Alabasta could be considered the largest country in the first half of the Grand Line. After developing for over a thousand years, its current king had utterly squandered an excellent hand.
Yet even among such crowds, there were always people with ill intentions.
"President, did you need me for something?"
In a building by the street, a man with a horizontal scar across his face watched Nova and his group pass through the crowd below through the window.
At that moment, a dark-skinned girl with blunt bangs entered the room and respectfully asked the seated man.
"Robin, did you receive the notice the World Government issued yesterday?"
If Nova had seen the speaker, he would have recognized him at a glance.
After all, this man was Crocodile, the Sand Crocodile—the most troublesome opponent the future protagonist would encounter in Alabasta. He was a Logia-type Sand-Sand Fruit user. In terms of strength, he could only be considered average, but in terms of intelligence, he was undoubtedly among the best in this world.
"President, you mean the matter concerning the Shichibukai that may be brought up at this Reverie?" Robin asked, holding a document in her hand.
"That's right. Ever since that news arrived yesterday, many pirates have started stirring. But what do you think about it?" Crocodile asked.
"President, this matter has both advantages and disadvantages for us. If we accept the World Government's invitation, then if anything happens to the World Government in the future, we must participate unconditionally. But the benefits are obvious as well. At the very least, no matter what we do on these seas, the World Government and the Marines will not interfere."
Robin analyzed the matter as she spoke.
"Joining the Shichibukai isn't as simple as you imagine. We need at least one major event