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"Luffy, what's wrong with you?"
Zoro and the rest of the crew, who had arrived at Rainbase early to wait for Luffy, finally saw him. But the usually energetic Luffy now looked like a wilted plant, utterly defeated.
"Grandpa... Grandpa was beaten by that guy too!"
"You ran into him again?"
Luffy didn't need to explain who "that guy" was. Just mentioning him, combined with Luffy's current state, was enough for Zoro and Sanji to figure it out.
"Why is he like a dark cloud, always hanging over us?"
Sanji was visibly frustrated, but deep down, he knew Allen's strength was on a completely different level. Even Hawkeye Mihawk couldn't gain the upper hand against him. What chance did a bunch of rookie pirates have?
The man could probably wipe them out with a single hand!
"Luffy!"
Zoro called out several times, but Luffy didn't respond. With a grim expression, Zoro stepped forward, unsheathing the Wado Ichimonji in one swift motion and pressing the blade against Luffy's neck.
"I said I want to be the world's greatest swordsman. You dragged me into becoming a pirate. So now, are you giving up on becoming the Pirate King? If so, then commit seppuku right here and apologize!"
"Hey, what are you doing? This is Luffy!"
"Zoro, put the sword down!"
Sanji and Usopp rushed to stop Zoro, but he ignored them, his eyes locked on Luffy.
"I... I'm not giving up! I'll beat him someday and become the Pirate King!"
Luffy stiffened his neck, glaring stubbornly at Zoro. The swordsman let out a sigh of relief and sheathed his blade with a flick of his wrist.
Zoro knew Luffy better than anyone. If he could say something like that, it meant Allen's blow hadn't crushed his spirit. Still, Zoro couldn't help but wonder what had happened to leave Luffy, usually so carefree, in such a state.
"Straw Hat Luffy! I finally found you!"
A roar echoed through the streets as Smoker, Tashigi, and a group of Marines appeared at the intersection, their eyes blazing with determination.
"It's Smoker! Let's go! Meet up over there!"
Seeing Smoker and the Marines, Luffy's eyes widened, and he took off running.
"Damn it, why does it always have to be him? I can't do anything against that guy!"
Zoro initially drew his sword, ready to hold off the Marines for a few minutes, but the sight of Tashigi made him abandon the idea. He quickly followed Luffy, fleeing the scene.
"Why are we running, Vivi? Aren't you a princess? Shouldn't the Marines be on your side?"
The speaker was a red-haired female pirate. It seemed that even without Nami, the Straw Hat Pirates had found themselves a navigator.
"No, I can't trust the Marines. They're in league with the Seven Warlords!"
Vivi shook her head as she ran.
As the princess of Alabasta, it was ironic that she was now being chased by the Marines in her own country.
"Luffy, the biggest building over there is where Crocodile is! Let's meet up there!"
Being a local, Vivi knew the terrain better than anyone. While Luffy and Zoro relied on their strength, Vivi used her knowledge of the area to lead the navigator and Chopper, successfully losing the Marines tailing them.
Now with a clear goal, Luffy didn't hesitate. Stretching out his arms, he grabbed onto nearby buildings and launched himself like a slingshot toward the crocodile-shaped building.
"Crocodile! We're here! Give this country back to Vivi!"
With a loud shout, Luffy pressed down on his straw hat and crashed through the doors of the Rain Dinners casino, landing in the middle of the hall. The sunlight streamed in from behind, casting a shadow of a straw-hatted figure over the room.
Crocodile, who had just emerged from the basement, stared at Luffy standing in his territory, his face contorted with rage.
"Damn it, you've got some nerve! Every stray dog thinks they can waltz in here and cause trouble!"
"Huh? You're Crocodile? You look... kind of rough!"
At this point, Crocodile was far from the imposing figure he'd been when Luffy first met him in the original timeline. Lucky to have survived Allen's punch, he was now wrapped in bandages, his once-imposing demeanor reduced to a shadow of its former self.
He'd even stashed all his cigars in his office because lighting one would send him into a coughing fit.
"Shut up! Straw Hat Luffy, since you're here, you're not leaving! Sand Storm!"
A small desert tornado shot out from Crocodile's hand, heading straight for Luffy.
"Straw Hat Luffy, die! White Fist!"
Another roar came from behind Luffy.
"Smoker!"
Luffy's face changed. He grabbed the ceiling of the Rain Dinners with both hands and swung himself upward.
Below him, the sand tornado and Smoker's smoke fist collided, sending sand and smoke flying in all directions.
The smoke coalesced into Smoker's body, and he glared at Crocodile with clear dissatisfaction.
"Crocodile, are you attacking the Marines now?"
"Smoker, you really are like a wild dog, always sniffing around where you don't belong!"
Crocodile's face twisted with rage as he glared at Smoker.
Who could understand his frustration?
He was supposed to be the mastermind, using his intelligence and cunning to manipulate everyone, eventually taking over the country without lifting a finger.
But then, out of nowhere, he'd been nearly killed by a single punch—literally!
And now, Straw Hat Luffy had the audacity to challenge him, followed by this Marine showing up.
The sheer injustice of it all made Crocodile's blood boil as he glared at Smoker.
"Since you're here, you're not leaving. As for you, Marine, I'll make your death look like an accident. After all, I'm a Warlord. Killing you won't be a problem!"
"You're asking for it!"
Thick smoke billowed around Smoker, enveloping Crocodile. But Crocodile wasn't about to back down. Even injured, his Sand-Sand Fruit gave him the upper hand in Alabasta, his home turf. The desert outside Rainbase was his greatest weapon.
"Crocodile!"
"Don't disturb the boss!"
Luffy was about to jump into the fray when a flash of cold steel forced him to leap back. A tear appeared in his coat as Mr. 1 stepped forward, his arms transforming into sharp blades.
Just as the tension reached its peak, the sound of something heavy hitting the ground echoed through the room. A woman with an afro and an oddly proportioned body was thrown to the floor.
Mr. 1's eyes narrowed, a flicker of murderous intent crossing his face.
"Miss Doublefinger! Who did this to you?"
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