There are fewer erotic elements this time.
They left Little Garden and encountered some accidents along the way, such as Tashigi discovering she had Kestia fever and encountering sea fog caused by an underwater volcano, but they arrived safely at their destination.
"I can see the island!"
Nojiko, who had gone up to the lookout as usual, made the report and everyone came out onto the deck.
From the bow of the Merry, Bibi gazed at the island with a deep emotion.
"I'm back...!"
"Is that Alabasta?"
"It's really sand."
The island that came into view was a vast desert. It was certainly a sight that made it easy to understand why it was also called the Land of Sand.
The Merry then docked at Nanohana, a port town that could be considered the gateway to Alabasta.
"Okay, then we'll divide up the tasks for the rest of the day."
The reason for docking at Nanohana is to replenish the ship and gather information.
The information about the coup that can be obtained from newspapers is only of events that occurred a few days before. Real-time information can only be obtained by being on the ground.
"First, I'll ask Makino and Nojiko to replenish our supplies. We've already used up too much."
We replenished our supplies in Rogue Town and then quickly set sail for Whiskey Peak and Little Garden, so we weren't able to replenish our supplies properly.
In this country in particular, whether you're going to the kingdom or trying to persuade the rebels, securing water is important, and you'll also need clothing and equipment appropriate for the local area.
"Tashigi will contact the Navy. I have already arranged for the Fleet Admiral to speak to them when we arrive in Alabasta."
"...directly to the Marshal?"
Although he was a naval officer, to Tashigi, who served in the East Blue, the position of Fleet Admiral was far above her.
It's no wonder that I feel strangely nervous, even though I'm only there to report and ask for instructions.
Normally, they would have kept in close contact with the Navy, but there was a possibility that their communications could be eavesdropped on, so Luffy was left to decide what to do until they arrived.
"Kaya and Nami will be ship keeper, Vivi and I will gather information."
"yes"
"I understand."
"Yeah"
Even in a port with a lot of people watching, it's not possible to leave a ship completely unattended. That's why the ship watchman's job is so important.
In order to thoroughly investigate place names and information about the coup, Vivi, who is most knowledgeable about the country, was tasked with gathering information, while Luffy was tasked with gathering information just in case.
"I'm sure you know this, but this is already enemy territory. Be careful."
"You want to know information about the coup? What a curious adventurer."
Luffy and Vivi, wearing their hoods pulled down over their heads, entered Nanohana's bar, ordered drinks, and asked the bar owner about the coup.
Although it is far from the capital, he complained, "Even the regulars have joined the rebels and it's all down."
"As you probably know, defectors from the royal army have joined forces with the rebels. The people of the country are terrified that a decisive battle could happen any day now. Many residents have fled from Alubarna to other towns. Well, Nanohana is far away, and it's also a good distance from Cattleya, so families of the rebels have quietly moved there, and I'm grateful that they're spending money there."
"Are there rebels in Cattleya?"
"Don't you know? The oasis in Yuba has dried up."
He answered a question that Vivi had accidentally blurted out while wiping the glass. However, in response to his reply, Vivi shouted out, "Yuba?!", even though he was hiding his identity.
However, thanks to the hustle and bustle in the bar, none of the other customers seemed to be paying any attention to Bibi.
"Oh, do you have any acquaintances in Yuba? Apparently, after the rain stopped, an abnormal sandstorm hit the oasis, causing it to dry up. Unable to use it as a base, the rebels abandoned Yuba and traveled through several towns before drifting to Cattleya."
"No way..."
"...So to meet the rebels I should go to Cattleya instead of Yuba."
In response to Luffy's words, the store owner gave a somewhat hesitant response, saying, "Yeah, that's true, but..."
Luffy wondered if he had any information and quickly placed another 1000 berry note on the counter.
"Apparently the World Government is intervening."
The store owner who received it spoke to Luffy in a low voice, as if whispering, being careful of those around him.
However, he was constantly concerned about those around him, as he didn't want to get poked in the eye by spreading rumors that the World Government was involved.
"The guys from Alubarna said that a strange trio had an audience with the king. One of them was explaining to the palace guards that it was a top secret mission from the World Government, cha-cha-cha-cha."
"...From yourself?"
"From me."
The reason the shopkeeper was hesitant was that he was more worried about the veracity of the rumors than the rumors of World Government intervention.
There's no way he would say something like, "I'm on a top-secret mission for the World Government," but even as a prank, it's a stupid thing to say.
---I never thought he was really a World Government employee and that he accidentally spoke up because he was too talkative.
"There are also rumors that the King's army has secretly sent an emissary to the Cattleya rebels. It is said that the World Government has intervened in the coup d'état, and the King is busy dealing with the situation, but we don't know if that's true or not. However, it seems that the rebels are calling for all their scattered members in Alabasta to gather together, so they are saying that some kind of movement will be made soon... perhaps an all-out attack."
"...I see."
Luffy and Vivi left another 1000 berry bill as a thank you and left the bar.
After walking a little way through the hustle and bustle of the town, Vivi made sure that no one was following her and called out to Luffy.
"Luffy, about what we were talking about earlier..."
The World Government itself rarely intervenes in a coup in a country.
The World Government is an organization whose purpose is to maintain order. Its power is so great that if it intervenes improperly, it could even destroy the country itself.
Therefore, it is common sense that the world government will not intervene in a coup d'état by the people of a single country.
Therefore, the store owners and the people are skeptical of the rumor, and seem to think that if it is true, the World Government will impose sanctions on the rebels.
"Government intervention is probably real. There may have been orders from the Admiral of the Navy."
Luffy and his friends know another reason why the World Government is intervening: Crocodile, the manipulator behind the coup.
Even if the World Government were to take action to stop Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords, from taking over the country, they would not be able to act openly.
"Luffy, what are you planning to do now?"
"...Let's go back to the ship first. Tashigi might have received some instructions...huh?"
As I was thinking about returning to the Merry and discussing our next steps, I noticed a commotion coming from a certain store.
There was a crowd at the entrance, and it seemed like they were watching what was going on inside.
"It's noisy."
"Did something happen?"
Normally, considering safety, I shouldn't have gotten involved in the commotion, but I called out to a nearby resident, hoping that he might be able to give me some clues about Baroque Works' movements.
"Apparently, a traveler ate some desert strawberries."
"Desert strawberries?"
"It's a highly poisonous scorpion. It's shaped like a strawberry, and there have been many accidental ingestion incidents since ancient times. If you eat it, after a short incubation period, the infectious poison spreads through your body and causes sudden death."
When Bibi explained the unfamiliar name, the residents looked at the store with a look that could be interpreted as either concern or annoyance, saying, "Oh, so that's why there's such a fuss."
It appears that the people gathered there are just curious onlookers worried about the infectious poison in the corpse.
However, if the traveler died of poisoning, it seemed unlikely that it had anything to do with Baroque Works.
"You died so suddenly, you were eating and the moment you raised your fork with meat on it, your face went right into the food..."
"...You're cooking your face?"
Luffy was taken aback by this explanation. Suddenly, people came out of the store, exclaiming in exasperation, "What's going on?" and "Stop causing trouble."
One of them seemed to know the person who was talking to Luffy and the others, and as they passed each other they said, "They weren't desert strawberries, they were sleeping."
"Did you fall asleep while eating?"
"I don't know why, but it seems like it was a misunderstanding."
"...Luffy-san?"
Vivi was confused that such a strange person could be there, and he said, "It seems my worries were unnecessary," and left. However, Luffy headed towards the store, pushing against the wave of onlookers who were leaving.
At the counter, the man was eating a large amount of food and talking with the owner.
"Even so, falling asleep while eating is strange..."
"Really? It's an old habit, so I'm not sure."
"I've been telling you for a long time that something is wrong, but you still don't realize it."
"Huh?...You, Luffy?!"
Luffy sat down next to the man in shock, and the man noticed him and looked surprised.
-Going Merry-
````Brother!?''''
"Oh, Ace!"
When the man returned to the ship with Ace, Nami and the others asked, "Who are you?" Luffy answered, "Brother," and Nami, Nojiko, and Kaya all expressed surprise in unison.
Meanwhile, Ace was also surprised, asking, "Why is Makino on the ship?!"
"There's no way I'll be waiting around while Luffy goes out to sea."
"No, that doesn't mean..."
"Ace...could it be Podogas D. Ace...!!"
As expected, as Luffy's brother he was also acquainted with Makino, who was from the same hometown, and the reunion was in full swing. Tashigi, who recognized Ace's name, reached for her sword while checking his identity.
Nami and the others were surprised and exclaimed, "Eh?!"
"Tashigi, let go of the sword."
"No, this man is the captain of the second division of the Whitebeard Pirates, the pirate [Fire Fist Ace]!"
Luffy tries to stop her, but Tashigi remains on guard and guesses Ace's true identity, to which Ace smiles and says, "Oh, so you know me?"
Nami and the others panicked and became equally wary, saying, "Pirates?!"
"Even if you're Luffy's brother, we can't let pirates run wild--"
"Hey, Tashigi."
"Higyu!?"
Tashigi was trying to capture the criminal, which was her duty as a Marine, but Luffy reached out with a slightly irritated tone.
No, "reaching out a hand" is a bit different. Luffy didn't hit Tashigi. He just reached out his hand.
"Nyyyyyyyy❤❤"
He slid his hand inside Tashigi's pants, down to her thigh, and grabbed her clitoris as if squeezing it.
The sudden pleasure - and the stimulation to her vital spots made Tashigi's body tremble and she instantly gave way to pain.
"Tashigi, what is your position?"
"Wow, I'm so happy❤❤❤"
Tashigi tries to answer that it's her duty as a Marine, but as if to deny her answer, he squeezes her clitoris tightly, and Tashigi climaxes, revealing an orgasmic face.
Her love juices were flying everywhere, and her knees were shaking like a newborn fawn, as she struggled to stand.
"I'll ask again. What is your position? To capture pirates? To expose your ahegao? To ignore what I have to say? Since when have you become so important that you can argue with me? Huh?"
"Ahh... that's not true... I, I'm Luffy's ❤❤ female pig slave ❤❤"
Tashigi declared in a voice so loud it seemed like the whole town of Nanohana could hear it.
Perhaps he had reached his limit, as he collapsed onto the deck, his upper body sinking, convulsing violently.
"Well, then should I report Ace?"
"Shi...masheen...❤❤"
"Okay, that'd be nice."
"No, no, no!!!"
Luffy said with satisfaction, but Nami and Nojiko interrupted him.
She was worried that people would look at her strangely because of her power play in persuasion and her current declaration.
"Don't worry. We've removed the volume tags around the Merry, so no sound can be heard outside."
"That's right, no, not that!"
"What, are you dissatisfied?"
Tashigi's declaration of slavery is one example, but that's not the only thing that worries Nami and Nojiko.
Gentle pirates like Shanks, Makino, who knew Ace from his childhood, and Kaya, who was childhood friends with Usopp, the son of a pirate, were wary of the existence of "pirates" themselves, but did not have the same negative perception as the general public.
However, Nami and Nojiko, whose adoptive mother was killed by Arlong and whose hometown was taken over by him, are different.
"Of course! I mean, they're pirates!"
"Just because they're pirates doesn't mean they're all bad. Right, Ace?"
"Well, plundering isn't something we do. At most we steal treasure from our fellow warriors."
By the way, there are other minor crimes such as dine-and-dash, but let's leave that aside for now.
However, perhaps because the label "pirate" only has negative connotations, Nami and Nojiko were still wary.
Luffy and Makino, who have known Ace since childhood, know very well that Ace has no intention of harming anyone.
So I knew he was not a "Morgania," the kind of pirate with a strong lawless side that people generally associate with "pirates," but a "Peacemane," a pirate more like an adventurer.
"Don't worry. I don't plan on staying long. I'm used to being disliked."
"Now, Ace."
Makino shrugged in exasperation as Ace laughed self-deprecatingly. Makino, who knew Ace's origins, also knew his past.
Because of this, he himself had heard that from a young age adults who did not know his true identity had said unkind things to him.
He can laugh about it now, but at the time, he had heard from the bandit who was like a foster mother to him that it was out of control.
"By the way, Ace, why are you in Alabasta? I thought that even if we were to meet again, it would be later."
"Yeah. That guy over there was there a while ago, but he's now in charge of the Whitebeard Pirates' second division."
He said this with a bit of hesitation, looking at Tashigi, who was still collapsed on the deck, twitching violently. Now that I think about it, that's what he had said when he pointed his sword at her earlier.
Whitebeard is one of the famous Four Emperors and is said to be the strongest pirate in the world.
"Right now, I'm pursuing a pirate who calls himself Blackbeard. He was originally with Whitebeard, but he committed the worst betrayal... he killed his comrades and ran away. He was a member of the Second Division, so I'm running back and forth to settle things."The Great RouteGrand Line
"Blackbeard...I've never heard of it."
Luffy said, looking at Nami and the others as if to ask if they knew, but none of them seemed to know.
However, it had only been two weeks since we arrived, and Whiskey Peak was the only inhabited island, so we hadn't really stayed there.The Great RouteGrand Line
It's probably not surprising if you don't know.
"From the information I gathered, it seems they destroyed a country called Drum Kingdom, which isn't far from here. I thought they might be heading this way, but it seems like that was a false start."
It's easy to imagine what a pirate's responsibility would be.
But if I'm not in this country, there's no reason to stay.
Perhaps that's what he meant when he said "I won't stay long."
"Oh, that's right. I almost forgot. Come on, Luffy!"
"!"
Ace took something that looked like an hourglass from his luggage and handed it to Luffy.permanent guidelineEternal Pose
Luffy looked at Ace in surprise when he saw that it had a place written on it that was not Alabasta.
"Ace...!"
"Well, being in the Whitebeard Pirates gives you all sorts of connections. If you don't need them, just throw them away."
"He's gone."
Ace then set sail from Alabasta on his ship, the Striker, which resembled a large surfboard.
As an aside, on that occasion he sank five warships carrying Baroque Works' underlings who were trying to claim the head of "Fire Fist Ace" with a single blow.
"By the way, your brother is a pirate."
"It's not that I was hiding it or anything. I just didn't feel the need to tell anyone. It's a vast place, so I wasn't sure if we'd even be able to meet anyone."The Great RouteGrand Line
"But Ace must have thought he'd be able to meet Luffy, right? He gave it to him."
Makino said, looking at what Luffy had in his hand. Nami and the others also pointed at the thing Ace had given them, saying, "Yes, that's it!"permanent guidelineEternal Pose
"Where is that from ?"permanent guidelineEternal Pose
"...It's one of the destinations of my journey."
After saying that , Luffy dismissed the situation and said, "Now," as he slapped Tashigi's butt, who was still lying face down on the deck like a squashed frog.permanent guidelineEternal Pose
"Mmhhhh❤"
"Get up already."
"...I wonder if that girl has some strange orgasmic habit."
Tashigi's sexual preferences became well known after she began being used by Luffy, but even so, Nojiko was a little worried about her extreme masochistic tendencies.
If he gets pleasure from pain, then perhaps he would become aroused during combat - there are some macho perverts in the world who seek out pain in this way, but he had no way of knowing this fact.
"The Marshal has informed us that he will first keep the ceasefire secret, and in the meantime, he will investigate the true nature of Baroque Works."
Tashigi, who had finally recovered, began to explain - her clothes were disheveled and it looked like she had been raped, but none of the crew members were quick to point that out.
However, hearing that, Luffy and Vivi were reminded of that story.
"Government intervention, huh?"
"It's okay, right?"
"What a look on your face. There's nothing more reassuring than receiving orders from the Marshal."
Nojiko tries to calm Bibi down, thinking that she is worried about whether she can really stop the coup, but that is not what she is worried about.
What he heard at the bar was that he introduced himself as a government official. They were supposed to be operating in utmost secrecy to avoid Crocodile finding out, so it's no wonder they were worried about someone who would reveal their secrets.
"Also, there are troops waiting in the nearby waters, and if they can prove the connection between Crocodile and Baroque Works, they will be able to launch an operation to suppress them."
"...Okay, our first objective is to deliver that evidence. Is there anyone from that government here?"
"In addition to investigating, they said they were also guarding King Cobra, so there's always one at the palace."
It is unclear how much the government currently understands about Baroque Works.
However, there is no doubt that the information Bibi has will help, and to do so, they need to have direct contact with government officials.
"If that's the case, then the first thing we need to do is escort Vivi to Alubarna."
"Yes, the Marshal seems to think so too, and he contacted us to inform us of our arrival and sent someone to pick us up. However, he said he would arrive tonight..."
"Tonight?"
It was just before dusk, and the sun was about to set. Kaya looked at the map of Alabasta and saw that there was a huge desert between their current location, Nanohana, and the capital, Alubarna.
Even if the horse is fast, it will still take a considerable amount of time to arrive.
"...Ah, that's right. The Super Mallard Duck Squad."
"Super Spot-billed Duck Squad?"
"This is a guerrilla force made up of the fastest Super Mallard Ducks in Alabasta. With their speed, they could carry us from the capital to here in four hours at the latest."
"...Spot-billed Duck...?"
The spot-billed duck, a water creature, is the fastest in the desert. Everyone is puzzled by this discrepancy, but since it's Bibi, who knows this country better than anyone, it must be true.
In any case, the group breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that they could now relax for the time being.
"Then we'll leave tomorrow morning. That way we should be able to arrive around noon."
I apologize for the limited R18 content.
Trying to balance it with the storyline resulted in an entire episode being descriptive, with no real progress, so I only included a little...
Unfortunately, the next episode will be just as thin.
Normally, I'd standardize the posting intervals to two weeks, but like with Rogue Town and Whiskey Peak, I plan to post the next two episodes one week apart.
Now, in the story, since they're off the direct route between Alabasta and Little Garden, they don't encounter Bon-chan.
Then, they gather information at a bar—in the original, they probably didn't get to do this after their encounter with Smoker, right?
There, they learn about Yuba's current situation and the rebel army's location.
However, with government intervention, they now head directly to Alubarna.
I was actually considering deploying forces like Garp and Aokiji, but I thought CP9 would be more appropriate, so I included the members who are likely waiting at Enies Lobby.
And as for the reunion with Ace?
To be honest, I made Tashigi seem like a masochist in the last episode because I thought she might point her sword at Ace when they encountered him.
Even if Luffy tries to stop him, he doesn't seem likely to agree... so that's how it came to be.
...As for the things Tashigi has
received, which are becoming increasingly gullible, that will be discussed in the future.
As for Karoo, since they left it to Igaram at Whiskey Peak, they needed transportation, so the rest of the Super Karugamo Squad will be coming.
Next time we'll start with the movement involved.
One word of warning first: there will be a depiction of gender-bending (TSF) in the episode after next, Alubarna Part 2 (working title)