Another Warlord of the Sea has died?
The expressions of the other four elders changed instantly.
The white-haired, long-bearded elder, Marcus Mars, distributed the latest intelligence report. After everyone had read it, the conference room fell into silence once more.
After a long while, the blonde elder spoke with a grim face:
"Regardless, the Warlord of the Sea system must not be shaken. The top priority now is to fill the vacancy."
The kimono-clad elder, Nasujuro, narrowed his eyes slightly: "What do you mean?"
"Rather than allowing him to continue causing chaos, we should try to recruit him."
The blonde elder closed the file, "The Warlord of the Sea system was established to balance the forces at sea."
"Since he has successively defeated Crocodile and Hanafuda, it proves his strength. Even among all the Warlords of the Sea, he would rank at the top. If we can recruit him as a Warlord of the Sea, he would be a more useful pawn."
"This guy won't bow his head so easily."
Saturn frowned, "In just over a month, he has committed so many atrocities. He must be an ambitious and reckless man. For most Pirates, an invitation to become a Warlord of the Sea is something they would eagerly seek, but for this man, it probably holds little appeal."
"That's precisely why we need to control him."
Nasujuro slowly adjusted his glasses, "I agree with Saturn's opinion. The situation in the New World is tense right now, and we need an Admiral on standby at all times. The Enies Lobby also requires a large number of troops until the reconstruction is complete."
"The Marine Headquarters cannot fully mobilize to suppress him in the short term, and leaving him unchecked will only make the situation more chaotic. If we can restrain him with the position of Warlord of the Sea, we can at least temporarily stabilize the situation."
"What if he directly refuses?" Saturn asked coldly.
"Then we'll have CP0 step in to fill the manpower gap and assist in the suppression."
Nasujuro said indifferently:
"Even if we can't capture him, we must at least force him into the New World. We can't let him continue to wreak havoc in Paradise. Hanafuda was Kaido's close friend. When the Beast Pirates hear that he has appeared in the New World, they won't let him off easily."
"That makes sense. I second the motion."
"I also second the motion."
"Seconded."
"Once the Warlord of the Sea agreement is drafted, who should deliver the invitation?"
"Let that guy handle it…"
In the conference room, the lights flickered.
The five of them spoke one after another, quickly and tacitly reaching a consensus.
————
Meanwhile.
In the side hall of the Alabasta Palace.
"Uncle Cobra, thank you for your generous hospitality tonight."
"A mere banquet is nothing. It is we who should be thanking you."
Cobra leaned against the headboard, his voice weak but his gaze sincere and earnest as he looked at Xiano:
"If it weren't for your intervention, the tragedy at the mouth of the St. Dora River might have been unavoidable. You saved those merchant fleets and the people along the riverbank, and you also preserved the dignity of our royal family."
"Besides, we also owe you our gratitude for the matter with Crocodile."
Cobra smiled bitterly, "That man was plotting to overthrow the royal family, and yet I failed to notice it…"
Huh?
Xiano was surprised: "Uncle, you already knew?"
He hadn't even mentioned it yet.
To avoid making baseless claims, the Sunset had docked at the port of Yuba for a night when they first arrived in Alabasta.
First, to return Pinchy—yes, Robin's turtle—which was rented from a travel agency in this port city.
Second, Robin's private hideout was also here, containing some records of her communications with Crocodile. Handing these over to the royal family would be enough to expose his true nature.
However, it now seemed that retrieving this evidence was unnecessary.
"Yes, Lord Xiano."
Cobra nodded slightly, a complex look flashing in his eyes as he sighed:
"Yes, over the past two days, the guards have searched the entire capital and the areas around Rainbase where Crocodile was once active. They discovered multiple hidden bases, and the various pieces of evidence found within… the true nature of that man they revealed is truly chilling."
"If it weren't for his defeat at the hands of Lord Xiano, the entire nation of Alabasta might have remained in the dark about him, and the consequences would have been unimaginable."
Ah, no wonder.
The royal army is quite efficient.
Indeed, at this point in Alabasta, the rebellion and civil war had not yet begun, and Cobra's control over the country was still at its peak.
Of course, if Crocodile were still alive, the contents of these secret bases would never have been discovered by the guards. At the slightest hint of trouble, they would have been moved.
Moreover, out of trust and affection for this "national hero," Cobra would never have even considered conducting such a search.
But Crocodile was dead.
And he died suddenly. When he went to Whiskey Peak to ambush me, he probably thought it would be a quick and easy task, a simple in-and-out mission.
Yet he never returned, leaving behind a trove of evidence that hadn't been cleared away, which the royal guards eventually uncovered.
"So, Lord Xiano, you have saved our nation from calamity twice!"
"This debt of gratitude, I will remember it forever. From this day forward, you and your companions are eternal benefactors and dear friends of the Kingdom of Alabasta."
Cobra solemnly raised his right hand to his chest, slightly bowing as he performed the highest royal gesture of respect. "Whenever you need assistance, the entire nation of Alabasta will spare no effort to help."
"You're too kind, old man."
Xiano smiled, "But speaking of which, there is indeed something I'd like to discuss with you."
"Please, go ahead," Cobra said eagerly.
Xiano spoke candidly, "Before he died, Crocodile, in a desperate plea for his life, told me many things, including… the Poneglyph that your royal family has been guarding."
"Aside from wanting to overthrow Alabasta and establish his ideal nation, what Crocodile cared about most was that stone, right? After all, it records the location of Pluton."
Cobra was momentarily stunned.
He instinctively looked up, meeting the clear gaze of the black-haired young man, and then nodded with a bitter smile:
"That is indeed the case. It's only natural that you would be interested, but I truly cannot take you to see that legendary ancient weapon. The Poneglyph only records its location. The true body of Pluton is not actually…"
"Not actually in Alabasta, but in Wano Country, under Kaido's control, right?"
"Yes…"
Cobra instinctively nodded, then couldn't help but be startled, "Huh? How do you know?!"
This was a secret that their Nefertari family had guarded for eight hundred generations!
Robin, who had been quietly listening all along, finally couldn't help but turn her head to glance at Xiano at this moment.
"Oh, actually, Pluton was found by Kaido a long time ago. Otherwise, he wouldn't have kept his headquarters right next to it, unwilling to leave."
Xiano blinked and said nonchalantly:
"This was something Hanafuda told me before he died, in order to beg for his life. After all, he was Kaido's good brother and had stayed in the Land of Wano."
This was naturally a lie.
It was true that Pluton was buried beneath the Land of Wano, and Kaido must have known about it by now.
But no matter what, Kaido wouldn't easily tell Hanafuda, an outsider, and Hanafuda wouldn't tell him either.
However...
Someone had to take the blame.
After all, the dead can't speak, and he had long since mastered the art of lying without batting an eye.
"Kaido already knows?"
Cobra's face instantly turned pale. He struggled to sit up, his voice trembling, "This... how could this be..."
If the true form of Pluton had already been found, then what was the point of the secret they had guarded for so long?
Xiano shrugged:
"That's the reality. In any case, no one can say for sure when the true form of Pluton will emerge or how long you can keep guarding this secret. But this stone, staying in Alabasta, will only continue to attract those who covet it, bringing disaster to this country. It's better to cut it off at the source and hand it over to me directly. What do you think?"
"Huh?"
Cobra looked puzzled.
Ambitious individuals like Crocodile went to great lengths to find this Poneglyph, all for the information about Pluton recorded on it.
But Lord Xiano here already knew all these secrets clearly.
So what use could this Poneglyph itself have?
"Because I have no interest in Pluton at all. What I really want is the stone itself."
Xiano seemed to sense his confusion and laughed heartily, "Uncle, don't you think something that has existed for hundreds of years and can't be destroyed would make a great training tool?"
"Training tool?"
Cobra was utterly astonished.
This was the first time he had heard someone describe the Poneglyph in such terms.
But thinking about it, it made sense.
For someone like him, who was already at the pinnacle of the seas, even the thickest steel plate probably couldn't satisfy him. No wonder he had his eyes on the Poneglyph itself.
He lowered his head, pondering for a moment.
"I understand."
Cobra looked at Xiano solemnly:
"If it truly helps with your strength progression, then please take it. While this cannot repay your kindness, it is the only thing I can do for you now. If it can indeed aid in your strength improvement, then that would be the best outcome."
Before this meeting.
The black-haired young man before him had already proven his character through his actions.
Now, having this open and honest conversation with him further confirmed this.
Otherwise, he could just take it by force. Having personally killed two Warlords of the Sea, who in the entire capital of Alabasta could possibly stop him if he truly wanted to do something?
He was more than happy to see such a strong individual grow even stronger.
He even naively hoped that there would be more powerful figures like Xiano.
Perhaps it wouldn't bring much change to this era, but… for the people struggling to survive in this chaotic and turbulent time, it would still be a good thing.
————
Half an hour later.
In the underground chamber of the funeral hall.
In the dimly lit stone room, a massive, square stone stele stood quietly.
Under the flickering firelight, the ancient characters on the surface of the stele gleamed with a cold, metallic sheen, as if recounting the eight hundred years of history.
Robin stood before the stele, her fingertips gently tracing the familiar characters.
These characters, which she had seen countless times in the Ohara documents, were now right before her eyes, giving her a surreal sense of déjà vu.
"The Poneglyph…"
She murmured softly, her voice echoing in the empty stone chamber.
After more than a decade of haunting dreams and relentless pursuit, had the first step been achieved so easily?
Although the historical information recorded on it had already been mostly revealed in the conversation between the Captain and Cobra, and it all matched up…
But.
This was the actual Poneglyph itself.
Was it really this easy to collect?
The dream that had been buried deep in her heart, something she thought she could never hope for in her lifetime, now seemed not so far out of reach.
She glanced at Xiano across from her, silent and contemplative.
...
Xiano had no idea about the twists and turns in Robin's heart.
At this moment, he stood on the other side, running his hand over the smooth, cool surface of the stele, a look of keen interest on his face.
A completely unfamiliar texture—indeed, the material was special!
Well, might as well give it a try.
He took two steps back, adjusted his breathing, clenched his fist, and instantly wrapped it in Armament Haki before delivering a powerful punch!
Boom—!
A dull impact reverberated through the underground chamber, the entire stone room shaking violently as dust fell from the ceiling.
Yet, the Poneglyph remained unmoved. Not even a dent or a single crack appeared on its surface.
Huh!
Even though Xiano had mentally prepared himself, he couldn't help but be surprised.
This punch, seemingly ordinary, carried significant force, and he had even used the technique of Internal Destruction.
Even a thick steel plate would have been completely shattered from the inside out under such a blow.
But here?
The surging Armament Haki that had erupted from his fist was swallowed up like mud sinking into the sea, disappearing without a trace and leaving no impact on the massive stone.
Xiano grinned.
What a treasure!
This trip to the capital was definitely worth it!
The Hanafuda, transformed into a Tyrannosaurus, was undoubtedly an excellent punching bag.
But compared to this Poneglyph, it was completely overshadowed.
Clearly, this thing would serve as an excellent training tool for a long time, helping him further enhance the strength of his Armament Haki and refine his physical body.
As for completely destroying it? That was probably wishful thinking. Even Imu might not be able to do it.
Otherwise, the Poneglyphs scattered across the world would have been destroyed long ago.
But when could he leave a noticeable mark on it? That would prove his Haki and physical strength had undergone a transformation, reaching a more terrifying level.
"Tsk," he suddenly clicked his tongue in admiration. "Such a good thing, why haven't I seen others use it properly before?"
Leaving aside cultivation for now.
Those strange Devil Fruit Ability Users, combined with the Poneglyphs, should have a lot of potential in actual combat, right?
Maybe they couldn't cut or manipulate it, but using it as a weapon would probably be pretty fierce.
Take Golden Lion, for example. If he prepared a few Poneglyphs and had them floating around him, wouldn't that be the strongest armor? What attack couldn't it block?
Even if Garp and Sengoku teamed up to punch it a few more times, could they break through its defense?
Xiano pondered for a moment.
If his strength improved further in the future, and he could leave convenient handholds on it, wouldn't it be pretty fierce to swing it around like a meteor hammer?
But that was all for later.
The most important thing now was to take this thing back to the Sunset.
He crouched down, his hands gripping the base of the stone tablet, his muscles bulging.
"Up!"
With a low shout, the massive Poneglyph was forcefully lifted from its pedestal and easily hoisted onto his shoulder.
Hmm, it's not that heavy, at least not compared to Hanafuda.
From the capital to the riverbank, although the distance wasn't short—a full hundred kilometers—with his stamina, carrying it all the way shouldn't be a problem.
"Let's go, Robin!"
Robin watched Xiano's back as he carried the stone tablet, then glanced back at the empty stone chamber, shaking her head with a light laugh.
Back when Xiano had invited her onto the ship on the turtle's back, saying he was also very interested in the Poneglyphs and that their goals aligned, she had thought it was just a comforting lie he'd made up on the spot.
Who could have guessed that it was actually true?
Except…
Except Xiano's interest in the Poneglyphs was a bit absurd, slightly different from hers.
...
Early the next morning.
The Sunset, under the watchful eyes of Cobra, left the heart of the kingdom and headed toward the southern estuary.
Both sides waved goodbye, with Vivi and Nami crying the most, their faces streaked with tears as they waved incessantly.
"Nami! You have to remember to call!"
"I know! You take care of yourself too!"
The two girls shouted across the river, their voices lingering in the morning breeze for a long time before fading away.
Xiano glanced at them.
These two little ones had slept together last night, and who knows what they had talked about, but it seemed their personalities matched quite well.
Having spent less than two days together, they had already become best friends, exchanged phone numbers, and promised to keep in touch often.
Meanwhile, Xiano, who had been the idol they clung to just yesterday, was suddenly forgotten in a corner.
But that suited him just fine. Before the farewells were even over, he happily took a cup of coffee brewed by Robin and disappeared into the training room.