When Koza led Vivi up to the platform in front of the massive rebel camp, the entire crowd fell silent.
What happened next pushed their emotions to the peak.
Koza grabbed a megaphone Den Den Mushi and began addressing the rebels.
"Listen up, everyone! Princess Vivi has been standing with us, the rebel army, from the very beginning. It's because of her that we were able to get weapons and secure reliable water sources when we needed them most."
Many rebels looked confused, exchanging glances.
"You're all wondering what that whole scene was about earlier, right? The reason we staged that little performance was to flush out the traitors among us! That man we exposed, he's a spy for the corrupt nobles! They've known all along that Princess Vivi was hiding among the rebels, and now they've shown their hand!"
He rolled up Mr. 10's sleeve, revealing the tattoo to the crowd. Even from a distance, the symbol was clearly visible.
"This mark is proof of their organization, it's the symbol of the kingdom's corrupt nobility! I guarantee many of you have people around you who've been bought off by them, or seduced by their false promises of an ideal nation."
"If their utopia really existed, why do they hide in the shadows? Why don't they fight openly? Because they're nothing but servants of the lords and nobles! They're liars hiding behind this so-called 'Operation Utopia'!"
The crowd was getting restless now, people turning to look at their neighbors with suspicion, checking for tattoos, remembering suspicious conversations.
"Her Highness has known about their schemes for a long time! She foresaw that their version of the future would only lead to even greater darkness!"
Koza stepped back and gestured to Vivi, who moved forward to take the megaphone.
"I hereby formally announce that I am joining the rebel army and renouncing my claim to the throne of Arabasta!"
But she wasn't finished.
"The rotten kingdom must fall! A new order will be born! Let the noble class vanish forever! The future belongs to equality, the future belongs to the people!"
It was only a few sentences, but they hit the rebel army like a thunderbolt.
Wait... what?
So they weren't just a ragtag bunch of desperate country folk?
They weren't just poor wretches huddling together to survive?
They were fighting to overthrow a corrupt regime?
A future where everyone was equal!
A future that belonged to the people!
Those words ignited something in every heart present. The fire of true revolution began to burn. The crowd erupted.
"Equality for all! The future belongs to the people!" someone shouted from the crowd.
Others picked up the chant. "Equality for all! The future belongs to the people!"
The rebels, whose resolve had been wavering just hours before, suddenly found their backbone. They weren't fighting just to survive anymore, they were fighting for something bigger.
They were fighting for the people!
But scattered throughout the crowd, the Baroque Works agents were completely bewildered.
What the hell? They'd been the ones providing food and weapons, building trust and loyalty among the rebels. Now all that credit was gone, and somehow they'd become the corrupt nobility?
This was a disaster. They'd just been branded as royalist spies.
But the chanting was growing louder, spreading like wildfire through the camp. How could they possibly fight against this?
That's when things got really ugly.
People who'd been approached by Baroque Works agents but remained hesitant started pointing fingers and shouting accusations.
"He's got that tattoo on his arm! He's one of the nobles!"
"I'm not! I don't have any tattoo! You're lying!" The accused man immediately went into full denial mode.
But someone had already appeared beside him, a figure with a long knife who slashed open his sleeve before he could protest further.
The tattoo was revealed for everyone to see.
"Still claiming you're innocent? We caught ourselves a noble spy!"
"No! Hassan! You've known me since I was a kid! You watched me grow up! You know who I really am!"
But the man called Hassan put on a mask of fury. "So that's why you've been so cheerful these past few days! You've been corrupted by the nobles! Damn you! Damn you! DAMN YOU! Have you forgotten how your parents died?!"
"I haven't been corrupted! I swear! I was fighting for the utopia, for a better world!"
"Bullshit! We're fighting for the people! That's the only utopia we need!" Hassan raised his blade toward the man. "Your so-called utopia was just a plan to become the new nobles! You're not fit to be my nephew!"
The scene was playing out all across the camp. People with Baroque Works tattoos were going pale. For years, they'd been the ones stirring up rumors and framing others. Now they were the ones being framed, and they couldn't come up with the right words to defend themselves.
The revolutionary fervor was intoxicating, and it was spreading faster than anyone could control.
---
At the water bar on the edge of the camp, Miss Tuesday's face looked like a certain famous painting by Edvard Munch. Her hands shook as she ducked behind the counter and pulled out a Den Den Mushi.
She had to contact the boss. This was spiraling out of control.
Purururu. Purururu.
Gacha.
The call connected after a few rings.
"Mr. 0! Something's gone wrong! Princess Vivi has joined the rebels, she's preparing to overthrow her own country!"
On the other end of the line, Crocodile's voice was flat with disbelief. "Do you hear what you're saying? Princess Vivi... joining the rebels? To overthrow herself?"
Miss Tuesday sounded like she was about to cry. "It's true! They've painted our entire organization as corrupt nobles! They've turned everything around on us! Mr. 10 has already been strung up on a lamppost, and, wait! Don't come near me! I don't know these people! I don't have any tattoos! I'm not part of Baroque Works! Guys, speak up for me! You know who I really am!"
But her pleas were drowned out by accusations from the other women in the bar.
"Liar! I've seen you sneaking off to talk with that Mr. 10 plenty of times! You're a traitor to the people!"
"I'm not! I didn't! Stop slandering me!"
But it was too late. The revolutionary fire had spread everywhere, and anyone connected to Baroque Works was now marked for persecution.
---
On the other end of the line, Crocodile felt like the world had turned completely surreal. Hadn't the last report said Vivi was already dealt with? So how was she now with the rebels, declaring she'd overthrow her own father's rule?
And how had the organization he'd personally created suddenly been twisted into "corrupt nobility"?
The cigar in his mouth snapped between his teeth.
At that moment, a woman couldn't suppress a quiet laugh.
"What are you laughing at, Nico Robin?!"
Her smile faded immediately. "That name, I abandoned it long ago."
Crocodile rose to his feet.
"What are you planning to do?"
"Call Mr. 2 back immediately. We're moving to the final stage of the plan. I'm going to deal with this personally." Crocodile pulled out a special anti-surveillance Den Den Mushi.
Purururu. Purururu. Purururu.
Gacha.
The call connected, and the snail's face transformed into a plump, pockmarked visage.
"Is it time already? Do you want me to lure Cobra out of the palace?"
Crocodile did his best to hide the disgust in his expression. "The plan is accelerating. But first, you need to spread the news that Princess Vivi hasn't disappeared and is still safely in the palace."
The other voice sounded confused. "News about Vivi? Why would I do that?"
"Follow orders, Mr. 6, unless you want to lose your current position."
The face on the Den Den Mushi turned sour, but after a moment, the reply came back firm. "Understood, Mr. 0."
The call cut off.
"That fucker! If I didn't still need that fool for the final phase, I'd have disposed of him already. Nothing but women on his mind!"
---
But Crocodile wasn't the only one having a very bad night.
In Alubarna, among the kingdom's nobility, a fat man was flying into an absolute rage, smashing everything within reach that could be smashed.
"Damn that pirate! Without my help, would he be able to cause chaos in Rainbase?! Would he even have a foothold in Arabasta?!"
He lashed out with a vicious kick, slamming his foot into the head of the nearly naked woman cowering at his feet.
"Ahh!"
"Trash! You're nothing but trash! If it weren't for your looks, you'd have been dead long ago!"
The woman slowly rose to her feet, her body covered in bruises. "I... deeply apologize, my lord."
"Whore! You and your boss are both filth! Garbage from the sea!"
She was supposed to be Crocodile's gift to him, a partner, or rather, more of a plaything to keep him compliant and cooperative.
After venting his anger through violence, the noble frowned as he considered the strange new orders he'd received.
Why the sudden command to spread news that Vivi hadn't gone missing?
What exactly had happened out there in the desert?
The fat man's name was Nefertari Poisson, and he was technically royalty, but from a branch so distant they might as well have been commoners.
Back in his grandfather's day, their branch of the family had enjoyed all the privileges and perks that came with royal blood. They'd lived in luxury, owned vast estates, and commanded respect throughout Arabasta.
But ever since Cobra took the throne, their lives had gotten shittier.
The new king had slashed the nobles' land holdings and allowances. Worse yet, he'd banned them from keeping slaves, completely destroying their traditional way of life.
Their royal treatment had visibly diminished year after year. Some relatives had been stripped of their positions entirely, and certain branch families had even had their surnames revoked. Future generations would no longer be allowed to carry the Nefertari name.
It was basically stripping them of their noble status for all eternity.
That's how Poisson had ended up making contact with pirates in the first place. Desperation made strange bedfellows, and when a certain Warlord of the Sea had approached him with an interesting business proposition, he'd jumped at the chance.
That Warlord was Crocodile, and Poisson had provided all the startup funding for Baroque Works.
Now the crocodile he'd raised was acting like it owned the place.
He was furious about the situation, but there wasn't much he could do. Crocodile had grown powerful, he had strength, money, and nearly a million agents spread across the first half of the Grand Line. The bastard had become untouchable.
"Someone get in here," he barked.
An armored soldier entered silently. "What are your orders, sir?"
"Go check if Princess Vivi has returned to the palace. If not, find out if there's any news about her anywhere in the kingdom. Report back immediately."
"Yes."
But before the soldier could even leave, the Den Den Mushi in Poisson's room started ringing.
Purururu. Purururu.
He frowned at the interruption. "Who is it?"
"Bad news! Princess Vivi has joined the enemy!"
"What the fuck?!"
The voice on the other end quickly summarized what had just happened with the rebel army.
After hearing the full report, Poisson's eyes went wide. His first reaction was disbelief.
Vivi was this country's princess, destined to inherit the throne as queen. And now someone was telling him she'd defected? Defected against her own family?!
His initial thought was that this had to be false intelligence.
But then he remembered Crocodile's strange orders from earlier, and a bad feeling rose in him.
"Get the maids in here! Dress me for court, I need to get to the palace immediately!"
Several servants hurried in carrying trays of jewelry and formal attire, decking him out in expensive ornaments as if money meant nothing.
"Move faster!"
The maids silently quickened their pace, knowing better than to keep their master waiting when he was in this kind of mood.
---
Around the same time Poisson received his intelligence report, King Cobra was getting the same news.
He sat on his throne in silence, listening to his subordinate's briefing. His mind was trying to process what he was hearing.
Igaram was equally confused, blinking rapidly as if that might somehow make the words make more sense.
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Princess Vivi would never join the rebel army!" He refused to believe it.
After all, they'd spent the last two or three years trying to uncover the person behind the country's problems and prevent a war from breaking out. There was no way she would start one herself.
Cobra rubbed his temples, feeling a strange sense of unfamiliarity when thinking about his daughter. How had his once sweet, caring girl changed so much?
After a moment of reflection, he started connecting the dots.
"So she's pinning Baroque Works on the nobles? Claiming I've been manipulated and deceived by them?"
He repeated the words slowly.
His expression grew complicated, cycling through confusion, understanding, and finally resignation.
"It seems I've disappointed her greatly as a king," he said with a helpless shake of his head.
Igaram immediately protested. "Your Majesty, you're a wise ruler, everyone knows that."
"But the people don't know that. If I'm such a wise king, how did an seventy-thousand-strong rebel army appear in my kingdom?"
"This is all Crocodile's doing! He orchestrated everything!"
Cobra shook his head sadly. "Igaram, walk with me for a while."
Igaram fell silent, and after a moment, he sighed and followed his king.
They walked through the palace until they reached the garden, the place where Queen Titi had once spent her happiest hours, where she and Cobra had fallen in love.
"If Titi were still alive and could see the state of things now," Cobra mused quietly, "do you think she'd be proud... or heartbroken?"
Igaram hesitated, then shook his head. "I don't know, Your Majesty."
"You've become diplomatic in your old age. If Titi were here, she probably would have taken the royal treasury and gone to support Vivi herself."
The comment hit close to home, and Igaram remained silent. He couldn't argue because it was probably true. The queen had always been passionate about justice and protecting the people.
"I'm getting old," Cobra admitted.
Just then, Poisson arrived in a rush, his formal robes fluttering behind him.
"Your Majesty! Princess Vivi has joined the rebel army. We should send a large force to rescue her immediately, she's in grave danger!"
Cobra looked at Poisson and simply shook his head. "This is her choice."
Poisson's face reddened. "Cobra! What are you saying?! You're just going to let your daughter behave like this? She's destroying the very foundations of the royal family!"
"I respect her decision."
"This is unreasonable! UNREASONABLE!!"
"You'll regret this, Cobra!" Poisson snarled, sounding like a certain elder from a certain hidden ninja village, before storming off.
Cobra watched him leave calmly. Igaram looked puzzled. "You're just going to let him go like that?"
"When have any of his plans ever worked out?" Cobra asked with a tired smile.
Igaram blinked, then chuckled and nodded in understanding.
Soon after, a decree leaked from the palace: Princess Vivi was to be hunted down and captured.
Cobra didn't try to stop the order from spreading. He let it circulate throughout the kingdom.
The effect was devastating. Morale within the royal army began to crumble. After all, everyone knew how much the king loved his daughter. Now the army was being ordered to hunt down Vivi?
It was like asking soldiers to arrest their own beloved commander. The contradiction was too obvious to ignore.
When Crocodile learned that the royal forces were hunting Vivi, he was absolutely floored.
Who the hell had issued such a brain-dead order? It was no different from commanding soldiers to arrest their own king! Had someone completely lost their mind?
When he discovered that Poisson had given the command, his face went dark.
"Fucking moron! Complete idiot!"
You could plan around intelligent opposition, but there was nothing worse than a stupid ally making impulsive decisions. He deeply regretted ever partnering with that noble.
Now the rebels had completely transformed into the righteous army. They held the moral high ground, while the royal forces and Baroque Works would be forever associated with traitors and corrupt nobles, the exact opposite of the "ideal nation" message he had been promoting.
He could already imagine the expressions on the faces of his followers who had joined him for his ideals. Would he still be able to convince them with his rhetoric?
Crocodile felt lost and confused. He hadn't forgotten his true identity, he was a pirate. Having a pirate lead a utopian movement was already a questionable situation, but now it looked like he was serving corrupt aristocrats.
Just thinking about it gave him a headache.
He'd been carefully manipulating public opinion and stoking divisions for years, but now that strategy had become impossible to maintain. The one plan that might have salvaged the situation had been blocked by his own supposed ally.
That left him with only one option: brute force.
But if he resorted to violence, all his planning and years of effort would be wasted. His image would crumble, and everyone would see him for what he really was, just another power-hungry pirate.
"Damn it all!"
He crushed his cigar between his teeth.