Before heading to Alabasta, the Wind Rider first sailed to the nearest Marine base.
Caelan planned to turn in the more than one hundred captives on the escort ship for their bounties.
As soon as the two ships docked at the base, they were met by a squad of Marines on guard.
"It's that bounty hunter from the East Blue!"
One sharp-eyed soldier immediately recognized the Wind Rider.
"Didn't he just enter the Grand Line? Why is he already here?"
Another soldier looked puzzled.
"Doesn't he have a hunter's license? Maybe he's here to ask the Marines for help."
A sergeant sneered dismissively.
"Shut your mouth. His rank is equivalent to mine. Show some respect."
The Marine base's captain scolded the lieutenant, though he clearly shared the same disdain.
He could not understand why the higher-ups had issued a hunter's license to some bounty hunter from the East Blue.
A rookie from the East Blue, entering the Grand Line? Just a small fry.
"I'm here to turn in bounties."
Caelan's tone was calm as he stepped forward.
He brought only Nami and a few others with him. The rest remained on the escort ship.
"No problem. Where are the pirates you captured?"
The base commander frowned, glancing around. Aside from Caelan's crew, he saw no recognizable pirates.
So he brought a few lackeys and came here to show off?
As expected of someone from the East Blue. Too petty.
"There are more than a hundred people on that ship."
Caelan casually pointed at the escort ship.
What? A whole ship of prisoners?
The captain's expression changed. His eyes widened as he quickly led a squad to board the escort ship and investigate.
"There really are over a hundred people?"
"Hiss… it's the crew from Whiskey Peak!"
The Marines on board were shocked. They had long known about Whiskey Peak but had never dared to confront them directly.
Now, a newcomer who had just arrived in the Grand Line had wiped them out. It was humiliating.
"Is that Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine?"
The captain sucked in a sharp breath. This was serious.
"This is a direct branch base, and these are two of Baroque Works' senior agents!"
"That's Baroque Works… Crocodile's people! How dare he capture them?!"
The captain's pupils trembled.
Caelan had only just entered the Grand Line, yet he was already provoking one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
Too bold.
The combined strength of these people was enough to crush his entire base eighty times over.
The captain no longer dared to be careless. He quickly calculated the bounty total and returned to Caelan, now speaking with complete respect.
"Here is your bounty. The total is 28 million Berries. Please confirm and accept it."
The captain was extremely deferential, clearly putting himself below Caelan.
"Only 28 million?"
Caelan frowned. These hundred-plus captives together weren't even worth the same as Don Krieg and Gin.
"They are subordinates of the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
The captain explained cautiously after seeing Caelan's expression.
Baroque Works was Crocodile's secret force. The bounties on their heads were deliberately kept low.
Caelan understood and left with the reward money without further comment.
Watching the Wind Rider depart, the colonel finally let out a sigh of relief.
"A tough one has entered the Grand Line…"
For the first time, the captain fully admired the decision of the East Blue commander to issue Caelan a hunter's license.
"Amazing judgment."
"Report the situation to headquarters and process these captives."
The captain looked in the direction of Alabasta, then exhaled deeply.
"Captain, Crocodile has a cooperative relationship with the Marines. Should we assist him?"
The lieutenant hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of helping pirates.
"Idiot. No matter how much 'cooperation' there is, he's still a pirate. Look at the chaos he's caused."
The captain snapped back at him.
"Then… what should we do?"
The lieutenant asked nervously.
"Don't interfere. Just maintain order."
The captain rolled his eyes, irritated by the question.
Perhaps Caelan really wasn't strong enough to defeat one of the Seven Warlords.
But the captain had a feeling… Crocodile was in serious trouble this time.
Crocodile had ruled Alabasta unchecked for four or five years. Finally, someone had arrived to challenge him.
…
In Alabasta, at the rebel camp.
"Someone destroyed a Baroque Works base and turned in their entire crew for bounty?!"
Koza, the leader of the rebels, was stunned.
For the past two years, the rebels had been driven into greater and greater desperation. The deeper they investigated, the clearer it became that Baroque Works was behind the unrest, with Crocodile's influence lurking in the shadows.
"Haha! They even lost two senior agents? That's worth celebrating!"
A smile finally appeared on Koza's face.
Baroque Works had been his greatest headache. No matter what he tried, he couldn't do anything to stop them.
Now, this newcomer named Caelan had come and slapped Baroque Works hard across the face.
"Caelan… could you be the change Alabasta has been waiting for?"
Amid the hope, Koza still felt a trace of fear.
Crocodile's strength was overwhelming, and with the might of Baroque Works backing him, neither the rebels nor the royal army stood a chance.
But now, Caelan had appeared, defeated two senior agents, and destroyed one of Crocodile's bases.
This was the first true glimmer of hope Koza had seen.
"Only someone with that kind of strength could possibly defeat Crocodile…"
Koza muttered to himself, eyes filled with determination.
…
At the royal palace in Alabasta.
After receiving the report delivered by Karoo the duck, King Cobra and the two royal guards stood with serious, worried expressions.
"So behind Baroque Works… it really was Crocodile all along. The kingdom is in grave danger."
"That's one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. A pirate so powerful that even the World Government acknowledges him."
Cobra's voice trembled. His hope felt like it was crumbling.
"Your Majesty, Princess Vivi has found help. There is still hope."
Pell tried to comfort Cobra.
"Yes. This Caelan is the strongest bounty hunter from the East Blue, officially recognized with a hunter's license by the Navy."
"As soon as he arrived in the Grand Line, he captured two senior agents and destroyed an entire base of Baroque Works."
Chaka summarized Caelan's achievements, trying to restore Cobra's confidence.
"Your Majesty, just prepare the 300 million Berries. Wait for good news from Princess Vivi."
Both Bell and Chaka spoke together, though deep down they were not entirely convinced.
Could a newcomer from the Grand Line really stand against one of the Seven Warlords?
Their words were meant more to uplift Cobra's spirits than from true belief.
"I hope so… we have no other choice."
Cobra sighed, though for the first time, a faint glimmer of hope returned to his eyes.
"If he really can save Alabasta… not just 300 million Berries, even the throne itself, I would be willing to give up."
Cobra made up his mind. If there was truly hope, he was willing to give everything.
Bell and Chaka lowered their heads in silence, shame in their hearts.
As Alabasta's royal guards, they had been powerless against Crocodile.
Now they had to rely on outsiders to protect their country. The shame weighed heavily on them.
(To be continued.)