After walking for about a kilometer, the group reached the nearest town.

“......”

It's not so much a town as a ruin hidden by the desert.

Standing in the sand, the people could no longer see the border of the city gate, and as far as the eye could see, the remains of various buildings were buried in the sand, showing signs of desolation.

The building is less like a man-made damage, more like an air-dried building caused by a long period of time left unattended, and in the desert, even if the water source is tight, it still rains occasionally, but here it looks like it has not been dripped for years, and the walls are showing signs of dryness.

"Here it is..."

"Is this the city of Juba?"

The crowd was dry-mouthed, and they didn't squint at the large ruins.

"No," Vivi shook her head slightly, "No... This is Ermaru, a town that was once known as the "Green City". ”

"Green City?"

"Yes. Vivi looked sad and turned back to the crowd and said, "When you see this city, you will understand what a bad thing the Baroque Workshop has done to our country, and what a bad fortune the people of Alabastan are facing. ”

“......”

Everyone looked at Vivi, the dusty ruins in the dazzling sunlight, all of them were dry plants, broken stones were everywhere, and ruins were the norm.

"That's right, it's a ruined city now. ”

"But not so long ago it was a town full of greenery and life. ”

Vivi explained, not too much surprise in her words, she had expected it when she learned about the conspiracy of the Baroque Workshop.

"It's..."

Sauron kicked on the dead branch, and the trunk of the tree that one person hugged scattered and cracked like rubble.

"It didn't rain much before, but people would store that little rain in a precious way to preserve the town's life. Vivi explained as she led the group as she walked.

"But in the past three years, there has been no rain on this land. ”

There was a hint of sadness between Wei Wei's eyebrows.

"Three years?"

"So long..."

Chopper looked around in surprise.

"Even if it doesn't rain, you can take advantage of the river not far away, right?" Kerby glanced into the distance, and not far away, there was a river that had dried up.

"yes, can't you bring water in from that river?"

The answer lies ahead. Vivi glanced back at a few people and continued to walk forward.

"Hmm..." several people looked at each other for a moment, and followed with doubts.

"There has never been rain for so long in the history of Alabastan for thousands of years. ”

"However, during this period, there was one place where there was much more rain than before. ”

"That's the capital, Albana, where the King's Palace is located. ”

"Everybody says it's a miracle from the king..."

Vivi tilted her head and recalled.

It rained almost every day in the capital during that time.

"Until one day, something happened," Vivi said, bowing her head.

"The truck that was unloading at the port that day was overturned for unknown reasons. ”

"Van?"

"Yes, that's right. Vivi nodded, "The truck transporting the dancing powder." ”

"Dancing fan?" Nami covered her mouth in surprise.

Usopp: "What's that?"

"It's also called the wind and rain powder, and I've only heard of it before. ”

Usopp: "Oh, yes, that's the cloud that was in the town before, right?"

Kirby: "I have the impression that it did rain all of a sudden, and judging by the way the water element in the air gathers, it must be man-made. ”

"Ahh

"In short, it was invented a long time ago by researchers in a country that had not rained for a long time. Nami said to the crowd.

"That powder produces a thick fog of smoke, and as long as you let it drift into the air, you can achieve artificial rainfall, and that's dancing powder. ”

"Sounds like witchcraft?" Kerby smacked his mouth.

"Ahh

"Uh..."

Usopp: "Wait a minute... If there was such a thing, wouldn't it be able to save the country in the desert?"

"No, quite the opposite. Nami explained to Usopp.

"At first, everyone thought that the country that invented the dance powder was also named because it wanted its people to dance happily because of the rain. ”

"But there is a big downside to dancing fans, and that is that it causes a drought in neighboring countries. ”

"You know what?" Nami looked at Luffy and Zoro suspiciously.

"Rain doesn't come out of nowhere, dancing fans will compete for all the rain clouds that are going to drift to other places to achieve forced rainfall, that is, if dancing powder is used in a certain place, then the countries around it will not be able to rain for a long time!"

One can imagine the awkward situation that the capital, which is found to be transporting large quantities of dancing fans into the country, will face.

"It's not raining in our land, but it's raining in the capital, all because the king uses dancing powder!"

"The rain in Albana is not a miracle at all, it is just a trick of the king!"

"We can't drink water, we're hungry, it's all the king's fault!"

“... That's what people said at the time. ”

Vivi said, her fists clenched tightly.

"What, Vivi!'s what's wrong with your dad!" Luffy pointed at Vivi with an indignant expression.

"Stupid! Idiots can tell she's been framed!How could Vivi-chan's dad do such a thing!" Sanji kicked Luffy in the ass.

"Of course my father didn't know anything like this," Vivi closed her eyes in pain, "but at the same time, after the crowd poured into the palace, a large number of dancing fans were found in the palace. ”

Zoro: "This... Is there even a mole in the palace? ”

Kirby: "It's... Having no excuse. ”

Everyone sighed with emotion, and slowly walked to a dry river, which should be the same as the one they saw on the road before.

Sanji: "Vivi-chan, what is this road for?"

"This is the canal that once brought water from the Santa Dora River to the town. Vivi stared at the dry river.

Usopp: "Huh?"

But this canal has also been vandalized, although it has been repaired several times and guarded, but the canal will always be secretly destroyed the next day after the restoration is successful, and over time, people despair, and they all say that it is the will of God. ”

"It's always easier to destroy than to create. Kirby nodded.

"Well, that's right, there is no water for the canal, and there is no way to guarantee the water source of the Green City, and people will pray at first, praying for the rain to come, but over time... Ever since the incident of dancing fans, the people have become more and more distrustful of the king. ”

"Everything went according to the plan of the Baroque workshop. Zoro said with a frown.

"Well... Later, when war finally broke out, exhausted people fled to other oases in search of water, and it became a dead city. ”

"That's what it is now... Elmaru... Town"

...

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