Chapter 163: Baroque Works
Alabasta - Rainbase - Baroque Works HQ
In the dimly lit hall, candlelight cast flickering shadows on the walls, creating an atmosphere so heavy it felt solidified.
In the meeting room surrounded by stone pillars, high-ranking officers gathered on both sides of a long table.
Mr. 1 (Daz Bonez), the blade-man, silent as an iron tower, lightly tapped his fingers on his blade-arms.
Miss Doublefinger (Zala), Spike-Spike Fruit user, scanned the crowd coldly, her fingertips glowing faintly.
Mr. 2 (Bon Kurei), dressed as an Okama, posed exaggeratedly yet with a strange, eerie smile, sitting upright like a dancer.
Mr. 3 (Galdino), the man who built worlds with wax, his eyes forever gleaming shrewdly behind his glasses.
Miss Goldenweek (Marianne), quietly coloring a sticky note with a paintbrush, colorful paper scraps scattered at her knees.
Mr. 4 (Babe), carrying a massive bazooka, expressionless.
Miss Merry Christmas (Drophy), Mole-Mole Fruit user, impatiently picking her teeth.
Mr. 5 (Gem), rubbing his fingertips incessantly, smoke drifting from them, seemingly craving an explosion.
Miss Valentine (Mikita), sitting lightly on a floating chair in mid-air, swinging her legs while chewing candy.
Their eyes all fell on the throne—
Warlord of the Sea, "Desert Crocodile," Crocodile.
Dressed in a dark suit, his golden hook rested on the armrest, a cigar in hand slowly puffing smoke.
His face was half-hidden in the haze, but his eyes were sharp enough to pierce the soul.
He leaned back, scanning the room.
"Everyone..."
His voice was low and raspy, yet it pressed on their hearts like a sandstorm.
"Alabasta is rotten."
He stood slowly, flicking his cigar ash onto the stone floor with a crisp sound.
"This country has been ruled by incompetent royalty for too long—drought, famine, rebellion..."
"The people suffer, while the King sits in his golden palace, squandering their last drop of water."
His gaze was cold, his tone sharp as a knife.
"So—"
"I will overthrow it."
"I will establish an ideal kingdom. Order, efficiency, control—not hypocritical bloodlines and foolish traditions."
As his words fell, everyone's heart shook!
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable imperial pressure, like a storm about to sweep through the desert.
For a moment, the hall was silent, save for the trembling candlelight.
But soon, the eyes of the officers reflected the firelight, flickering with fanaticism. "Overthrow the country, establish a new order!"
"This is our... President!"
However, amidst this excitement, many still quietly shifted their gaze to the figure standing to the right of the throne—
Vice President, Miss All Sunday, Nico Robin.
Dressed in a form-fitting black coat, arms crossed, she stood at the edge of the shadows. Her expression was calm as a lake, deep and unfathomable.
Three months ago, her arrival shook the entire officer hierarchy—
Never participated in execution, yet leaped straight to the position of Vice President.
"Why her?"
—Mr. 1's blade-arms nearly unsheathed.
"Little girl, don't play adult games~"
—Mr. 2 sneered disdainfully.
But the ambush on the Yuba caravan shattered all doubts.
In the war room, Robin tapped the map lightly. "The Royal Guard will appear on this route."
Mr. 5 retorted angrily, "We watched for half a month! They would never pass through there!"
The result—
The explosion site was exactly as she predicted. The guards, along with their cargo, fell completely into the ambush.
Then came the Rain Dinners infiltration plan.
She pushed forward three files on dancers, calmly stating, "These three can infiltrate."
Even Crocodile raised an eyebrow—she had precisely selected the casino manager's three secret lovers!
In the end, even the secret supplies hidden by the royal family were switched out by her in advance.
Zala, who once watched coldly from the sidelines, silently put away her mockery and started taking notes.
From that moment on, everyone understood one thing—
This woman didn't "climb up."
She crushed her way up with sheer ability.
At this moment, Crocodile slowly raised his golden hook, tapping the armrest rhythmically. Click, click.
Everyone's thoughts snapped back.
"Miss All Sunday."
Hearing this, Robin stepped elegantly out of the shadows. The hem of her black coat swept across the polished marble like the robes of a reaper brushing the battlefield.
All officers unanimously made way. This was the respect earned over three months with countless precise intel reports and perfect layouts.
She walked to the center of the hall and nodded slightly.
Crocodile blew a smoke ring and spoke slowly. "Begin."
"Let this country taste the flavor of drought."
The flames in the wall lamps danced, as if the desert sun was beginning to heat up.
Everyone held their breath.
"This time, we aren't just inciting riots."
"We will make the King dig his own grave, and let the people personally pull him down from his altar."
Crocodile sat back on his throne, watching Robin's calm back with satisfaction, the corner of his mouth lifting. "Good."
"The 'internal strife' of Alabasta... it's time to escalate."
Alabasta - Rainbase
The sunset dyed the city gold, where prosperity and conspiracy intertwined.
Neon lights flickered to life along the streets of casinos, bars, and dance halls. The lights reflected on the water-logged stone roads, draping this desert city in a veil of intoxicating dreams.
Two figures walked slowly through the crowd—
Roy wore sunglasses and a exquisitely tailored beige casual suit, swirling a coconut cocktail in his hand. He looked leisurely, like a passing noble on vacation.
Ace, in a black trench coat with the collar popped high and hands in his pockets, followed closely behind. Both wore casual clothes, yet they couldn't hide the sharp aura radiating from them.
Ace looked up at the most prominent building in the distance—Rain Dinners Casino. The giant crocodile statue on top gleamed coldly in the sunset, seemingly looking down on the entire city.
"That's the place?" Ace grinned, tone teasing. "A bit conspicuous, isn't it? Being a thief to this extent... such a flashy crocodile head, afraid no one knows he's here?"
Roy smiled faintly, pushing up his sunglasses. "He doesn't need to hide. The title of Warlord is his permit."
"Heh, arrogant..."
Ace stroked his chin, a glint of battle lust in his eyes. "If a fight breaks out later, I'll smash that crocodile head first."
Roy smiled without speaking, and the two walked slowly toward Rain Dinners.
Rain Dinners Casino - Main Entrance
The massive revolving door shone brilliantly. Several bunny girls with excellent figures stood at the entrance, uniforms bright, smiles practiced.
One of the bunny girls noticed the guests who "looked like they didn't belong here"—
"These two... though dressed low-key, that aura... definitely rich or noble!"
Her face instantly lit up with a sweet smile. She trotted over in her high heels.
"Welcome to Rain Dinners, distinguished guests~!"
She bowed slightly, revealing just the right amount of cleavage and a professional smile. "Is this your first time? Do you need an introduction?"
Ace glanced at her lightly, smiling casually. "No need, we'll look around ourselves."
"Of course! Please call me if you need anything, my name is Vina."
The bunny girl's smile remained, but her gaze grew more eager. "Would you like to exchange chips? We offer top-tier VIP services~"
Roy smiled faintly, casually pulling a stack of Belly from his pocket. "Exchange one million first."
The bunny girl's eyes lit up, her attitude becoming even more respectful. "Yes! I'll arrange it for you immediately!"
She turned to lead them into the casino, secretly delighted—
"Big spenders! My commission tonight is secure!"
Rain Dinners Casino - Interior
Lights dazzled, enchanting scents filled the air. Dice and chips flew, cheers and screams rose and fell.
Luxurious decor, noisy crowds, the crisp sound of chips clinking... the entire casino reeked of money and desire.
Ace looked around, lowering his voice. "Big Bro Roy, straight to that crocodile?"
Roy shook his head gently, his gaze sweeping over the surveillance Den Den Mushi in every corner. "No rush. Let's play a few rounds first."
"Play?" Ace paused, then realized, grinning. "Sure, someone else is paying anyway."
Roy walked slowly to a roulette table, picked up a chip, and flicked it lightly with his finger—
Ding~
The chip traced an arc in the air, landing steadily on the table.
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