In reality, the entire Four Seas Alliance, except for Ryan Rowan himself who had clashed with Jack the Drought through an envoy, had never encountered the Beasts Pirates before.
The vast majority of them didn't even understand why the Four Seas Alliance was in conflict with the Beasts Pirates!
That was a matter for the underworld, something ordinary people on this sea couldn't easily access.
So many people didn't know why the Beasts Pirates suddenly decided to attack Alabasta.
Besides Ryan Rowan himself, perhaps only Crocodile could figure this out.
As a fellow ambitious individual, Crocodile the "Desert Crocodile" could certainly understand Kaido of the Beasts.
The underworld's supply chain was almost complete, and then a sudden new force destroyed the most crucial link. How could he not be angry?
Crocodile thought to himself.
Well, it's a good thing his "Baroque Works" plan hadn't started yet, and only existed in his mind.
Imagine, if Ryan Rowan had suddenly appeared before him after the Baroque Works plan was fully implemented, he would have been driven to madness too.
"Having a plan crushed in its infancy" and "having a plan ruined just as it's about to succeed" feel completely different.
...
But speaking of which, what's the situation now?
Oh, the Four Emperors are coming to attack Alabasta.
Hmm...
Crocodile walked out of Rowan's study and let out a soft sigh.
He walked out of Alabasta's royal palace, organizing his thoughts.
Then, he leaped, transforming into a sandstorm that swept into the desert outside Alubarna City.
Crocodile stood on the sand, feeling the grit around him. It was a sense of security that only came from fighting on home turf, in a desert.
"This is great..."
Crocodile murmured to himself.
Under the sunlight, others couldn't see Crocodile's expression clearly, nor could they discern the emotions flooding his heart at that moment.
What kind of emotion was it?
Discontent? Annoyance? Displeasure?
No.
If anyone could actually see Crocodile's expression at this moment, they would surely recoil in shock.
Because it was a smile twisted with excitement.
"Going head-to-head with the Four Emperors? What was that old guy thinking?"
"Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if that old guy went up against the World Government, but why start a war with the Four Emperors?"
"If he wanted to, there should have been several ways to avoid this. Why did it have to turn into this situation?"
This wasn't a grumbling complaint, but a self-talk analysis.
"No, no, no..."
"That old guy must have another purpose."
"That tree?"
Crocodile recalled the discovery everyone made on the Sky Island.
According to the records in the Seastone secret room on Sky Island, somewhere in this sea there existed a "tree" that threatened the survival of the entire world.
That tree had its roots deep within the entire world, drawing the world's life force, then growing Devil Fruits, stirring up conflicts in the world, and further inciting wars among the world's inhabitants.
The loss of life meant more nutrients flowing into the tree.
Ultimately, it would lead to the outbreak of certain extremely uncontrollable consequences!
...
Crocodile didn't care about this.
He was a very practical person and never worried about things that might happen in the future.
As Vinsmoke Judge said, eight hundred years ago—or even earlier—someone had already discovered the existence of that tree.
At that time, people had tried to solve the hidden dangers posed by the tree, but they ultimately failed.
Yet, after over eight hundred years, the tree had still not caused any substantial damage to the world.
The lifespan of a person is usually no more than a hundred years. Even for giants, their lifespan is only a little more than three times that of humans.
To this world, an individual life is too insignificant.
Dreams, ambitions, life, friends, bloodlines...
Life begins to die from the moment it is born.
And on the path to death, there are too many things to pursue.
Therefore, not many people would use their precious and limited lives to challenge a "tree" that is as ancient as the "world."
...
But on the other hand.
Crocodile was almost certain that Ryan Rowan cared immensely about that tree.
As that old guy himself said:
"To ride the wind and waves, especially in great excitement."
Excitement?
He can be excited himself!
What Crocodile cared about was only the era in which he stood!
Thus, when Rowan judged that the Beasts Pirates would launch an attack on the Four Seas Alliance, an extremely excited emotion surged in Crocodile's heart.
He covered his mouth and secretly laughed with great joy.
"The tides are turning!"
"Hehehehe..."
Accompanied by bursts of low laughter, Crocodile, standing in the desert, transformed into a sandstorm and then vanished without a trace.
In this battle, Rowan didn't order Crocodile to do anything, because even if he did, it wouldn't be of much use.
For Crocodile, if this war had no meaning for him, he would never act. Conversely, if it did, even if Rowan didn't say anything, Crocodile would have his own way of acting.
What's more, this was the Desert Kingdom.
— the home ground of a Sand-Sand Fruit user!
...
Port city, Rapeseed Flower.
This was originally a prosperous commercial port, but due to active evacuation efforts, it had become somewhat desolate.
Stationed here was the present king of Drum Kingdom, Dalton, a user of the Ox-Ox Fruit, Model: Bison!
They were invited to help Alabasta defend against the enemies of the Four Seas Alliance—the Beasts Pirates.
As king, Dalton naturally knew the terror of the Four Emperors Pirates, but neither he nor the Drum Kingdom Royal Army around him had any intention of backing down.
Both Drum Kingdom and Alabasta were, after all, members of the Four Seas Alliance.
The act of invading Alabasta was no different from invading their own territory for Drum Kingdom.
If Drum Kingdom were to face such a situation now, Alabasta would surely lend their full support.
...
"Everyone be careful, your opponent is one of the Four Emperors!"
Dalton shouted, "Watch the movements on the sea. Report immediately if anything is unusual!"
...
At the same time, a lookout from Drum Kingdom, feeling tired, was about to switch shifts with a companion. He unintentionally looked up and noticed something unusual through his telescope.
In the sky... was that a small black dot?
The lookout blinked and looked up carefully.
A few seconds later, the lookout's face changed drastically. He hurriedly sounded the alarm and yelled to the person next to him:
"Island!"
"It's flying!"
"In the sky, an island is flying towards us!"
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