“Shut up, get back inside!” Cobra cut him off sharply.
“My apologies, Vice Admiral Momonga.
This was due to my failure in supervision.
However, this is not the time to deal with my son.
I ask that you bear witness that the Alabasta Royal Family has no ability to turn a Shichibukai into such a state.
Please take Crocodile back with you,” Cobra said, his voice steady, though his glare toward Nair carried clear displeasure.
“Rest assured, Your Majesty, I understand,” Momonga replied with a nod.
He understood exactly what Cobra meant.
The king did not want the outside World to think he was turning against a national hero out of jealousy.
More importantly, this matter should have fallen under the responsibility of the Marines, not Alabasta.
There was no reason for the kingdom to shoulder the blame.
Pell stood quietly to the side, his expression complicated as he watched the young prince accept the reprimand with apparent humility while walking deeper into the palace.
Pell’s face twitched slightly.
Your Majesty, do you truly not understand the kind of son you have raised?
He had witnessed it himself.
The fifteen year old prince had used the power of the Ice Ice Fruit and defeated Crocodile’s entire group head on.
There had been no tricks, no ambush, just overwhelming strength.
A monster.
No, more than that.
The true guardian Alabasta had long awaited.
Pell’s gaze toward Nair grew intense.
His loyalty was absolute.
Even if Cobra demanded the truth, he would not reveal it.
Without a word, he followed behind the prince like a silent shadow.
Even when Igaram shot him a warning look, Pell ignored it.
If Nair’s ability were exposed and feared by the World Government, it would bring unnecessary trouble.
There was even the risk that the spread of Mobile Phones could be restricted worldwide. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
Because of that, the truth had to remain hidden.
It would be safer if others believed his power resembled something like a Copy Fruit.
Meanwhile, Crocodile and his subordinates were taken away by the Marines, still encased in solid ice.
Since the ice refused to melt, they were placed near the Marine camp, and word was sent to the Rainbase headquarters.
Momonga chose not to report the incident, not even to Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
He held a deep dislike for Crocodile, and since no one had died, there was no need to escalate the matter.
The Marines had granted the Shichibukai certain privileges, but that did not mean they were beyond conflict.
Night fell.
Under the dim moonlight, the frozen figures shimmered like eerie sculptures.
They were far too vivid to be called mere carvings, because real people were trapped within.
A woman dressed in denim pants, a fitted leather vest, and a wide brimmed hat approached the camp.
Her voice was gentle as she addressed a young Marine.
“That person is here.
Since you are his subordinates, please take him away soon.
Our camp cannot remain occupied indefinitely.”
The young Marine avoided her gaze, clearly flustered by her beauty, and quickly led her forward.
She slightly lifted her hat.
Through the mist of cold air, she saw him.
Crocodile.
Frozen solid, his expression still carrying that familiar gloom.
A bright smile appeared on her lips as her hand brushed against the gun at her waist, then paused.
She let it go.
Even frozen, a Logia user like him would not die so easily.
More importantly, killing him here would bring consequences she could not afford.
Time passed.
Two weeks slipped by.
The storage capacity was also upgraded by an additional 15G.
Despite this, Momonga eventually left Alabasta.
Nair watched his departure with a hint of regret.
From beginning to end, the Vice Admiral had never used a Mobile Phone.
That meant there was no chance for Nair to obtain his abilities.
July arrived.
It was the most prosperous time of the year in Alabasta.
The rainy season.
Here, rain was not a nuisance.
It was a blessing, a gift more precious than anything else.
Yet something was wrong.
The rain poured heavily over the royal capital, but beyond its borders, the land remained dry and barren.
Refugees gathered in large numbers, desperate to enter the city.
However, due to limited capacity, they were stopped at the gates by the kingdom’s army, led by the Zoan user, Pell.
Cobra, unable to ignore their suffering, provided what aid he could.
Still, everyone knew the truth.
If this continued, the national treasury would eventually collapse.
Nair stood by silently, his expression thoughtful.
He and Pell both understood.
This was Crocodile’s retaliation.
The use of Dance Powder within the royal capital was no longer a secret.
Even Cobra had come to realize it.
Rain fell in relentless waves.
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100