After beating each other black and blue, Luffy and Tom finally called it quits. The two of them wanted to lead their groups of Kung Fu Dugongs across the desert, both brimming with fighting spirit and loudly declaring they wouldn't lose to the other, which got the dugongs all riled up, raising their arms and cheering as if heading into battle.
Just as Luffy and Tom were about to see who could lead their dugong disciples across the desert first, Vivi and Nami stopped them.
"Are you two idiots? With that many dugongs, no city will let us enter!"
"That's right. And Kung Fu Dugongs can't cross the desert anyway."
Nami and Vivi both tried to dissuade the two fools from bringing the dugongs along.
Upon hearing Nami and Vivi's words, the Kung Fu Dugongs all put on pitiful expressions, clinging tightly to their masters, rubbing their cute faces against their legs in reluctance.
Seeing the adorable, pitiful state of the dugongs, Nami and Vivi's hearts softened instantly. They felt as if they were doing something cruel. Having firmly opposed Luffy and Tom just moments ago, they now didn't know what to do.
Fortunately, Chopper came up with a solution: he gave meat to the dugongs.
As soon as the dugongs saw the meat in Chopper's hands, they immediately abandoned their masters and carried Chopper and the meat away.
"Chopper!"
Usopp watched Chopper being carried further and further away by the dugongs, his jaw dropping in shock.
In the end, Luffy and the others gave a huge pile of meat to the dugongs. Only then did the creatures stop clinging to Luffy and Tom. The dugongs split clearly into two factions, shedding tears and beating war drums as they watched Luffy and the others leave.
Tom hadn't expected the parting to come so quickly. He had just bonded with the dugongs he had taken on as disciples, and now they were separating. He felt a bit reluctant.
But the one in the worst mood wasn't Luffy or Tom, who had just parted with their disciples. It was Sanji.
They hadn't even started crossing the desert—they had only just landed—and already a large amount of food was gone. How could Sanji not be upset?
After walking for some time through the scorching desert, the group arrived at a city called Erumalu.
But this city had already been reduced to ruins. Every building was buried under yellow sand. The entire city was deserted, looking incredibly desolate.
Vivi had said earlier that Erumalu was once known as the "Green City." Until recently, it had been full of greenery and vibrant with life.
But looking at its current state, there was no trace of that past vitality. The people who had once lived peaceful lives were nowhere to be seen.
Clearly, Erumalu had become a lifeless dead city. There was no sense of life here, only an atmosphere of despair everywhere.
"Seeing this city, you should understand what Baroque Works has done to our country, and what kind of misfortune the people of Alabasta are suffering."
Vivi gazed at the lifeless, deserted city devoured by sand. Pain flashed in her eyes. She bit her lip, silent for a long time, before turning to Luffy and the others.
As they walked through the ruined city, Luffy and the others could still see some withered plants. On the surface, they still had a few green leaves.
But when Tom reached out to touch one of those plants—just a light touch—the seemingly living tree slowly crumbled to pieces. A gentle breeze blew, and the withered trunk that had just fallen to the ground turned to dust, scattering in the wind.
If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, no one would have imagined the drought in the Alabasta Kingdom was this severe.
Walking through this dead city, Tom could almost see the people who had once lived here—their smiles slowly fading, replaced by endless despair, until they were finally forced to leave their homeland.
There were also those who had stayed, eventually turning to white bones, buried in the merciless desert.
Erumalu had once been able to store the occasional rainfall, which was how it had maintained its vitality.
But Alabasta hadn't seen a single drop of rain in three years. No matter how resilient the people of Erumalu were, they couldn't hold on any longer.
For three full years, except for the capital Alubarna, every other part of the Alabasta Kingdom had stopped receiving rain entirely. In the country's thousands of years of history, this had never happened before.
The king's residence, the city of Alubarna, had actually seen its rainfall increase. The people of Alabasta called this phenomenon "the king's miracle."
Until one day two years ago, in the port city of Nanohana, something happened. The people there discovered that someone had been transporting Dance Powder to Alubarna. Those transporting the powder claimed they were acting under the king's orders.
Dance Powder, also known as "Rain-Calling Powder," according to Nami, was developed long ago by people in a country that had stopped receiving rain. The powder produced a misty smoke that, when released into the air, could create artificial rain.
After hearing Nami's explanation, Luffy remembered that when he had been separated from Zoro and the others in Nanohana, he had seen smoke coming from a chimney in the desert. Thinking it was a restaurant, he had run over and found some pale green powder inside. He had tried eating a few mouthfuls.
Finding the powder disgusting, Luffy had thrown it into the fire beneath the chimney to burn.
Then, walking out of the house, Luffy discovered that the previously clear sky had started to rain. He had been amazed at the time, marveling that the pale green powder was some kind of miracle substance.
But when Luffy mentioned he had eaten Dance Powder, no one seemed to believe him, which made him angry. Then Tom patted his shoulder and said, "I believe you. You eat bugs, so eating Dance Powder isn't strange."
"You really get me! I think bugs taste way better than that miracle powder."
Luffy said happily.
Usopp found it strange. If Dance Powder could really bring rain, it would be a lifesaver for Alabasta. So why was the drought still so severe?
According to Nami's explanation, the people who invented the powder were so happy they danced, which is why it was called Dance Powder. But the powder had a major drawback.
When Dance Powder was used, neighboring areas would experience severe drought. The powder artificially accelerated the growth of small clouds that would have naturally drifted elsewhere to become rain clouds, effectively stealing rain that would have fallen on neighboring countries.
This often led to wars between countries, so the World Government prohibited its use worldwide.
Dance Powder could be said to bring both happiness and demons.
Two years ago, when large quantities of Dance Powder were discovered being transported to the capital, Alabasta was already experiencing an abnormal climate where only the king's city received rain.
Thus, two years ago, the Alabasta Kingdom saw its first large-scale uprising. Many people believed the king had used Dance Powder, causing the drought elsewhere. Their anger was understandable.
"What?!"
When Luffy heard that the people suspected the king of using Dance Powder, he immediately shouted accusingly, "Vivi! That's your dad's fault!"
"Idiot. He was framed."
Sanji kicked Luffy in the head. "Vivi's father would never do something like that!"
Vivi's father truly didn't know that the rain in Alubarna was due to Dance Powder. But unfortunately, after the incident in Nanohana came to light, someone soon discovered large amounts of Dance Powder in the king's palace as well.
Even if the king tried to explain, few were willing to believe him.
This showed that even the king's palace had been infiltrated.
As they walked, Luffy and the others came to a path crisscrossed with ravines. The ravines were deep and didn't look like paths meant for walking.
At first, Sanji wondered what this path was for, but Vivi soon cleared up everyone's confusion.
The unusual path ahead was once a canal that brought water from the Sandora River into the city. It was clear that this canal had also been deliberately destroyed. Without the canal, Erumalu could no longer guarantee its water supply.
No matter how much the people prayed, not a drop of rain fell from the sky. Eventually, even the wells that had never dried up became dead wells.
After the Dance Powder incident, the people's trust in the king eroded further. Everything was developing according to Crocodile's plan. Eventually, war broke out. People affected by the conflict fled to other oases in search of water and to escape the fighting.
More and more cities were abandoned. Within Alabasta, cities like Erumalu, once oases turned to ruins, were growing in number.
"If this continues, more Green Cities will disappear from this country."
As Vivi spoke, her fair face could not hide her sadness. Her concerns were valid. As oases dwindled, the people's lives would become harder, and the rebellion would grow larger. If the situation didn't change soon, Alabasta would eventually see rivers of blood from full-scale war. This was something she could not bear to witness.
Just then, a mournful, weeping sound came from all directions, drifting continuously into everyone's ears. It was as if the city of Erumalu itself were crying, filled with sorrow.
At first, Usopp thought Baroque Works or the Marines had caught up, making all that noise. But after a while, they realized the sound of many people crying together was just the wind—the wind passing through the buildings created a resonance.
"What did my father and the people of this country do to deserve this? Why must the people suffer?"
Vivi knelt before a white skeleton still draped in a robe. Her body trembled slightly, her voice already choked. "We were born in this desert kingdom, constantly fighting against nature, yet those who fought so hard to survive now live in such misery."
"What right does that man have to do this?"
"And he calls himself the people's hero, hiding behind the title of Warlord of the Sea."
"That man has deceived this country, yet no one sees through his schemes!"
"I will never forgive him!"
Vivi, still kneeling, covered her forehead in pain. As she spoke, Luffy angrily punched through the ruins of the city, one building after another, until the sorrowful sound of the wind finally stopped.
It was clear that Luffy was also filled with rage.
"You're so quiet today."
Nami asked Tom softly.
"I was just thinking... what is it I'm supposed to do now that I'm here?"
Tom watched Vivi's trembling shoulders. He remembered seeing Crocodile adored by the people, and he also remembered being targeted by the World Government.
Truth be told, after learning the World Government was after him, Tom felt like a heavy stone was pressing on his chest. Saying he didn't care would be a lie. But he didn't want to burden the others with this now.
Crocodile was already trouble enough.
Nami felt that Tom was different from before. She was about to ask more when Chopper said, "Everyone, watch out! Something's coming!"
"What's wrong, Chopper? You look so serious."
"Now that you mention it, I do hear something."
"Don't tell me it's the wind again?"
Usopp, Zoro, and Ace looked ahead. The wind blowing toward them seemed stronger than before, howling in their ears. From a distance, they could see swirling yellow sand filling the entire sky, creating the illusion of dark clouds gathering before a thunderstorm.
"It's a sandstorm!"
Vivi saw the sudden change in the weather ahead. She jumped up and shouted to Luffy and the others behind her, "Everyone, take cover under the rocks! Or behind the ruins!"
"You just destroyed all the ruins, Luffy!"
"Then find some big rocks!"
Before Zoro and Sanji could finish shouting, the powerful sandstorm swept over them. Countless pieces of rock and sand spun rapidly in the sky. The deafening wind roared without stopping. The whole earth shook violently, as if the mountains were splitting. Faced with such overwhelming natural force, before Luffy and the others could react, they were swept into the air by the sudden sandstorm.
"We—"
"Close your eyes and mouths! We'll be fine!"
Nami felt a warm hand grab hers. She tried to speak, but Tom told her to be quiet. What she didn't know was that when Tom had spoken, he got a mouthful of sand. It was awful.
The wind was fierce. Sand filled the air, making it impossible to open one's eyes. Rocks and debris were picked up by the powerful winds and hurled into them like cannonballs. The pain was intense. But Tom endured it without making a sound. His arms holding Nami were numb. If Nami heard his voice and moved, she might drift away.
No one knew how long it lasted. Tom's robe was torn to shreds. His entire body ached, as if he had been flayed. The merciless wind and sand had left several bloody scratches on his face. But fortunately, the sandstorm had finally stopped.
"Are you okay?"
Tom pulled Nami out from under the sand, half her body buried. He had no idea where the sandstorm had blown them. Looking around, there was nothing but endless yellow sand. The sun was still blazing.
"We've been separated from the others."
Nami shook her head to clear it. She noticed several bloody wounds on Tom and was about to pull him closer when she spotted two more people buried in the sand not far away.
"That's Chopper and... Vivi!"
Tom and Nami ran over quickly and dug the two buried in the sand out.
"Where are we?"
Vivi wasn't sure where they were either. The sandstorm had come so suddenly, it was unexpected.
"I don't smell Luffy or the others nearby."
Chopper sniffed a few times, a puzzled expression on his face. After a few more sniffs, he exclaimed, "I smell other people. But not familiar ones."
"There you are. The Trick-Eye Hunter with the thirty-million Berry bounty."
A slightly cold female voice called out. Then Tom and the others saw a young woman with long, wavy sea-blue hair. She was tall and slender, with delicate features and cherry-pink pupils that gave her an enchanting air.
"Marines?"
Nami, who was bandaging Tom's wounds, noticed the Marine coat draped over the woman's shoulders. Her mind felt muddled. Why would a Marine come alone? Even Smoker brought his men.
"She's... here for you?"
Vivi also noticed the female Marine's target was Tom.
"Stand back."
Tom stood up, signaling Nami and the others to get behind him. The Marine coming for him this time wasn't Captain Hina, but someone he had never seen before. He also noticed the woman wore no decorations on her coat. She seemed to be a new recruit.
Even if she was a Marine with no rank, the fact that she dared to cross the desert alone meant she was no ordinary Marine. Tom had a bad feeling.
Nami had a lot of questions, but she knew this wasn't the time to ask. She stepped back but stayed close to Tom.
"My name is Ain. Once I complete this mission, I can join that man's ranks. So I won't let you escape, Trick-Eye Hunter!"
As Ain spoke, a giant lizard covered in fangs burst out of the desert behind her.
This giant lizard was a dark purple, clearly highly venomous. Its saliva dripped onto the sand, immediately raising smoke and corroding a small hole in the ground. Just as the drooling giant lizard was about to bite Ain, she leaped into the air above it. A pink flame ignited in her right hand.
When Ain's hand touched the fierce giant lizard, it began shrinking rapidly before their eyes. In the blink of an eye, the lizard, which had been as large as several buildings, turned into a creature no bigger than a gecko.
"What did she do?"
"A Devil Fruit user."
"What kind of ability is that?"
Nami, Chopper, and Vivi watched the giant lizard's transformation, their jaws nearly dropping.
"I ate the Revert-Revert Fruit. Anything I touch—whether person or object—I can revert back twelve years."
Ain walked toward Tom as she spoke casually. Her beautiful face showed no emotion, as if what had just happened had nothing to do with her.
"Chopper, I have something important to ask you."
Tom loosened his joints and said to the panicking Chopper beside him, "You're a pirate too, aren't you? Stop panicking over every little thing! You're a man. Now, I need you to get these two women out of here safely. Your nose is sharp. You can find Luffy and the others quickly."
"But... she looks strong!"
Chopper looked at Ain approaching slowly, then at Tom, clearly torn.
"Don't worry. She's alone. So we only need one person to deal with her."
As Tom spoke, he suddenly stepped back quickly, grabbed Nami and Vivi, spun around, and threw them backward. "Run, Chopper! Don't look back. I'll find you after I deal with her."
"Did you forget what you said to me earlier?"
"Why aren't you running with us?!"
Nami's face was pale. She and the anxious Vivi had been thrown onto a camel passing behind them. She tried to urge the camel to turn back, but Chopper, who had shifted into his heavy point form and run over, shouted to the camel, "It's you! We've met before. Please do me another favor. Take them away from here. Now!"
"Letting your useless comrades escape first. Not a bad strategy."
Ain had sped up when Tom turned to throw Nami and Vivi far away. She saw the reindeer and the two women on the camel already some distance away. The pink flames appeared in her right hand again.
"You've got it wrong. They have more important things to do. That's why I didn't want them wasting time here."
Tom turned to face the charging Ain. His jet-black pupils quickly transformed into a dark crimson. "You scared them earlier. Do you want to be buried in this desert?"
"I will erase your very existence from this world, Trick-Eye Hunter!"
Ain stared intently at the man charging toward her. Her cherry-pink pupils and the man's blood-red eyes both radiated killing intent...
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T/N :
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