With the discovery of a Poneglyph recording the Ancient Weapon Pluton, countless factions across the seas began to stir. Sailing ships quietly put out to sea, bound for Alabasta.
Many of those aboard knew their limits. Compared with the fearsome Pirates who ruled the seas, they were nobodies.
But everyone needed a dream. What if, against all odds, they got lucky?
Besides, stealing a Poneglyph had to be much easier than becoming the Pirate King, right?
Yes. It had to be.
And so, clinging to that hope, another band of young people set out on a journey from which they would never return.
On the shore of the deserted island where Loa had discovered Dragon Scales, more than a dozen warships stood in neat formation. Marines surrounded the entire island, their cannons and watchtowers turning it into a fortress.
On that unremarkable island, some of the strongest figures of the age had gathered to oversee the excavation. They were the formidable vice admirals of the Marines' Headquarters, any one of whom could make waves across the sea with a single move!
The excavation was so important that even the usually easygoing Haisoken wore a grave expression. Eyes narrowed, he rested a hand on his weapon as he patrolled.
Behind the vice admirals sat a tall man in a yellow-and-white striped suit. Legs crossed, he read a newspaper he had just bought.
It was a special edition from the Sabaody Newspaper. As the largest newspaper in the world, it would only put out an extra edition for something extraordinary.
Kizaru looked at the color photograph of Alubarna, smoke still rising from it, and pursed his lips. He lifted the paper a little higher. "How scary, how scary. To think something like this happened!"
The paper described the events in Alabasta in