Near the waters of Alabasta, a lone bicycle moved slowly across the sea's surface, a slender path of ice forming in its wake.
Admiral Kuzan, also known as Aokiji, lounged lazily on the bike seat, his movements unhurried as the shadow of land gradually emerged on the horizon.
"Not far from Alabasta now," he murmured.
At that very moment, an inexplicable, crushing pressure suddenly filled the air.
Kuzan frowned as a flicker of vigilance flashed in his eyes.
"BOOM—!"
A low, rumbling vibration echoed across the sea, as if the world itself was being torn apart.
A crimson shockwave erupted from the island, a wave of pure willpower so intense that the ocean surged in response.
Then, just as abruptly, the shockwave halted and converged on a single point in the desert kingdom.
"..."
Kuzan slowly shed his lazy demeanor, his brow furrowed.
"That was... Conqueror's Haki. Not the uncontrolled burst of a novice, but the focused, advanced kind." He murmured softly to himself, a new wariness in his eyes.
"Who in the world is in Paradise that can do that?"
His mind raced.
'Could it be that Mike guy Smoker mentioned?'
'No, he only talked about his swordsmanship... Wait a minute.'
"Smoker!" Kuzan's heart jolted. "This is bad! Smoker's in Alabasta!"
Gripping the handlebars tightly, he kicked off, his bicycle shooting forward across the ice path, a low roar emitting from its spinning wheels as he raced toward the source of the disturbance.
...
"Captain Mike, the Path to Glory?" Crocodile repeated, his voice thick with confusion.
"Alabasta's 'true' guardian?"
"Yes, the Path to Glory," Mike's lips curled into a meaningful smile.
"There is no path more correct than this." He reached out and gently helped the bewildered Warlord to his feet.
"Come, let's talk over there."
As Mike led Crocodile toward the lounge chairs Kuro had set up, the "Alabasta Mike Cheer Squad" erupted in another wave of cheers, much to Crocodile's bewilderment.
Smoker, seeing that an important conversation was about to unfold, lit a fresh cigar and strode after them.
"I still don't understand," Crocodile finally said, his voice laced with impatience.
Mike relaxed into his chair, his gaze profound.
"Sit," he said, pointing to the chair opposite him.
After a brief hesitation, Crocodile obediently took a seat.
"Crocodile," a playful glint flashed in Mike's eyes. "Actually, once you get to know me better, you'll realize that I'm... quite amiable."
He took out a specially commissioned, Admiral-grade cigar from his coat and offered it to the Warlord.
"..."
Crocodile was momentarily stunned.
'Amiable? You almost killed me!'
Still, he reluctantly accepted the cigar.
The moment he gave it a light sniff, his eyes widened.
'Holy shit! This is the top-tier stuff!'
'This guy is quite generous' he thought, his anger softening slightly.
"Thank you, Captain," Crocodile said, a hint of genuine delight in his voice as he lit the premium cigar.
He took a deep drag, savoring the unique, rich aroma.
The three of them—a slacker Captain, a hot-headed Captain, and a defeated Warlord—sat there puffing away, the atmosphere slowly growing more calm and relaxing.
In the background, Kuro directed a team of Marines, unceremoniously tossing the remaining pirates into the sea to be picked up by a transport ship later.
They were an eyesore, and the Captain needed a clean view.
"Crocodile," Mike exhaled a smoke ring, his gaze turning lazy.
"First things first. We're here on vacation."
Smoker nearly choked on his smoke.
"???"
"Vacation?" Crocodile blinked, a flicker of pure confusion in his eyes.
'First, you beat me into the ground, reveal all my secrets, and now you tell me you're just here on vacation?'
'Why didn't you say so earlier?! I would have arranged the most luxurious tour for you, just to get you the hell out of my country!'
"Yep," Mike chuckled.
"Mainly here to take in the sights of Alabasta, experience the local... hospitality, if you catch my drift."
"No problem!" Crocodile immediately perked up, his eyes gleaming with the confidence of a master host.
"I will arrange the finest service for you, guaranteed to satisfy!"
'As long as he's not sending me to Impel Down, this is a trivial matter.'
He began promoting his "premium services" with the pride of a seasoned businessman.
"We have a dedicated water transport turtle—Pinchy! And Alabasta's top-tier organization, Baroque Works, can provide the highest-quality escort service for you throughout the trip. As for the hospitality... rest assured, the girls of Alabasta are second to none..."
"Hmm," Mike nodded, a satisfied gleam in his eye.
"Also," he added, "we plan to visit 'Rain Dinners.' Arrange that, too."
"Rain Dinners?" Crocodile's eyes brightened.
"No problem, but..." he paused, a dark look in his eyes.
"Captain, with your abilities... if you were to use your Observation Haki while gambling..."
A faint smirk curled at Mike's lips.
"Crocodile, who the hell do you think you're looking down on?" He leaned back, blowing a smug ring of smoke, his voice brimming with absolute, unshakable confidence.
"Do I even need Observation Haki for my gambling skills? I'm the record holder for a 1,000-win streak in Poker and a 100-win streak in Mahjong on my warship. Using Observation Haki for something as simple as gambling? Do I, the 'God of Gamblers,' have no shame?"
He declared, his voice full of righteous bravado, "I'll bankrupt you in three hours!"
"..."
Kuro, who had just finished his cleanup detail and returned to stand rigidly behind Mike, felt a bead of cold sweat trickle down his forehead.
He had been present for those card games.
'The Captain's card skills...' he thought with a deadpan expression.
'Are, in fact, absolutely terrible.'