The clash of steel echoed across Alubarna. Yet amidst the chaos, a rhythmic clanging began to rise above the din.
GONG... GONG... GONG...
Vivi stood atop the clock tower at the square's edge, ringing the great bell with all her strength. Her arms ached with each pull of the heavy rope, and her body trembled from fatigue, but she refused to stop. She had to be heard. She had to make them listen. Her voice, hoarse and cracking, pierced the thick air.
"STOP FIGHTING!" she screamed, leaning over the railing. "YOU'RE BEING TRICKED! THIS ISN'T WHAT MY FATHER WANTS! THIS ISN'T WHAT ALABASTA NEEDS!"
The sound cut through the smoke. Soldiers paused mid-swing. Some lowered their weapons, uncertain. Others looked around in confusion, trying to trace the source of the bell.
Koza, bloodied and limping, pushed forward through the melee. Each step was agony, but he pressed on. His eyes locked on the tower. "Stand down! Listen to the princess! She speaks the truth!" he cried out, his voice hoarse but desperate.
More and more soldiers slowed. The momentum of war faltered, teetering on the edge of collapse. Even some of the higher-ranking officers began shouting for a ceasefire, their doubts finally surfacing.
Then a new presence entered the square.
Luffy.
He stepped into the open, his cloak torn and boots scorched. Dust clung to his skin, but his eyes were sharp with clarity. The battlefield seemed to fall silent around him, the eye of a storm. Every step he took felt heavier than the last—but also more resolute.
Beside him, towering and dark, loomed Shadow Crocodile. The eerie figure moved with a slow, menacing grace, its form flickering between solid and mist. Its presence alone sent ripples of fear through the square.
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Even those mid-swing froze.
"That... that's Crocodile! But... what is he?!"
"It can't be... Is that a ghost?"
"Why is he next to Straw Hat Luffy?"
Luffy raised his voice, commanding attention with unexpected force. "This war was started by lies! By Crocodile—he used all of you! But he's done now."
He gestured to the shadow with his hand.
"This is all that's left of him. A puppet. He won't hurt anyone ever again."
The shadow dissolved into black mist, swirling ominously around Luffy before vanishing into the sand beneath his feet. The spectacle left even the most hardened warriors in stunned silence.
Some Baroque Works agents embedded among the rebels panicked. Their cover blown, they drew pistols and crossbows, aiming directly at Luffy, desperation overtaking discipline. One even attempted to rally others with a panicked cry: "Don't believe him! It's a trick! Shoot now!"
But they weren't fast enough.
Zoro and Sanji appeared from the smoke like avenging spirits.
"Get away from our captain," Zoro growled, stepping forward with his blades drawn, the glint of steel catching the light. His posture was calm, deadly.
"You want a war? Try us instead," Sanji added, cracking his knuckles and lifting one leg into a stance. His cigarette glowed with the last ember before falling to the ground.
The agents fired in panic.
But the Straw Hats were faster.
Zoro sliced through the bolts in mid-air, while Sanji leapt into the fray, spinning midair before landing a flaming kick on the nearest shooter. In an instant, blades clashed and fists flew. The infiltrators were taken down with brutal precision. Their groans and cries filled the air, a symphony of justice.
Gasps and cries echoed through the square as Baroque Works agents fell one by one, neutralized by the Straw Hats.
The tide had turned.
Robin arrived at Luffy's side, brushing dust from her cloak as she caught her breath. Her eyes scanned the thinning chaos before focusing on Luffy.
"There's one last piece left."
Luffy turned to her. "What?"
Robin's expression was grim. "King Cobra. He's being held underground beneath the palace. If they kill him, they can still blame everything on him."
Luffy's face hardened. The idea of Cobra being used as a final scapegoat made his fists clench. "Where?"
Robin pointed toward the grand palace looming in the distance. "There's an underground corridor below the eastern wing. Secret passage, known only to Baroque Works."
Zoro glanced over from the carnage. "We'll stay here. Keep things under control."
Sanji nodded in agreement. "Go. We've got this. Make it quick."
Luffy and Robin turned toward the palace, dashing past stunned soldiers and leaping over the wounded. Their steps left trails in the bloodstained sand. As they ran, the sound of the bell still echoed in the background—a promise of hope.
Underground, in the damp darkness beneath Alubarna Palace, King Cobra lay chained to the stone wall. Bloodied, weakened, and slumped, he coughed quietly, his breath ragged. The musty air reeked of sweat, mold, and rusted iron.
The dim torchlight flickered against the stone walls, casting shadows that danced like phantoms. His wrists were raw from the shackles, and each movement sent a new wave of pain down his arms.
A Baroque Works assassin stood before him, a curved blade gleaming ominously. The man's face was hidden by a scarf, but his posture radiated finality.
"Your reign ends with silence," he sneered, raising the weapon slowly. "History will remember you as the tyrant who caused a civil war."
Cobra closed his eyes, whispering a prayer for his daughter and his people. He could only hope that his sacrifice would buy Alabasta another day of peace.
A tremor rocked the chamber. Dust rained from the ceiling, pebbles falling like hail. The assassin froze, turning toward the wall behind him.
Then—
BOOM!
The wall behind the assassin exploded, showering debris in all directions. The air filled with dust and shattered stone.
Luffy stepped through the smoke and rubble, his figure silhouetted against the hallway's glow. His presence was like a force of nature—raging, unyielding.
Robin followed closely, her arms already blossoming with sprouting hands, ready for any counterattack.
"Don't you dare touch him," Luffy growled, stepping forward with slow menace. His aura was dark, his intent clear.
The assassin turned, his face pale, sweat breaking across his brow.
The king's eyes opened, faint hope glimmering in their depths as he whispered one word:
"Luffy..."
To be continued...
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