It was a sudden downpour.
Yet, not a single person sought shelter.
Along with the Royal Army, over two hundred thousand people stood their ground, faces tilted upward, letting the raindrops pelt their skin.
A heavy silence hung over the scene; nothing could be heard except the rhythmic drumming of the rain.
However, because Crocodile had been incessantly using Dance Powder, the moisture in Alubarna's atmosphere had become incredibly scarce. The rain lasted only about three minutes before it ceased.
But those brief three minutes had decided everything.
At that moment, Sean's voice rang out once more in everyone's ears.
"In truth, King Cobra had long ago commissioned the Marine to investigate the cause of the droughts within Alabasta. That investigation is now complete, and the mastermind behind it all is Crocodile."
"He first used Dance Powder in Rainbase, in the west of Alabasta, to intercept the rainfall intended for the other cities in the kingdom, plunging the entire nation into drought."
"Furthermore, he planted rumors claiming that it was King Cobra who used the Dance Powder, causing the kingdom to wither."
"Everything that has happened today was similarly designed to strip the King of his people's trust, preparing the way for Crocodile to seize this country for himself."
"The hero of Alabasta?"
"No—he is the devil of Alabasta!"
"We will proceed with his arrest shortly. Once Crocodile is captured and can no longer use the Dance Powder, rainfall in all regions will gradually return to normal over time."
The people's faces were still wet from the rain when Sean's words hit them.
Suddenly, the plaza erupted. Over two hundred thousand people burst into a thunderous roar of cheers.
The nightmare of Alabasta... was finally over!
High atop the palace roof, a young woman gazed down at the man who was only two years her senior, her eyes shimmering with a strange light.
'''
An hour later.
As the crowds before the palace gradually dispersed, seven men slipped into a narrow alleyway in Alubarna.
Though they dressed simply, appearing as ordinary citizens of Alabasta, they were actually Millionaire agents of Baroque Works.
Right now, panic was written all over their faces.
"There's no way out! What do we do?"
"I don't know! Contact the BOSS first, otherwise, he won't know what's happened here."
"True. According to Sean, the Marine will likely move against the BOSS next!"
"Right, I'll contact him now."
One of them nodded and pulled out a Den Den Mushi.
Before he could even dial, a bolt of lightning flashed through the alley, frying him instantly—charred on the outside and cooked through.
The other six were horrified.
Remembering that Sean had used the power of lightning earlier, they mechanically turned their heads. There, standing at the entrance of the alley, was Sean.
'Hiss...'
'How did he find us?'
'And he followed us all the way here without us noticing a thing!'
'No, how he found us isn't important—the only thing that matters is how to escape!!'
"Run!"
At the shout, the six men bolted, attempting to flee through the other end of the alley.
Unfortunately, there was no way these small fry could escape under Sean's nose.
"Shunpo!"
'Swish! Swish! Swish!'
A figure blurred from behind, weaving through the six men in an instant.
Almost simultaneously, six sprays of blood erupted.
Six more corpses hit the ground.
With everything settled, Sean gave his right hand a sideways flick, shaking the blood off Hekireki before sliding the blade back into its sheath.
"You've been watching from behind for a long time. Don't you think it's time to come out and say hello?"
"When did you notice me?"
A mature female voice suddenly drifted from behind Sean.
"From the very beginning. Before I went to the palace to find Cobra. After all, seeing an arm sprouting from a roof with an eye in the palm... that's not exactly normal, is it?"
"As far as I know, such a bizarre ability only belongs to the Paramecia-type Flower-Flower Fruit. Am I wrong...?"
"Nico Robin?"
As he spoke, Sean turned slowly to face the mature woman who looked to be about twenty-five or twenty-six.
"It seems my journey ends here," Robin said with a self-deprecating, bitter smile.
"Oh? You're not running? Like you used to?"
"Against you... could I even escape?"
"Perhaps I'll show some mercy to a beautiful woman?"
"Would you?"
"Alright, probably not!"
Robin wasn't surprised by the answer. In fact, her hand hidden behind her back had already caught a dagger sliding from her sleeve.
Of course, this wasn't meant for Sean.
She knew perfectly well it would be useless.
"May I ask one last question?"
"Go ahead."
"What will you do with me? Will you hand me over to the World Government?"
She was prepared. The moment Sean said yes, she would end her own life.
If she fell into the hands of the World Government, the misery of her remaining years would be the least of her concerns. The mere fact that she could translate the ancient text meant that if the World Government exploited her, it would lead to an absolute catastrophe.
Whether for her own sake or for the sake of the world, she could not be allowed to fall into the hands of the World Government alive.
"There's no benefit for me in handing you over to the World Government. Besides, you aren't that valuable."
'Eh? How is that not a benefit?' Robin thought.
'If you hand me over as a gesture of loyalty to the World Government, it wouldn't be hard for you to become an Admiral, or even the Fleet Admiral in the future, right?'
'And what do you mean I have no value?'
'I am one of the few people in the world who can translate the ancient text! I might even be the only one!!'
'How do I have no value?'
"Let me tell you some good news," Sean continued. "Actually, I already obtained the blueprints for Pluton—the very thing Crocodile was desperately searching for. But guess what I did once I got them?"
"The Pluton blueprints... what did you do?" Robin asked instinctively, stunned.
"I destroyed them."
"You..."
The blueprints for Pluton? He found them, and he just... destroyed them?
"One more piece of good news. Even without looking at Alabasta's Poneglyph, I already know roughly where that Pluton from 800 years ago is located."
"So, returning to your question: do you have any value to me?"
Robin stood frozen.
She found Sean more and more incomprehensible by the second. Just what was this man's deal?
"Since you don't intend to send me to the World Government, and I have no value to you... does that mean you plan to dispose of me right here, just like you did with them?"
Chapter 116: The Rebels Spiral Out of Control
When he asked this, Nico Robin didn't show a hint of despair. On the contrary, there was a flicker of relief in her eyes.
This took Sean by surprise.
"You're giving up just like that?"
"I only wanted to know the truth of history," Robin replied softly. "But my dream has too many enemies. I... I'm just tired."
"I see. That really is a shame..."
"What do you mean?"
"My adjutant is too capable, and I've been planning to assign him to other responsibilities," Sean explained with a look of mock regret. "However, I didn't have anyone with enough competence to replace him. I wanted to give you a chance, but it seems you're hell-bent on dying."
Sean had given a great deal of thought to how to handle Robin. Although he had read the original story in his previous life, it hadn't been finished. He knew that, eventually, he would need someone by his side who could read the ancient script.
Furthermore, as he had mentioned before, Sean intended to let Lucci stand on his own. With Lucci's abilities, keeping him as a mere adjutant was a waste of talent. The problem was that he lacked any other subordinate capable of filling the role.
The position of adjutant might not require overwhelming combat strength, but it demanded a high level of comprehensive skill—specifically, management. In that regard, there were very few people in the underworld who could compare to Robin. The sheer efficiency with which she managed Baroque Works was testament to her brilliance.
"Aren't you afraid of the World Government if you recruit me?"
"Of course I am," Sean replied. "That's why, until I'm strong enough, you'll have to wear a mask and use a pseudonym."
Robin was incredibly sharp; she immediately understood the implication. Sean wasn't aligned with the World Government. He simply lacked the power to defy them openly right now, but once he achieved that strength...
"And what benefit do I get from being your adjutant?"
"You can study history in peace," Sean countered, "and I will help you find every single Poneglyph."
"I accept!"
"Oh? You aren't even going to ask what the price is?"
"No need. I can bear any price."
"What if I ask you to warm my bed?"
Robin let out a soft chuckle. "Would you really make such a request, little brother Sean? I wouldn't mind at all!"
Sean stared at her. Just two or three minutes ago, she had been resigned to her fate and begging for death. Now, her voice had suddenly turned sultry, and she was flirting with him?
"Enough. Go find a mask, put it on, and then come find me at the palace," Sean said, giving her a sharp look.
"Alright, little brother Sean. But are you sure you don't want me to warm your bed... Hey, why are you running away so fast?"
Once Sean's figure completely vanished, Robin burst into a small laugh.
"Well now... the days ahead might actually be quite interesting. Don't you think so, little brother Sean?"
'''
Not far from the port of Nanohana.
Katreya. This was the headquarters of the rebel army.
"Kohza, something has happened!" Farafara rushed into the tent, shouting to Kohza.
"What is it?"
"News just arrived. The Marines have intervened in Alabasta's Dance Powder incident!"
"What? The Marines intervened? That shouldn't be happening..."
"Kohza, they didn't just intervene. The man who appeared in Alubarna is Sean—Sean Campbell of the East Blue!"
"Isn't he just a branch chief from the East Blue?" Kohza asked, frowning.
The Marine intervention was surprising enough, but even if they had stepped in, he expected a high-ranking officer from Headquarters. Why would it be Sean Campbell?
"Yes, the chief of the Marine 16th Branch. According to the reports, King Cobra had commissioned the Marines to investigate the Dance Powder incident long ago, and they have already uncovered the truth."
"What truth? Give me the details!"
"The person actually using the Dance Powder is Crocodile. His goal was to frame King Cobra and usurp the throne!"
"Crocodile? How is that possible?"
"Kohza, Sean didn't just make claims; he brought evidence. In front of over two hundred thousand people, he displayed the captured members of Baroque Works. One of them is a Devil Fruit user with the Clone-Clone Fruit, which allows them to transform into anyone."
Kohza froze for a moment, then the realization hit him. "The Clone-Clone Fruit... could it be that everything Cobra has done recently..."
"Yes," Farafara confirmed. "According to Sean, all of it was that impostor pretending to be Cobra. The goal was to make the citizens lose all trust in their King."
"Kohza, what do we do? After all, the reason we formed the rebel army was..."
That was the problem. They had rebelled because they believed Cobra used Dance Powder to cause the nationwide drought. They believed Cobra's personality had shifted and become tyrannical. But now, they were being told that the real culprit was Crocodile and that the "tyrant" was a fake.
If that were true, the rebel army no longer had a reason to exist.
"Don't rush. We need to clarify this first—whether it's the truth or just another ploy."
"And if it is the truth?"
"Then we disband the rebels. There's no point in—"
'Bang! Bang!'
Before Kohza could finish his sentence, two gunshots rang out inside the tent. Both bullets found their marks, hitting Kohza and Farafara.
The two looked toward the tent entrance in disbelief. A man and a woman stood there, each holding a pistol. Wisps of blue smoke still curled from the barrels.
"You..."
'Thud.'
Clutching their wounds, they barely managed to utter a few words before collapsing into pools of blood.
Mr. 7 and Miss Father's Day. High-ranking agents of Baroque Works.
"I'll leave the rest to you," the woman whispered.
"Yes, ma'am!"
With the mission complete, the two vanished. Outside the tent, a group of rebels was practicing target shooting. The continuous roar of gunfire provided the perfect cover; no one noticed what had happened inside.
Suddenly, a rebel soldier ran out of the tent, clutching a bleeding arm and screaming.
"This is bad! The leader has been assassinated by the King's men! The killer ran that way! Quick, chase them!"
For a moment, everyone was stunned. But soon, the crowd reacted, charging in the direction the soldier pointed. Others rushed into Kohza's tent.
"A bunch of idiots," the soldier muttered to himself.
He wasn't a rebel. He was one of the Billionss belonging to Baroque Works. Baroque Works had long since planned for this. The moment Kohza became a liability, he was to be eliminated and replaced. After all, several of the rebel officers were already Baroque Works Billionss.
'''
While the rebel camp descended into chaos, in an abandoned village several kilometers away...
"Commander, something has happened at the rebel camp. Word is the King sent assassins to kill their leader, Kohza, and his right-hand, Farafara."
"The entire rebel army is on the verge of spiraling out of control. What should we do?"
A Marine hurried up to Jabra to report.
"Hold on. The situation is still unclear. We'll deal with this after I've reported to the Rear Admiral!"
"Yes, Commander Jabra!"