Chapter 67

It was late at night when the plan of baroque Works finally started with an uproar in the king's palace in Alubarna.

"Commander Chaka! The king is nowhere to be found!" One of the Royal guards shouted out in panic, as he ran through the hallways to reach commander Chaka who was also searching everywhere he could. "We've already searched the Royal sleeping quarters, storehouse, balcony, palace grounds, and even the gardens!"

"WHAT?!" Chaka uttered in shock. "It's one hour shy of midnight! Where could Majesty have gone at this late hour?!" He wondered worriedly as it was really uncommon for the king to vanish at this time. "Have you checked in his bedroom?"

"We did! But there is no trace of him in the palace nor the capital!" The guard answered with fear and anxiety laced in his words.

"Keep searching for his Highness!" That's all Chaka could command to the guard with the absence of his majesty and Pell, who is usually the man for these kinds of jobs but he was currently busy scouting the Rainbase. "He must be somewhere! I want every inch of the Palace grounds and the city combed through once again!"

"Yes sir!" The guards instantly shouted back and moved to find the king once again.

"Where are you at this critical time, your Highness?" Chaka mumbled to himself as he tried to look at the dark streets, hoping that somehow the king should be safe and sound and somewhere nearby, 'cause if something were to happen to the king then to mobilize the army on his own authority would not be seen kindly.

"Sir! W-We found his Highness!" Hope filled Chaka as he was approached by another guard, who was running towards him, with a fear laden expression on his face. Chaka could only hope that the king was alive by seeing it.

"You found him?!" Chaka inquired, mentally crossing his fingers for good news but alas, fate didn't seem to favor at this cruel night.

"Y-Yes, but apparently, the reports say he..."

.

At the same time, in the jovial port city of Nanohana, something gruesome was happening, which was sure to go down in history if no one would intervene. The tired civilians of the port town were forced to wake up due to the harsh pounding of drums and the march which the king and his personal army were doing towards the town square.

"W-what..?" "What's happening?"

Slurry and confused voices of people filled the arena, surrounding the king who had traveled all the way from his castle to the port city to make an announcement. There was hope within some people wishing for some jovial news from the king which compelled him to come at this late hour, but some wise men like the elderly and the rebel army's leader had a hunch of what was going on, especially with the king's presence at this late hour. Half of the civilians patiently waited while the other half dreaded for what was about to come.

"I've come to make a sincere apology." The words spoken by the king of the island send chills to everyone present there. They couldn't believe what the king was even trying to say.

"P-Please, your Majesty..!" Someone dared to try to stop the king with quivering hands and shaking eyes but was immediately silenced by one of the guards, who instantly pointed their weapons at him.

"It was I who stole the rain from my people." In that icy chilly night of the desert nothing could have made the people feel more colder than the statement uttered by the king.

They trusted him! They believed him to be innocent! B-but...

"I-Is this a joke, y-your highness..?!" Someone tried to speak with a pale face. This has to be a joke otherwise everything would be for nothing.

"As such, in order to put the sordid Dance Powder incident behind us-" The king continued, as if he couldn't see the pale and horror filled faces of his own people, as if he couldn't hear them and just needed to utter what he wanted to.

"Y-Your highness! P-Plea-"

"-the port of Nanohana shall be destroyed." The king finished with a straight face, not showing any pity or anger, just pure malicious intent hidden behind it.

The shocked civilians were consumed by fear at those words. They couldn't believe what they were hearing, wishing it all to be a joke but when the soldiers started attacking them, it all felt real, compelling them to run, to save their and their children's lives.

"BURN DOWN THIS CITY, WHICH STANDS ONLY AS A REMINDER OF CORRUPT INJUSTICE!"

"Yes, sir!" The soldiers responded to the orders of their king, going after the innocent civilians, using their weapons and their bodies, trampling with men, women and children alike, without an ounce of mercy. Sounds of hurried footsteps, shrieks of horror, cries of pain, tears of sheer agony and misery resounded throughout the city, conveying the massacre which the town was undergoing.

"You scumbag of the King! It's all thanks to you, that my town's all dried up!" The same kid who had once upon a time tried to enter the rebel army, who went to Kouzha to get in and then ran off, was standing bravely before the corrupt king with a hammer in his hands. The kid- Kappa- was done with everything, if the rebel army won't let him fight with them, then he was going to fight with the king on his own. "It's because of you-" The kid shouted out with a war cry as he ran to the king to fight him, but unluckily a kick flung him away from the king, which was from none other than the mighty ruler of the island himself.

The people who were utterly confused at first and later shocked, could only watch in pure horror, the cruelty of the king whom they trusted. Some were not even able to trust their own eyes, rubbing them furiously, wanting whatever they were seeing to be a lie. They had trusted the king. They knew he wasn't like that. He was-

The icy cold hearted look which the king threw at the people, as if he was looking at a pile of disposable garbage, had everyone shut their mouths and focus on escaping with their lives intact from the royal guards and the scorching flames which were hellbent on taking everyone's lives.

"I'LL KILL YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID TO MY TOWNSPEOPLE!" Kappa got up angrily, despite his aching wounds. His body trembled with anger as he tried to rush towards the king once again, only for a girl- whom he had never seen before- stop him with her tight grip. The anger on her face was evident. Kappa was confused why no one was taking a stand! Why were the people running when they could arm themselves and fight back against the injustice which the king was doing on them?! Did the people need more evidence to know who had been all along behind every calamity in Alabasta?! Or-

The sounds of trotting of a horse, which Kappa was well aware, had him turning towards the man who arrived in Nanohana with panting breaths and slightly disheveled look. It was as if the man had come in a hurry.

"Leader!" Kappa called out, with tears in his eyes, to the man who stepped down from the horse, making the man look at him once before directing his anger at the king.

The man was none other than the leader of the rebel army, Kouza, who had rushed from Katorea to Nanohana upon hearing the presence of the king in the port town. He had wished from all his heart- when he was coming to the town- that the news was fake but witnessing the carnage and the presence of the mighty king, he had to grit his teeth and face the enemy, but his heart and soul felt betrayed at that moment.

"Just what the hell are you doing?!" Kouza shouted out with disbelief clear in his eyes as he glared at the king, who stood in the midst of countless shrieks and yells of mercy and pleas, without a bit of guilt on his face. Were the shrieks of fear, the intense heat from the burning houses, the crying kids and women, nothing to him?!

"I have come to apologize." The king answered with a slight smirk on his face, when it should have been regret or some other fucking emotion!

"SHUT YOUR DAMN MOUTH! THIS IS AN INSULT!" Kouza shrieked at the top of his voice at the sheer audacity of the king. He didn't like where the king was going with his words. If this continues, then no one could stop the war which will engulf Alabasta. The sheer anger of the civilians, the innocent trust, and the grief would be too much to stop!

"The man responsible for using the dance powder and causing the current drought, was me." The king spoke with a straight face and a pinky to his ear. He was acting as if everything happening in the town was just a nuisance to him.

"I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP! YOU SON OF A BI-" Kouzha yelled out loud, launching towards the king only to be stopped by the soldiers' spears, which didn't allow him to even touch the king. Kouza knew he wasn't strong but damn if he wasn't going to shout and knock some sense into the old geezer, who had completely lost his mind. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA AT ALL HOW THE PEOPLE OF THE DRIED UP TOWNS FELT AS THEY DIED?! THEY WEREN'T ANGRY NOR DID THEY RESENT YOU! THEY ALL DIED BELIEVING IN YOU TO THE VERY END!"

The feelings of the people and of the country laid bare before the king through Kouza and yet the king didn't seem to be moved at all. At first, when the drought started and not a single drop of rain fell, Kouza had doubted the king's act, thinking it was his scheme but his father had always been persistent that the king could never do such acts of villainy. Hell, even the people of Katorea and Nanohana, up to an hour before, never thought of the king as the one who betrayed them all!

"'It's not the king's fault.', 'The king is a wonderful man.'" Kouzha repeated the words of all the people who had their unwavering trust in the king, hoping that this would make the king take his words back, hoping that the king didn't mean what he said... but he knew it was late. The king had done it. He had destroyed it all! "EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO LIE, EVEN IF YOU DON'T INSIST YOU ARE INNOCENT... IT WOULD BE ALL FINE, BUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING RIGHT NOW IS DEFILING THE MEMORY OF ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO DIED BELIEVING IN YOU!"

BANG!

The king, having enough of Kouza's shouting, just waved his hands to one of the guards, who promptly shot Kouza, missing his heart by mere inches and making the rebel army leader fall to the ground and his comrades who were near him to rush towards their leader to catch him.

"Weeeeelp! I'd call that a wrap." The king nonchalantly spoke with a weird expression on his face, making a revolutionary army agent, who was working under the guidelines of Kuma who was busy stopping a large pirate ship which was about to crash on the port city, note that something unusual was going behind the scenes. The rev didn't know a lot about the king, but from what info the revolutionary army had gathered about the island, it wasn't matching. He needed to hurry up and get to the king to catch him up or Kuma to inform what's going on. But both seemed impossible as catching the king in the middle of the square meant garnering attention which he was strictly prohibited to and getting to Kuma while he was busy was also not possible right now.

"The entire country... even us rebels... we have all wanted nothing more than to hear you say that you're innocent... that's what we've been fighting for all along!" Kouza cried out in pain and agony at the king's behavior. Everything was over.

...Well Kouza thought that out too early.

"WATCH OUT! A HUGE SHIP IS ABOUT TO CRASH!" Someone shouted, making Kouza look at the towering ship with wide eyes. But something was amiss there. The ship wasn't moving from its spot, it looked like someone had successfully stopped the ship from having a crash landing.

"What's going on..?" The king, who had all the while being Mr. 2 spoke, turned towards the ship which was supposed to demolish the entire port city but it looked as if the ship was being pulled back towards the ocean. "Guys..?" Mr. 2 uttered with a nervous gulp after not getting any answer from his friends, who were disguised as guards. Mr, 2's heartbeat quickened as he looked around himself urgently, finding none of his friends. They were missing. 'Is it C-Cyra..?!'

Mr. 2 was almost hyperventilating until he caught sight of Mr. 1 and Miss Doublefinger, who were steadily making their way towards him, with clear panic in their faces. Hell, even Mr. 1 who was always blank faced, had beads of sweat rolling down from his temples in panic on this chilly night. Mr. 2 wouldn't say he was doing any better though. A part of him was already regretting taking the mission for the first time.

"Had they r-really come?" Mr. 2 gulped, trying to keep his voice steady but failing to do so. His eyes were wide with fear as he hurriedly changed from the uncomfortable uniform to this okama costume to gain some confidence. He was feeling terrified as he rushed towards the other frontier agents, not wanting to hear that the 3C's were truly here.

"We need to hurry." Miss Doublefinger spoke urgently, turning her neck back repeatedly to check if the person who had pulled their ship back to the ocean was following them or not. She and Mr. 1 hadn't been able to see the one had pulled off the feat of stopping the ship as they were too busy escaping with their lives intact. But they knew one thing for sure that it had to be someone way too powerful and out of their league... which meant that it could be one of the 3C's.

"I-I can't believe it." Mr. 1 stuttered for the first time, feeling a shiver go through his spine at the mere power which he had witnessed first hand. When he was escaping the ship he could feel a glare on his back as if someone had already found them but let them go to be hunted later. Mr. 1 didn't know what calamity he had called for himself but he wasn't going to regret wanting to follow Crocodile. He silently held on the P.P.P. materials which the boss had given to him personally. He just hoped that the advertisements of the company wasn't a fluke and was enough to protect himself.

"What..? The king transformed into a weird crossdresser..?" The kid, Kappa, who witnessed the entire event voiced out but regretted the next second when the eyes of Mr. 1, Miss Double finger and Mr. 2 landed on him steadily, flickering from fear to shock to anger. Kappa tried to run towards Kouzha or someone to tell them what was happening, but it was too late as a slash hit him, making him fall on the ground, and bleed out.

Kappa tried to move or do something as the imposter and his friends walked away from him and the city. He tried to voice out anything possible but his body disobeyed him. He wanted to stop those cruel people who broke the people's trust and blamed their king but he couldn't do anything... until finally some men stumbled upon him by accident. He wanted to tell them what was truly happening but their voices were getting distant and their faces were getting blurry. He couldn't see or hear anything clearly, until the voice of the one who chased him away from the Rebel Army, approached his ears.

"It's time to put an end to this country!"

Kappa wanted to tell the truth, he wanted to tell the leader what's really going on, but black dots swam in his vision and he finally collapsed in the leader's arms.

"Contact all detachments and tell them to prepare for the final battle.." Kouza spoke, picking up the kid with his uninjured arm and walking towards the place where people made a little medical camp. He didn't recognize the men who were working but all he could do was be grateful and thankful to them when they treated his and the kid's wounds with practiced ease.

"But Kouzha! We don't have enough weapons!" One of Kouzha's subordinates pointed out worriedly, which strangely relaxed the men who were treating others' injuries. The men were none other than the revs in disguise who knew that if the rebel army and the royal army clashed then only the seas or the gods could stop the country from falling in the hands of Crocodile.

"Not quite. The huge ship which is now docked on to port is stocked full of weapons and ammo." One of the men in the rebel army pointed out, hiding a sinister look on his face.

"It's like a sign from the heavens itself." Kouza spoke, as he stood up on his legs, not noticing the glances which the 'doctors' were exchanging among each other.

"There is a huge misunderstanding here." A calm yet heavy voice spoke, announcing their presence to the rebel army and its leader, who instantly turned back to find a towering figure standing just behind him with a face he had never seen around. Needless to say, Kouza was instantly on alert.

"Who are you?!" Kouza asked, taking a step back, and getting surrounded by his own men to form a protective circle.

"I am just a mere passerby who happened to see what's really happening in this country." Kuma replied with a calm voice. He wasn't going to say that he was a high-ranking revolutionary army member when he could clearly see the Baroque Work subordinates in the rebel army, who could inform Crocodile about their presence. The warlord knowing about the presence of the 3C's in the country was more than enough. He didn't need to know about their presence now.

"What do you mean?!" Kouza asked angrily to the man while still on his guard. The man's whole look and demeanor was making his body feel on edge. It almost felt as if he was standing before someone way too powerful than him. But that wasn't enough to make Kouza not feel angry at what the man spoke. Anyone can see what's truly going on with the country. The king has gone insane and committed his wrongdoings and now the war is up on the country. He had done that to himself.

"Leader, let's not waste our time. We need to hurry." Someone from the rebel army tried to persuade Kouza, not wanting to delve into whatever the big, scary man wished to say.

"It's not the king's fault. He has been framed by none other than the country's false hero- the warlord Crocodile." Kuma seriously informed Kouza, not wanting the man to do what he was intending to. The changes will be irreversible if the war truly breaks down. But as long as he is in this country, he won't let the innocent country fall into the hands of Crocodile.

"W-What the?!" Kouza blurted out with wide eyes, before his eyes reflected rage. He couldn't believe how low the king was willing to fall after his fucking act! Not only did he confess his acts and burnt the city, but now he is using people to put all the blame on the country's hero- Crocodile?!

"Don't tell me you are going to believe in that stupid crap!" One of the men in the rebel army asked with wide eyes to Kouza, who instantly shook his head.

"Leave. I have no business with the likes of you." Kouza spoke disdainfully before bolting out of the place with his men to the base. He would have wished to hear the man's words but everyone in the town witnessed the king's deeds with their own eyes.

Meanwhile, Kuma sighed as he let the man depart with his subordinates. He would have loved to contain the man here itself but seeing the man's thought line, he was clear that it would not be wise to do so.

"What are we going to do now, Kuma-san?" One of the revs asked Kuma with worry evident in their hardened eyes, as they saw Kouza commanding his own men to gather weapons from the ship and head towards Katorea. If Kuma guessed it correctly, then the rebel army would leave in half an hour to proceed towards the capital and would evidently reach Alubarna by morning.

"Plan A has failed." Kuma spoke. He knew it would happen but still felt bad. But well, the situation did help him notice something and it was only confirmed when three revs came running to him with the royal guards stripped off their uniform. They had one thing in common and that was the tattoo on their arms.

"The symbol. It's Baroque Works." Kuma speculated, watching the reaction of the conscious men, who instantly flinched and tried getting away but to no avail. "The same symbol was on the arms of some of the rebel army. It's safe to assume that the rebel army also has been infiltrated by the Baroque Works." Kuma mused out loud. He was barely speculating things, which were getting checked by the reaction of the tied agents before him.

"What are your orders, Kuma-san?" One of the revs asked, with a knowing smile on their face.

Kuma would have personally liked to do something which would render the rebel army to even approach the capital but he had given his words to Luffy to not interfere with this fight too much as 'Crocy' was his to fight. And seas, would he ever go against his Kami? No. Kuma would never. So, that left only one option for the revs- otherwise they would be just sitting ducks.

"Infiltrate the rebel army and vanquish the Baroque Work agents from there before they reach the capital."

.

"That's ridiculous!" Chaka shouted out with disbelief evident in his voice, at the mere information which he got from one of the guards. "There's not a chance the king would do such a thing! That report must be a mistake!"

"But the king's been reported missing for exactly the same amount of time." The royal guard argued back with all his strength.

"No! I don't believe in this! It's all a lie!" Chaka retorted back. He had seen the king just two hours back, so it must mean that the king cannot reach Nanohana from Alubarna in just two hours! It takes 8 hours for even a carriage driven by camels to reach Nanohana from here. Moreover, they had finally found the true enemy of the kingdom, so why! Why would the king be missing right now and a fake king- because he refused to acknowledge anything else- would do something like that in Nanohana.

"Not only that but the news of the incident at Nanohana has already spread throughout the kingdom like a wildfire at this ungodly hour."

"Even the rebels have grown more out of control as they voice their outrage and head towards the capital right now."

"Many citizens who've believed in the king until now have turned their backs on King Cobra and raised arms!"

"The flames of rebellion show no signs of stopping. We don't have the numbers to suppress all the revolts."

"Please, sir! You must give the order to mobilize the army. We shall gladly follow your every order."

Chaka felt overwhelmed with all the absurd turn of events which he was being informed by the royal guards. He was confused on what to do in this situation or whom to even believe. 'What am I even thinking?!' Chaka berated himself mentally. It was neither time to fall in confusion nor time to not trust on the king. He had seen the king enough to know that it isn't the king's fault. Therefore...

"If it's come to this, then so be it." Chaka steeled his nerves. "We are Alabasta's Royal Guards. We cannot allow the kingdom to fall just because the king is absent. We shall defend the truth we see with our own eyes. We shall defend this kingdom." Chaka spoke, unsheathing his blade and raising it for the guards to see. They were declaring a war, a war against anyone who didn't believe the king or the ones who were heading towards the capital wanting to seek revenge. "ALL THE TROOPS WILL HEREBY MOVE OUT AND ENGAGE THE REBEL ARMY!"

.

Under the endless stretch of the night sky, twinkling with stars and moon, Sabo sat alone, leaning on a stone, as he watched the celestial bodies in the sky. The others had already succumbed to sleep but he was unable to, especially after knowing the gravity of the situation which the kingdom was in. He hated not knowing what Crocodile was planning but whatever it was, it was nothing good. Moreover, considering the fact that the plan had been moved early and he didn't know how early- it was already making him uneasy. What were Crocodile's plans even? What would he be doing to the civilians? Was it related to the rebel army?

There were endless questions like those, which were revolving in his head, making him wonder about what can be happening right now. He absent mindedly picked up the snail which he had kept out, wanting to contact Kuma to see if everything was alright till now. And as if on cue, his denden mushi snail began to ring, making him instantly pick up the call, not wanting to disturb others who were sleeping.

"..." Sabo waited for the other side to start speaking, not sure if it was truly who he was thinking or someone else.

"It's started." The familiar voice of Kuma spoke, carrying a hint of urgency in it.

"What happened, Kuma-san?" Sabo spoke while getting up from the place where he was sitting, prompting Kuma to explain everything which had happened in the port city of Nanohana. Kuma didn't leave a single thing which happened- including the fake king, the burning town and the crashing of the ship. The revs hadn't known much of the plans as Crocodile had informed his agents with the help of papers.

"How long do we have?" Sabo asked, though he already knew the answer. Sabo had encountered several situations like this and perhaps worse, but never had he felt his heart sinking at the events which had just begun. He glanced at the sleeping figure of Vivi, who would surely cry at the news. He looked at Luffy, who was peacefully sleeping, knowing very well that the moment he gets to know what's happening, he will rage against Crocodile for doing everything he had done. Hell, he was sure that he and Ace would also never forgive the Baroque Works and Crocodile for his deeds.

"The war has started. The rebel army is agitated. You need to move swiftly." Kuma advised, with a sad smile on his face. "I have faith in the decision you will make, Chief of Staff."

With that the call finally ended, leaving Sabo motionless for a moment, feeling the weight of responsibility crash land onto his shoulders. They have 8 hours at most before the rebel army evidently reaches Alubarna. Looking at the sleeping figures of everyone, he knew that moving ahead was the only thing they could do but with their exhausted bodies, the crew and their animal companions, who had trudged through the desert all day carrying several of them, it would be a march towards their doom.

Sabo glanced at Luffy who was curled around Bonney and Ace for warmth, before walking towards the teen and gently shaking him.

"Hey Lu." Sabo whispered, trying to get the teen awake but it was taking too much time. He would have spoken the magic words but knowing Bonney and Ace, they would wake up too. That's why, he picked up the teen from the place between his siblings and brought him to where he was leaning before. "Lu, please get up." Sabo spoke once more, bringing a jerky to his sleeping baby brother's nose and finally getting Luffy up.

"'ood." Luffy slurred, making grabby hands towards the jerky.

A smile brushed Sabo's lips, seeing the dropping eyes of Luffy look intently at the jerky, before his mouth gobbled it whole.

"Lu, how long do we need to get to the Rainbase?" Sabo questioned the teen gently, making Luffy's eyes blink repeatedly before fluttering open.

"Haf n hour." Luffy spoke in his slurry voice, before getting up and curling against Sabo.

"And from Rainbase to Alubarna?" Sabo questioned as he pulled up a blanket to cover Luffy from the chilly winds which were rampaging in the desert at the nightly hour.

Luffy looked at Sabo with a small frown. His half awake mind was waking up, wanting to know why Sabo was asking such questions until he felt the emotions coming from Sabo. Urgency, confusion and determination. Something was up and it was more clear when the winds whom he asked about the time needed to reach Rainbase to Alubarna, informed him of what occurred in the port city of Nanohana.

"Usually it takes 8 hours but if it's urgent then I can do it in an hour myself." Luffy informed Sabo with furrowed eyebrows. Luffy wanted to know how the port got destroyed by those measly agents but knowing that Kuma was there, he was assured that the innocent civilians would be okay. But he for sure would make Crocy regret whatever he had done.

"What about with everyone here?" Sabo questioned Luffy, seeing a vein throb in his forehead out of anger. That was enough to make Sabo realize that Luffy knew what was happening.

"Three hours." Luffy answered decisively and took a look at the others who were still sleeping. Everyone was dead tired and moving right now would not be good for the fight which everyone will be fighting themselves. Luffy would have fought their fights but knowing the harsh reality of the world, he would never hamper the growth of his friends. He had already fought off most of the Baroque Works agents before even reaching the island but now he couldn't keep doing that for them.

"Aright, get some rest." Sabo instructed softly, processing the information quickly in his mind. "We'll leave early, so sleep now."

"Sabo should also sleep." Luffy spoke between yawns, as his eyes started dropping once again and his head landed on Sabo's shoulder.

"I will." Sabo ruffled Luffy's hair, before taking a last look at the sky and closing his eyes. 'We'll make it. The country won't fall.'