Clap, clap!
A gentle round of applause came from beside him, making several veins bulge on Crocodile's forehead.
"Quiet!"
Cobra, on the other end of the Den Den Mushi: "?!"
"No, I wasn't talking to you."
Crocodile rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.
He'd cultivated a relationship with Cobra that was practically that of "old friends," so it was fairly easy for him to talk to the man.
"Anyway, we'll talk about everything once I get to Alubarna."
"Understood. Be careful on your way."
Click!
Cobra hung up.
The next moment, Crocodile slashed at Lindsey with a Grit Saber.
Lindsey raised a hand to block it. His Earth Demon Form activated, and he crushed the blade with ease.
"Ah-ha!"
The Kun Trigram appeared in Lindsey's pupils. Excitedly, he said, "I've nearly got this move down. Give me something new!"
"..."
"Tch!"
Crocodile waved a hand but made no further move.
It wasn't because he'd already calmed down. He'd long since realized something that sent a chill down his spine.
He'd only used his Grit Saber against Aiven Lindsey a few times, but the results had been different each time.
The first time, he'd managed to scratch him, just barely.
From the second time onward, Aiven Lindsey had been able to defend himself without a scratch.
And now, without even fully activating his Devil Fruit Ability, he could crush the Grit Saber with his bare hands!
Had he completely figured out the move?
That was... a little frightening.
Crocodile rarely used that word.
Even when facing Whitebeard, known as "the strongest," he'd only considered him a tough opponent.
But Aiven Lindsey really did give Crocodile a sense of fear!
That unfathomable "potential," and an "ability to learn" that let him adapt to almost anything.
The only way to deal with someone like that was to take him down in one go. Otherwise, if he came back after learning your tricks, the outcome would be anyone's guess!
So Crocodile wasn't going to "feed Lindsey moves" anymore.
He could still swing that one move, the Grit Saber, whenever he felt like letting off steam!
Besides, Aiven Lindsey had realized Crocodile was making things up, but hadn't stopped him. That meant he was interested in the Poneglyph, too.
That was all Crocodile needed.
Lindsey had indeed made no attempt to stop Crocodile.
The reason was simple.
Since he'd made the trip to Alabasta, he might as well see the country's "secret." That would make the visit worthwhile!
Besides, Lindsey had a vague feeling that something in the direction of the royal capital, Alubarna, was "drawing" him in.
It was a sensation he couldn't explain.
As for how Crocodile had learned the "secret" of the Poneglyph, perhaps that, too, was related to the "butterfly's wings."
If everything had gone as it normally would, Crocodile wouldn't have known where the Poneglyph was until Luffy arrived.
It was Nico Robin who learned about the Poneglyph from the underworld, allowing her to pinpoint its location.
But now, Crocodile had learned where it was ahead of time. He'd gotten the information from the underworld while he was out at sea this time!
And it must have happened before Lindsey woke up. Otherwise, Crocodile wouldn't have needed to take Aiven Lindsey so seriously.
Could this be another part of "fate"?
He just didn't know what kind of "fate" had made that fool of a king, Wapol, provoke Alabasta...
The two of them traveled at an astonishing pace.
A journey that would take ordinary people several days took them only half a day.
Alabasta's royal capital, Alubarna, was right before their eyes!
The people there were on high alert as well.
They weren't panicking. Instead, a wave of "anger" simmered beneath the surface. Everyone wanted to vent their fury on behalf of their country!
That alone showed how much the people loved their king, Cobra.
And once they passed through the residential district and reached the palace's main gate, it became clear why the people loved him.
In such a vast royal palace, the things that best reflected the royal family's status were the simple, ancient furnishings left behind by history.
Everything else was plain to the extreme, no different from the homes in the residential district!
That was just like Nefertari Cobra.
The current king, who cared deeply for his people, was willing to cut the royal family's expenses to ensure that those living in disaster-stricken areas could get by.
"Mr. Crocodile, we've been expecting you."
The man who greeted them was the captain of Alabasta's Royal Guard, a middle-aged man with a large head of curly hair— Igaram.
At his sides were the deputy captains, both Zoan Devil Fruit Users—
"Falcon" Bepo and "Jackal" Jaka.
The Bird-Bird Fruit, Falcon Form, and the Dog-Dog Fruit, Jackal Form.
They were known as equals, and both were guardians of Alabasta!
"Mm."
Crocodile nodded to the two men.
As a national hero, he had a great relationship with them on the surface, so there was no need for formalities.
"Where's Cobra?"
"His Majesty is in the meeting room."
Igaram led the way, with Bepo and Jaka accompanying them.
For some reason, however, the two powerful Zoan Devil Fruit Users suddenly felt a chill run through them. They shivered several times in a row.
Why?
Crocodile was gloomy, but he'd never made them feel this way before.
So the only thing that stood out was the "person" beside him.
Tall, sturdy, with perfect muscles.
And his expression was one of keen interest. He seemed fascinated by everything in the palace, like a tourist sightseeing!
Why would someone like that make them feel "afraid"?
In any case, he was Crocodile's friend. All they had to do was treat him with respect.
The meeting room.
Accompanied by the three Royal Guards, Lindsey and Crocodile met Cobra.
The kind king was in the prime of his life and full of energy, but recent events had left him looking worried.
At the same time, Lindsey and Crocodile met another "little person," Alabasta's young princess—
Nefertari Vivi.
Vivi was a little over four years old. Like most royal children, she was precocious and already understood a great deal.
She had tied up her bright blue hair and was helping her father sort through some documents, looking like a little adult.
When she saw everyone, Vivi even greeted them with a bow. There wasn't a single thing to criticize about her manners.
"I'm glad you made it back safely."
Cobra nodded to Crocodile, then spotted Lindsey beside him and casually asked, "And who is this?"
"A f-friend..."
Crocodile struggled to force out the two words, then changed the subject. "Something seems off in Alabasta lately, doesn't it?"
"As you know, the Drum Kingdom suddenly started making trouble, and the people are furious about it."
Cobra sighed softly. "But as king, I can't declare war on a whim just to save face. That would only lead to needless casualties, so I have to investigate first."
Launching into a fight to the death just because someone had provoked you was a sign of incompetence. No one like that could rule a superpower.
Cobra was clearly not one of those people.
After thinking it over, Cobra came straight to the point. "What exactly did you mean by the 'Poneglyph' you mentioned earlier?"
Crocodile glanced around the room.
This concerned a secret forbidden by the World Government. Having too many people present would only create unnecessary risks.
But Cobra shook his head. "It's fine."
He trusted the Royal Guards present completely, and Vivi wouldn't go around repeating what she heard, either.
With that settled, Crocodile explained how it had all come about.
Naturally, his story was three parts truth and seven parts lies.
"As one of the Shichibukai, I have some intelligence networks in the underworld."
"Over a month ago, I received word that a faction in the underworld had incited the Drum Kingdom to try to take something from Alabasta."
"When I learned of this, I immediately set out to sea to find more reliable information. In the end, I found a few clues."
"That's the secret buried deep in your royal tombs—the Stone Tablet engraved with a Poneglyph!"
"..."
After Crocodile's explanation, Cobra and the others couldn't help staring at him in disbelief.
They'd lived in Alabasta for most of their lives, yet had never heard of such a secret!
"So there really is something like that in Alabasta's royal tombs?"
"Heh heh heh heh. The underworld is unfathomably deep. Even as the king of a World Government-affiliated nation, you can't know everything."
Crocodile gave a grim smile around the unlit cigar in his mouth, then revealed his true purpose.
"To get to the bottom of what that unknown faction is after, I need to take a look at the Poneglyph."
"This..."
Cobra clearly hesitated at that.
Crocodile shrugged helplessly. "Don't worry. I just want to look for clues. I'm not going to decipher the Poneglyph. After all, I can't read Ancient Script..."
"Mm."
After thinking it over again and again, Cobra finally nodded.
He wasn't especially concerned about the so-called "Poneglyph." The people were Alabasta's most precious treasure.
He had to find out why the Drum Kingdom was doing this!
Besides, the World Government kept a tight grip on the Poneglyphs. Cobra also needed to determine whether such a "dangerous" thing really existed in Alabasta.
After discussing it, everyone set off for the royal tombs.
In addition to the five who had been there from the beginning, Cobra joined them, and Vivi insisted on coming along, too.
Cobra thought it over again and again before agreeing.
He was reluctant to let Vivi go, but she looked so serious that he couldn't refuse.
She would have to shoulder the responsibility of all Alabasta sooner or later. There were things the young princess had to face, and getting some experience now wouldn't be a bad thing.
Before long, Crocodile found the hidden entrance near the royal tombs, following the information he'd obtained.
Everyone descended the stairs into the underground passage. A secret chamber that no one had ever discovered appeared before them!
At the far end of the chamber stood a massive, black, rectangular Poneglyph!
"So it's this one..."
Crocodile murmured as he slowly stepped forward.
Unlike the ancient stone tablet Caesar had salvaged, this was the first time Crocodile had seen a genuine Poneglyph!
The strange, picture-like markings on it must be the Ancient Script.
Crocodile was about to step closer for a better look, but another figure hurried ahead of him.
It was Aiven Lindsey.
With a puzzled look on his face, he slowly reached out and gently touched the Poneglyph.
It was a perfectly ordinary gesture—until, the next moment, something unexpected happened!
Aiven Lindsey's fingers sank straight into the indestructible stone. One by one, all five fingers went in, disappearing into its surface, followed by his entire hand!
Crocodile's pupils shrank. A storm was already raging in his heart.
Was this a good thing?
Or...
Was this really bad news?!
Before you continue