The warmth of the fire and the comfort of a full stomach vanished in an instant as Mario stood, his expression grim. "Usopp, Chopper, Karoo, we need to go. Now."
"Now? But we just got here!" Chopper protested, his voice a tired whine.
"No way! I'm not training anymore! You were shooting stones at me! STONES!" Usopp yelled, pointing an accusing finger.
"That was to train your perception and dodge reflexes!" Mario shot back, his patience wearing thin. "This isn't about training. We need to leave for the capital, right away."
"Quack?" Karoo tilted his head, confused.
"Karoo asks why?" Chopper translated.
"The timeline has moved up. The war is almost beginning," Mario stated, the urgency sharp in his voice. "Karoo, you take this sealed letter that Vivi gave us." He handed the important document to the duck. "Run, as fast as you can, straight to the capital. Do not stop. Give this directly to the king. Me, Usopp, and Chopper will be right behind you."
"Mario, I know it's urgent, but I can't run all the way to the capital! I'll die out there!" Usopp wailed, visions of heatstroke and dehydration dancing in his head.
"Don't worry, you won't have to," Mario reassured him, a sliver of a plan forming. "I spoke with Dabro. They have a system here for renting camels. We can take them and leave them with the royal guards in the capital."
A synchronized sigh of relief came from Usopp and Chopper. "Phew!"
"But just so we're clear," Mario continued, a dangerously mischievous smile playing on his lips. "Once we get there, our job is to stop a revolutionary army of thousands... and the entire Baroque Works organization that's infiltrating the city."
"HIIIIK!" Usopp and Chopper shrieked in unison, their brief relief shattered.
"Tell you what," Mario said, his tone deceptively light. "I'll take on the revolutionary army. You two just have to handle the Baroque Works agents. Deal?"
The color drained from Usopp's face. He slumped to his knees in the sand, a broken man. "I... I should have stayed on the Going Merry..."
***
Mario, Usopp, and Chopper pushed the rented camels to their absolute limits, a grueling, two-day race across the sun-scorched dunes. The hardy animals performed admirably, their bodies adapted to the harsh environment, but even they were lathered in sweat and breathing heavily by the end. Finally, the magnificent skyline of Alubarna appeared on the horizon, a breathtaking city of white stone built upon a towering plateau, its three grand entrances looking like gateways to another world. Mario's heart clenched with a mix of awe and dread. I just hope King Cobra made at least some preparations. If the rebel army stormed those gates, the resulting chaos would be exactly what Crocodile wanted—a bloodbath to cover his theft of Pluton.
A flicker of worry for Luffy crossed his mind, but he crushed it instantly. No. He WILL survive. He had to believe that. Their training, their shared growth, had to count for something.
As they neared the main gate, Usopp, peering through his goggles, spotted figures. "Soldiers! They need to take us to the king! OIIII!" he yelled, waving his arms.
But Mario's instincts screamed a warning. "Wait! Usopp, what are they doing?" he called back.
Usopp squinted, his incredible natural eyesight, enhanced by the goggles, analyzing the guards' stances. "Their postures are all wrong... too aggressive! And their uniforms are slightly off!"
Before Mario could process this, the sharp crack of gunfire split the desert air.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
"EVADE!" Usopp shrieked.
Acting on pure instinct, Mario and Chopper yanked their camels' reins in opposite directions. The well-trained animals lurched sideways, and a volley of bullets kicked up plumes of sand right where they had been standing a second before.
"Shit! Baroque Works!" Mario roared, his suspicion confirmed. They had already infiltrated the city's defenses.
Without a second's hesitation, Mario launched himself from his camel's saddle.
Geppo! Soru!
He kicked against the air itself, the force creating a visible shockwave. In the blink of an eye, he vanished from the dunes and reappeared directly in front of the four impostor guards, his landing silent and deadly.
"WHA—?!" one managed to gasp, his eyes wide with shock at the impossible speed.
They never had a chance to raise their weapons again. Mario became a blur of motion—four precise, concussive punches, one to each man's jaw, delivered in a fraction of a second. The sound was a single, sharp CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-CRACK. The four men crumpled to the ground in a perfectly synchronized heap, unconscious before they hit the sand.
Mario quickly searched the fallen guards, pulling back a sleeve to reveal the stark, stylized tattoo of Baroque Works. "Damn it!" he cursed, his fears confirmed.
"Good job, Mario!" Usopp said as he and Chopper dismounted, their camels panting heavily.
"Why did they attack us?" Chopper asked, his voice trembling.
"They're not real soldiers," Mario explained, his tone grim. "They're Baroque Works agents. They've already infiltrated the royal army."
"Wha? Really?" Chopper gasped, his eyes wide.
Mario's mind raced, adapting the plan on the fly. "We can't trust anyone in uniform. We need to get into the city unnoticed and find Pell or Chaka to warn them."
"Who are they?" Usopp asked.
"Royal guardians. Vivi told me about them," Mario said, a necessary lie to explain his foreknowledge. "But I'll go alone. You two have a different mission."
He turned to Usopp first, his expression deadly serious. "Usopp, you and Chopper need to get to the east gate. I'm certain Baroque Works will be waiting there to ambush our friends when they arrive. You need to be there to help them."
"Then, Usopp," Mario continued, locking eyes with the sniper, "I need you to find the highest ground overlooking the desert. You'll have a clear view of the royal army's positions. Watch for any soldiers trying to do something... provocative. Like firing cannons at the rebel army to force a battle."
"Wha— m-m-me?!" Usopp stammered, his confidence evaporating.
"Yes, you," Mario stated, his voice firm but not unkind. He placed a hand on Usopp's shoulder. "Listen, I know you doubt yourself. But trust me when I say you are far greater than you think. You need to have faith in yourself and in our friends. We're counting on you to have our backs, just as we have yours. Find the courage I know is inside you. You are the only one I trust for this."
The words struck Usopp with the force of a physical blow. For a moment, his usual bravado fell away, and Mario saw the genuine, capable man beneath the fear. With teary eyes, Usopp gave a determined nod.
Mario then turned to Chopper. "Chopper, I know you haven't been with us long, but I need you to go with Usopp and protect our friends. Your medical skills and your strength will be vital. After I've dealt with the rebel army, Usopp can join you. Together, you two are far stronger than you realize."
Inspired by his words, a new resolve hardened on their faces. Mario raised a clenched fist into the air.
"Let's kick some Baroque Works ass and save this kingdom!"
In a powerful, unified gesture, the three brought their fists together in a resounding bump. Without another word, they split up, melting into the shadows of Alubarna's winding streets, three separate threads of hope weaving through a city on the brink of war.
***
Mario moved through the eerily quiet city like a ghost, a stolen cloak pulled low over his face. He darted between abandoned houses and slipped through narrow alleyways, avoiding the frequent patrols. When he couldn't avoid them, and their rolled-up sleeves or careless gestures revealed the telltale Baroque Works tattoo, he didn't hesitate. A swift, precise strike to the jaw, and they joined their comrades in unconscious heaps in the shadows. Fewer traitors, fewer problems, he thought grimly.
Finally, he reached a main thoroughfare leading to the city's heart. There, he saw a contingent of over fifty soldiers, and at their head, the unmistakable form of Chaka, the loyal guardian. Relief washed over Mario.
"There you are!" he whispered to himself.
Stepping out from his hiding place, he called out, "High Guard Chaka!"
In an instant, a dozen weapons were leveled at him. Mario immediately raised his hands and threw back his hood, revealing his face. He knew Baroque Works agents were mixed in the ranks, but he gambled they wouldn't risk exposing themselves by firing without orders.
"Stand down!" Chaka commanded, his voice a low growl. He stepped forward, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "Who are you? Why are you here? All civilians should have been evacuated!"
"I am not a civilian," Mario stated clearly, his voice carrying over the tense silence. "I came by the orders of Princess Nefertari Vivi! She sent me to stop any aggression towards the revolutionary army. She wrote in her letter that we would come! I'm here to help stop this war!"
He kept his hands raised, his eyes scanning the soldiers. He spotted two or three whose eyes narrowed with a venomous glint, but they held their positions.
Chaka studied him, his expression unreadable. "Huh… Yes, a letter arrived a day ago." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Are you the one who was with Karoo?"
"Yes, that was me. My name is Mario. Vivi and the others are on their way as we speak!"
"How can I trust anything you say?" Chaka asked, his grip tightening on his sword.
"I have the mark!" Mario declared, remembering the contingency plan he had devised with Vivi.
"Show me," Chaka ordered, cautiously approaching Mario. He positioned himself strategically, partially shielding Mario from the view of the ranks as Mario quickly rolled up his sleeve, revealing the 'X' mark seared into his arm.
Chaka let out a long, slow breath, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "Good. I am sorry for the suspicion, but the contents of the letter were… shocking, to say the least. Where is the princess?"
"No apology necessary. She should be arriving at the city gates very soon," Mario assured him, quickly covering the mark again. "Where are you headed?"
"We are moving to the defensive walls," Chaka explained, his expression turning grim. "Our scouts report the revolutionary army is marching. We will attempt to negotiate, if such a thing is still possible."
"Then I am coming with you," Mario stated firmly. "Vivi asked me to intervene if the situation escalated."
Chaka gave a curt nod. "I do not know what one more man can do, but any help is welcome in these dark hours."
Together, they led the contingent of soldiers—a mix of loyal guards and hidden snakes—toward the high defensive walls of Alubarna, where the fate of the kingdom would soon be decided. Mario walked beside Chaka, his senses on high alert, knowing the real battle was not just against the army approaching from the desert, but against the treachery festering within their own ranks.