"Ye Chuan! Look! Sea Cats!"
Vivi, who had been standing at the bow gazing into the distance, suddenly pointed at several strange creatures chasing one another and playing in the sea ahead, excitedly introducing them to Ye Chuan:
"They're rare animals you can only see in the waters near Alabasta-Sea Cats!"
"Seeing them means we're not far from home!"
Ye Chuan looked where she pointed and saw several peculiar creatures with cats' heads and fishes' bodies leaping happily through the waves, making strange cries that mingled meows with gurgles.
And beyond the waters where the Sea Cats played, a vast, boundless golden coastline gradually came into view.
They had finally reached Alabasta.
The cargo ship slowly docked at Nanohana, a port city in the Alabasta Kingdom.
Unlike the humid islands of the East Blue, the air here carried the dry scent of sand and dust, and the sunlight felt particularly scorching.
Ye Chuan and Vivi walked down the gangway one after the other.
Ye Chuan still carried One-Eyed Charlie, who was tightly bound and securely gagged.
He intended to find somewhere with Marines stationed as soon as possible and exchange this ten-million-Beli catch for his bounty.
Ye Chuan surveyed the desert port city, with its exotic atmosphere.
The ocher buildings, the camels strolling leisurely through the streets, and the specialty restaurants wafting enticing aromas all struck him as quite novel.
In the original story, Ace and Smoker had also met in a restaurant in Nanohana, after which Ace would reunite with Luffy.
But judging by the current timeline, Ace was probably still pursuing Blackbeard. As for Smoker...
After Ye Chuan's interference in Loguetown last time, he probably wouldn't reach the Grand Line in pursuit so soon either.
That was just as well. It saved a lot of trouble, and no