Hearing this, Luffy and the others lit up with joy. But then Luffy suddenly remembered something and blurted out, "Wait, Kai! Crocodile's ready to fight us! If you don't jump in, we're going to have to take him down ourselves!"
Kai shrugged nonchalantly. "I had no plans to get involved," he said, raising his hands in surrender.
Even though this Crocodile was stronger than the one they originally fought, he still didn't hold Kai's interest. After his clash with Aokiji, battling Crocodile felt underwhelming.
Besides, Luffy and the others had grown much stronger—especially Luffy, who had now tapped into Haki. That talent had even surprised Kai. Despite Crocodile's improvements, Luffy and the crew had a good chance of winning.
In fact, at that very moment, Crocodile's injuries were far worse than Luffy's.
However, this casual conversation between Kai and Luffy enraged Crocodile on the other side.
They're treating me like a mere stepping stone? Crocodile thought, glaring furiously at Kai.
"So, you must be the infamous Kai. How dare you spout nonsense here?"
Crocodile's voice dripped with venom as he sneered, "Since Aokiji didn't take care of you, I'll finish the job today! All of you will die here!"
With that, Crocodile slammed his hand into the ground, shouting, "Erosion of Rebirth!"
Instantly, the ground dried up, and the surrounding buildings crumbled into sand.
Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji wasted no time, rushing toward Crocodile without hesitation.
"Kai!" a voice called from behind.
Kai turned to see Nami and a few others running toward him, excitement in their eyes.
"Hey! Long time no see!" Kai greeted with a smile, but what happened next took him by surprise.
Nami threw herself into his arms, clinging to him tightly like a lost child finding its parent.
(⊙o⊙)...
Kai froze, his arms awkwardly raised in the air. He had no idea where to put his hands.
After a moment of hesitation, he gently placed a hand on Nami's back. Then, he felt something wet against his chest. Looking down, he saw Nami's tears streaming down.
Kai panicked. "Nami! What's wrong?"
"I... I thought you were captured!" Nami sobbed.
Though she always believed in Kai's strength, facing a Marine Admiral had terrified her. No matter what Kai had said before, the fear never left her.
Understanding her worry, Kai chuckled softly and patted her shoulder. "It's okay, Nami! No Marine could ever capture me! And besides, how could I leave you behind?"
"But... Crocodile said..." Nami began hesitating again.
Kai flicked her forehead lightly. "You believe what Crocodile says? He's the king of lies! He tricked all of Alabasta—why trust him?"
Nami groaned at the flick and buried her head deeper in Kai's chest, murmuring, "I know."
Watching this scene from the sidelines, Usopp crossed his arms and nudged Chopper.
"Hey, Chopper, little animals shouldn't be watching this kind of stuff, you know?"
Chopper tilted his head in confusion. "Huh?"
???
...
Meanwhile, the fight between Luffy and the others and Crocodile was nearing its climax.
The four clashed fiercely, blood spilling like rain from their countless attacks. Zoro's precise swordplay, Sanji's swift kicks, and Luffy's devastating rubber assaults wore down Crocodile.
Finally, Zoro unleashed his Lion's Song, silencing Crocodile's defense, while Sanji's kicks controlled his movements. Luffy then followed with a barrage of punches from his Gomu Gomu no Storm, sending Crocodile flying hundreds of meters into the air.
Crocodile spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes glazing over as he fell, crashing hard to the ground.
Crocodile was defeated!
As the dust settled and Crocodile remained motionless, Luffy and his crew collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. Luffy grinned triumphantly and shouted, "We won!"
His declaration rippled through the battlefield. Vivi, overcome with emotion, hugged her father, King Cobra, and cried, "We did it! We won!"
The soldiers, too, stood stunned. Moments ago, they were ready to die, but the battle had ended so swiftly. It was like they hadn't even had time to fight.
At that moment, Chaka, holding the limp form of Pell, broke into tears. "Pell, we won! I hope your spirit is at peace!"
"Pell!" Chaka wailed, but a voice from behind interrupted him.
"Why are you crying? He's not dead yet!" Kai said, stepping forward.
Kai glanced down at Pell. "He just got drained. You've seen Luffy survive worse"
"What?! Pell's still alive?" Chaka looked at Kai, startled.
"Yeah, just pour some water on him. He'll recover. Same goes for the other soldiers who were drained."
Chaka wasted no time in rushing to get water.
Kai turned to Cobra and Koza, addressing them, "Crocodile might be defeated, but this war isn't over yet. You need to get your people together and explain the truth. End this fight!"
"Understood!" Cobra and Koza nodded and quickly moved toward the palace square, with Kai following closely behind.
Though Crocodile had been taken down, many of the Baroque Works agents were still active. The big fish were out of the way, but the small fry would need handling.
When they reached the square, Cobra was heartbroken by the sight of his fallen soldiers. With a heavy heart, he raised a loudspeaker and shouted, "STOP!"
His booming voice cut through the chaos, halting the fighting instantly.
Cobra then revealed everything Crocodile had done—the manipulation, the lies, and his true agenda. Koza confirmed his words, causing shock and confusion among the rebels.
They had been fighting for so long, but it turned out they were just pawns in someone else's game. Their rebellion wasn't a cause; it was a conspiracy.
But Cobra didn't focus on punishing them. He announced the end of the war, offering forgiveness.
Upon hearing this, the rebels dropped their weapons. A soft rain began to fall, washing away the tension and grief. The rebels hugged each other and wept, their emotions finally overflowing.
Cobra and Koza smiled, relieved.
However, at that moment, a cold light flashed. Hundreds of sword-wielding assassins emerged from the crowd, rushing toward Cobra. Among them were soldiers from both the royal and rebel armies, but they all bore the mark of Baroque Works.
"Kill the king! Then we'll move to the next phase!"
As they closed in, Cobra's face darkened, and the soldiers readied themselves.
Just as they were about to strike, Kai calmly stepped forward...
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Power Stones would be appreciated if you liked the story.