On the other side,
In the capital of Alabasta, the rebels had already clashed with the Royal Army.
These citizens of Alabasta, driven into mutual slaughter by a carefully orchestrated conspiracy, were killing their own compatriots with their own hands.
And in the sky, a "Five-Kilometer Destruction Bomb" was lifted high into the air before exploding.
The Straw Hat Pirates and the others simply stared blankly at the sky, their faces heavy.
When Vivi saw her people fighting one another—destroying and killing without restraint—she fell completely into despair.
Standing atop the city wall, her eyes were filled with hopelessness, her expression dazed, like a terminally ill patient.
Again and again she shouted, robotic and hollow, like someone whose soul had died:
"Please stop fighting."
"Please stop fighting."
But no one paid any attention to her. They continued slaughtering their own countrymen.
Nami, seeing Vivi's despair, tears brimming in her eyes, urged the others to stop the war—even saving just a few people would be something.
Only one figure stepped forward at this moment.
He walked up the tall tower and stood at Vivi's side, who was still shouting endlessly.
Overlooking the battlefield below, there was no fluctuation in his eyes.
Vivi naturally noticed this figure. She immediately shifted into a combat stance, hatred and despair filling her face.
"Mr. 2, why are you here!!!"
"..."
The newcomer seemed a little speechless. After a moment, he spoke in a low voice:
"I'm not Bon Clay."
His long hair swayed, dressed in a black suit with a black coat draped over it, and a handsome bird perched on his shoulder.
Hearing his words, Vivi blinked in confusion, but then—realizing something—her scalp tingled instantly.
"You… you are…"
"Yes, I am."
The newcomer was Orin.
He looked down over the scene—countless soldiers waging war because of the scheme of a single powerful man—but his eyes remained cold.
Was this not the sorrow of the weak and the ignorant?
Yet Vivi clutched at him like a drowning person grabbing at her only lifeline. She fell to her knees beside Orin, crying and begging with her whole body shaking.
"Please, Orin-sama, I beg you—save Alabasta! If it's you… you can definitely stop all of this!!!"
To her, Orin was her sole remaining hope. As long as he took action, none of Alabasta's problems would remain unsolved.
Feeling the thin girl wrapped around his leg, Orin pinched his chin. His expression did not change much, yet he seemed to be pondering.
"To stop everything… I could indeed do it. But… Why should I help you?"
A barely noticeable smile tugged at Orin's lips. His scarlet eyes gleamed as though he saw something amusing.
Vivi immediately responded:
"I… we will offer our loyalty! Alabasta has never intended to oppose you—please believe me… Right! And!!! My pirate companions as well—they too have a friendly relationship with you and goodwill toward you…"
"Is that so?"
Before Vivi could say more, a shout suddenly echoed from the horizon!
...
"I'm definitely gonna send you flying, Crocodile!!!"
Just as the underground chamber was about to collapse, and Crocodile was fully convinced he could escape, a loud voice rang from afar!
After a brief clash,
Crocodile spread his arms, ready to welcome his victory, a smile on his face.
"The moment has finally come…"
"My grand ambition is about to be fulfilled!!!"
But after smiling, he looked back at the blood-soaked, battered Luffy and couldn't help showing a hint of surprise.
"You can't defeat me!!!"
That unyielding fighting spirit—indeed, it had the early shape of a great pirate.
"Still talking big before you die?"
Crocodile remained confident as he walked toward the bloodied Luffy within the collapsing ruins.
"I told you, didn't I? A guy like you can't change anything."
"A little rookie like you—do you really understand how vast this world is?"
His eyes were full of disdain and arrogance. After spending years following Orin, Crocodile's standards had risen sky-high.
"Even if it's just out of pity for you before you die…"
"To tell you the truth—not only me, one of the Shichibukai—this world's dark side is far deeper than you imagine. The ambition I seek to achieve? It's only a tiny piece of the investment from that man—Black Gun. The entire underworld he controls, and the research he conducts, that is the ultimate darkness that toys with the whole world!!!"
"And you… what can you possibly do?"
But Luffy did not answer.
He simply lowered his head, his face hidden in shadow, his posture upright and unwavering.
"Shut up."
"Hm???"
Luffy's expression turned serious—rarely cold.
"Enough talking!!! Right now I just want to send you flying!!!"
Covered in blood, Luffy used it to gain the ability to touch Crocodile's real body.
A rubber punch shot forward, slamming into Crocodile's abdomen.
Caught off guard, Crocodile spat a mouthful of blood. With one punch and one kick, Luffy instantly turned the tide.
Looking at this kid, Crocodile suddenly remembered the words he once said when he looked down on him.
"Just a mere rookie—Orin and I have seen so many."
"For rookies like you, the seas are full of them."
"Orin—did he really think any random newcomer could fight on even terms with me?!!"
But now, he felt utterly humiliated.
"You little nobody…"
"Who the hell do you think I am!!!"
He was Crocodile—one of the Shichibukai, a comrade of the world's strongest, someone even Marine Headquarters couldn't do anything about!!!
Yet now, he was facing a reckless brat—one who refused to die no matter what.
Dodging Crocodile's furious strike, Luffy gritted his teeth and roared:
"I don't care who you are!!! I'll surpass you!!!"
He kicked Crocodile flying into the air, then charged forward through the sand blades and raging sandstorm.
"Desert Spada!!!"
"Gomu Gomu no—"
"Storm Gatling!!!"
Countless blood-streaked fists slammed into Crocodile, punching straight through the ground and bursting out from beneath the ruins!
Crocodile rolled his eyes and collapsed into a pool of blood.
Luffy, drenched in blood himself, glared fiercely and shouted:
"I said I'd send you flying, so I'll send you flying!!!"
"I don't care about any 'Shichibukai'—If Orin-san ever does something like hurting my friends or destroying a country…"
"Then I'll send Orin-san flying too!!!"
His roar was so loud it instantly drew the attention of everyone present, including Vivi on the platform, whose face instantly twisted in despair, and Orin, who was trying hard not to laugh.