Sea Calendar 1518.
First half of the Grand Line, Saint Ding Island.
This was a super-large island spanning hundreds of thousands of square kilometers, a rare sight on the Grand Line. Upon it stood a kingdom known as Alabasta, with a population of over ten million and a standing military force of six hundred thousand.
In the first half of the Grand Line, this nation ranked among the superpowers. In terms of population alone, few countries could compare to it.
Alabasta Kingdom, capital city Alubarna.
Within the royal palace's council hall, a middle-aged man wearing a purple robe and sporting medium-length black hair sat upon a broad throne.
His name was Nefertari Cobra. He was the current king of the Alabasta Kingdom, known for his diligence, love for his people, and wisdom.
Over the years, under his rule, the entire nation could not exactly be said to be flourishing, but it was at least peaceful and prosperous.
Because Cobra had never imposed harsh taxes, even though the Alabasta Kingdom was a desert nation, its people could still maintain a standard of living above mere subsistence after paying the Celestial Tribute and the necessary taxes needed to keep the country running.
Thus, the people of Alabasta sincerely respected this wise ruler and placed their full trust in him.
However...
At this moment, Cobra, seated upon the throne, had his brows tightly furrowed. His eyes were filled with worry, and even his face bore an unmistakable trace of sorrow.
Aside from the capital, Alubarna, no rain had fallen anywhere else in the Alabasta Kingdom for an entire year. This had triggered a severe drought, killing all the nation's food crops and plunging many citizens into famine.
With Cobra's years of governing experience and capability, a drought and famine like this might have