In the bustling oasis city of Alabasta, deep within the heart of Rainbase, Crocodile lounged in the opulent yet shadowy headquarters of Baroque Works. The room was dimly lit, the atmosphere was heavy with the scent of cigar smoke.
Thrash! Clack! Splash!
The large tank of Banana Gators stirred violently in the corner of the room, their powerful tails were churning the water as they competed savagely for food.
Ssshhh!
Crocodile, unbothered by the noise, took a long drag from his cigar, the glowing tip briefly illuminating the scar carved across his face. His gaze shifted to the phone lying on the polished table in front of him.
"An interesting little toy." He murmured, picking it up between two fingers and started studying it with detached curiosity.
He already knew its origins and purpose. The Alabasta Royal Palace, riddled with spies, had long since ceased to hold secrets from him. He was fully aware of the ambitious individual behind this intriguing piece of technology. But to Crocodile, it was just another tool—a resource to exploit when necessary.
"When I overthrow the Alabasta monarchy and take control of this kingdom." He said with a slow, cold sneer: "That little upstart can redeem the sins of the Royal Family under my regime."
Setting the phone down, his lips curled into a darker smile: "Of course, I'll raise the price by at least twentyfold. No one values cheap toys."
What Crocodile didn't realize, however, was the true nature of the phones. Born from the power of a Devil Fruit, their capabilities extended far beyond his assumptions, holding potential even he would find difficult to believe.
Leaning back in his chair, Crocodile's thoughts shifted, with a glint of calculation flashing in his eyes: "Mr. 2 should be back soon. Once he's here, we'll visit the capital and have a little chat with the king. When the Navy leaves, everything will fall perfectly into place."
Crocodile's plan was methodical, ruthless, and already well underway. He had carefully orchestrated the destabilization of Alabasta, combining Bon Clay's ability to mimic others with his own meticulous control over the kingdom's rains. The pieces were falling into position, and soon, the royal family would crumble under his schemes.
As the Banana Gators settled back into the still waters of their tank, Crocodile sat in silence, his confidence was unwavering. Everything was proceeding exactly as he had planned.
---
Back in the Royal Palace
In the grand yet somber halls of the Alabasta Royal Palace, Vivi stood with her arms crossed, her piercing gaze was fixed on Igaram, the loyal captain of the royal guard.
"Igaram, what is my idiot brother doing recently?" Vivi's sharp voice cut through the silence.
Igaram hesitated for a moment before answering in a calm voice: "He remains under house arrest, Princess. However, it seems he's been working closely with Pell. As for what they're doing… I cannot say for certain. My daily duties have left me little time to focus on such matters."
Vivi huffed, and said in a voice filled with anger and frustration: "Hmph! I hope he's learned his lesson. Honestly, at a time like this…"
"Ah, Princess, perhaps his Highness has his own reasons." Igaram interjected, sighing as he attempted to soothe her rising temper.
Vivi fell silent, her expression softened slightly. As much as her brother's actions angered her, she couldn't bring herself to criticize him too harshly. After all, they were family, and Alabasta's situation was dire enough without unnecessary conflict.
The truth was grim: Alabasta teetered on the brink of ruin. Outside the capital, nearly every city was suffering from an unrelenting drought.
It had been a year since the last rainfall, and the kingdom's survival depended on King Cobra's desperate efforts to import drinking water from other nations, spending vast sums from the royal treasury in exchange.
King Cobra's relentless dedication and his reputation as a benevolent ruler had thus far shielded the Royal Family from suspicion. Without his careful maneuvering, many would have accused the monarchy of using Dance Powder to hoard rain clouds over the capital, leaving the rest of the country to wither. Such accusations could easily spark rebellion and lead to a devastating coup against the royal family.
Unbeknownst to most, Kael and Pell had secretly joined forces to investigate Crocodile's schemes. Utilizing some of the funds Kael had generated through his phone business, they managed to bribe a key operative within Baroque Works. This insider provided them with critical intelligence about Crocodile's plans.
The name of Crocodile's ultimate project sent chills down their spines: Operation Utopia.
The plan's first phase was already underway. By controlling Alabasta's rainfall and framing the royal family for the kingdom's suffering, Crocodile intended to incite chaos, depose King Cobra, and seize the throne of Alabasta. But that was only part of the sinister scheme.
Operation Utopia's ultimate goal was even more alarming. Crocodile sought the ancient weapon Pluton, supposedly to be hidden somewhere in Alabasta. With its immense destructive power, Crocodile intended to create a "Utopia" that could challenge the might of the World Government itself.
The ultimate goal behind Crocodile's grand scheme was known only to one person. Crocodile himself, as the mastermind, was naturally aware of every intricate detail. Nico Robin, his second-in-command, was fully informed as well, knowing that the true aim was to acquire the ancient weapon, Pluton.
Then there was Kael—his knowledge came not from involvement but from having watched the anime, giving him insight no one else in Alabasta possessed.
For the rest of the Baroque Works members, their understanding was far more superficial. Most believed their tasks served only to expand Baroque Works' power and influence. They had no inkling of the deeper, more dangerous purpose behind their efforts.
Kael, however, faced a dilemma. While he had deeper insight into Crocodile's plans and schemes, he could not share this knowledge with anyone—not even his father or Pell.
Revealing such detailed information would raise too many questions about its source. To avoid suspicion, Kael resorted to bribery and purchasing information, crafting a facade to explain his knowledge when necessary.
---
Five days passed in the blink of an eye.
During this time, Kael and Pell worked tirelessly, producing 4,000 phones daily and distributing them to shops for sale.
The operation was grueling but efficient, and their efforts soon bore fruit. Once they hit the milestone of 20,000 sales, something extraordinary happened.
Kael felt a sudden, excruciating pain in his mind, as though his very essence was being reshaped. The agony was intense, but a moment later, he smiled. He understood what had happened—his Devil Fruit powers had evolved yet again.
---
[Phone Level: LV3
Memory: 0/21GB
Network: 2G Capability
Download Speed: 100KB/sec
Range: 3 kilometers]
---
Kael's abilities had grown to the point where his increased range occasionally allowed him to sense Kuzan at the very edge of his perception. If his range expanded just a bit further, Kael realized, he could potentially download some of Kuzan's skills—or, with enough time and luck, even his Ice-Ice Fruit ability.
"If I can get Kuzan's Navy Six Styles, I might actually stand a chance against Crocodile." Kael thought deeply.
While both Armament and Observation Haki were more advanced and powerful, Kael dismissed them for now. They required emotional mastery and extensive training, neither of which fit his current situation. Alone, they weren't practical or immediately useful to him. Instead, he prioritized the Navy Six Styles, a logical choice for someone in his situation.
The Six Styles provided a versatile and immediate power boost with ready-made techniques for speed, mobility, defense, precision, and ranged attacks. These abilities could be utilized without intensive training or reliance on willpower, making them ideal for Kael's need for quick adaptability.
Kael's reasoning was clear: Navy Six Styles would form a strong foundation for survival and future growth. They would complement any advanced powers, such as the Ice-Ice Fruit, enhancing both offensive and defensive capabilities while allowing efficient development later.
"Kuzan's presence here in the capital is probably just a coincidence." Kael thought, as his eyes were narrowing in contemplation: "I might not get another opportunity like this to copy his Ice-Ice Fruit ability."
Kael scanned Kuzan's abilities list once more, his gaze lingering on the Ice-Ice Fruit. He felt an intense pull toward it.
"I didn't want to use this strategy so soon, but if I don't act now, who knows when I'll have another chance like this?" After several minutes of deep thought, his expression grew resolute.
"Pell, cut the phone prices by tenfold!" Kael ordered in a serious voice.
To achieve his goal of acquiring the Ice-Ice Fruit, Kael decided to implement the Penetration Pricing strategy. This involved drastically lowering the price of his phones to attract an overwhelming number of customers, build market share, and stimulate demand.
Originally, Kael had planned to employ this strategy later, once his phones had already reached a certain level of popularity. The massive price cut would have been a second wave to further boost sales. But now, circumstances had changed. The opportunity to copy Kuzan's abilities forced him to accelerate his plans.
Lowering the prices created an additional challenge: Kael needed to increase production rates to meet the expected surge in demand. Producing phones required significant physical energy and stamina, so Kael decided to enhance himself further.
He began downloading Pell's physical skill set, which would boost his stamina and enable him to produce more phones faster. With his resolve solidified and his plan in motion, Kael was ready to seize this opportunity.
---
[Skill: Fighting Techniques (Intermediate Level) (Pell)
Memory: 200MB
Estimated Download Time: 34 minutes]
---
Kael understood that his Devil Fruit's power was intrinsically tied to his physical strength. With Pell's physical skills now integrated into his own, Kael believed he could push his production capabilities to an incredible 10,000 phones per day from the original 4000—if he worked tirelessly, around the clock.
"But Your Highness..." Pell hesitated, startled by Kael's sudden decision to slash prices so drastically.
He couldn't help but wonder why Kael would make such a bold move. However, when he looked into Kael's resolute eyes, Pell felt his questions fade. Though he didn't fully grasp Kael's reasoning, he trusted his prince's judgment.
"I understand." Pell finally replied, nodding firmly. He would follow Kael's orders without question.
---
The results of Kael's strategy were almost immediate. At such absurdly low prices, merchants flocked to the phones like flies to a carcass. Demand soared beyond anything Kael had anticipated.
Within just eight days, a staggering 80,000 phones had been sold, flooding the market and firmly establishing the product's popularity.
Half a month later, the milestone of 100,000 sales was reached. At that exact moment, Kael felt a surge of energy coursing through his body. His Devil Fruit powers had evolved for the third time.
Kael clenched his fists, sensing the newfound strength and abilities awakening within him. His gamble had paid off, and he was now one step closer to achieving his goal.
---
[Phone Level: LV4
Memory: 0.05/101GB
Network: 2G Capability
Download Speed: 200KB/sec
Range: 5 kilometers]
---
After Kael's Phone-Phone Fruit reached level 4, his perception of Kuzan's presence sharpened significantly.
He could now sense Kuzan with crystal clarity. Without a moment's hesitation, Kael initiated the download for the Ice-Ice Fruit.
---
[Ability: Ice-Ice Fruit (Awakened)]
Memory Required: 100GB
Download Time: 6 days
---
The download was painstakingly slow—six full days to complete. Adding to the challenge, the process was contingent on Kuzan remaining within a five-kilometer range.
If Kuzan moved beyond this boundary, the download would pause automatically. Fortunately, the system gave him good news; the process would resume exactly where it left off if Kuzan reentered the range.
Confident that the download was progressing steadily, Kael shifted his focus back to his business. He decided to revert the phone prices to their original levels.
To his surprise, this did not deter sales. On the contrary, demand surged even higher. Customers, fearing the drastic discounts might never return, rushed to buy the devices, ensuring the phones became an indispensable commodity in the market.
Kael's plan had not only secured the market's trust but also solidified his position as a savvy entrepreneur, all while quietly closing the gap to his goal.
---
Another five and a half days passed in the blink of an eye.
It was mid-afternoon when Kael suddenly felt the download process halt. Panic surged through him—Kuzan had moved beyond the five-kilometer range of his Phone-Phone Fruit.
"Damn it! This isn't good." Kael muttered in frustration. He had been so close—just a few more hours, and the Ice-Ice Fruit ability would have been within his grasp.
Quickly regaining his composure, Kael raised his head and turned to Pell with urgency in his voice: "Pell, I need to leave the palace right now!"
Pell was taken aback: "Your Highness, that's far too dangerous. The king would never allow it… Have you forgotten what happened the last time?"
"This is different." Kael replied in a voice that was firm and resolute: "I've proven my value to Crocodile. He won't kill me—at worst, he'll imprison me. But this might be Alabasta's last chance to escape this dire situation. Please, trust me on this!"
Pell hesitated, torn between his sense of duty and his unwavering belief in Kael. The weight of the decision bore down on him, but Kael's determination broke his defense. Finally, Pell clenched his fists, a spark of resolve started flickering in his eyes.
"Your Highness… I'll take you out!" Transforming into his falcon form, Pell crouched low, preparing to fly.