Journey in Alabasta

Chapter 43: Journey in Alabasta

After sailing for half a month, Rodney finally arrived at his destination—the seaport city of Alabasta, Nanohana.

Not long ago, he bid farewell to Laboon and Crocus, and left the Little Garden. The goldfish that could consume islands was destroyed by Dorry using Hakoku, and his sword reached its lifespan limit.

During the half-month journey, Rodney allocated time for training and also assigned a clone to learn navigation and medical knowledge from Crocus, with a focus on medical skills.

In medical ninjutsu, the key is to use chakra to accelerate cell division and facilitate rapid healing. However, excessive cell stimulation shortens one's lifespan. For minor injuries, it is better to use medicinal remedies.

He also sought Crocus' advice on identifying edible plants in the wild.

Though Rodney mostly consumed meat, he needed to exercise caution with regard to plants. Eating something unfamiliar might result in discomfort, and that would be troublesome.

For the past half-month, he forced himself to remember and used Sharingan to etch Crocus' words into his mind, reinforcing the memories as his own. Sharingan is truly convenient to use.

Upon reaching a place close to Alabasta, Rodney bid farewell to Laboon and Crocus, and continued his journey by sea.

He encountered a sea cat and decided to use it as his mount. Sea cats were considered sacred creatures by the people of Alabasta. Their appearance also indicated the transition into the climate of Alabasta.

The sea cat carried him to the port, where Rodney jumped ashore. In the astonished gazes of onlookers, he asked, "Excuse me, is there a place to buy water?"

Upon landing on the shore, he felt the hot, dry wind blowing against his face. This place didn't resemble a seaside city at all but rather an inland city with yellow sand everywhere.

Could it be that this country has scarce water resources?

"There." A passerby pointed him in the right direction. Rodney tossed a decent denomination of bellies to the person as thanks and then departed.

Due to the scarcity of fresh water, aside from bars, there was also a water bar specializing in water supply. Water was as expensive as wine. He bought a bucket of water and carried it on his back, along with a map of Alabasta.

He opened the map, finding Nanohana marked as the seaport city. Going west, he would cross the desert to reach the Sandora River—the only major river in Alabasta. After crossing the river, he would reach the dry city of Alum, then head north, passing through the oasis to reach Crocodile's base camp, known as the "Rainbase."

"But it's also possible to go by water..." He could start from Nanohana and enter the inlet of the Sandora River.

Yes, the inlet—the wide river that traverses Alabasta is formed by the backflow of seawater. If it were freshwater, the city would have been built along the river, supporting a significant population.

Unfortunately, it is a saltwater river.

Taking the Sandora River would result in encounters with the Sandora catfish that inhabit it, leading to complications.

Traveling by land would also pose challenges.

He took out a coin, designating heads for land and tails for water.

Ding!

The coin spun through the air and landed in his palm.

Heads!

Alright, over land it is.

He sought confirmation of the direction from another person, purchased a sand sled, and learned how to use it from the boss. Maneuvering the sand sled proved to be easy.

The sand sled resembled a sailboat in the desert, relying on the wind to propel it forward. The wind in this region was also unpredictable. For this reason, Rodney had specifically exchanged for Wind Release: Gale Palm—as a precaution.

He placed the bucket of water on the sand sled, ensured his footing, tied a rope around his waist, and raised the sail.

Whoosh!

The sand sled shot forward like an arrow released from a bowstring. Rodney skillfully adjusted the sail according to the wind's direction and rushed toward the Sandora River.

...

"Pirate Hunter? Joestar J. Rodney? Have he reached Nanohana? His movement is heading west. If he continues in this direction... he will eventually reach Rainbase when he goes to north. Is that his goal? Baroque Works?" Inside a hidden office in Rain Dinners, the kingdom's largest casino, a sophisticated female voice spoke.

"It's relatively easy to defeat Mr. 8 and Miss Monday, so we should not underestimate their strength. However, since the boss ordered your elimination, there are senior agents still in Alabasta... oh, then send Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine's Day. Two devil fruit users should be able to handle the pirate hunter who is suspected to be a devil fruit user." After finalizing the selection for the mission, the woman smiled and continued working.

...

Good news. After crossing the desert, Rodney successfully had the sand sled glide across the Sandora River. He discovered that the sand sled was not only suitable for the sand but also capable of traversing water. Although it had some leakage, it was slow enough to enable him to cross the Sandora River.

That would suffice.

"Huh?" He glanced down and saw a huge shadow rushing toward him through the river.

What the hell, something's coming.

The same thing happened when sailing on the sea—sea kings would occasionally emerge. Haven't they learned to stay away?

"Wind Release: Gale Palm!"

A gust of wind propelled the sail, and the sand sled accelerated once again. A massive creature emerged behind it, swallowing a mouthful of water with its enormous mouth.

The creature's eyes, the size of houses, looked somewhat cute. Upon seeing Rodney, it swung its giant tail and gave chase.

"Damn it, how can catfish grow so big? What did they eat to reach this size?" Rodney didn't pay attention to the sand sled's direction; he exhaled several fireballs in quick succession, exploding them near the Santora catfish.

The Sandora Catfish writhed in pain, trying to avoid the blasts. It thrashed against the water's surface, creating waves that propelled the sand sled to move faster.

Rodney chuckled and blew another gust of wind, urging the sand sled to go even faster.

After crossing the sea, he arrived on the sandy ground, lowered the sail, elevated the sand sled, emptied the water from it, and adjusted his robe. To protect his skin from sunburn, he had specifically donned an Alabasta robe and wind-resistant sunglasses. The set of equipment cost him quite a sum of money—what a profiteer!

The sun's temperature was scorching, unbearably hot. In the desert, there was no shelter during the day, and the sand's temperature was extremely high. If not for the special material of the ninja sandals on his feet, they would have melted.

Within a few minutes, the sand sled had dried. Rodney placed it back on the sand and stood upon it. He poured the remaining water into his pocket, raised the sail, and once again set off.

In just a few minutes, he arrived at Katorea, another port city. However, Katorea was far less prosperous than Nanohana and appeared more desolate with fewer inhabitants. Alabasta's desert location, coupled with its aridity and lack of rainfall, had caused a decline in the city's prosperity. Many people had moved to the nearby oasis Yuba or crossed the Sandora River to Nanohana.

"Due to the scarcity of water, this place is really unsuitable for habitation," remarked the innkeeper, a kind-faced elderly man, as he smiled. "Guest, you would be better off leaving this place. It truly is not fit for life."

"But why have you stayed, my lord?" Rodney inquired.

"Because this is my home. There is still a little water left, allowing those of us who remain to survive. Unless absolutely necessary, I won't leave my home." This was their home, and they were not prepared to leave it easily.