The morning after the nobles' eting, Cross and his companions headed to King Bekori's palace.
The palace was located on a high hill in the heart of the north, surrounded by wide gardens and high walls. Ard guards stood at every entrance. The nobles walked with heavy steps, their faces pale, not from the cold, but from fear of the king more than their fear of the thieves.
They entered the grand hall. The walls were gilded with gold, and crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. At the end of the hall, on a high throne, sat King Bekori.
He was short and fat, with a long, drooping nose like a bird's beak. His mustache was thin and stood upright, as if pointing to the sky. He wore a purple robe embroidered with gold, and a small crown on his head. His eyes were small and sharp, moving among the nobles like a hawk watching its prey.
"What do you want?" he asked in a loud, sharp voice.
Cross stepped forward. He bowed slightly. He was afraid, but he tried not to show it.
"Your Majesty, we have a problem. The herb convoys transported from the south to the north are being attacked."
Bekori's expression changed. It was no longer a question. It beca anger.
"What?!"
"Five convoys in a month. Over a hundred guards killed. The precious herbs have disappeared."
Bekori stood up from his throne. He was not tall, but his anger made him seem larger.
"Herbs are the kingdom's lifeline! Without them, no Heavenly Tribute. Without them, we have no place in the World Governnt! Do you know what will happen if the herb trade stops?!"
He shouted in their faces. The nobles bowed their heads; no one dared to look at him.
"You fools! You couldn't protect your own goods? Is this why you exist?!"
He paused for a mont. He took a deep breath.
"I will send one hundred and fifty soldiers. They will patrol the road between north and south. They will find these thieves. And they will put an end to this."
He gestured to one of his officers.
"Take them out. Start the patrols today."
The nobles left, trembling. They had gotten what they wanted.
---
A day later, news of the patrols reached Pablo.
His n, who had been watching the roads, returned to the cave with worried faces.
"Soldiers. Over a hundred and fifty. They search everything. Every convoy. Every road. We cannot get close."
Pablo decided to stop. He would not risk his n in a direct confrontation with the army.
"We stop for a few days. We wait."
Days passed. Three. Five. One week.
The patrols did not stop.
Pablo sat in his room in the cave, thinking. His plan relied on surprise and speed. Against ordinary guards, it was easy. But against trained soldiers? It was different.
He did not want to face the army in a battle now.
He needed another way.
---
The next morning, Pablo put on simple clothes. He covered his head with a hood. He left the cave alone.
He went to the north.
He did not want to steal a convoy on the road. That was impossible now. But the convoys transported the goods to warehouses. The warehouses were in the north, close to the city. And he wanted to take a look at them.
He headed to the comrcial district where the nobles' warehouses were located. He began to wander. He looked like any ordinary young man shopping. But his eyes captured everything.
He followed a convoy. He saw where it stopped. He saw the n moving the sacks into a large warehouse.
He noted in his mind: Cross's warehouse.
The next day, he followed another convoy. A different warehouse.
The third day, another.
He began drawing a ntal map: where the warehouses were located. How many guards. How far each was from the army barracks. How far from the main roads.
He was looking for the least guarded warehouse. The farthest from sight. The easiest to break into.
After four days of wandering and observation, he made his decision.
---
In his cave, Pablo gathered Marco and Shigo. They lit a small fire. The shadows danced on the cave walls.
Pablo began to explain what he had discovered during his days of wandering.
"The roads are monitored. The patrols don't stop. The army searches everything. But the warehouses are different. The convoys transport the goods to warehouses in the north, close to the city. There, security is lighter. And access is easier."
He opened a ntal map drawn on paper. He pointed to a point.
"I observed five different warehouses. So are in the heart of the city, close to the army barracks. So are on the outskirts. So are well-guarded, others not."
"Finally, I chose this one." He pointed to a point on the edge of the map.
"It is located on the outskirts of the northern city. Far from the soldiers' areas. Close to the forest. Easy to escape. The number of soldiers there is about thirty. Not many, but they are trained soldiers, not ordinary guards."
Shigo scratched his beard. "Thirty soldiers in one place. Not impossible, but risky."
"That's why we will use natural cover."
Marco looked at Pablo. He knew what he ant.
"Your ability?"
Pablo nodded.
"I will use it. I will make heavy rain fall. And strong winds blow. Over the warehouse. And over the surrounding alleys."
"How long can you maintain it?"
"I have developed myself. I can maintain this weather for several hours."
Marco and Shigo were the only two in the family who knew the secret of Pablo's Devil Fruit. Marco had known from the beginning. Shigo had found out when Pablo tried to kill him in the forest. They knew this ability was a great weapon, and they also knew it must be kept secret from others.
Shigo asked: "Will the rain and wind cover the sound of the break-in?"
"They will be perfect cover. The guards won't hear anything. Won't see anything. We will strike suddenly."
The three were silent for a mont.
"We will need all our n." said Marco.
"When?"
"Tomorrow. After midnight."
---
The next night, the weather was different.
Pablo stood outside the cave. He looked at the sky. It was clear. But he would make it rain.
His forty n were ready. Marco and Shigo beside him. The n behind them, their guns polished, their swords sharp.
They moved in silence through the forest. No one spoke. Only the sound of their footsteps on dry leaves.
They walked a long distance. The forest was dark, but they knew the way.
And after midnight, they arrived.
They stood hundreds of ters from the warehouse. It looked like a large stone box, its doors iron, its windows small and high.
About thirty soldiers were inside. They expected nothing.
The sky began to change.
The clouds that had been light beca thick. Black. Heavy.
Then the rain fell.
Not ordinary rain. It was heavy, violent.
And the wind. It was strong. Howling between the buildings. Raising dust. Making vision almost impossible.
Pablo stood under the rain. He did not move.
"Now." he said in a low voice.
The n moved like shadows. They crept toward the warehouse. The rain hid their sounds. The wind hid their breaths.
They approached. They reached the doors.
Shigo was at the front. His sword was ready.
Marco behind him. His fist clenched.
And Pablo behind everyone. His eyes were steady.
He raised his hand again. Increased the wind's strength. Increased the rain's intensity.
Now, no one would hear anything.
He gestured with his hand.
The attack began.
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