The courtyard was chaos.
Rebels, soldiers, and Baroque Works agents were everywhere, clashing in a storm of dust and steel. Screams and explosions filled the air. The ground shook beneath our feet.
I gripped my sword, standing beside Emma and Vivi. "So this is the big fight, huh?"
Emma nodded. "Looks that way."
Before we could move, a group of Baroque Works agents rushed toward us. They wore black coats marked with their number badges, weapons flashing in the sun.
"Looks like we've been noticed," Emma said, pulling her blades.
"Good," I said, stepping forward. "I needed a warm-up."
The first agent swung at me with twin axes. I blocked with my sword, twisted, and kicked him back. The next came from behind, but Emma cut him down before he reached me.
There were too many of them. The ground cracked under our feet as they surrounded us.
Vivi shouted from behind a pillar, "Be careful! Those are Crocodile's top agents!"
I looked at the crowd gathering around me. My grip tightened. "Then I'll deal with them all at once."
The air grew heavy. Sand lifted off the ground. My sword began to hum as I focused everything into it.
Emma glanced at me. "Noah… what are you doing?"
"Ending this."
I raised the sword high, and the pressure exploded around me. The ground started to shake. The agents hesitated, eyes wide.
"Gravity Slash!"
The slash ripped through the air like a wave. The courtyard cracked, stone walls shattered, and the ground split open. Dust and sand flew high into the sky. When it cleared, half the courtyard was destroyed — a massive crater now sat where the agents had stood.
Emma shielded her face from the wind. "You really don't know how to hold back, do you?"
I smirked. "Guess not."
But the victory didn't last long.
A loud laugh echoed across the battlefield. "So, you're the one causing trouble here."
I turned. Crocodile stood there, calm and confident.
Suddenly Luffy appeared — battered, bruised, but grinning.
"Crocodile!" Luffy shouted. "This time, I'm gonna beat you!"
Crocodile chuckled. "You again? You never learn, boy."
Luffy charged forward, but his fist passed straight through Crocodile's body. The sand reformed instantly.
Crocodile laughed. "You can't hit sand."
But Luffy didn't back down. He grabbed a nearby barrel, poured water over himself, and swung again. This time, his punch slammed right into Crocodile's jaw, sending him flying back.
Everyone froze for a moment. Even the Baroque Works agents stopped fighting.
Emma blinked. "Wait… that worked?"
Luffy grinned, water dripping from his hat. "You're not so tough when you're wet!"
Crocodile wiped the blood from his lip, eyes narrowing. "You'll regret that, Straw Hat."
I stepped up beside Luffy, sword still glowing faintly from my last attack. "Looks like we're on the same side."
Luffy nodded. "Let's finish!"
The courtyard roared back to life. Soldiers, rebels, and pirates clashed once more as Crocodile and his agents faced off against us.
The final battle for Alabasta had begun.
The sky over Alubarna turned dark with dust and smoke.
Explosions thundered through the city as the fight spread from street to street.
Emma wiped the sweat from her forehead. "This place is falling apart!"
"No kidding," I said, stepping over a broken wall.
"You should've stayed out of this, boy," Crocodile said, glaring straight at me. "This is between me and the Straw Hat."
"Too bad," I replied, lifting my sword. "You mess with people like Vivi and this kingdom, you mess with us."
Luffy ran past me, yelling, "I'm not done yet, Crocodile!"
Crocodile smirked. "Then die like the fool you are."
The ground beneath us cracked open — Crocodile's sand powers twisted the battlefield into a swirling desert storm. Buildings sank into pits. Sand blades spun through the air.
Emma dodged one barely in time. "He's turning the courtyard into a desert!"
I grabbed her arm and pulled her behind a fallen pillar. "Stay down!"
Crocodile's laughter echoed. "You can't protect anyone here."
Luffy jumped out again, soaked in water, fists clenched tight. He swung — "Gum-Gum Stamp!"
The stamp smashed into Crocodile's chest, blasting him through a wall. Sand spilled everywhere, and for a second, it looked like he was down.
But then… the sand reformed.
Crocodile appeared again,smiling cruelly.
"You really don't learn," he said, and stabbed forward.
His golden hook sliced the air — right through Luffy's stomach.
Blood sprayed. Luffy froze, eyes wide.
"LUFFY!" Vivi screamed.
Emma gasped. "No way…"
I charged forward, swinging my sword with everything I had, but Crocodile's body scattered into sand again. My blade passed harmlessly through him.
He turned, eyes cold. "You'll die too."
He sent a sand spear straight at me. I tried to block, but the force sent me crashing into a wall.
Emma ran to me, grabbing my arm. "Noah, we have to go!"
I coughed, pushing myself up. "Not yet… I'm not running."
She glared. "Then what do we do? He's too strong!"
I looked at Luffy, lying on the ground, blood soaking into the sand. Crocodile walked away slowly, dragging his hook. "This kingdom will fall, just like your little rebellion."
My hands shook. I wanted to charge again. But Emma pulled me back. "If we stay, we die."
For once, she was right.
We lifted Luffy together, carrying him away as Crocodile disappeared into the dust. The sound of explosions echoed behind us.
When we reached a safe alley, Vivi ran up, tears streaming down her face. "Is he—"
"He's alive," I said. "Barely."
Emma knelt, ripping cloth to wrap his wound. "We need to get him somewhere safe."
Vivi looked back toward the palace, where smoke and sand spiraled into the sky. "Crocodile… he's going to destroy everything."
I gritted my teeth. "Then we'll stop him."
Emma gave me a look. "Didn't you just say he's too strong?"
"Yeah," I said, standing up, sword still in my hand. "But next time, I'll be ready."