The desert sun was sinking low, bleeding orange and crimson across the horizon like the world itself was ablaze. Alex lay sprawled on the sand, every muscle screaming in protest, every breath a ragged pull against the crushing weight of exhaustion.
The Spear of Adam rested nearby—its runes flickering faintly, as if mourning the brutal fight it had endured alongside its wielder.
He had survived, but just barely.
Alex pushed himself up, wincing as fresh pain lanced through his side. The torn fabric of his clothes fluttered in the warm desert breeze, stained with sweat and dried blood.
"Not my first fight, won't be my last," he muttered grimly.
But beneath the pain, a deep fire burned. The battle had been a brutal reminder: raw power alone wasn't enough. His cursed fruit was a double-edged sword, and even the legendary Spear of Adam had limits.
He cast a glance toward the fading sounds of the clash between Luffy and Crocodile.
Luffy's defiant laughter echoed faintly on the wind, a wild, unbreakable sound that reminded Alex of something ancient and hopeful.
"That kid… he's not just a pirate. He's a force the world can't ignore.
Far from the desert's dying light, in the hallowed halls of Mary Geoise, the Five Elders gathered in solemn council.
The wounded agent's report hung heavy in the air.
" Alex wields shadow manipulation unlike anything we have seen. His power resembles the Dark-Dark fruit, long thought lost."
An elder's voice was low, laced with bitter memory. "The Dark-Dark fruit was destined for the Marshall family—the very ones who betrayed the D Clan. They used its power to fracture the legacy, turning brother against brother."
Another Elder frowned. "Yet now, Alex aids the Straw Hat—the inheritor of Nika. Why would a wielder of such forbidden power side with the one who threatens the order we fought to maintain?"
The eldest spoke slowly, eyes narrowing. "Is Alex truly a threat… or a pawn? Is this alliance a sign of deeper rebellion, or a trap set by the shadows?"
A heavy silence fell as they contemplated the unfolding storm.
"We must watch closely," the eldest finally commanded. "If the Marshall family's curse is stirring again, and Alex walks with the dawn, the world's balance hangs by a thread."
Back in the desert, Alex remained unaware of the intricate webs woven in Mary Geoise.
But the shadows he stirred were awakening ancient fears.
And the final war was drawing near.