Chapter 129: The Effect of the Dancing Powder

Yuba, the base of the rebel army.

Once a vast oasis, the area now faced total collapse due to a persistent, catastrophic drought. Having witnessed the destruction of their homeland firsthand, the residents of Yuba naturally harbored deep-seated hatred for those they believed to be responsible—the very rumors that had fueled the birth of the rebel movement.

However, the rebels had refrained from taking any major aggressive actions. This was because their leader, Koza, had always held onto a glimmer of hope for the Alabasta royal family. As a child, Koza had met King Cobra, and he and Princess Vivi were childhood friends who shared many fond memories. Because of this bond, Koza had restrained his rebel forces from losing their sanity to rage, all while keeping a close watch on the movements of the Alabasta monarchy.

Vivi, his childhood friend who had always been reclusive and rarely seen in public, had been remarkably active lately. Her beautiful image appeared in the newspapers every single day. Just recently, she had made headlines with a bold act of advocacy for the people: she not only prompted her father to admit to the public that he had used Dance Powder out of personal indulgence, but she also staked her own reputation as a princess on a vow to effectively resolve the nationwide drought in a short period of time.

With the kingdom's most popular princess standing against her own father for the sake of the people and making such a sincere promise, the restless emotions of the citizens were instantly calmed. Vivi’s image in the hearts of the people quickly approached that of a goddess, and even countless members of the rebel army began to believe in her pledge.

Koza, the leader of the rebels, was among them. He held the utmost trust in the childhood friend he hadn't seen in years, and he waited wholeheartedly for her next move. What Koza did not expect, however, was that Vivi’s next move would be to appear directly at the rebels' base to negotiate with him, the leader of the uprising.

"Vivi?"

As soon as Koza saw that face—both familiar and distant—the resolve he held as a rebel leader softened by a third.

"Koza, it's been a long time!"

Vivi’s face beamed with a sincere smile, her eyes naturally curving into beautiful crescents. Koza’s spirit lifted instantly, and he stepped forward, eager to catch up with her. Then, his figure abruptly froze, his gaze fixed tightly on the man standing behind her.

Vivi had not come alone. Following closely behind her was her personal bodyguard: the new hero of Alabasta, Garen. Koza was no stranger to this Knight of Justice; Garen was also a hot topic in Alabasta’s recent news, and he was always seen by Vivi’s side, making his presence impossible to ignore. A beautiful princess and a handsome knight, often standing together and appearing in public as a unit—rumors of their romance had long been widespread among the populace. To Koza, the sight of Garen’s tall, tower-like frame guarding Vivi was an eyesore.

The subtle atmosphere that had existed between the two vanished the moment Garen appeared. The conversation between Koza and Vivi immediately shifted from a reunion of childhood friends to a formal negotiation between a rebel leader and a princess of the kingdom.

"Do you want our rebel army to surrender unconditionally?"

Looking at the sincere and moving expression on Vivi's face, Koza wanted to agree on the spot. But he remained disciplined, refusing to let personal feelings interfere with his duty. After a moment of hesitation, he spoke from his position as the rebel leader:

"Even if the kingdom were to pardon our crimes, that does not address the grievances of our people."

Koza gestured to the sea of yellow sand outside the tent, speaking to Vivi with growing intensity:

"We did not rebel for power or ambition. We rebelled for survival. If there is no hope for survival, more people will inevitably be forced to join the ranks of the rebellion."

"I understand," Vivi replied with a nod, adding with a touch of mystery, "We can resolve that very soon."

As she spoke, she glanced up at Garen, silently conveying a question with her eyes. Garen stepped forward in tacit understanding and spoke:

"We already have a solution for the drought. If everything goes as planned, it will rain here in about half an hour."

"How is that possible?" Koza asked, unable to believe it. "The drought here has lasted for years. How can you guarantee it will rain today?"

"By using Dance Powder," Garen stated bluntly.

"Dance Powder?" Hearing those words, Koza’s expression turned solemn. "We have suffered through this drought specifically because of it. How can you justify using such a prohibited substance?"

"No, Dance Powder is not the monster you imagine it to be," Garen shook his head, explaining earnestly. "When used correctly, it is a tool that allows humanity to adapt to and reshape nature for the benefit of the nation. Dance Powder absorbs moisture from surrounding areas, which is why it caused widespread drought across the kingdom. But if it is used not just in the capital of Alubarna, but precisely across the entire kingdom based on meteorological calculations..."

"This magical artificial rain powder can successfully draw an inexhaustible supply of moisture from the sea into the interior, ensuring that every city receives sufficient precipitation."

Moved by Garen’s innovative theory, Koza waited in quiet anticipation for the promised rain. About half an hour later, thick, unprecedented rain clouds gathered over the city of Yuba, which had gone without rain for so long, and soon a torrential downpour began. Seeing the rain arrive exactly as promised, the rebel soldiers felt their faith in Princess Vivi deepen even further.

Koza’s remaining doubts were dispelled, and he quickly agreed to the terms of surrender proposed by the Princess. This heavy rain washed away the hostility in the hearts of the people like a spring sun melting snow, prompting the rebel army to officially accept the kingdom's terms. The greatest crisis and threat to the Alabasta Kingdom thus vanished into thin air.

Once the rain cleared and the skies turned bright, Vivi, having successfully completed her mission to save the country, did not linger. With a sense of nostalgia, she waved goodbye to her old friend Koza and hurried off to the next city to continue playing her role as a princess who loved her people. Holding the surrender document signed by Vivi and watching her and Garen walk away together, Koza felt a mix of relief and an indescribable weight.

The childhood friend who lived in his memories had finally grown up—grown to a height he could no longer reach. And the handsome knight by her side was someone he could never hope to surpass. The rain brought the scent of green back to the oasis city of Yuba, but Koza’s mood remained trapped in the dark gloom of gathering storm clouds. A companion who had grown up with him and knew the whole story patted Koza gently on the shoulder, sighing as he advised:

"Let it go, brother."

...

After leaving the rebel camp, Garen and Vivi soon reunited with Nami, who had also arrived in the area. Nami was playing the role Garen had mentioned: the "meteorologist responsible for regulating rainfall." Although Nami was an unrivaled genius with superhuman mastery of meteorology, it was no easy task to use something as exotic as Dance Powder to regulate precipitation for an entire country. To ensure the effectiveness of the artificial rain, Nami had come to Yuba along with Garen.

As soon as she saw Garen emerging from the rebel camp, Nami asked impatiently:

"How was it? Did the rebels surrender?"

"It was a success," Garen said, glancing at Vivi beside him with a smile. "Vivi’s personal charisma is quite effective."

Hearing Garen’s praise, Princess Vivi bowed her head, a shy smile appearing on her face. "This was all thanks to Miss Nami’s efforts in bringing rain to Yuba."

"Now that Crocodile’s influence has been completely crushed by Vivi and me, the agents of Baroque Works have been cleared out, and the rebels have agreed to lay down their arms," Garen said to Nami, lost in his own thoughts. "The only thing left to solve is the Sand Crocodile himself. Nami, how have you managed with the method of using Dance Powder to control the weather?"

"No problem," Nami said with a triumphant grin. "After this experiment, I’ve pretty much mastered the effects and application of Dance Powder. With a genius meteorologist like me on the job, by the day you need it..."

"There will definitely be a massive downpour."