Port Tavern.
"Knock knock knock—"
Nami drained the last sip of water from her cup.
"Haah—"
She set the empty wooden cup down on the table and let out a long sigh.
"Five thousand Belly… for just one glass of water."
Nami muttered under her breath, "How is this any different from daylight robbery?"
Though her heart was full of frustration, she understood all too well — this was the reality of Alabasta.
On this land that had been suffering from drought for three years...
Water was gold. Water was life.
"..."
Nami stepped out of the tavern, and the scorching air immediately slammed against her face.
On the streets, pedestrians wore ragged clothes, their frail bodies thin as sticks, and in their eyes lingered the deep despair carved by years of drought.
Even when they saw the Marine uniform on Nami, they only spared her an indifferent glance before turning their eyes away.
"Alabasta's hero is Sir Crocodile."
"As long as Sir Crocodile is here, we don't need the Marines."
The cold, indifferent words of passersby drifted into her ears.
Nami ignored them.
Her attention had already been drawn to a group of people not far away.
They wore matching uniforms, their bodies strong and muscular, standing in stark contrast to the emaciated residents around them.
In their eyes, there was a blatant, arrogant confidence — as though they were the true rulers of this land.
This group... was definitely trouble!
Nami made her judgment instantly and quietly followed them.
She trailed them through several narrow alleys before they finally stopped in front of an inconspicuous warehouse.
The area around the warehouse was heavily guarded.
"..."
Nami carefully observed her surroundings, then circled around to the back of the warehouse. Using the climbing skills she had honed during her time as a thief in her pirate days, she silently scaled the wall.
Without making a sound, she slipped onto the roof and squeezed herself through a broken skylight.
The moment she entered the warehouse, the pungent stench of chemicals rushed up her nose.
Inside, the place was stacked with massive wooden crates.
Dance Powder.
An enormous amount!
In one corner of the warehouse, there was a small, shabby-looking office.
Nami tiptoed like a ghost and slipped inside, quickly searching the room.
Soon, she spotted a locked drawer.
Pulling out a thin wire from her boot, she picked the cheap lock in just a few deft moves.
Inside was a thick stack of documents wrapped in a brown leather folder.
Nami pulled it out and quickly scanned through it.
"Baroque Works, following Mr. 0's highest directive..."
"Using Dance Powder to frame the Royal Army and incite rebellion."
"Directing pirates toward Nanohana to pave the way for the president's heroic appearance."
This was irrefutable evidence — enough to expose the entire conspiracy to overthrow the kingdom!
Nami's heart pounded wildly as she tucked the document tightly into her chest.
Just as she was about to leave the way she came...
Creak—
The office door was suddenly shoved open.
"Who's there?!"
A Baroque Works member who had just stepped inside spotted her immediately.
"Damn it!"
Nami's heart tightened, and without time to think, she hurled herself against the window, shattering the glass as she leapt straight out from the second floor!
Bang!
She landed firmly, instantly sprinting toward the street.
"Thief!!"
An ear-piercing alarm blared through the warehouse.
"Catch her! Hurry!"
A senior agent in charge of the area — one of Baroque Works' Billionaires — rushed into the office.
The moment he discovered the broken lock and the missing file, his face went pale.
"Catch that woman!"
"Don't let her escape!"
The Billionaire roared furiously, grabbing a Den Den Mushi to report to his superiors with a trembling voice.
"Move! Everyone, after her!"
Countless Baroque Works members poured out from every corner, frantically chasing in Nami's direction.
"..."
A deadly chase unfolded across the streets of Nanohana.
...
Meanwhile—
Bloop—bloop—bloop—
On a desert highway not far from the city, a massive transport turtle was steadily trudging along, heading toward Nanohana at a leisurely pace.
Transport Turtle — Binchy
(T/N: Banchi is a giant "all-terrain" turtle used by Baroque Works)
Inside the small cabin pulled by the turtle, the air was pleasantly cool.
A woman dressed in a stylish dark denim cowgirl outfit elegantly sipped a cup of black tea.
Her skin was pale and flawless, her long black hair cascading like a waterfall, and a wide-brimmed cowboy hat rested atop her head.
The brim cast a shadow over most of her face, leaving only the delicate curve of her jaw and a faint, enigmatic smile visible.
She was Baroque Works' Vice President — codenamed "Miss All Sunday" — Nico Robin.
Suddenly, the Den Den Mushi she carried began ringing urgently.
"Purupuru~"
"Purupuru~"
She set down her teacup and calmly picked up the receiver.
From the other side came the sharp, panicked voice of Chief Commander Mr. 3.
"Miss All Sunday! We've got a big problem!"
"An important file was stolen in Nanohana!"
...
Skypiea.
A colossal Knock Up Stream roared like a furious water dragon, connecting the sea and the heavens.
Five massive Marine battleships stood firmly, rising higher and higher.
Boom—
The block of ice burst through the clouds, finally reaching the White-White Sea.
"..."
At the bow of the flagship, Kuzan — known as Admiral Aokiji — gazed around, taking in the peaceful and tranquil scenery of Skypiea.
"So this is the Sky Island, huh?"
"Not bad… this is the kind of atmosphere I like."
"!!!"
Across the cloud seas, the Sky Island Self-Defense Squad spotted the uninvited guests.
"S-ships! Huge ships!"
"Don't panic!"
The squad captain forced himself to stay calm, glaring intently at the massive steel battleships perched atop the frozen sea.
Just as he was about to give the order to prepare for battle, his eyes caught sight of the Marine coat of justice fluttering on the flagship's bow.
"!!!"
"They're Marines!"
"Marines… like Hawke-sama!"
The captain shouted to his men, "Quick! Report to Gan Fall-sama and the Chief!"
Before long, Gan Fall — wearing his iconic iron helmet — rushed over from the temple.
From another direction, the Shandian Chief arrived, riding a massive beast that sliced through the air.
The two highest leaders of Skypiea now hovered solemnly before the Marine fleet.
"I am Gan Fall, former God of Skypiea and now its guardian."
Gan Fall performed a formal knight's salute.
"I don't know why the esteemed Marines have brought a fleet here. May I ask the purpose of your visit?"
"No need to be so tense."
Kuzan strolled lazily to the ship's railing.
"Marine Headquarters Admiral, Kuzan."
"Under orders, I'm here to… play the role of a porter."
"A… porter?!"
Gan Fall and the Shandian Chief exchanged a glance and instantly understood.
"You were sent by Hawke-sama, weren't you?"
The Chief's deep voice carried weight. Before leaving, Hawke-sama had indeed mentioned that someone would come to transport the gold.
"Yeah, that kid Hawke..."
Kuzan scratched his curly head lazily.
"Always giving his seniors the heavy work, huh."
"So you were sent by Hawke-sama… Please, come in!"
Once they confirmed the Marines' identity, Gan Fall and the Shandian Chief finally lowered their guard completely.
Warm smiles spread across both their faces.
"Mm."
Aokiji nodded slightly, then waved to the Marines behind him.
"Alright, let's get to work."
"Yes, sir!"
The Marines immediately sprang into action, disembarking in an orderly fashion as they prepared to head to Shandora to begin transporting the gold.
"You two..."
Kuzan turned back to Gan Fall and the Chief with a relaxed smile.
"Care to have a chat?"
He gestured toward a small tea table set up on the deck.
"I'm quite curious to hear what Hawke — the one who taught me a valuable lesson — has been up to here in the sky."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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