Khalifa's Insight #155

Having agreed on the price with King Cobra and concluded their deal, Cedric found himself inside a cozy inn room in Alubarna. The sun had begun to dip below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the bustling city outside. Standing by the window, Cedric watched the people of Alabasta going about their daily business, their lives seemingly unaffected by the hidden schemes and lurking dangers that plagued the kingdom.

With a transponder snail in hand, Cedric dialed the number he had memorized by heart. Khalifa's face appeared on the screen, and he greeted her with a smile. "So... did you find him?" he asked eagerly, his eyes reflecting a mix of curiosity and determination.

Khalifa's voice was calm and collected as she replied, "Yes, I found him. Dark-skinned Baroque Works agent with spiky black hair, always wearing goggles, just as you described." She paused for a moment before adding, "However, he doesn't have a tendency to fling boogers at people from what I learned..."

Cedric burst into laughter at her unexpected remark. "So he did drop that disgusting habit of his... well, good for him," he chuckled, finding some amusement in the peculiar piece of information.

Curiosity getting the better of him, Cedric inquired further, "So, what rank is he?"

Khalifa's face took on a more serious expression as she replied, "His nickname is Mr. 1. Apparently, he's just below the hidden boss in the Baroque Works hierarchy." She leaned closer to the screen, emphasizing the significance of her discovery. "He's currently in Alubarna with his partner, so if you wish to contact him, now is your best chance."

Cedric's mind started racing with possibilities. Gem's presence in the royal capital was a surprise, but it was pleasant nonetheless, as Cedric wouldn't have to go far to find him. "Excellent work, Khalifa," he commended her. "You've been a great help. I'll handle the rest from here."

Khalifa nodded, her unwavering dedication to the task at hand evident. "Be careful, Cedric," she cautioned, knowing that dealing with the Baroque Works was not to be taken lightly. "I know the Frontier agents won't be a threat to you, but their boss will most likely be troublesome..."

Raising an intrigued eyebrow, Cedric leaned closer to the transponder snail, his curiosity piqued by Khalifa's words. "Hmm? What do you mean?" he inquired, his tone tinged with eagerness to hear her insights.

While Cedric already knew that the infamous Warlord of the Sea, Crocodile, was the puppet master behind the Baroque Works, he was curious to hear what Khalifa had to say.

Khalifa hesitated for a moment, choosing her words carefully, aware of the gravity of the situation. "It's just a speculation, Cedric," she admitted, her voice carrying a hint of uncertainty. "But something about the way the Baroque Works operates and the scale of their operations points to Sir Crocodile's involvement..."

Taking a deep breath, Khalifa shared her reasoning. "Only a warlord of the sea has the resources and strength to command such an organization..." She took another pause to gather her thoughts. "What's more, there's a precedent to such actions..."

Cedric's frown deepened in genuine confusion at Khalifa's mention of a precedent. He could guess what she was referring to but couldn't fathom how she would know about it. "Precedent? What do you mean?" he inquired, wanting to hear her explanation.

Khalifa let out a resigned sigh, realizing that she needed to elaborate further. "Another Warlord of the Sea, Donquixote Doflamingo, has done something similar not too long ago..." She began to explain, her voice tinged with a hint of frustration. "He orchestrated a cunning plot in the kingdom of Dressrosa..."

Khalifa calmly explained. "He manipulated the people's perceptions and turned them against their rightful king, Riku Dold III..." Shaking her head, she continued. "Doflamingo then masqueraded as a hero, defeating the king and claiming the throne himself."

Cedric's eyes widened with surprise at Khalifa's words, not because he didn't know about Doflamingo's actions – he had seen it all play out in the anime during his previous life – but because he couldn't fathom how the World Government knowingly allowed such an act to happen to one of their affiliated kingdoms.

He knew the extent of the rot that dwelled within the ranks of the world government so such callous actions shouldn't have surprised him as the people in charge had only one concern in mind-- to keep the status quo. But, deep down, he couldn't help but feel appalled by the inaction and unwilingness to help a king of an affiliated kingdom of all people.

Unaware of Cedric's inner turmoil, Khalifa continued, "Again, it's just a speculation on my part...." She paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts before adding, "But if Crocodile is indeed behind the Baroque Works... it's possible that he might have similar intentions for Alabasta."

Cedric nodded in agreement, acknowledging the seriousness of the situation. "You're right," he replied, his tone somber. "We'll know who's behind the Baroque Works of certain once I meet up with Gem..."

Khalifa nodded in agreement. "I'll leave it to you, then..." she said, her voice carrying a hint of support. "You're strong. And you have a knack for handling difficult situations. Just be cautious and watch your back..."

"Alright then... don't get sentimental on me now..." Cedric said with a chuckle. "It's about time I headed out... keep an eye out on the princess and keep her out of trouble in the meantime..."

...

It was nighttime in Alubarna, and the dark alleyways were shrouded in shadows. Mr. 1, also known as Gem, strolled confidently through the dimly lit passageway, his tall and imposing figure casting eerie silhouettes on the walls. Walking behind him was his partner, Miss Valentine, Mikita, a woman known for her devil fruit ability to change her weight at will. She let out an annoyed sigh, expressing her displeasure at their current situation.

"What a pain in the ass... I was just starting to enjoy Whisky Peak when they called a meeting for the Officer Agents..." Mikita grumbled, her tone filled with irritation. "And now we're stuck in this forsaken desert country..." Her scowl deepened, clearly not pleased with their assignment.

Gem, with an eyebrow raised in response to her complaint, began to speak. "We're free to act as we please for the most part... but we still have to—"

Before he could finish his sentence, a sudden thudding sound disrupted the quiet night, catching Gem's attention. Realizing he could no longer hear Mikita's footsteps behind him, he swiftly turned around, activating his devil fruit to unleash a devastating explosion.

With a swift and powerful kick, he unleashed his signature move, "Kick Bomb!" The impact of the kick created a loud explosion, engulfing the area in flames and heat. However, to Gem's surprise, the fire and smoke dissipated almost instantly, revealing that his attack had been nullified.

A sense of apprehension washed over him as he tried to retract his leg, only to find it firmly gripped by someone within the dissipating smoke. As the air cleared, Gem's eyes widened with astonishment as he saw Cedric's face emerge from the haze, grinning at him with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Still holding Gem's leg with ease, Cedric spoke in a teasing tone, "Well, well, well... look who we have here, Gem, the bounty hunter from South Blue..." He emphasized Gem's codename, mocking him slightly. "Kicking bombs instead of flinging boogers, no less..."

Gem's surprise turned to annoyance as he attempted to yank his leg free from Cedric's grip. "I should have known you'll show your face sooner or later... what do you want?" he demanded, though a part of him couldn't help but feel impressed by Cedric's ability to neutralize his attack so effortlessly.

Cedric's grin widened as he tightened his grip, exerting more pressure on Gem's leg. "Oh, just someone passing through Alabasta, taking care of business," he replied nonchalantly. "But I couldn't help but notice that you and your pals were causing quite a stir in this kingdom."

Gem couldn't help but frown at Cedric's words. "What we do doesn't concern you... or will you tell me the Marines rubbed off on you after staying so many years in Marine HQ?" He said, narrowing his eyes.

Cedric chuckled, seemingly unfazed by Gem's words. "I won't deny they left an impression on me, but I'm not here on some quest for justice..." he said, his tone playful yet tinged with seriousness as he let go of Gem's leg. "And this situation does concern me... I've got about 50 million reasons to interfere..."

Gem's eyes widened at Cedric's words but quickly gathered his bearings. Adjusting his clothes, he asked, "Who's paying? And why are you telling me this...?"

"King Cobra is paying... and I'm telling you this because I need your help to expose whoever is behind the Baroque Works..."

...

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