Flavor of Sand.

A full-color version of the chapter title page repeats the ONE PIECE logo and 'Flavor of Sand.' title. Luffy appears in the upper right, wide-eyed and sucking on a pipe while wrapped in a blue cloak. Zoro stands below with his sword across his shoulders against an orange sunset sky. The three panels show Nami smiling with a bottle, Usopp reacting with surprise while holding a camera, and Vivi writing in a book. The bottom panel features Sanji smoking and Chopper looking startled in his hat amid a desert town backdrop.

In a desert town at sunset, Nefertari Vivi smiles and replies, 'Sure thing!' Igaram grins widely and says, 'Please do come visit once the town is set up!' He adds, 'Well, I guess we should say good-bye for now, Vivi.' A massive impact sound effect 'ドンッ!!' erupts across the sky as the view widens to show the sandy town with towers and palm trees. In close-up, Igaram looks emotional and says 'Vivi...' while Toto, an older man with a turban, places a hand on his shoulder and reassures him, 'Please don't worry anymore.' Toto continues with 'Toto...' as tears form.

Nefertari Vivi smiles confidently with eyes closed and declares, 'I'll stop the rebels no matter what!' In the next scene, a hooded woman with a headpiece stands silently with '......' In a desert town view, Luffy looks surprised with wide eyes. Chopper appears with a medical cross on his hat saying 'Thank you, Vivi!' The hooded woman looks on. Sanji, smoking, states 'I...' while glancing sideways.

Inside a crowded bunk room, a tall figure with a wide grin raises his hand and declares, "You must all be exhausted by now so why don't we all get some rest!" Another voice replies, "Good work, crew!" A third adds, "So we have enough energy for tomorrow!I" The scene shifts to chaotic fighting among the crew. A black-haired man yells, "AND DON'T JUST INSULT ME FOR PASSING OUT WHEN BLUE-NOSE OVER THERE TAKES THE TOP PRIZE FOR THAT TODAY!" A woman retorts, "Oh, so it's a fight you want, is that it...I" The black-haired man continues, "SORRY I'M NOT FREAKISHLY STRONG LIKE YOU MONSTERS!" Another shouts, "YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT! I PASSED OUT BECAUSE I WAS FREAKIN' EXHAUSTED! YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH THATI" Someone cries, "Ack!" A voice warns, "Some talk comin' from someone who was sleeping until now!" In the lower panels, a blonde woman clutches her face as voices argue, "OH THAT'S IT! YOU'RE ALL OOOONNN!" "SOME PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO GET A LITTLE SHUT-EYE HERE!" "HEY! WHO JUST THREW THAT PILLOW! YOU'VE GOT SOME GUTS!" "AND WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING OVER THERE!I" Sanji protests, "Umm, Sanji, this is my bed..." while another insists, "I TOLD YOU! I'M NOT GOOD WITH THE HEAT!"

In the desert town of Yuba, an old man in robes digs furiously into the sand under the blazing sun. Narration and his thoughts read, "The water will come... The Yuba Oasis is still alive." He continues, "Yo old man! I still don't see any water! Ugh, my throat's sooo dry. I'm surprised you can manage to survive in a place like this." The old man replies, "I'll dig the oasis back up as many times as it takes... Because this is the land the king himself specially entrusted to me...! Yuba won't be defeated by the likes of sand..." Luffy watches nearby as the old man digs. Voices call out, "Are you TRYING to fill up my hole!I" "No, I'm trying to dig." "HEY STOP! You're getting all the sand in my hole!" "Let's keep digging!" "Alright!" Luffy stands with a puzzled expression, thinking, "Hmmm..."

The old man stares in shock as Luffy explains, "Oohhh... So your hole is some kinda magic hole, is that what you're sayingI" The old man retorts, "NO!" and "There's no point in digging if you're also going to fill up the very hole I dug already!" Luffy answers, "Yes I know that but you're getting sand in my hole!" Close-ups show the old man's surprised face and Luffy's determined expression. A swirling sand vortex forms as they dig. The scene cuts to an indoor room where several figures lie sleeping on the floor. One snores loudly with the sound effect "SNOOOOREEE!"

In a lavish hall, dramatic sound effects explode: "JOOOKING AROUND!" and "STOOOP," as figures react in panic. Mr. 2 spins wildly in the center while others sit around a long table. Dialogue flies: "That's right! Allyer yappin's makin' my hips ache to hell!" "Mr. 2, could you please just wait quietlyI" "Well, I'm just going to stand here and spin! Spin, spin, spin like a beautiful swan!" "The least he could do is give us an octofait in the meanwhile!" "How long is he planning on making us wait!I" A voice adds, "That goes for you too, Ms. Merry Christmas." Ms. Merry Christmas replies, "Fo... Fo... Fo... Fo..." while Mr. 2 continues spinning with the onomatopoeia "ばんばんばんばん!!"

Inside a lavish Rainbase meeting room, Ms. All Sunday stands with her back to the viewer, fur-trimmed coat and wide hat visible. A voice remarks, "Then again, There's no need for that either..." Another adds, "Fufufu... I suppose asking you to all get along is impossible." A small balloon complains, "Didn't I tell you to pipe down idiot!I" while another teases, "Oh heeelllooo there, Sunday! How ya doin'!I" Ms. All Sunday replies calmly. In the next panel she faces forward, arms spread, saying, "Thank you all for taking the long trip out here for this meeting." A bald man labeled Ms. All Sunday...I asks, "Where exactly are we." She answers, "It's quite a sight seeing you agents all gathered in one place." The bottom panel shows the full table: Ms. All Sunday welcomes everyone, "I welcome you officer agents to Rainbase, the city of dreams..." A seated woman with afro hair listens as another agent notes, "Oh that's right. You don't know because Banchi brought you here using the back door..." and "I'm sure you've all heard of it before though. The city where travellers come to gamble in hopes of getting rich..."

Outside in the desert city, a large panel shows the bustling streets of Rainbase with palm trees and ornate buildings. A speech bubble states, "And the building you're in right now, Is sitting right in the middle of the Rainbase oasis." Onlookers and agents mill about. The next large panel reveals the massive pyramid-shaped casino with striped walls and a grinning crocodile-like roof ornament. Bold sound effects "どーん" and "どん" emphasize its presence. A sign reads "CASINO" and a label declares "Casino 'Rain Dinners'." A bubble explains, "The largest casino in Rainbase...!"

Ms. All Sunday continues, "But of course, there's someone I must introduce to you before that... The boss whom you've known nothing about except his codename..." In the background a figure sits on a throne as she says, "Start the dawn meeting already! Start! Begin!" and "Fine by me!" A voice warns, "If you have no further questions, then let's get the meeting underway." She adds, "But there's no longer a need for that... You understand why, don't you...I" until now I've been acting on his behalf to keep his identity a secret." Suddenly the room erupts in shock: "WHA!I" "!!!I" "ガタン..." as the agents react with wide eyes and falling chairs. A voice declares, "The end is near, that's why..." while dramatic sound effects "ゆら......!!" and "グオオオオオ......!!!" fill the air.

A close-up reveals Crocodile's scarred face as he speaks: "UTOPIA." and "OPERATION," with a sinister grin. In the grand chair he spreads his arms, coat billowing, declaring, "That is the name of the final plan," and "We the Baroque Works shall carry it out." The agents stare in horror: "CROCO-DILE!I" "!!!!I" "WHA!I" "!!I" with sweat drops and panicked expressions filling the panel. Crocodile's presence dominates the room as the true leader is finally revealed.

Robin speaks firmly, "Of course we know him! But more importantly, why would one of the Shichibukai be..." The curly-haired man with sunglasses grins widely, "We've got a real big-name here now..." Robin smiles, "Ah, good... So you're all already familiar with the man himself." The bald man stares in shock, "You're our boss...I" The curly-haired man sweats, "Fa..." Crocodile roars with fury, "So we were following a pirate's orders all along!I" A massive close-up shows Crocodile's scarred face glaring as he demands, "ANY COMPLAINTS!I"

Robin continues, "A pirate officially sanctioned by the World Government, would go all the way out and form a criminal organization... We're not complaining here. We're just confused why a Shichibukai." Crocodile's hook slams the table with a massive impact. In the grand hall, a cloaked figure declares, "IT'S MILITARY MIGHT!" Crocodile sits in the throne-like chair, "What I desire isn't money or land..." Crocodile lights a cigar, "Allow me to explain from the beginning. My true objective and the full picture behind the final operation of Baroque Works..." A tall man in a turban questions, "Military might...I"

A massive crocodile-headed structure looms. Crocodile states, "So in short, our objective this time is to ensure the successful completion of this plan, correct...I" The curly-haired man laughs wildly, "Why, I'm giddy as a little schoolgirl now! There's really something like that here in this country!I And we're gonna be stealing it along with this entire country!I" Crocodile's face fills the panel, "THE TIME TO END THE KINGDOM OF ALABASTA HAS COME... Inside the letter in front of you are the final orders I shall leave to you." He extends his hook, "Correct. Everything you've ever done for Baroque Works, Was all to build up for this final operation."

The Baroque Works agents react with varied expressions around the table. Crocodile points with his hook, "This kingdom shall crumble on its own...! And once the rebels and citizens of Alabasta have lost their place to go," the agents reach toward the candelabra as he continues, "Once you've carried out those orders," Crocodile smiles menacingly, "This country shall become our 'Utopia!' Within a single night, They too, will fall into the hands of Baroque Works!"

At a grand round table lit by candelabras, Baroque Works agents gather as a commanding voice declares, "The operation will begin tomorrow morning at 7!" Another balloon states, "Operation Utopia will be the last and greatest plan carried out by Baroque Works! Failure will not be tolerated." In the next panel, a scarred man with a hook for a hand sits at the head of the table while an unseen figure shouts "Roger...!" The scarred man leans forward with a fierce grin and declares, "I PRAY FOR OUR SUCCESS."

In the ruined streets of Yuba, Luffy receives a small package from Toto. "Oh Luffy, take this with you," Toto says. Vivi apologizes, "Forgive me for the shameful sight yesterday, Vivi..." Luffy replies, "Right..." Elsewhere, villagers dig desperately in the sand. One explains, "Yes. Shortly after you fell asleep while digging that hole, I finally managed to reach a layer of moist earth..." They strike water and cheer "WATER!" A hooded woman smiles and says, "It's genuine Yuba water... I'm sorry there isn't anymore to give than that right now..." The man who found it replies, "Thanks, mister! I didn't really understand all that stuff you just said but I'll treasure this water! The water I gave you is from distilling a portion of that."

Luffy suddenly kicks a withered tree, sending it flying with a loud "ドカッ...!" Vivi yells, "LUFFY! What do you think you're doing!I" Luffy sits on the ground looking annoyed. Close-ups show worried faces: "...Is something wrong, LuffyI" Luffy stares with wide eyes and flatly announces, "I quit." The panel erupts with impact lines and the word "WHATI" as the others react in shock.

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