The next day, early morning.
Rowan, Crocodile, and Vivi, followed by Chaka and a group of royal soldiers, arrived at a port.
The three of them traveled all night, but instead of resting, they led over a dozen royal soldiers and sailors onto a ship that had already been prepared for them.
This was a medium-sized Alabasta ship.
Although it wasn't huge, the craftsmanship was excellent, with all sorts of facilities, and long-distance sailing was no problem, so it was worthy of Rowan's status.
As for the number of people accompanying them, Cobra originally wanted to arrange over a hundred, but Rowan refused.
What was the need?
Looking at the sand swirling excitedly around Rowan, Cobra realized he had asked a dumb question.
After all, if Rowan really wanted to, the group could be very large—
Ridiculously large.
...
Set sail!
...
At full speed, this ship would only take two days and two nights to reach Drum Island.
Vivi was going on a long sea voyage with so many people for the first time and was too excited to sleep.
Rowan let the little princess sit with him on the deck, enjoying the morning sea breeze, which was very pleasant.
Crocodile leaned against the mast, lighting himself today's new cigar.
He watched Rowan and Vivi chatting and laughing, a scene that looked like an old father taking his daughter on a sea trip.
Thinking carefully, he seemed a bit unnecessary, which made him very unhappy.
Rowan noticed Crocodile's expression and laughed, "Do you want to hear old stories too?"
Crocodile: "…"
Seeing that the other person didn't speak, Rowan continued to ask with a smile, "Speaking of which, why are you following me?"
After all, there were no clues about Pluton on Drum Island.
Crocodile took a puff of his cigar and said with a gloomy smile, "Heh heh heh, Pluton won't run away, and following you on this trip will definitely be a good amusement."
Rowan raised an eyebrow. "It's just a business alliance meeting, what's so amusing?"
"Heh heh heh, are you testing me, or are you playing dumb?"
Crocodile tapped off his ash, quite annoyed, "You can't possibly not know that the World Government is definitely watching your movements closely now."
"It's fine within Alabasta, but once you go to sea, it will definitely attract the World Government's attention!"
Crocodile pointed to the ship under his feet.
"If you were being low-key and sailing out in a small boat at night, that would be one thing."
"But a medium-sized ship with the Alabasta symbol, such an obvious target, I'm afraid it was targeted by the World Government the moment it set sail."
Hearing this, Rowan shrugged. "So, you think there will be fun?"
"I'm just curious, what the World Government will do to an emperor from eight hundred years ago."
Crocodile frowned and smiled. "And what that emperor will do to the World Government."
Contrary to Crocodile's expectations, Rowan answered him directly.
"Anything."
"Huh?"
"We can do anything to each other, big or small, anything is possible."
Rowan's eyes were calm as he slowly replied, "But, the one who takes action must also be aware of the consequences and bear them accordingly."
...
Something's wrong.
On the night after they set sail, Crocodile felt that something was wrong.
After setting sail, Vivi took a nap and was then pulled onto the deck by Rowan again, seemingly telling her something.
Old stories?
Could there be that many!
Crocodile didn't believe Rowan's words, but he couldn't ask.
So he could only listen sideways.
Vaguely, Crocodile seemed to hear Rowan telling Vivi something, but he couldn't hear the details.
"Tsk, boring..."
Crocodile snuffed out his cigar and went back to his room to rest.
...
Two days and two nights later.
The Alabasta ship continued to move forward, and white snowflakes fell from the sky, landing on the deck.
In the distance, they could see an island with several mountain peaks shaped like drums.
Winter Island—Drum Island.
Vivi skipped out of the cabin, wearing a cotton coat, gloves, and earmuffs.
As for Crocodile and Rowan, natural-type ability users are more adaptable to the climate, so their clothing remained unchanged.
Black fur coat, light gold armor.
Crocodile reached out and gently pinched a snowflake, frowning slightly.
"Snow..."
Rowan turned his head and smiled, "You don't like snowy days?"
"Of course, and you shouldn't like them either."
Crocodile said, "Brief contact is fine, but if the snowflakes melt into water, or you dive into a snowdrift, it's no different from being drenched all over!"
Crocodile was naturally referring to the characteristics of the Sand-Sand Fruit, which temporarily loses its ability to transform into sand upon contact with liquid.
Therefore, rain and snow alike, he disliked places where water existed.
Rowan didn't seem to care much about this.
After all, "being unable to transform into sand" is fundamentally different from the "inability to use abilities" caused by contact with seastone or falling into the sea.
For Rowan, not being able to transform into sand just meant he had different ways to fight!
Rowan gently exhaled a white breath, looked up at the shore, and saw that many people were gathered there.
Presumably to welcome them.
Long before they set off, Cobra had instructed people to contact and coordinate with the diplomats of Drum Island.
This was a necessary etiquette between countries.
"Lord Ancestor, Princess, Mr. Crocodile, we are preparing to dock and drop anchor, there will be bumps, please be careful!"
Clang, clang, clang...
The anchor dropped into the sea, and the sailors lowered the wooden planks connecting the deck and the dock for everyone.
Vivi and a group of royal soldiers walked down the wooden planks. Rowan and Crocodile turned into sandstorms, their figures disappearing from the deck and reappearing on the dock.
Looking up, Rowan saw the representatives of the Drum Kingdom who had come to greet them.
The captain of the Drum Kingdom Guard, Dalton, an animal-type Devil Fruit user with the Ox-Ox Fruit, Bison form.
This guard captain was highly regarded on the outside.
Unlike the mischievous King, Dalton was indeed an official who cared for the people of his country.
Friendly, loyal, and honest.
If that wasn't the case, he wouldn't have been able to gather so many villagers watching the excitement behind him.
And one day in the future, Dalton would actively resist Wapol's brutal rule for Chopper and the people of this country.
But that was a long time from now.
The current Dalton, due to the old king's care for him, still held a glimmer of hope for Wapol, thinking that he might one day change his ways.
Seeing the arrivals, Dalton bowed to Rowan, Vivi, and Crocodile.
"Respected guests, welcome to the Drum Kingdom. I am Dalton, captain of the Drum Kingdom Guard."
Dalton looked up and noticed that only a few Alabasta royal guards had walked down from the ship, and he was stunned.
"Excuse me, are these the only people accompanying you?"
Rowan smiled slightly. "Isn't it enough?"
"No, I didn't mean that, I'm just a bit surprised, please forgive me."
Dalton waved his hands repeatedly, he also felt that his question was a bit offensive, but he couldn't help but ask.
In his imagination, the visit of an emperor and princess of a super power should be a grand affair, but the current array resembled an ordinary trip.
At least, his country's King Wapol would make every trip a grand affair, striving for extreme luxury, even at the cost of wasting money and manpower on many useless things.
"It's fine."
Rowan shook his head, indicating that Dalton didn't need to worry about it.
Crocodile walked past Dalton.
While signaling the other to lead the way quickly, Crocodile also whispered with a sinister smile:
"Hey, if you really want to see 'a lot of people,' trust me, there can be a lot."
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