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Alabasta: Rainbase
Rainbase, Crocodile's home base, stood as one of Alabasta's most prosperous cities—a first-tier hub known for its wealth and grandeur. Many of Alabasta's elite chose to settle in this glittering city of endless opportunities.
But today, this beacon of prosperity found itself in utter chaos.
On the main street leading to the casino, Charizard (Ace) and Machamp (Luffy) charged ahead at full speed, causing havoc as they went. Charizard occasionally turned back, unleashing bursts of flames aimed at their pursuer—Smoker, the steadfast Marine.
"Monster, don't you dare run away!" Smoker barked, his tone begrudgingly following the script they'd all agreed upon beforehand.
Luffy, his eyes sparkling with excitement, glanced back at Smoker, his "opponent" in this bizarre game. Smoker knew the inevitable—he had to play along and meet his "end" in this spectacle.
Raising his jutte dramatically, Smoker pointed at the pair with exaggerated determination and declared, "The mask of justice, Marine Smoker, will put an end to you two monsters who threaten the peace of the sea!"
"Roar!" Luffy responded in character, his monstrous growl ringing out as Ace—his "villainous partner"—launched more flames. This time, the fire wasn't aimed at Smoker but at the surrounding buildings. The structures exploded in a fiery blaze, sending debris flying everywhere.
Despite their villainous act, Ace used his Observation Haki to ensure the buildings he targeted were empty of people before attacking. After all, even as "villains," they had their standards.
Meanwhile, the staged battle between "Machamp" and the "Masked Marine" began. It was a chaotic, tokusatsu-style clash, reminiscent of theatrical hero shows. To Smoker, the whole charade felt like a childish game of make-believe, and he couldn't help but cringe inwardly, wishing he could dig a hole and hide from the embarrassment.
But how did it come to this?
It all started with Luffy's latest idea. After the crew devised their plan, Luffy, deep in thought, shared his inspiration through Chopper's enthusiastic translations. His idea stemmed from a memory of watching TV with Ikki during some downtime. The program? Kamen Rider.
The moment Luffy saw the flashy, heroic battles of Kamen Rider, he was captivated. For days afterward, Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp excitedly cosplayed different Riders, staging their own dramatic "heroic" battles.
Now, with the opportunity to act out a Kamen Rider-inspired scenario in front of hundreds—or even thousands—of people, Luffy couldn't resist. It was a dream come true.
Upon hearing Luffy's plan, Chopper and Usopp were initially ecstatic. However, their enthusiasm faded when they learned the starring role of Kamen Rider or rather, the "Masked Marine" had been assigned to Smoker. Both felt their chance to shine had been stolen.
Naturally, Smoker—ever the no-nonsense Marine—refused to participate in such a ridiculous charade. Playing dress-up with pirates? Unthinkable.
But Smoker hadn't counted on Luffy's brothers, Ace and Sabo, stepping in. They weren't about to let him ruin their little brother's fun. If Luffy wanted to play, they would make sure no one—especially Smoker—got in the way.
In this way, Smoker was reluctantly cast as the "Kamen Rider," while Ace and Luffy became the "monsters," turning the bustling streets of Rainbase into a stage for a live-action tokusatsu battle.
Members of Baroque Works who happened to witness the chaos were left dumbfounded.
"Seriously? That's it? These guys think they qualify as monsters?"
"And Marine Mask? What, does Smoker think slapping on a mask makes him unrecognizable?"
Some couldn't help but laugh.
"Haha! So, Smoker's this weak, huh? I could take him out with one punch!"
"Same here! One swing and he's done!"
The mockery from the Baroque Works members only added to Smoker's growing frustration. Wanting to speed things up, he intentionally let Luffy "punch" him, sending him flying dramatically before he got back up and resumed chasing them toward the casino.
Ten minutes later, the trio's rampage led them to the casino. The commotion they caused along the way had emptied the streets, and the casino itself was now deserted. Even the staff had fled in terror, spurred by Ace's occasional bursts of fire.
Inside the casino, the absurd spectacle continued.
"Roar!" Luffy growled, staying in character as a "monster." Ace, in his "Charizard" role, followed with a fiery breath attack, sending a massive pillar of flame straight at Smoker.
Smoker leaned back with ease, transforming into smoke to avoid the fire. His intangible Logia body rendered the attack useless, and he appeared smugly unscathed.
Though Smoker avoided the flames, the casino itself didn't fare so well. The fire left a trail of destruction across the once-luxurious interior.
Luffy, still immersed in his tokusatsu role, eagerly pressed for another round of "Monster vs. Masked Marine." Smoker, however, was growing increasingly exasperated. "Why hasn't that idiot from Baroque Works shown up yet?" he grumbled internally.
Their over-the-top antics were all part of a distraction, meant to draw attention while Sabo and the others investigated Crocodile's secret dealings. Smoker could only pray their efforts were fruitful.
Just as he was losing patience, reinforcements arrived. A group of over a hundred Baroque Works agents stormed into the casino, led by senior agents Mr. 4 and Miss Merry Christmas.
Miss Merry Christmas, her small stature and waddling gait doing little to hide her sharp demeanor, took charge immediately. She knew the truth—her boss, Crocodile, was one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and this was his territory. Facing off against Marines and pirates alike wasn't unusual.
She had also heard about the ridiculous "battle" taking place in the streets. Watching it now, she couldn't help but scoff. "These monsters are no bigger than the sea cats in Alabasta's waters! They call this monstrous?"
Turning to Smoker, she called out, "Captain Smoker, you do realize this is Shichibukai territory, don't you? Have you crossed the line?"
Smoker, still playing his part, allowed a sly smile to form on his lips. He pointed at Ace and Luffy, still in "monster" mode, and replied, "I'm here to chase down these two monsters. Don't worry—the Marines will compensate for any damage caused."
Miss Merry Christmas was briefly stunned by the audacity of his statement. Compensation? From a Marine? After wrecking the casino? Pirates she understood, but this? It was almost too absurd to process.
After composing herself, she responded with determination. "Captain Smoker, leave these two to us. We'll handle it from here!"
Hearing this, Smoker felt an overwhelming sense of relief. "Fine. They're all yours," he said, turning to leave. Without looking back, he exited the casino, intending to regroup with Sabo and the others.
As soon as Smoker left, Miss Merry Christmas gave the order. "Everyone, take down those two monsters!"
The more than one hundred Baroque Works agents, armed with various weapons, surged forward with enthusiasm. Led by Mr. 4 and Miss Merry Christmas, they charged Ace and Luffy, eager for the chance to prove themselves and perhaps earn a promotion.
Watching the "monsters," they couldn't help but feel smug. 'They're small! Not even as big as a sea cat. This'll be easy!'