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After Laboon heard what Anos said, there was hesitation in his eyes, but he quickly shook his head, creating a huge wave in an instant.
"Wooooooooooo..."
"Your Majesty, please stop speaking with him. If we continue, everyone on this ship will be frozen with fear!"
Suzu, terrified, sat on the deck with tears in her eyes. It was clear she was overwhelmed by fear.
The others were also a bit frightened, and even Daiki was at a loss when faced with the situation.
Anos, however, was the only one who laughed out loud.
"Let's move on, the mission is more important. This whale can wait for another time!" Anos smiled and ordered the people around him.
These people had no intention of staying any longer. One by one, they seized the moment to leave.
Facing such a massive creature, even if it sneezed, their small ship could be sunk instantly.
Barlow, on the other hand, wished he could use both his hands and feet to get the ship moving faster.
He even wished the ship had wings to fly away. To him, the danger felt overwhelming.
Just a brief conversation made them feel like their lives were in danger. If they continued talking, this whale could easily crush them if things went wrong.
"Goodbye! I'll talk to you again if we get the chance. If you're willing, you can visit the Tru Kingdom in the South Blue!" Anos shouted to Laboon as the ship began to sail.
Not long after they left, an old man who seemed to be in his fifties emerged. His eyes were cloudy, and he watched as the ship disappeared, then slowly receded into Laboon's enormous head.
This journey wasn't an adventurous one, just a mission. It lacked the intensity of the voyages the protagonists experience on the Grand Line.
Besides, at this time in the first half of the Grand Line, there weren't as many pirates as they expected.
Still, encountering even one or two pirates along the way would be considered lucky.
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After all, the sea was vast, and the chances of encountering a small pirate crew were slim.
"Suzu, where does the Log Pose we acquired point to?" Anos asked curiously.
"Your Majesty, the Log Pose we have only leads to Alabasta. It's the only Eternal Pose we could purchase on the Grand Line."
Suzu replied, her appearance noticeably different from before. She had adopted the style Anos preferred: a white shirt, hip-hugging skirt, black stockings, high heels, long ponytail, and black-rimmed glasses. Suzu was filled with expectations for this voyage.
After all, a capable king like Anos was a rarity in many places.
However, Anos picked up on a crucial point the Eternal Pose led to Alabasta. He was quite impressed by that Kingdom.
Suddenly, Anos seemed to remember something important.
"Daiki, when we arrive in Alabasta, we will stop there for a week. During that time, I have a task for you. It must be completed by then!"
Anos' face turned serious, surprising those around him.
Suzu hadn't expected that just the mention of Alabasta could make their king so grave.
Daiki wiped the smile off his face, his expression now serious. "Please give me your command, Your Majesty!"
"In the Alabasta Palace, there is something very important stored about Baterilla Island. It's crucial to us. I need you to destroy the records kept there. Can you do it?"
Since everyone on the deck was a close confidant of Anos, there was no need to hide anything.
Though Suzu was curious about what exactly was kept on Baterilla Island, judging by their expressions, it was clear that this matter was of great importance.
Even though Suzu couldn't guess the exact nature of it, the seriousness on Daiki's face was undeniable.
"Your Majesty, don't worry! I will definitely accomplish this mission!" Daiki said with determination.
"Don't rush. After all, the item is stored in the palace, and this order isn't urgent. Just do your best," Anos said, relaxing a bit and smiling at Daiki.
"Your Majesty, you once said this matter concerns the survival of our kingdom. Even if I die, I will fulfil the task!" Daiki responded resolutely.
"Then let's see what happens!" Anos replied with a smile.
The rest of their voyage was largely uneventful. Their destination was Alabasta, and though they passed several islands along the way, none presented any significant obstacles.
The ship had ample supplies, so they continued onward without needing to stop.
However, the Tru Kingdom was making headlines regularly, and there were few secrets left by the time Anos and his crew embarked on their journey.
Before their arrival, Alabasta had already begun making preparations.
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In Alabasta's palace:
"Minister Zuo, where are they expected to be now?" King Cobra asked a man about his age, but with a fat face and large ears.
"Your Majesty, the King of Tru Kingdom is estimated to arrive in two days. However, we are unsure if they will stop in Alabasta," replied the left minister.
"Don't worry! They will definitely stop here. After all, they need to go to Mariejois, and the Eternal Pose to Mariejois is only available here in Alabasta!" Cobra said with a confident smile.
"But Your Majesty, how could such a small kingdom in the South Blue know about the Eternal Pose?" the minister asked.
"You underestimate them. If they didn't know, do you think they could conduct such large-scale maritime trade, even involving the Marines, and still manage to silence their opponents?" Cobra responded.
He did not believe that Tru Kingdom lacked intelligence. From what he had read in the newspapers, it was clear that Tru Kingdom was far more capable than it appeared.
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