The desert sun hung mercilessly above Alabasta.
Another sweltering day settled over the kingdom, baking the endless dunes beneath a cloudless sky. Villages struggled through another morning without rain, while rumors of rebellion continued to spread from one town to the next.
Amid the kingdom's slow descent toward chaos...
The ART Pirates quietly carried out Arthur's plan.
...
The royal capital of Alubarna remained as lively as ever.
Market stalls lined the broad stone streets beneath rows of date palms, while merchants eagerly called out to passing travelers. At first glance, the city appeared peaceful, almost untouched by the hardships surrounding it.
Yet beneath that calm surface...
Something had changed.
Koala glanced toward a nearby public square where dozens of townspeople had gathered around a freshly posted notice.
"The rebels attacked another supply convoy..."
"...Again?"
"They're getting closer every day."
Several worried voices drifted through the crowd before gradually fading into uneasy silence.
Sugar stood beside a fruit vendor, happily enjoying a cup of fruit pudding.
"I don't care what anyone says."
She took another bite.
"This city has the best desserts."
Koala laughed softly.
"I thought you hated the desert."
"I still do."
Sugar pointed her spoon toward the frozen treat in her hand.
"But this almost makes up for it."
A few steps behind them, Kuina silently observed the people moving through the square.
Most continued with their daily routines.
Buying food.
Carrying water.
Opening shops.
Living as though everything was perfectly normal.
But their conversations always drifted back to the same subject.
"The king can't stop the rebellion."
"I heard another village joined them."
"Thank goodness Sir Crocodile is still protecting us."
"If not for him..."
"...Alabasta would've fallen long ago."
Kuina remained silent.
As they continued walking, the three eventually reached a small open plaza where several children were playing together beneath the shade of a large palm tree.
At first, it looked like an ordinary game.
Then Sugar slowed her steps.
"...What are they doing?"
Koala followed her gaze.
One group of children wrapped old blankets around their shoulders, pretending to be royal soldiers. Another group wielded wooden sticks as makeshift weapons, shouting that they were rebels.
Standing between them was a boy with a golden hook strapped to his left arm, carved crudely from a piece of wood.
"I'm Sir Crocodile!"
He charged forward with exaggerated confidence.
"I'll save the kingdom!"
The other children immediately cheered.
"Sir Crocodile wins!"
"The hero wins again!"
Laughter filled the plaza.
Even the children pretending to be rebels threw themselves dramatically onto the ground before bursting into giggles.
Sugar watched the scene in silence.
"...Even the children."
Koala slowly nodded.
"They don't just trust him."
"They admire him."
Kuina's gaze never left the laughing children.
"No." Her voice remained calm.
"They've already built their future around him."
None of them spoke after that.
The laughter of children echoed behind them as they continued down the avenue, leaving the small plaza behind.
...
While the capital slowly placed its faith in a manufactured hero...
Another group arrived at the city where that illusion had been carefully built.
Rainbase.
Unlike the villages scattered across Alabasta, the city felt almost untouched by the kingdom's suffering.
Elegant fountains sparkled beneath the afternoon sun. Palm trees swayed gently around crystal-clear pools.
Luxurious hotels towered above crowded streets, their balconies overflowing with flowers that should never have survived in the middle of the desert.
Visitors laughed.
Musicians performed.
Merchants advertised expensive perfumes and imported wines.
It felt less like a city struggling through a drought...
And more like an oasis overflowing with endless prosperity.
Baccarat let out a low whistle.
"Now this..." She smiled as her eyes wandered across the lavish boulevard.
"...is my kind of city."
Hancock glanced toward one of the overflowing fountains.
"Strange." Monet quietly followed her gaze.
"The rest of the kingdom is running out of water."
She looked across another canal winding through the streets.
"But here... they have more than enough."
No one answered.
They all understood the same thing. A city this prosperous could not exist without someone ensuring it remained that way.
At the center of Rainbase stood the largest building in the entire city.
Rain Dinners.
Its enormous golden dome reflected the afternoon sunlight like a second sun rising above the desert. Marble staircases led toward towering bronze doors, while countless visitors flowed in and out beneath banners bearing the symbol of the famous casino.
"So this is Rain Dinners." Baccarat's smile widened.
"I've heard stories."
"They didn't do it justice."
The three entered together. The atmosphere changed instantly. Music echoed beneath a magnificent glass ceiling.
Rows of gaming tables stretched farther than the eye could see.
Roulette wheels spun endlessly.
Cards shuffled.
Coins clinked.
Dealers welcomed wealthy guests with flawless smiles.
It was a world built upon greed...
Beautiful enough to make anyone forget the kingdom outside its walls.
Baccarat's eyes sparkled.
"Just one game." She raised both hands before either of them could object.
"I promise."
"You've already decided." Hancock sighed.
"I absolutely have."
She disappeared toward the gaming tables without another word. Hancock simply shook her head before taking a seat near one of the elegant cafés overlooking the casino floor.
Monet remained standing. Her eyes drifted across the crowd. She wasn't interested in gambling. She was watching people.
A well-dressed man in a black suit approached one of the dealers. They exchanged only a few quiet words. The dealer gave an almost imperceptible nod. The man walked away.
Minutes later...
Another man wearing nearly identical clothing arrived from a different direction.
The same exchange.
The same nod.
The same destination.
Monet's eyes narrowed slightly.
Neither man headed toward the gaming tables.
Instead...
Both disappeared into the same quiet corridor tucked behind a row of decorative pillars.
Moments later...
A third followed.
Then a fourth.
Always alone.
Never together.
Never returning.
Monet remained perfectly still.
"...Found your trail." She didn't follow him.
Not yet.
Instead, she calmly memorized every face...
Every route...
Every detail.
Because sometimes...
The first step toward uncovering a secret...
Was learning how patiently it hid itself.
...
Inside Rain Dinners, time seemed to move differently.
Beyond the dazzling lights and cheerful music, the casino continued welcoming countless guests from every corner of the Grand Line. Wealthy merchants laughed over overflowing stacks of chips, travelers celebrated their fortunes, while others silently watched years of savings disappear beneath the spin of a roulette wheel.
To most visitors...
Rain Dinners was simply the greatest casino in Paradise.
To Monet...
It had become something else entirely.
She remained where she was, casually observing the corridor hidden behind the decorative pillars. Every few minutes another well-dressed individual disappeared into it, each arriving separately, never acknowledging the others.
Too disciplined.
Too deliberate.
Far too organized to be ordinary casino staff.
Without taking her eyes off the corridor, Monet casually reached for the tiny Den Den Mushi concealed inside her handbag.
"Click."
"Arthur."
The miniature snail immediately mimicked Arthur's calm expression.
"I'm listening."
"I've found something." A brief pause followed.
"What kind of something?"
"A pattern."
Monet continued watching the corridor as another suited man vanished behind it.
"Different people."
"Different arrival times."
"They all enter the same hallway."
"...None of them return."
Silence answered for a moment.
Then Arthur spoke.
"Observe."
"Nothing more."
"You believe it's Baroque Works?"
"I do."
"Good."
The Den Den Mushi smiled faintly.
"Keep watching."
"Click."
The line went dead.
Monet slipped the tiny snail back into her handbag before calmly walking away from the corridor.
There was no reason to rush.
People trying to hide secrets often revealed more when they believed nobody had noticed them.
...
Nearly an hour passed.
Baccarat eventually returned carrying several small bags filled with prizes she had exchanged for casino chips.
"I may have gotten a little lucky."
"A little?" Hancock glanced at the bags.
"I know when to stop." Baccarat smiled innocently.
"You mean when the casino starts losing money."
"I prefer to call it good manners."
Even Hancock couldn't suppress a small smile.
"I found something." Monet finally rejoined them.
The relaxed atmosphere immediately faded.
"What is it?" Hancock asked.
Monet gave a concise account of everything she had observed inside Rain Dinners, emphasizing the hidden entrance and the disciplined movements of its agents.
Hancock listened without interrupting.
When Monet finished, Baccarat folded her arms thoughtfully.
"So..."
"You think that's their headquarters?"
"Part of it."
Monet shook her head.
"No organization this large would place everything behind a single hallway."
"It's probably only an entrance."
"Exactly."
Hancock rose from her chair.
"Then let's confirm it."
The three walked casually across the casino floor, blending effortlessly into the crowd.
They weren't hiding. They simply looked like wealthy visitors wandering through one of Rain Dinners' countless attractions.
As they approached the corridor, Monet slowed slightly.
"Don't look directly."
"Just keep walking."
Neither Hancock nor Baccarat turned their heads. Only their eyes shifted. Two men stood nearby pretending to converse.
Neither wore armor.
Neither carried visible weapons.
Yet both continuously watched the surrounding crowd.
Security.
Monet continued forward. At the end of the corridor stood nothing more than an elegant marble wall decorated with an enormous painting depicting the oasis of Rainbase.
No doors.
No staircases.
No visible passage.
Nothing.
"...Interesting," Hancock murmured.
Monet stopped only long enough to admire the painting like any ordinary tourist before calmly turning away.
"There's definitely something here."
They continued walking until they reached another café overlooking the gaming floor.
Only after taking their seats did Baccarat quietly ask,
"So... what's the plan?"
"We wait." Monet stirred her tea absentmindedly.
"...That's it?" Baccarat blinked.
"If we investigate now..."
"...they'll know they've been discovered."
Hancock nodded in agreement.
"Arthur would've said the same."
Monet looked back toward the distant corridor.
"They've spent years building this organization."
"They won't become careless in a single afternoon."
Another suited man disappeared behind the hidden entrance.
Then another.
Always alone.
Always patient.
Monet smiled faintly.
"So are we."
...
Meanwhile...
Several streets away, Arthur, Robin, and Baby-5 arrived at a modest hotel overlooking one of Rainbase's quieter canals.
The city felt entirely different from the rest of Alabasta. Water flowed freely through narrow stone channels. Palm trees cast long shadows across polished walkways. Even the evening breeze carried a welcome coolness absent from the surrounding desert.
"It's difficult to believe this city belongs to the same kingdom." Robin rested one arm against the balcony overlooking the canal below.
"That's exactly what Crocodile wanted." Arthur stepped beside her.
Robin and Baby-5 remained silent. Below them, gondolas drifted lazily across the water while laughter echoed from restaurants lining the opposite bank.
A paradise. Built in the middle of a dying nation.
A soft knock came at the door. Baby-5 opened it. Monet, Hancock, and Baccarat entered. No one wasted time on greetings. Monet spread a rough sketch across the table.
"I believe I've located one of Baroque Works' entrances."
Arthur studied the sketch in silence as Monet gave a concise report.
She described the hidden corridor, the rotating guards, and the suspicious flow of well-dressed agents disappearing into the same passage.
When she finished, the room fell silent.
Finally, Hancock broke the silence.
"We can destroy it tonight."
"They'll never expect an attack." Baccarat nodded.
Robin also looked toward Arthur. He calmly rolled up the sketch before placing it back on the table.
"No." The answer came without hesitation.
"We know where they are." Monet frowned slightly.
"Exactly." Arthur folded his hands.
"And that's precisely why we leave them alone."
No one spoke.
Arthur's gaze shifted toward the window, where the lights of Rain Dinners shimmered across the canal.
"Baroque Works has spent years gathering every criminal, spy, mercenary, and assassin Crocodile could find."
"If we destroy the organization today..."
"...those people won't disappear."
"They'll scatter."
"They'll hide."
"They'll build another network somewhere else."
Robin slowly understood.
"But if they stay together..."
Arthur nodded.
"We know exactly where they are."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Sometimes..."
"The easiest enemy to defeat..."
"...is the one who believes he's still hidden."
Silence settled over the room.
Outside...
The lights of Rain Dinners continued to shine brilliantly against the desert night.
Unaware...
That someone had already discovered the kingdom hidden beneath the kingdom.
...
Deep beneath the glittering lights of Rain Dinners...
The underground headquarters of Baroque Works remained as quiet as ever.
Dozens of agents moved efficiently through narrow corridors carved beneath the casino, carrying documents, coded messages, and reports between hidden offices. Every operation continued exactly as it had for years.
Disciplined.
Orderly.
Invisible.
At the very center of the underground complex, Crocodile sat alone behind his desk, lazily reading through another stack of reports while smoke drifted upward from the cigar between his fingers.
A sharp knock echoed against the iron door.
"Come in."
The door opened.
One of Baroque Works' intelligence agents hurried inside before dropping to one knee.
"Mr. 0."
"What is it?"
"The ART Pirates."
Crocodile looked up.
"What about them?"
"The three women who entered Rain Dinners today."
"They spent hours inside the casino."
The agent swallowed.
"They never caused trouble."
"They never gambled for long."
"They mostly observed."
Crocodile remained silent.
"They were especially interested in the eastern corridor."
The tapping of Crocodile's fingers stopped.
"...Did they discover anything?"
"We don't believe so."
"They left shortly afterward."
Another long silence followed.
The agent lowered his head.
"Should we eliminate them?"
"No."
Crocodile answered immediately.
"If Arthur wanted information..."
"...he wouldn't send subordinates."
The room grew quiet once more.
Crocodile slowly leaned back in his chair.
"Where is Arthur now?"
"Our men confirmed he checked into a hotel overlooking the eastern canal."
"...Alone?"
"With Nico Robin and Baby-5."
Crocodile extinguished his cigar inside the crystal ashtray before standing.
"I'll pay him a visit."
The agent's eyes widened.
"Personally?"
"If Arthur truly came here without hostile intentions..."
"...I'd like to hear it from the man himself."
Without another word, Crocodile picked up the golden hook resting beside his chair and walked toward the exit.
Every agent he passed instinctively stepped aside.
None dared ask another question.
...
Night gradually settled over Rainbase.
The dazzling lights of the casino reflected across the canals winding through the city, turning the water into ribbons of shimmering gold. Music drifted through the warm evening air as wealthy visitors continued celebrating another profitable night.
Inside a quiet hotel overlooking the canal...
Arthur sat beside the open window with a cup of freshly brewed tea.
Robin occupied the sofa nearby, calmly turning another page of the ancient journal she had purchased earlier that afternoon.
Baby-5 carefully cleaned one of her rifles beneath the soft glow of an oil lamp.
None of them spoke.
The silence felt comfortable.
Then...
Three slow knocks echoed through the room.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
Arthur calmly lifted his teacup.
"The door isn't locked."
Robin looked up from her book.
Baby-5 set the knives aside without a word.
The handle slowly turned.
The door opened.
A tall man wearing a dark fur-lined coat stepped inside.
A golden hook gleamed beneath the lamplight.
His sharp eyes immediately met Arthur's.
For several seconds...
Neither man spoke.
Crocodile was the first to break the silence.
"So..."
"The Uncrowned Emperor."
"Please." Arthur gestured toward the empty chair across from him.
Crocodile glanced at the chair before accepting the invitation.
"I expected something less... civilized."
"I dislike unnecessary violence." Arthur poured another cup of tea.
The answer earned a faint smirk.
"So I've heard."
Arthur slid the teacup across the table.
Crocodile accepted it without hesitation.
"I'll ask directly."
"Why are you in Alabasta?"
"I enjoy traveling." Arthur took another sip.
"I've met liars before." Crocodile chuckled.
"So have I."
The room fell quiet again.
Outside...
The sounds of music and laughter drifted faintly through the open window.
Neither man seemed to notice.
Crocodile finally leaned forward.
"You know what's happening in this kingdom."
"You know far too much."
Arthur neither confirmed nor denied it.
"So tell me."
"Have you come to stop me?"
"No." Arthur met his gaze.
"No?" Crocodile frowned almost imperceptibly.
"If I intended to stop you..." Arthur gently placed his teacup onto the table.
"...Rainbase would've disappeared before I ever checked into this hotel."
The words were spoken so calmly...
That they sounded less like a threat...
And more like a simple statement of fact.
For the first time since entering the room...
Crocodile's expression became completely serious.
Arthur continued.
"I have no interest in your ambitions."
"No interest in your organization."
"No interest in your title."
His gaze remained unwavering.
"But if you harm even one member of my crew..."
"...there won't be enough sand left in this desert to bury what's left of Rainbase."
Silence.
Heavy.
Absolute.
Without warning...
The air itself changed.
A crushing pressure descended upon the room.
The oil lamp flickered violently.
Tiny cracks spread across the porcelain teacup in front of Crocodile.
The wooden floor groaned.
Outside the window, the surface of the canal rippled without a single gust of wind.
Robin quietly closed her book.
Baby-5 continued polishing her knives as though nothing unusual had happened.
Neither reacted.
They had experienced this countless times before.
Crocodile had not.
Every instinct that had kept him alive throughout the Grand Line screamed the same warning.
Do not fight this man.
It lasted only a heartbeat.
Then...
The invisible pressure vanished.
"Were you saying something?" Arthur calmly picked up his tea once more.
Crocodile remained perfectly still.
Slowly...
A faint smile returned to his face.
"So that's the difference..." He stood.
"I appreciate the warning."
"And I appreciate intelligent people." Arthur nodded once.
Crocodile turned toward the door.
Just before leaving, he stopped.
"If you truly aren't here for me..."
"...then perhaps we can ignore each other."
Arthur looked out across the moonlit canal.
"I'd prefer that."
Without another word...
Crocodile left.
The door closed softly behind him.
For several moments...
No one inside the room spoke.
"You let him walk away." Robin finally looked toward Arthur.
"He made the right decision." Arthur smiled faintly.
...
Outside the hotel...
The warm desert breeze carried the sounds of Rain Dinners through the night.
Crocodile stepped into the quiet street. He lit another cigar. His hand remained perfectly steady. Only after the first plume of smoke drifted into the air did he quietly speak.
"Cancel every operation involving the ART Pirates."
"Mr. 0?" The intelligence agent standing nearby blinked in surprise.
"Until I understand why Arthur came to Alabasta..."
"...no one touches them."
"Yes, Mr. 0." The agent immediately bowed.
Far above them...
The moon hung silently over the Kingdom of Sand.
Two of the strongest pirates in the world had just met.
No weapons had been drawn.
No blood had been spilled.
Yet both understood exactly where the line had been drawn.
...
Far beyond Alabasta's western coast...
A weathered caravel sailed steadily toward the kingdom beneath a sky filled with stars. A sheep-shaped figurehead cut cleanly through the calm sea.
On the bow...
A young man wearing a straw hat grinned as he looked toward the faint outline of the desert kingdom on the horizon.
"We're almost there!"
"Finally..." Usopp collapsed against the railing.
"I thought we'd never escape that stupid weather."
Nami unfolded the Log Pose with a relieved sigh.
"According to this..."
"...Alabasta is only a few hours away."
Standing beside the mast...
Princess Vivi looked toward the distant shoreline, hope quietly returning to her eyes.
She had no idea...
That while they sailed toward the kingdom hoping to save it...
Another story had already begun.
And somewhere beyond the moonlit sea...
Arthur stood silently on the hotel balcony, watching the same horizon.
His lips curved into a faint smile.
"Don't keep history waiting..."
"...Luffy."
The desert wind carried away his words.
By tomorrow...
The waiting would finally be over.