The entire sea is caught up in turbulence.
No one knows the winds of the world are slowly blowing towards Alabasta.
However, this ancient desert kingdom is also suffering from disaster, with many places having gone years without rain.
The fields within the desert oasis are parched all over, and occasionally pirates emerge from the coast and rivers to plunder the kingdom's people.
The root of all these disasters is that the King of Alabasta, Nefertari Cobra, selfishly used Dancing Powder to artificially produce rain, causing all the kingdom's rain to fall on Albana, resulting in drought throughout the rest of the kingdom.
Due to King Cobra's selfish actions, a group of citizens spontaneously began to show signs of rebellion, organizing a rebel army to overthrow the king, even some of the royal army chose to join the rebel army.
Royal army, rebel army, drought, pirates.
The entire Alabasta Kingdom is in chaos.
Larowana.
In this town in Alabasta, a group of pirates have just landed, shouting about wanting to steal treasures from here.
Fortunately.
A figure descended from the sky!
The person's face has a horizontal scar, he is wearing a dark coat, with a cigar in his mouth, and a golden hook like a scorpion on his left hand.
Even though he seems like trouble from his appearance, even scarier than the pirates, he took the initiative to help the townsfolk deal with the pirates.
"Crocodile!"
"Crocodile!"
The people of Larowana spontaneously cheered his name, looking in admiration at the figure who resolved the pirates and left alone!
As for the royal army who arrived belatedly to deal with the pirates, they could only watch helplessly as this occurred, once again arriving a step too late compared to Crocodile.
Crocodile, a pirate under the Seven Warlords of the Sea sanctioned by the World Government, acting like a Guardian God of Alabasta, always a step ahead to help citizens deal with invading pirates, earning him the trust and support of the people of Alabasta.
"Hmm..."
Crocodile left the town, carrying a bag of treasures, a contemptuous smile on his lips, unsure if mocking the weakness of the pirates or the foolishness of the townsfolk, heading back to his base.
Rainbase.
This is Alabasta's oasis city.
Because it's extremely wealthy, this city is called 'Dream City,' most of Alabasta's casinos are located in Rainbase, with the largest one called Rain Dinners, which serves as Crocodile's long-term base.
Similarly.
This is also the true base of Baroque Works.
A woman, wearing a top hat and dressed smartly, smiled upon seeing Crocodile's return.
"Back from the performance?"
"Ah, a bunch of fools..."
Crocodile puffed a smoke ring casually with a cigar: "Every time we deliberately let pirates plunder towns, then I deal with those pirates, now my reputation in Alabasta should be higher than the king's, right?"
"About right..."
The woman in the top hat nodded with a smile, placing a stack of portraits in front of him: "Although this performance is smooth, there will still be some troublesome figures coming to mess it up..."
The stack of portraits is exactly of the Straw Hat Pirates.
The Straw Hat Pirates destroyed Baroque Works' bases at Whiskey Peak, then thwarted Baroque Works' attack attempts at Ancient Island Mini Garden.
Now…
The Straw Hat Pirates are heading straight to Alabasta.
The Straw Hat Pirates' captain, Monkey D. Luffy, only has a bounty of thirty million Belly but has already defeated several high-ranking officers of Baroque Works under Crocodile's command, including powerful Devil Fruit Users like Mr. 3.
Moreover, the Straw Hat Pirates have learned from Alabasta's princess Nefertari Vivi, that the mastermind behind Baroque Works is none other than Crocodile himself, and have also discovered Crocodile's covert actions in Alabasta.
Undoubtedly.
The Straw Hat Pirates, newcomers to the Grand Line, are coming to Alabasta with the intention of challenging Crocodile, the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
"Straw Hat brat, huh?"
Crocodile puffed out smoke casually, not at all concerned about them: "Since they're coming to Alabasta to die, I won't have to continue chasing them..."
"Perhaps they're more troublesome than we imagine."
The woman in the top hat looked at the arrogant Seven Warlords of the Sea, reminding Crocodile about Baroque Works.
"Firstly, in order to complete the plan to seize Alabasta, all members of Baroque Works are converging here, the high-ranking officers who failed to attack the Straw Hat Pirates at Whiskey Peak and Ancient Island Mini Garden, Mr. 5, Mr. 3, Miss Golden Week, have been abandoned by you, now we only have high-ranking officers Mr. 4, Mr. 2, and Mr. 1..."
"I know."
Crocodile was indifferent and unconcerned about those cadres who lost to the Straw Hat Pirates, grinning to reveal a cruel smile: "There's no need to keep failed trash, aren't there two hundred substitute cadres, just pick some to replace them..."