It was early morning, just before dawn in the desert city of Rainbase.
Slap! Slap!
Darian received two light, stinging slaps to his face.
"Darian, wake up!"
"Hmm...?"
Startled out of a deep sleep, Darian groggily opened his eyes. He saw Nami leaning over him, her cheeks flushed a beautiful shade of pink, her big brown eyes glaring at him.
Because he usually had to guard the boat during the night, Darian's internal clock was completely reversed; he typically stood watch at night and slept from morning until noon. However, he definitely wouldn't have been able to fall asleep last night if he hadn't been locked in a long, exhausting, and highly apologetic "battle" with Nami.
The jet lag of being woken up so early made him a little dizzy. He mumbled, his voice thick with sleep, "What's wrong, Nami?"
"Let go of me and get up quickly, you idiot. We're leaving soon," Nami said, her voice tinged with a mix of annoyance and lingering affection.
Upon hearing this, Darian's mind started working, and he slowly released his iron grip on Nami's waist.
At this moment, the two of them were still completely naked and embracing each other intimately beneath the hotel sheets. Nami had one long, toned leg draped over Darian's abdomen, while Darian had one arm wrapped tightly around Nami's waist and the other hand firmly gripping one of her soft, warm breasts.
Of course, the "sword" was still firmly sheathed.
Having not been intimate with Nami for almost a week due to her period and his own stupidity, Darian had felt an overwhelming, desperate urge to merge her into his body last night to prove his affection. After their intense, hours-long "Dual Cultivation" session, the two had simply collapsed and fallen asleep while still connected.
Because Darian was a superhuman with a silicone physiology, his body was incredibly resilient, flexible, and naturally warm. Therefore, sleeping while hugging Darian was like hugging a massive, custom-made heated body pillow. It didn't hurt her at all to sleep like that, and secretly, Nami actually liked the feeling of absolute security it provided.
However, as morning arrived, the already impressive "sword" began to stir with morning vigor, becoming even more erect. Nami had been awakened by the sword pressing deeper into her.
With Darian's arms no longer tightly restraining her, Nami shifted her weight. She placed her hands on Darian's broad chest and pushed herself up onto her knees, straddling him.
Watching Nami's movements in the dim morning light, Darian felt his breath hitch. Her beautiful face was flushed, her orange hair was charmingly messy, and her magnificent breasts trembled slightly with her movements, making her look indescribably alluring.
Most importantly, as Nami knelt up, her posture caused the sword to slide even deeper into its sheath. Darian couldn't help but gasp sharply. The intense, sudden stimulation made Nami bite her lower lip, a soft moan escaping her throat.
Seeing Darian's sleepy eyes suddenly looking up at her with such burning, unmistakable passion, Nami couldn't help but feel a flicker of desire to just ride the steed beneath her. But there were still pressing, urgent matters for them to attend to today. A kingdom was falling.
Their eyes met. Darian playfully arched his hips upward, prompting Nami to let out a startled, breathless snort.
At times like these, it was incredibly foolish to intentionally provoke Nami. Perhaps because he had been beaten up by his navigator so many times, Darian had developed a strange, masochistic fondness for testing her limits.
Nami blushed furiously at Darian's little trick and punched him lightly on the head.
"Don't move, you pervert!" Nami scolded, though she didn't sound entirely displeased.
As she spoke, Nami rose slightly from her kneeling position and began to slowly, agonizingly draw the sword from its sheath.
But after being ravaged by Darian all night, Nami's legs were already trembling and weak. The agonizingly slow friction of drawing the sword brought a fresh wave of intense stimulation to them both. Nami's legs gave out halfway through the process, and she accidentally slumped heavily back down onto his lap with a wet smack.
The sword struck her deepest point, causing Nami to cry out, "Ah!"
To cover up her immense embarrassment and the overwhelming wave of pleasure, Nami punched Darian on the head again, her face burning. "I told you, don't move!"
Seeing Nami's flustered anger, Darian rubbed his head and feigned a look of pure innocence. "I was the one who wasn't moving at all! It was you who lost your balance, okay? Honestly, I suspect you're just deliberately seducing me to keep me in bed."
Despite his cheeky thoughts, Darian kept his hands raised in surrender. After all, this was a moment when Nami was deeply embarrassed; if he pushed her too far now, her face would definitely darken into a terrifying scowl again, and she might actually castrate him.
Drawing the sword safely was a delicate process.
After a few more moments of awkward shifting, Nami finally managed to pull completely away with a loud, wet pop, rolling off of him and wrapping the sheet around her body.
After a night of intense stimulation, Nami was a little weak in the legs, but internally, she was full of vibrant energy. She felt like she had inexhaustible stamina, and her skin had become even clearer and more radiant. This was the undeniable benefit of his Outer Path abilities.
When they arrived in Rainbase yesterday, Darian and the others had done more than just hide in a hotel. They had planned their next move.
If we don't mention it, one might almost forget about Karoo, the giant spot-billed duck that served as Vivi's loyal mount.
After the chaos of their desert landing, when Darian and his companions encountered Crocodile, Karoo had already been dispatched. Utilizing his incredible speed, the duck had run all the way from the capital, Alubarna, and arrived at the outskirts of Rainbase to rendezvous with them in the night.
After getting up, washing up, and having a quick, tense breakfast in the hotel lobby, Darian and the others set off before the sun had fully risen over the dunes.
As the sun grew stronger and the temperature rapidly rose, Darian and his group were able to ride Karoo and several other hired transport animals, closing the distance. By late morning, they could finally see the towering, circular outline of the capital city, Alubarna, rising from the desert plateau.
Crocodile's defeat and subsequent disappearance had not yet affected the vast majority of the rebel army or the millions of Baroque Works agents. Crocodile had kept his true identity and his movements far too secret; his subordinates were still operating under their previous, standing orders.
As Darian and his group approached the capital, the leaders of the rebel army and the remaining Officer Agents of Baroque Works were also making their final, fatal moves.
Alubarna. The Royal Palace Square.
"Hateful!"
"You bastard!"
In his towering, Human-Beast Jackal form, Chaka knelt on one knee on the flagstones. He looked up, panting with difficulty, at the strange, flamboyant creature dancing before him.
"It seems you've run out of options, puppy..."
Mr. 2 (Bon Clay) spun around gracefully like a ballerina, laughing loudly. "This is the Okama Way martial arts that I practiced day and night! It's perfectly normal that a mutt like you can't beat me!"
As he spoke, he struck a flamboyant pose, casting a smug, condescending look at the bleeding Jackal Guardian.
"Ugh!" Chaka growled, his fur bristling with anger. That bastard!
But...
Chaka looked around the grand courtyard at the Royal Guards lying unconscious or dead on the ground. His canine nose twitched, picking up the scent of blood. He noticed a dozen unfamiliar, metallic smells coming from the soldiers stationed just outside the main gates.
It seemed the loyal soldiers outside had also been silently defeated and replaced.
So many spies infiltrated the King's army?! Chaka thought with a mix of surprise and rising despair.
Damn it! It's a pity Pell isn't here!
Chaka sighed heavily. Pell, the Falcon Guardian, had flown out to scout the enemy lines before dawn today, desperately hoping to find out about Crocodile's movements and Princess Vivi's whereabouts.
As for the capital city of Alubarna, King Cobra clearly intended to surrender to the rebels to prevent a massacre of his citizens.
However, Mr. 2 immediately misunderstood the situation when he saw Chaka sigh.
"What's wrong, mutt?!" Mr. 2 mocked. "Finally realized the massive gap in our strength, huh? What a pity! But I will not let you go!"
Mr. 2 then happily spun around a few more times, kicking a fallen guard out of his way.
"This guy..."
Even King Cobra, watching from the steps, couldn't help but shake his head at the bizarre spectacle. He had great confidence in Chaka's resilience; a physical blow wouldn't break the Jackal's spirit.
However, Cobra was in a rather disheveled state at this moment. He was being held up by several elite members of Baroque Works, disguised as Royal Guards, with sharp swords pressed directly against his royal neck.
Chaka couldn't help but look up at Cobra, gritting his fangs. These bastards! They actually kidnapped the King in his own palace!
If he hadn't been constantly distracted by trying to protect the King during the fight, Chaka wouldn't have suffered such a crushing, one-sided defeat against the Okama.
Thinking of this, Chaka felt an even deeper hatred for these syndicate rats who were trying to incite a bloody civil war just to seize control of Alabasta.
"Oh dear!" Mr. 2 tutted, noticing Chaka's glare. "What kind of look is that? I must teach you a lesson in manners!"
As he spoke, he turned around, took large, exaggerated strides, and walked toward Chaka at a seemingly leisurely pace—though his footwork was actually incredibly fast and precise.
Chaka immediately grabbed his massive longsword from the flagstones and forced himself to his feet, growling.
Who are you people?! Chaka thought desperately.
"This is bad! The rebel army is only twenty minutes away from reaching the gates of Alubarna!"
"Lord Chaka?!"
"What do we do?!"
Just then, a loud, panicked commotion suddenly broke out outside the heavy courtyard gates.
?!
King Cobra's body stiffened against the blades. He opened his mouth, about to shout an order to his men outside to stand down.
"Knock him out!" one of the Baroque Works agents hissed.
Upon hearing this, the agent standing behind the King violently struck Cobra on the back of the head with the heavy brass hilt of his sword.
Thwack!
"King Cobra!!!"
Chaka's eyes widened in horror and anger. He lunged forward to protect his liege, momentarily distracted from his true opponent.
Bang!
Seizing the opening, Mr. 2 delivered a devastating, spinning kick directly to Chaka's ribs, sending the massive Jackal flying across the courtyard to crash heavily into the stone wall.
Click... crack.
The sickening sound of ribs cracking echoed through the square, and then spiderweb-like cracks spread out across the stone wall from the point of impact.
Chaka coughed up blood, his eyes rolling back in his head, and he temporarily lost consciousness, sliding down the wall.
Whoosh!
Mr. 2 landed gracefully. He raised his right hand and slapped his own face. Utilizing the Clone-Clone Fruit, he instantly transformed into a perfect physical replica of King Cobra.
He then quickly stripped off his swan coat and changed into the royal robes his subordinates had prepared beforehand.
"Damn it! Open the gates! Who are you people? Why aren't you the regular guards?!"
"Hurry up and let us in to report to Lord Chaka!"
Outside the gate, the true soldiers of the Royal Army roared at the Baroque Works agents disguised as guards. Their expressions were incredibly anxious, as if they were prepared to charge the gates if the imposter guards didn't move aside immediately.
Indeed, after all, these guys who suddenly appeared at the King's door were not the familiar comrades they were used to seeing.
The Baroque Works agents, sweating slightly under their disguises, gripped their weapons tightly and prepared for a bloody skirmish.
Squeak—
Suddenly, the heavy wooden doors slowly creaked open, and "King Cobra" appeared before the panicked crowd of soldiers.
"Your Majesty the King?!"
The Royal Army soldiers quickly dropped to one knee and saluted. Although they were deeply puzzled as to why the King had suddenly appeared at the gates instead of Chaka, the slightly overweight commander at the head of the group frantically continued his report. "Your Majesty, the rebel army is approaching the city gates! What are your orders? Shall we surrender to spare the city?"
"Surrender?!"
"Cobra" glared at the commander, his voice booming with artificial, righteous fury. "Of course we won't surrender! We must fight to the last man! We must protect our royal authority and crush those rebel traitors!"
"Y-Yes, Your Majesty!!!"
Inspired by "Cobra's" suddenly imposing, aggressive presence, the leading soldier immediately broke into a fierce, relieved smile. He had already heard about the rebel army's violent approach and had been holding his breath in anticipation, desperate to defend his home. Now, with the King's blessing, the Royal Army would meet the rebels in open, bloody slaughter.
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