One Piece: I am the Empress, and the more sycophants I have, the stronger I become.

After a long period of sailing, even the most luxurious ship like the Kuja can become dull.

Hancock leaned against the railing.

Looking at the coastline gradually revealing its interwoven yellow and green outline in the distance, I lazily yawned.

"Is Alabasta just ahead?"

She asked casually.

The navigator beside him immediately responded respectfully.

"Yes, Lady Snake Princess. We have reached its outer sea area. Further ahead lies the inland region known as the 'Land of Sand'."

Alabasta... the Land of Sand... a name immediately popped into Hancock's mind.

Shah Crocodile.

After being severely beaten by the white-bearded man, he seemed to have lost his spirit.

They've fallen so low that all they know is to bully others in the first half of the Grand Line by relying on their status as Shichibukai.

A guy who spends all his time plotting to rely on external forces like ancient weapons.

"A sand crocodile..."

Hancock muttered something under her breath, a hint of disdain flashing in her beautiful eyes, but more so a sense of weighing the options.

She knew very well that in the original story...

It was right here that Luffy, that rubber idiot, used an absurd method akin to a sit-up to forcefully knock down Crocodile.

It can be said that this is the first important stage for the "Chosen One" to officially take off.

"If this were anywhere else, I wouldn't be afraid of Old Sha in his current state."

Hancock analyzed the situation calmly.

"But the desert is his home turf... My abilities will be significantly limited there."

She has a clear understanding of her own abilities.

After rigorous training during her return journey, she was confident that she was stronger than the original body, especially in terms of the refinement of her domineering aura and the foundation of her physical skills.

However, the natural sand-sand fruit of the sand crocodile does indeed have a significant advantage in the desert environment.

Elementalization, absorbing moisture, creating quicksand... it's all very troublesome.

More importantly, Hancock isn't like Luffy, an invincible cockroach, unlike the Sabaody Archipelago where Rayleigh could be there to back her up in crucial moments.

Just in case, just in case, we capsize in a ditch in the desert, and get ambushed by the sand...

Wouldn't her grand ambitions, which she had painstakingly rebuilt, become a joke?

"It's not worth taking risks in adverse conditions for a fallen sand crocodile."

Hancock made a decision quickly.

"Let's leave this guy to that tough-as-nails kid. There's no need for me to get involved in this mess."

She immediately gave the order.

"Don't go inland. Find a large, remote island with convenient resupply to dock, rest for a few days, and replenish supplies."

"yes!"

The ship quickly turned and headed toward a sizable island near the coast of Alabasta.

Although this area is also affected by drought, its proximity to the ocean makes the situation much better than inland areas, and it has a bustling port town.

The ship slowly approached the shore and dropped its anchor chain.

Hancock stood at the bow of the ship, watching the commotion on the dock caused by the Kuja Pirates' flag and her own appearance, her expression calm.

She turned to Aria and the other mid-level sycophantic female warriors who were accompanying her and gave them instructions:

"Arya, take a few people and go buy fresh ingredients and fresh water, especially fruit, and stock up on plenty."

"You guys go and gather intelligence on the surrounding waters, especially regarding the movements of the sand crocodile and that 'Baroque Works.' Be careful."

"The rest of you, watch the ship and remain vigilant."

She was concise and her instructions were clear.

"Yes, Lady Snake Princess!"

The female warriors responded in unison and immediately split up to take action.

Hancock herself had no interest in disembarking.

Although the island was not small, it looked barren and backward, and it did not arouse her any interest in visiting it.

She would rather stay on the ship, continue honing her domineering presence, or simply bask in the sun.

The island she chose was in a very clever location.

It is both far from the heart of the Alabasta civil war and the stronghold of the Crocodile forces, thus avoiding unnecessary trouble, and maintaining a sufficient distance.

Just in case... just in case that sand crocodile is reckless and dares to come looking for trouble.

In this place that is not a pure desert environment, Hancock is not afraid of him at all.

She was confident that, on a non-desert home turf, she could defeat Crocodile, who had become decadent and relied on his Devil Fruit ability to overcome his own Haki.

"You'd better not provoke me."

Hancock narrowed her eyes, looking towards the interior of Alabasta, and sneered inwardly.

"Otherwise, I wouldn't mind sending the sand crocodile ahead of time to advance the meditation."

She snapped her fingers, and immediately a maid brought her a recliner and a parasol, and served her chilled honey.

Hancock lay down lazily, enjoying the rare tranquility.

As for the internal strife in Alabasta, the crocodile's conspiracy, and the Straw Hat boy who might still be in the East Blue... none of that matters to her.

She was just a temporary passerby.

Replenish supplies and take a short rest.

Then she will continue her journey to a wider stage, one more suitable for her to showcase her talents.

Of course, if you can also pick up one or two potential "sycophants" along the way.

Or it would be even better if we got some interesting information.

She closed her eyes to rest, but her Observation Haki, like an invisible spider web, quietly covered the entire port, capturing any potentially useful information.

The female soldier in charge of gathering intelligence returned and reported in a low voice:

"Lady Snake Princess, I've found out. Baroque Works is indeed very active in this area, but their main forces seem to be concentrated in the inland Rainlands. They also have informants on this island, but their strength is weak."

"The town center has ample supplies and water, and the prices are not too expensive."

Hancock opened her eyes, a barely perceptible smile playing on her lips.

"Understood. Get ready. Once the supplies are replenished, we'll leave first thing tomorrow morning."

"yes!"

She closed her eyes again.

The real show in Alabasta is about to begin.

She, on the other hand, only needed to stand by and watch, waiting for things to unfold.