Rain slammed against the shattered windows of Crocodile's chamber. The last drops of wine rolled off the polished table, forgotten.
Crocodile stood at the far end of the room, hand wrapped tight around Vivi's wrist. She struggled in his grip, but the golden hook hovered inches from her chest.
"You've already lost," he said, voice low but sharp. "You're too late. This war is already burning. And the kingdom? It's just fuel."
Luffy stepped forward, fists clenched. "LET HER GO!!"
Crocodile smirked. "No. But I'll give you a head start."
His body exploded into a storm of sand.
A spiraling whirlwind erupted, blinding the room.
By the time the dust settled, Crocodile was gone.
So was Vivi.
The Aftermath – Broken Plans and Rising Heat
"DAMN IT!" Zoro slammed his fist into the wall.
Sanji kicked a broken pillar. "He's faster than we thought."
Luffy's eyes were dark — no grin now. "We're getting her back."
Rex stood in the corner, breathing evenly, watching the remaining grains of sand swirl on the ground like a coded message.
"Michael," he whispered. "Track him."
[…Sand dispersion analyzed. Residue carries eastern wind trajectory. Structural aura trace confirmed. Estimated exit vector: outer wall breach. Escape direction: southeast — toward the river route to Alubarna.]
Rex turned to the crew.
"He's headed for the capital. Crocodile wants the final move to happen where everyone can see it."
Zoro unsheathed one blade. "Then we cut through his plans on the way."
Sanji exhaled smoke. "Straight through the desert?"
Usopp shook his head. "We'll never catch up!"
"No," Rex said, crouching to mark a trail in the dirt. "We won't chase him in a straight line."
The Strategy – Two Paths to Alubarna
Rex unrolled the updated desert map he had carved from Michael's scanning data and began to speak:
"There are seven known routes to Alubarna from Rainbase."
"Crocodile will expect us to take the fastest one. So he'll trap it."
"But he doesn't know something," Rex said, tapping a finger to a hidden line on the map. "There's an eighth path. An older caravan trail buried by a sandstorm twenty years ago."
"Still walkable?" Nami asked.
"Barely," Rex said. "But if we split, we can flank them."
Zoro cracked his neck. "You're saying we split the crew?"
Rex nodded. "I'll take Luffy and Usopp through the buried route. Sanji, Zoro, Nami — you take the main path. Act loud. Be obvious."
"Be bait," Sanji smirked.
"Exactly," Rex confirmed. "If Crocodile believes you're the main threat, he won't look behind him."
Vivi's name hung silently in the air.
Rex looked at Luffy.
"We save her."
Luffy nodded once. "Let's go."
That Night – Desert Camp, Hidden Ridge
The wind was harsh again.
Luffy snored softly under a tarp while Usopp slept upside-down on a dune. Rex stood alone at the edge of a broken stone arch, scanning the stars and calculating the angle of sand movement.
The desert spoke in layers if you listened hard enough.
Michael buzzed gently in his mind.
[…Emotion patterns detected. Disengaging auto-route. Suggest clarity loop.]
Rex closed his eyes.
"She looked afraid," he whispered.
[…Survivor's instinct. Expected in extreme threats.]
"No. Not of dying. Of losing the people she believes in."
He tightened his fists.
"We can't fail."
[…Affirmed. Probability of failure reduced by variable leadership performance. Current outcome balance favors tactical manipulation.]
"But that's not what will win this," Rex said.
He looked at the sleeping crew behind him.
"Trust will."
Meanwhile – Alubarna's Outer Walls
Crocodile stood before the gates of the capital.
Behind him, rebel banners fluttered.
Ahead, royal guards stood tense, unaware they were already caught in a trap.
Vivi was chained beside him, her voice hoarse.
"You… won't win."
Crocodile turned slightly, watching the moon reflect in the river nearby.
"I already have."