As soon as Crocodile and Robin stepped out of the building, they were met with a grim and unexpected sight—piles of corpses scattered across the casino courtyard. These weren't just any bodies; they were the very mercenaries, bounty hunters, and soldiers Crocodile had spent years gathering under Baroque Works as personal protection. Now, they lay motionless, defeated in a matter of minutes.
Sitting calmly atop the pile of bodies was Douglas, arms crossed, his expression as cold as stone. He had waited patiently for Crocodile and Robin to make their move, striking only after freeing Luffy, Nami, Usopp, and Smoker from their cage. Once the prisoners had escaped, Douglas immediately launched his attack, tearing through the remaining guards with ruthless precision and devastating force. It hadn't taken him more than ten minutes to eliminate every last one of them.
From the earpiece nestled in his ear, Nami's voice came through, slightly breathless but steady.
"Douglas—Crocodile hit Usopp with some kind of poison. But… the woman who can sprout arms—she gave me an antidote. Usopp's stable now, and Crocodile's heading your way with her."
Douglas nodded silently, already anticipating their arrival.
At the same time, Luffy was sprinting down the hallway behind them, dripping wet from the flooding room. His anger was boiling over, his fists clenched, and his focus locked on Crocodile.
As Crocodile laid eyes on the battlefield and the lone figure atop it, he immediately sensed the threat Douglas posed. Without hesitation, he activated his Devil Fruit ability.
"Desert Spada!" Crocodile roared.
His arm transformed into a razor-sharp blade of sand, which he stabbed into the ground. A massive sand fissure split the ground in a shockwave of destruction, tearing through the earth beneath the corpses Douglas had been resting on.
But Douglas had already anticipated the move. He launched into the air just before the attack landed and descended rapidly—straight toward Crocodile.
As Douglas landed in front of the Warlord, Crocodile lashed out with his golden hook, aiming for Douglas's midsection. But Douglas caught the hook mid-swing with his bare hand, stopping it cold. With a burst of raw strength, he shattered the hook in his grasp. The metal pieces clattered to the ground.
Before Crocodile could react, Douglas grabbed him by the collar and began to choke him with one arm. Crocodile, in desperation, attempted to turn into sand—to escape by elementalizing.
But nothing happened.
A look of horror spread across Crocodile's face.
He couldn't shift. He couldn't use his Devil Fruit powers. They were gone.
"Having trouble?" Douglas asked coldly, his grip tightening. Crocodile's eyes bulged as he thrashed to break free, but it was no use. Douglas had complete control.
Then, with a burst of explosive power, Douglas spun and slammed a brutal lariat into Crocodile's chest. The impact sent Crocodile flying across the courtyard—and straight into the shattered front entrance of the casino, just as Luffy was running toward them.
Luffy saw the opportunity. With no hesitation, he swung his fist forward and finally landed a solid punch against Crocodile. The blow connected, sending Crocodile crashing into the casino rubble. This time, it worked—Crocodile was wet, vulnerable, and entirely susceptible to physical attacks.
Watching from behind, Robin's eyes narrowed. She quickly reacted, trying to neutralize Douglas. Dozens of arms sprouted from his shoulders and back, attempting to grab and restrain him.
But the moment her arms touched Douglas, they withered instantly—turning to brittle, useless husks before vanishing into thin air. Robin recoiled in shock.
Douglas turned toward her slowly, unfazed.
"What exactly are you trying to do?" he asked in a calm but condescending tone, as if Robin's attack was more puzzling than threatening.
Robin's arms dropped back to her sides. Her expression was unreadable.
"I'm not here to fight you," Douglas continued. "Nami told me you gave Usopp the antidote. That means, for now, I'll consider you an ally."
Robin remained silent, watching him with interest. There was something different about Douglas—something she didn't fully understand. Still, she appreciated his acknowledgment and didn't press the attack any further.
"It doesn't matter whether you see me as an ally or not," Robin said after a moment, her eyes drifting to the broken figure of Crocodile lying in the rubble. "I needed Crocodile to reach my goals… But I can already see that dream slipping away."
Outside, Crocodile struggled to his feet, clutching his chest. His movement was sluggish, his breath labored, clearly affected by the damage Douglas had inflicted. But before he could fully regain his composure, Luffy was already upon him—pummeling him with a barrage of powerful punches. Every strike was fueled by anger, by vengeance for Usopp's poisoning, and by Luffy's unwavering sense of justice.
So focused was Luffy on his target that he didn't even acknowledge Douglas standing nearby. To Luffy, nothing else existed in that moment—only Crocodile, and the need to make him pay.
Then, Crocodile began to fight back. The blows he received finally reignited his fury, and he retaliated, trading blows with Luffy in a brutal back-and-forth. But just as their clash reached its peak, the skies above Alabasta suddenly changed.
The clouds, which had loomed overhead since the Straw Hat Crew's arrival, finally released their burden.
Rain began to fall.
Not a mere drizzle—but a heavy, steady downpour that quickly spread across the entire kingdom. From the capital to the outer deserts, Alabasta was finally drenched by long-awaited rain.
The downpour intensified rapidly, soaking everything—and everyone—in sight.
Seeing the rain pour down across the battlefield, Douglas felt a surge of certainty rise within him. With Crocodile now soaked and stripped of his elemental invincibility, Luffy stood a real chance. Not just because of the rain, but because of everything else fueling him—the unwavering support of Vivi, the anger from Usopp's near-death experience, and the conviction that came with standing against injustice. Douglas knew this was Luffy's moment. Crocodile's defeat was no longer a possibility—it was inevitable.
Turning his gaze away from the battle, Douglas faced Robin.
"You know this place inside and out, don't you?" he asked.
Robin gave a quiet nod, her expression calm but still curious.
"Then come with me," Douglas continued. "Help me get Nami and Usopp out of here—and lead us to the treasure vault you mentioned earlier."
Without hesitation or protest, Robin complied. There was no hostility in her eyes now—only a quiet understanding, and perhaps, a hint of intrigue. She moved with purpose, walking ahead of Douglas while signaling for Nami to follow. Nami was carrying Usopp on her back, doing her best to keep him steady. Though Usopp had regained some color in his face, he was still weak and barely conscious.
As the group moved deeper into the casino's interior, the sounds of Luffy and Crocodile's clash echoed behind them like thunder—punctuated by the rhythmic pounding of the rain.
------------------------
Meanwhile, in another corner of the Rainbase, Vivi stood amidst the aftermath of her battlefield. At her feet lay the unconscious bodies of Miss Merry Christmas and Mr. 4, their defeat clear and final. The battered forms of Zoro and Sanji approached from opposite directions, both still bloodied and limping from their respective fights. Their steps were slow, but purposeful.
Beside Vivi stood Chopper and Karoo the camel, both equally worn but alert. Karoo let out a quiet honk, nudging Vivi gently with his beak.
The rain continued to fall.
Vivi stood motionless, her head tilted back, eyes turned skyward. Tears streamed down her face—not from sorrow, but from overwhelming relief. The rain masked her weeping, blending with it as though the sky itself was crying with her. After three long years of suffering, of war, and of desperate hope, the drought of Alabasta had finally ended.
The moment was more than just a shift in weather. It was a symbol. A promise.
The land would heal. The people could begin again.
Zoro and Sanji came to a stop near her, saying nothing. They, too, lifted their heads toward the sky, letting the water wash away the blood and grime of battle. For a rare moment, even the swordsman and the cook found common ground in silence, sharing in the quiet victory.
Vivi slowly lowered her head, brushing a few soaked strands of hair from her face. She turned to them with a trembling smile, one filled with gratitude and exhaustion.
"Thank you," she whispered. "All of you... thank you."
Though neither Zoro nor Sanji replied with words, the look in their eyes said enough.
The kingdom was still standing.
The rain had returned.
And the dawn of a new Alabasta was just beginning.