Chapter 19: The Twelve Star Generals' 'Jing Long' – Destruction or Rebirth!
Alabasta.
Alubarna, the capital, inside the royal palace.
"Hmm..."
Nefertari Cobra, the King of Alabasta, stood before a window in the royal palace, his gaze sweeping far beyond the city.
His brow was furrowed, his eyes filled with thought.
"Igaram—where is he now?"
He asked in a deep voice.
"Your Majesty, according to our reports—he should enter the capital within ten minutes at most."
Beside him, Igaram, the captain of the royal guard, responded solemnly.
Standing beside Igaram were two other people—the royal guard's vice-captain and the King's personal guards, Pell and Chaka.
"Very good."
Cobra nodded slightly: "Then I should prepare as well."
After hearing the King's words, the three royal guards' expressions all turned grave.
"Your Majesty, are you truly going to personally meet that 'person'?"
Thus, Igaram couldn't help but speak up.
"Forgive my frankness, but this unknown individual is simply too dangerous—I still think it's better if the three of us go to test him first..."
He couldn't finish his sentence because Cobra had already spoken.
"Dangerous?"
The King's gaze still fixed on the distant view outside the window, he said softly, "Look, Igaram."
And within his line of sight, massive rain clouds had gradually appeared.
A downpour had already arrived in the capital, just as the rumors foretold.
But in Cobra's eyes, the falling rain was more than just rain.
It was all the news he had heard over the past seven months.
The dried-up Sandora River, withered crops, and scattered, panicked common people—each piece of news pained him immensely.
But Cobra was helpless against it.
Only Alubarna was still receiving rain in the entire Alabasta, and the rainfall in a single city was clearly insufficient to provide water for the entire country.
He had smelled traces of a conspiracy within it, but he had no time to investigate.
He knew that the seven months without rain had already choked Alabasta, plunging this ancient Kingdom into an unprecedented disaster.
And it was not long ago that he heard about the arrival of that 'person'.
No one knew who he was or where he came from.
But wherever he went, torrential rain would fall.
When he stopped to rest, the rain would temporarily cease.
And when he continued his journey, the downpour would resume.
His journey had almost made the common people throughout Alabasta believe it was a divine miracle.
And today, not long from now, he would enter the capital.
Cobra didn't know the other party's identity, nor their objective.
But he knew at least one thing.
"If the drought continues, then he might be the hope of the people of Alabasta."
"He has come to the capital to meet the King of this country, and I, because of what is supposedly 'ignorance', should hide?"
He looked at his loyal captain of the guard: "Igaram, the King you serve is not a man who lacks such courage."
This was something he *had* to do.
Even though, through rumors and the other party's attire, they had almost guessed his possible identity.
But for Alabasta, he *must* meet the other party.
Hearing these words, Igaram and the other two exchanged glances.
Then, possibly moved and helpless at the same time, they knelt: "Yes, Your Majesty."
Cobra said with a slight smile: "Let's go—let's go see this person, and witness the so-called 'divine miracle'."
"Yes! Yes! Yes!"
And as the four prepared to go downstairs to the main palace gates to welcome the esteemed guest.
"Clack!" "Clack!" "Clack!"
Accompanied by crisp footsteps.
A young woman with blue hair, a graceful figure, and a beautiful face pushed open the room's grand door.
"Haa... haa..."
Her face was still beaded with sweat, and she was panting heavily.
"Princess Vivi!?"
At this moment, Igaram looked at the country's most noble princess in surprise: "Your Highness, why..."
"I want to go too, Father!"
Vivi caught a few breaths, then said seriously: "I also want to meet that 'Rain Caller'!"
"What!? What!? What!?"
After hearing this, the eyes of the three royal guards almost popped out of their sockets.
"Princess Vivi, please don't joke!"
"Princess Vivi, that individual could be..."
"That's right, how could something like this possibly..."
They were flustered, even stammering their words, and Igaram's golden curly hair seemed to almost straighten in shock.
But Vivi only looked at her father.
"Hmm..."
Upon hearing this, Cobra stroked his chin: "Alright then."
"What!? What!? What!?"
Ignoring the three men whose jaws had dropped, Cobra, at this moment, only looked at his daughter: "You are a princess, and also the next King of Alabasta. I originally planned to let you engage with national affairs a few years later, but now it seems that might not be a good idea."
His eyes held both affection and resolve.
As the King of Alabasta, and one of the 'Original Twenty Kingdoms' that established the World Government, he deeply understood the darkness of the world.
He had indeed planned to let Vivi continue to grow up innocent and joyful for a few more years.
But this great drought plaguing the country, the conspiracy hidden within it, and the recent changes in the country, all made him realize—perhaps it was time.
"But remember, you only need to observe from the side."
"Understood."
Vivi also nodded firmly.
Over these seven months, she had also personally witnessed the country's changes.
Her heart was burning with anxiety, but she had been helpless.
Until today, after noticing the pouring rain outside the window, she finally made up her mind—as a princess, she might not be able to do anything, but she should at least try to do *something*.
"Your Majesty."
And just then, a guard from outside the door brought news: "That individual has already entered the capital and is heading towards the palace."
So, Cobra and Vivi exchanged a glance.
The few of them immediately headed towards the main palace gates.
And when they arrived at the plaza in front of the palace, they could already see the bustling crowds of Alabasta citizens.
They were densely gathered there, eagerly looking into the distance.
"It's the 'Rain Caller'!"
"It's really raining!"
"How could it be fake? I followed him all the way from Yuba!"
They subconsciously cleared a path, allowing Vivi to vaguely make out the figure at the end of it.
The mysterious long robe, and the imposing dragon-head mask, were exactly as described in the rumors.
He gradually approached, eventually stepping into the palace under the wary gazes of the guards.
Finally, when he was no longer far from King Cobra, he stopped at the foot of the stairs.
His eyes beneath the mask looked at Cobra and Vivi.
"Welcome to our land, esteemed guest who has traveled a long way."
Cobra straightened his chest and raised both hands.
"I am Nefertari Cobra, and on behalf of Alabasta, I welcome your arrival. May I ask how I should address you?"
As he spoke, Pell, Chaka, and Igaram beside him tensed their muscles, ready to confront an enemy at any moment.
But unexpectedly, the person shrouded in the rain did not make a move.
He merely looked at Cobra.
Then, a low, deep voice, just loud enough for the few people on the stairs to hear, rang out.
"I am 'Jing Long'."
"I have come here to discuss a transaction with Your Majesty, the King."
"One that directly concerns—everything about this country, whether it faces destruction... or rebirth."
(end of chapter)