Alubarna Palace Square
"Damn it..."
Sir Crocodile lay at the bottom of a deep, cracked crater, his body covered in blood.
His shocked gaze remained fixed on the blood-soaked figure standing beside him.
This guy... is terrifying.
Not because of his strength.
But because of his will.
That reckless determination to kill him, no matter the cost.
Again and again, the boy had crawled back from the edge of death.
He was only a rookie pirate.
Yet he was unbelievably insane.
Looking at Monkey D. Luffy, Crocodile felt as though he were staring at his forr self.
He, too, had once been filled with ambition.
But then he had witnessed true terror.
"Hahahahaha... what the hell have I been doing all this ti?!"
Crocodile laughed like a madman.
"Ever since I lost to that old man... it's like I lost my mind!"
Seven Warlord of the Sea.
Poison.
Ancient Weapons.
The Crocodile from decades ago would never have cared about such things.
But after his pride had been crushed—
He began desperately chasing shortcuts.
"Hahahahaha!!"
Under the pouring rain, Crocodile laughed like a demon.
Nearby, Luffy stood silently.
Blood mixed with rain as it ran down his body.
His consciousness was fading.
An overwhelming exhaustion swallowed him.
Even so, he struggled to stay awake.
He wanted to finish Crocodile himself.
But his body could no longer move.
Clock Tower
"This rain..."
"...will fall again, just like it used to."
"Because the devil has already been defeated!"
Princess Nefertari Vivi stood atop the clock tower, looking down at the confused citizens below.
Rain poured heavily over Alubarna.
"You say the devil is defeated?"
"What nonsense!"
"Demons don't just disappear!"
The Rebel Army shouted angrily.
"We saw the Royal Army attack Nanohana with our own eyes!"
The rebels raised their weapons once more.
At the sa ti—
The Royal Army prepared for battle.
The rain could stop the chaos.
But it could not imdiately change the hearts of those who still wanted to fight.
Just as the two armies were about to clash again—
"Lower your weapons, Royal Army!"
A powerful voice rang out.
On the palace wall stood a wounded man.
It was Chaka, commander of the Royal Army.
"And you too, Rebel Army!"
At the center of the battlefield stood another figure.
A man with curly white hair.
The eccentric from Whiskey Peak—
Igaram.
He slowly stepped forward, holding a small boy in his arms.
"Hey, kid... can you speak?"
"He's from Nanohana, right?"
"That's the boy who survived the Royal Army attack!"
The rebels began murmuring among themselves.
"No... it wasn't the Royal Army..."
The boy trembled nervously as he spoke.
"The people who attacked us... were soone else."
Slowly—
He revealed the truth.
The Rebel Army stared at one another in shock.
"That's right."
The severely wounded Koza, leader of the Rebel Army, finally spoke.
"This entire war... was planned from the very beginning."
"Everything that happened in this country was manipulated."
Igaram stepped forward firmly.
"I will explain everything."
"Now... drop your weapons!"
Finally—
One by one—
Weapons began falling to the ground.
The truth of Alabasta had finally been revealed.
"What?!"
"This was all Crocodile's conspiracy?!"
"Damn it! We trusted him!"
The citizens glared angrily at Crocodile, who lay on the ground.
"Move aside! Move aside!"
Zoro and Sanji pushed through the crowd.
The Straw Hat crew rushed to Luffy's side.
"Luffy! How are you feeling?!"
Seeing Luffy barely conscious, Nami's bright eyes filled with worry.
And deep fear.
Zoro and Sanji stepped forward, shielding Luffy as they glared at Crocodile.
"Luffy's injuries are extrely serious," Chopper said gravely.
"I've never seen anyone this badly injured and still alive."
"I'm... fine..."
Luffy forced himself to speak.
His face was pale as paper.
"Hahahaha... Straw Hat..."
Crocodile turned his head.
His predator-like eyes locked onto Luffy.
"I lost."
"I give up on this country."
"And Pluton... I don't want it anymore."
"But as long as I'm alive..."
"I'll find you."
"I'll defeat you."
"And then..."
"I'll kill you."
SHING!
Sandai Kitetsu flashed from its sheath.
Its cold blade pointed directly at Crocodile.
Zoro stared at him with terrifying eyes.
"Who the hell do you think you are...?"
"...to say that?"
Without hesitation—
Zoro swung his sword downward.
The sound of the blade tearing through the air echoed loudly.
For a mont—
The world seed to freeze.
BOOM!!
Just as Kitetsu reached Crocodile's forehead—
A powerful, invisible force erupted from Crocodile's body.
Sand exploded outward.
Zoro's blade stopped in midair.
His arm trembled.
A crushing pressure bore down on him.
For a mont—
It felt as though he had been thrown into a raging ocean.
As if he could be swallowed at any second.
BOOM!!
At the sa ti—
Another equally powerful aura burst forth.
The two invisible forces clashed violently.
Zoro staggered backward.
Cold sweat rolled down his face.
"Conqueror's Haki...?!"
Crocodile exclaid.
Then he slowly shook his head.
"Well... it makes sense."
"A man like you awakening Conqueror's Haki is only natural."
"Tell ..."
"What is your na?"
Luffy's face had grown even paler.
But his star-like eyes still shone brightly.
"My na..."
"Monkey D. Luffy."
"And I'm the man who will beco King of the Pirates!"
Crocodile froze.
"...Monkey D...?"
He murmured the na absentmindedly.
Then his lips curled into a grin.
"Hahahahaha!"
"The descendant of the Hero of the Marines wants to beco Pirate King?"
"What ridiculous irony!"
anwhile, Luffy's body swayed weakly.
His eyelids grew heavier.
Finally—
He collapsed into Sanji's arms.
"Luffy!!"
Sanji caught him imdiately, not caring about the blood covering his body.
"Zoro, let's go."
"We need to find sowhere to treat Luffy."
His tone allowed no argunt.
"Tch. I'm going to finish him first!"
Zoro stubbornly raised his sword again.
"You idiot!"
"And stop calling curly-brow!"
Sanji snapped angrily.
"You moss-head!"
"Hurry! The Marines are coming!" Nami shouted urgently.
Reluctantly, the Straw Hats withdrew.
So Ti Later
Tashigi arrived with a large group of Marines.
Before them stood—
A stunned Vivi.
Pell.
The Royal Army.
The Rebel Army.
Unconscious mbers of Baroque Works.
And—
Crocodile, lying in the rain and still laughing wildly.
Countless people stood silently in the downpour.
They looked at the devastated city.
At the battlefield filled with corpses.
"...We did sothing unforgivable."
Just as despair began to spread—
A figure slowly stepped forward.
It was King Cobra.
"It is natural to feel regret."
"It is natural to want to make ands."
The people turned toward him.
"Your Majesty..."
"What we lost is imasurable."
"And yet we gained nothing."
"But..."
"This is also the beginning of sothing new."
"No matter who our enemy was..."
"The war began."
"And now—"
"It has ended."
"No one can erase what has already happened."
"So let us stand up from this war..."
"And continue living."
Tears mixed with the falling miracle rain, soaking into the dry land.
The great Kingdom of Alabasta—
At last—
This war, destined to be recorded in history—
Though never worthy of praise—
Finally ca to an end.
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