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Sandy Island.
The island where the Kingdom of Alabasta was located.
"One of the few major islands in the first half of the Grand Line," Jin mused. "A long history, rich in minerals like copper and iron..."
When Jin had first developed the Ice Mushrooms, he had two primary markets in mind: Kilauea and Alabasta.
Given Crocodile's presence, he had focused on Kilauea first.
Now, that market was stable and saturated.
So Jin turned his gaze to Alabasta.
Such a large piece of the pie.
'Sorry Crocodile... But you can't handle it all. Let me help you with that.' he thought.
Before heading to Alabasta, the demonic carrier first stopped at Asuka Island to harvest a batch of fresh mushrooms and deliver the latest generation of farmed seeds to Izaya.
The Marine training base there was in the process of being upgraded into a full branch base, and the black dragon flag of the Winter Blossom Kingdom now flew over the port town.
Good news travels slow, but bad news travels fast.
The stories of Jin defeating the Warlord Hanafuda and the bloody purge of Hannabal Island had already spread through the pirate Underworld.
Now, when pirates saw his flag, they felt a sense of awe.
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Five days later.
Alabasta.
Nanohana, the kingdom's official port of entry, was famous for its perfumes. It was here that Luffy and Ace would one day be reunited.
The blistering heat was reflected in the city's desert architecture—rows upon rows of rammed-earth houses. Merchants in turbans bustled through the streets, while strange animals like camels and Super Spot-Billed Ducks served as the primary mode of transportation.
Dancers in revealing outfits performed energetic routines, and the air was thick with the scent of incense.
It was a vibrant, bustling city.
When the noble of Nanohana heard that the king of the Winter Blossom Kingdom had arrived, he first placed a call to the royal capital to confirm that the visitor was indeed from a member nation of the World Government.
Only then did he go to the docks with an honor guard to welcome him.
The king's youth surprised the old noble. When he learned that Jin was on his way to the capital to meet with King Cobra, he immediately arranged for a luxurious carriage and an escort of royal guards.
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Rainbase.
The Rain Dinners, under Crocodile's management, had become the largest casino in the kingdom, a playground for the nobility.
The news of Jin's arrival in Nanohana and his reception by the local noble had already reached him.
Crocodile sat behind his desk, a cigar clenched between his teeth, his brow furrowed.
"The king who defeated Hanafuda—" he growled. "What is he doing in Alabasta? This is a problem..."
The door opened, and Robin walked in. "You wanted to see me?"
"We're going to the capital," Crocodile said.
"Why?"
"The king of the Winter Blossom Kingdom is on his way there. I have a bad feeling about this."
"A king from some small nation," Robin said coolly. "Is he really worth our attention?"
Crocodile shot her a look.
He knew she was throwing his own words back at him.
This woman... she holds a grudge.
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Jin had left Kuma to guard the ship. He traveled light, with only Maya, to the royal capital Alubarna.
Though King Cobra didn't know the purpose of his visit, he had prepared a full reception. The accumulated etiquette of a thousand-year-old kingdom was not to be underestimated.
It was... elaborate.
Maya went ahead. She nervously ascended the steps and presented the official letter of state to a minister, who then passed it to King Cobra.
King Cobra read the letter aloud. Then he dispatched the minister to accompany Maya in a royal carriage to meet Jin outside the city. After confirming his identity, he was welcomed into Alubarna.
The citizens watched from the central avenue as the procession passed. As they approached the palace, the royal orchestra began to play. A red carpet was rolled out from the palace entrance, all the way down the grand staircase.
At the top, King Cobra stood in his full regalia, flanked by guards and palace servants holding various ceremonial objects. It was a display of pure, civilized power.
"As expected of a thousand-year-old kingdom," Jin said, impressed.
The minister beside him puffed out his chest with pride.
'A pity... this splendor won't last much longer,' Jin thought.
He ascended the steps and met King Cobra.
Crocodile's "Operation Utopia" had not yet begun. Cobra's reputation was still untarnished. He was a kind, benevolent ruler, beloved by his people. The perfect peacetime king.
But in the face of a major crisis, he could be naive and indecisive.
Princess Vivi, also in full regalia, stood beside her father. Though she was only twelve, she was already wise beyond her years, kind and strong, with a legion of admirers throughout the kingdom.
After the official pleasantries were over, Cobra hosted a state banquet in Jin's honor.
After three rounds of drinks, Cobra set down his cup and looked at the young king across from him.
"I heard about the... incident... from the World Government," he said. "The death of King Wapol is a great tragedy."
"It's not." Jin said.
Cobra, who had just been making polite conversation, was taken aback.
Vivi looked at Jin with curiosity. She remembered Wapol. During the Levely, Wapol, enraged at being publicly rebuked by her father, had deliberately bumped into her, slapped her, and insulted her. Worried about causing a diplomatic incident, Vivi had apologized to him, then cried in secret afterward.
When she'd heard he was dead, she had been secretly happy for a while.
She'd heard that this new king was Wapol's illegitimate brother, but he was nothing like him. He didn't seem to care at all about Wapol's death.
Jin wiped his mouth with a napkin and looked up. "King Cobra, let's talk about something more practical."
"Practical? What do you mean?"
Jin raised his hand and drew a circle in the air.
Cobra and Vivi watched in amazement as a black hole appeared. A Devil Fruit?
The sub-space of the Munch-Munch Fruit opened—and Jin produced two chests. One contained Ice Mushrooms from Drum Island, the other, Delicious Mushrooms from Asuka Island.
The black hole closed.
"I'm here to sell my country's products," Jin said. "And to sign a free trade agreement with your kingdom. I'm interested in purchasing minerals and other goods from you. In short, I'm here to do business."
"Ice Mushrooms?" Cobra stood up abruptly and walked over.
Although the mushrooms were currently only sold in Kilauea, some enterprising merchants had already begun reselling them in Alabasta. Cobra had tried one. It was tasteless, but it was filled with water. For the drought-stricken, water-starved Kingdom of Alabasta, it was a miracle.
He opened the chest. A large, crystalline mushroom, radiating a cold mist, lay inside. The temperature in the room dropped.
"This is it!" he said, his voice filled with urgency. "This is a product of the Winter Blossom Kingdom?"
The drought and desertification in Alabasta hadn't started with Crocodile; he had just accelerated the process. One Ice Mushroom might have been a drop in the bucket, but to a person in the desert, a single drop of water was more precious than gold.
"Yes," Jin replied. "Current monthly production is 100,000."
This number was based on Ai's analysis of Drum Island's climate and overall environment. As a winter island, it snowed on Drum Island for at least 300 days a year. Siphoning off some of the snowmelt wouldn't affect the island's ecosystem and would even help to stabilize the existing snow line.
"The wholesale price is 10,000 Berries per mushroom. I will sell them exclusively to the royal family, and you can handle the distribution."
Cobra was both overjoyed and worried.
100,000 Ice Mushrooms a month, each weighing about eight pounds... it wasn't a huge amount, but it was enough.
But—
"The kingdom... has no money," Cobra said, his shoulders slumping. "We have the Heavenly Tribute to pay, and with the years of drought, I've had to waive the taxes to ease the burden on my people. The royal treasury is empty."
Jin smiled. "Minerals, land, people... these are all resources that can be converted into money, aren't they? We can barter. Of course, for the sake of convenience, we can use the Winter Blossom Kingdom's Merit Vouchers for calculation. And these are Delicious Mushrooms. They're edible. I hope to be able to sell them in your kingdom."
"This is a matter of great importance," Cobra said, deep in thought. "I will need to consider it overnight. Tomorrow. I will give you an answer tomorrow."
"Alright."
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