Grand Line, Alabasta Kingdom—
It hadn't rained here for nearly half a year. The air was so dry that just taking a breath left your mouth parched and tongue sticking to the roof of your mouth.
The citizens had no idea that this was all because Crocodile had been using "Dance Powder." During this time, Crocodile crafted his public persona as a "national hero" and subtly shifted the blame for the drought onto King Cobra.
At first, the people didn't believe it. Cobra had always been a good king—kind and devoted to his people. But as the drought dragged on and Crocodile kept "saving" the country from violent mobs again and again, public opinion began to shift.
Some restless factions within the kingdom started to stir.
It was tragic. As a saying from Earth goes:
A good man can do good all his life, but one misstep makes people see him as a villain, erasing all his past virtues.
But a bad man can commit evil his entire life, and one good deed makes him a saint—his previous crimes only highlight his so-called 'charm.'
That couldn't apply more perfectly to Cobra and Crocodile.
Crocodile's official identity was as a Shichibukai, but let's be honest—he was still a pirate. When he first arrived in Alabasta, the people were terrified and repulsed by him.
But after the first time he wiped out a band of violent insurgents, he suddenly became a "hero" in the eyes of many.
And Cobra, the loving king who cared deeply for his people, had somehow become a "tyrant" in the mouths of the same crowd.
...
On this particular day, in the royal palace—
Cobra stood alone on the balcony, staring up at the cloudless sky. He let out a long, heavy sigh.
Twelve-year-old Vivi happened to come by just then. Hearing her father sigh, she asked,
"Papa, your face looks so tired. Are you worrying about the weather again?"
Hearing his daughter's voice, Cobra quickly forced away his troubled expression. He turned around with a gentle smile and said,
"I'm fine. What brings you here?"
As a princess, Vivi was naturally more mature than most girls her age. She could tell her father was faking his smile, but chose not to call him out on it.
She clasped her hands behind her back and tilted her head slightly.
"I just went to play with Koza."
"Koza, huh? That kid's not bad!"
Cobra knew of Koza. Although he was the same age as Vivi—just twelve—he had already formed a group called the "Sand-Sand Clan" and was even its leader.
That alone showed his natural leadership talent. Even though Koza was a commoner, Cobra didn't disapprove of Vivi spending time with him.
But as soon as Koza was mentioned, Vivi's expression turned somewhat gloomy.
Seeing this, Cobra raised an eyebrow. Did that little brat Koza bully his daughter?
Cobra had doted on Vivi immensely ever since her mother passed away. If he ever found out someone dared to lay a finger on his beloved daughter, he'd make sure they felt the wrath of a king.
He snapped sharply,
"What kind of look is that? That brat Koza bullied you? That little punk! He's got some nerve!"
Startled by her father's reaction, Vivi quickly tried to explain,
"No, no, it's not that. It's just... he's been acting strange lately. When he looks at me, there's this... trace of disgust?"
At that, Vivi fell silent.
She had a vague idea why Koza had changed.
Lately, the rumors about her father had grown louder, and not long ago, someone even claimed they'd seen royal soldiers looting civilians. That had turned Koza against her father—and by extension, her.
Of course, Vivi didn't believe her father could ever do something like that. She trusted his character completely.
But Koza had photos, which left her with no way to argue her case.
What Vivi didn't know was that those "photos" were fakes created by Crocodile's subordinate, Mr. Bon Clay, who had the power of the Clone-Clone Fruit. Vivi, who had yet to infiltrate Baroque Works, naturally had no idea about this setup.
Cobra paused in stunned silence. Then realization dawned on him—it must be because of him that Koza had started distancing himself from Vivi.
Thinking of all the turmoil the kingdom had endured recently, Cobra couldn't help but sigh again.
Vivi no longer hid her thoughts and voiced them openly:
"Papa, I know you didn't do those things. The drought isn't your fault either. I can't help but feel... all of this must have something to do with Crocodile!"
Cobra was taken aback by his daughter's words. In truth, he thought the same.
Ever since Crocodile had arrived, one problem after another had followed. There was no way he wasn't involved—Cobra refused to believe otherwise.
But ordinary citizens didn't care about logic. They only saw Crocodile defeat violent mobs again and again.
Now, Crocodile's popularity was soaring, and his strength was terrifying. Even if Cobra wanted to investigate, he was powerless to do so.
Faced with so many obstacles, Cobra fell into silence.
Vivi, however, said something completely unexpected:
"Papa, let me go. I'll infiltrate his organization and gather intel!"
"Nani!? Absolutely not! You're still just a child!"
Cobra was truly frightened. Vivi might be a little mature for her age, but dealing with pirates was a whole different matter.
He feared that if she went in, she might not even make it out alive.
But today, Vivi was unusually stubborn. She, for once, challenged her father's authority.
"Papa! Let me do it! I'm a princess—I have a duty to protect my kingdom!"
"You…"
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Before Cobra could say anything, slow, deliberate applause echoed from within the palace hall.
"Who's there?!"
The sudden clapping startled both Cobra and Vivi. Cobra spun around toward the sound.
Unnoticed until now, a figure in a white coat had appeared, seated casually on the throne inside the hall.
Leg crossed over knee, the man had a relaxed smile in his peculiar, deep-violet eyes as he looked at Cobra and Vivi.
It was Kaito.
After arriving in Alabasta, he hadn't gone to find Crocodile right away. Instead, he spent time wandering the kingdom's streets.
At a bar, he overheard the locals' chatter and quickly grasped the current situation.
He immediately realized all of this was Crocodile's doing—just a few years earlier than in the original timeline.
What Kaito didn't know, however, was that the reason Crocodile's plans had been accelerated… was because of him.
Back at Marineford, Kaito had scared Crocodile so badly that a deep sense of crisis had taken root in the pirate's heart—prompting him to move his plans up.
So once again, the blame had unknowingly landed on Kaito's head.