and its people?"
Cobra's voice rose, filled with rage: "Take him back to the castle! And you—don't even think about stepping outside for three years. Reflect on your idiocy!"
---
Kael sat on the polished marble floor of his chambers in the Grand Royal Palace of Alabasta, his was drowned in deep thoughts.
"Was there something wrong in his head? Why would he, a prince, want to become a pirate of all things?!" Kael thought bitterly, reflecting on the choices his predecessor had made.
He was still struggling to fully adapt to his new identity, but piece by piece, the fragments of his situation started falling into place.
Alabasta wasn't just any kingdom—it was a colossal kingdom in the One-Piece world. Spanning the massive Santin Island, a landmass closer to a small continent than an island, Alabasta was home to an estimated population in the tens of millions. Its fifteen cities, with at least seven prominently mentioned in the anime, were hubs of activity, trade, and culture.
The kingdom's military strength was equally staggering. With a standing army of 600,000 soldiers and the ability to conscript over a million in emergencies, Alabasta was unmatched by smaller nations like Drum Island, Goa Kingdom, or even Dressrosa.
Its vast territory also offered abundant natural resources, including valuable minerals that fueled its economy.
Kael rubbed his temples in confusion and frustration, as he thought: "Having a large territory gives both advantages and disadvantages."
The advantages were clear. Alabasta's landmass allowed for a robust economy and a powerful military. Strategically located in the Grand Line, it played a pivotal role in trade and politics. The diverse cities contributed to its economic vibrancy and cultural richness, making it a beacon of strength and stability.
But the challenges were just as glaring. Governing such a sprawling kingdom came with significant hurdles. Crises were slower to address, infrastructure and defense costs were astronomical, and the vast size made it difficult to monitor and respond to internal threats.
Environmental issues, like the recurring droughts and relentless sandstorms, only added to the strain. Worse, inequality between regions could spark divisions within the kingdom. And yet, these challenges weren't the worst of Alabasta's problems. The real issue was Crocodile.
Kael winced as he thought of Crocodile, the man who would soon bring the kingdom to its knees.
A master manipulator, Crocodile had already started undermining the Royal Family's authority, using Baroque Works to sow chaos and division. His schemes would only escalate from here, culminating in a full-blown civil war.
"What a headache." Kael muttered, massaging his temples.
He thought of Vivi, now only fourteen years old. According to the timeline, she had already infiltrated Baroque Works, posing as a low-ranking agent to gather information on Crocodile's plans.
Within two years, she would cross paths with Luffy and his crew. Two years after that, she would represent Alabasta at the Reverie. In other words, Crocodile's machinations were already deeply entrenched. The Royal Family could be in jeopardy at any moment.
"Phew!" Kael sighed in depression. The weight of his new responsibilities pressed down on him like a mountain.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the phone he had created with his Devil Fruit power. The device felt strangely familiar and comforting in his hands. Every Devil Fruit possessed unique abilities, even the weakest among them often harbored untapped potential.
He couldn't shake the thought of Pell, one of Alabasta's head guards, who had miraculously survived a bomb blast with a five-kilometer radius thanks to the powers of his Tweet-Tweet Fruit.
"If Pell's fruit has that kind of hidden potential, then the Phone-Phone Fruit must have something too… right?" Kael muttered to himself, his voice low and tinged with doubt.
Without a clear path forward, Kael decided to experiment. Practice, he reasoned, might help him discover the fruit's latent abilities. He began mass-producing phones, pushing his mental and physical limits to create hundreds of them. The task drained him completely, but Kael persisted, determined to uncover something—anything—that could give him an edge.
After hours of grueling effort, Kael collapsed onto the floor, his body utterly spent. But as he lay there, he felt a strange sensation ripple through him. It was as if something inside him had clicked into place.
Suddenly, a flood of information surged into his mind. His eyes widened as the realization hit him: he had awakened a new ability of the Phone-Phone Fruit.
"Basic Network Capabilities!" Kael murmured, staring at one of the phones he had just created.
The device's screen, previously simple and monochrome, now displayed vibrant colors and a faint signal icon in the corner.
Kael's breath caught in his throat as he navigated through the phone's new interface: "I… I'll be damned!" He whispered before breaking into an excited shout: "I can download other phone users' skills and abilities!"
The implications were staggering. The fruit's true power wasn't just communication—it was replication and distribution. He could absorb the skills and abilities of other phone users within range and even grant them to others.
His mind raced as more details about the fruit's capabilities appeared in his mind:
---
[Phone Level: LV2]
Memory: 0/1GB
Network: 2G Capability
Download Speed: 50KB/sec
Range: 1 kilometer]
---
The phones he created now had a memory system. For every additional phone user, the network's total memory would increase by 1MB. Once the combined memory reached 1GB, Kael would be able to download abilities from nearby users—specifically those skills they had already mastered.
However, the system had its limitations: the network's range was capped at one kilometer, and the download speed was painfully slow at just 50KB per second.
Kael stared at the faint signal icon on the screen, his heart started pounding: "I'm not just a living communication hub… I'm a server, a system, a distributor of power. This could change everything."
Before he could dive deeper into his thoughts, a sharp knock at the door interrupted him.
Thud-thud!
Kael sat up, quickly regaining his composure.
"Your Highness, may I come in?" A voice called from outside.
"Come in." Kael said, masking his excitement with a steady, composed tone.
The door creaked open, revealing a tall man clad in flowing white robes adorned with purple and black star patterns. His serious face was marked by striking purple makeup beneath his eyes, and a longsword hung from his waist.
Kael recognized him immediately. It was Pell, the steadfast guardian of the royal family and a Falcon-Type Tweet-Tweet Fruit user.
"Pell?" Kael said, his voice tinged with confusion.
Pell stepped into the room, his sharp eyes scanned the strange black devices—Kael's mass-produced phones—scattered across the floor. His expression remained calm as he bowed slightly: "I apologize for interrupting your rest, Your Highness."
Kael shook his head, gesturing for Pell to continue: "It's fine. What can I do for you?"
Pell's gaze hardened: "I've come to speak about your recent actions, Your Highness. You acted very recklessly. The 'Hero's' forces are far too strong. If not for the Navy's intervention and a series of fortunate coincidences, you might have..." He trailed off, his tone heavy with unspoken concern.
"Hero?" Kael's brow furrowed as he thought, before a realization struck him: "He's talking about Crocodile."
From Pell's voice and demeanor, it was clear the original Kael had been aware of Crocodile's duplicity. What others dismissed as a childish attempt to join the pirates might actually have been a calculated effort to investigate and expose Crocodile's schemes.
Pell knelt suddenly, and said in a solemn voice: "Your actions have confirmed my suspicions. Crocodile is indeed up to no good. Over the past year, every drought that has plagued Alabasta—it's all been his doing!"
"Gulp!"
Kael swallowed hard. The weight of Pell's words hit him like a blow. So this is why the original Kael acted as he did. Unbeknownst to Pell, the real Prince Kael was gone, replaced by Kael from another world. But Pell's loyalty was unmistakable, and Kael couldn't help but feel a pang of gratitude.
"Stand up, Pell." Kael said, his voice was calm and steady. He needed to think clearly and quickly, so he asked grimly: "Besides us, who else knows about Crocodile?"
Pell rose and replied: "For now, only the two of us. The king might have his suspicions, but we lack solid evidence."
"Do you trust me, Pell?" Kael asked, his voice was calm despite the whirlwind of thoughts racing through his mind.
"With all my heart." Pell replied without hesitation: "You have shown yourself to be a true royal. I swear my loyalty to you!"
Kael nodded and said in a serious expression: "Then we must tread carefully, Pell. This has to remain between us—no one else, not even my father. Crocodile's strength and his political position as a Warlord make direct confrontation impossible without undeniable and irrefutable proof."
Pell hesitated for a moment before speaking: "What about Vice Admiral Momonga? Should we seek his help?"
Kael shook his head grimly: "Even with evidence, the government and Navy might turn a blind eye to a Warlord's crimes. Crocodile's title protects him, and they'd rather maintain the balance of power than act against one of their own. We'll need to use a different strategy."
Pell nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation: "I see. What's your plan, Your Highness?"
"For now, we focus on preparation." Kael held up one of the phones he had created using his Devil Fruit power: "This device—it functions like a Den Den Mushi but is far cheaper to produce. I want it distributed across Alabasta."
Pell raised an eyebrow but didn't question the prince's instructions. His earlier doubts about Kael had completely vanished after confirming Crocodile's treachery: "Yes, Your Highness. I will see to it immediately."
"This is the first step..." Kael smirked inwardly, though he kept his composure outwardly. This was just the beginning. With his Phone-Phone Fruit and his growing understanding of its potential, he was laying the foundation for something far greater. Crocodile wasn't the only one with a grand plan.