Vivi froze.
A chill swept down her spine as she felt the presence behind her—Crocodile, smiling with a twisted gentleness, his face a mask of feral arrogance.
"Ah—!"
Her scream echoed as his arm wrapped tightly around her. In a flash, the princess of Alabasta was caught in his grip, helpless.
"Coward!" Akira roared, fury burning in his eyes. "You said if I beat you, you'd leave Alabasta!"
Crocodile chuckled darkly, tightening his hold on Vivi. "And why would I keep such a promise? That was just to amuse you. If I kept my word, I wouldn't be fit to conquer this kingdom."
The palace courtyard was gripped by chaos. Ministers shouted in panic. Soldiers faltered. Everyone knew: the princess's life now hung by a thread.
Crocodile sneered, addressing the shaken crowd. "Don't move. No tricks. If you want her to live, her father must hand over complete control of Alabasta to me."
Sand whipped through the air, forming a barrier around the warlord and his hostage. Akira and the others couldn't get close—not without risking Vivi's life.
Then, a bloodied figure appeared at the edge of the courtyard.
The King of Alabasta, barely standing, clutching his side, stepped forward. He had not trembled like this even when Crocodile seized the capital—but now, with his daughter in that monster's grasp, fear overtook him.
"Crocodile…" the king rasped. "Let her go, and I'll agree. Whatever you want… just don't hurt her."
Vivi struggled, but Crocodile's grip was iron. She couldn't break free. The sheer disparity in power was suffocating.
Every noble, every official knew what was at stake. If the king surrendered the kingdom, then all their resistance, all their losses—it would all be for nothing.
But no one dared to object. One wrong move, and the princess would die.
Crocodile grinned like a man possessed.
"Finally, someone understands. If you care for her, you'll sign this."
He produced a parchment—a contract scrawled with demands. "Sign it, and the entire Alabasta kingdom will belong to me."
Akira stood silently, watching.
He wasn't beaten. He wasn't finished. He was waiting.
The king, face ashen, took the contract with trembling hands. With a final glance at his daughter, he signed his name.
The ministers fell to their knees in disbelief. Whispers turned to anguish. In the space of moments, their country was lost.
Crocodile cackled. "Old man, you'll thank yourself for this someday."
But he never noticed the shadow rising behind him.
Akira.
Face cold, fists clenched with focused rage, he moved like lightning—fist wrapped in black Armament Haki, striking Crocodile's jaw with thunderous force.
"You've talked enough."
Crocodile staggered, stunned by the blow.
"Earth Graviton Seal!" Akira bellowed.
From the ground, an enormous gravitational force erupted—pulling debris, dust, and even the wind inward. A collapsing core of energy formed around Crocodile, crushing his sand body before he could reform.
"Wh-what is this power!?"
Crocodile's cry was cut short as the pressure crushed inward—his body twisting, compacting, his powers overwhelmed by sheer force.
BOOM.
A shockwave tore through the courtyard.
Then… silence.
Dust settled. The sand collapsed. Crocodile was no more.
Akira emerged from the wreckage, breathing heavily, Vivi unconscious in his arms.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then—
"He did it!!"
Cheers erupted. Joy surged like a wave through the crowd. The tyrant had fallen. Alabasta… was free.
Ding! Congratulations to the host for defeating Crocodile. You have earned 100 Anger Points.
Ding! Host level up! New ability unlocked: Beast Form.
Akira blinked at the system message echoing in his mind. Beast form...? But there was no time to dwell on it.
Later, Vivi was laid gently in her room, guarded closely by the palace staff. Akira and his companions were led to the throne room.
The air was heavy. The halls solemn.
Akira stood before the king, unsure of what to expect.
Then, without a word, the king stepped forward—and fell to his knees with a thud.
"I'm sorry."
The king's voice cracked. The man once revered as ruler now bowed his head to a stranger.
"Thank you… for saving my daughter. For saving our kingdom. I misjudged you."
Akira said nothing at first. The weight of what had just happened still lingered.
But then he stepped forward and quietly replied, "I didn't do it for praise. I did it because it was right."
Akira was momentarily stunned by what she saw.
King Chen Ken, the ruler of Alabasta—once towering, dignified, and unwavering—was now bowed low, forehead to the cold marble floor. The sight unsettled her. Of all the outcomes she'd expected after the battle, this wasn't one of them.
A king… apologizing?
Ellie, arms crossed, clicked her tongue from beside her. "Tch. Even now, you're clinging to pride," she said dryly. "Funny how a king still struggles with the idea that he was wrong about someone beneath him."
Akira glanced at her friend, then back at the man kneeling before her.
A few seconds passed in silence before she finally stepped forward and gently gestured for the king to rise.
"Your Majesty," she said calmly, "you don't have to bow like that. None of this was really your fault."
But the king shook his head with regret etched deep into his features.
"No… I must take responsibility. You never came here with ill intent, and yet we judged you, imprisoned you… feared you. And it was all because of our own arrogance. Because I was too proud to believe I could be wrong. That… my station made me right by default."
He looked up, eyes weary but sincere. "Even if no one else in Alabasta sees it, I want you to know—I see it now. I was wrong."
For a moment, Akira didn't respond. The sincerity in his voice caught her off guard. She had grown used to being judged, feared, or admired from afar. Rarely had someone with power been so... honest.
But she wasn't one to hold a grudge.
Akira offered a light smile. "Well, that's behind us now. You've said your piece. We're not here for apologies or ceremonies."
She turned to Ellie with a shrug. "Let's just say we'll call it even."
Ellie smirked. "Fine by me. Long as we're treated better than last time."
The king bowed his head again, this time less from guilt and more from respect. "You have my word. From this day on, you will be honored guests in Alabasta."
Akira nodded. "Good. Then let's move forward."
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