Rolling sand dunes, towering coconut trees, exotic desert dancers with veils and scarves, and citizens clad in long robes, heads wrapped in turbans.
This was Alabasta, one of the few superpowers in Paradise.
In the middle of the endless desert, the most prosperous city in the Alabasta Kingdom—Rainbase—stood like a green emerald embedded in golden sand, bringing a bright splash of color to this desolate and arid world.
"Sir, we do not accept credit at Rainbase Casino. Please settle your bill of 31.12 million Berries. Here is our VIP membership card. Once your balance is paid, you will become an honored guest of Rainbase and enjoy a 10% discount on all future expenditures here."
In the luxurious hall, a graceful and sweet-looking desert woman ignored the greedy gaze of the pirate in front of her and patiently tried to reason with him in a gentle voice.
The pirate, tall and burly, slammed his rough hand down on the counter and shouted angrily, eyes bulging:
"What's that supposed to mean? You think I can't pay 30 million Berries? Do you even know who I am? I'm Cleaver Sotok, with a bounty of 55 million Berries! I said I'll pay next time, and that means next time! Say one more word and I'll tear this damn casino to the ground!"
Sotok pointed to the massive single-blade axe strapped to his back, his face full of menace as he stared at the desert woman in front of him, his greedy eyes constantly roaming over her.
"I'm sorry, but Rainbase Casino does not accept credit, please…"
The desert woman—despite her wild midriff-baring outfit—spoke with a sweet and crisp voice that carried a note of sophistication, her firmness surprising even Sotok.
"Captain Sotok! Why are you wasting your breath on her? We've got hundreds of members in the Cleaver Pirates! I say we just take the place. This casino is obviously swimming in money. We loot this joint, buy a good ship at Water 7, and head to the New World for the One Piece!"
Another pirate impatiently drew his longsword, his eyes turning cruel as he glanced around.
Other guests in the hall had long been paying attention to the commotion.
Noticing the pirates' undisguised greed, many guests grew uneasy and began heading for the exit—only to be blocked by grinning pirates.
"Sir, please reconsider carefully. Rainbase Casino is under the protection of Alabasta's national hero, the great Shichibukai, Sir Crocodile…"
The desert woman hadn't even finished her sentence before Sotok smashed the counter with his axe and lunged forward, grabbing her roughly into his arms.
Sotok burst into laughter, raising his massive axe high. "Shichibukai? Just a dog of the World Government! Boys, tear this place apart! Take everything—money, women—everything!"
"Go!"
"Hahaha! Sheep, don't resist! Just stand there and we'll only take your money, not your lives!"
The pirates drew their weapons and charged into the crowd, laughing as they ransacked the guests and casino alike.
Chaos quickly spread from inside the casino to the surrounding town, causing widespread panic.
"Pirates! Pirates are attacking! Quick, someone call for Sir Crocodile!"
Panic-stricken townsfolk fled home. The streets fell into disorder, littered with all sorts of scattered items.
"Hurry up! Move it! I'm not afraid of that Shichibukai or whatever, but there's no need to fight to the death here. Losing people isn't worth it!"
With the seductive desert woman in his arms, Sotok shouted commands and boldly strode out of the casino.
Bang!
Just as he stepped outside, he collided head-on with a passerby who hadn't been watching where he was going.
"Don't wanna die? Get out of my way, you damn eyesore."
Sotok slapped the young man aside—he wore a yellow leather hat, had freckles all over his face, and a short blade at his waist. The boy stumbled from the push.
"Sorry! I was distracted," the freckled young man quickly apologized with a bow, showing no anger.
Sotok didn't even glance at him, striding off with large steps.
A few bright red apples rolled to the middle of the street, catching the attention of several children hiding around a corner.
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"It's an apple… I've never eaten an apple before."
A little boy swallowed hard, licking his dry, cracked lips.
"I heard apples are sweet… What does sweet taste like?"
A dirty little girl stared longingly, her eyes filled with desire.
They had come from Yuba, the driest and most barren part of Alabasta.There, due to years of drought, the land had cracked and turned to desert.
Most of their parents had already starved to death in the droughts of recent years.
The reason they risked their lives crossing the deadly desert to come to Rainbase was because they had heard it was one of only two cities in Alabasta where it still rained.
The other was the kingdom's capital, Alubarna.
And they had also heard that this city was protected by the great guardian of the desert, Alabasta's hero—Crocodile of the Shichibukai—making it the safest city in the kingdom.
"The pirates haven't come this way yet. I'll go get those apples!"
Suddenly, a voice came from a girl who stood out among the other children—clean clothes, a cute face, and sky-blue curly hair. She spoke quietly.
Before the other children could react, she darted into the panicked crowd, running toward the few apples that had rolled to the ground.
"Vivi!"
"Vivi, don't go! There are pirates!"
The children cried out in worry.
The girl named Vivi wasn't particularly agile, and as she ran into the fleeing crowd, she was knocked over multiple times in the chaos, her once-white clothes now smeared with dust and dirt.
Parts of her body ached from the falls.
But her gaze remained firm as she approached the scattered red apples on the ground.
Soon, she picked up the first apple, its skin torn and covered in dust.
Looking at the apple in her hand, Vivi broke into a smile.
She turned around and raised the apple toward the friends hiding at the street corner, waving it proudly.
"Vivi!"
When the children saw her lift the apple, desire and excitement lit up their eyes.
Suddenly, Vivi saw another red apple kicked away, rolling into a shallow depression nearby.
Her eyes lit up, and she hurried toward it.
There were fewer and fewer people fleeing around her—the street was emptying out.
Vivi felt a brief sense of relief at the lack of people getting in the way. She bent down to grab the slightly larger red apple when a leather boot came down from above and crushed it underfoot.
The crisp sound of the fruit's flesh being smashed and the sweet juice splattering shocked Vivi into stillness.
A massive shadow loomed over her tiny body.
From behind her, her companions shouted in fear.
"Vivi! Run!"
"Don't be scared! We're coming to save you!"
Though ragged, malnourished, and visibly terrified, the children—faces gaunt from hunger—still stumbled into the street, desperately running toward Vivi.
"Heheheh… Little girl, you want to eat an apple?"
Vivi's body stiffened as she slowly looked up and saw a rugged, bearded brute—one hand gripping a giant axe, the other choking a terrified dancer—smiling at her with a cruel, twisted grin.
(End of Chapter)
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