It was already late at night.
From within the vast sand dunes, roars and sounds of intense combat echoed across the desert.
Pell's expression had shifted over time—from tense, to puzzled, and eventually to calm.
He had even dozed off at one point.
"…"
Then, as abruptly as it began, the chaos ceased.
An eerie silence fell over the desert.
"What happened?"
Pell sat upright, alert. The quiet made him uneasy. He scanned the surroundings, his senses sharpened.
Then, a familiar voice spoke up from behind.
"Pell, had a good nap? We can head out now."
"Huh?!"
Pell turned quickly, startled.
At some point, Shirogai and Luffy had returned, standing just behind him.
"Meat! Meat! Meat!"
Luffy was sprawled over a bag of meat, tearing into it like a starved animal.
His body had once again shriveled to the point of resembling a mummy.
"Gulp, gulp, gulp…"
He chugged water from a small wooden barrel, pausing only to swallow giant bites of meat between gulps.
Before long, Luffy's withered frame began to expand—his muscles returning, his skin regaining color.
"Hahahahaha!"
Luffy raised a chunk of meat triumphantly. "I'm alive again! Man, that was close!"
Shirogai chuckled lightly. "Don't celebrate too early. The real test is still ahead—surviving and defeating Crocodile."
Luffy rolled up his sleeves and grinned. "Don't worry, Shirogai, I'm gonna launch that bastard straight into the sky!"
Pell hesitated before asking, "Can Luffy-san really beat Crocodile now?"
Luffy and Shirogai exchanged a glance.
Luffy answered with unshakable confidence, "I've got a thirty percent shot!"
Pell's eyes widened. Only thirty percent?
Shirogai added with a relaxed smile, "That's against a Crocodile going all-out. If he gets cocky or careless, Luffy's chances jump to sixty."
That finally eased Pell's nerves. He gave a relieved sigh. "So, you two might really be able to stop Crocodile and save Alabasta Kingdom…"
"Huh?" Luffy blinked. "We were just talking about my odds in a one-on-one fight. Shirogai's not getting involved unless I ask."
Pell stared. "Shirogai-san is so powerful—why wouldn't he step in?"
Luffy grinned. "Because this is my fight. Unless I call him, he's staying out of it."
"…"
Pell was speechless.
A fair one-on-one… even against a war criminal?
Shirogai gave no reaction, his usual indifferent demeanor unchanged.
Luffy dusted off his pants. "Alright! We need to reach Alubarna before dawn and meet up with Vivi and the others."
Once Luffy had devoured the last of the meat, Shirogai grabbed his arm.
With a beat of his six massive, winged appendages, they soared into the sky.
Whoosh!
After orienting himself toward Alubarna, Shirogai and Luffy vanished into the horizon at staggering speed.
"So fast!"
Pell transformed into his full falcon form and launched into the air, doing his best to keep up.
But no matter how hard he pushed, the result was the same.
"Always just a little behind…"
Every time he thought he was about to catch up to Shirogai, the distance widened again.
Pell let out a breath, half in awe and half in frustration.
"To be in a human-beast hybrid form and still fly faster than my full beast mode… terrifying. I can't even imagine what kind of speed Shirogai-san's full beast form could achieve."
Even the air itself might shatter beneath his wings...
---
Meanwhile – Alubarna, Capital of Alabasta
King Cobra was still missing, but the Royal Army, under the leadership of Guard Vice-Captain Chaka, continued organizing defensive measures in preparation for the approaching Rebel Army.
Chaka knew the truth—King Cobra would never allow violence against citizens, even if they'd been misled.
But with Cobra gone, Chaka couldn't bring himself to order a full withdrawal and hand over the capital without resistance.
There were still innocent people in the palace who needed protection.
If the city fell, and the rebels turned violent, he couldn't imagine what might happen.
"If blame is to be taken, let it fall on me."
Chaka watched grimly as the Royal Army reinforced the walls and erected barriers.
The burden of leadership pressed heavily on his shoulders.
He whispered into the night.
"Koza… I beg you, don't attack with force. So long as your side doesn't fire first, I swear, neither will mine."
But unbeknownst to him…
Within the Royal Army ranks were infiltrators—agents of Baroque Works.
Hidden beneath their uniforms, small tattoos marked them as loyal to Mr. 0.
Their lips curled into sinister smiles.
"Heh heh… We'll carry out Mr. 0's orders to the letter."
"Instigate war. Ignite chaos."
This conflict had already slipped from the hands of its so-called leaders.
The real spark lay in the hands of these undercover agents, ready to fan the flames.
The war had become a runaway train. No one could stop it now.
---
Across the city…
Panic gripped the people.
"Run! Get out of the city! War's coming!"
"If you wait too long, you'll die in the crossfire!"
"Waaah! Why is this happening?! Why?!"
Terrified families scrambled to flee, carrying what few belongings they could gather.
They disappeared into the desert, their silhouettes swallowed by the moonlight.
---
Boom!!!
The Rebel Army charged under the night sky, raising a thunderous cloud of dust behind them.
The camels and horses, once peaceful desert animals, now galloped like engines of destruction.
The army was two million strong—but many bore only farming tools: hoes, forks, shovels.
Only a few wielded real weapons—swords, rifles, and spears.
But despite their lack of arms, their faces burned with fury.
For three years, they had suffered under a cruel drought.
They thought it was nature. They believed the King.
Until yesterday, when they discovered the truth.
It wasn't nature—it was Dance Powder.
The King had allowed it to be used in the capital, hoarding rain while the rest of the country withered.
Their crops had died. Their families perished.
All while the capital drank freely.
Their trust had been shattered.
Now, there was only anger.
Cobra had betrayed them. Their patience, their hope—it was gone.
The desert's oldest proverb now echoed in their hearts:
"Water may quench thirst… but it can also drown."
At the head of the army, Koza gritted his teeth through the pain, shouting with defiance:
"Take Alubarna! Reclaim our Alabasta!"
"Take Alubarna!"
"Reclaim our country!"
Their cries rose together like thunder, shaking the dunes and waking the sleeping sands.
--
Thanks for the Power stones.