Chapter 5 Download Completed!

The vast skies of Alabasta stretched endlessly. A falcon soared high above the desert, its wings was cutting through the arid air.

Though Alabasta was often referred to as a desert kingdom, it was far from barren. While deserts dominated much of the terrain, lush oases dotted the land, fed by an inland sea that sliced through half the country, originating from the Grand Bay.

This unique geography, coupled with the kingdom's vast resources, supported a standing army of 600,000 troops, a true testament to Alabasta's wealth and strategic importance.

Only the far northern regions, home to a massive super-desert, and the uninhabited stretches between cities, were truly desolate wastelands. The rest of Alabasta was a vibrant, albeit harsh, land.

---

As Pell carried Kael across the desert on his falcon wings, his sharp eyes caught sight of a distant figure moving steadily along the sands.

"Is that… your target, Your Highness?" Pell asked, his keen hawk-like vision was focused on a tall, thin figure cloaked in black.

Kael nodded, his heart pounding with anticipation and a touch of anxiety: "Yes, that's him."

Pell squinted, trying to discern more details, but even with his extraordinary eyesight, the figure's identity remained mysterious.

Below them, Kuzan's senses flared. He felt Pell's gaze upon him, his Observation Haki immediately swept the surrounding area.

"Hm… probably just locals." Kuzan muttered to himself in his usual calm voice.

The presence of Kael and Pell didn't alarm him. He hadn't come across their auras during his time in the capital; both had been preoccupied—Kael with the production of his phones, and Pell with distributing them across Alubarna.

Luckily for them, Kuzan's interest in the phones had been purely casual. He admired their simple and efficient design but hadn't delved deeper into their origins. If he had, he would have likely connected Kael and Pell's presence to his investigation.

"They're probably heading to Rainbase." Kuzan said, shoving his hands into his pockets as he continued his steady pace: "Not my business."

Though Kuzan harbored suspicions about Crocodile's activities, he had no concrete evidence. Without proof, he had no grounds to intervene. And truthfully, Kuzan preferred to avoid unnecessary complications.

The falcon soared silently above, its shadow was dancing across the sunlit sands. Kuzan continued his unhurried journey below, indifferent to the pair trailing him.

Kael, meanwhile, was hyper-focused on the progress bar in his mind. With every moment that passed, the download inched closer to completion.

---

One hour passed.

Then two.

Kuzan walked leisurely, his steps unhurried as the sun blazed above. Yet, despite his pace, the falcon overhead continued to linger. Kuzan's sharp senses couldn't ignore the pair following him.

"This is strange..." He muttered: "They're tailing me?"

For another three hours, Kuzan observed their measured pursuit. The falcon's speed far outmatched his own, yet it didn't overtake him. Instead, it stayed just far enough behind to maintain the distance.

"But they're not making any effort to catch up. What are they after?" Kuzan wondered aloud, he became very curious.

---

Five hours into the pursuit, Pell finally heard Kael's voice break the silence.

"That's enough, Pell. We can head back now."

Kael's voice filled with excitement, and a faint smile played on his lips.

[Ability: Ice-Ice Fruit (Download Completed)]

Kael had done it. The long hours of effort had paid off—he had successfully downloaded Kuzan's Ice-Ice Fruit ability.

Every bit of the 100GB storage capacity of his Devil Fruit was now occupied, leaving no room for additional abilities. It had been a tight fit, as Kael barely managed to complete the download without giving up on Pell's martial arts ability.

Without the initial 1GB of memory granted by the Phone-Phone Fruit's base capabilities, Kael wouldn't have been able to download Kuzan's Ice-Ice Fruit ability at all. Earlier, he had used a portion of his memory to acquire Pell's Intermediate Fighting Techniques, which consumed 200MB. This left him with just enough storage space to download the Ice-Ice Fruit, which required a massive 100GB of memory.

As Pell turned the falcon's wings and began flying back toward the palace, Kael couldn't suppress the satisfied grin on his face. He now wielded the full power of Kuzan's Ice-Ice Fruit.

---

Below, Kuzan paused mid-step. His Observation Haki no longer detected the pair overhead.

"They're leaving?" He muttered, his brow was furrowed slightly.

He glanced over his shoulder, watching the falcon fade into the horizon. After hours of pursuit, the sudden departure made no sense. Why follow him for so long, only to turn back without doing anything?

"What a pain in the ass…" Kuzan muttered lazily.

Whoosh!

With a soft whoosh, Kuzan stretched lazily, letting his cloak slip slightly. A faint glimmer of frost shimmered beneath its folds as he extended his hand downward.

With a single touch, ice began to spread across the desert floor. The once-blistering sand hardened into a smooth, frozen surface.

Effortlessly, Kuzan stepped onto the frozen path, letting it carry him forward. The trail extended endlessly, the ice melting slowly in the scorching desert heat.

For a land plagued by drought, Kuzan's Ice-Ice Fruit was a treasure. Every frozen inch of desert offered the potential for water upon melting—a rare and precious resource in Alabasta's harsh climate.

Sliding forward on his icy path, Kuzan made his way steadily toward Rainbase, his thoughts drifting lazily.

"Whatever they were doing, it's not my concern." He mused: "For now, there's only Crocodile."

---

Alubarna, Royal Palace

Back in the capital, King Cobra paced the throne room with restless energy, his usual composure was shattered. Frustration and worry etched deep lines into his face as he turned to Igaram.

"How could the prince go missing? Didn't I specifically tell you to watch over him?" Cobra's sharp voice revealed his anxiety.

The stress of Alabasta's dire situation weighed heavily on him. The kingdom's water crisis and the sudden emergence of a rebel army in Nanohana had already placed an immense burden on his shoulders. Now, hearing of Kael's disappearance added a new layer of fear—fear that his son might fall into danger or worsen the precarious balance of the kingdom.

"I… I'm sorry, Your Majesty." Igaram said, lowering himself to one knee in shame: "It's my fault. I shouldn't have assigned Pell, who is so close to the prince, to guard him…"

Cobra looked at Igaram, whose head was bowed in guilt, and sighed deeply. His anger dissipated, replaced by weariness and regret. He reached out, helping Igaram back to his feet.

"Ahh… forgive me, Igaram. I know this isn't your fault. I just… lost my temper. It's just that in these troubled times, if Kael makes another mistake, I fear I won't be able to appease our people."

Igaram hesitated before speaking in a steady, gentle voice: "Your Majesty, you know Pell well. He isn't a reckless man. If he and the prince left together, it must have been for a good reason."

Nearby, Vivi stood with her arms crossed, tears streaming down her cheeks: "Stupid brother… stupid brother… Why are you always causing trouble for Father?"

Grreeaaak!

Before anyone could respond, the grand palace doors creaked open, drawing all eyes toward the entrance.

"Hm?" Cobra turned, his eyes narrowed as the figure stepped into the light.

The man who entered exuded an air of danger. He wore a heavy cloak, his slicked-back hair gleaming under the palace's chandeliers. A cigar smoldered between his lips, and in place of his left hand, he bore a golden hook that gleamed ominously in the dim light. Several individuals, each with their own distinctive appearances, followed close behind him.

It was none other than Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, also known as the Desert King.

Cobra's expression hardened. Despite Crocodile's reputation as a hero in Alabasta, his presence in the kingdom always filled him with unease. Through his organization, Baroque Works, Crocodile had systematically eradicated pirate activity throughout the region, earning widespread praise and the trust of the citizens.

Yet, Cobra couldn't shake the feeling that something was deeply off about Crocodile. His actions were far too righteous for a pirate, as though he was deliberately crafting an image of himself as a savior.

Over time, this calculated facade worked to perfection, and now Crocodile's popularity among the people of Alabasta had grown to the point where it even eclipsed that of King Cobra himself.

"Kuahaha! It's been a while since our last meeting, King Cobra." Crocodile said with a laugh, exhaling a cloud of smoke that spiraled lazily into the air.

"It has been a while indeed." Cobra replied, his tone neutral but guarded. Subtly, he moved Vivi behind him and nodded toward Igaram, signaling him to escort her away.

Igaram hesitated, unwilling to leave the king alone with such a dangerous man, but Cobra's firm gaze left no room for argument. With a reluctant sigh, he took Vivi by the hand.

"No! Let me stay—" Vivi protested, but Igaram firmly guided her out of the room, leaving Cobra alone with Crocodile and his entourage.

Despite being outnumbered, Cobra remained calm. He knew that Crocodile wouldn't dare act recklessly, not with Vice-Admiral Momonga still stationed in Alabasta.

"What brings you here, Crocodile?" Cobra's voice was calm, though his words carried a sharp edge.

Crocodile smirked, completely unfazed by the Cobra's tone: "I came to the capital for business, and I thought to myself—how rude would it be if I didn't pay my old friend a visit?"

Cobra's eyes narrowed but he said nothing, waiting for Crocodile to reveal his true purpose.

"Anyway." Crocodile continued, gesturing toward one of his subordinates: "Not long ago, I recruited a promising man with great talent. I believe he has the potential to be of help to Alabasta when the time comes."

His tone was casual, but Cobra could sense the underlying menace in his words. The implication was clear—Crocodile wasn't here to offer help.

As Crocodile introduced the man standing beside him, Cobra's unease grew. While the meeting seemed harmless on the surface, every instinct told him that this was the beginning of something dangerous.

The tension in the royal palace was visible to the naked eyes as Crocodile introduced his subordinate.

The peculiar figure standing beside him immediately drew Cobra's attention.

Dressed in an extravagant ballet outfit, complete with feminine makeup and flamboyant mannerisms, the man carried himself with an air of theatrical confidence.

Despite his delicate attire, his muscular, hairy legs stood out in sharp contrast, a practical feature for warmth—though entirely unnecessary in Alabasta's sweltering heat.

This was Bon Clay, also known as Mr. 2 of Baroque Works. A flamboyant and skilled operative, he had ate the Clone-Clone Fruit, which granted him the unique ability to transform into an exact physical double of anyone he touched.

"Your Majesty." Bon Clay began, his wide, toothy grin was both disarming and eccentric as he extended a hand toward King Cobra: "I am Bon Clay. It's an honor to meet you, and I am at your service."

King Cobra hesitated for a moment. As a monarch, it was somewhat unusual—if not improper—to greet someone of lesser status with a handshake. Yet, his composure remained unbroken. After a brief pause, he reached out and clasped Bon Clay's hand, maintaining his dignity despite the unconventional situation.

Crocodile, observing the interaction, took a long drag from his cigar. A slow, deliberate grin spread across his face as smoke curled lazily around him.

King Cobra released Bon Clay's hand, his gaze shifted back to Crocodile: "I have other matters to attend to. Feel free to explore the palace if you wish. I'll have someone show you around if you like."

Without waiting for a response, Cobra turned and left the hall, his royal robes was flowing behind him.

Crocodile smirked, exhaling another cloud of smoke as he watched Cobra's leaving figure.

"Still cautious of me..." He murmured under his breath, his voice was low and laced with amusement.

As the king disappeared from sight, Crocodile's expression darkened, his grin morphing into something far more predatory. In his mind, the intricate steps of his plan were already falling into place.