When Kaguya walked out of the room, a burly man was standing in the hallway—it was the previous Mr. 1. As she passed by Mr. 1, he suddenly spoke up, "Why didn't you kill us?"
"Kill you?"
Kaguya's steps suddenly halted. She gave a gentle smile and said, "What, do you want me to kill you? If that's the case, I can grant your wish."
"Ah, no, that's not it," Mr. 1 said, cold sweat forming on his forehead. "I mean, you could have instinctively killed us just now. Why didn't you?"
"Oh, that," Kaguya gave a faint smile and said, "Why should I kill you? Besides, did I ever say I would?"
Mr. 1 was momentarily speechless.
"However, you did have a chance to escape earlier, didn't you, 'Nine Three Three'?" Kaguya said. "Aren't you afraid of dying?"
Mr. 1 was silent for a moment, then said, "He saved me when I was about to die."
"I see," Kaguya said as she walked off into the distance, waving her hand. "Don't forget the conditions you agreed to. Otherwise, I will kill all of you."
Mr. 1 watched the silver-haired girl's figure gradually disappear into the dusk and couldn't help but let out a long breath.
She was truly terrifying. That faintly emanating aura of intimidation struck fear into his heart. In front of her, Mr. 1 felt like he was being crushed by a mountain, not even daring to breathe.
Could this be Conqueror's Haki?
No, even Conqueror's Haki doesn't have such a powerful presence.
Mr. 1 touched his chest—it still faintly ached. With just a light wave of her hand, he had been sent flying. His steel-like body had almost been blown apart, and who knew how many bones he had broken. If she hadn't held back, he would probably be dead now.
That terrifying aura of death still sent chills down his spine.
Is this what a powerhouse of the New World is like?
Cold sweat formed on Mr. 1's forehead.
At the same time, in the camp at Yuba Town.
The town was desolate and quiet. The mountain of corpses had already been burned and buried, and the destroyed houses and shelters had been repaired. But the dense bullet holes on the walls and the dark red bloodstains proved that this town had recently experienced a fierce battle.
"Still haven't found her?" Captain Chaka asked in a deep voice.
"Not yet," a Holy War Army soldier said, sweating profusely. "We've already searched the surrounding area. Even the bodies on the battlefield have been checked one by one, but we haven't found her corpse."
Chaka furrowed his brow, his expression grave. "Immediately send more people. Dispatch three more squads and expand the search area. We must find her."
The soldier hesitated for a moment and said, "But it's already nighttime. If the rebels launch a surprise attack…"
"Ignore that. The most important task right now is to find her. Understood?" Chaka said sternly.
"Yes, sir."
The Holy War Army soldier received the order and hurried off.
Chaka looked out at the thick darkness beyond the tent, his heart heavy. He couldn't help but think of that beautiful silver-haired girl.
If she hadn't suddenly appeared on the battlefield, filling the gap torn open by the rebels and repelling their assault, not only would Yuba have fallen, but the Holy War Army might have been completely wiped out in the battle.
So, no matter what, she must be found.
"Are you looking for me?"
At that moment, a pleasant and melodious voice suddenly rang out.
Chaka spun around abruptly, only to see that at some point, a stunningly beautiful silver-haired girl had appeared, sitting casually in a chair—it was the same girl from before.
"You—how are you here?" Chaka was startled and asked in disbelief, "Where did you go earlier? We searched for a long time and couldn't find you."
"Ah, that," Kaguya casually picked up a fruit from the table and took a bite, speaking unclearly, "Sorry, I got lost."
"Got lost?" Chaka's eyelid twitched. Couldn't she come up with a more plausible excuse?
Do I look that gullible?
"Right, what did you want with me?" Kaguya's eyes lit up. "Don't tell me you're here to give me a reward?"
"Sorry, due to the war, most of our funds have been spent on weapons, equipment, and food," Chaka said. The implication was clear—no money.
"Stingy to the core. Whatever, I didn't expect to get anything from you poor folks anyway," Kaguya snorted dismissively. "By the way, you can now set out for the royal palace."
"The royal palace?" Chaka was stunned.
"That's right," Kaguya waved her pale white fingers and said, "Don't you think this is a heaven-sent opportunity to defeat the rebels?"
A heaven-sent opportunity?
What a joke.
Did she think that just winning a small-scale battle meant the war was already won?
One must know that in Alabasta, the rebel army still had tens of thousands of troops. They were elite forces armed to the teeth, especially the Baroque Works Organization, which was made up of the best of the best, with many Devil Fruit users among them. They were simply not an opponent the current Holy War Army could contend with.
Although the Holy War Army had won this battle, the losses were also severe. There were only about a hundred people still fit for combat. Even if they gathered all the Holy War Army forces across the nation, it would amount to just ten thousand. Trying to take down the fortress-like royal palace was nothing but a pipe dream.
Chaka's eyelids twitched as he said, "Thank you for the suggestion, but we have our own plans. We'll proceed according to the strategy we've already laid out. There's no need for you to worry."
The meaning was obvious—mind your own business.
"Since you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do. Just don't blame me for not warning you," Kaguya said, finishing the apple in a few quick bites and casually tossing the core into the trash bin. "It's getting late. I should be going." With that, she headed toward the exit.
"Where are you going?" Chaka hurried after her.
"Mount Huaguo," Kaguya said casually without turning her head.
Mount Huaguo?
Where is that?
Chaka froze for a moment, then quickly said, "It's already dark. There are not only rebel troops outside but also ferocious beasts. It's dangerous."
"That's none of your concern. I'm not some fragile weakling," Kaguya said, waving her hand behind her. "Goodbye, action figure."
"I told you, I'm not an action figure!"
Not long after Kaguya left, a lovely and charming little girl rushed over. Due to the strenuous activity, she was panting heavily, her delicate face flushed red.
"Princess Vivi, why are you here?" Chaka asked in surprise.
The girl was none other than Alabasta's princess, Nefeltari Vivi.
"Where is she? Where did she go?" Vivi looked around anxiously but couldn't find any trace of the person and asked urgently.
She?
Chaka was stunned for a moment before realizing she was referring to Kaguya.
"She just left a short while ago," Chaka replied.
"She left?" Vivi's face showed a disappointed expression.
"What's the matter, Princess Vivi? Did you need something from her?" Chaka asked curiously.
"I haven't had the chance to properly thank her yet," Vivi said regretfully.
"We were only able to defeat the rebels despite being at a disadvantage thanks to her help in the last battle. Otherwise, the Holy War Army might've been overwhelmed." A deep, magnetic voice accompanied these words as a dignified middle-aged man stepped into the tent.
Chaka immediately saluted upon seeing him. "Your Majesty."
This man was the King of Alabasta, Cobra.
"She's already left?" Cobra asked.
"Yes," Chaka nodded. "She left not long ago. I tried to persuade her to stay, but she insisted on leaving."
"I had planned to hold a banquet to thank her," Cobra said with some regret.
Vivi hooked her fair finger under her chin, furrowing her brows in thought, looking particularly adorable.
Cobra noticed her action and asked curiously, "What is it, Vivi?"
Vivi hesitated, then looked up and said with uncertainty, "That lady looked really familiar. I feel like I've seen her somewhere before."
Cobra smiled and said, "You probably just mistook her for someone else."
Chaka also chuckled and said, "It was dark and she was far away. It's normal to misrecognize someone."
"No, I'm sure I've seen her somewhere," Vivi said with frustration. Then she muttered, "But where could it have been?"
Just as Cobra was about to tease her further, an unbelievable report came in, leaving everyone stunned.
"What? Are you saying the royal palace was flooded?" Cobra said in shock.
"Yes, Your Majesty," the soldier said, drenched in sweat and panting heavily. "According to the scouts at the front, a massive sandstorm suddenly formed at the location of the palace. At the same time, a huge amount of water surged up from the ground, not only flooding the palace but also submerging the surrounding areas of Alubarna."
"How is that possible?" Chaka exclaimed in disbelief and quickly asked, "Have you investigated it? Could it be a rumor spread by the rebels?"
"No, sir," the soldier replied hastily. "We went to Alubarna, but on the way we encountered a massive flood that blocked our path. This amount of water can't be caused by Dance Powder alone, so it doesn't seem fake."
"Then have you found out what caused it?" Cobra asked gravely, his expression serious.
"That..." the soldier hesitated, clearly unsure.
"Speak!" Chaka said anxiously.
After the soldier finished his report, an incredulous expression appeared on Chaka's face. He said in astonishment, "You're saying this was caused by a battle?"
"Yes," the soldier nodded quickly. "According to eyewitnesses, that's what happened. One of the individuals involved was likely Crocodile."
How could that be possible?
Everyone was shocked. After all, this was the desert.
The desert climate is hot and dry. Creating a water source on this scale here was nearly impossible. Even if all the underground rivers were combined, they wouldn't produce such a massive volume of water.
Suddenly remembering something, Chaka quickly said, "Pass down the order. Have the entire Holy War Army ready for battle. In one hour, we move to attack Alubarna!"
"What?!" The soldier was dumbfounded. That was the stronghold of the rebel army—just the stationed troops alone numbered in the tens of thousands. Even with reinforcements, they had fewer than a few thousand.
The soldier instinctively looked to King Cobra.
Cobra's expression turned solemn. He said firmly, "Follow my order. Go now."
"Yes, sir!" The soldier straightened up and hurried off to relay the command.
Chaka looked out at the vast darkness outside the window. In his heart, he suddenly recalled the words spoken earlier by that silver-haired girl.
Could it be… she really knew something?
At dawn, the first light of day spread across the horizon. A red sun slowly rose, illuminating the vast earth.
When the fully mobilized Holy War Army reached Alabasta's capital, Alubarna, they were stunned by the sight before them. They stared, speechless, at the unbelievable scene.
Alubarna, once located in the desert, had disappeared. In its place was an endless stretch of lush, verdant forest. Towering trees stretched up into the clouds, branches thick with leaves. The ground was covered with rich vegetation, blooming with vibrant flowers. As they stepped inside, a refreshing, cool breeze swept over them.
This was no mirage.
But it was far too unbelievable.
In the arid desert climate, even an oasis wouldn't reach such an extent.
Not only was Chaka stunned, but even King Cobra of Alabasta wore a look of astonishment. Princess Vivi had her cute little mouth wide open in shock.
When they entered Alubarna, they found the buildings completely intact, just as they had been before their departure. But what was truly strange was that the entire city was empty—completely silent. Not a single person remained. The occasional chirping of birds only added to the eerie stillness.
After the Holy War Army thoroughly searched the city, they confirmed it: no one was there. Not only had all the city's former residents vanished, but even the rebel army had seemingly disappeared into thin air.
Everyone looked at each other, not knowing what to make of it. A chill crept up their spines—it was simply too bizarre.
At that moment, Vivi suddenly seemed to remember something. Her eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands in excitement. "I know who she is!"
Cobra and Chaka were both stunned.
"Who is she?"
"She's Kaguya! We met her once at the World Government conference," Vivi said excitedly. "No wonder she looked so familiar."
Cobra and Chaka exchanged shocked glances.
Could she really be that Kaguya—the one known as the strongest admiral in the world?
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