The War Front

This is the title page for Chapter 167, "The War Front". The cover story illustration shows Jango dancing energetically on a raised platform in a courtroom setting. He is surrounded by a large crowd of cheering Marines and other spectators. The caption at the bottom reads: "JANGO'S DANCE PARADISE VOL.32 'SHOW YOUR MOVES, COURT!'"

Vivi is explaining their route using a map drawn in the sand. She says, "All we really have to do is head North from Yuba. The oasis town of Rainbase where Crocodile is currently at is here." The map shows their present location at Yuba, and the path leads to Rainbase, labeled "The Town of Dreams". Other locations on the map include Spiders Cafe, Erumalu ("The Dried-up Town"), Nanohana ("Port Town"), Katorea ("Current Rebel Base"), and Alubarna ("Alabastan Capital"). Vivi adds, "It's a day's walk away from here." Chopper asks, "Will there be water there?" Vivi reassures him, "Yes, don't worry. Despite the ongoing chaos in other parts of the country, Rainbase is a vibrant casino-town." Sanji's eyes light up as he exclaims, "Casinos, you say!?" Zoro warns him, "Don't get any strange ideas now..." Nami observes, "So there are some towns that are unaffected by the rebellion..."

Usopp is crying and begging for water, looking completely exhausted. "C'mon... just one gulp... We finally have some water now so gimme some..." Luffy is holding a small barrel of water, stretching his arm away from Usopp to keep it out of reach. "Gomu Gomu... NO WAY!" Usopp tries to grab it. Luffy yells, "I'm not gonna let you or anyone drink it away that easily! This is all the water, that the old man spent all last night digging up!" Usopp argues back, "NO! GIVE IT! NO WAY! GOMU GOMU NO WAY!" They stretch and pull at each other. Suddenly, Zoro hits them both on the head, leaving them with large bumps. Zoro says, "Alright, alright. Let's get a move on. Yo, North is this way." Nami, walking with Vivi, remarks, "Oh, so you do have some self-restraint." Sanji, walking behind them, yells angrily, "OF COURSE I DO! HOW RUDE!"

Luffy and Usopp are trudging through the desert, completely drained, with their tongues hanging out and panting heavily. "UGHH..." Nami and Vivi are comfortably riding a camel. Nami yells back at them, "CUT THAT OUT, YOU TWO!" Usopp complains, "Easy for you to say when you're riding a camel...!" Luffy adds, "Yeah, that's right! Let us on too, Camel-girl!" Usopp chimes in, "Nami-camel!" Nami gets angry and shouts, "I SAID SHUT UP!" Meanwhile, Zoro is walking alongside Chopper, who is in his Heavy Point form carrying their supplies. Zoro says, "You're truckin' along pretty well today, Chopper." Chopper replies cheerfully, "Yup! I'm going to be tough today!" Sanji is seen smiling in the background.

Luffy, still exhausted and panting, calls out to Vivi. "Hm? Luffy..." Vivi responds. Luffy says, "Thanks... I alone could never make the decision to go to Rainbase..." Vivi looks back, "...Oh, that?" Luffy points to himself with a determined look. "Well, just feed me." Vivi is confused, "Pardon?" Luffy grins widely, "Once I kick Crocodile's ass, feed me until I explode." Vivi smiles warmly and agrees, "Sure, It's a promise!"

The scene shifts to the rebel camp in Katorea. A young boy named Kappa, carrying a large backpack and a wooden stick, stands determinedly before Koza. A text box introduces him: "Kappa, a shoeshiner from Nanohana". Kappa pleads, "PLEASE!" Koza, looking stern, simply replies, "No." Kappa gets angry and yells, "WHY NOT!? I HAVE A RIGHT TO JOIN THE REBELS LIKE EVERYONE ELSE! I HATE THE KING TOO! SO LET ME JOIN YOU!" Koza turns to one of his men and says, "Falafra, show him..." Falafra, a large man standing nearby, replies, "Ok, boss."

Falafra pulls down his shirt to reveal a massive, gruesome scar covering his left shoulder and chest. Kappa is shocked and terrified, letting out a "GAHH!" Koza explains, "This man here received that wound during a battle, while trying to cover me...! There's also the hospital ward and cemetary that I can show you..." Kappa, trembling but resolute, yells, "I'M... I'M NOT SCARED OF THAT STUFF!" He continues, "My friend who lives in the town beside Erumalu is sick right now! And I know it won't be long before his town also dries up like Erumalu! This is all because he stole our rain! SO I WANT TO FIGHT TOO! THINGS LIKE INJURIES OR DEATH ISN'T GOING TO SCARE ME AWAY!"

Koza yells back at Kappa, "WHAT!? Then why the heck are you fighting! That doesn't make any sense! Because the war's already begun... The country wished this upon itself... None of us 'want' to fight, but we have no choice but to fight...!" Koza sits down, looking serious. "All of us here are scared... None of us want to fight. If that's the case, then go home, because we're of different opinions." Kappa starts to cry. Koza shouts forcefully, "Whether or not you can understand that is irrelevant... Now go home! I SAID GO HOME! THIS IS NO PLACE FOR A KID!"

Another rebel approaches Koza as Kappa leaves. "What's wrong, Kouza? It ain't like you, To go venting your frustrations at a little kid..." Koza rubs his face, looking tired. "I just couldn't handle how much he reminded me of my own self when I was a kid... Guess I haven't changed at all..." The rebel asks, "...Did you get the weapons?" Koza replies, "Not as much as we'd like to have... The Royal Army prevented us from taking their armoury... Send a message out to all of our forces..." Koza looks determined. "AS SOON AS WE FINISH EQUIPPING OURSELVES WITH WEAPONS, WE WILL AMOUNT A FULL-SCALE ATTACK ON THE CAPITAL!"

The scene shifts to the Royal Palace at Alubarna. King Cobra is furious, yelling at Chaka. "ABSOLUTELY NOT! HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU NO ALREADY!?" Chaka argues back, "YOU WANT TO GET BACK AT THEM FOR ATTACKING US? THIS ISN'T A FIGHT BETWEEN CHILDREN WE'RE DEALING WITH HERE!" Chaka continues, "BUT YOUR MAJESTY! IF WE DO NOT ACT SOON, OUR KINGDOM MAY VERY WELL FALL!" Cobra retorts angrily, "SO WHAT IF IT DOES!? YOU WOULD USE THAT AS AN EXCUSE TO KILL OUR PEOPLE!?"

Cobra sits on his throne, looking resolute. "DOING PRECISELY THAT WOULD BE THE DOWNFALL OF THE ENTIRE KINGDOM! Listen well! The country is its people!" Pell and Chaka stand before him. Pell says, "Ever since that 'Dance Powder Incident,' There's been a group of people instigating trouble." Chaka adds, "But the fact remains that we don't even have the faintest idea who this 'shadow' is! And it'll be too late to act once this shadow envelops our entire kingdom! So please, your majesty!" Cobra firmly refuses, "Absolutely not... Get that through your head... It's THAT group of people we should be fighting!"

Chaka and Pell are sitting outside on a balcony, looking out over the city. Pell says, "With the King's mind set on forbidding even the mere idea of an offensive, And we're already at our limits, Just trying to keep our own soldiers in-line... All we can do is wait and suppress whatever revolt that keeps popping up..." Text boxes introduce them: "Vice-Commander of the Alabasta Royal Guards 'Pell the Falcon'" and "Vice-Commander and current Acting Commander-in-Chief of the Alabasta Royal Guards 'Chaka the Jackal'".

Pell continues, "If only Igaram could be here in this crucial time to help us..." Chaka interrupts, "Enough with that talk, Pell... I shall bring light to the Kingdom. -Igaram- That man would never betray his kingdom...! He must have left with some sort of plan. The same goes for Princess Vivi..." Pell wonders, "He could've at least told us about it before leaving...! Or is that all a part of his plan too...!?" Chaka agrees, "...Yes, it must be so." Suddenly, a guard runs up to them, shouting, "COMMANDERS CHAKA AND PELL! CARUE HAS JUST RETURNED TO THE PALACE!"

Carue is shown frantically gulping down water from a barrel. Inside, Cobra is reading a letter. "Your majesty, this letter...!" Cobra confirms, "Yes... It's Vivi's handwriting without a doubt...!" Chaka realizes the implications, "Then that means...!" Cobra looks deeply stressed and rests his head on his hand. "Yes, it came as quite a shock to me too... I naively thought he was on the same side as the World Government and let my guard down... But to think Crocodile would be planning to take over the entire kingdom...!"

Cobra continues, "And Igaram...!?" Chaka says solemnly, "He gave his life for Alabasta... That's just the kind of man he was...!" Cobra praises Carue, "It also said in the letter you fought bravely. Well done, Carue." Carue quacks proudly. Pell notices something and asks, "Is your left arm injured? Here, let me have a look..." As Pell touches Carue's wing, Carue quacks loudly in pain. Chaka calls out, "Chaka." Cobra orders, "We've found our enemy at last. Have the army prepare to move out at once!"

Cobra stands up, looking fierce. "WE CANNOT ALLOW VIVI'S DETERMINATION AND IGARAM'S SACRIFICE GO TO WASTE! ATTACK CROCODILE AT RAINBASE IMMEDIATELY!" Pell tries to stop him, "Please hold on a moment, your majesty! It's quite the distance from here to Rainbase. Crocodile will easily know we're coming and should he wish to, he can simply avoid a fight. Moreover, Crocodile has the support of the people behind him! EVEN MORESO THAN YOUR MAJESTY RIGHT NOW, I'M AFRAID!" Chaka adds, "If we move in to attack Crocodile now, That would be pouring oil on fire! The rebels will no doubt use the opportunity to capture the Royal Palace, While our armies attack Rainbase...!"

Cobra responds calmly, "So what if the rebels take the palace...!?" Chaka and Pell are stunned. Cobra explains, "Haven't I told you already that the country is its people!? EVEN IF THE ROYAL ARMY WERE TO BE DEFEATED, AS LONG AS CROCODILE IS TAKEN OUT, THE COUNTRY WILL BE REBUILT BY THE HANDS OF ITS PEOPLE! BUT IF WE INSTEAD HAVE OUR ARMY FIGHT THE REBEL FORCES, THE ONLY ONE LAUGHING AT THE END WILL BE CROCODILE!" Pell says softly, "Your majesty..." Chaka apologizes, "Forgive our short-sightedness..." Cobra concludes, "It does not matter even if stopping the rebels is impossible... Our only target is Crocodile!"

Cobra warns, "Our enemy is a member of the Royal Shichibukai...! This will be no easy battle... It won't be one that can be won without sacrifices!" Chaka and Pell salute him. Chaka thinks, "WE'VE UNDERESTIMATED OUR MAJESTY'S FORESIGHT... WHAT SHEER FORCE OF WILL!" Cobra issues his orders, "Chaka! Call all officers for an emergency battle meeting! Pell, you are to go ahead and scout the enemy base." Pell responds, "YES, SIR!" Cobra declares, "FIRST THING TOMORROW MORNING, SEND ALL TROOPS TO RAINBASE!"

The page shows three panels detailing the goals of the different factions, accompanied by maps. Top panel: Koza looks determined. A text box reads, "The Rebellion's goal: To crush the Royalist Army at the capital." The map shows an arrow pointing from Katorea to Alubarna. Middle panel: Cobra looks fierce. A text box reads, "The Royal Guard's goal: To crush Crocodile at Rainbase." The map shows an arrow pointing from Alubarna to Rainbase. Bottom panel: Luffy and his crew are walking through the desert. A text box reads, "Luffy and the Straw-Hat crew also aim to defeat Crocodile at Rainbase." The map shows an arrow pointing from Yuba to Rainbase. A final text box at the bottom states, "Remaining Time before B.W.'s Operation Utopia: 17 hours."

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