Meanwhile, on another island in the Grand Line, the scorching sun beat down on the city of Alabasta, one of the oldest kingdoms. Smoker, a white-haired Marine captain with two cigars in his mouth, walked the streets in search of a specific pirate.
Since Monkey D. Luffy had slipped through his fingers in Loguetown, Smoker had been hot on his trail in the Grand Line, determined to put him behind bars. He couldn't stand one of his preys slipping away.
As he entered a bar, he immediately noticed a young man who was attracting all the attention.
"Hey boss, have you seen a guy with a straw hat around here?" the young man asked, showing Luffy's wanted poster.
But it was Smoker's voice that replied, "It seems you have no qualms about showing yourself in public, Portgas D. Ace, commander of the second fleet of Whitebeard."
All the bar patrons were left speechless upon discovering the identity of the man they took for a simple fool. The whispers spread, but Smoker's voice drowned out the commotion. "What is a pirate of your caliber doing in this kingdom?" he questioned sternly.
"I'm looking for my little brother," Ace replied with a smirk.
A heavy silence fell over the crowd, each waiting with a mix of fear. It was Ace who broke the silence first. "And now, what do you plan to do?" he asked nonchalantly.
"Surrender peacefully and let me arrest you," Smoker replied without flinching.
"Sorry, but that's out of the question," Ace refused with a smug smile.
"I suspected as much," sighed Smoker. "In fact, I am currently pursuing another pirate. Your head is not my priority."
"Then let me go," Ace suggested simply.
"That I cannot allow either," retorted Smoker as his arm turned into smoke. "After all, I am a Marine."
"We're going to have a little fun then," Ace smiled, a hint of challenge in his eyes.
"That's enough... You're making too much noise, I can't even eat in peace," suddenly intervened a blond man with round sunglasses, dressed in a suit and a head covering.
Smoker and Ace turned towards the corner where the voice came from, Ace's smile widening as he recognized the newcomer. Things were getting more and more interesting...
"Well, this is unexpected," Smoker said, staring at the blond man seriously. "Kento Nanami, the best shaman of the Infinite Pirates' crew," he solemnly announced.
At these words, the civilians held their breath, realizing they were dealing with two heavyweights. No one dared to utter a word in front of these two eminent pirates. Kento Nanami, with his bounty of 535,000,000 Berries, was known as the most powerful shaman.
"I'm trying to enjoy my meal and you come and disturb me. Pirates are truly a nuisance..." Nanami sighed without taking his eyes off his plate.
"BUT YOU'RE A PIRATE TOO!" the civilians exclaimed in unison, astonished.
"In that case, why didn't you become a Marine?" Smoker asked, undeterred.
"Because being a Marine is boring!" Nanami retorted, causing a new wave of outraged reactions among the onlookers. "Too much overtime, too much stress. It's a problem I don't have as a pirate," he explained in all seriousness.
"JUST FOR THAT?!" the civilians exclaimed again, while Ace laughed quietly.
"I see, you're only a pirate for convenience, under the command of an Emperor," Smoker sneered before being interrupted by Nanami.
"You're mistaken," Nanami corrected him, taking off his sunglasses theatrically. "My captain may be an idiot," he admitted as he put them back on, "but he's the only one I'll follow. I won't accept any other, idiot as he may be."
"HE SAID IT AGAIN!" the civilians choked, unable to believe a pirate would call his captain an idiot.
"It seems Oyaji was right in saying that you were an unconventional and loyal crew," Ace commented with a smirk. "Well, what do we do now?" he added, bringing a tense silence among the spectators.
Nanami stood up, revealing his imposing 2.75-meter stature, towering over Ace and Smoker. The three men eyed each other like wary dogs, forming a triangle with Nanami at the apex. The tension was palpable until a shrill cry shattered the suspended moment.
"ROCKEEEET!!!" a voice shouted out of nowhere as a human cannonball crashed into Smoker head-on, knocking him down unceremoniously.
Ace, caught off guard, barely had time to react before being knocked down by the mysterious projectile as well.
Impassive, Nanami watched stoically as Monkey D. Luffy crushed the two men before rushing to the counter demanding food, oblivious to the electric atmosphere.
Nanami approached the bar and handed a wad of bills to the stunned bartender.
"Keep the change," he said soberly as he left as if nothing had happened.
"He just leaves like that, as if nothing happened..." the bartender stammered, staring in disbelief at the money in his hand.
Nanami strolled through the streets of Alabasta, savoring the regained calm, when the ring of his Den Den Mushi disturbed his tranquility. 'Péré péré péré... Péré péré péré...'
Reaching into his jacket pocket, he pulled out the Den Den Mushi and raised it to his mouth, ready to answer. It was his captain trying to reach him...
"Nanami... We need to talk," Gojo said cheerfully.
But before he could continue, the communication was abruptly cut off. Nanami had hung up without a hint of remorse. However, no sooner had he put down his Den Den Mushi that it started ringing again.
"Come on, come on, don't be so cruel to your beloved captain!" Gojo said in his usual playful tone when he wasn't taking things seriously.
Nanami sighed, a hint of weariness in his voice, "What can I do for you, Captain?"
"I hear you're currently in Alabasta. If I'm not mistaken, this land is under the control of a Warlord, isn't it? What are you up to there?" Gojo inquired, a smile playing on his lips.
"Indeed..." Nanami confirmed in his calm and conscientious voice. "Crocodile rules this country. I went there because some very interesting information reached me, and I made a discovery. It seems he's seeking the ancient weapon Pluton," he revealed gravely.
"Oh, this is getting exciting..." Gojo commented, his smile widening as the sea breeze ruffled his hair while he stood on the deck of his ship. "What else?"
"I crossed paths with two pirates with the initial D.," Nanami continued, piquing his captain's curiosity. "Portgas D. Ace and Monkey D. Luffy." At the mention of the latter name, Gojo's smile grew wider. "I still don't know Crocodile's exact motives regarding this ancient weapon," Nanami admitted, maintaining his seriousness. "Perhaps he plans to go after the World Government or one of the Emperors... Should I thwart his plans?"
"No, no, definitely not!" Gojo exclaimed in a drawling tone. "I want you to stay put and keep me informed of the developments. I suspect we're in for quite an entertaining show!" he added, his smile widening even further if that was possible.
"Understood," Nanami acquiesced calmly. "If you have nothing else to add, I will take my leave and continue to inform you of my findings." His seriousness and dedication seemed unshakable.
"Perfect! See you later, my dear Nanami!" Gojo joyfully exclaimed, managing to make a vein throb on his interlocutor's forehead.
Back on his ship, Gojo couldn't contain his excitement after the news he had just learned... Pluton, the ultimate weapon capable of leveling an entire island with a single blast... Would be hidden somewhere in Alabasta, just like the Poneglyph that could lead to it... A true relic of the Forgotten Century...