Baroque Works
Alabasta Rainbase Baroque Works
In the dimly lit hall, the candlelight cast flickering shadows on the walls, creating an atmosphere so oppressive it seemed to freeze.
Inside the conference hall surrounded by stone pillars, senior officials gathered on both sides of a long table.
Mr. 1 Daz Bones, the man with the steel blade, silent as an iron tower, his fingers lightly tapping the blade.
Miss Double Finger Sara, the Devil Fruit User, coldly surveyed the crowd, her fingertips faintly gleaming.
Mr. 2 Bentham, a transvestite, has exaggerated postures but a sinister smile, yet his sitting posture is as dignified as a dancer.
Mr. 3 Galdino, a man who crafts his world from wax, his eyes always gleaming with shrewdness behind his glasses.
Miss. Golden Week Marianne quietly paints on sticky notes with a paintbrush, colorful scraps of paper scattered in front of her knees.
Mr. 4 Babe, carrying a giant cannon barrel, expressionless.
Miss Merry Christmas, Dorofi, Devil Fruit User the Mole Fruit, impatiently picked her teeth.
Mr. 5 Gem, his fingertips constantly rubbing together, a wisp of smoke rising, as if yearning for an explosion.
Miss Valentine, Mikita, sat lightly on a chair in the air, swinging her legs and munching on candy.
Their gazes, without prior agreement, all fell upon the Throne.
Crocodile, Crocodile of the Shichibukai.
He was dressed in a dark suit, with Golden Hook Claw resting on the armrest of his chair, and slowly exhaling smoke from the Cigar in his hand.
His face was half-hidden in the smoke, but his eyes were sharp enough to pierce through the soul.
He leaned back, scanning the entire room.
"Gentlemen..."
His voice was low and hoarse, yet it pressed down on my heart like Sandstorm.
Alabasta is rotten.
He slowly rose, flicked his Cigar, and his foot stomped on the stone ground with a crisp sound.
"This country has been ruled by an incompetent monarchy for too long—drought, famine, rebellion..."
"The people are suffering terribly, while the king continues to sit in his magnificent palace, squandering their last drop of water."
His gaze was cold, and his tone was sharp as a knife.
"So--"
"I will overthrow it."
"I will build an ideal kingdom. Order, efficiency, control—not hypocritical lineage and foolish traditions."
As soon as the words were spoken, everyone was startled!
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an unquestionable imperial pressure, like a storm about to sweep everything away in the desert.
For a moment, the hall was completely silent, with only the candlelight flickering.
But soon, the eyes of the cadres, illuminated by the flames, gleamed with fanaticism. "Overthrow the state and establish a new order!"
"This is our... president!"
However, amidst this fervor, many still quietly shifted their gaze to the figure to the Right Hand of the Throne—
Vice President, Miss. All Sunday, Nicole Robin.
Wearing a fitted black trench coat, arms crossed, he stood at the edge of the shadows, his expression as calm as a still lake, unfathomable.
Three months ago, her arrival shook the entire cadre system.
Despite never participating in the execution, he was promoted to the position of vice president.
"On what grounds?"
--Mr.1's hand knife was almost drawn.
"Little girl, don't play adult games!"
Mr. 2 once scoffed and disdainfully dismissed it.
But the ambush on the Yuba caravan silenced all doubts.
During the strategy meeting, Robin tapped the map with her fingertip. "The Royal Guard will appear via this route."
Mr. 5 retorted angrily, "We've been monitoring them for half a month! There's absolutely no way they could have gone that way!"
Result--
As she had predicted, the entire Guard Unit, along with their belongings, fell into the ambush at the explosion site.
Then came the Rain Dinners infiltration plan.
She pushed past three dancer files and calmly said, "These three can be infiltrated."
Even Crocodile raised an eyebrow—she could accurately pick out the casino manager's three secret lovers!
Ultimately, she even switched out the confidential supplies that the royal family was secretly transporting.
Sara, who had previously watched coldly, silently put away her sarcasm and instead lowered her head to take notes.
From that moment on, everyone understood one thing—
This woman didn't "climb up."
She rose to the top through sheer ability.
At that moment, Crocodile slowly raised his Golden Hook and tapped it against the armrest of his chair, producing a crisp rhythm.
Everyone's thoughts returned instantly.
"Miss. All Sunday."
Upon hearing this, Robin gracefully stepped out of the shadows, the hem of his black trench coat sweeping across the polished marble like the hem of death's robe brushing across Battlefield.
All the cadres unanimously made way, a gesture of respect earned through countless accurate intelligence reports and perfect planning over the past three months.
She walked to the center of the hall and nodded slightly.
Crocodile exhaled a smoke ring and slowly said, "Let's begin."
"Let this country taste the bitterness of drought."
The flames danced in the wall lamp, as if the desert sun were beginning to heat up.
Everyone held their breath.
"This time, we're not just inciting riots."
"Instead, let the king dig his own grave, let the people pull him down from his pedestal."
Crocodile sat back on his Throne, watching Robin's composed and analytical back with satisfaction. A smile played on his lips, "Very good."
"The 'internal strife' in Alabasta needs to escalate."
Alabasta Rainbase
As the setting sun bathes the city in gold, prosperity and intrigue intertwine.
As the neon lights of the casinos, taverns, and dance halls along the street began to illuminate, their Flame reflected on the puddled cobblestones, it was as if this desert city was draped in a cloak of dazzling, intoxicating fantasy.
Two figures moved slowly through it.
Roy, wearing sunglasses and a well-tailored beige casual suit, held a coconut cocktail in his hand, looking as relaxed as a passing vacationing aristocrat.
Ace, dressed in a black trench coat with the collar turned up and his hands in his pockets, followed closely behind. Both of them were dressed casually, but they couldn't hide their sharp aura.
Ace, with his hands in the pockets of his black trench coat, looked up at the most conspicuous building in the distance— the Rain Dinners. The huge crocodile statue on its top gleamed coldly in the setting sun, as if overlooking the entire city.
"Is that it?" Ace grinned, a hint of teasing in his voice. "Isn't it a bit too conspicuous? To go to such lengths as a thief, with that ostentatious crocodile head, it's like they're afraid no one will notice."
Roy smiled faintly and adjusted his sunglasses, "He doesn't need to hide. The prestige of being Shichibukai is his license."
"Ha, how arrogant..."
Ace stroked his chin, a glint of fighting spirit flashing in his eyes. "If a fight breaks out later, I'll smash that crocodile's head to pieces first."
Roy smiled without saying a word, and the two walked slowly toward the Rain Dinners.
Rain Dinners - Main Entrance
The enormous revolving door gleamed with gold, and several well-built bunny girls stood at the entrance to greet guests, their brightly colored uniforms and well-trained smiles evident.
One of the bunny girls suddenly noticed the two guests who "didn't seem to belong here" --
"These two, though dressed modestly, exude an aura that... definitely indicates they are either very rich or very powerful!"
Her face instantly lit up with a sweet smile, and she quickly walked over in her high heels.
"Welcome, distinguished guests, to Rain Dinners!"
She gave a slight bow, revealing just the right amount of natural beauty and a professional smile. "Is this your first time here? Would you like me to show you around?"
Ace glanced at her indifferently and smiled casually, "No need, we'll just look around by ourselves."
"Of course, please feel free to call me anytime if you need anything. My name is Vina."
The bunny girl's smile remained unchanged, but her eyes grew even more eager. "Would you two like to exchange for chips? We offer top-tier VIP service!"
Roy smiled faintly and casually took out a stack of Beli from his pocket, "Exchange for one million first."
The bunny girl's eyes lit up, and her attitude became even more respectful. "Yes! I'll arrange it for you right away!"
She turned and led the two into the casino, secretly delighted.
"As expected of a big client! My commission is guaranteed tonight!"
Rain Dinners - Interior
The lights were dazzling, the aromas were enticing, dice and chips flew around, and cheers and screams rose and fell.
The luxurious decor, the bustling crowds, the clinking of chips... the entire casino was filled with an atmosphere of money and desire.
Ace looked around and lowered his voice, "Roy, should we go straight for that crocodile?"
Roy shook his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over the Surveillance Den Den Mushi) in every corner of the casino. "No rush, let's play a couple of rounds first."
"Play?" Ace was taken aback, then grinned, "Sure, someone's going to cover it anyway."
Roy slowly walked towards a roulette table, casually picked up a chip, and flicked it lightly with his fingertip—
"Ding~"
The chips traced an arc in the air before landing steadily on the gambling table.