"GET DOWN!"
Luffy's shout tore through the silence. Time seemed to stretch as the glint of rifles from the rooftops became clearer. The Baroque Works snipers, four of them spread out across the surrounding buildings, pulled their triggers in unison.
The sharp cracks of gunfire echoed across the square like a volley of thunder.
Luffy surged forward. Shadow tendrils burst from the ground around him, twisting and solidifying into dark shields that enveloped Cobra and Vivi. Bullets slammed into them with dull, heavy thuds. One ricocheted off, another embedded itself deep in the shadow mass, and yet another disintegrated on impact. The force rippled through the air.
Sanji moved like lightning, flipping off the ground with a burst of speed, kicking up dust and rubble as he launched himself toward the nearest rooftop. His eyes burned with fury, his coat whipping in the wind as he narrowed in on his target.
Zoro unsheathed two of his swords in one smooth motion. With swift, deliberate steps, he moved into position, standing guard as a second volley of shots rang out. His blade intercepted a bullet heading toward a cluster of civilians nearby, slicing the projectile cleanly in two with pinpoint precision.
"Everyone take cover!" he barked, voice cutting through the fear like a sword through smoke.
A scream rose from the crowd as one bullet grazed King Cobra's upper arm. The sharp hiss of pain escaped his lips as he staggered and dropped to one knee. Vivi cried out and immediately dropped beside him, shielding him with her arms.
"Stay with me, Father!"
"I'm alright," Cobra rasped, though his face was pale and drenched in sweat. Blood trickled down his sleeve. His breathing was shallow, but his grip on Vivi's hand was firm.
Panic threatened to return to the square. Soldiers—both rebel and royal—looked up at the buildings in fear, unsure whether to duck, draw weapons, or retaliate. The ceasefire, fragile as it was, trembled like glass about to shatter.
Luffy's voice rang out, furious and sharp. "Don't fall for it! This is their last trap! Don't start fighting again!"
His shout cut through the noise, grounding those around him. The rebels hesitated. The royal guards stood tense but did not raise their weapons. Slowly, the tension began to waver. The square teetered between two fates—renewed violence or restored peace.
But the snipers hadn't finished.
One began reloading, another adjusted his aim—this time toward Robin.
Sanji reached the first rooftop. Without hesitation, he leapt with a spinning kick that landed squarely in the sniper's chest, sending the man tumbling off the ledge and crashing into crates below with a loud smash. The crates exploded into splinters.
Zoro sprang up a stone column like a cat, flipping onto another rooftop. His blade gleamed in the sunlight as he disarmed the second sniper with a flick of his wrist, then knocked him out cold with the blunt edge of his katana. The sniper slumped to the tiles, unconscious.
Robin raised both hands, her fingers blooming into a series of arms that sprouted across a third rooftop. One hand wrapped around the rifle barrel of the third sniper, yanking it sideways as the shot fired harmlessly into the air. Her second wave of arms grabbed the shooter and pinned him flat against the rooftop, immobilizing him with effortless grace.
The fourth sniper turned to flee—but a shadow rose behind him.
Shadow Crocodile.
Silent and merciless, the dark figure reached forward. A black hand clamped around the man's mouth and pulled him into the swirling darkness. There was no scream, no struggle. Only silence.
Back in the square, Vivi tore part of her cloak to bind her father's arm. Her fingers trembled, but her voice was steady as she addressed the watching crowd, rising to her feet.
"You've seen the truth with your own eyes! The king lives! The war is over!"
Cobra leaned on her shoulder and nodded weakly. "There is no more need to fight. This bloodshed must end. We are one people."
The soldiers, stunned, finally began lowering their weapons. Murmurs turned to shouts of relief. Some dropped their arms and fell to their knees. Others rushed to tend to the wounded. Civilians began emerging from alleyways, their faces filled with hope and disbelief. Children cried, not from fear, but from the overwhelming release of tension.
Luffy stepped up onto a toppled stone pillar, raising his voice once more.
"They tried to silence the king. They tried to divide you. But Crocodile's gone—and Alabasta still stands!"
His voice was clear, commanding. The crowd looked to him, not just as a pirate, but as a leader. Soldiers on both sides began nodding slowly, eyes filled with dawning understanding. Some even began to cheer softly, uncertain but hopeful.
"We've ended this war once," Luffy said. "Don't let their bullets reignite it. This country belongs to all of you. Protect it together."
A cheer was just beginning to rise when the wind shifted.
The clouds above the city began to darken—not with smoke, but with moisture. A distant rumble echoed across the horizon.
People looked up.
Then, the first drop fell.
Then another.
Rain.
Light at first, then heavier—soaking the stone streets, washing away the dust and blood. The people of Alabasta stood still, mouths open, faces turned skyward. The desert had not seen rain like this in years. It was as if the sky itself was weeping for everything that had been lost—and washing away the pain.
Vivi looked up with wide eyes. Her lips trembled as she whispered, "The rain... it's back."
King Cobra smiled weakly, clutching her hand. "At last... the land breathes again."
Luffy stood on the pillar, soaking wet, smiling faintly as the downpour blanketed the battlefield. Water dripped from the brim of his hat, and the shadow of Crocodile knelt behind him like a silent guardian.
It was over.
To be continued...
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