Alabasta.
Even though my adventure hasn't reached that place yet, the behind-the-scenes big boss Old Sha cast over this country has seemed dead for hundreds of years.
This feeling is quite peculiar.
The Baroque Workshop has already scattered, the drought in Alabasta hasn't started yet, so it's thinking there shouldn't be much to stir things up here.
You can take in the cultural and natural scenery of this desert ancient country everywhere, then head straight for his most concerned target.
——The historical text buried deep in the Royal Capital Alubarna, located beneath the Funeral Palace.
It records evidence of Pluton's existence in history and its whereabouts, Robin should be quite concerned about this.
As for Shano himself...
He is not interested in Pluton, but he is extremely interested in this stone slab itself.
"I heard that all historical text stone slabs are indestructible..."
Desire flickered in his eyes.
With the gradual increase in strength, just steel plates can no longer satisfy his daily Body Techniques training requirements.
Switching to historical text seems to hold more promise?
......
Alabasta, Eluma.
Here is Alabasta's famous Oasis City.
As the gateway to the Santora River, it is also the necessary path for merchant ships and travelers to enter the heart of Alabasta.
On both sides of the riverbank, stone-built docks extend towards the azure water surface, merchant ships laden with diverse goods often have to berth here, unloading treasures from distant lands.
However——
At this moment, the dock is crowded with merchant ships, masts clustered like a forest in the broad river channel, cargo boxes meant to be timely loaded and unloaded have piled up like mountains, and sailors anxiously leaned on the ship's side looking out.
"Still not allowed to pass?"
"What's going on, are they letting people through or not!"
"You're just arrived, don't rush, the old man has been waiting here for a whole day already, there's still time!"
"Did you come yesterday, Uncle? Do you know what's going on now?"
"Look for yourself in the distance, no eyes?" The old captain snorted coldly, "Such a huge pirate ship blocking there, who's brave enough to go?"
"Pirate ship?" someone sneered, "New thing, everyone doing business on this Grand Line, who hasn't seen a pirate ship, Santora River is so wide, can one ship really block all of us?"
"Fool, you think it's ordinary pirates?"
The old captain sneered, pointing with his pipe towards that waving skull flag, "Do you see the five-six meter tall guy under the flag?"
"That guy, is one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea appointed by the World Government, Hanafuda! The original bounty reached as high as five hundred million Belly's terrifying monster!"
"Not all Seven Warlords of the Sea are as amiable as Master Crocodile, if you want to go seek death, the old man won't stop you!"
The surrounding sailors took a sharp inhale:
"Se-Se-Seven Warlords of the Sea...?"
"What's he doing here?"
...
The black ship like a giant beast lies across the river mouth, scarlet sails with poker ghost motifs flutter in the desert hot wind.
On the broad deck.
A man clad in a black coat is lazily leaning against the railing, at his feet kneeling a dozen merchants tied up like bundles.
"You all, even though told before, until I get what I want, no ship will pass this river, why don't you believe and insisted on breaking through?"
Hanafuda said with a smile, as he drew from behind the massive scythe four to five meters long, to the merchants' horrified eyes——
Whoosh!
The scythe suddenly stabbed into the deck, pinning the board close to the merchant's ear.
The bundled merchants collectively twitched, their bodies shook, and a man with gold-rimmed glasses so scared he wet his pants, the stench spread over the deck.
"Tut, doesn't seem to have a lot of guts, does he."
Hanafuda sneered, leisurely went forward, and pulled out the scythe again:
"I've blocked this river for a whole day, the royal family of Alabasta seems to be making no move at all, is it looking down on the day's losses with this canal being blocked, or are they a bit too dismissive of me..."
He caressed the scythe, speaking softly, "You say, if more blood is seen, dozens more lives lost, wouldn't the royal family hasten their arrival?"
The deck was deathly silent.
"Why's no one speaking?" Hanafuda's face turned cold, "You merchants, also dismissive of me?"
"Uh, ugh..." The merchant with gold-rimmed glasses struggled desperately, tears almost falling from his anxiousness.
Hanafuda stared at him for two seconds, then suddenly realized, turning his head in shame and anger:
"Jack, you idiot! I told you to tie these people up, who told you to gag them too?"
Eh?
The robust blonde youth was dumbfounded, scratched his head naively:
"Sorry, Boss Hanafuda! It's my first time out to deal with things with you, didn't listen properly, please forgive me!"
"Cut the crap, get on with it!"
"Yes!"
Under Hanafuda's angry stare, the blond-haired youth named Jack hurried forward and removed the rag blocking the merchant's mouth.