"Major General Wilton, we're almost at Alabasta."
After nearly five days at sea, they were finally close to their destination.
During that time, Wilton had been beaten mercilessly from morning until night. On the final day, he had even had the four Jailer Beasts use weapons.
The gains had been gratifying.
He had grown stronger again.
It was as wonderful as an addiction.
His goal this time was simple: hunt down the Sand-Sand Fruit and the Explode-Explode Fruit. Going by the timeline, the Straw Hat Pirates might already be in Alabasta.
Fire Fist Ace might be there as well.
The Flame-Flame Fruit seemed like a decent choice too, but Ace had taken the wrong path in developing it. If it were Wilton, he would definitely focus on temperature.
Speaking of temperature, he remembered a Heat-Heat Fruit. Perhaps that fruit suited him better than the Flame-Flame Fruit.
He would hunt down all those Devil Fruits he knew about whenever he had the chance. Whether he succeeded would depend on luck.
Besides, all of them were pirates, the kind who had committed countless evils. Wilton had no psychological burden whatsoever when it came to killing them.
Even if he did not kill them, he would send them to Impel Down, including the Straw Hat Pirates.
Pirates should not exist, and neither should the Shichibukai.
Either they died, or they would be imprisoned until he took power. Then they would all be sent to build roads, bridges, and do hard labor, making outstanding contributions to his ambitions.
"Prepare to disembark."
Wilton exhaled a breath of hot air. His right hand gripped a dumbbell as he worked his biceps, while his left kept stuffing grilled meat into his mouth.
A battle where he could reap without sowing awaited him.
He would wait for Luffy and Crocodile to wound each other badly, then swoop in and claim the spoils.
"Yes!"
Very soon.
As the warship entered the harbor, news of the Marines arriving in Alabasta spread without wings. Crocodile received the report immediately.
But upon learning that it was only a major general, he did not take it seriously.
Even if an admiral came now, they could forget about stopping his plan to steal the kingdom. He was determined to get the Ancient Weapon Pluton.
Still, to be safe, it would be better if those Marines died in Nanohana. He would leave that matter to Mr. 1 and the others.
It had to be said.
Crocodile was extremely arrogant at this point, completely without scruples.
No matter what the Marines wanted, as long as there was even the slightest possibility that they could interfere with him obtaining Pluton, they could disappear. Furthermore, news about the Ancient Weapon Pluton absolutely could not leak.
The little princess of the Alabasta Kingdom had been on the run for so long. There was a certain chance that she had contacted the Marines.
Perhaps these Marines who had landed on the island had come to gather information.
No matter what, dead men were safer.
Before long, Baroque Works members in other cities headed for Nanohana after receiving orders from their president, Mr. 0, Crocodile.
"Lord Wilton, this is Nanohana, Alabasta's port city. It takes a day to reach the capital from here. Are we heading to the capital immediately?"
Just as he was about to leave the warship, Sadi appeared in a flash, holding a map in her hand. Wilton was slightly taken aback.
This perverted woman did have some competence when it came to work.
"Where did you get that map?"
"Before we left Headquarters, you said we were going to Alabasta, so I went to the Staff Department and got a nautical chart of the route and a map of the Alabasta Kingdom."
Sadi looked as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
To be honest.
Wilton looked at Sadi in a new light. He had underestimated her. Aside from her episodes, she truly had ability, looks, and a good figure.
Had he picked up a treasure?
A qualified subordinate, secretary, or adjutant could save him a great deal of trouble.
It seemed that those mentally ill people among the pirates were all talented individuals as long as they were not having an episode.
"You did well."
"Then can Lord Wilton reward little Sadi by brutally abusing me?"
Faced with Wilton's praise, Sadi's face flushed red. She clasped her hands between her legs and squirmed bashfully, staring at Wilton with unfocused eyes full of anticipation and excitement.
Swift and decisive.
Wilton casually swung out a slap. Sadi let out a blissful moan on the spot, sprayed blood from her mouth, and spun through the air in a 360-degree spiral.
After a chaotic crash, she slammed into the cabin wall and slid down like she had no bones. She had already entered a state of utter self-forgetfulness.
"What an outrageous request."
Though Wilton could not understand it, he knew that controlling Sadi was simple. As long as she proved her value, he would not be stingy with such rewards.
"Head for Alabasta Capital."
"Yes."
Everyone disembarked from the warship. Apart from the necessary personnel left behind, they followed Wilton into Nanohana.
They needed to find transportation there.
There were tamed camels, running lizards, and the like. If one was capable, one could also capture moving crabs, Sandora giant lizards, and other creatures in the wilderness.
These were all desert animals unique to Alabasta.
The streets of Nanohana were fairly lively, with quite a few fruit stalls, shops, and taverns.
Naturally, there was no shortage of pirates among them.
Most of them left when they saw Wilton's group. A few chose to watch, and some even looked provocative.
Though they were merely low-level pirate grunts, those very grunts were even more detestable, because they were the ones who directly brutalized civilians.
"Minotaur Zebra, you four, go wipe out all the pirates in this town. Leave no survivors, and make sure you identify them correctly."
Pirate thugs and ordinary people were easy to distinguish. One could almost tell at a glance whether someone had blood on their hands; their temperaments were different, and the four Minotaur Zebras were highly sensitive.
"Moo—"
Having received the order, the four Jailer Beasts roared and charged out. Nanohana immediately descended into chaos.
"Damn it, where did these beasts come from?"
"Ah!!"
"It's the Marines! That seems to be Marine Tough Guy Wilton!"
"What?"
Some pirates recognized Wilton, but the four rampaging Jailer Beasts were far too fierce. Most pirates could not withstand even one strike from their clubs.
"What's going on? Why is it so noisy outside?"
In the center of Nanohana, inside a restaurant called Spice Bean, two groups were confronting each other, and the atmosphere was stifling.
One man was furiously puffing on a cigar. It was none other than Smoker.
The other group was the Straw Hat Pirates, along with Fire Fist Ace, the Whitebeard Pirates' Second Division Commander.
The reason was simple. Ever since the Straw Hat Pirates had been rescued in Loguetown by the World's Most Evil Man, Smoker had left Loguetown and begun pursuing and trying to arrest them.
When he arrested Baroque Works' Mr. 11 in Runes on the Grand Line, he had overheard a conversation between Sanji and Crocodile in Little Garden. Wanting to understand the relationship between Alabasta Kingdom princess Vivi and the Straw Hat Pirates, as well as the details of Baroque Works, Smoker had decided to head for the Alabasta Kingdom.
What a coincidence.
Upon arriving in Nanohana, he had encountered the Straw Hat Pirates in this very Spice Bean restaurant. There had been no surprise: before learning Haki, the Straw Hat Pirates were simply no match for Smoker.
In a single exchange, the Straw Hat Pirates had been completely defeated.
At the critical moment, Fire Fist Ace, the Whitebeard Pirates' Second Division Commander, appeared. While saving the Straw Hat Pirates, he also let Smoker learn that Fire Fist Ace was Straw Hat Kid Luffy's older brother.
That shocked him greatly.
After all, Fire Fist Ace stood behind one of the Four Emperors, the Whitebeard Pirates. Their Old Man was none other than the World's Strongest Man, Edward Newgate.
Combined with the World's Most Evil Man from Loguetown, Straw Hat Kid had suddenly become connected to the Revolutionary Army and the Whitebeard Pirates, one of the Four Emperors.
That background made Smoker even more determined to arrest Luffy.
Because he was far too dangerous.
Before you continue