Smoker squinted his eyes. He stared at the dark shapes getting closer towards them.
They weren't running around. They weren't scared at all.
They were walking slowly, like they knew they were going to win.
Smoker's stomach tightened.
"…It's those guys," he muttered.
Baroque Works had arrived.
---
First came Mr. 1, his arms had turned into metal blades. With every step, the sword cut the sand under his feet. He didn't even glance down.
Next to him, Miss Doublefinger walked like she was on a fashion show. Spikes grew from her arms, shoulders, and even her chest. Her smile was seductive.
Then Mr. 2 Bon Clay spun into view. "Oh ho ho~! Can you believe it? Mr. 0 is Crocodile!" He laughed loudly and changed his face over and over
"I could be anyone!" he said with a twirl.
Mr. 3 came next, walking lazily. Wax dripped from his fingers. He created a long sword from wax and gave it a lazy swing.
Miss Goldenweek followed behind him, eating a rice cracker and painting signs on a coloring board. She didn't talk, just kept drawing.
Mr. 4 was dragging a giant bat behind him. The heavy metal left deep lines in the sand. His dog-gun Lasso walked next to him, smoke coming out of its mouth like a chimney.
Suddenly, sand exploded.
Miss Merry Christmas popped out of the ground like a mole. "Hurry up, you big lump!" she yelled at Mr. 4. Then she disappeared back under the sand.
---
Crocodile chuckled quietly.
He wasn't nervous anymore. He looked completely in control.
Smoker stepped forward, gripping his jitte. His jaw was tight.
"I should've guessed you'd bring your whole team," he said.
But Crocodile didn't answer.
He wasn't even looking at Smoker.
He was looking at the ground.
Smoker's feet suddenly shifted.
"…What?"
The sand under him moved. He dropped straight into a box. Thick gray bars slammed shut around him, trapping him inside a grayish cage.
His whole body felt weak. He dropped to one knee.
"A Seastone cage!?"
Smoker slammed his fist into the bars. He tried to turn into smoke — but nothing happened.
No powers.
This was real Seastone. His Devil Fruit was useless now.
---
Crocodile walked up slowly.
"You lost, Captain Smoker," he said, voice calm.
"You were too distracted. You forgot to watch your surroundings."
Smoker glared at him. He wanted to fight—but his body wouldn't move.
Crocodile looked away.
---
Just a few steps away, Robin was still fighting. Her top was torn, her face covered in sweat. She calmly brushed sand off her shoulder like it didn't bother her.
"Let's go, Robin," Crocodile said.
She nodded once.
Suddenly, the sand under her feet started spinning. It wrapped around her waist and pulled her forward.
She looked surprised, trying to keep her balance.
Her top slipped upward from the sudden movement.
Smoker's eyes widened.
For a short second, everything was exposed.
Robin blinked, clearly knowing what had happened. She took a deep breath, and two arms grew from her back. They gently fixed her top and held it in place.
As the sand carried her past the cage, she looked at Smoker.
She gave him a small smile.
Then she was gone.
---
Crocodile's voice echoed in the distance.
"I can't take over Alabasta in public anymore. But I never cared about being king."
"We're heading to the royal palace. Alabasta's hidden treasure—that's what I really want."
He laughed as his voice faded.
"You lost, Smoker!"
Smoker held the bars tighter. His teeth were clenched.
"Dammit…"
He could hear the fighting behind him. But he couldn't move.
---
Meanwhile, Tashigi stood with her sword ready. Her arm was broken, but she didn't care. She stared at the two enemies in front of her.
Mr. 1 stepped toward her. Miss Doublefinger followed close behind.
"I'm a sword human. Fighting me with a sword is just stupid, little Marine," Mr. 1 said.
Tashigi shouted and ran forward.
Her sword hit his sword arm with a loud clang—but he didn't even flinch.
He slashed at her. She barely dodged—but then Miss Doublefinger rushed in. A sharp spike stabbed her in the leg.
Tashigi cried out and fell to one knee. Another spike cut across her back.
She gasped in pain, but pushed herself up again, breathing hard.
Mr. 1's arm turned into a giant sword.
"This is it," he said. "You're finished."
---
Mikita stood across from Mr. 2 and Miss Merry Christmas.
"You joined the Marines?" Bon Clay shouted, shocked. "Miss Valentine, how could you~?"
He touched his face and changed into her.
"Look! Now there's two of us!" he laughed.
Then he kicked her hard in the chest.
She flew back, coughing up blood.
"1 kilogram!" she shouted, trying to lift into the air.
But Miss Merry Christmas popped up behind her.
"Too slow!" she shouted, slashing her claws across Mikita's back.
Mikita screamed and crashed to the ground again. Blood ran down her back and soaked the sand.
---
Gem faced off against Mr. 3 and Mr. 4.
"I'll blow you both to pieces!" he yelled.
He fired a blast of explosive snot at Mr. 3.
Mr. 3 quickly made a wax wall. The blast hit it hard, melting it—but not breaking through.
"You're disgusting, Mr 5," Mr. 3 said, frowning. He made several wax knives and threw them like darts.
Gem dodged to the side, rolling through the sand.
Then a shadow covered him.
Mr. 4 was in the air.
"Home run," he said.
The giant bat slammed into Gem's ribs.
CRACK!
Gem flew through the air and landed far away in the sand dunes.
He didn't get up.
---
Vivi was weak and dried out from Crocodile's attack, but she didn't stop.
She limped toward Miss Goldenweek.
"Get away from my friends!" she shouted.
Goldenweek didn't look scared. She smiled and painted a symbol on the sand.
Vivi tried to move—but her legs stopped.
She looked down—"Calm." The glowing word was under her feet.
"I… I can't move," she whispered.
Then Lasso sneezed.
A cannonball shot from its mouth.
"QUACK!!"
Karoo flapped his wings and jumped in front of Vivi.
BOOM!!
The cannonball exploded.
Karoo rolled across the sand, his wing bleeding.
Vivi screamed. She tried to move again—but another glowing word froze her.
She couldn't even reach her friend.
Tears ran down her cheeks.
---
Back at the cage…
Smoker held the bars tight.
He could see his team falling, bleeding, and losing one by one.
He slammed his jitte against the bars, but nothing happened.
He was stuck, powerless.
Crocodile was gone. Robin was gone with him.
And his team… they were being massacred.
Even if he escaped now, what could he do?
Chase Crocodile?
Or save his crew?
Smoker clenched his fists.
He tried again to turn into smoke—but still nothing.
"I have to get out of this cage…" he whispered.
"I should've seen it coming…"
His voice dropped.
"…dammit."