Chapter 40 : The news that shocked the whole world!

Less than half an hour later.

Alabasta's capital city.

Inside the palace.

"Lord Chaka, Lord Bell, the dragon that took His Majesty the King has returned this morning."

Both Chaka and Pell's expressions shifted.

"Where is it now?"

"It's still in the sky, but it'll be here soon."

"Did you see the king?"

"Sorry, the sky was quite dark and the distance was far, so I couldn't see clearly."

"Understood, lead the way! Let's go there quickly."

"Yes."

Upon reaching a tower, they were met with a scene that left them horrified.

A fiery red dragon was approaching at an incredible speed from a distance.

"What is that?"

"It looks like a cage!"

People were puzzled.

Kahn slowly descended, allowing people to finally get a clear view.

With a thud, the cage touched the ground.

Chaka and Pell looked on.

Inside the cage were men and women, all bearing severe injuries.

They were puzzled, but their shock deepened when they recognized a familiar figure.

It was Crocodile.

Even if the other cadres were unfamiliar to them, chaka and Pell could never forget Crocodile as heroes.

"Crocodile?"

Horror was evident in their eyes.

When they left in the morning, King Cobra had only told them he was dealing with rebels, which he said was connected to Crocodile.

Yet they could never have anticipated that in just one day, the vice admiral before them would capture Crocodile directly.

This was a Shichibukai!

Crocodile couldn't help but show a disdainful expression at the monkey-like gaze.

But he had no power left to resist and closed his eyes.

Beyond the initial shock, Chaka and Pell soon realized another issue.

Cobra was absent among the captured.

Kahn had now returned to his human form.

Everyone observed the subdued Baroque Works.

"Your Excellency Lieutenant General, what about His Majesty the King?" Chaka asked immediately.

"He's on his way back, probably arriving tomorrow morning."

Both of them appeared alarmed.

"Could you please clarify, Your Excellency the Lieutenant General?"

"Cobra is currently with the rebels, and they're on their way back. They should arrive tomorrow."

"What? Why is His Majesty the King with the rebels?"

Their expressions shifted drastically.

"Don't worry. He went of his own accord and will return tomorrow morning. Cobra will explain everything when he's back."

"But..."

"No 'buts.' You being bothersome?" Kahn's impatience was evident.

Both Chaka and Pell felt overwhelmed by Kahn's presence.

"I said it's alright, so it is. The old man is quite reliable. By the way, what happened to the money Cobra asked you to prepare?"

Both of them were puzzled.

They replied without thinking, "It's all prepared."

Kahn's expression finally showed satisfaction.

"Good."

Both Chaka and Pell found it strange, but they didn't dive deeper into it.

"Your Excellency Lieutenant General, who are these people?"

"They're all cadres of the Baroque Works. They're responsible for the troubles in your country." Chaka and Pell's expressions turned stunned.

"How could that be?"

"Are you questioning me?"

"No, it's not that. It's just that this is so shocking," Pell said.

However, just as they finished speaking, anger replaced their shock.

They had a burning desire to tear into Crocodile inside the cage.

"Crocodile, why would you do this?" Chaka's voice was laced with anger.

Crocodile finally opened his eyes upon hearing the question.

He cast a look of disdain, choosing not to dignify Chaka's question with a response.

"Little Crocodile, stop giving me that look. It's annoying." Kahn expressed annoyance.

Crocodile shook his body, shutting his eyes once more.

After a few exchanges, he realized that arguing with Kahn wouldn't get him anywhere; it would only lead to further humiliation.

He knew that Kahn, this old navy man, was a lunatic – a lunatic with a frighteningly high level of strength.

Kahn nodded in satisfaction seeing Crocodile's reaction.

Then he turned to the two ministers.

"Alright, I've had a busy day. I need some rest. You'll get the whole story tomorrow."

The two ministers exchanged glances.

They could perceive both helplessness and shock in each other's eyes.

What had transpired today was beyond their expectations.

"No, Chaka, although Vice Admiral Kahn assured us, I'm still not at ease," Pell said.

He had wanted to accompany them in the morning, but Cobra had adamantly forbidden it.

"What are you planning to do?" Chaka asked.

"According to Lieutenant General Kahn, His Majesty the King and the others have already left Juba. I'm going directly now. I should be able to meet them soon. I want to make sure His Majesty is safe."

Chaka nodded in agreement. He had the same idea.

Despite Kahn's promise, they remained anxious.

"Alright, that settles it. I'll handle things here in the palace. By tomorrow, hopefully, our country will return to normal."

Pell's excitement was palpable.

He transformed into a falcon using his Devil Fruit ability and, after flapping his wings, quickly took to the air and disappeared.

Kahn arrived in Alabasta on the third day.

Following Crocodile's exposure, King Cobra and the rebel leader, Koza, made a public announcement.

This news, which was shocking on a global scale, spread with incredible speed.

Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, had his title revoked by the World Government.

The official reason was his violation of the Shichibukai Regulations, but this covered up Crocodile's actual deeds with brevity.

It also emphasized Vice Admiral Kahn's role in preempting the conspiracy, ensuring that major turmoil was averted.

"Hehe, the same old tactics, but this time it's remarkably swift. Are they trying to wrap this up quickly?" Kahn mused while looking at the newspaper in his hand.

Then, he didn't dwell on it any longer.

"Alright, Cobra. It's time to take me to retrieve the historical text we agreed upon."

Cobra's expression was less than favorable.

Though the newspaper's content was largely true, he found it evasive in many aspects.

Summarizing the immense suffering his country had endured over the past three years in such a curt manner left him dissatisfied.

"Lieutenant General Kahn, a system like the Shichibukai shouldn't even exist," Cobra stated frankly.

"Well, I agree with that sentiment."

(end of this chapter)