On the Dark Bird Ship, Gawain looked up thoughtfully after hearing the conversation between Cobra and Igaram.
"Cobra, it just so happens that I was going to talk to you about Crocodile, and then you brought him up."
As soon as he finished speaking, Gawain looked towards the docks in Katorea.
"You asked me before how much I had to give to make up for the help I gave you and repay the sacrifices I made for you."
Then let me tell you, you don't need to pay much at all.
Because all you've given up is probably just one person and one thing!
"Who is it? What do you want?"
Cobra immediately tensed up!
Seeing the nervous Cobra, Gawain gently waved his hand.
"Don't worry, the person you're about to give up on has no special connection to you. He's Crocodile, the one you just mentioned!"
At this point, Gawain raised his hand and pointed towards Hancock was playing tennis not far away.
"Look, I have three Shichibukai on my ship, so you should know what I want."
Now that I already have three, how can the remaining four slip through my fingers?
Gawain casually raised his wine glass, lightly clinked it against Cobra's, and then brought it to his lips.
At the same time, he said softly.
"Although there are one or two Shichibukai whose styles are not very similar to mine."
As for the selection of the Shichibukai, I will eventually have to change them.
But Crocodile, he shouldn't be the kind of person whose style clashes with mine, right?
After saying that, Gawain smiled and finished his entire glass of wine.
At the same time, Cobra nodded heavily.
"Indeed, Saint Gawain, ever since you left Mary Geoise, you have brought a great deal of help to the islands you have passed through!"
And Crocodile, he is also famous for helping the people of Alabasta, a national hero of Alabasta!
Gawain nodded slightly as he listened to Cobra's words.
"Yes, I am a kind person, and Crocodile is a kind hero."
So to me, it would be a real waste to let Crocodile, who possesses the Logia Suna Suna no Mi, continue to stay in your mere country!
Moreover, as a king, you should have the most basic sense of gratitude towards the heroes who have helped you for more than a decade.
I think it's good to send your hero to a bigger platform, so he can achieve greater success and have a better future.
That's only natural!
As soon as he finished speaking, Gawain stood up on his own, leaving Cobra, who looked helpless and wanted to know what that matter was, behind.
Then, Gawain walked towards the ship's side where they were about to disembark.
As Gawain approached the disembarkation point, the group of people, each busy with their own things, immediately gathered around Gawain.
Hancock and Gion stopped playing tennis, and Hancock went to Gawain's side.
"Gawain, we're still seven or eight nautical miles from the shore, why are we here so early to wait to disembark?"
No sooner had Hancock finished speaking than Shirahoshi, her Shirahoshi beaming with excitement, answered Hancock's question for Gawain.
Shirahoshi said with great excitement.
"You must be just as eager as I am to see the legendary desert!"
That's a desert! There might be forests in the ocean, but there really aren't any deserts. I'm so excited!!!
"Cut!"
After Shirahoshi finished speaking, Uta, who was sitting on her shoulder, shook her head dismissively.
"Do you think Gawain is a little kid like you? He wouldn't be after some desert!"
"Right, Gawain, you must have other plans, right?"
Perhaps.
Gawain nodded slightly.
Upon hearing this, everyone around turned to look at Gawain.
Facing the expectant gazes of the crowd, Gawain smiled and addressed them.
"Take a good look at Alabasta! It's one of the most populous islands in the world!"
At this point, Gawain couldn't help but think of the original storyline of Pirate King.
Three years later, when Luffy and his crew arrived in Alabasta, a country that had suffered three years of drought and famine and was rife with wars and battles.
They actually managed to muster two million strong and capable rebels to launch an attack on Alubarna, the capital of Alabasta!
That's a full two million rebels!
They are not simply mobs and vagrants!
Moreover, three years later, Alabasta's population will have been significantly reduced by the prolonged drought!
Some things never seem strange when you see them in comics.
But in reality...
At the time of the Yellow Turban Army Rebellion, there were only about 600,000 people who could be considered soldiers who followed the rebels.
Therefore, the seemingly understated Alabasta rebels in the comics are actually three times the size of the Yellow Turban Army Rebellion...
Therefore, it can be concluded that the population of Alabasta alone far exceeded the total population of the Han Dynasty during the Eastern Han period.
Thinking of this, Gawain raised his hand with interest and pointed towards the distant land.
"At least tens of millions of people live on this land, and this vast island can also be ranked among the top ten largest islands in the world."
Faced with such a land, shouldn't I have special feelings?
After speaking, Gawain smiled and looked at everyone.
Upon seeing Gawain's gaze, Rayleigh and the others immediately understood; their captain had indeed lowered his fishing line to the side of the entire country.
Only Shirahoshi and Uta...
After hearing Gawain's words, the two women exchanged a glance, then looked at Gawain with confusion.
"Grown ups..."
Uta couldn't help but ask in a low voice.
"But Alabasta seems to be Vivi's country."
What does the size of her country have to do with us?
As he said this, Uta couldn't help but look at Vivi was a few hundred meters away.
In her eyes, Vivi was talking to Cobra with a look of reluctance on her face.
Listening to Uta's question, Gawain chuckled and pondered for a moment.
Then, he raised his hand, and a hand made of Inazuma appeared in the sky.
The hand reached onto Shirahoshi's shoulder and patted Uta's head.
"They have no connection to us, of course, but they are very much related to the help we need to provide."
Don't forget, we're there to save them!
"I understand!"
Upon hearing Gawain's words, Uta, who was standing to the side, suddenly frowned.
"So you weren't looking forward to it, you were worried."
"Because Vivi's country has too many people, and this place is too big, are we... are we not capable of saving them all?"
As Uta spoke, a sad expression appeared on her face.
Seeing Uta's sad expression, Gawain gently ruffled Uta's hair.
"That's the best way to think about it, but don't worry."
No matter how terrible the disaster, as long as those in power and those in positions of authority—those who control the vast majority of resources—are truly willing to work together and make relief their top priority, all will be well.
Then they will surely be able to overcome those disasters.
Throughout history, any disaster that gradually escalates into an intensification is not a true disaster, but rather the result of the inaction of the powerful!
As soon as he finished speaking, Gawain released Uta and smiled as he looked at the girl in front of him.
There's no need to let young children know too much about reality; they'll naturally understand many things as they grow up.
As for what I said...
Gawain turned to look at everyone, and saw that, apart from the two children, everyone else looked at Gawain with knowing expressions.
Oh, right, we should also exclude Yixiao from this list.
After all, Mr. Yixiao has no eyesight...
Then, after a moment's thought, Kalifa spoke softly to Gawain.
"My lord, since Alabasta has such a large population, in the face of such a disaster, could we help them emigrate?"
After all, both Jaya and Long Ring Long Land are sparsely populated.
Jaya is alright; it can only accommodate about one to two million people.
But if those ten huge islands of Long Ring Long Land Island were developed into farms, they could support at least eight or nine million people, right?
"You're right!"
As soon as Kalifa finished speaking, Gawain responded Kalifa nodding readily.
"With such a large population, our relief efforts alone are simply insufficient to ensure that everyone has enough to eat and wear."
Therefore, compared to relief, immigration is the best approach.
At this point, Gawain smiled and looked towards the distant docks and shipyards, although he couldn't see Crocodile's appearance yet because of the distance.
But Crocodile has already done him a very big favor...
Thinking of this, Gawain clapped his hands lightly.
"There's no need to stand here and talk about the suffering of the Alabasta people. Even if we know that distant water can't quench immediate thirst, we should at least give them hope first!"
Kalifa, have Franky activate the jetpack to speed things up. Let's get to the dock as quickly as possible and hand over the prepared vegetables, water, and various fuels to them.
After that, we'll introduce our grand immigration plan to them!
"Yes, sir!"
Kalifa immediately accepted the order and left, and soon after, the Dark Bird Ship suddenly accelerated.
A few minutes later, the Dark Bird Ship, having consumed a large amount of cola, finally arrived at the designated docking point.
While the boat stopped, Gawain and his group, along with Cobra, rode the Little Dark Bird towards the shore.
The group left so decisively that after Ace had arranged rooms for his companions and left the cabins and residential area, he couldn't even find a single officer from the Dark Bird Ship!
Leaving aside Ace's furious roar at Rayleigh for breaking his promise on the ship, the Little Dark Bird finally came to a stop at the dock.
At the same time, Gawain and his group walked along the ship's side passage towards the countless waiting civilians all around!
At that moment, Crocodile stood at the very center of all the civilians, and he knelt heavily before Gawain.
Seeing even the great hero Crocodile kneel down, the common people, one after another, shrunk down like Domino falling from the sky.
As for Gawain, he gently raised his hand as he faced the kneeling crowd.
"Everyone!!!"
The instant Gawain spoke, tens of thousands of dazzling bolts of lightning suddenly appeared in the sky behind him!
Under Gawain's control, these lightning bolts vibrated the atmosphere with a regular rhythm, and the sounds they made were exactly the same as the words Gawain spoke!
So, the moment Gawain spoke, his voice also echoed from the dazzling thunder in the sky.
This scene left everyone, including Gawain's men, with expressions of utter disbelief.
She even couldn't help but mutter it softly with a smile.
"What's going on? Such a loud noise almost made me blind and then deaf as well..."
The way the adult develops his Rumble-Rumble Fruit always seems strange to me.
On the one hand, adults, for some reason, can subtly influence our actions.
If this evolution deepens to an even higher level, it might even be able to control people's actions.
On the other hand, how do adults use the sounds of thunder in different shapes to compose their own voices?
"The adult's use of the Devil Fruit didn't extend to combat at all, did it? Was his talent for developing it all focused on various interesting functions?"
After speaking, he smiled and didn't wait for anyone's reply, because everyone was shocked by Gawain's huge, Kami -like voice coming from the top of the sky.
They all thought much the same thing as Yixiao; they really wanted to know how Gawain's thought process worked.
What kind of mind does it take to turn the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, with its strongest offensive power, into what now seems like an all-powerful support ability?
As for Gawain, he ignored the doubts and shock of the crowd and continued to speak to all the civilians around him.
"Among you, perhaps some have learned of my identity through the newspapers."
I am Gawain from Mary Geoise Gawain!
Just two weeks ago, your King Cobra came before me.
For the sake of you all today, he knelt before me just as you do now!
He tearfully recounted everything that had happened in Alabasta to me, and he tearfully explained his own mistakes to me!
He knew perfectly well that drought was a natural phenomenon beyond human control, but he preferred to take all the blame upon himself!
Because in his view, if you're not doing well, it's his fault!!!
When Gawain finished speaking, the civilians around him were already deeply moved. They looked incredulously at Cobra, who was following behind Gawain and whose face was covered in tears.
Seeing the expressions of emotion on the faces of the countless civilians, Gawain paused briefly before continuing to speak to them.
"I learned the whole story from your King Cobra."
It was only then that I learned that such a tragedy, which I could hardly imagine, was taking place in Alabasta, a country I had not yet arrived in!
For six whole months, you have been barely surviving in the increasingly arid desert!
The land no longer grows crops, and the water sources are drying up under the scorching sun.
The sunlight that once bathed everyone has now become a deadly blade, shattering your lives and plunging you into an endless struggle for a mere sip of water and food!
At this point, Gawain suddenly raised his right hand, and the hull of the Big Dark Bird Ship in the distance suddenly opened.
Inside the open hull of the Dark Bird Ship, countless buckets and mountains of various vegetables that were relatively easy to preserve were all seen by the civilians of Alabasta!
In an instant, the common people erupted in commotion; they already knew what was about to happen.
And then, as expected, Gawain continued speaking to the incredibly excited group.
"That's right. At King Cobra's suggestion, I quickly gathered all the supplies I could find and loaded them onto my Dark Bird Ship!"
From the moment I left Mary Geoise, I knew that I would send the Dark Bird I carried in my heart to bring what all those who needed me needed!
From this moment forward, everyone obey my commands!
You must determine the current population of the Katorea City as quickly as possible!
I will distribute the first batch of life-saving fresh water and food to you according to your numbers!
I will not take a single penny from you, because your King Cobra has already given everything he could!
At the same time, he also has to give more, namely time and energy, to help me bring you hope for the future!
I want to see your headcount done by tonight!
Then, I will raise my own flag with the Dark Bird pattern at a fixed location in this city!
All you need to do is follow the pattern of the Dark Bird; that's where you'll be given food and water!
Remember, starting tonight, as long as you complete my requirements and accurately count the number of participants!
That Dark Bird will bring you hope for the future!
Tickets, please!