Victory was surprising enough, but looking at the wounds carved into Luffy's body, it seemed a wonder he was still breathing. Even though they were used to it, the reality hit them all over again. His toughness was simply abnormal.
Hearing this, Chopper looked up. Silk, sitting against the wall, joined the conversation.
"He said he trained in the mountains."
"Plus, his grandfather is Garp the Fist, after all."
"Garp the Fist? Who's that?"
"A bigshot in the Navy. Apparently, he's Luffy's biological grandfather."
Her revelation was shocking, but aside from those who already knew, there was little reaction from the uninitiated. Only tired sighs filled the room.
Zoro, resting his back against the wall and clutching his swords, looked around at his crewmates. He lowered his eyes and muttered quietly.
"So, it's just him left."
The air in the room shifted instantly. With the exception of Usopp and Silk, everyone fell silent, their expressions turning solemn. Confused, Usopp looked at their faces and started to ask.
"Where is Kiri—"
"He's alive. He's just held up with something," Chopper said quickly.
He didn't intend to lie, but the behavior was unlike him. Perhaps it was simply a wish—a desperate hope that it was true. His face was serious, and he refused to meet his crewmates' eyes. Sensing the weight of the situation, Usopp shut his mouth, deciding not to ask anything further. It was likely what everyone, Silk included, was thinking.
As the conversation died down, the sound of the rain became prominent. Rain in the desert. Its significance here was surely different from what they were used to.
Wrapped in silence, heads began to nod. Nami was losing her battle with drowsiness. Silk and Chopper were the same; everyone had reached their limit.
Even in that state, Sanji murmured a thought, and Usopp answered absentmindedly.
"I wonder how Vivi-chan is doing right now..."
"Oh, come on. She's celebrating with her people, obviously. Anyway... whatever..."
bodies swayed. Unable to resist any longer, they all collapsed onto the dusty floor.
"It's finally over..."
Consciousness faded, and silence reclaimed the room. Wrapped in the sound of the rain, they fell into a peaceful slumber. There was no one to disturb them; they were finally released from the battle.
A long time passed. The rain continued to pour over the Alabasta Kingdom, as if washing away everything that had transpired.
For a while, the surroundings remained quiet. But eventually, the sound of hurried footsteps approached, discovering the sleeping crew. The newcomers peeked into the house cautiously, but there was no sign of anyone waking up.
The Marines gathered in front of the house, checking their weapons with urgency.
"Visual confirmed! It's the Straw Hat Crew!"
"Alright! We storm in on my signal!"
Just as the unit—numbering perhaps dozens, or even over a hundred—prepared to breach, a voice cut in.
"Could you wait a moment?"
A single man walked toward them. He was filthy, his body battered and broken. His appearance was terrible, yet his footsteps were surprisingly steady. Despite injuries that should have made walking impossible, he moved forward in a straight line, swaying only slightly.
Kiri stopped at a distance from the Marines, glaring at them with a grim expression.
"Everyone is exhausted. I want you to let them rest a while longer."
"You are... the Paper User!"
"If you intend to do this..."
He stopped speaking.
Immediately, a bizarre change began to envelope the Marines.
Thump. The very atmosphere seemed to shake.
Suddenly, Marines began to collapse one after another, throwing the unit into instant chaos. The man at the front gritted his teeth, confused, but it didn't end there.
The commanding officer heard a dry, rustling sound—kasa kasa. It felt close. He glanced at his left shoulder and saw a small spider sitting there. It was pure white. A spider made of paper, only a few centimeters wide, walking across his uniform.
The moment suspicion struck him, another Marine let out a bloodcurdling scream.
He looked up to see more white spiders. The Marines' eyes widened in shock. They came in all sizes: the largest were several meters wide, staring down at the Marines from the rooftops, while the smallest were mere centimeters, barely visible to the naked eye.
Alerting them. Threatening them.
Hundreds of paper spiders scattered across the area had the Marines completely surrounded.
While the Marines froze in terror, the spiders—large and small—began to inch closer. Kiri's expression was blank, but his eyes glowed with an eerie light.
"I won't let anyone escape. I'll have you all return to the sand."
"Eep—!"
Once one person screamed, the will to fight evaporated. Terrified Marines dropped their weapons, forgetting their unconscious comrades as they tried to flee. But surrounded by the paper spiders, escape was impossible.
Just as the chaos reached its peak, they arrived.
Taking in the situation, Tashigi screamed, discarding her usual composure for a voice filled with rage.
"What are you doing?! Get away from there immediately!"
"B-But, Sergeant Major! The Straw Hats are right here! We can capture them now!"
"Right now! I will not permit you to lay a hand on them!!"
The sudden command left the Marines trembling again, visibly shaken by their inability to grasp the situation. Smoker stepped away from Tashigi's shoulder and began to walk. He tried to light the cigar in his mouth, scowling as his lighter refused to spark.
"Tch. Damp."
"Captain..."
"I'm tired for the day. We're going home."
He turned his back on them. The bewildered Marines could not say no. Having just faced a terrifying ordeal, they had no will to refuse.
Watching Smoker turn away, Kiri murmured.
"Thank you."
"Heh... If that's sarcasm, it's top-tier."
As the Marines scrambled past him in a retreat, Smoker glanced back. Alongside Tashigi, he fixed his eyes on Kiri and spoke with resolve.
"Tell your captain this: We're the ones who will catch you."
"I'll tell him."
"This is the only time. There won't be a next one."
With that, the two walked away.
Kiri watched them until they disappeared from sight. Only then did he let out a long, heavy breath.
In an instant, the paper spiders collapsed, scattering across the ground as simple scraps of paper.
Finally, he could rest.
Soaked from head to toe, dragging a body that felt like lead, Kiri entered the house. His friends were sleeping with looks of relief on their faces. gazing at them one by one, a gentle smile broke through his exhaustion.
He walked slowly and collapsed next to Luffy. He fell face down, but with sluggish movements, managed to roll onto his back. He exhaled deeply, staring at the ceiling. Though scarred and dirty, to him, it was a comforting view.
"Everyone... thank you. I remembered so many things."
He spoke to his sleeping friends, his voice calm and gentle, a stark contrast to moments before. Turning his head, Kiri looked at Luffy sleeping beside him.
"Now, I can finally go back to being myself... Thank you."
He looked up once more and closed his eyes.
Consciousness faded quickly, and he settled into the darkness of sleep. There was a peaceful smile on his face, as if he had forgotten all the fatigue of the journey.
Wrapped in the gentle sound of the rain, it felt like he would sleep better today than ever before. Falling into a deep slumber, Kiri began to dream.
It was of a past he had sealed away himself.
Memories he was recalling now—both joyful and painful, the memories he cherished most. Come to think of it, whenever it rained, it felt like something significant always happened.
Now, once again, he was beginning to remember the self he had forgotten, and the events of days long gone.
In the quiet passage of time, he opened the lid of his memory. He never thought a day like this would come. He was no longer afraid. Surely, he could face forward now.
Watched over by the gentle rain, he finally turned his gaze toward his past.
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