Chapter 114: Chasing the Clout

Rainbase, Kingdom of Alabasta.

The Kingdom of Alabasta spans a vast territory, yet the majority of its land is desolate desert. Eighty percent of its population is concentrated in the oases along the Sandora River. Abundant water, a dense population, and convenient river transport have made the cities along the Sandora River exceptionally prosperous, serving as the economic heart of the kingdom. Rainbase, known as the "City of Dreams," is the crown jewel of the Sandora basin and the hub of the kingdom's economic artery. Setting aside political and historical factors, Rainbase is, in every regard, more qualified to be the capital than Alubarna, where the royal family resides.

Yet, it is a farce that such a vital economic center has been brazenly occupied and operated by the "Sand Crocodile" Crocodile as his personal base of operations, effectively becoming an independent kingdom outside the jurisdiction of the royal family. King Cobra, rather than taking action, has instead pandered to public opinion by hailing Crocodile as a hero who protects Alabasta, further fueling the pirate's arrogance. Under Crocodile’s meticulous cultivation, the people of Rainbase have long forgotten their king, knowing only the Warlord of the Sea who "protects" them.

However, the lord of Rainbase, Crocodile, is not feeling particularly pleased at this moment.

According to the plan devised by Garen and Vivi, they were supposed to head directly to the capital, Alubarna, upon arrival to inform the still-oblivious King Cobra of the truth regarding the Crocodile’s plot to usurp the throne. But plans rarely survive reality; the sudden appearance of the Sand Crocodile forced both sides into a face-to-face confrontation, which then devolved into a delicate stalemate due to the presence of Dracule Mihawk and Garen’s own performance.

For Crocodile, the situation is even more awkward. He cannot bring himself to attack, nor can he simply flee, leaving him trapped in an uncomfortable standoff with Garen. Given his pride, he would never admit that he had come to launch a sneak attack only to lose his nerve. He simply maintains a stern, imposing facade, glaring at Garen with cold, sharp eyes while avoiding any mention of his true intentions. To break the impasse and get a closer look at this unexpectedly formidable opponent, Crocodile decided, after some consideration, to act as the host and invite the knight from the East Blue to rest for a while in his stronghold, Rainbase.

Then, the truly aggravating part began.

Whenever he walked the streets of Rainbase alone, he was always met with the worshipful and adoring gazes of the citizens. Though Crocodile cared little for what the "fools" thought, this reputation as a hero was the foundation of his usurpation plot—the perfect persona he had painstakingly maintained. But today, a detestable fellow was piggybacking on the reputation he had spent so much effort building.

When the dreadnought *Sabre* docked at the port of Rainbase, its massive silhouette immediately drew the attention of the populace. As the party disembarked, the excitement of the crowd reached a fever pitch. Leading the group were three figures: first, the kingdom’s hero, Crocodile; second, the hawk-eyed swordsman carrying a black blade. As the most famous man among the Warlords, anyone with a modicum of knowledge could recognize the world’s greatest swordsman. Two Warlords walking side-by-side was a sight that commanded attention wherever they went. And the man permitted to walk alongside these two powerhouses naturally garnered countless gazes filled with curiosity and awe.

"Who is that man?"
"I don't know, but his armor looks so cool!"
"He must be a powerful hero to be walking with Lord Crocodile!"

The crowd whispered, speculating on Garen’s identity. Among them were always those in the know: after all, Garen was a prominent hegemon in his own right, his appearance was unique and conspicuous, and his name had once appeared in newspapers across the Grand Line alongside the "reformed" clown, Buggy. Garen, who had little fame on the Grand Line, utilized the reputation of the Sand Crocodile in Rainbase and the global fame of Mihawk to become the center of attention within minutes, effectively making a name for himself in less than a quarter of an hour.

Crocodile viewed Garen’s "clout-chasing" behavior with utter disdain. What he found even more shameless was the fact that Garen was closely followed by several reporters holding precious Den Den Mushi cameras, faithfully recording the sight of the Knight of the East Blue walking side-by-side and chatting merrily with two Warlords of the Sea. Once the reporters captured the right footage, they immediately transmitted the data via special remote communication devices to the newspaper office run by Wallace back in the East Blue.

Crocodile immediately understood why the East Blue newspapers sent by his intelligence agents were always filled with hair-raising praise whenever they mentioned Garen—the man was a master of self-promotion who traveled with his own press corps.

"Impressive," Crocodile muttered to himself. Compared to Garen’s shameless publicity stunts, his own method of publicly executing a few pirates in front of the citizens seemed crude and inefficient. He had spent so long just to barely control the public opinion of one nation, while Garen had spread his good name across the entire East Blue in just three months.

The walk from the port to the hotel Crocodile had arranged was less than thirty minutes. Yet, in that short time, Garen had become a household name in Rainbase, leaving the populace with the deep impression that he was "a friend of the great hero Crocodile and a powerhouse on par with the Warlords." By the time the group reached the magnificent hotel, Crocodile’s expression was as dark as ink.

"Stay here for now," Crocodile said, his face twisted in a look that suggested he wanted to devour someone, his eyes burning with malice as he stared at Garen. "Tomorrow, there are things I want to discuss with you personally."

With that, Crocodile abandoned Garen’s group and strode away, presumably to some dark corner to vent the embarrassment and frustration he had been holding since the moment he boarded the ship to attack.

"Big cities really have a sense of style!" Garen, completely oblivious to being targeted by a Warlord, nonchalantly admired his lodgings. Unlike the historic, pure, and noble traditional architecture of the Goab Kingdom, this hotel blended the exotic cultural flair of the desert kingdom with the manic obsession with money typical of a gambling city like Rainbase. Every design choice was dripping with luxury and commercial excess. With rows of glamorous desert dancers serving as greeters, it was clearly the perfect place for the ultra-wealthy to indulge in debauchery. Garen had experienced the nouveau riche flair of Don Krieg and the elegance of the old nobility of the Goa Kingdom, but he had yet to be corrupted by capitalism. He pushed open the hotel doors with great interest, ready to enjoy this sugar-coated bullet arranged by his arch-nemesis.

Princess Vivi, burdened with the fate of her country, could not be as carefree as Garen. She had been on edge since the moment the Sand Crocodile boarded their ship, never letting her guard down for a second. She grabbed Garen, who was walking into the hotel with a swagger, and whispered in his ear, "Garen? This is Crocodile’s headquarters! Are we really going to stay in Rainbase?"

"It’s fine," Garen replied, his expression light and indifferent. "If he were going to make a move, he would have done it on the ship."

As he spoke, Garen subconsciously glanced at Mihawk, who carried the black blade on his back. With such a top-tier powerhouse at his side, why would he fear Crocodile, who was merely bottom-tier among the Warlords? Garen had agreed to the invitation not only because he was confident he could survive, but largely because of Mihawk’s earlier declaration: "With me here, you won't be able to kill him." Such an overbearing statement and such ironclad protection had moved Garen to the point where he almost wanted to bow down to Mihawk and call him "big brother."

At that moment, Mihawk sensed Garen’s gaze. He scanned the grand hotel lobby, his sharp, sword-like brows knitting slightly, before saying to Garen, "I’m leaving."

Garen’s expression froze.