"Is this the complete Utopia Plan? It's truly terrifying!"
Nami clenched her fists tightly, watching Vivi, whose head was bowed so low that her face was unreadable. She feared that Vivi's spirit might already be breaking.
Luffy glared furiously at Shirogai, who now stood in Crocodile's place.
"Damn Crocodile! If it weren't for this cage, I'd already knocked you sky-high!"
Shirogai watched Vivi's trembling figure and grinned coldly.
"The most amusing part of this conspiracy," he said, voice calm yet cutting, "is that everyone thinks they're doing the right thing. They believe they're fighting for the Alabasta Kingdom."
He began pacing slowly.
"Whether it's the deceived commoners, the vanished King, the disorganized Royal Army, or the Rebel Army—now my pawns—they all scream the same words in their hearts: For the Alabasta Kingdom!"
The others listened in tense silence.
"When people don't have a clear enemy, they turn on each other. It's exactly what I wanted. Their anger becomes a weapon—against their own. That's true chaos."
He looked toward the ceiling.
"Is it the pirates' fault? The Marines'? Or the civilians'?"
"Pirates raid with impunity, civilians curse the Marines, the Marines hunt pirates for bounty and order, and the Celestial Dragons... sit on top, demanding their Heavenly Tribute while watching the world burn."
Shirogai's smile faded into a thoughtful expression.
"To whom does this chaos belong?"
His voice turned quiet. "The Celestial Dragons."
---
"Crocodile! I swear, I'll send you flying!" Luffy shouted, gripping the bars of the Sea‑Stone cage, body trembling with fury and hunger.
Vivi struggled in the sand, her voice hoarse but determined. "I have to reach Alubarna! I must stop the Rebel Army before it's too late!"
Shirogai turned to her, eyes flat. "Princess Vivi, stubbornness won't stop a war."
He casually flicked a small, jewel-encrusted key onto the floor. "Here. A key."
As the sand receded, Vivi dove for it—but the floor cracked open, and the key dropped into a pool below, swarming with massive Banana Gators.
"Let's make things more interesting," Shirogai said nonchalantly. "That key opens this Sea‑Stone cage, but it's in the stomach of one of those gators now. So, Princess—will you dive into danger to save these pirates, or will you abandon them and race to Alubarna, where war is about to erupt?"
Vivi's eyes widened as one of the Banana Gators gulped down the key and slipped into the swarm.
A long pause followed. No one knew what to do.
"One more thing," Shirogai added. "This chamber will self-destruct in one hour."
With that, he turned and walked away, cloak flowing. Robin followed behind, glancing back with a tired, unreadable expression.
Just as they reached the transparent corridor, Shirogai stopped and looked back again.
"Princess Vivi," he said with a faint smile, "do you know how Yuba became a desert?"
A mini sandstorm spun into life in his palm.
"It was i. I used the power of the Sand-Sand Fruit—Suna Suna no Mi—to bury Yuba in sand. All to steer the rebels toward Alubarna."
Inside Shirogai's mind, Crocodile's voice echoed coldly:
"Heh heh... You've learned a lot, Shirogai."
Shirogai smirked. "You'll face judgment for what you've done."
Crocodile's voice sneered: "Judgment? Hahaha! A strong man writes his own fate. If I'm judged, it's only because I was weak."
"Exactly," Shirogai replied calmly. "So now you've met me."
He turned, eyes glinting.
"I am your judgment."
Crocodile fell silent, cutting the mental link.
---
Inside the cage, Vivi fell to her knees in despair. "What do I do?" she whispered, trembling.
"Hey, Vivi!" Luffy shouted. "Don't give up! You gotta get us outta here!"
"If we're trapped, who's gonna stop Crocodile?"
"Shirogai might be dead because of him! And that old man digging for water—we owe them both!" Usopp cried.
Vivi's expression turned hard. She gripped her Peacock Slashers, and with a battle cry, began striking the cage's walls.
"Crack… crack…"
The reinforced glass began to split. Seawater trickled in.
Suddenly, hidden compartments opened. From the dark water, a massive Banana Gator—nearly thirty meters long—lunged forward, jaws wide.
"ROAR!"
Vivi turned just in time, narrowly dodging its charge. The beast chomped through a stone pillar like it was candy.
Usopp screamed, "It chewed through stone like meat! We're doomed!"
Another gator rushed at Vivi. She didn't see it in time.
WHACK!
Its tail slammed into her ribs, sending her sprawling across the slick floor.
"Cough—"
Vivi groaned, vision blurring. The world tilted around her.
Am I going to die here…?
"I'm sorry... Shirogai-san…"
She closed her eyes.
But before the beast could strike again—
BOOM!
A flash of movement. A shockwave echoed through the chamber.
The massive Banana Gator was hurled across the room, crashing into a wall.
A calm voice spoke, clear and familiar:
"Feeding the fish today, Your Highness?"
Vivi's eyes snapped open.
"Shirogai?!"
He stood before her, unharmed, dressed in traditional Alabasta robes, lowering his leg from the strike.
He extended a hand, smiling gently. "Get up, Your Highness. This isn't the end. Alabasta still needs you."
"Shirogai!!!"
The crew roared from the cage.
Usopp clung to the bars, sobbing. "I knew you were alive!"
Nami's eyes welled with tears. "I never trusted Crocodile!"
Luffy grinned faintly, then collapsed. "Shirogai… I'm so hungry… I need meat…"
Zoro exhaled quietly and sheathed his blade.
From a dark corner, Smoker watched silently, hatred flashing in his eyes.
Suddenly—BANG!
The chamber door burst open.
Sanji stood in the frame, cigarette lit, voice casual.
"Crocodile, your time's up. Mr. Prince is here to—huh? Shirogai?"
__
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