Cursed Seas and Slashing Tides

Ryomen and Luffy stood in front of Crocodile, tension thick in the air as they waited for someone to make the first move.

Suddenly, a wave of sand surged behind them, trying to trap them in its grasp. They evaded it just in time, leaping apart.

"Sneak attacks, really? Weren't you just boasting about being stronger?" Ryomen taunted with a smirk.

"You won't be so lively soon." Crocodile growled, his voice laced with anger.

"Gomu-Gomu no…Bullet!!" Luffy charged straight at the Warlord, aiming for his chest but missing as Crocodile sidestepped.

Crocodile retaliated, trying to grab Luffy, but the nimble boy weaved through his attempts.

"Be careful, Luffy! He's got both types of Haki!" Ryomen warned sharply, keeping his eyes on their opponent.

Luffy gave a quick nod of acknowledgment but didn't lose focus.

"Why so cautious? Do you actually fear me behind all that bravado?" Crocodile laughed mockingly. "You'll never defeat me! This is the Grand Line!"

"Cursed Dismantle!" Ryomen's retort came in the form of a swift attack, but Crocodile barely had time to register it before Luffy followed up.

"Gomu-Gomu no…Gatling!!" Luffy unleashed a barrage of punches, both him and Ryomen attacking from different angles, overwhelming Crocodile with relentless blows.

The Warlord tried to evade, but some slashes and punches still connected, though many were stopped by his invisible armor.

"You see!? I'm invincible!" Crocodile roared arrogantly, only to freeze when he sensed Luffy above him, moving too fast to dodge.

"Gomu-Gomu no…Bazooka!!" Luffy slammed Crocodile into the ground with incredible force, though the Warlord stubbornly remained standing.

Ryomen seized the opportunity, quickly closing the distance. "Cursed Cleave!" His attack sliced across Crocodile's body, bypassing his Haki defenses and drawing blood.

"Aaghh!!" Crocodile cried out in pain, spitting blood. His rage flared. "You fools! While you waste time helping your friend, the bomb will explode, and you'll all die!!"

"You're wrong! Vivi won't let her home be destroyed! And my crew will help her!!" Luffy shouted, his confidence unshaken.

Ryomen smirked, stepping closer. "Why are you even talking about this? Maybe because behind all your arrogance…you actually fear us?"

"You!!" Crocodile snarled, gritting his teeth. "Desert Spada!!" He slashed the floor with a wave of sand, narrowly missing the two.

Luffy reacted quickly, appearing in front of Crocodile and launching him into the ceiling with a powerful kick.

As Crocodile plummeted back down, Ryomen was ready. Luffy grabbed Ryomen and flung him into the air toward Crocodile's falling body.

"I'll bury you along with this tomb! Sable…Pesado!!" Crocodile unleashed a sandstorm, destroying everything around him.

"This is your end!" Ryomen shouted as he neared. Dark energy enveloped his fist as he dove toward Crocodile's chest. "Black…Flash!!"

Red sparks flickered around his fist as it connected with Crocodile's chest, creating a resounding boom. The force sent Crocodile flying out of the crypt, knocked out cold.

"Incredible…Such power." Cobra muttered in awe as he watched the two.

"You have my thanks." He said to them as the crypt began collapsing around them.

"It was nothing." Luffy grinned, while Ryomen smiled briefly—until his expression shifted to concern. He began searching through the rubble frantically.

"What are you doing?" Luffy asked, confused.

"Robin was injured by Crocodile." Ryomen replied. Seeing Luffy's blank look, he added, "Ms. All Sunday—the one who saved you."

"Ooh! Ms. Sundae! Why didn't you say so!" Luffy exclaimed, then joined in the search.

"I…yeah." Ryomen sighed but focused on his task.

They eventually found Robin near the giant cube, laying motionless.

"Were we too late?" Ryomen murmured, disbelief in his voice as Luffy began shaking her.

"Wake up!!" Luffy yelled.

"Stop it! I'm not dead!" Robin weakly replied, irritated.

"Great! Do you have an antidote? We'll get you out of here after!" Ryomen asked quickly.

"No. There's no need to…" Robin replied quietly.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Luffy blinked in confusion.

"For twenty years, I sought the Rio Poneglyph…the one speaking about the 'True History.' This was my last hope…and it was wrong." Tears welled up in her eyes.

Ryomen silently rummaged through her jacket and found a vial. Without a word, he fed it to her.

"Why!?" She demanded, anger flaring.

"Luffy, go grab the king. We need to get out of here fast." Ryomen said, ignoring her protests.

"Alright!" Luffy ran off to get Cobra.

Ryomen then put Robin on his back. "Let me carry you."

"Just leave me here! I'm tired of following this path…all I ever wanted was to know history, but my dream made too many enemies." Robin muttered, her voice laced with hopelessness.

"No." His reply was firm, startling her. "Are you an idiot? If you're tired of this path, then make a new one! Dying isn't the answer!" The conviction in his voice caught both of them off guard.

"Why? I have nothing to live for…" Robin tried to protest.

"Live for me! I won't let you die here!" Ryomen said determined, making Robin's eyes widen in shock.

She stayed silent, stunned by his words, as they continued their escape from the crumbling mausoleum.

They finally emerged into the open air, rain pouring down in a steady rhythm.

"Leave me here." Robin said as they reached safety, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Didn't I already tell you—" Ryomen began, but Robin cut him off.

"I can go on my own from here. Being seen by the navy or Alabasta's people wouldn't be a good idea." She gave him a small, sad smile before walking away into the rain.

Ryomen watched her go, his eyes following her for a moment before he turned to Luffy, who was about to collapse.

"Are you okay!?" He asked, catching Luffy before he could fall.

"Just need a nap…" Luffy muttered before losing consciousness.

Ryomen hoisted Luffy onto his back and looked at Cobra, who stood beside them.

"I'm fine. I can walk on my own." The king assured him.

…

The rest of the crew marched through the road, meeting Vivi at the clocktower.

"C'mon! Get up and walk!" Zoro barked at Usopp, dragging him by the foot.

"I can't! I have the 'if I take another step I'll die' disease!" Usopp whined.

"Then stay here." Zoro muttered, continuing to drag him.

"Hey! I'm not a sack of potatoes!"

They looked up and spotted three figures approaching in the distance.

"Luffy! Ryomen!" They called out, relieved to see them.

"We won." Ryomen said simply, offering a smile.

"You must be the pirates who brought back Vivi." Cobra suddenly spoke up.

"Huh? Who are you, mister?" Sanji asked, confused.

"Guys! Papa!" Vivi's voice called out as she ran up to them.

"P-Papa!? You're Vivi's father!?" Sanji gasped.

"So you're the king…" Zoro stated the obvious, his tone flat.

"I was prepared to die, but these two saved me." Cobra said, nodding toward Ryomen and the unconscious Luffy.

"Thank you!" Vivi said with gratitude, hugging Ryomen tightly.

"Told you I'd help you succeed." Ryomen said with a soft smile, causing Vivi's face to flush slightly. Nami's eyes narrowed for a brief moment, but she quickly masked it with a smile.

"I think you should go ahead, Vivi." Zoro suggested. "Back to the square."

"He's right. The rebellion's over, but until you and your father address the people, the celebration can't begin," Usopp added.

"Right! I'll tell everyone what you did!" Vivi exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Sorry, Vivi. You can't do that." Sanji said, lighting a cigarette. "We're notorious pirates. We can't get mixed up in politics."

"I'm hungry…" Chopper whined suddenly.

"Just head back to the palace. We're exhausted." Nami added, yawning.

Vivi and Cobra smiled gratefully before heading off toward the palace.

Once they were out of sight, Sanji's cigarette slipped from his mouth, and everyone collapsed from exhaustion.

…

Vivi and Cobra arrived at the palace, where the people of Alabasta were waiting for them to speak, bowing in their presence.

'I…can't find my words.' Vivi thought, overwhelmed, until Cobra gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"To mourn is natural. To feel unbearable regret is natural. We've lost much and gained nothing." Cobra began, his voice heavy with emotion as he addressed the crowd.

"But no one can forget the past! You must rise above the ashes of this conflict! Live on, Kingdom of Alabasta!!"

…

The next day, everyone busied themselves with their respective tasks. Vivi tended to Luffy, who remained unconscious, while Chopper showcased his skills to the royal doctor. Sanji and Usopp wandered through the capital, hunting for daily necessities, Zoro immersed himself in training, Nami lost herself in the library, and Ryomen sought an audience with King Cobra.

"Your Highness—" Ryomen began, but Cobra raised a hand to stop him.

"You and your friends saved this kingdom. There's no need for formalities." He insisted.

"Then…Cobra, could you help us learn how to train in Haki?" Ryomen asked.

"Haki?" Cobra echoed, surprise etched on his face.

"Yes. I thought about returning to Crocodile's base to find information, but the Navy confiscated everything he had and imprisoned him." Ryomen explained.

The king fell silent for a moment, contemplating. "Come with me." He finally said.

Cobra led Ryomen to one of the palace's private study rooms. He approached a bookshelf and revealed a hidden compartment, pulling out a small manual.

"This is all the information I could gather using my royal identity." He said, handing the manual to Ryomen.

"Huh? You don't need it?" Ryomen asked, taken aback.

"Haha! I've had this for years, and it hasn't brought me much. Besides, I already have all of it here." He tapped his head with a grin.

Thank you." Ryomen said, his voice laced with genuine gratitude. He could already feel the weight of the manual in his hands—the key to a new level of strength for the crew.

"It's the least I can do for what you've done for us." Cobra replied warmly, his smile a reflection of the gratitude that filled the air.

As Ryomen flipped through the manual, his expression shifted from curiosity to disbelief. "Is this…for real?" He asked, incredulous.

"Hahaha! Yes, I was surprised too!" Cobra chuckled, clearly amused by the revelation.

…

As Ryomen walked back toward the room where Luffy was being nursed, his steps felt lighter. 'This is it,' He thought, clutching the manual. 'We can finally get stronger, and we'll be ready for whatever comes next.'

As he approached the room, he heard multiple voices and wondered, 'Is Luffy awake?'

Just then, Igaram walked out of the room, looking strangely different. "Good afternoon, young man!" He exclaimed with uncharacteristic cheerfulness.

"G-Good afternoon." Ryomen replied, raising an eyebrow. 'Why does he seem…different?' He shook his head, pushing aside the odd thought as he entered the room.

"Ryomen!" Luffy shouted the moment Ryomen stepped inside, his face lit with excitement.

"Hey, you feeling better?" Ryomen asked, taking in the sight of the rest of the crew gathered around.

"Yep! That lady said she's bringing me three days' worth of food!!" Luffy exclaimed eagerly.

"Lady? Are you talking about Igaram?" Ryomen asked, confused.

"Uuh…not again." Vivi muttered, exasperated.

She quickly explained the situation to Ryomen for what felt like the millionth time.

"I see, so she's Igaram's wife." Ryomen mumbled, still a bit in disbelief.

"Weird, right?" Zoro said, flashing an amused grin.

"Hey! Don't talk like that about a lady!" Sanji suddenly shouted.

The others turned to Sanji in shock. "Huh?"

"What?" Sanji said, puzzled by their reactions.

"No, nothing… it's just surprising to hear you defend someone you're not…creeping after." Usopp remarked with a raised eyebrow.

"Hey!! I'm not a creep!" Sanji yelled, then adjusted his collar, trying to calm down. "Just so you know, just because I don't find a woman attractive doesn't mean I don't respect her! In the end, what truly matters is on the inside!" He declared righteously.

"Wow, Sanji, I didn't expect that from you." Nami said, her voice laced with surprise.

"Yeah, are you sure you're not gonna turn around and yell that it was all a prank?" Zoro teased with a smirk.

"You!!" Sanji shot Zoro an irritated glare but stopped when Ryomen placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Leave him alone, guys. He's not a disgusting pervert—" Ryomen began, but Sanji's face brightened, only for it to fall again at Ryomen's next words, "—most of the time."

"Hahaha!" Luffy burst out laughing, amused by Sanji's despair.

"Even I don't think I can treat that." Chopper said with a grin as he watched Sanji slump to his knees in defeat.

"C'mon, let's head to the dining hall." Vivi suggested, trying not to laugh at Sanji's misery.

…

In the dining hall, the food came pouring in, and the crew dug in like it was their last meal, while laughing and playing.

The guards watched in disgust at the sight, but soon enough they gave in to the atmosphere, joining in the fun.