"We've received word that a ship bearing the Baroque Works logo was found carrying a large amount of Dance Powder at the port of Alabasta!"
"Crocodile, president of the secret criminal organization Baroque Works, Shichibukai!"
"In the name of the World Government's Marineford, I hereby strip you of all your ships, as well as the titles and rights granted to you by the government!"
Standing in front of Crocodile, Tashigi read out, word by word, what Captain Smoker had just told her.
The marines behind him stepped forward and handcuffed him with Seastone handcuffs. The agents lying in various parts of the capital were also captured one after another.
Except for one or two.
"I will no longer be confused about justice, Captain Smoker, Mr. Cifer!"
"You're still the same as before, Smoker! I'm starting to feel sorry for Tashigi."
Hina was very disappointed, very disappointed!
In a port in Alabasta, a warship and a much larger Artificial Rain-Making Ship are docked.
She expressed her dissatisfaction with her contemporary, who requisitioned a warship to help him find a ship and subsequently transported Crocodile.
"You've known him for a while now."
A familiar and nostalgic voice rang in Hina's ears. She turned around abruptly and saw Cifer looking at her with a smile.
"You bastard, why are you getting involved in this mess? Why don't the Shichibukai just stay on the high seas and be pirates!"
Smoker exhaled a puff of smoke, expressing his dissatisfaction with the Shichibukai.
"It's out of interest."
Cifer snatched the cigarette Hina was about to put in her mouth.
Smoking is bad for your health.
"Really? Hina is surprised."
She put down her cigarette and gently brushed a strand of hair that was hanging beside her ear.
"So, are you ready?"
Hina's expression froze for a moment; she clearly knew what Cifer was asking, but she hadn't expected him to ask it at this time.
"Unfortunately, Hina didn't!"
"Really? I even made a special trip here. It seems the time isn't right yet."
"I believe we will meet again soon."
"Etc..."
Without a moment's hesitation, Cifer vanished from her sight, leaving only her hand outstretched in mid-air.
Hina was very disappointed!
We haven't even had a proper chat yet...
"What did that guy say?"
Smoker was curious; their relationship seemed to be very good.
"This is Hina's secret!"
She reached into her pocket, instinctively wanting to pull out a cigarette, but suddenly stopped.
"But it really surprised me that you would apply to be transferred to the New World!"
"With your current strength, going over there is not a good thing."
Smoker was quite worried about her, after all, she was one of his few friends, and the New World was a place teeming with monsters.
"Having spent too much time in the Paradise, it seems my strength has stagnated."
For Marines like her and Smoker, who possess Devil Fruit and have some mastery of Two Types of Haki, staying in Paradise would mean they would encounter few rivals.
She needs to become stronger faster to catch up with that man.
"Take care on your journey."
"Um!"
Three days after Crocodile was defeated.
Cifer and his crew did not stay in the palace. Albana with their crew, buying some local specialties.
Until Cobra brought his men to look for them.
Alabasta truly lives up to its reputation as a superpower that is a member of a World Government; in just a few days, five Savings Card issued in the name of the royal family were handed over to Cifer.
It contains approximately 1 billion Belly.
"Well then, that's all for now, it's time for us to leave."
Having accomplished our objective in Alabasta and found someone to redraw the Pirate Flag, it's time to return to the seas and continue the extermination operation.
"Hey~ Mr. Cifer, Luffy just woke up today, and the palace has prepared a grand banquet. Aren't you going to join us?"
Cobra even asked the head chef to prepare extra food, since the monsters' appetites were also monstrous.
"A grand banquet?!"
Chopper started imagining that scene, and couldn't stop drooling.
"Then let's mooch another meal!"
They met again at the palace with the Straw Hat Pirates.
"Hey~ Cifer, you're here too!"
"Are you an idiot?!"
As soon as Luffy opened his mouth, Nami's hand slapped him on the head.
"Miss All Sunday! What are you doing here?!"
Princess Vivi was the most shocked.
She only saw Crocodile or Robin make a move that day, and then Cifer stopped them. She didn't expect that the other party would follow him all the way.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Princess Vivi. I'm now Captain Ulquiorra's companion."
Robin pretended to be scared and took half a step back, hiding right behind Cifer.
Upon hearing that she was Cifer's companion, Vivi, though unwilling, remained silent.
"She's a good person! She saved me in the desert!"
Luffy, however, didn't think much of it and pointed at Robin.
"No need to say anything more, let's eat!"
At this moment, the head chef, who looked exactly like Igaram, started bringing out the food, Cifer interrupted this boring topic.
"I'm starting!"
The Straw Hat Pirates quickly grabbed their food and held it to their chests, but Enel and Cifer remained unusually calm.
Just as Luffy's hands started flailing wildly, a fork pinned him to the table, and the atmosphere began to turn sour.
"Let my companions finish clamping first!"
If we follow the way Cifer, Enel, and Luffy eat, then no one else will need to eat.
The Straw Hat Pirates are beyond the Cifer's control, but their own crew must be fed.
"How gentle you are, Ulquiorra."
Robin only added a few dishes to her bowl as a token gesture, since both she and Nolan had small appetites.
"I want this... and that too..."
Chopper didn't notice what was happening on the table; he had developed a habit of only having eyes for the food when he ate.
"What a domineering man!"
The moment the fork pierced Luffy's hand, Zoro almost drew his sword.
Luffy didn't seem to mind the near miss and, after Nolan, Robin, and Chopper had almost finished eating, the three gluttons began their real meal.
To everyone's astonishment, a single meal consumed several days' worth of food from the palace's reserves.
"I'm full! I've had enough energy!"
Luffy patted his stomach and sighed, a sound he hadn't felt in a long time.
"Straw Hat Kid, how about joining me, carrying my name on your back, and galloping across this vast ocean?"
Nika is a decent fighter in the future, and he can be considered the biological son of this world, so it's only natural to recruit him into my ranks.
"No~ You guys are really weird~ Ace too, and you too, always thinking about getting others to join your pirate crew."
"I'm going to be the Pirate King!"
Luffy immediately refused.
"Is that so? Then as Shichibukai, it's only right that I eliminate this unstable element, isn't it!"
"Hey~ Aren't we friends?!"
Luffy's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets; he couldn't believe the other person could say such a thing.
"Never mind, you'll understand later."
Having eaten and drunk their fill, Cifer had no intention of lingering any longer.
"Mr. Cifer, are you leaving already?"
Cobra tried to persuade him to stay.
"You'll probably feel more relaxed once we leave!"
The other person didn't reply, but just awkwardly scratched their head.
"No matter how many times... I still find this ability amazing..."
As Cifer and the others returned to the ship in the blink of an eye, Robin was still amazed by his ability to tear space apart with his bare hands.
"Take it!"
"Huh? I have one too?"
Robin looked bewildered as he caught the Savings Card that Cifer tossed to him.
"I'm different from the people you've met before."
"You are my companion."
The latter was taken aback for a moment, then smiled broadly.