Alabasta.
Arubana, the capital. The royal palace.
"Mm."
King Nefertari Cobra of Alabasta stood before the palace window, gazing into the distance beyond the city.
His brows were tightly furrowed, his eyes filled with thought.
"Igaram—where has he gotten to?"
He asked in a low voice.
"Your Majesty, according to our intelligence—he should be entering the royal capital within ten minutes at most."
Standing beside him, Igaram, captain of the Royal Guard, answered solemnly.
Beside Igaram stood two more people—they were the Royal Guard's adjutant and the king's personal guards, Bell and Huka.
"Excellent."
Cobra nodded lightly. "Then I should prepare as well."
After hearing the king's words, the three guards all looked grave.
"Your Majesty, are you really going to meet that 'guest' in person?"
Unable to hold back, Igaram spoke up.
"If I may be frank, that man whose background is unknown is far too dangerous—I still believe the three of us should investigate him first."
He did not get to finish, because Cobra had already spoken.
"Dangerous?"
The king's gaze remained fixed on the distant view outside the window as he said softly, "Look, Igaram."
In his field of vision, vast rain clouds had gradually begun to appear.
Torrential rain had descended upon the royal capital, just as the rumors claimed.
But in Cobra's eyes, the falling rain was more than mere rain.
It represented all the news he had heard over the past seven months.
The dried-up Sandora River, withered crops, and scattered, panicked citizens—every piece of news had caused him unbearable anguish.
Yet Cobra had been powerless to do anything about it.
Only Arubana in all of Alabasta still received rain, and the rainfall of a single city was clearly insufficient to supply an entire country.
He had sensed traces of a conspiracy, but he had no time to investigate it.
All he knew was that the fact that no rain had fallen for seven months had already seized Alabasta by the throat, plunging the ancient kingdom into an unprecedented disaster.
It was also not long ago that he had heard of the arrival of that "guest."
No one knew who he was or where he had come from.
But wherever he passed, torrential rain would fall.
When he stopped to rest, the rain would temporarily stop.
And when he continued on his way, the torrential rain would resume.
As he traveled, he had nearly convinced the people of Alabasta along the way that this was a miracle.
And today, not long from now, he would enter the royal capital.
Cobra did not know the man's identity, nor did he know his purpose.
But he knew at least one thing.
"If the drought continues, then he may be the hope of Alabasta's people."
"He came to the royal capital to meet the king of this country, and I'm supposed to hide because of some so-called uncertainty?"
He looked at his loyal captain of the guard. "Igaram, the king you serve is not a man with such narrow-minded courage."
This was something he had to do.
Even though their guesses, based on the man's rumored appearance and clothing, had nearly revealed his possible identity,
he still had to meet him for Alabasta's sake.
Hearing this, the three men exchanged glances.
Then, filled with both emotion and helplessness, they could only kneel. "Yes, Your Majesty."
Cobra smiled. "Come on—let us meet this guest and see the so-called 'miracle.'"
"Yes!" ×3
As the four of them prepared to go downstairs and welcome the guest at the palace entrance,
"Tap!" "Tap!" "Tap!"
Accompanied by crisp footsteps,
a girl with blue hair, a graceful figure, and a beautiful face pushed open the door.
"Ha... ha..."
Sweat still covered her face as she panted heavily.
"Princess Vivi!?"
Igaram looked at the country's most exalted princess in astonishment. "What are you—"
"I'm coming with you too, Father!"
After taking a few breaths, Vivi said seriously, "I want to meet the 'Rain Summoner' too!"
"What!?" ×3
At that, the eyes of the three guards nearly popped out.
"Princess Vivi, don't joke around!"
"Princess Vivi, that man may very well be the one from not long ago—"
"That's right, how could something like this possibly—"
They floundered so badly that they could barely speak coherently, while Igaram's golden curls nearly stood straight up.
But Vivi only looked at her father.
"Hmm."
After hearing this, Cobra rubbed his chin. "All right."
"What!?" ×3
Leaving aside the three men whose jaws had nearly dislocated, Cobra simply looked at his daughter. "You are a princess, and the next queen of Alabasta. I had planned to let you wait a few more years before involving yourself in the affairs of state, but now it seems that may not be a good idea."
His eyes held both affection and resolve.
As the king of Alabasta and one of the "Twenty Founding Nations" that established the World Government, he understood the darkness of the world deeply.
He had indeed intended to let Vivi grow up innocently and happily for a few more years.
But the country's severe drought, the conspiracy hidden within it, and the changes that had occurred recently had all made him realize that perhaps the time had come.
"But remember, you only need to listen in."
"Mm."
Vivi nodded firmly.
Over the past seven months, she had witnessed the changes in the country with her own eyes.
She had been frantic with worry, yet there had been nothing she could do.
Only today, after noticing the torrential rain outside the window, had she finally made up her mind—as a princess, she might not be able to accomplish much, but at the very least, she should try to do something.
"Your Majesty."
At that very moment, a guard outside delivered a report. "That guest has entered the royal capital and is heading toward the palace."
Cobra and Vivi exchanged a glance.
The group immediately headed for the palace gates.
By the time they reached the square in front of the palace, they could already see the crowds of Alabastan citizens.
They were packed tightly together, gazing eagerly into the distance.
"It's the 'Rain Summoner.'"
"It really is raining!"
"How could it be fake? I followed him all the way from Yuba!"
The people subconsciously opened up a path, allowing Vivi to barely make out the figure at its far end.
The mysterious robe and imposing Dragon Head Mask were exactly as the rumors had described.
He gradually drew closer, finally stepping into the palace under the wary gazes of the guards.
At last, when he was not far from King Cobra, he stopped at the foot of the steps.
The eyes beneath the mask turned toward Cobra and Vivi.
"Welcome. You have come a long way, honored guest."
Cobra straightened his chest and raised both hands.
"I am Nefertari Cobra. On behalf of Alabasta, I welcome you. May I ask how I should address you?"
As he spoke, Bell, Huka, and Igaram beside him tensed every muscle in their bodies, ready to deal with an enemy at any moment.
But contrary to expectations, the man within the curtain of rain did not attack.
He merely looked at Cobra.
Then a deep voice, just loud enough for the few people on the steps to hear, rang out.
"I am the Dragon of the Twelve Zodiacs."
"I have come here to discuss a transaction with Your Majesty."
"One that concerns everything in this country—whether it will face destruction or welcome rebirth."
Tomorrow, to test the waters, the update time will temporarily be changed to midnight.
Before you continue