Alubarna and Rainbase, one to the east and one to the west, are separated by the Saint Dora River.
Crocodile's speed wasn't as fast as the lizard from before, but it was still much quicker than a camel. By nightfall, they had already reached the Saint Dora River, and Sage even returned to the ship to rest for a while.
The vast desert had left him drenched in sweat, so of course he went back to the ship to bathe, change clothes, and have a meal before continuing his journey on the crocodile.
It wasn't like he was always shirtless—after his fight with Ace, his expensive top had been ruined, but over such a long time, he naturally had replacements.
Fortunately, he had protected his even more expensive fur cloak with Haki back then, or else he might not even have a cloak left.
Clothes were easy to replace, but he really liked this cloak. If it were gone, he wouldn't know where to find another one like it.
Sage changed into a loose, sand-colored open-front shirt, with black trousers below, the cuffs tucked into his boots. Then, with his freshly prepared subordinates, they set off again.
This crocodile could travel both on land and water, making it an excellent means of transportation. Unfortunately, it was Crocodile's pet and didn't match Sage's personal aesthetic.
As the crocodile crossed the river, Sage suddenly said, "Maybe we should get some iconic transportation of our own?"
Renetia thought for a moment. "How about motorcycles? I can build them directly."
"And then have all the subordinates shave their heads into mohawks? Don't be ridiculous, Reti," Sage rolled his eyes.
She often tinkered with mechanical gadgets as prototypes, but she usually prioritized function over form. Unless there was a strict requirement, her creations tended to be rugged.
Technically, there might be no issues, but after seeing so many rough-looking contraptions, Sage couldn't shake the feeling of a post-apocalyptic wasteland aesthetic.
He was going for a pirate style, not a dystopian one. Anyone could guess what kind of motorcycles Renetia would come up with. If the subordinates all got mohawks on top of that, he might as well stop calling himself "Natural Disaster" and go with "Overlord of the Heavens" instead.
"Mohawks…"
Renetia's eyes lit up. "That actually sounds kind of fun."
"Ara, wouldn't that just make them look like punks?" Marika laughed.
Lily nodded in agreement. "But having a unified outfit could also become our Pirate Crew's signature."
"We'll talk about it later," Sage waved his hand dismissively. "You all know the plan, right? Stay away from Alubarna's central square. We're heading straight for the Royal Palace—that area won't be affected by the bombs."
Whether Crocodile's bombs could actually destroy an entire Royal City was debatable, but their power was undoubtedly significant. There was no need to take unnecessary risks—after all, all he wanted was to rob the Royal Palace.
"A million people in a massive brawl… Can Alubarna even hold that many?" Lily found it hard to believe.
Alabasta's standing army numbered one million. According to the intel they got from Crocodile, 700,000 of those soldiers had become rebels, leaving only 300,000 in the King's army. If they all gathered in Alubarna, the place would be packed beyond belief.
Lily still remembered the scene back in the East Sea when Sage faced 2,000 soldiers alone. Even that number had seemed overwhelming at the time.
A million people? She couldn't even begin to imagine how many that would be.
Sage rested his chin on one hand, tilting his head slightly with a smile. "Whether it can accommodate us or not, we'll find out when we get there."
The crocodiles crossed the Saint Dora River, reaching the eastern desert, and continued toward Alubarna until the sun rose, turning night into day. Then, they saw the massive structure.
Alubarna stood tall above the desert, like a colossal island emerging from a sea of sand. Enormous steps extended upward on all sides, leading to the city itself.
The sheer scale of those steps alone left no doubt—this city could host a battle involving millions.
At the base of the western gate's staircase, a group of people waited.
Among them was a muscular man with bizarrely heavy makeup, fake eyelashes, and a swan ballet costume. His wide eyes darted around as he spun on tiptoe in the sand, his voice hoarse and shrill:
"Will the princess really come? A chaotic brawl of millions! Trying to stop them—what a mad clown, yo!"
Beside him, a disheveled woman in a spider-patterned swimsuit puffed on a pipe and chuckled softly. "Wouldn't it be better if she didn't? Though even if she came, it wouldn't matter. But according to Miss Sunday's message, a big shot is also on the way—someone who'll be our guarantee."
"A big shot? Who? How big? Is it Crocodile? Hurry up and tell me, I'm dying of curiosity!" Miss Merry Christmas blurted out rapidly, stomping her feet impatiently.
Nearby, Mr. 4, perched on a rock with binoculars, gave a slow, good-natured smile.
"We'll know when they arrive. Besides, that's not our mission," a cold voice interjected from a man leaning against the rock. "Our job is to eliminate anyone who obstructs the mission—especially you, Mr. 2. Stop jumping around."
The man had a completely shaved head, leaving only stubble, and wore an open monk-like outfit with the character for "One" boldly tattooed on his chest.
Baroque Works' top-ranked agent—Mr. 1.
"Huh? Got a problem with me? Want a taste of my kicks, yo?" Mr. 2 snapped, glaring at him.
"Both of you, stop arguing. Calm down," Miss Double Finger sighed, trying to mediate.
Just as tensions flared, Mr. 4 slowly lowered his binoculars, turned his head, and raised a finger with deliberate slowness. "They're... here... yo."
No sooner had he spoken than a dozen crocodiles, kicking up dust, came to a stop in the open area below the western gate's steps.
From the compartments atop the crocodiles, dozens of pirates disembarked one after another, led by Akin and Paru, gathering together.
Only after they had all stepped down did the door of the foremost crocodile finally open.
A pink-haired little girl appeared on the crocodile's back, sliding down its massive form like a slide. She then smacked the crocodile in annoyance, yelling, "Your skin's too rough! You can't even be a proper slide!"
"That little girl..." Miss Double Finger blinked in surprise. "Renetia, worth 23 million Belly?"
Baroque Works also placed great emphasis on intelligence, and as the partner of the top-ranked agent, she prioritized this aspect even more. Essentially, all communications with high-ranking agents were handled by her.
Renetia was no stranger to her. A little girl with a bounty exceeding twenty million was inherently noteworthy.
"Ara~ I already told you, crocodiles can't play on slides~"
A smiling woman jumped down from the crocodile's back, addressing Renetia cheerfully.
Her gentle smile felt similar to Miss Sunday's, but far softer.
"Marika."
Miss Doublefinger continued, "Thirty million berry bounty."
Lily was the third to jump down, adjusting the fine sword at her waist. Upon seeing this woman, Mr. 1 couldn't help but show a hint of surprise, instinctively giving her a second glance.
There was something undeniably sharp about this swordsman.
"Bendata Lily, thirty-six million berry bounty."
Miss Doublefinger then turned her gaze to the pirates, lingering on three of them as a thin layer of sweat gradually formed on her forehead. "Akin, Paru, Miote—fifteen million, ten million, six million..."
"Aside from that swordsman being worth noting, the rest are just small fry."
Mr. 1 glanced at her coolly. "Is there anything worth being shocked about, Miss Doublefinger?"
"Haven't you read the papers?"
Miss Doublefinger stared at the private box atop the crocodile, swallowing hard. "These people... are members of the Natural Disaster Pirate Crew. If they're all here, then that big shot..."
From within the box, a figure slowly emerged.
His fur cloak fluttered in the sandy wind, lifting strands of his white hair along with it. At the same time, a blinding gleam reflected off his face, obscuring his features.
It was the jewelry on his body, shimmering under the sunlight.
"So, you're the agents Crocodile mentioned?"
A voice slowly rose from atop the crocodile.
Miss Doublefinger fixed her gaze on the man. As the glare faded, she caught sight of a face brimming with unrestrained arrogance.
Their bounties weren't particularly high—the highest was on par with hers at thirty-six million.
Miss Doublefinger, Paula, wasn't a pirate. But those who defied the World Government and local Kingdom's bans to sail the seas weren't limited to just pirates.
Having a bounty and being a pirate were two entirely different matters.
Yet, there was no doubt these individuals were pirates—and major ones at that. Especially their captain...
"Natural Disaster! Norton Sage!" Miss Doublefinger's voice trembled slightly.
At that moment, all the agents froze in place. Even Mr. 1 couldn't help but adopt a solemn expression.
Unlike the lower-ranked Billions and Millions below them, who sought fame by challenging high-bounty targets, they understood one thing clearly—the higher the bounty, the greater the danger.
While it didn't necessarily equate to strength, once it reached a certain level, no one would consider that person weak.
A bounty of two hundred and seventy million? To them, that was undeniably a big shot!