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[TIOP] Chapter : 44
🕑 Added 2025-02-24 16:50:13 +0000 UTC"Luffy told me that on their way from Yuba to Rainbase, they accidentally stumbled into a cave. Inside, they found a massive stone tablet covered in ancient inscriptions—something he couldn’t understand," Jack said with a knowing smile.
As expected, Robin’s expression shifted, and she asked, "Where exactly?"
Jack shook his head. "You know as well as I do that expecting Luffy to remember coordinates is wishful thinking. Why not take a chance and try your luck?"
Robin took a deep breath, then silently poured Jack a cup of tea before directing the large turtle to change course toward Yuba.
By the time they arrived at the battleground where Luffy had fought Crocodile, the fight was already over. All that remained visible of Luffy was his head—his body buried beneath the sand.
"What is it that people with the initial ‘D’ are really after?" Robin murmured as she stepped off the carriage, walked over to Luffy, and not only dug him out but also retrieved his hat.
"Thanks," Luffy mumbled.
Just then, a man dressed in a white robe, sword in hand, slowly approached. His eyes were locked on Robin. "What have you done to Princess Vivi? I already know your abilities. This time, I won’t be defeated so easily!"
Robin turned toward him, unfazed. "I didn’t expect you to recover so quickly. But you’re just in time. This boy is the pirate who escorted your princess all the way here. I leave him to you." With that, she returned to the turtle carriage and departed without hesitation.
Jack watched her go before speaking softly. "Why did you save him?"
Robin smiled. "Didn’t you say you got that information from him? Consider it repaying a favor. Besides, even if I hadn’t helped, you would have saved him anyway, wouldn’t you?"
Jack smiled helplessly before picking up his teacup and taking a slow sip.
An hour later, a large turtle had come to a stop in the middle of the desert for a nap. Robin and Jack, who had been riding atop it, had already vanished.
"Did you find the answer you were looking for?" Jack asked with a faint smile as he watched Robin carefully deciphering the ancient text of world history.
"Aren’t you navy types against people uncovering this history?" Robin asked without looking up.
"You’re mistaken. That’s the World Government, not the Navy," Jack corrected her with a serious expression.
Robin finally turned to face him, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Is there really a difference?"
"Of course," Jack replied, his eyes narrowing slightly. "A very real one."
Robin studied him for a moment, then let out a soft chuckle. "Let’s go. The answers I seek aren’t here."
Without argument, Jack nodded and followed her back to the turtle carriage.
As they resumed their journey, Robin glanced at him with amusement. "Aren’t you curious about what was written on it?"
"History belongs to the past," Jack replied, pulling a sake gourd from his inventory and taking a sip. "Since it’s already behind us, it holds no meaning for me. What I care about is the future."
Robin wasn’t surprised to see Jack conjure something out of thin air, but her curiosity was piqued by the gourd in his hand.
"This is something from my homeland. It’s rare now, so I treasure it," Jack said with a smile, handing the gourd to her before she could even ask.
Robin examined it carefully, her historian’s instincts kicking in. "This isn’t from the East Blue," she said with certainty.
Jack smirked. "I never said my homeland was in the East Blue. My true home no longer exists, so I’ve made do by calling it home." His voice held a trace of melancholy as he spoke.
Robin smiled faintly before glancing at the clock inside the carriage and murmuring, "The plan should have already begun by now."
At the gates of Alubarna, the capital of Alabasta, the rebel forces stood ready. At the forefront, their leader, Koza, rode a camel, leading his troops toward the southern gate.
Meanwhile, Sanji and the others, disguised as members of Baroque Works, infiltrated the enemy ranks, creating an opportunity for Vivi to reach the rebels. However, their efforts were thwarted by a hidden gunner within the royal army.
A premature cannon blast sent a cloud of dust billowing into the air. Though the shot missed Vivi, the thick haze obscured Koza’s vision, preventing him from recognizing her amidst the chaos.
As the rebel army surged forward, Vivi emerged from beneath Karoo, her loyal duck, who had shielded her from harm. Seeing her companion battered and gravely injured, Vivi fought back tears, clenching her fists in determination. "Thank you, Karoo! I won’t give up. I learned that from my crewmates—never to give up!"
Despite his injuries and exhaustion, Karoo pushed on, carrying Vivi all the way to the city. But just as they arrived, they were intercepted by Mr. 2. Fortunately, Sanji appeared just in time, engaging Mr. 2 in battle and giving Vivi the chance to escape.
"What? Princess Vivi?" The deputy captain of the royal guard, Chaka, looked at her in astonishment.
"Yes, it’s me!" Vivi affirmed. "We must destroy the palace. My father always said that the people are the heart of a kingdom. If they perish, the kingdom ceases to exist. Right now, the only way to stop this war is to demolish the palace and force everyone to listen. That will be my only chance to explain the truth!"
Her voice was steady, unwavering in resolve.
"Please abandon this reckless idea, Vivi-sama! The king is not here, but if he were, he would never forgive such impulsive behavior!" Chaka said firmly.
"Chaka, do not misjudge the situation," Vivi responded, her voice resolute.
Her unwavering determination stunned Chaka for a moment. He recalled the king’s words and, after a brief hesitation, slowly knelt on one knee. "I will follow your command, Your Highness!"
Meanwhile, Jack and Robin arrived in Alubarna, only to find the capital already engulfed in chaos. Jack frowned as he surveyed the battlefield. "It looks like we're a little late," he muttered.
"So, what will you do now?" Robin asked. Perhaps due to her recent discovery of the historical text, her demeanor toward Jack had noticeably softened.
"I'm going to contact the navy. A battle like this will only lead to needless civilian casualties," Jack said quietly.
"In that case, I’ll take my leave," Robin replied with a slight smile before riding away on her large turtle.
Jack made his way to where the marines were located, where Lena was already waiting for him.
"Sir! The entire Alabasta marine force has assembled and awaits your command!" Lena saluted as she stepped forward.
"Hmm... Even with all the marines here, our numbers are still far smaller than those fighting in the capital," Jack noted. "So our objective is simple: focus on treating the wounded and restraining combatants to prevent further violence. Leave the rest to me!"
At his command, the assembled marines, stationed outside the western gate, prepared to act.
"Yes, sir!" the sailors responded in unison.
"Also, make sure to protect yourselves. Lena, you’ll go with them," Jack instructed as he donned the Captain's uniform handed to him by Lena. Without another word, he strode toward Alubarna.
Meanwhile, in the royal palace, Vivi and Chaka stood atop the palace, discussing their preparations while waiting to set the explosives. Suddenly, a bloodied soldier came rushing toward them.
"Your Excellency, there’s been an incident in the palace!" the soldier reported urgently.
Before Vivi and Chaka could react, a chillingly familiar voice echoed through the hall.
"Now, now, Ms. Wednesday, let’s not be so hasty. After all, this place will be mine soon," the voice drawled.
"Crocodile!!!" Vivi gasped, her eyes darting toward the source of the voice. Standing before them was Crocodile, a sinister smile on his face as he held the gravely injured king in one hand.
"Crocodile!" Chaka’s expression hardened as he gripped the hilt of his sword. "I suggest you release the king immediately."
"Guhahaha~ And what makes you think you have the right to order me around?" Crocodile scoffed. "Just because you ate a Zoan-type Devil Fruit?"
"Crocodile?! Where is Luffy-san? Why are you here?" Vivi demanded, though deep down, she feared the answer.
"He’s dead," Crocodile replied nonchalantly.
"Impossible! There’s no way Luffy-san would die so easily! I refuse to believe it!" Vivi shouted, her voice trembling with anger.
At that moment, Robin appeared as if from nowhere. "No one will be coming in for now. I’ve made sure of it," she informed Crocodile calmly.
"Where have you been? Why are you slower than me?" Crocodile cast a sidelong glance at Robin, his voice calm yet probing.
Ignoring him, Vivi clenched her fists and demanded once more, "I’ll ask you again—what happened to Mr. Luffy?" Her voice trembled with fury.
Crocodile scoffed dismissively. "Forget about him. He’s just a minor player, not worth your concern. Soon enough, this entire country—along with you and your father—will be reduced to nothing. As for those pirates, I doubt you’ll live long enough to see how their story ends." Then, shifting his focus, he turned to the king. "But before that… tell me, Your Majesty—where is Pluton?"
At the mention of the name, the king’s eyes flickered with shock. How did Crocodile know about that?
"You’ve heard of it, haven’t you?" Crocodile continued, his tone brimming with excitement. "Pluton—the most devastating weapon in history. A single shot strong enough to wipe out an entire island! That is what I’m after. With it in my hands, I can build the ultimate military empire!"
"That’s impossible!" Vivi protested. "There’s no way our kingdom possesses such a weapon!"
Chaka, standing beside her, studied the king’s expression. He knew his ruler well—and the subtle shift in his demeanor suggested that this knowledge had indeed been passed down through generations.
"I don’t know where you got that information," the king finally responded, his voice steady. "But I assure you—I know nothing about it."
Crocodile chuckled darkly. "Is that so? Well then, let me share some information of my own. In order to help you ‘deal with’ the rebels, I had a special bomb crafted—one with enough firepower to annihilate everything within a five-kilometer radius." He smirked. "And in just thirty minutes, it will detonate in the heart of Alubarna. When that happens, this city will become… unrecognizable."
"You're a madman! Why are you doing this? What have we ever done to you?" Princess Vivi shouted, her voice filled with rage and desperation.
But Crocodile didn’t even spare her a glance. His focus remained solely on the king. "Now, will you finally tell me where the Poneglyph is?"
Nefertari Cobra fell silent for a moment before speaking. "If I take you there, will you promise to spare my people?"
Crocodile smirked. "Of course. After all, my true objective isn’t to claim your kingdom."
A heavy sigh escaped the king’s lips as he lowered his head. "Very well. I’ll take you there."
"Forgive me, Your Majesty… Princess… But I can’t stand by any longer!" Chaka growled, his body shifting as he transformed into his Jackal Zoan form, ready to strike.
"Wait, Chaka!" Vivi rushed forward, grabbing his arm. She knew this was a death sentence—Crocodile was far beyond his ability to defeat.
Before Chaka could respond, the palace gates burst open, and the Elite Guard Corps’ Squad stormed in.
"Let us handle this!" one of the guards called out.
Robin, standing nearby, prepared to step forward. "Do you need me to—"
Crocodile raised a hand, stopping her. "Hold on. Something’s off about them."
As their commander, Chaka was the first to notice the odd aura surrounding his soldiers. His eyes narrowed. "What’s going on with you four…?"
"Forgive us, Lord Chaka," one of the guards said, his voice laced with determination. "But even if this man is one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, if he’s truly behind this rebellion… then we will make him feel the pain and fury of our kingdom!"
With that, the four warriors launched themselves at Crocodile at a speed far beyond normal human limits.
"Fools… they drank the Hero's Water for a momentary surge of strength, but it comes at the cost of their very lives. They only have a few minutes left." Chaka clenched his fists, torn between anger at his soldiers' recklessness and frustration at his own helplessness.
"Hahaha! What a pathetic bunch of weaklings!" Crocodile sneered, his elemental form untouchable.
"Not even a scratch…" Chaka muttered, watching his once-elite warriors collapse one by one.
Crocodile stepped beside Robin, a smirk playing on his lips. "What an amusing kingdom. Come on, let’s take our king and find that Poneglyph."
"Stop right there, you bastard!" Chaka’s speed surged as he launched himself at Crocodile, his Jackal Zoan form pushing him to his limits.
"Chaka, no!" Princess Vivi tried to stop him, but he was too fast.
"Stand down, Chaka! Don’t throw your life away!" King Cobra's voice rang out in desperation.
Crocodile barely acknowledged the attack, blocking it with ease. "Even you would throw your life away for this kingdom?" he asked, almost mockingly.
"If it means making you feel the wrath of Alabasta, then yes!" Chaka roared, channeling every ounce of his strength into a devastating punch that shattered half of Crocodile’s head.
But it was futile. Crocodile, the wielder of the Sand-Sand Fruit, was a Logia user—without Haki, Chaka’s attack meant nothing.
In an instant, Crocodile countered. His left hook shot forward, piercing straight through Chaka’s body.
A sharp click echoed through the palace.
Then another. And another.
Everyone turned at once toward the source of the sound.
"Well then, we now have all the evidence we need." Jack held up a camera-equipped Den Den Mushi, his voice steady and authoritative. "Crocodile—one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, known as the Sand Crocodile—I officially inform you, in the name of the Navy, that your conspiracy to seize the Kingdom of Alabasta through Baroque Works has been fully exposed. As of this moment, you are stripped of your title as a Warlord of the Sea!"
