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Kael had no idea that Sengoku was already keeping an eye on him. In truth, he neither had the authority nor the means to monitor others—at least for now.
Theoretically, he had the potential to do so, but his control over the Phone-Phone Fruit was still in its infancy. Unless he developed various applications to gather intelligence and create a proper data network, he had no way of accessing such information efficiently.
The Phone-Phone Fruit wasn't inherently powerful in a conventional sense. Its true strength lay in its principle: "The more people use it, the stronger the user becomes." Kael's power came from data collection. The more users he had, the greater his influence.
In other words, people were his true strength.
If others possessed something, he had access to it as well. If they lacked it, he could still maintain an advantage. That was the essence of his ability.
Regardless of what was happening in the world beyond, Kael remained focused on Alabasta's development. Only by securing a strong foundation could he bring his grand plans to fruition.
"Pell, have the city halls been established in all fifteen cities?" Kael asked.
"Construction is nearly complete." Pell reported: "According to your orders, we've appointed fifteen city governors. The military follows a rotating deployment system, with each commander overseeing at least two cities. As for the capital, Alubarna, it falls under Chaka's jurisdiction… but I'm not sure I'm suited to be the mayor of Alubarna."
His hesitation was clear, but Kael dismissed it outright: "If you lack ability, then train yourself." Kael said firmly, rejecting Pell's attempt to step down.
The governance in this world was a complete mess. He couldn't speak for other nations, but Alabasta was a disaster. The cities were isolated from one another, lacking even proper administrative offices. At most, they had a handful of officials with small enforcement teams—sometimes as few as a dozen people. If pirates or bandits attacked, reinforcements had to be dispatched all the way from Alubarna, often taking over five to ten days to arrive.
No wonder they could never keep up with Crocodile's movements. A pirate could respond to disasters faster than the kingdom's own security forces. That wasn't just a testament to Crocodile's cunning—it was a blatant embarrassment to Alabasta's national defense system.
In modern Western countries, democracy and human rights were fundamental principles. But in this world? It barely qualified as anything more than a loosely structured slave state.
Of course, Kael wanted to abolish slavery outright, but he lacked the power for such a drastic reform. Everyone knew that the greatest supporter of slavery in the world was the World Nobles.
To implement real change, Kael needed a highly centralized autocratic system—one where the collective strength of the people could drive massive reforms forward. Fortunately, the people of this world were already accustomed to monarchy, making the transition smoother than he had anticipated.
In fact, even the nationalization of land had met no resistance. The populace had long accepted the belief that "Everything belongs to the king." Moreover, Alabasta's vast, underutilized land was so abundant and inexpensive that no one had yet recognized its true value.
But Kael knew—one day, they would.
Another unexpected advantage came from the Ocean Forum, which had significantly accelerated Alabasta's industrial development. Previously, poor communication between regions had led to massive inefficiencies in trade. Now, with the forum in place, surplus goods were a thing of the past, fueling an entrepreneurial boom across the kingdom.
Factories and workshops were springing up everywhere.
Kael seized the momentum, introducing commercial laws and tax policies. While Alabasta's tax system was more intricate than those of other nations, it provided genuine protections for merchants, ensuring a stable and thriving economy.
After all, a nation of tens of millions could not be sustained by the wealth generated from a single device alone.
Since arriving in this world and claiming the throne, Kael had vowed to build the greatest kingdom of all time—even if it meant staking the pride of Earth's civilization on it.
Perhaps, in a few decades, the world would echo with cries of—
"Down with the Alabasta Imperialists!"
---
Marineford – Sengoku's Office
It had been ten days since Sengoku and Tsuru last met because of Kael, and today, they gathered once more due to a new directive from the World Government regarding Alabasta's current situation.
"What did the Five Elders say?" Tsuru asked curiously, taking a sip of her coffee.
"See for yourself." Sengoku replied, passing a stack of documents across the desk. He rubbed his forehead, clearly troubled by the latest orders.
Tsuru took the documents and began reading. As she absorbed the contents, her calm expression gradually shifted into a more serious one. Minutes passed before she finally looked up at Sengoku, her voice laced with complexity: "Now I understand why you look so troubled."
"Ahh… I didn't expect this to happen." Sengoku sighed.
The Five Elders had sent these documents just two hours ago, and their contents had deeply unsettled him. The reports outlined the current state of Alabasta, specifically Kael's policies and the rapid transformation occurring under his rule.
"From what I gather, the Five Elders are concerned about the changes happening in Alabasta, correct?" Tsuru asked, setting the papers down.
Sengoku nodded: "Yes. Under Kael's leadership, Alabasta is rising too quickly. The kingdom has improved in every aspect—especially its economy. In just a few months, he turned a crumbling nation on the brink of rebellion into a thriving kingdom, rebuilding its economy from scratch using his intelligence and that mysterious device, mobile phone."
Then he continued in a deep voice: "Because of his policies and innovative ideas, the quality of life for Alabasta's citizens has improved dramatically. I believe the rebellion only exists in name at this point. Kael's influence has reached an unprecedented level—perhaps even surpassing Cobra's in his prime. That means Kael isn't just highly intelligent; he also possesses exceptional charisma."
"But that only proves he's a good king, someone striving to improve the lives of his people. Tsuru countered, shaking her head. Then, her voice turned sharp: "There's also the fact that they have a technology so advanced that even our best scientists have failed to replicate it."
Sengoku let out a dry chuckle: "That… and the fact that the new king's attitude toward the World Government is still somewhat ambiguous."
Tsuru raised an eyebrow: "Alabasta is one of the World Government's primary allied nations. What do you mean by 'ambiguous'?"
Sengoku tapped his fingers on the table: "I don't know exactly what transpired when the rebels took Cobra hostage, but I do know that when the Five Elders offered Kael assistance, he refused indirectly. I don't know why, but the fact remains—he turned them down. That alone makes it clear he doesn't want outsiders interfering in his kingdom's affairs, not even the World Government."
"So, what do we do?" Tsuru sighed inwardly, and asked.
Sengoku exhaled slowly before speaking: "Alabasta is rising too quickly under Kael's rule, and if this continues, the Five Elders concerned he may become uncontrollable in the coming years. So, we'll follow their orders and send someone to Alabasta to monitor the situation closely."
"Who will you send?" Tsuru asked calmly: "I don't think a Vice Admiral will make much of a difference in this situation."
Sengoku nodded: "I know. While we aren't lacking manpower, we don't have many suitable candidates for a task like this. If we send Garp… well, knowing his personality, he might just make things worse." His expression turned helpless as he continued: "As for the Three Admirals, each of them has their own duties. Their presence in both Marineford and the New World is far more critical."
"I agree." Tsuru said with a nod: "Besides, none of them are well-suited for this kind of mission."
Sengoku sighed, rubbing his temples: "There's one person I have in mind. He's the perfect candidate for this task… but whether he agrees to take it or not is entirely up to him." His voice carried a trace of sadness and resignation.
Tsuru's expression darkened slightly. "I don't think he'll accept the mission, given the nature of the task." She shook her head, her voice heavy with emotion.
Although Sengoku hadn't mentioned a name, after spending decades by his side, Tsuru knew exactly who he was talking about.
---
New World – Festa Island
"Alabasta… Nefertari Kael… Crocodile…" A man with purple hair and sunglasses muttered to himself as he held a Den Den Mushi in his left hand.
This man was none other than "Black Arm" Zephyr, the former Admiral of Marineford. After resigning from his position as both an Admiral and the chief instructor of the Naval Academy, he had lost all faith in the Navy and the World Government due to a tragic incident. From that moment, he had begun building his own force—the Neo Marines.
Just an hour ago, Zephyr had received an unexpected call from an old friend—Sengoku—requesting his assistance for a special mission.
At first, Zephyr found the request laughable. His relationship with the Navy had been nearly irreparable ever since the incident that had cost him both his right arm and most of his students. However, when Sengoku mentioned that this mission involved one of the Seven Warlords, Zephyr's interest was piqued.
Sengoku's strategy to convince Zephyr was simple—Crocodile's suspicious activities in Alabasta over the past few years.
Although Sengoku couldn't be certain whether Crocodile was truly the mastermind behind Alabasta's turmoil, it was the only plausible angle to get Zephyr involved. After all, the incident that had shattered Zephyr's faith in the Navy had been caused by another one of the Seven Warlords.
Given Crocodile's ruthless history in the New World, neither Sengoku nor the high-ranking officers in the Navy believed in the supposed "saintly" actions he had taken in Alabasta. It was completely out of character. However, because of Crocodile's special status as a Warlord, he had immunity from World Government interference—so long as his actions did not pose a direct threat to them, no one will block his way.
But Sengoku had used this very fact to draw Zephyr's attention. Judging by Zephyr's expression, it was clear—Sengoku's plan had worked.
---
"You called us, teacher. Did something happen?" A gentle voice suddenly rang through Zephyr's room.
Raising his head, Zephyr saw his two students, Ain and Binz, looking at him with confusion and curiosity.
"It's nothing." Zephyr replied calmly, shaking his head: "I just received a message from an old friend."
After a brief pause, his expression turned serious as he looked at them: "Notify the others—we're leaving the New World."
"To where, teacher?" Binz asked curiously.
Zephyr stood up from his seat, and said in a steady voice: "I'm heading to Alabasta. As for you, you'll be stationed in the East Blue, waiting for my instructions."
The New World was far too dangerous for his students to remain without him. With so many powerful pirates roaming the seas, he couldn't afford to leave them behind unprotected. However, he also didn't want them accompanying him to Alabasta—something about Sengoku's request felt off. Things weren't as simple as they seemed.
"Why can't we go with you, teacher?" Ain asked hesitantly.
Zephyr's gaze hardened: "The situation in Alabasta is still unclear, and it could interfere with our original plan. Binz, take the others to the East Blue and wait for further instructions. If the situation in Alabasta proves stable, I will call you."
Seeing the determination in their teacher's eyes, Ain and Binz exchanged a glance before nodding: "Yes, teacher."
Once they left the room, Zephyr sat back down, his brows furrowed in thought.
As a retired Admiral, Zephyr still had an extensive network of contacts. After receiving Sengoku's call, he had immediately conducted his own preliminary investigation into Alabasta's situation.
Most of the reports he received spoke highly of the new king—Nefertari Kael—describing him as a brilliant leader who had pulled the kingdom back from the brink of collapse. Though there were occasional mentions of Crocodile, the information on him was sparse and largely unhelpful.
The more Zephyr uncovered, the more perplexed he became. Alabasta's situation wasn't just complex—it was shrouded in mystery.
If Crocodile were truly up to something, even without solid evidence, the Navy could have easily fabricated a few accusations and replaced him with another pirate. Yet, for some reason, they hadn't—which meant the Navy's true target for surveillance was most likely someone other than Crocodile.
"Sengoku says he wants me to monitor the situation in Alabasta…" Zephyr's eyes narrowed: "But I have a feeling this is more about keeping an eye on Nefertari Kael himself."