The Kingdom's Strongest Warrior

Rain Dinners, the largest casino in Rainbase. The massive pyramid-shaped casino building with a crocodile-head roof looms under the sky, accompanied by large SFX “がゃがゃ” and “かいかい”. In a dramatic close-up, a figure with a wide-open mouth framed by sharp teeth and a striped collar yells, “SHOW YOUR-SELF! CROCO-DILE!”

Inside Rain Dinners, chaos erupts with large SFX “どどーん!!!”. Luffy stands in the center with arms raised, shouting “GET YER ASS OUT HERE!”. Nearby, a man in a striped coat watches while other patrons react. In lower panels, Luffy yells with mouth wide open amid impact SFX “バシッ!!”. A woman with a bow asks, “Wait, hold on! If Vivi’s not with us, how the hell are we supposed to recognize who Crocodile even is!I” Someone replies, “Then… What do we do!I” Another voice exclaims, “He’s considered the hero of Alabasta right now! Are you TRYING to turn everyone here into our enemies!I” A small figure wonders, “Where is Vivi anywaysI” while Luffy continues, “YOU THINK YELLING IS ACTUALLY GOING TO MAKE HIM SHOW UP!I”

Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper all raise their fists and shout together with large SFX “ずどーん”, “VIVI! CROCODILE! WHERE ARE YOU!I” A small hooded figure asks, “What happened to not yellingI” In the next panels, Luffy in a straw hat says, “This casino’s in the middle of a lake! There’s no other place for you to run to!” and reacts with “AOH!” as he spots something. A security guard with spiky hair orders, “I’ve got you now, Straw-Hat! Tell the security to quickly deal with them.” Another guard reports, “Sir, a strange group of people are causing a ruckus in the casino!” In the bottom panel, Smoker appears from behind, swinging his weapon with SFX “ドドドドド”, as someone yells “IT’S SMOKIE! RUN!”

Three suited men block the path. The left one growls, "We're gonna have to ask you to step outside..." while the right one snaps, "Hold it right there!" The large central figure stands with clenched fists as tension rises. In the next scene a speeding vehicle smashes through an indoor area, its driver shouting, "HuhI Did I just run over somethingI" as "CLANG!" rings out and debris flies. Below, a woman with a fur collar smiles and states, "Crocodile's orders." A suited man asks, "PardonI" Another replies, "Invite them into the V.I.P. room." A third warns, "Manager! Some strangers are-"

The group is guided toward ornate V.I.P. doors as staff bow and call, "Please come this way to the V.I.P. room!" and "Welcome, sirs!" Sanji reacts with shock, "Hey, look over there!" Inside the crew discusses the situation: "V.I.P. room!I So there is some sort of connection between Crocodile and them..." Zoro declares, "ALRIGHT! LET'S GO!" Sanji notes, "A man who gets down right to business, ehI" while Luffy asks, "Is that a challenge for us to 'bring it on!I'" Luffy then yells, "By the way, what the heck's a VIPI" as the crew charges forward. A voice exclaims, "Great! This might be a chance to send all these pirates to the gallows!"

A massive metal gate slams shut with a loud "ガチャン!!" The Straw Hats find themselves trapped behind bars, peering out in alarm. In the room below, several figures stand or sit quietly: a hooded person, a woman in a dress, a kneeling child, a tall figure in a striped cloak, and a man with a weapon resting on his shoulder. The space is a high-ceilinged chamber with large windows and a circular emblem overhead.

Luffy and the crew realize they have been tricked. A voice rages, "GOD! YOU GUYS ARE ALL A BUNCH OF IDIOTS! CUNNING, MY ASS! YOU GUYS JUST RAN HEAD-FIRST INTO HIS TRAP!" Another adds, "Most cunning, indeed." Luffy remarks, "A cunning plan." The group panics as the floor gives way: "Wait, but- AAAAAHHH!! It's a trap door!" "So we gotta go right!" "We're pirates, right!I" "The V.I.P. room's to the left!" "No, wait!" "Hey the hallway splits off into two directions!" "We're falling!" Luffy, dangling, shouts, "Why, are you hungry or somethingI" while thinking, "I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT IT FEELS LIKE ALL MY STRENGTH IS BEING SUCKED OUT..."

Luffy turns with a puzzled expression. "HmI" A voice cries out "LUFFY!" as a heavy weapon swings down. The impact lands with a sharp "ガキ..." sound. In a chaotic wide panel, Luffy is struck hard and sent flying, shouting "GYAAA! LUFFY!" while another figure yells "UGH!!" A fishman-like crewmate watches in shock nearby. At the bottom of the page, Smoker stands tall, gripping his long jutte, the weapon extended after the strike.

Smoker speaks while holding his jutte. "I'll have you know that I've finished off a explosive-human in the past!" He threatens a small creature: "H-h-hey you, smoke monster! Y-y-you want s-s-some of this, huh!I Do ya!I" The creature panics with "あちょー!!" Luffy lies dazed on the ground, eyes swirling. "H-HEY! WHAT DID YOU DO TO LUFFY!I" Smoker explains calmly, "It's a mysterious stone said to be only found in a certain area of the ocean... The tip of my jutte is made with a substance known as 'seastone.'...HUHI I CAN'T MOVE...!I IT'S LIKE... I'VE FALLEN IN THE SEA."

In a prison-like hall with seastone bars, Smoker stands over the collapsed Luffy. Bystanders discuss: "It's best to think of it as a solidified form of the sea. There's still a lot of mysteries surrounding this mineral but what we do know is that it emits the same type of energy as the sea. So that's what's been sapping Luffy's power..." Smoker adds, "To prevent devil-fruit users from using their abilities and escaping. The prisons at the Marine HQ all have cages made with seastone." He continues, "That is, after I've personally seen to it that none of you would ever be able to head out for the seas again... If they weren't, I'd already be long gone from here. Then these cages too are made with-" An ally urges, "That's right. I suggest you stop." From the side, panicked voices shout "UNOHHEATHE AND ZORO! YOUR SWORDS WON'T WORK ON HIM! GYAAA! NO, WAIT, WAIT! YOU CAN'T FIGHT NOW!"

Crocodile lounges in a cell, arms crossed. "As fellow prisoners doomed to the same death, Why not make peace with each other...I" Smoker glares back. "It appears you mistrusted me from the start. You certainly live up to your reputation as a wild dog, Capt. Smoker." Crocodile smirks and replies "Croco-dile...!" He continues, "I don't know what brings you to this country but I'm sure you weren't under any orders. Probably acting independently as usual. And since the World Government will have no reason to doubt me, I don't think any more marines will come here to check up on me... You were wise to do so, of course. I'll tell the World Government you tragically did in an 'accident,' while bravely fighting that small-time pirate Straw-Hat, haha."

Tension fills the air inside the Rain Dinners casino. Crocodile stands with his back partially turned as an unseen voice remarks, "So that's one of the Shichibukai..." while another figure growls, "YOU'RE THE ONE CALLED CROCODILE..." Luffy suddenly bursts forward in close-up, eyes blazing, and roars "HEY YOU!" Crocodile smirks and replies calmly, "But don't worry, I've sent my partner to escort her here. After all, our guest of honour has yet to arrive." In the nearby holding cell, a guard yells "STOP TOUCHING THE BARS, YOU IDIOT!" while Luffy grips the bars and shouts "FIGHt Me..." Crocodile continues, "I'll kill you in due time but do wait a little longer. I never imagined I'd be meeting you in person. Well done in making it all the way here, Straw-Hat Luffy..."

Outside in the plaza, Vivi clashes with Baroque Works agents. One opponent acknowledges, "You live up to your reputation as an ex-frontier agent." Vivi grits her teeth and thinks, "I CAN'T DIE IN A PLACE LIKE THIS! I STILL HAVE TO GET TO RAIN DINNERS...!" as she is struck, crying "NGH!" The large man in the black cloak swings his hook and declares, "But your resistance ends here! Hahaha!" Vivi is slammed to the ground with a pained "GYAA!" while the attackers close in around her.

A massive explosion erupts as a giant bird-like figure crashes into the Baroque Works agents. Vivi is thrown back by the impact, shouting "AGHH!" while the agents yell "!!!!I" One cries out in shock, "WHAT'S WITH THAT BIRD...!I" Another exclaims, "A FALCON!I" as the enormous falcon tears through the group amid flying debris and impact lines.

The falcon snatches Vivi into the air. Agents panic and shout "SHOOT IT DOWN!" and "CRAP! IT TOOK THE PRINCESS!" as the giant bird carries her away. Vivi looks up in surprise and recognition, calling out "PELL!" The falcon-man, now in hybrid form, replies, "It's been a while, hasn't it, Princess ViviI" He sets her down on a high ledge and says, "Please wait here for a short moment." as he prepares to dive back into the fight.

A close-up shows a shocked man with a hat, sweat flying, exclaiming about "THE STRONGEST WARRIOR IN ALA-BASTA!I" In the next panel, people stare up at a grand tower as someone calls out "PellI" and narration reads "AS IN 'PELL THE FALCON!I'" Pell transforms mid-air into a massive falcon-beast hybrid covered in armored feathers and talons, with text boxes stating "One of the 5 identified devil fruit types which gives the user the ability to fly..." and "Tori Tori fruit, model: Falcon." Gunfire erupts as soldiers shout "WHERE'D HE GO!I" and "JUST KEEP SHOOTING!" with impact SFX "バン" "サ..." "ドドドン!!" and "FLASH!" Pell vanishes in a blur. Below, a man in a skull shirt aims a rifle while another figure watches through a scope, ending with a large SFX "フォオオオ..."

Pell unleashes a devastating aerial strike labeled "TOBIZUME! (Flying Talon)" with massive impact lines and SFX "ドオ..." as he slashes through Baroque Works agents. The agents are sent flying amid explosions and debris. A woman with long hair, identified as Vivi, reacts with relief: "Thank god for Pell! Now I have to hurry and meet up with the others...!" while a massive bird-like form crashes into the ground near the palace.

Vivi stares in shock as voices cry "PRESIDENT...!" "VICE..." "MS. ALL SUNDAY!I" and "Who are youI" A silhouetted figure replies "Good. If that's what you want too, then this should go a lot more smoothly." In another panel a man with a turban wonders "But I wonder if you're stronger than me...I" while a woman in a long coat stands with hands on hips, saying "Magnificent... This is my first time seeing a flying man." Vivi kneels in surprise. A close-up of a stern man with tribal markings declares "A member of the organization threatening our kingdom...!I Princess Vivi... Is this woman."

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