Inside the Alabasta palace, the magnificent hall was filled with laughter and radiance.
Cobra was laughing heartily, his gaze fixed firmly on the guest before him—Marine Admiral Roy.
Roy, now promoted to Admiral, still looked just as young, having gained an air of mystery and depth.
"Admiral Roy, welcome!"
Cobra raised his glass, the red wine within shimmering enticingly under the light.
There were no excessive formalities between them; they were no longer strangers, sharing a deep bond of friendship.
Roy also raised his glass, clinking it gently with Cobra's, and the two began to chat.
"King Cobra, Alabasta seems to be doing much better now."
Roy's gaze seemed to pierce through the hall as he praised Alabasta's prosperity.
Cobra laughed heartily, his face beaming with unmistakable pride.
As a major superpower in the first half of the Grand Line, Alabasta had indeed reached unprecedented prosperity under his careful governance.
"Yes, Alabasta has developed quite well over the years. It's just a pity that the one drawback of this country is the scarcity of oases."
At this, Cobra's expression dimmed. Most of Alabasta was desert, which severely restricted the country's development and was a constant worry for him.
Hearing this, Roy smiled mysteriously, a confident gleam shining in his eyes.
"Perhaps this time, I might have a way to solve that problem."
Cobra was shocked; he raised his head abruptly, his eyes fixed intently on Roy as if trying to read the answer in his gaze.
But before he could ask, a sudden sound of hurried footsteps echoed in the hall.
It was Vivi. Dressed in a gorgeous gown, she walked quickly yet maintained her innate grace.
She soon stood before Roy, a sweet smile on her face.
Seeing Vivi at this moment, a spark of appreciation lit up in Roy's eyes.
Truly, time had transformed her; Vivi had grown into a tall and remarkably beautiful young woman.
Vivi seemed to notice Roy's gaze, and a surge of pride welled up within her.
She greeted him with poised elegance, her demeanor reflecting the true bearing of a princess.
Watching them, Cobra shook his head with a helpless smile, silently noting that the bond between these two young people had likely surpassed mere friendship.
However, at that moment, he didn't dwell on these emotional nuances.
His heart was filled with curiosity and anticipation regarding the solution Roy had mentioned.
If Roy, with his abilities, truly could find a way to solve Alabasta's oasis shortage, it would be of immense importance.
"Father, Mr. Roy, what are you talking about?"
Vivi interrupted the conversation between her father and Roy with a look of curiosity, her voice gentle and sweet.
Cobra turned to look at Vivi, his eyes full of affection, but his mind was more focused on the topic Roy had just raised.
"Vivi, wait a moment. Roy, what you said about increasing the oases in Alabasta, is that true? It's extremely important for our kingdom."
There was a hint of urgency in Cobra's voice, as he knew well that the scarcity of oases had always been a critical factor limiting Alabasta's development.
Roy smiled mysteriously, a smile that held both confidence and deeper meaning.
"Well, let's leave that for later, King Cobra. For now, let's enjoy the banquet."
Though Cobra felt impatient, he understood that things couldn't be rushed.
He clapped his hands, signaling the attendants to start serving the meal.
Soon, a sumptuous and exquisite banquet was presented before Roy.
Roy was thoroughly pleased with the delicious food and fine wine at the banquet, and Vivi's gaze scarcely left him as she frequently found topics to chat with him. Roy responded warmly, and the atmosphere among the three was harmonious.
However, after they had eaten and drunk their fill, Roy's expression suddenly turned serious.
Seeing this, Cobra and Vivi immediately sobered, their faces becoming grave.
Cobra gestured for the maids and ministers to quickly leave the hall. To ensure the privacy of their conversation, he personally led Roy and Vivi to a quiet room.
The three sat around a table, the atmosphere turning exceptionally solemn.
Cobra and Vivi shared an extraordinary relationship with this Marine Admiral, and they trusted him completely.
"King Cobra, my plan is about to commence," Roy finally spoke, his voice low and firm.
Hearing Roy's words, both Cobra and Vivi were astonished.
They had not expected that Roy already had a concrete plan, and it seemed to be quite an ambitious one.
The Nefertari family was one of the twenty royal families that founded the World Government eight hundred years ago, yet they did not follow the others to reside in the Holy Land, instead choosing to rule the Alabasta Kingdom.
Moreover, Cobra upheld a rare and commendable philosophy of governance: "The nation is its people."
He firmly believed that a country existed to benefit its people, not to exploit or neglect them.
In this world driven by power and conflicting interests, Cobra was undoubtedly an outlier.
Over the past several years, Roy had built a deep friendship with Cobra.
They often met to discuss matters concerning the World Government and its policies, finding that many of their views aligned.
However, as the leader of Alabasta, Cobra was keenly aware of his own limited power and influence, feeling helpless to challenge the deeply entrenched system of the World Government.
Nevertheless, deep down, Cobra had always harbored a dream for change. He had vaguely sensed that Roy seemed to share similar aspirations, but he never expected the day to arrive so soon, with Roy already having a specific plan.
As Roy slowly revealed his plan, a barely concealed look of surprise flickered in Cobra's eyes.
"But to build a new world order, relying solely on you, Roy, is probably... even with your abilities, facing the World Government, it still seems far from enough."
Cobra spoke with a hint of hesitation and concern.
Hearing this, Roy's lips curled into a confident smile.
"Cobra, I'm certainly not fighting alone."
"Then, who else?"
Cobra's voice trembled slightly with excitement.
"Vice Admiral Garp has already joined."
Roy's words sent shockwaves through Cobra's heart.
Garp, revered as the "Hero of the Marines"—if he was on Roy's side, it meant that nearly half of Marine Headquarters could be considered as having already switched allegiance.
Cobra pondered silently that if Roy could secure the support of a few more heavyweight figures, perhaps the entire Marine force could be redirected to become a powerful asset.