The scorching sun relentlessly baked the desert of Alabasta, golden sand waves rolled and surged in the strong wind, like an boundless golden ocean.
On the coast of Nanohana, the Infinite Space slowly docked at the port.
Yun Lie and his group disembarked from the ship one after another, looking at the endless desert and the city standing in the sea of sand, everyone couldn't help but show surprised expressions.
"This country is so big, it seems none of us know the way!"
Mikita, holding an umbrella, flew in mid-air, looking at the vast and boundless desert, and couldn't help but say.
Everyone was shocked by the magnificent and unfamiliar scenery before them, and for a moment, they didn't know where to go.
Although the Eternal Pose led them to Alabasta, here, they had no guide and knew nothing about the route.
Yun Lie looked steadily into the distance, pondered for a moment, and then said, "It's okay, let's go to that city to rest first, and I'll call Princess Vivi to come pick us up."
He pointed to the city not far away that stood out particularly in the desert.
The desert was too vast; venturing into it rashly could easily lead to getting lost, like a headless fly crashing around, which was certainly not a wise move.
Moreover, that city was close to the coastal port, which was perfect for replenishing the ship's scarce supplies.
As the group entered the city, they immediately felt the unique customs and traditions of the desert city.
On the streets, merchants sold various goods with exotic shouts, brightly colored fabrics fluttered in the wind, and the air was filled with a unique scent of spices mixed with roasted meat.
Everyone rested briefly in the city, purchased supplies, and waited for Princess Vivi's arrival.
It wasn't until noon the next day that the scorching sun almost melted the earth.
A blue figure, riding a Run Fast, galloped from the distant dunes, raising a trail of dust.
As the distance closed, everyone saw that the person was indeed Princess Vivi.
Her blue long hair was disheveled by the wind, her cheeks were flushed from the sun, large beads of sweat continuously rolled down her forehead, and her delicate dress was covered in sand, clearly indicating a long journey.
"Princess Vivi, why did you come yourself?" Yun Lie asked with some surprise.
He had originally only hoped that Princess Vivi would send someone to meet them, but he didn't expect her to come in person.
Princess Vivi jumped off Run Fast, revealing her signature bright smile, and said breathlessly, "Hehe, you are our honored guests."
She turned and patted the tall Run Fast beside her, introducing, "This is our royal mount, the Super Run Fast Duck Squad, they are incredibly fast!"
These Run Fast were half a person tall, with shiny feathers, long necks, and eyes that showed alertness and vitality.
They stood proudly to the side, occasionally making "quack quack" sounds, as if cooperating with Princess Vivi's introduction.
True to their name, the Super Run Fast Ducks possessed an explosive speed comparable to that of a leopard, making them the fastest animals in Alabasta.
With the help of Run Fast, everyone's journey became smoother.
They galloped through the desert with powerful strides, raising swirls of sand.
In just one day, Yun Lie and his group crossed the boundless desert and arrived at Alabasta's capital—Alubarna.
Upon reaching their destination, the Super Run Fast Duck Squad was exhausted, lying on the ground, and soon fell asleep.
Princess Vivi tenderly stroked the head of the foremost Run Fast named "Run Fast," and gently said, "Run Fast, you all worked hard."
"Quack quack!" Run Fast made a few calls, seemingly indicating that it was all its duty, and even gently rubbed Princess Vivi with its wing, as if comforting her.
After settling the Super Run Fast Duck Squad, Princess Vivi led Yun Lie and his group into the royal palace.
Inside the palace, the decorations were magnificent and elegant, everywhere showcasing the nobility and majesty of the royal family.
King Kobra had already ordered a grand banquet to be prepared to receive Yun Lie and his group.
When King Kobra saw Yun Lie, a look of shock appeared on his face: "Mr. Yun Lie, I didn't expect you to be so young, truly young and promising!" His words were full of admiration.
Yun Lie bowed slightly and humbly replied, "I have also heard of His Majesty's wisdom, it is truly better to see once than to hear a hundred times!"
The two exchanged pleasantries, and the atmosphere was very harmonious.
However, as the banquet progressed, King Kobra's expression gradually became solemn.
He put down his wine glass and asked in a serious tone, "Mr. Yun Lie, how confident are you in dealing with Crocodile?"
When he mentioned that name, his eyes were filled with worry. Ever since he learned of Crocodile's conspiracy, he had been restless day and night.
He was not worried about his throne, but about the unimaginable disaster that would ensue once the secret guarded by the Nafeltari family for generations was unveiled.
What worried him even more was that Crocodile was secretly inciting the public, and he feared that the people of Alabasta would be used as pawns and drawn into this conspiracy.
Yun Lie pondered for a moment and cautiously said, "While I can't say 100% defeat, solving his arrangements in Alabasta and expelling him is certainly not a problem."
In this world, everything is full of variables, and the original work can only serve as a reference. He is not as lucky as Wang Lufei, so he dare not easily boast that he can 100% defeat or kill Crocodile.
Hearing Yun Lie's answer, a significant weight was lifted from King Kobra's heart.
He gently waved his hand, and Igaram immediately came over, holding a thick book. Igaram explained, "This is the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia, it records all the Devil Fruits that have appeared in the sea."
"Oh?" A hint of curiosity flashed in Yun Lie's eyes, and he quickly took the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia.
He gently opened the encyclopedia, the first page was the table of contents, divided into three parts: Paramecia, Logia, and Zoan.
The name of each Devil Fruit was clearly recorded, and the encyclopedia also briefly described the abilities of some fruits.
Yun Lie carefully flipped through it, and suddenly, he saw information about the Space Fruit in the encyclopedia. However, regrettably, there were only a few simple introductions, and not much useful information.
Yun Lie continued to flip through, and soon found the record of the unknown Devil Fruit he obtained in Drum Kingdom. It clearly stated: Zoan, Ancient Zoan: Snowstorm Bear Form!
According to the encyclopedia, the Ancient Zoan: Snowstorm Bear is an ancient creature from legend that controls blizzards, bringing powerful blizzards like natural disasters wherever it goes.
Yun Lie was startled; he didn't expect this to be such a powerful Devil Fruit.
This fruit might not have the powerful freezing ability of a Logia Ice-Ice Fruit, but it possessed a physical enhancement that Logia fruits lacked.
If an ordinary person were to eat this fruit, they could become a strong individual comparable to a Marine Rear Admiral in a short period.
Thinking of this, Yun Lie subconsciously looked at Nami.
At this moment, Nami was elegantly enjoying the delicious food, savoring the lavish dishes of the banquet.
Suddenly feeling Yun Lie's gaze, she couldn't help but feel a little flustered and asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"
Yun Lie then explained in detail to Nami the abilities and preciousness of the Ancient Zoan: Snowstorm Bear Devil Fruit.
After hearing this, a hint of interest flashed in Nami's eyes, but she quickly shook her head and refused.
Her reason for refusing was very simple: "I don't want to turn into a bear."
This reason made Yun Lie momentarily not know whether to laugh or cry. He smiled helplessly and didn't try to persuade her further; after all, whether or not to eat a Devil Fruit was a personal choice, and he would not forcibly interfere.
However, King Kobra, who was beside them, was experiencing a storm in his heart.
He had read the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia many times and naturally knew the value of the Ancient Zoan: Snowstorm Bear Devil Fruit.
He deeply knew that the lower and upper limits of this fruit were extremely high, so he was incredibly surprised by Yun Lie's crew member's refusal to eat this valuable fruit.
In his opinion, this was simply unbelievable.