RNP Chapter 255 Inviting the Sun, the Alabasta Turmoil
Chapter 255 Inviting the Sun, the Alabasta Turmoil
Chapter 255 Inviting the Sun, the Alabasta Turmoil
Sabaody Archipelago, GR-13 area, a secluded clearing behind a coating workshop.
As dawn broke, the enormous mangroves and floating soap bubbles were edged with a soft gold.
However, beneath this tranquility, waves of power are surging.
"Drink!"
Luffy's rubber arm hurtled towards Roger like a storm, but Roger laughed and easily blocked it with his fist, which was wrapped in top-level Armament Haki. The force of the recoil sent Luffy flying backward, grimacing.
"The speed is sufficient, and the power is acceptable, but the flow of domineering energy is too crude! Hahahaha!"
Roger gave instructions while casually swatting Luffy away.
"It should be like this, letting the domineering aura flow naturally like breathing, covering everything, and then—destroying from within!"
On the other side, Zoro kept his eyes closed, sweat beading on his forehead, his three swords still sheathed, simply held quietly in his hands.
He was sensing, sensing the restrained yet boundless domineering aura that Rayleigh had exuded before, trying to grasp the secret of compressing and controlling power to the extreme.
Sanji moved at high speed across the open ground, combining Moonwalk with Observation Haki to dodge Franky's unpredictable barrage of empty bullets, honing his perception and adaptability in the chaotic battlefield.
Under Nami's financial supervision, Usopp and Chopper were taking stock of the large amount of deep-sea survival supplies and ammunition they had purchased.
Brook was tuning his violin, and the notes seemed to carry a trace of condensed soul power. This was his deeper exploration of the Yomi Yomi no Mi (Fruit of the Underworld) and soul power after making a pact with Lord Hassan.
Wang Hassan himself remained like an ancient shadow, silently standing in the corner, seemingly merging with the deathly face of the world. Only his occasional glances at the trainees showed his concern.
Riley sat on a wooden barrel, looking at the group of energetic young people with a sense of satisfaction in his eyes, but also a hint of worry that was hard to detect.
He took a sip of his drink and whispered to Roger beside him.
"Roger, are you really going to send them to Fishman Island? The situation there is more complicated than we imagined."
"Blackbeard has just demonstrated his power to overturn the world, and the World Government and the Crusades are also eyeing him covetously—this water runs deep."
Roger crossed his arms and laughed heartily, "Old buddy, when did you become so hesitant? The deeper the water, the better for fishing!"
"Luffy isn't some hothouse flower. He's going to be the Pirate King! These storms are what he has to weather! And—"
His gaze swept over the group of people who were training.
"Aren't we old guys here to support them in times like these?"
Just then, Crocodile, with a cigar in his mouth, walked over with a rather uninterested Tescatlipoca.
"Straw Hat Boy, I'm not going to Fishman Island with you guys," Crocodile said, exhaling a smoke ring.
"Why?" Luffy stopped training and asked in confusion.
Tescatlipoca yawned and replied lazily.
"Oh? Because it doesn't sound like there's any chance or trial going on over there. It's just a few small fish splashing around in turbulent water."
"I have little interest in conflicts with predetermined trajectories."
He glanced at Crocodile with his scarlet eyes.
"Besides, this guy and I have some personal matters to attend to."
Crocodile snorted coldly, neither denying nor denying, which was tantamount to acknowledging Tescatlipoca's statement.
He looked at Luffy: "Remember our alliance, Straw Hat Luffy. Until our final goal is achieved, we're still on the same side."
"Let's meet again after Fishman Island."
Without waiting for Luffy's response, he and Tescatlipoca turned around and disappeared into the intricate alleyways of the Sabaody Archipelago in a few flashes.
Nami was somewhat worried: "Without those two, our top-tier combat power—"
Roger waved his hand: "It's alright. That supreme god's thoughts are unpredictable, keeping him by our side might not be a good thing. As for Crocodile, he has his own path to walk."
"Our current strength is sufficient."
Rayleigh nodded: "The coating should be finished this afternoon. Get ready."
"Fishman Island will be the most important hurdle before you enter the new world, and the first window to glimpse the truth behind this storm that is sweeping the world."
Alabasta, the vast region between the Rainlands and the royal capital Albana, now seemed to be divided in two by an invisible force, presenting two diametrically opposed miracles.
On one side, the lush tropical rainforest is growing and spreading at a rate that defies the laws of nature.
The air is filled with a rich sense of life, a blend of the fragrance of earth and the sweet scent of nectar, and you can even hear the ethereal birdsong from the ancient rainforest.
This realm is warm and moist, filled with the divine power of love and tolerance, like gentle waves that wash over the edge of the desert again and again.
They sought to bring this land into its harmonious and bountiful end through the power of life itself.
In stark contrast to this vibrant rainforest is the scorching desert on the other side, gleaming with dazzling golden light.
The sand here seems to have been given a metallic texture, each grain reflecting the sun in the sky that seems to never set.
This is not a natural celestial body, but rather originates from the magnificent and majestic complex temple in the center of the desert.
The temple itself was like a huge energy source, radiating light and heat, completely transforming this area into the absolute domain of Pharaoh Ramses II.
This place is the embodiment of order and the manifestation of royal power, where no disobedience is permitted.
Any alien life form that steps into this place will feel itself being purified as a drop of water exposed to the scorching sun.
At the boundary between rainforest and desert, energy is colliding fiercely and silently.
Deep in the rainforest, a temporary naval camp.
The two cigars that Lieutenant General Smoker had in his mouth were almost never extinguished, and the thick white smoke swirled around his furrowed brows, reflecting his extremely agitated mood.
He stood at the edge of the camp, gazing at the enormous temple that stood in the distance like a miracle, his fists clenching unconsciously.
Tashigi stood beside him, her hand on the hilt of Shigure, her gaze behind her glasses filled with worry and a hint of indescribable shock.
"It's been a long time—" Smoker's voice was a little hoarse from smoking.
"This rainforest is still expanding slowly but steadily. Although the pace has slowed, the trend remains unchanged."
"On the other hand, Ramses II's attitude is as hard as stone! Headquarters has been urging him again and again—"
Tashigi sighed and said in a low voice, "Lady Quetzalcoatl—she still stands by her position."
She said she could feel the pain and thirst of this land in the past, and that her arrival was to heal the wounds and bring life back.
"As long as the people of Alabasta need it, as long as this land yearns for it, her rainforest will exist. She—she seems to have no ill intentions, just—in a different way than us."
Smoker turned around abruptly, his voice filled with suppressed anger.
"Tashigi! You know what this guy said to Tescatlipoca."
"This is a force powerful enough to alter a nation's ecosystem and even destabilize the global landscape!"
"She may not have had any malicious intent, but her very existence is a challenge to the existing order!"
"How could the World Government and the Marine Headquarters allow a being with god-like power to remain entrenched in a World Government member state for so long?!"
He scratched his hair in frustration.
"Not to mention that guy in the capital! Two heroic spirits like that facing off in Alabasta is like a volcano that could erupt at any moment!"
"And we are standing right on the crater!"
Just then, a communications soldier ran up quickly, stood at attention, and saluted, his voice tinged with nervousness.
"Reporting, Admiral! Vice Admiral Onigumo's flagship has arrived at the temporary port!"
Smoker's face instantly darkened to the extreme. He spat out the cigar butt from his mouth and stomped it out fiercely.
"What was bound to happen has finally happened—let's go, Tashigi, let's meet the big shots at headquarters."
In the open space in the center of the camp, Lieutenant General Onigumo stood like a javelin, accompanied by a squad of elite officers from headquarters.
His cold, stern face was as sharp as if carved by a knife, and his hair, which seemed to writhe like a living creature, added to his fierce appearance.
His gaze, sharp as an eagle's, swept across the rainforest, a place teeming with life yet eerily strange. A flicker of barely concealed fear crossed his eyes once more, but it was quickly suppressed by his steely will.
When he saw Smoker approaching, his gaze was filled with scrutiny and an unquestionable authority.
"Smoker." Onigumo got straight to the point, his voice as cold as the iron of the Western Sea.
"The unusual reports from Alabasta are of great concern to Headquarters. Your Heroic Spirit, Quetzalcoatl, has been assessed as having a strategic level of power."
"The world situation is critical. The Blackbeard Gang has acquired an unknown weapon of destruction, the Crusaders are openly challenging the authority of the World Government, and the Navy is in dire need of manpower."
"I have come on the direct orders of Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the Five Elders to invite Lord Quetzal Koyatl to come to the Naval Headquarters for immediate consultation and to discuss matters of joint operations."
He deliberately emphasized the word "invitation," but the imposing formation of the elite officers behind him clearly indicated that this was no ordinary invitation.
Smoker, facing his colleague at headquarters known for his ruthlessness and efficiency, took a deep drag on his cigar, slowly exhaling white smoke as he tried to calm the turmoil in his heart.
He said in a deep voice, "Onigumo, you should be well aware of the current situation. Lady Quetzalcoatl is not a subordinate of the Navy, and as her Master, my relationship with her is not one of command and being commanded."
"I cannot force her to change her will."
"Can't be changed?" Onigumo's eyes sharpened, and he took a step forward, his powerful aura pressing down on them.
"Smoker! Don't forget who you are! You're a Vice Admiral at Marine Headquarters! Upholding justice and carrying out orders is your duty! This isn't a request, it's a military order!"
"You must find a way to get that heroic spirit to obey headquarters' orders! Otherwise, you'll be disobeying orders!"
The atmosphere instantly became tense, and the surrounding air seemed to freeze.
Tashigi and Smoker's marines tensed up and put their hands on their weapons.
The officers brought by Onigumo also had sharp eyes, their auras locked onto Smoker.
At this tense moment, a woman's voice swept through the camp like a spring breeze.
"Oh my? I think I overheard an interesting conversation."
The light, like fireflies gathering, quietly coalesced before everyone's eyes.
Clad in vibrant, colorful feathers, with a healthy wheat-colored complexion and a warm, sunny smile, Quetzal Koyatel appeared out of thin air.
She blinked her emerald-like eyes curiously, her gaze first falling on Smoker, with a hint of understanding and a touch of teasing, as if to say...
"See? Trouble is brewing."
Then, she turned her gaze to the menacing Onigumo.
"Are you from a faraway place, carrying orders?"
She tilted her head, her smile unchanged, her warm yet undeniably divine aura spreading naturally, instantly shattering the oppressive atmosphere that Onigumo had deliberately created.
Onigumo's pupils contracted slightly, and a fine layer of cold sweat instantly appeared on his forehead.
He felt as if he were facing not an individual, but an entire world.
He forced himself to remain calm and kept his face expressionless.
"Lord Quetzalcoatl, on behalf of the Marine Headquarters and the World Government, I formally extend an invitation to you."
"We hope you can contribute to maintaining world peace and order."
"Maintaining—order?" Quetzalcoatl repeated the word softly, his smile seeming to fade slightly, but the light in his eyes becoming even more profound.
"The order I know is the cycle of life, the rise and fall of civilizations, and the inevitable end of all things through struggle and integration."
She took a small step forward.
As she moved, the surrounding rainforest seemed to come alive, the leaves rustling and moving without wind, as if responding to her will.
The warm divine power suddenly became heavy, as if the weight of the entire rainforest had pressed down, making it difficult for Onigumo and the officers behind him to breathe, almost causing them to back away.
She paused, as if the light had pierced through layers of branches and leaves, gazing towards the temple radiating the sunlight in the direction of the capital. A hint of excitement, as if she had found a worthy opponent, flashed in her eyes.
Onigumo opened his mouth, but found that in the face of the opponent's pure and powerful divine might, any words seemed pale and powerless.
His pride in his toughness and ruthlessness melted away like ice and snow meeting the scorching sun in the face of this god-level being.
He had no doubt that if he tried to intimidate others or show any hostility, the seemingly peaceful rainforest would reveal its terrifying side in the next moment.
This was not a force that he, or even a Navy Admiral, could handle.
In the end, all of Onigumo's toughness turned into a powerless sigh. He gritted his teeth and squeezed out a sentence.
"—I understand. I will report this to headquarters truthfully."
He knew that the mission had failed.
Faced with absolute power, so-called commands and rules seem utterly ridiculous.
Quetzalcoatl nodded in satisfaction, his smile returning to its warm and sunny form.
"That's good. Would you like to stay for a cup of cocoa? It's made with freshly grown cocoa beans from here, it smells amazing!"
Onigumo's face was ashen. He didn't say a word, turned around, and led his men away quickly, his back view looking somewhat disheveled.
Smoker watched Onigumo leave, then glanced at Quetzalcoatl beside him, who was still all smiles, sighed helplessly, and lit a new cigar.
This feeling of helplessness made him feel frustrated, yet he had no choice but to accept it.
When he was with this deity, he felt that he, as the Master, was more like a protector and a coordinator.
Meanwhile, in the royal capital Albana, in the Great Complex Temple of Radiance, between the thrones.
Ramses II sat high on a radiant throne, holding a scepter symbolizing supreme power.
Although he did not personally visit the edge of the rainforest, everything that happened there seemed to be clearly reflected in his eyes, which burned as brightly as the sun.
"Hmph, you arrogant bastard!" He sneered, his voice echoing through the magnificent temple, filled with boundless arrogance and majesty.
"How dare they attempt to command an entity that can rival Ramon's glory? Utterly foolish!"
He slowly raised his scepter, and the light in the entire temple became even more intense, as if resonating with the sun in the sky.
At the edge of the desert, the golden light suddenly surged for a moment.
His gaze turned toward the rainforest, carrying a desire to scrutinize and conquer it.