One Piece : Rise of Thunder King

You can read the advance chapters here : patreon.com/Vigilante04

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With Robin by his side, Arthur vanished in an instant.

Thanks to his incredible speed and precise control of his abilities, he barely drew any attention to himself.

Meanwhile, in the casino's underground area, Crocodile suddenly frowned, a hint of confusion crossing his face.

For a brief moment, he felt a strange sense of familiarity, though it was fleeting.

In the original events, Luffy and his crew stumbled upon the underground Poneglyph by chance. Arthur, however, didn't know its exact location.

But with his advanced Observation Haki, combined with his mastery of electromagnetic fields, he could explore the underground area with precision, almost like a high-tech ultrasound scan.

Before long, Arthur found it—a perfectly square Poneglyph hidden beneath layers of earth. His extraordinary range of perception made locating it effortless.

Ten minutes later, Arthur sat hovering in midair, gazing at Robin, who stood in front of the ancient stone, her eyes alight with excitement.

"To think, a Poneglyph is buried in such an unknown place," Robin muttered as she carefully examined the inscriptions on the stone.

When it came to historical texts like these, Robin only ever translated them in her mind, leaving no written records.

As someone who became a scholar at a very young age, her skill in deciphering ancient texts was second nature. Slowly, she began to interpret the Poneglyph's message.

The more she read, the more shock filled her eyes. Robin quickly decided not to share the full contents with Arthur.

Behind her, Arthur watched her with a distracted gaze, his thoughts momentarily lost as he admired Robin's graceful presence.

"So this is it... This is what it says," Robin finished her translation, her voice low and thoughtful.

After a moment, she composed herself, the awe in her eyes fading as she turned around with a calm smile.

Robin had seen countless hardships—witnessing the destruction of her homeland, fleeing from place to place, and surviving in the darkest corners of the world. Yet, her intellectual brilliance only grew stronger through it all.

Noticing her turn, Arthur snapped out of his daze and asked, "Well, what does it say? What's written on the Poneglyph?"

Robin smiled and replied, "It contains royal information about Alabasta. It mentions another Poneglyph located in the royal tomb of the Nefertari family. The two seem to be connected."

"Oh? Is that so?" Arthur said, though his gaze lingered on her eyes as if trying to discern the truth.

Robin sighed lightly and stepped closer, her tone playful but composed. "The inscription states that the ancestors of the Nefertari family, after helping to form the World Government, refused to move to Mary Geoise to become Celestial Dragons. Instead, they chose to remain in Alabasta."

"I see," Arthur nodded, a faint trace of disappointment crossing his face. "I already suspected as much."

"Is there anything else you'd like to know, Mr. Arthur?" Robin asked with a polite smile.

Arthur's eyes flickered with thought as he spoke to Robin in a low voice, sharing something he had been holding back.

Robin's eyes widened, her expression turning to one of surprise as she listened.

When he finished speaking, silence hung between them. Robin's gaze shifted as she pondered his words. After a while, she finally asked, "Mr. Arthur... are you serious?"

Though Robin found it hard to believe him, the details Arthur shared seemed almost too convincing to dismiss entirely.

"Of course," Arthur replied confidently. "There's still time for you to see for yourself. You'll understand soon enough."

Robin nodded, though her expression was filled with skepticism. "Then let time prove it, Mr. Arthur."

Arthur smirked, confident that everything was proceeding according to his plan. With time and experience, he believed Robin would come to understand.

Looking around the cave, where only the Poneglyph stood, Robin spoke calmly.

"Mr. Arthur, since there's nothing else here, could you send me back? I have some matters to attend to, and I'd like to meet the group of people you mentioned."

"Of course. Let's go; I'll take you to the port," Arthur replied with a gentlemanly smile, extending his hand toward her.

Robin noticed his outstretched hand, her expression softening. With a look of quiet affection, she placed her slender hand gently in his. This was quite the change from before, where Arthur would grab her and carry her off without such courtesy.

In the port city, within an empty alleyway, a faint crackling sound broke the silence. Suddenly, Arthur's floating throne appeared out of thin air.

Seated on the throne, Arthur smirked playfully at Robin, whose cheeks were slightly flushed, before releasing her hand.

Robin quickly hopped off his lap, cast him one last glance, and adjusted her composure.

"Well then, goodbye, Mr. Arthur," she said politely before turning to leave with her usual elegance.

Arthur watched her retreating figure, the corners of his mouth lifting into a smile.

Just then, a vague, drowsy voice echoed nearby.

"Huh? What's that noise?"

Arthur remained seated, unmoving, as a drunken man in the alley stirred awake. However, the man's brief consciousness was cut short by an overwhelming force that left him fainting again, rolling his eyes as he collapsed.

In Alubarna, the capital of Alabasta...

The royal palace of the Nefertari family stood majestically on the high ground, its grandeur rivaling even the heights of Doflamingo's palace in Dressrosa. Anyone wishing to reach it had to climb an imposing flight of stairs.

Inside the palace, King Cobra sat with a weary, helpless expression.

He was deeply troubled by the current state of his kingdom. His people, instead of trusting him, chose to believe a pirate. Worse still, there were eyewitnesses who claimed to have seen him transporting Dance Powder from a cargo ship. With such accusations, he had no way to clear his name.

Cobra's heart ached. He knew the true culprit behind this chaos—Crocodile, the so-called hero of Alabasta. Yet, without solid evidence, there was nothing he could do.

A few years ago, in a desperate bid to uncover the truth, his beloved daughter, Princess Vivi, infiltrated Crocodile's organization under a false identity. But even now, they had yet to find any useful leads.

"Who goes there!?" a sudden shout interrupted Cobra's thoughts.

Startled, he looked toward the source of the commotion.

Outside the palace, Bell and Chaka stood on full alert, both having activated their Devil Fruit powers, transforming into their human-beast hybrid forms.

"King Arthur?" Cobra exclaimed, surprised to see Arthur sitting casually on his floating throne just outside the palace.

Cobra recognized the young man immediately. While they hadn't interacted much, Cobra considered Arthur to be a promising and influential figure.

At the last Reverie, Arthur had proposed two major ideas: increasing Marine funding to better address piracy and establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Both proposals had proven beneficial. The first allowed the Marines to act more effectively, leading to a noticeable improvement in maintaining order at sea. The second brought tangible economic benefits to Alabasta, a major power on the Grand Line with significant influence in the WTO.

Yet, despite these advancements, the presence of Crocodile—a warlord who operated outside the laws of the kingdom and the World Government—continued to bring great harm to Alabasta.

"King Cobra, greetings," Arthur said as he guided his floating throne into the palace.

"Greetings, King Arthur," Cobra responded quickly, standing to show respect.

Though Arthur was a young king—barely older than Cobra's own daughter—his strength and influence were undeniable. Even the Celestial Dragons and the Five Elders seemed wary of him, a fact Cobra knew all too well.

"So, to what do I owe the honor of your visit, King Arthur?" Cobra asked cautiously.

Arthur nodded, his expression calm. "I've come here to propose an alliance between Alabasta and my kingdom. I want us to become close allies."

"Huh? What do you mean by that?" Cobra asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

Arthur didn't reply immediately but glanced at Bell and Chaka, the two guards standing nearby. Their positions were strategic—they could launch an attack at a moment's notice.

Understanding Arthur's unspoken request, Cobra cleared his throat and addressed his men. "Bell, Chaka, wait outside."

"This..." The two hesitated, exchanging wary glances as they looked at Arthur.

Sensing their reluctance, Cobra's tone grew firmer. "Go. King Arthur is not just any monarch; he is one of the most powerful figures in the world."

Bell and Chaka weren't foolish; they understood the implications of Cobra's words. If someone as powerful as Arthur intended harm, their resistance would be futile.

"Understood," they said in unison, leaving the room and closing the doors behind them.

"You may speak freely now, King Arthur," Cobra said, his tone polite but serious.

For the next hour, the two kings engaged in deep discussion. As Arthur laid out his plans and proposals, Cobra's expression shifted through various emotions: seriousness, surprise, confusion, and cautious excitement.

By the end, Cobra wore a solemn look. After a moment of hesitation, he said, "If your goal is truly what you've explained, then it's certainly possible. I'll give you my support, though Alabasta's resources are limited."

"I only need your agreement and your backing," Arthur replied with a confident smile. "As for everything else, leave that to me. I'm fully prepared to handle it."

Satisfied with Cobra's answer, Arthur leaned back slightly, though his mind continued working. There were still some details he wanted to know, but now wasn't the right time to bring them up.

His gaze briefly flickered. Princess Vivi came to mind—beautiful, intelligent, and the future ruler of Alabasta. Winning her trust and alliance would be another way to secure his goals. Though he wasn't in a hurry, Arthur liked having multiple plans in place.

"Then it's settled," Arthur said. "I'll stay in Alabasta for a few days. When Crocodile makes his move and the citizens see his true colors, I'll step in to help. As for the climate issue, that's a simple matter. Once this is over, I'll have it resolved. There's no need to worry."

"That's excellent news!" Cobra exclaimed, relief washing over him. "With your promise, I'm confident we can overcome this crisis."

Cobra knew that Crocodile, despite his strength, was no match for someone of Arthur's caliber. Having Arthur's support meant the tide could finally turn in their favor.

After finalizing their discussion, Arthur decided to stay temporarily in the palace.

The next day, a ship bearing a pirate flag docked at a secluded bay far from the main port. It was the Thousand Sunny, marked by the iconic straw hat and skull symbol of the Straw Hat Pirates.