Down in the massive city plaza, the brutal war between the Royal Guards and the Rebel Army had suddenly stopped.
Everyone was looking up at the sky. They saw the terrifying, invincible Sir Crocodile fall from the clouds like a broken meteor. The man they thought was a great hero was completely shattered and defeated.
CRASH!
The Warlord struck the center of the city plaza with a deafening impact, kicking up a massive cloud of dust and shattered sandstone.
By sheer coincidence, his battered, unconscious body landed merely a few feet away from where Kai lay completely immobilized and unconscious on the cracked paving.
As the dust settled around the two motionless figures, a strange, completely silent phenomenon occurred.
Crocodile's broken body was still radiating the dense, residual energy of the Suna Suna no Mi. The raw, concentrated power of the desert leaked faintly into the air around him like an invisible mist.
Suddenly, Power Watch strapped to Kai's wrist reacted.
Even though the device was locked in a deep, emergency hibernation, and Bot's digital sensors were completely offline to protect Kai's fried nervous system, the core chamber operated on pure, primal instinct. It recognized a matching elemental frequency.
A faint, almost invisible amber glow pulsed exactly once from beneath the cracked screen of the watch.
Like a sponge soaking up spilled water, the device silently siphoned a fraction of the Warlord's lingering sand power. The ambient, golden energy drifted through the air and absorbed directly into the watch's casing, weaving itself seamlessly into Kai's dormant Earth Core.
The Earth power inside the device instantly grew denser, heavier, and vastly stronger, fundamentally upgrading its base stats by assimilating the Warlord's desert essence.
A second later, the amber light faded back to a dull, lifeless grey.
Kai remained trapped in his deep, exhausted sleep, his chest rising and falling slowly. Bot remained completely shut down in the digital void. The massive elemental upgrade had happened in total silence, and absolutely neither of them had any idea that Kai's Earth element had just permanently evolved.
Princess Vivi stood high up in the clock tower. Sanji stood next to her, smoking a cigarette. Down on the ground, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Chopper were all looking at the cratered plaza in absolute awe.
Then, something incredible happened.
Plop.
A single drop of water fell from the sky and hit the dry, dusty sand right between Crocodile and the sleeping Kai.
Plop. Plop. Plop.
More drops began to fall. The dark clouds gathered quickly over the capital city. Suddenly, a massive, heavy rainstorm washed over the entire desert country of Alabasta.
"Rain..." a rebel soldier whispered, dropping his sword.
"It's raining!" a royal guard cried out, falling to his knees.
The three-year drought was finally over. The Dance Powder was gone. Crocodile's terrible spell was broken. The pure, clean water washed away the blood and the dust from the battlefield. The fighting completely stopped. Men hugged each other, crying tears of absolute joy.
High up in the tower, Vivi fell to her knees. She looked up at the gray sky, letting the heavy rain wash over her face.
"He did it," Vivi sobbed, smiling a beautiful, happy smile. "Luffy actually did it."
.....
The rain fell for three unbroken days.
For the people of Alabasta, it was not just a storm; it was salvation. The cool, life-giving water soaked into the cracked, parched earth, refilling the dry riverbeds and washing the blood from the stone streets of Alubarna. The Rebel Army and the Royal Guards had completely laid down their weapons. There was no more fighting. There was only rebuilding, crying, and the slow, painful process of healing.
But for the Straw Hat Pirates, the three days of rain were spent entirely in absolute, unconscious darkness.
Deep inside the heavily guarded guest wing of the Royal Palace, the heroes of the desert were finally resting.
Kai slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was an intricately painted, vaulted ceiling. The second thing he noticed was that he was lying on the softest, most luxurious feather bed he had ever felt in his entire life.
He groaned, trying to sit up. His muscles felt stiff, but the blinding, agonizing pain that had wracked his body after fighting Mr. 1 was completely gone.
Bzzzt.
"Well, look who finally decided to join the land of the living," a familiar, robotic voice buzzed cheerfully.
Kai looked down at his left wrist. The sleek, orange-and-black Power Watch was glowing with a steady, healthy light. The cracked screen had somehow repaired itself, and the casing was pristine.
"Bot..." Kai croaked, his throat incredibly dry. He reached over to a silver pitcher on the bedside table and poured himself a heavy glass of water. He downed it in one gulp. "How long was I out?"
"Seventy-two hours, fourteen minutes, and approximately forty seconds," Bot replied, his digital voice practically vibrating with relief. "Your heart rate completely tanked after you dropped that three Elemental Split. Your neural sync shattered, and the power went dormant because your body couldn't supply the enargy to keep it open. You really pushed it to the absolute breaking point, hotshot."
Kai smiled a lopsided, tired smile. He ran a hand through his spiky brown hair. "Did we win?"
"Yeah," Bot said softly. "We won. Captain Rubber-Brain punched the sand-guy straight through the bedrock. It was spectacular. You should have seen the seismic data I recorded."
Kai let out a long, heavy breath, falling back against the plush pillows. They had actually done it. They had survived the Grand Line, defeated a Warlord of the Sea, and saved a kingdom.
Kai pushing himself out of the bed. He was wearing clean, comfortable bandages wrapped securely around his ribs, and fresh, loose-fitting cotton clothes had been laid out for him.
Suddenly, a deafening, earth-shattering roar echoed from down the palace hallway.
"MEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAT!!!"
Kai flinched, nearly dropping his glass. He grinned. Luffy was awake.
When Kai pushed open the heavy wooden doors to the grand dining hall, he stepped into a scene of absolute, unadulterated chaos.
The massive, mahogany dining table was easily fifty feet long, piled high with mountains of roasted desert bird, exotic fruits, massive fish, and barrels of wine. And it was rapidly disappearing.
Luffy sat at the head of the table, his arms stretching in every direction like a rabid octopus. He was shoving whole turkeys into his mouth, chewing with his eyes closed, and occasionally falling completely asleep mid-bite—only to wake up a second later and continue chewing.
"Save some for the rest of us, you bottomless pit!" Usopp yelled, stuffing his face with roasted potatoes while sporting a massive, comical bandage wrapped entirely around his nose.
"Nami-swan! Vivi-chan! I have prepared the finest, most delicate desert-rose desserts for my beautiful queens!" Sanji spun across the room like a tornado of romance, his visible eye shaped like a giant, pulsating heart as he presented two silver platters to the girls.
"Thanks, Sanji-kun," Nami smiled, her bruises heavily bandaged but her eyes shining with relief.
"Just put it down, curly-brows," Zoro grunted from a pile of empty alcohol barrels in the corner. The swordsman was wrapped in so many thick white bandages he looked like an angry mummy, but he was currently chugging a bottle of expensive sake the size of a small child.
"What did you say, moss-head?!" Sanji roared, instantly dropping the romantic act and kicking a chair across the room.
"You heard me, you overgrown waiter!" Zoro snapped back, reaching for his swords.
"Guys! Please don't destroy the palace!" Chopper shrieked, running in circles in his tiny reindeer form, waving his little hooves frantically.
Kai walked into the room, leaning against the doorway with a broad smile.
"Kai!" Luffy mumbled, his cheeks stuffed with an impossible amount of meat. He stretched a rubbery arm across the room, wrapped it around Kai's waist, and violently yanked him toward the table. "Eat! The meat is super good!"
Kai crashed into a wooden chair, laughing as Sanji slid a massive plate of food in front of him. For the next hour, they ate like feral animals. There was no decorum, no manners, and absolutely no silence.
At the far end of the hall, Princess Vivi sat next to her father, King Cobra. The King was heavily bandaged from his torture in the tomb, but he watched the chaotic pirate crew with a look of profound, overwhelming gratitude.
Slowly, King Cobra stood up from his chair. The entire hall fell silent. Even Luffy paused his chewing.
The ruler of Alabasta, a man revered by millions, walked over to the side of the table. He looked at Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, and Kai. Then, to the absolute shock of the Royal Guards standing by the doors, King Cobra dropped to his knees and pressed his forehead firmly against the stone floor in a deep, respectful bow.
"Father!" Vivi gasped, standing up.
"As the King of this nation, I thank you," Cobra said, his voice thick with heavy emotion. "You risked your lives for a country that was not your own. You saved my daughter. You saved my people. Alabasta will forever be in your debt."
Luffy looked at the bowing King. He didn't look uncomfortable, but he didn't look boastful either. He just offered a simple, wide grin.
"Don't worry about it, old man!" Luffy laughed, picking up another massive piece of meat. "We just kicked the ass of a guy we didn't like. That's what pirates do!"
King Cobra lifted his head, a genuine, hearty laugh escaping his chest. "You are truly a fascinating crew."
....
While the Straw Hats celebrated in the palace, a very different scene was unfolding in the ruined streets of Rainbase.
A massive fleet of Marine warships had completely locked down the coast. The towering, pyramid-shaped Rain Dinners casino had been cordoned off with heavy military blockades.
Captain Smoker stood in the center of the desert plaza, his white Marine coat billowing in the wind. Two cigars burned furiously in his mouth. In front of him, locked in heavy chains made of pure Sea Prism Stone, was Sir Crocodile. The Warlord was stripped of his fine clothes, covered in bruises from Luffy's punches, and glaring at the sand with dead, hateful eyes.
"Load him onto the flagship," Smoker barked to his men. "He's going straight to Impel Down."
Tashigi stood nearby, clutching her sword tightly. Her eyes were red, and she was biting her lip so hard it was bleeding. She looked at the captured criminals, then up at the clear blue sky.
"Captain Smoker," Tashigi whispered, her voice trembling. "We didn't do anything. We are the Marines. We are supposed to protect the innocent. But in the end... it was the pirates who saved this country. We just stood by and watched."
Smoker looked at his subordinate. He saw the tears of frustration falling down her face. He didn't offer empty comfort. He felt the exact same bitter rage burning in his own chest.
Suddenly, a Marine communications officer ran up, holding a ringing Den Den Mushi.
"Captain Smoker! We have a direct line from Marine Headquarters!" the officer saluted nervously. "The World Government has reviewed the situation. They have decided to cover up the Straw Hats' involvement. They are publicly declaring that you and Tashigi single-handedly defeated Sir Crocodile and saved Alabasta!"
Tashigi's eyes widened in horror. "What?! But that's a lie!"
"The higher-ups have also decided to promote both of you by one rank," the officer continued, sweating profusely. "And they are awarding you the highest medals of honor!"
Smoker stood perfectly still. The smoke billowing from his shoulders grew thick, dark, and incredibly angry. He took the snail receiver from the trembling officer.
"This is Smoker," he growled into the mouthpiece.
"Ah, Captain Smoker," a smooth, bureaucratic voice echoed from the other end. "Congratulations on your outstanding victory. The World Government is very pleased with your—"
"Hey," Smoker interrupted, his voice dropping to a lethal, terrifying whisper. "Tell the top brass at Marine Headquarters something for me."
"Y-Yes? What is it?"
"Tell them," Smoker snarled, his eyes burning with absolute, uncompromising fury, "to shove their medals up their asses."
CLACK.
Smoker slammed the receiver down, completely shattering the communication device. He turned to Tashigi, blowing out a massive cloud of smoke.
"Dry your tears, Tashigi," Smoker ordered harshly. "If you're angry that you were too weak to enforce justice, then get stronger. Next time we meet Straw Hat, we won't be standing on the sidelines."
Inside the Royal Palace, after the massive, chaotic feast in the dining hall, the atmosphere had grown quiet and solemn. The Straw Hat Pirates were resting in a grand, open-air lounge that overlooked the city. King Cobra and Princess Vivi sat with them, looking out over the recovering capital.
Vivi's eyes were red. Despite the victory, a heavy sadness weighed on her heart. She looked up at the clear blue sky, her mind lingering on the blinding explosion that had saved them all.
"Pell..." Vivi whispered, clutching her hands together. "He sacrificed himself to carry that bomb away. He gave his life for Alabasta."
Luffy, who was covered in bandages and sitting cross-legged on a plush cushion, stopped chewing on the bone of a roasted desert bird. He looked at Vivi, his expression turning unusually gentle.
"He was a really brave bird-guy, Vivi," Luffy said quietly. "If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't even be here right now."
Zoro, who was leaning against a marble pillar, opened his visible eye. "That's right. We left you back in the desert outside Rainbase to fight Crocodile alone. How exactly did you end up surviving being stabbed and dropped in quicksand, anyway?"
"And how did you get to the capital so fast?" Nami added, leaning forward.
Luffy pointed a thumb at his chest. "Pell found me! I was dying in the sand, and he flew down from the sky. He gave me a giant barrel of water and some meat. Then he carried me on his back and flew me all the way to the palace!"
King Cobra looked at Luffy in surprise. "Pell went to Rainbase? But why was he all the way out there? The Royal Guards were stationed here at the capital."
"It was because of the message," Vivi explained, wiping a tear from her eye. "Before we crossed the desert, I warned the palace about Crocodile's true identity, but I also made sure to describe all of you—the Straw Hat Pirates—so the guards would know you were my friends."
"I see," King Cobra nodded slowly, his eyes filled with profound respect for his fallen captain. "Pell must have received your message. Knowing that Crocodile was stationed in Rainbase, Pell took it upon himself to fly there and scout the enemy's headquarters. He was looking for Crocodile, but he found you instead, Luffy."
"Yeah!" Luffy nodded. "But Pell didn't have any medicine. There was a lady there in a purple coat. She gave Pell the antidote for the scorpion poison."
"A lady in a purple coat?" Sanji frowned, lighting a cigarette. "You mean Crocodile's partner? Why would she save your life?"
Kai, who was sitting near the balcony, crossed his arms. "She's a mystery. Even down in the tomb, when the ceiling was collapsing, she said she just wanted to give up. But Luffy saved her anyway."
King Cobra sighed heavily, the weight of his kingdom's near-destruction resting on his shoulders. He looked at the pirates who had fought so hard to save his home.
"Crocodile was a terrifying monster," King Cobra said, his tone turning dark and serious. The crew quieted down, giving the King their full attention. "He didn't just want the throne of Alabasta. Down in the royal tomb, he revealed his true goal. He wanted to read our kingdom's Poneglyph to find the ancient weapon of mass destruction, Pluton."
"An ancient weapon?" Usopp gulped, his face turning pale.
"Yes," Cobra nodded grimly. "He was willing to sacrifice millions of innocent lives, manipulating the Rebel Army and the Royal Guards to slaughter each other, just to distract the world from his true goal of unearthing that terrible power."
King Cobra looked at the goofy rubber boy, then at the rest of the crew. His eyes softened with profound, overwhelming pride and gratitude.
"Vivi was always a brave girl," Cobra said softly, a nostalgic smile crossing his face. "But she tried to carry the weight of the entire world on her own shoulders. When she left this country to infiltrate Baroque Works, I feared I would never see her again. But she found you."
King Cobra slowly stood up from his chair. The ruler of Alabasta, a man revered by millions, dropped to his knees right there in the lounge and pressed his forehead firmly against the stone floor in a deep, respectful bow.
"Father!" Vivi gasped, standing up.
"You gave my daughter the courage to fight," Cobra said, his voice thick with emotion. "You taught her that she doesn't have to bear the burden alone. As a father, and as a King, I can never repay you for the friendship you have given her. Alabasta will forever be in your debt."
"Hey, don't worry about it, old man!" Luffy laughed, a wide, bright grin spreading across his face. "Vivi is our friend! We always protect our friends!"
Suddenly, Nami burst through the doors, holding a fresh newspaper and a compass. Her face was pale.
"Guys! Wake up! We have a massive problem!" Nami yelled, kicking Sanji and Zoro to rouse them.
"What is it, Nami?" Kai asked, sitting up and stretching his arms.
"The Marines," Nami said, spreading the map on the table. "Smoker might have let us go, but Marine Headquarters isn't stupid. They know we're here. They've dispatched a massive fleet led by the 'Black Cage', Captain Hina. They've completely surrounded the coast of Alabasta. They are creating a blockade to trap us on the island."
Zoro cracked his neck, reaching for his swords. "So? We cut through them."
"We can't fight a whole armada of battleships, you idiot!" Nami shrieked, hitting him over the head with a rolled-up newspaper. "Our ship is still hidden at the river. We need to leave tonight under the cover of darkness, or we're never getting out of this desert."
The room grew quiet. The reality of their situation had finally crashed the party. They were pirates. They could never stay in one place for long.
Luffy sat up, putting his straw hat back on his head. He looked across the room at Princess Vivi.
Vivi was looking at the floor, her hands trembling. Her country was finally safe, but it was ruined. Her people needed her now more than ever to help them rebuild. But her heart ached as she looked at the pirates who had become her family.
"We leave at midnight," Luffy said, his voice surprisingly gentle as he looked at the blue-haired princess. "Vivi. We'll have the ship waiting at the eastern port tomorrow at noon. If you want to keep sailing with us... you know where to find us."
Vivi looked up, tears brimming in her eyes. She didn't say a word.
Kai walked past her, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "Whatever you choose, Princess... you're always one of us."
As the Straw Hat Pirates gathered their gear and prepared to slip into the night, the shadow of the Marines loomed heavily over the horizon. The battle for Alabasta was over, but their journey across the Grand Line had only just begun.