Cobra led Tomioka into a simply furnished but solemn council hall, where thick stone walls blocked out the external noise.
"I just heard you say your name is Batu, right?"
Cobra stopped and gently asked the child, who was curiously looking around with wide eyes, "Mr. Giyuu and I have some important matters to discuss. Would you mind playing in the garden for a while? I'll have him come play with you later."
Batu looked at Tomioka, and seeing him nod slightly, he reluctantly but with curiosity about the palace, softly replied, "Okay."
A servant quietly stepped forward and led the looking around Batu away.
"Please sit," Cobra said, gesturing to a chair in the room.
Tomioka sat down, the hem of his black robe sweeping the floor. As he settled, the door to the council hall opened again, and two figures walked in with steady steps.
The one in front was a tall man with wheat-colored skin, wearing a green robe over a white inner garment. A long sword was tucked at his waist, and he exuded a wild, unrestrained aura.
The man who followed had a more reserved demeanor, dressed in a white robe and wearing a turban. Both the robe and turban were adorned with many black four-pointed star patterns, and he wore two strands of orange necklaces.
"Your Majesty, you summoned us urgently. What's wrong?" The man's voice was direct. The King had just met with them to discuss tomorrow's battle, but it seemed there was a change of plans so soon after.
Cobra gestured towards the two newcomers, indicating Tomioka, "These are my two capable subordinates, Chaka."
"And Pell."
He then introduced the unfamiliar black-haired samurai to his two subordinates, "This is Mr. Giyuu Tomioka, Princess Vivi's companion from her sea voyage."
"Princess Vivi's companion?"
Chaka's brow furrowed slightly, and he looked at Tomioka with suspicion, "Is that true, Your Majesty? You should remember that Princess Vivi mentioned in her letter that there's a fellow in Baroque Works who can imitate others, Mr.2!"
Pell, though silent, was quietly observing Tomioka's every subtle reaction.
"No."
Cobra looked at Chaka, his tone firm, "He shouldn't be. Just outside the palace gate, when he was stopped by the guards, Dash proactively rushed out and stuck to him, which resolved the misunderstanding."
He paused, then turned his gaze to Tomioka, "If it were one of those cunning fellows from the other side, he wouldn't choose such a way that easily creates complications to enter the palace."
Cobra's explanation was quite reasonable, especially the part about Dash. To Chaka and Pell, who knew that the duck wouldn't easily warm to strangers, it was extremely convincing.
Cobra paused, picked up the water glass on the table, and took a sip, his gaze at Tomioka turning serious: "Mr. Giyuu, although I don't know how you managed to reach Alubarna before Vivi and her crew, your presence now must mean you have something important to tell us, right?"
"Yes."
Tomioka replied. He didn't mind Chaka's skepticism. He directly took out the letter he had received in Nanohana from inside his black robe and placed it on the table, pushing it towards Cobra.
While Cobra, Chaka, and Pell examined the letter, Tomioka briefly explained the situation: "Igaram separated from us at Whiskey Peak."
"I received this letter at Nanohana Port, which is why I came here."
Tomioka's calm report of the current situation was a huge shock to the three.
"What?! Igaram... he actually!" Chaka suddenly stood up, his face filled with shock and anger, and he slammed his fist on the table. "And the enemy is hiding him right under our noses?!"
Even the usually composed Pell showed a grim expression, his fists slightly clenched. "Is he in Alubarna... Your Majesty, should we immediately order soldiers to search secretly?"
Cobra's expression was unusually serious. He slowly put down the letter and shook his head: "No, we can't send too many people. The opponent explicitly requested in the letter that only one person should go."
"This is a threat, as Igaram is in their hands. If we act on a large scale, it will only make his situation more dangerous."
While the three were still pondering how to rescue Igaram, Tomioka spoke again, raising another pressing issue: "Vivi and her crew originally intended to go to the Rebel Army's main camp, but they went to Yuba instead."
Cobra took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and a hint of worry flashed across his face: "Is that so..."
Pell softly said, "It's probably because Princess Vivi has been away from the kingdom for too long, and her information is outdated; she doesn't know that the Rebel Army's headquarters has already moved."
Chaka looked at the King urgently: "Your Majesty, what do we do now?"
Cobra pondered for a moment, and when he reopened his eyes, they had regained the sharpness of a decision-maker: "Regarding the Rebel Army, if Vivi can't make it, then bringing Vivi's personal letter to that young man named Koza... might still change some things."
Then he changed the subject, beginning to analyze the movements of Vivi and the Straw Hat, "As for Vivi and her crew, if they can't find anyone in Yuba, based on their location and direction..."
"They might have two choices: one is to go to Rainbase, which is Crocodile's stronghold; the other is to cross the Sandora River, return to the shore, and go to Katorea."
Cobra's gaze finally rested on Tomioka, with a question: "You are also companions on the same ship as them. Based on your understanding of them, which path do you think they will choose?"
Rainbase or Katorea... What would they choose?
However, he knew that the direction of this ship was always decided by Luffy. Once Luffy made up his mind, his companions would trust him and go along, so it was actually more like where Luffy would choose to go.
In Tomioka's mind, the image of that carefree, smiling figure with a Mugiwara on the going merry's deck, always shouting about wanting to defeat Crocodile, flashed back instantly.
[Interpersonal Communication Manual (Trial Version)]
[Subject: Monkey D. Luffy]
[Hobbies: Feasting, being a pirate, defeating strong opponents]
[Status: Happy]
[Recommendation: None]
Luffy always targets the strongest. And the true enemy of this country is Crocodile. Luffy, he... will definitely go to Rainbase.
A brief silence fell in the council hall. Cobra, Chaka, and Pell all looked at the silent samurai; his single sentence would almost determine the direction of their next actions.
"They will go to Rainbase."
Upon hearing this, Cobra slowly stood up, having made his decision.
"I understand."