By dawn, the crew finally saw it — a cluster of half-buried buildings under the endless sun. The desert wind howled through the empty streets, carrying dust instead of voices.
"This… is Yuba?" Nami whispered.
Vivi's steps slowed. Her expression wavered between hope and heartbreak. "It wasn't supposed to be like this."
Sandstorm after sandstorm had swallowed the once-lively town. The wells were dry, the walls cracked, and the only sound was the faint creak of doors that no one opened.
Kai lifted his camera orb.
[Stream: LIVE — "Lost City in the Sand: Yuba 🏜️"]
[Viewers: 33.5M]
[Chat: "Damn… this is sad." / "Streamer quiet today." / "Respect Vivi 🙏"]
They wandered through the ruins, their footsteps echoing.
Luffy looked around, scratching his head. "Hey… where is everyone?"
A faint cough answered.
From behind a crumbled wall, an old man emerged, wrapped in tattered cloth. His eyes were bright despite the exhaustion.
"Vivi…" he rasped, voice shaking. "You've come home."
"Pell!?" Vivi ran forward, tears welling up — but then stopped. It wasn't Pell. It was Toto, the man who once led Yuba's people.
She knelt before him, taking his trembling hands. "Uncle Toto… what happened here?"
He smiled faintly. "The sandstorms… they never stopped. Everyone left for Katorea. Said they'd wait for the king to act… but I stayed. I kept digging. Yuba must not die."
[Chat: "😭😭😭" / "Old man Toto's got my respect." / "This hits harder than expected."]
Kai watched in silence. For once, even the System didn't say anything.
He could feel his viewers' sadness through the stream — a quiet connection that didn't need jokes or fights.
He finally spoke, voice low. "He's still holding on… even when the world forgot him."
[System: Temporary Buff — "Resolve of the Desert" gained. +5% Willpower for 24 hours.]
Sanji offered water to the old man. Zoro stood guard nearby, eyes scanning the horizon.
Luffy crouched beside Toto, looking serious for once.
"Don't worry. We'll stop Crocodile. Then it'll rain again, I promise!"
Toto chuckled weakly. "If you believe that, boy… then Yuba still has hope."
Vivi wiped her tears, determination returning to her face. "Uncle, rest now. Leave the rest to us."
As the sun began to set, they set up camp among the ruins.
Kai started a quieter stream again — this time, no flashy title, no jokes. Just the warmth of a small fire, and the sound of the desert wind.
[Stream: LIVE — "Campfire Reflections: The Town That Waits for Rain."]
[Viewers: 18.9M]
[Chat: "Streamer mellow tonight 🕯️" / "Vivi's pain is real…" / "Respect to the crew for not giving up."]
Nami leaned against Kai's shoulder, speaking softly. "You're streaming this?"
He nodded. "Yeah. The world needs to see what's worth fighting for."
She looked at him — a faint smile, eyes soft. "You're weird, you know that?"
Kai chuckled. "Comes with the brand."
[System: Nami Affection +2 | Emotional Bond Deepened.]
Later that night, Vivi sat alone, staring at the stars. Kai walked over, sitting beside her without a word.
For a while, they just listened to the wind.
Finally, she spoke. "Do you ever wonder if hope is enough?"
Kai looked at her, the firelight reflecting in his eyes. "Hope's like my stream signal. It cuts out sometimes… but as long as it reconnects, it's still alive."
That made her laugh softly through her tears. "You really can turn anything into a metaphor."
"Streamer's curse," he said with a grin.
[System: Vivi Affection +3 | "Bond Strengthened — Shared Resolve."]
As the night deepened, Kai looked at his viewer count quietly ticking down.
He whispered, "Goodnight, chat. Tomorrow… we keep moving."
He ended the stream, letting the silence of the desert take over.
The last embers of the fire flickered out, and the sky stretched endlessly above them — vast, cold, and full of stars.
Somewhere beyond the dunes, Crocodile waited.
[End of Chapter 30 — "The Dying Town of Yuba."]