Chapter 64: The Desert Kingdom and a Royal Intrusion
The port city of Alabasta—Rapeseed Flower.
This was Mio's first destination upon reaching the desert kingdom. As the ship docked quietly on a remote beach, Mio and his crew made their way toward the city under the blazing sun.
After a brief stop in Rapeseed Flower, Mio quickly purchased a detailed map of the kingdom. With it in hand, he set his sights on the true objective: the capital city—Albana.
On the journey to the capital, Mio traversed several stretches of desert. Though he wasn't particularly hopeful, he kept an eye out for the Poneglyph—the ancient historical stone that Luffy and Zoro had once encountered here. However, luck didn't favor him this time. By the time he reached the capital, he had found nothing.
"Guess my luck's not as good as theirs," Mio muttered, kicking up a small cloud of sand in mild frustration.
In truth, he hadn't expected much. Finding a Poneglyph in the vast desert without a clue was like finding a needle in a haystack. The desert stretched endlessly in all directions, making such a search nearly impossible.
Still, Mio had to admit—if Crocodile had succeeded in his plot to seize Alabasta, things might have turned out very differently. This land, with its endless deserts and hidden secrets, was ideal for his sand-based powers. With enough time and without interference from the World Government, Crocodile might've truly become a force to reckon with.
Of course, that was all speculation. Even though Alabasta was no longer part of the Celestial Dragon bloodline, its royal family—the Nefertari—once had strong ties to the World Government. Maybe those ties still held influence?
Albana—Capital of Alabasta.
The capital city was even more prosperous than Rapeseed Flower. Merchants crowded the streets, stalls lined the roads, and people bustled about despite the sweltering desert heat. The dry air and the blazing sun made things uncomfortable, but the city still thrived.
Mio stood near the market square, a Den Den Mushi in his hand. He turned to his crew.