(Inside the war tent)
The interior of the tent was dimly lit, the warm glow of lanterns casting long shadows along the fabric walls. A map of the region lay spread out over a large wooden table in the center, marked with lines, notes, and various symbols. It was clear that this rebellion had been operating for a long time.
Orrian and Alicia stood at one end of the table, while Zoro, Vanellope, and the others positioned themselves around it.
Zoro exhaled, resting one elbow against the table. "Alright. We're here. Start talking."
Alicia hesitated for a moment before speaking. "The Butcher you mentioned… he's not just any warlord." She turned toward the table, her fingers tracing a deep gouge in the wood. "His name is Bular—the King of the Trolls, the God of War, the Crusher of Skulls. He is the ruler of the Dark Lands and the leader of one of the most feared empires in all of existence."
Zoro's brow furrowed slightly. "Trolls, huh?" His grip on his sword tightened slightly. "Can't say I've met any before. Hell there was a time where I didn't even think they were real."
"Consider yourself lucky," Orrian muttered.
Alicia continued. "Bular's conquest spans multiple worlds—kingdoms, civilizations, entire realms have been reduced to nothing but ruins under his rule." Her eyes darkened. "And the worst part? No one has ever been able to defeat him."
Jacob, unable to contain himself, finally blurted out. "Yeah, and now we find out you got dumped straight into his backyard." He pointed at Zoro. "I mean, first you show up out of nowhere, now we learn that some guy working for Bular sent you here? What are the odds?"
Zoro grunted. "Doesn't matter." He turned his gaze back to Alicia. "I don't care how many titles this guy has. What I care about is why I'm here. What's Luffy got to do with this?"
Alicia frowned. "That's what we don't know."
Zoro's gaze sharpened. "You're telling me you don't know why some freak in a white suit dragged me and Luffy into this world?"
Alicia shook her head. "No. But what we do know is that anyone working under Bular has only one purpose—to serve him." She leaned forward, placing both hands on the table. "That means whatever he wants with your captain, it's not good."
Ruven nodded grimly. "Bular doesn't 'invite' people to meet him. He takes them. And if he sent an agent after Luffy, it means he's already decided he needs him for something."
Vanellope frowned. "But Luffy's not from this world—none of us are! So why would a big, scary guy want him?"
Zoro exhaled, running a hand through his green hair. "Tch… beats me."
Orrian studied Zoro for a moment. "If this 'Luffy' is anything like you, I can see why someone like Bular would take an interest."
Zoro scoffed. "You have no idea."
Bellas, who had been silent until now, leaned forward. "You're looking for him, aren't you?"
Zoro gave her a sharp glance. "Obviously. That's the whole reason why we even came to this camp with her in order to find a way to get to him and get the hell out of this place"
She bit her lip. "If Bular's involved, then… finding him might be harder than you think."
Zoro's expression hardened.
He was partially afraid that might be the case.
Being dragged into a new world no idea where they are or Luffy is now to find out there are practically in the middle of a war
Now there could be a chance that they might have to fight in this war in order to get to him.
It looks like they had no other choice; they were going to have to fight in this war in order to find him and get out of here.
"That doesn't change anything." His grip on his sword hilt tightened. "Luffy's my captain. He's somewhere in this damn world, and I'm gonna find him. End of story."
Alicia nodded. "Then you might want to start with the Dark Lands."
Zoro tilted his head. "And where's that?"
Alicia pointed at the map. "Everywhere outside this camp."
Zoro stared at her. Then at the map.
Then back at her.
He exhaled. "Great."
Vanellope groaned, slumping forward. "Wait so we're really going to have to stay here longer in order to find him."
Jacob sighed. "Yeah, unless you guys have any information on which pipe he went through there's really no way for us to help you find out where he is other than to start looking here and then making our way throughout each of the other worlds."
Ruven leaned back, crossing his arms. "If you're serious about going after him and you start your search here , then you'll need to be prepared. The Dark Lands are crawling with Bular's forces. Goblins, beasts, war trolls, assassins—you name it. And that's only just part of his army"
Zoro glanced around at the group, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. "Alright, I get it. This Bular guy's a big deal. He's got an empire, an army, and apparently, no one's been able to stop him. But that brings up a real important question."
He tilted his head slightly, eyeing Alicia and Orrian. "If this guy's so powerful, then what the hell are you guys doing out here? Why are you stuck in the middle of nowhere, fighting off goblins in a ruined camp? Shouldn't you be with the rest of the army trying to fight this guy head-on?"
Orrian sighed, rubbing his temple as if the weight of the situation was pressing down on him harder than ever. "Believe me, if things were that simple, we wouldn't be having this conversation." He motioned toward the map spread out across the table, its glowing runes casting eerie shadows in the dimly lit tent.
Alicia stepped forward, folding her arms. "The rebellion isn't a single, unified army, Zoro. We're scattered across multiple regions, different factions, different kingdoms, all fighting the same enemy in different ways. Some are holding the frontlines, some are reinforcing strongholds, and some…" she gestured vaguely to the surrounding tent, "…are stuck in hellholes like this, trying to keep the resistance alive."
Zoro exhaled through his nose. "You mean to tell me there's no one else standing against this guy? No other kingdoms that might wanna take him down?"
The elves exchanged uncertain looks.
"Well…" Orrian started, his expression unreadable.
Alicia hesitated before speaking. "It's not that there aren't other kingdoms Willing to fight. There are. But…"
Ruven scoffed. "But they won't help at least not each other, which includes us."
Vanellope's head snapped up. "Wait—what?! Why not?! If this guy is as dangerous as you're saying, why aren't all these kingdoms working together to stop him?"
Ruven crossed his arms. "Because most of them only care about their own survival. Hell, each of the kingdoms barely have any alliances that keep them from invading each other; there's only a few kingdoms that actually have friendly alliances."
Zoro furrowed his brow. "How many kingdoms are there?"
Alicia sighed. "Look… there are other kingdoms, but every single one of them has a reason for not fighting Bular. Some are too weak, some are too afraid, and others…" She clenched her fists. "Some are just waiting to see who wins so they can pick a side."
She motioned toward the map sprawled out on the table before them, marking the locations of different realms and territories.
Sarasaland – The Desert Kingdom
Alicia's finger hovered over a vast stretch of land in the south, a sprawling desert surrounded by ancient ruins and a grand city of sandstone.
"Sarasaland," she began, her voice laced with both admiration and frustration. "A vast kingdom built in an endless desert. A city of sandstone and gold, hidden among the dunes. They were once fierce warriors, feared across the land for their cavalry and archers."
Alicia scoffed. "Their leaders turned to trade and diplomacy instead of war. They became merchants, valuing their gold more than their swords. They refuse to get involved in conflicts unless it directly threatens their city. As long as Bular stays out of their trade routes, they'll stay neutral."
"A vast kingdom built in an endless desert. A city of sandstone and gold, hidden among the dunes. They were once fierce warriors, but their leaders turned to trade and diplomacy. They refuse to get involved in wars unless it directly threatens their city."
Yoshi's Island – The Dreamlike Realm
Alicia's finger moved next to a cluster of islands that seemed to shimmer even on the map.
"This place… it's strange," she admitted. "Almost like a dream. Yoshi's Island is ruled by a being with godlike powers, but they never interfere with mortal affairs. It's as if they exist in their own reality, untouched by war."
Vanellope tilted her head. "Wait, godlike powers? You mean like a real god?"
Alicia shrugged. "Depends on what you believe. All I know is that no matter who wins this war, they'll stay neutral. They don't care about our world's problems. This place… It's strange. Almost like a dream. It's ruled by a being with godlike powers, but they never interfere with mortal affairs. No matter who wins this war, they'll stay neutral."
Kong Island – The Warrior Jungle
Alicia tapped the map again, this time on a massive jungle island marked with crude-looking fortifications and symbols of warrior clans.
"Kong Island," she stated. "A jungle empire, ruled by warrior kings and tribal lords. Their people are strong, stronger than most, and their land is nearly impossible to conquer because of the terrain. They might fight if they see Bular as a direct threat to their way of life. But they don't care about helping outsiders. To them, this isn't their war—at least, not yet."
The Elf Kingdom – Their Own People First
Alicia hesitated before motioning to a dense, forested area, surrounded by glowing symbols representing ancient magic.
"This is our kingdom," she said softly. "The Elf Kingdom. A place of ancient magic and nature spirits. We could be powerful allies, but our elders sealed our borders long ago. They believe this war isn't ours to fight, that we should only protect our own." Alicia's expression darkened. "It's complicated. Some of us are fighting. You're looking at what's left of our warriors." She motioned to Orrian and the others. "But the kingdom itself? They refuse to send their full forces. They think if we just stay hidden, the war won't reach us."
The Dwarf Kingdom – The Profiteers
Alicia pointed next to an area marked with gears and towering factory-like structures.
"The Dwarf Kingdom," she said bitterly. "A kingdom built on machines and factories. Their forges create some of the strongest weapons in the world." Alicia exhaled. "Because they're selling them instead. To both sides. They don't take a stance in wars unless there's money to be made. And right now? They're making a fortune selling arms to anyone willing to pay. A kingdom built on machines and factories. They're powerful but ruthless. If anything, they'll only fight if it benefits them."
Fairy Island – The Lost Kingdom
Alicia's finger traced over a sparkling island, seemingly glowing on the map.
"Fairy Island," she said, almost wistfully. "A kingdom made of crystal and light. Some say they hold a sacred power strong enough to challenge even Bular." Alicia shook her head. "Because no one knows if they even exist anymore. They haven't been seen in centuries. Some say they vanished, others say they sealed themselves away. Either way, they're nothing more than a legend now."
The Penguin Kingdom – The Fallen Land
Finally, Alicia's finger hovered over a frozen land at the edge of the map. She hesitated before speaking, her expression darkening.
"The Penguin Kingdom…" she said softly. "…This one is already lost."
The room fell into silence.
"…Bular took it over just a few days ago. What was once a kingdom of Beautiful ice and penguins is now just another part of his empire."
Zoro's expression hardened, his fists clenching at his sides.
This world was going through the same problems of power that their world had almost every day, different pirates, corrupt governments, taking over different lands and homes.
It's like no matter where they go there's always green and power hungry assholes that they need to take care of .
Made him wonder whether fate actually chose them to come to this world to fix this problem.
He studied the map, taking in the different territories. "So what I'm hearing is that every single one of these places could fight Bular, but they won't because they either don't care or they're too scared to act."
Alicia nodded. "Exactly."
Zoro grunted. "Tch. Cowards."
Vanellope frowned. "But… that doesn't make sense. Somebody has to fight back! If Bular keeps conquering lands, eventually everyone is going to fall under his rule. They can't just sit around and wait for him to come for them!"
Orrian folded his arms. "That's the thing. Some of them are waiting. And others… Well, they think they're safe. They think Bular won't come for them, that they can hide behind their walls or their magic. They think that if they stay out of it, they'll be spared."
Zoro scoffed. "And how's that worked out for the rest of the kingdoms he's already crushed?"
Alicia sighed. "Exactly. It's only a matter of time before he comes for them, too."
Vanellope huffed. "So, what do we do? Beg them for help? Because it sounds like they don't give a damn unless it benefits them."
As Zoro studied the map, something caught his attention. Among all the kingdoms Alicia had mentioned, there was one island that no one seemed to acknowledge. His sharp eyes traced the outline of a rugged, mountainous landmass, its terrain marked with jagged peaks and deep canyons.
"Oi." He jabbed his finger against the parchment. "What about this one?"
Alicia blinked, following his gaze. Her expression shifted slightly, as if she hadn't expected anyone to ask.
"Oh… that," she murmured, exchanging a glance with Orrian.
Vanellope tilted her head. "What? Is there something wrong with it?"
Alicia sighed and leaned forward, tapping the location on the map. "That used to be the Island of Dragons. Once, it was home to one of the strongest warrior clans in the world—beasts who soared through the skies, creatures of both legend and terror."
Zoro raised a brow. "Dragons? You're serious?"
Alicia nodded. "Dead serious. But that was a long time ago. Now, most of them have either gone into hiding… or worse, they've joined Bular's forces."
Vanellope frowned. "Wait, most of them?"
Alicia exhaled slowly. "Yeah. There's a rumor that some of them didn't side with Bular. A few rogue dragons still live there, hidden deep within the stone mountains, but no one knows for sure."
Zoro crossed his arms. "And no one's tried to find them?"
Orrian scoffed. "Of course people have. Mercenaries, bounty hunters, even entire armies have tried to reclaim that island, but none of them ever returned. It's a cursed land now. If there are any dragons left, they aren't exactly welcoming guests."
Alicia nodded. "Even if they exist, we have no idea what side they'd be on."
Zoro glanced at the map again, a thoughtful look in his eye.
Then something else caught his attention.
The Legend of Sun God Nika
"The Stone Kingdom," Alicia continued, pointing toward the mountainous region near the Island of Dragons. "This place… It's different. It's a land of warriors and harsh terrain. Their people are strong—maybe even strong enough to fight Bular."
Zoro furrowed his brow. "Then what's their excuse?"
Alicia hesitated before answering. "They only respect strength. Unless someone as strong as the Sun God Nika proves they're strong enough to lead them, they won't follow."
Zoro's eyes flickered at the name. Sun God Nika?
Something about that sounded familiar. It was like a distant echo in his mind, a name he had heard somewhere before. But no matter how hard he tried to recall, the memory stayed just out of reach.
"Sun God…" he muttered under his breath.
Alicia noticed his expression and shrugged. "Don't take our word for it. That's just what we've heard from the old tales of our kingdom."
Vanellope's eyes widened. "Wait, you guys have a version of that story?"
Ruven folded his arms. "Every culture has its own version. Some say he was a warrior, others say he was a god, and some think he was just a myth. The elves, well… we have our interpretation."
Zoro leaned against the table, interested despite himself. "Alright then. Let's hear it."
Alicia nodded and took a breath before she began.
"In the old stories passed down through elven generations," Alicia began, "the world was once covered in darkness. The land was ruled by shadow, and the people lived in chains, bound by tyrants who crushed any spark of hope."
Zoro listened, arms crossed, while Vanellope leaned in, clearly intrigued.
"But then, from the heavens, a light emerged—a warrior unlike any other. A being who danced across the battlefield with laughter, bringing joy wherever he stepped. His strength was limitless, and his spirit was unbreakable."
Alicia traced a circular pattern on the map with her finger. "They say his body was like the sun itself—brilliant, untouchable, filled with warmth and fury all at once. He defied kings, toppled empires, and freed those who had been shackled in darkness for generations."
Vanellope grinned. "Sounds like a superhero."
Alicia chuckled. "In a way, yeah. But it wasn't just his strength that made him feared. It was his will. He never gave up, never let despair take hold. No matter how impossible the battle, he fought with a smile, as if laughing in the face of death itself."
Zoro tapped the hilt of his sword absentmindedly. "And then what? What happened to him?"
Alicia's smile faded. "No one knows. Some say he was struck down by the very gods who created him, fearing his power. Others say he simply disappeared, waiting for the day he'd be needed again."
Ruven added, "And there are even crazier theories—some say he never left. That his spirit lives on in those who fight against oppression, in warriors who refuse to bow. The Sun God Nika isn't a person, they say—it's an idea. A legend that manifests in those who carry his will."
Zoro didn't say anything for a long moment. The story sounded almost too familiar. He couldn't shake the feeling that he'd heard of this before… but where?
Vanellope nudged him. "Hey, you look like you know something."
Zoro scowled. "Tch. It's just a weird name, that's all." He shook his head, pushing the thought aside. "So let me get this straight. The Stone Kingdom would fight, but only if someone strong enough—like this Sun God Nika guy—proved themselves?"
Alicia nodded. "Pretty much. If someone strong enough challenged their leader and won, the whole kingdom would follow them into battle. But no one's ever been able to do it. Well at least other than the trolls and you can obviously see how well that worked out"
Zoro absorbed all the information, his arms still crossed as he processed everything laid out before him. Multiple kingdoms, all capable of resisting Bular, yet none willing to step forward unless given a damn good reason. Some out of fear, some out of greed, and others simply waiting for someone else to take the risk first.
Cowards.
That's the only thought that continuously flooded his head when he continued to think about the other kingdoms.
The only thing they were worried about was their own Survival rather than banding together and stopping this threat they would rather shut the other kingdoms out to suffer the fate of this monster then put their own lives in the line.
It almost sort of reminded him a back home how everything started before and while he was on his journey as a pirate with Luffy and the others
It's like no matter where he went there was always thing wrong with the way the world was and how are hungry individuals would do whatever they could to keep the world under their thumb.
It was like this whole thing felt like more added weights on his shoulders that he would now have to push through with everything he had and this time without the rest of the crew there to help with all the strategizing and all that other shit.
But more than that—this Sun God Nika legend nagged at him. The way Alicia described it… the way Ruven had framed it, saying it wasn't just a person, but a will that lived on in those who refused to bow.
Something about that felt way too familiar.
He wasn't sure why, but something in his gut told him that if Luffy were here, he'd probably laugh and say something dumb like "That guy sounds like fun!" before diving headfirst into whatever madness was tied to it.
Tch.
If only Luffy was here.
"So Just to make sure I'm not missing any Minor Details." Zoro's voice cut through the heavy atmosphere of the tent. "We're dealing with a fractured world full of people who'd rather sit on their asses than do something. And the only way to get them to fight back is to either threaten them, bribe them, or prove you're stronger than them?"
Alicia hesitated before nodding. "That's… an oversimplification, but yes."
Zoro scoffed. "Tch. Sounds about right."
Vanellope crossed her arms, a determined expression on her face. "Well, sounds like we need to start proving stuff then, huh? If nobody wants to fight Bular 'cause they think they're safe, we just gotta show them they're not! Right, Mr. Swordsman?"
Zoro smirked at her enthusiasm. "Something like that."
Orrian, who had been silent for a while, exhaled through his nose and finally spoke. "If you're serious about finding your captain and stopping Bular's forces, then we need to start somewhere. The Dark Lands won't be easy to traverse, and every day we waste is another day Bular's empire grows stronger."
Zoro met his gaze. "So where do we start?"
Alicia tapped the map again. "If we go by proximity, their Main base of operation should be at the center of the dark lands, we'd have to break through their main line of defenses in order to be enough to challenge their leader. And that's no easy task considering that there's hundreds of goblins and dry bones in that area."
Ruven, standing near the edge of the group, added, "Like what was stated earlier, we were supposed to be reinforcements for one of those major battlefronts. A supply line for our forces in the west. But when the Penguin Kingdom fell, everything changed."
Orrian's expression darkened. "The kingdom pulled back their main forces to fortify Kong Island, expecting Bular to come straight for them. And instead of reinforcing us, they left us stranded. We were meant to resupply and regroup, but now we're just another casualty waiting to happen."
Zoro frowned, processing the information. "So what, they abandoned you?"
Elrohir shook his head. "Not exactly. They just decided our survival wasn't a priority anymore. And that now we have to continue the mission of the original army's orders to infiltrate the dark lands HQ and overthrow it"
Khilseith scoffed. "Which is the fancy Professional way of saying they abandoned us. to complete the admission That was supposed to be a mission for the entire Army" His glare shifted to Orrian. "But our leader here insists that we just suck it up and follow orders."
Orrian shot him a warning look before turning back to Zoro. "Look, we're not the biggest or strongest unit in this fight, but we still have a role to play. And if we can take out Bular's supply hub here in the Dark Lands, we can cripple his advance, maybe even buy the other kingdoms enough time to come up with a real counteroffensive."
Zoro rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Hmph. Sounds like a lot of 'ifs' and 'maybes.'"
Alicia's eyes narrowed. "Nothing is certain. But if we don't try, Bular wins without a fight."
Vanellope, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke up. "Okay, but real talk—why you guys? Like, no offense, but if your own kingdom didn't even think you were worth backing up, what makes you think you can pull this off?"
Orrian's jaw tightened. "Because we've been here long enough to know the ins and outs of this place and how this section operates. No one else is. If we leave, if we wait, Bular's forces fortify the bridge, and then it's over. The rest of the world doesn't get a chance to stop him. Whether we like it or not, we're the ones who have to do this."
Zoro looked around the tent at the grim faces surrounding him. For a moment, he said nothing.
Alicia sighed, stepping forward, shethen added. "There used to be kingdoms that stood against Bular. Human kingdoms, elven strongholds, even rival troll clans who hated his rule. At first, we thought we could resist him—we fought wars, ambushed his supply lines, tried to cut off his resources",She clenched her fists. "But he crushed every last one of them. His armies burned entire cities to the ground. Kings and queens who defied him were executed. Warriors who tried to fight him were either slaughtered or enslaved. Even those who ran had nowhere to go. Bular's reach is endless", She then looked towards the duo with concern in her eyes," as of right now your help would be much appreciated for this war since we'll need all the Fighting Force we could get", her frowning quickly turned into a confident smile,"And well hey if you guys could help us in this war in exchange will be able to help you out with your problem."
Zoro crossed his arms, eyeing the elves with suspicion. "What do you mean, 'exchange'? What exactly are you offering?"
Alicia, Ruven, and Orrian exchanged glances before Ruven finally spoke. "We mean that if you and your friend help us with our mission, then we can help you track down your captain."
Zoro raised a brow. "And how exactly would you do that?"
Vanellope suddenly stiffened as a memory clicked in her head. Oh… oh no.
She shuffled awkwardly. "Uhhh, funny story about that… I maaay have overheard you guys talking earlier about your whole 'hopeless war situation' and the bridge and… uh… all that stuff."
Orrian's sharp gaze snapped toward her. "You were spying on us?"
Vanellope threw up her hands. "Look, I got curious, okay?! You guys were having some big serious war meeting, and I just wanted to know what was going on! And it's a good thing I did, because now I actually know what kind of insane mess we're in!"
Zoro sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Of course you were spying."
Vanellope ignored him and turned back to the elves. "So yeah, I know you guys are dealing with Bular, and the whole 'if we don't stop him, the world ends' thing." She put her hands on her hips. "But How's he going to be able to get his entire Army through one of those little pipes?"
Orrian then exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose before looking back at the swordsman. "I was getting to that." He turned to the large map sprawled across the table, its edges lined with faintly glowing runes. " Once the Penguin Kingdom had fallen, Bular was able to get a crucial part of his plan completed and retrieved from the enemy Kingdom."
Vanellope, however, immediately stiffened, her tiny hands tightening into fists. Oh, she remembered that part.
Alicia glanced at Zoro with mild disbelief. "That crucial part being the last piece of Killerhead Bridge is now in enemy hands."
Vanellope, now fully invested, took a step forward. "Wait, wait, wait—hold up! You're talking about an actual bridge? One that lets the big bad guys cross into other worlds? Mainly our world. That was the one you were talking about earlier right?"
Orrian gave a sharp nod. "Exactly. Once the bridge is fully restored And power to its fullest capacity, this world will no longer contain them And the sun will no longer harm them. Bular's forces will have unrestricted access to your world… and beyond."
Zoro remained quiet for a moment before finally speaking. "So this guy's some kind of world-conquering warlord?"
Bellas, standing off to the side, grimly added, "More than that. When the bridge activates, the magic binding his forces to the shadows will break. They'll no longer be weakened by the sun."
Vanellope's stomach dropped. "Wait… you mean right now they are weak and vulnerable to the Sun? And they're still this bad?!"
Alicia nodded. "If the bridge is completed, they'll be virtually unstoppable. No longer bound to the shadows, they'll be able to march into any kingdom, any world, and tear it apart with ease."
Vanellope exchanged a horrified look with Zoro. The swordsman exhaled through his nose, his grip tightening slightly on his swords. This just got a lot bigger than he originally thought.
He grip on his swords tightened as he let the weight of the situation sink in. He had been thinking about his problem—finding Luffy and getting back to their world. But now?
Now, this wasn't just his problem anymore.
If what these elves were saying was true… if Bular's forces completed this Killerhead Bridge and gained full access to the other worlds, then this war wouldn't just be contained to this realm.
These monsters—these goblins, war trolls, and whatever other creatures served Bular—would spread.
They wouldn't just stay here.
They would invade everywhere.
And that meant—
East Blue. The Grand Line. The New World. The Thousand Sunny.
It's not like the navy will bother to help the civilians or all of the people involved unless it becomes their problem
He'll kill everyone before they even bother to take action.
Zoro's jaw clenched as he thought of his crew. Of their world. Of people like Nami, Usopp, Chopper—the ones who weren't built for war, the ones who didn't have the luxury of being as strong as Luffy or him.
If these creatures somehow found their way to the Grand Line, what would happen to places like Foosha Village? What about Alabasta? Water 7? Wano?
Would these monsters even care about the weak?
No.
They'd burn everything in their path.
Half the world will be in a bowl of flames before the Navy takes any action
Zoro exhaled sharply, his face darkening with realization. Shit.
This was so much worse than he could've thought and they were supposed to be on vacation
But here they were now in the middle of another soon to be war one that could be worse than the Pirates in their world could be capable of .
Vanellope, standing beside him, had gone eerily quiet. Her hands clenched into small, shaking fists at her sides.
Her home. Whole cake, and even Luffy's home, which she had gone and made her home.
Her people. If these things found a way through, what would happen to them?
She could already see it—
The streets of her Foosha Village crushed under the boots of an invading army. The vibrant colors of her candy-coated world drowned in fire and shadow. Her people—her citizens—slaughtered.
All because some power-hungry warlord wanted more.
Her little body shook with barely restrained anger.
"We have to act now," Orrian continued, his voice grim. "Bular's forces are mobilizing. If we wait too long, there will be no stopping them."
"But how?" Vanellope asked, clearly overwhelmed. "You guys just said your kingdom isn't even helping you! You're six people against an army."
Khilseith let out a bitter laugh. " Yeah we're kind of aware of that problem, kid."
Ruven leaned forward, studying the map. "We do have one advantage. Their forces think we're too weak to make a move. If we strike before they realize we're coming, we might be able to sabotage their progress."
A heavy silence followed before Zoro finally spoke again. "And what do you want us to do?"
Orrian locked eyes with him. "Join us. Help us take down Bular's fortress. If we plan this out carefully and take note of every disadvantage they have in that entire fortress then with your strength and our skills will be able to march right through that fortress and take it down"
Zoro stared at him, unimpressed. "And if we do help you in return, you'll help us look for our captain."
Ruven answered this time. "Of course we'll do everything in our power to see that your mission is completed successfully. That along with the fact that the elf kingdom will pay you handsomely for your services.. Our rebellion has spies, informants, people who gather intelligence across different regions. If this white-suited man is looking for your captain, we can track him down before this enemy finds him."
Zoro's expression didn't change, but Vanellope could tell he was thinking it over.
Alicia stepped closer. "We don't know where your captain is. But we know how to find out."
Vanellope folded her arms. "So, we help you guys take down a giant fortress filled with goblins, Dry Bones, and gods-know-what-else, and in return, you help us track down Luffy?"
"Precisely," Orrian confirmed.
Zoro thought about this for a good moment
Though he was still pretty powerful, he still was recovering from what happened and Wano.
Sure, he was fine with doing this battle, but he also had this kid he had to look after.
And the last thing he needed was to throw her into the pits of hell laying in an army when she hadn't even hit puberty yet.
It was a bad idea all the way around to bring her into this, but he didn't have a choice.
Unfortunately, they weren't going to be able to just wander about looking for that stupid pipe.
And these guys didn't seem to have or no way for them to get back to their world.
Not to mention the fact that he would now have to try to find Thousand sunny before Franky gets his hands on him and Luffy for not only damaging it but also losing it.
So in all honesty, he didn't have a choice, but to go along with this plan and see where this would lead
It would be dangerous sure but at least then they will have a start to looking for Luffy and sunny.
He let out a deep sigh, rubbing the back of his head. "Alright… Just to make sure we're all on the same page." He looked over at Orrian. "You guys are trying to stop this Bular guy from completing a magic bridge that'll let his army steamroll across the world, right?"
Orrian nodded. "Correct."
Zoro folded his arms. "And you want to take out his fortress, but you don't have the manpower to pull it off. So you're coming to me in order to help you get past their Firepower and take down this section"
"Yes ," Alicia added, "And in exchange For your help against this threat we will use our resources to help you find your captain basically." Alicia confirmed, crossing her arms. "And though we may not have seen your captain ourselves, we do have an extensive network of informants across different lands. We can put out feelers, get information on sightings, and maybe even find out why someone's after him."
Zoro's expression darkened. If these elves had contacts that could help track Luffy down… that was the best shot they had so far.
And all they needed to do was go and kill a bunch more of these bony turtles and green minions.
It almost sounded a little too good to be true, and maybe a little too easy to be honest.
But then again they literally didn't have that much of a choice other than to go along with this offer.
Zoro considered it for a moment. If he said no, they'd be on their own. But if they said yes… he might just get one step closer to finding Luffy.
He'd taken a few moments to process everything Alicia had just told him. It was a lot, but one thing was clear—this war wasn't something that had just erupted out of nowhere. It had been going on for a long time, and the kingdoms had been making plans. But the real question was: Had those plans already failed? Or was there still a way to turn this around?
He glanced at Vanellope, who looked pale as a sheet, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. She had just remembered all of this—the talk of the bridge, the fall of the Penguin Kingdom, the coming invasion.
Zoro tilted his head slightly. "But still after everything that was brought up you can't still be telling me there are no other kingdoms left that good fight against these trolls? No hidden armies, no exiled warriors, no nothing?"
Ruven sighed. "It's unfortunate but that is the case but is also not exactly the case at the same time, because the other kingdoms just don't have the manpower to be able to take this force on especially not on their own, even our kingdom has to be weary of how many soldiers they send. But nothing big enough to challenge Bular."
Zoro grunted. "Hmph. So, hence why you're being sent out to the wolves to battle against them alone"
Alicia's eyes sharpened. " Hey, our kingdom made this decision because we are practically the Elite Squad of the Rebellion, especially the Elven Rebellion."
Zoro We get sucked then look back at her. "Yet you are all just a handful of Fighters that could barely handle a hoard of miniature green monsters. now you guys are going to have to go up against the entire Death Zone of monsters with you all basically said triple in what we face today"
Vanellope added on to this. "Let's not forget about the entire Army that you guys haven't even faced yet that apparently have enough manpower to take over whole kingdoms and worlds single-handedly. I don't know about you guys but that doesn't exactly sound like something even an Elite Squad can handle."
"Hell, even the military Navy from our world which struggles against a threat like this, especially with the sheer numbersm you guys are saying that they have. Look I'm not trying to be the bearer of bad news but a small Squad just isn't going to be enough to take on an entire Kingdom", Zoro harshly though honestly stated.
Orrian didn't look at either one of them as they were saying this instead he stared down the map as he then spoke up. "You don't think that we're aware of that of course their numbers could easily overwhelm hours but as we've made obvious before we don't have a choice but to keep fighting despite the sheer numbers they have we know they could wipe us all out in one swoop hell they almost did so today. That's why we can't afford to be reckless." He turned his attention back to Zoro. "And that's why we need Your help to fight against these monsters so that we can live to figure out why that monster wants you and your captain."
That enthusiasm that motivation
Zoro had seen this through many leaders many times on his adventures with the straw hat crew.
And yeah of course you could take out this threat here in the dark lines with ease despite his current condition.
But this time this was a threat that wasn't from the world he knew therefore the weaknesses from their world weren't going to apply here at least from what he gathered.
Yes sure the enemies he just fought here were weak but what the same can be said for all the enemies here.
For all Zoro knew there could be enemies far more powerful than from what he and Luffy were used to fighting back home.
And yeah Zoro had his skills and his power but that could only do so much especially by himself if the enemy was as powerful as say the Beast Pirates.
And usually the numbers he was fighting with were a lot larger than this at least most of the time but still they were now just sort of fishing a barrel in enemy territory with no whole village there to support and Aid them in any way they can.
It was just the handful of them in a pit of literal hell trying to fight in a war that Zoro barely knew about.
Even if the enemy wasn't as powerful as he was it still would be quite a pain in the ass for him to get himself and this kid out of here unscathed without having any complications and while looking for Luffy since this place was practically a maze.
This all sort of felt like something that could go wrong at any moment and that this time he would only have to rely on himself to get it done at least other than the small group around him.
Alicia could almost sense the thoughts coming from Zorro though she didn't exactly know where he was from or what he had been through at this point she could tell that he had doubts about some of this stuff.
And to be honest he had a right to.
This whole thing would be a pretty heavy gamble for them all especially if things went wrong.
Because if this plan fails it could get them all killed and or tortured for information
Neither one sounded pleasant to he.
She figured she could at least be well honest about the whole situation from her point of view and really kind of lay it on then before they made any crazy decisions.
She sighed. "Look, we are aware that the situation doesn't look good, not by any means. Yes the allied kingdoms are gathering on Kong Island to discuss retaliation, but they're still divided on what to do. Some are too afraid to risk open war. Others think they should fight but have no way to reach the Dark Lands in time. And though we have hope that we win we're perfectly and fully aware of that we're outnumbered on all ends and if we charge into this fight we know that this could very well be the time of our end and there's nothing we could do to stop that if that happens."
Whoa.
That took Zoro by surprise.
Here he thought she was going to find a reason to try to convince him to fight along with them but she just laid it down like that.
And she was far from wrong as he knew.
They were outnumbered.
Yes he was powerful but he also didn't know who the enemies were in this world and the logic here wasn't the same as from where he had come from.
Was he scared, no not fully but he wasn't exactly cocky about the situation either.
This was the kind of situation he was hoping to avoid earlier as he was telling this to Luffy back on the sunny before they were dragged through that pipe.
Though of course life doesn't seem to want to go the way the straw hat sometimes needed to go.
Orrian, who had been listening in silence, finally spoke. "The reality is that the kingdoms were never prepared for something like this. No one ever expected Bular to find a way past his limitations. Helen think that for any of the magical creatures who align themselves with him or the trolls. As long as the sun existed, trolls were supposed to be contained. That was our only advantage. Now? If they finish that bridge, they're no longer restricted by anything."
Khilseith scoffed. "And let's be honest—most of these so-called great kingdoms never gave a damn about what was happening here in the Dark Lands. They were happy to let the rebellion and the elves handle it while they sat behind their walls, thinking the problem would never reach them. Now there on the verge of being enslaved and all shitting themselves because they have no idea how to handle the situation that's always why that meeting in the Kong kingdom is even happening"
Vanellope frowned. "And now it is reaching them. And they're still just arguing?"
Alicia's expression darkened. "Some of them are. Others are doing what they can, but they're outnumbered, just like us. With no real way of fighting against those damn near indestructible monsters."
Ruven crossed his arms. "The desert kingdom has reinforced its borders, but they won't commit to war unless the council forces them to. The island kingdoms are still debating whether they should send troops at all. The industrial city? Their army is strong, but they won't move without direct orders from their ruling class."
Bellas sighed, running a hand through her hair. "And don't even get me started on the Fairy Kingdom. They refuse to mobilize their forces because they think the Dark Lands are too far from their territory to be a concern. And to be honest there are me or military wouldn't stand a chance against these things."
Zoro rubbed his temple, getting frustrated About hearing all the bullshit that's going on with these kingdoms. "Tch. Typical. People don't care until the fire's at their doorstep."
Orrian nodded. "Exactly. The only kingdom that's fully committed is the Mushroom Kingdom—and that's because they know they're next. Once the bridge is completed, Bular's forces will invade them first. They're the last line before the trolls can reach the rest of the world."
Vanellope's stomach twisted at that. "So if the Mushroom Kingdom falls…?"
Orrian's gaze was grim. "Then nothing will stop them from expanding to other realms. They'll take one kingdom after another, crushing anyone who resists, enslaving those who surrender."
Khilseith scoffed bitterly. "And let's not forget what happens if they don't kill you outright. If you're lucky, you get to be a mindless servant. If you're unlucky?" His lips curled in disgust. "You end up one of their experiments."
Vanellope shuddered. "Experiments?"
Alicia's face hardened. "Bular's forces don't just conquer—they change people. The Dry Bones? Those aren't just monsters—some of them used to be warriors who fought back and lost. Their bodies are reanimated and used as mindless soldiers. The Kremlings? Most of them weren't always loyal to Bular. But those who were strong enough to survive their invasions? They were broken. Turned. Transformed."
"Well that's actually the case for some of the newer soldiers anyway the original dry bones are apart of The Koopa Kingdom run by Bowser the Koopa King", Bellas pointed out as she then pointed to another part of the map that looked as if it had a giant horned turtle symbol on it,"The Kremlings are part of the Kremmling pirate crew one by King K rule the apparent King of the Pirates.
This made Zoro raise an eyebrow,"King of the Pirates"?
Bellas nodded her head," Yeah King K Rool rules over all the Seas and has had a long time rivalry with the Kong Kingdom. He's been trying to get there Crystal Coconut for years his pirate crew are probably just as dangerous as the Koopa kingdom."
Zoro's grip on his sword hilts tightened. He didn't say anything, but hi.t s jaw clenched, and his usual laid-back demeanor darkened.
Zorro thought about what he had just been told.
King of the Pirates.
That title only belonged to one individual he knew.
Monkey D Luffy
He would never accept anyone else's pirate king other than him.
Zero can only imagine how Luffy was going to react when he found out about this supposed King of the Pirates.
But this wasn't exactly something he was going to really worry about at least as not of right now.
What he had just been told by them about what the enemy would do to any of their victims they would find.
A war where they would massacre whole kingdoms simply for the sake of dominating one species over the other.
Where would leave nothing but death and destruction on it's never-ending path.
Where it would cause families to watch their homes were reduced to nothing but ashes.
Where it would possibly end in them ending up as slaves for the enemy and forced to work until their bones break.
Where the dead become part of the enemy's Food supply?
That was beyond fucked up.
He narrowed his eyes, arms crossed as he Suddenly snapped himself out of his own thoughts to focus on the bigger picture.
He looked around and saw that everyone was looking at him as if trying to read just what he was thinking and what he was going to answer next.
He could tell that they were really hoping that he would agree to join their side and help aid them in this war.
Vanellope looked equally Curious about his decision as much as the elves as the two of their fates were sort of in his hands.
Zoro exhaled sharply through his nose.
He just stood there, silent.
His arms were crossed. His head slightly bowed. His swords gleamed faintly in the dim lantern light, reflecting the heaviness of the moment. Everyone was watching him—waiting. The tent felt like it was holding its breath.
The silence stretched.
And then, slowly, Zoro lifted his head.
His eye burned—not with anger, not with frustration, but with that unwavering intensity only someone who had survived hell could carry in his stare.
He looked at Alicia. Then Orrian. Then the rest of the elves.
Finally, he looked down at Vanellope.
Then he spoke.
"…Alright. I'm in."
The room didn't move at first. The words felt too heavy to register.
Alicia stood there staring at him almost bewildered at his answer.
Was he actually agreeing?
Was he being serious?
He was actually going to put his life in the line for them?
It was like everyone else in the room was trying to process the answer he had just given them.
Trying to make absolutely sure that he was being serious and that he wasn't lying to them.
Then—
"You're serious?" Alicia asked, blinking.
Zoro gave a firm nod. "I said I'm in. I don't repeat myself."
Vanellope gasped—eyes wide, sparkling, her whole body nearly vibrating. "Yes! I knew you weren't gonna leave these guys hanging!" She threw a little fist in the air.
She knew it.
She knew her favorite straw hat out of the whole crew wouldn't leave innocent people to deal with problems on their own, especially one such as this.
He was one of the best of all of them aside from Lucy and it filled her heart with excitement to see that he was so bravely willing to step into Danger without knowing what might happen to him.
"But before we go into further discussions or something we need to make clear first", He turned back to the others,"Look I'm going to be 100% honest when I say that just because I'm agreeing to help you guys out doesn't mean I'm pledging my life to your kingdom or whatever rebellion you're running. I'm not here to play politics. I'm only doing this so that we can find a way to get the hell out of this place and find the guy who put us here. as far as I'm concerned we're only here for two reasons." He raised a finger. "One—stop Bular so he doesn't reach our world and cause death and destruction." He raised a second. "Two—find Luffy and our ship and get the hell out of here. So as long as all those things to do are checked off the list I think we'll be working together just fine"
"As long as you are aiding Us in this next upcoming battle I for one Will be more than willing to agree to those terms for your services" Alicia said, smiling at him.
Khilseith Hearing this rolled his eyes and annoyance. "Great, here we are reduced to working with humans in order to survive."
Orrian, however, annoyed with his subordinates' open disrespect, gave him a hard elbow to the ribs in order to silence him before turning towards the Swordsman "What my friend here means to say is that we are happy that you have agreed to Aid Us in this battle. And with your help, we can change everything in the tides of this war."
The dark elf was about to say something else snarky but his Commander shot him a look which basically told him to not even think about it.
The last thing I wanted to do was piss off probably one of their only Aces that they had right at the moment simply because their comrade wanted to be a smart-ass per usual.
Right now they needed all the help they could get and they didn't Khilseith it all up just because he wanted to be an asshole.
Ruven added on to this, "And with your strength, we may actually stand a chance against that monster and his army."
Zoro rolled his shoulder. "Tch.Yeah well don't rely on me too much. I'm just the guy here to find his captain and get a move on nothing more nothing less."
"Fair," Alicia muttered, hiding a smirk before she then straightened. "Then I suggest we start Planning a way to infiltrate the enemy's headquarters in this section.Thankfully due to my Expedition I have managed to get enough information about that section in order to figure out how to work our way around it."
Ruven Then turned and formed the duo. "You won't have to worry about rushing to prepare for battle this planning process will naturally take a day or two to make sure that we aren't skipping out on any details. "
Bellas added on this "Yeah we like to make sure that we have everything jotted down before we execute on a plan. This is just to make sure that we don't forget about anything the enemy may have on the other side and be left defenseless of it."
Zoro then soaked this new information in.
So it looks like they would be there a couple of days before they actually went forward on this plan.
Guess it would give him the kid more time to rest up.
So he couldn't exactly complain about that.
But still he didn't want to be sitting around for too long due to the situation they need to get the Luffy quickly as possible before anyone else got to him
Jacob turned to Zoro. "So… you ready to get started?"
Zoro gave a confirming nod which caused everyone to smile in admiration.
Vanellope placed her hands on her hips, puffing up her chest with exaggerated bravado. "Alright, Operation: Wreck Bular's Face is officially a GO!"
Zoro gave her a sideways glance. "…You are not naming this operation."
She winked. "Too late."
The room then filled with laughter.
As if they figured that if they work together against this threat they may win.
As the tension in the room began to shift—just slightly—into something more focused, more determined, Orrian stepped forward and unrolled a second scroll onto the table.
"Then let's get to work." Orrian nodded. " We'll move out in the next two days. " He gestured to the crude diagram of Bular's fortress, marked with red lines, guard posts, and glowing sigils," We need to gather supplies, scout their positions, and prepare for the assault.
Zoro's gaze returned to the center of the map.
He cracked his knuckles. "Two days, huh? Fine. Gives me some time to get a real fight in before things get boring again.
Orrian gave him a smirk before continuing,"If we're going to pull this off, we need to hit them before they finish the preparation to leave the dark lands. And we'll need to divide our forces carefully. We hit their power source, their command structure, and their gate at the same time."
The elves began murmuring amongst themselves, already preparing for the next phase of their battle. The weight of what they had learned settled over them, but one thing was certain.
Zoro crossed his arms as he stared at the map, the layout burning into his mind.
The heart of the fortress.
The gate to other worlds.
The war they never wanted, and now had to win.
The thought of Luffy—somewhere out there, alone or worse—lit a flame in his chest he hadn't felt in a long time. He didn't say it aloud, but the promise settled into the very core of him:
He would burn this entire land to the ground if it meant finding his captain.
He stared at the map a moment longer, his finger still resting on the Dark Lands HQ.
Vanellope Noticed that he was still staring down at the map
It wasn't surprising to her that he was probably thinking about Luffy and where he might be and that wasn't anything shocking because she was thinking the same thing.
That and also how they were going to get out of here alive.
And yet have her little worried but she knew she would have to be brave and then she couldn't just cry and hope that someone would come and save her that wasn't how she got off of whole cake Island and that wasn't how she was going to get out of this land.
she would have to step up.
and she would need to do so in a drastic way
she then spoke up to him, "You thinking about Luffy?"
Zoro stayed silent for a few seconds before he then exhaled through his nose. "Yeah."
Vanellope gave a small smile as she then gave a supportive pat on his leg (due how short she was). "Don't worry Zoro, we'll find him, I know we will ."
The one-eyed swordsman hearings turns a little girl and gave her a smirk,"Well look at that you haven't been here that long and you're already giving out pep talks huh"?
The tiny child then nonchalantly Shucks her shoulders," yeah well someone's got to keep our head on straight if we're going to get through this."
He's smart before giving her a respectful nod and turning back to the map and staring down at the darklands headquarters.
He clenched his jaw Before speaking once again, a quiet fury behind his words,"Let's tear this bastard's world apart."
(End of chapter)