CHAPTER 23

The group finally arrived at Alabasta.

Shen Yuanlei and his companions disembarked, stepping into the scorching desert kingdom.

Smoker remained on the ship, still bound by the odd agreement he made with Shen Yuan.

Smoker: ...

> "So exhausting… I'll destroy him one day."

> [You have arrived in the Kingdom of Alabasta. Skill Points +5 obtained!]

All five points were allocated to Speed Enhancement in the Awakening Skill Tree.

A warm current surged through Shen Yuan's limbs as his body's functions rapidly optimized. His perception sharpened. His steps grew light—almost floating.

As they entered the vast desert,

Shen Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly.

Several Alabastan guards in royal uniforms rushed toward them from a distance, visibly anxious.

Rayleigh noticed as well. The lenses of his glasses reflected the desert sun with a cold gleam.

> "This kingdom feels livelier than during my last visit. Cobra's governance must be improving."

Rayleigh smiled with sincerity.

> "Cobra's an old friend of mine. I should go pay my respects."

Shen Yuan wrinkled his nose in annoyance.

> "You old geezer want to go see a king? Go ahead. I'll take a walk around instead."

> "Suit yourself. Don't get in trouble." Rayleigh chuckled and sped off toward the royal palace, vanishing into the sandy winds.

Meanwhile, Shen Yuan and his group stepped into a nearby tavern to rest and gather intel.

The moment they entered,

Several burly patrons turned to glance at them from a corner booth.

> "Waiter, bring the drinks!"

Shen Yuan waved lazily, and a smiling young server approached quickly.

> "Welcome! What would you like to drink?"

> "Three rums. One orange juice," Shen Yuan ordered, then casually leaned back, his eyes already scanning the tavern's patrons with a sly smirk.

Dashiqi noticed.

> "Master, what are you looking for?"

Shen Yuan's grin twisted into mock fear.

> "Look. That."

Dashiqi followed his gaze—

—and instantly regretted it.

A drunken woman in a skimpy outfit was laughing wildly on top of a table, causing seismic waves with each chesty wobble.

> "You filthy old pervert!"

WHACK!

Dashiqi's Iron Fist of Love landed squarely on Shen Yuan's skull, knocking over the table.

While the group was relaxed and fooling around, the mood was far tenser elsewhere—

Holy Land Mariejois, within the grand council chamber of the Five Elder Stars.

A heated argument was already underway.

> "Shen Yuan is unpredictable and uncontrollable! A destabilizing element! He must be eliminated immediately!"

> "I've already instructed CP9 to alert the Marines. A Marine Admiral will be dispatched to suppress him!"

But another elder countered sharply:

> "He's a perfect weapon. A sword we didn't forge—but can wield. We shouldn't waste that potential!"

> "Exactly. He's still a pawn on the board. We shouldn't discard him until he's no longer useful!"

The debate raged, their opinions divided.

Then suddenly—

> BRRT!

The Den Den Mushi beside the elder in black armor crackled to life.

> "Reporting in. A CP agent has returned… with urgent news."

The elder in black leaned forward.

> "Urgent? Then why not use the Den Den Mushi?"

> "It's regarding… the death of a CP operative."

A pause.

> "Bring him in."

Boom. Boom. Boom.

The door opened. CP9's Owl entered nervously, sweat beading his brow as he faced the five most powerful men in the world.

> "Speak."

The elder's voice was calm, yet heavy with pressure.

> "Bounty of 530 million berries on 'Death God' Shen Yuan. During our mission to Drum Kingdom, he... killed my entire team. I was the only survivor."

The Owl clenched his fists.

> "He demanded classified information about the World Government. I... gave in. I gained his trust and slipped away when I got the chance."

But the elder in black armor narrowed his eyes. Something was off.

> "He killed your comrades… and left you, the one who knew everything, alive?"

Owl hesitated. Then, like thunder in his head, Shen Yuan's earlier words echoed:

> "Even if you tell them the truth, you'll only die faster."

It hit him like lightning.

> "Answer. Why. Did. He. Spare. You?"

A suffocating Haki wave burst out. Owl's knees buckled. Sweat poured from his forehead. He trembled.

> "I… I—"

> CRACK!

A sudden invisible force struck Owl's chest. His scream rang through the chamber—

—then silence.

The CP9 member collapsed, eyes lifeless.

Dead.

The elder's walking cane quivered in his grip as he seethed.

> "He's more troublesome than we expected..."

The white-robed elder, katana sheathed at his waist, spoke calmly.

> "There are too many variables since Gol D. Roger's execution. We're barely holding control. For now, send surveillance. Don't engage."

The black-armored elder nodded slowly.

> "Agreed. Let's keep him in the shadows… for now."

> "We have his birthplace—Windmill Village—and the tragedy of his parents' deaths at sea. He drifted to Cocoyashi Village afterward. Should we authorize a Buster Call?"

> "Heh. Let the Navy take the fall. I won't carry that burden publicly."

> "Don't forget," the white-robed elder added, "Garp is from Windmill Village too. And Shen Yuan… shows signs of inheriting Garp's monstrous power."

Everyone fell silent.

As the meeting concluded, the elder in black paused beside Owl's corpse.

> "Such a clumsy ploy. Did you really think we'd be fooled?"

The white-robed elder turned.

> "And what of the Four Emperors?"

> "They'll learn soon enough who still rules this world."

The first official meeting regarding Shen Yuan ended there.

But Shen Yuan, completely unaware he'd been labeled an international threat,

Continued drinking and joking as if nothing had happened.

---

The group didn't remain in Alabasta for long. Shen Yuan wasn't interested in royal politics or Cobra's gratitude.

So they returned to their ship.

> "Next stop—Sky Island!" Shen Yuan announced, pointing upward with a grin.

> "Sky Island? That's just a myth." Smoker frowned.

> "Not a myth," Shen Yuan said seriously. "There's a Natural Logia-type Devil Fruit up there... and a crazy man who calls himself God."

He suddenly remembered something.

> "Wait—below Sky Island, isn't there a sea island where the Skypieans descend sometimes? We'll check it out first."

> "Where's the old man?" Dashiqi asked.

> "Forget him. Let's go!"

The ship set sail once again.

Just as the wind caught their sails—

BOOM!

Rayleigh dropped from the sky, landing lightly on deck, a large bag of Baileys in hand.

> "Miss me?"

He grinned and tossed the bag to Shen Yuan.

> "Took this from Cobra's secret treasury. Consider it food expenses."

Shen Yuan caught it and tossed it to Dashiqi.

> "Old man, you sure know how to enjoy life."

Rayleigh winked.

The ship creaked as it picked up speed.

Next destination: the sea above the clouds—Skypiea.