Arrival at Sky Island

In the square in front of the palace.

Everyone was gathered there.

"Lord Lott, can this really be done?"

Cobra looked at Lott with some concern. Lott had just said that he could change this country's weather and give them normal rainfall throughout the year.

But something like that was nothing short of a miracle, beyond anything a human could accomplish.

Lott nodded confidently. "Of course I wouldn't deceive you."

Then he turned to Nami and said, "Let's go. Time to start."

Nami glanced at Lott and murmured, "Mm." Then she turned into a white cloud and rose high into the sky.

Lott slowly rose into the air as well.

The reason he believed he could do it was that a place's weather was mostly influenced by its local magnetic field.

As an Electromagnetic Fruit user, working together with Nami's Cloud-Cloud Fruit, he believed they should be able to change Alabasta's weather by altering its magnetic field.

"Stand farther back!"

With that, Lott activated his Electromagnetic Fruit, releasing an enormous amount of electromagnetic power from his entire body. In an instant, he became something like a spherical Tesla coil.

The hair of everyone watching below instantly stood on end, as though each of them had a sea urchin on their head.

Then Nami transformed into a dark cloud and directed the surrounding clouds toward Alabasta.

Lott carefully sensed the connection between the island's magnetic field and the dark clouds, forcibly altering Alabasta's magnetic field.

Patter.

Patter.

Patter.

Raindrops gradually began to fall from the sky, growing denser as time passed.

Whoosh.

The rain grew heavier and heavier. Alabasta's residents came out of their homes, some bringing containers, some opening their mouths wide toward the sky, and some dancing in the rain.

Cobra stared at the scene before him in shock. Their Alabasta had never seen rain this heavy.

And it was all thanks to those two people in the sky. According to Lott, heat and drought would no longer be the only weather their country experienced.

They would be able to enjoy the gifts of rain just like the surrounding countries.

Just as everyone was cheering, Lott appeared in the square with Nami in his arms.

Cobra slowly turned his shocked gaze toward them. Seeing how pale Lott and Nami were, he hurriedly asked with concern, "Lord Lott, Lady Nami, are you all right?"

Lott took out two Senzu Beans, swallowed one himself, and pushed the other into Nami's mouth.

Only then did color slowly return to their rather pale faces.

Lott had never expected changing a small island's magnetic field to be so difficult. Without Nami's dark clouds releasing electricity to assist him, his promise might really have become a joke.

"We're fine. It just took a bit of stamina. There's no need to worry now. In another two years at most, Alabasta will become a country everyone longs to visit."

"Also, King Cobra, I hope you've thought this through. You might not get to see beautiful desert scenery like this anymore."

Cobra shook his head. "Only outsiders call desert scenery beautiful. Anyone who hasn't actually lived in the desert wouldn't know how hard the people here work or how difficult their lives are."

"Besides, Alabasta now belongs to the Lott Pirates. It's your country."

Lott smiled and shook his head. "Alabasta isn't the Nefertari family's country, nor is it my country. It's the people's country."

The eyes of Vivi, Cobra, Chaka, and the others were filled with admiration, and the same thought echoed in their hearts: This is what a king should be.

Cobra bowed to Lott. "Lord Lott, I thank you on behalf of the people of Alabasta. I've prepared a banquet. Please join us in the banquet hall."

Early the next morning.

The sky was still gray. After a night of rain, the country had shed centuries of heat and become cool and fresh.

Lott handed all the booklets to Cobra, gave him some instructions, and left with the others.

In the square in front of the palace, Princess Vivi waved at the departing white cloud, her eyes full of reluctance to part.

Though her time with Lott's group had been short, she loved that atmosphere, that heartfelt connection free of class distinctions.

Although she had had quite a few playmates growing up, they had always called her "Princess." As time passed and they grew older, her childhood playmates gradually became distant.

When she saw her childhood playmates again, there was a sense of distance between ruler and subject.

Only around Lott's group did she feel that friendship between people her own age.

For a moment, she had even wanted to go out to sea with Lott and the others.

"Vi... ma~ mamama~ Princess Vivi, it'll soon be time for you to take the stage to amend the laws. Didn't Lord Lott say he would return in two years at most?"

Only when that white cloud disappeared from view did Vivi turn back. "Igaram, I know. I'll be there right away."

Vivi clenched her fists and murmured in her heart, Lord Lott, I may not have such great strength, but I want to contribute what I can to your dream too.

"So this is Sky Island? It looks so beautiful."

After leaving Alabasta, Lott's group had headed straight to Sky Island by way of Mock Town.

Hearing Ling'er's awed remark, Nami nodded too. "It's gorgeous. An endless sea of clouds, and it really is a sea! The Skybreaker can actually sail on it!"

Crocodile shook his head. "What's so nice about it? Isn't it just a sea of white?"

At Crocodile's words, Ling'er rolled her eyes. "You really are an old man with no sense of appreciation."

Kuro stepped forward and patted Crocodile on the shoulder, smiling. "Old men like us should stay out of the girls' conversations."

At that moment, Lott said, "This isn't quite Sky Island yet. Sky Island is another level above us."

"Another level above us?" Ling'er tilted her head and asked in confusion.

"Hm? Someone's coming."

Lott spoke up.

At Lott's warning, everyone took up fighting stances.

Before long, a strange person wearing an odd mask and peculiar shoes appeared in their sight.

"Oh? Looks like they're not here on friendly terms." Crocodile held his cigar in his right hand, and a miniature sandstorm appeared in his left palm.

Zoro slowly pushed his sword's guard open as well, his expression wary.

Everyone except Robin had mastered Haki. Kuro in particular still had exceptionally powerful Haki.

They could clearly sense that the strange person had some strength, but posed no threat.

The strange person skimmed across the sea of clouds toward the Skybreaker at tremendous speed.

As he approached the Skybreaker, he leaped into the air, then spun rapidly as he charged toward Kuro.