Chapitre 71: Fake Charge
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By the time the search was complete, nearly more than a thousand traitors had been identified and captured. Kohza looked around at the men who had once been his comrades, now revealed as spies. His expression was both anger and betrayal.
Coby stepped up beside him. "This is just a taste of what Baroque Works has been doing. They've infiltrated your ranks, and they're manipulating this entire rebellion. If you keep fighting, you're playing right into their hands."
Kohza clenched his fists, clearly struggling with the reality of the situation. He turned to his remaining loyal men, his voice strained. "We need to charge to capital. Baroque Works has been pulling the strings, but we won't let them destroy Alabasta."
Coby shook his head. "It's not that easy. The royal army's infiltrated too. The second you show up, they'll fire the first shot, and your rebel army will retaliate. After that, the war will be unstoppable."
Kohza clenched his fist. "And what should we do? Just watch as the kingdom dies?"
Coby sneered, his tone cutting. "And what's your alternative? Charge in and kill innocent soldiers? Or maybe you're planning to take on Crocodile himself? He's got a Logia fruit. Even if all of you charge at him, you can't even scratch him." He paused, imagining the absurdity. "Though, if 700,000 people spat on him, it might work." He shook his head. "No, sit tight and let us handle Baroque Works."
Kohza stared at him, struggling with the weight of Coby's words. "So, we just do nothing?"
"Exactly," Coby replied bluntly. "We're the ones who can fight Crocodile. You charge in now, and you're just playing into his hands."
Vivi, who had been silent, finally spoke up. "Kohza, please. I know how hard this is, but Coby's right. Crocodile is the real enemy. If we can stop him, we can save Alabasta without any more bloodshed."
Kohza's anger simmered, but he couldn't argue with the logic. He nodded slowly, still visibly torn but willing to trust Vivi. "Alright. We'll hold off. But you better stop him."
Coby added, "That wouldn't work either. If there was no movement from the Rebel Army, Crocodile might halt his plan or do something even more drastic. You guys need to charge near the capital and wait outside it. Crocodile will assume you're going to attack, and he'll put his plan in motion. Then we'll swoop in to take him down."
Kohza frowned, considering the plan. "So we're just bait?"
"Exactly, you are a smart one, aren't you?" Coby confirmed. "It's the only way to draw him out without causing unnecessary bloodshed."
Kohza glanced at Vivi, who nodded in agreement. "We'll do it," Kohza finally agreed. "But you better be ready to act fast. I won't risk my men for long."
"We will be," Coby assured him. "Once Crocodile shows his hand, we'll be right there to cut it off."
With the plan settled, Kohza relayed the orders to his men. They began to mobilize, preparing for the march towards the capital. The atmosphere in the camp was tense, but at least they weren't foolish pawns anymore. Kohza's men, though wary, trusted his judgment and moved swiftly to prepare.
Once aboard, Coby called the crew together. "Alright, here's the plan," he began, getting straight to the point. "We'll follow the Sandora River. From there, we'll enter Alubarna on foot but from a different direction than the rebels. Not only will it be faster, but also, the path the rebels are using is being watched. So, we won't be seen."
Nami leaned against the railing, nodding in agreement. "Good call. The fewer eyes on us, the better."
Coby continued, "But before we head to Alubarna, I want to take a detour to Rainbase. Luffy, Vivi, and I will go there first."
"Rainbase? Why?" Zoro asked, crossing his arms.
Coby sighed, knowing the answer would come with some grumbling. "Because Luffy won't stop bugging me about fighting Crocodile. If we take him there first, he'll get his fight, and we can also gather some crucial intel."
Luffy grinned, punching his palm. "Yeah! I'm ready to beat that Crocodile guy!"
Nami raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that risky? We're trying to stop a war, not start one."
Coby shrugged, keeping it simple. "Don't worry, this will throw Crocodile off. It'll give him a false sense of security. Plus, Luffy needs to see that he can't beat a Logia user without learning Haki. But since he's dead set on fighting Crocodile, I'll give him that chance. If he wins, great. If not, I'll step in when we reach Alubarna. Sound good, Luffy?"
Luffy grinned, clearly excited by the challenge. "Yeah! I'll take him down!"
Nami frowned, concerned. "Coby, are you sure this is a good idea? What if something goes wrong?"
Coby nodded, his expression relaxed. "We've got a backup plan. If Luffy doesn't win, I'll handle it. But he needs this fight to see the difference in power. Plus, we're not going in blind."
Vivi seemed uncertain but trusted Coby's judgment. "Alright, but we need to be careful. Crocodile is dangerous."
"Right," Coby replied, glancing at the crew. "Let's get moving. We don't want to waste time."
The crew nodded as the Going Merry sailed along the Sandora River, the desert heat growing more intense with each passing hour. The river's murky waters shimmered under the scorching sun, casting a strange light over the landscape.
Luffy stood at the bow of the ship, grinning as the wind whipped through his hair. "This river's so long! When do we get to the end?"
Coby, who was leaning against the railing, glanced over at him. "Soon enough. Rainbase isn't too far off."
Coby moved to join Nami, keeping his voice low as he spoke to her. "When we get there, keep the ship ready to move. We might need to make a quick getaway."
Nami gave him a brief nod. "Got it."
As they sailed on, the crew sat in silence. Sanji lit a cigarette, leaning against the mast as he kept a watchful eye on the horizon. Zoro was dozing nearby, though anyone who knew him could tell he was alert despite his relaxed posture.
Finally, as the sun began to dawned next day, the outline of Rainbase appeared in the distance. The city, surrounded by the vast desert, was an oasis of lights and activity. It stood out against the barren landscape like a beacon.
Luffy was the first to spot it, his excitement shining brighter than sun, as if he was the god of sun himself, how curious. "There it is! Let's get in there and take down Crocodile!"
Walking the desert from the river to Rainbase was arduous and scorching. The sun beat down on them, "Fuck you, Sun God!" Sanji complained, earning a kick from Coby. Sweat dripped down their faces as they trudged through the sand. The dry heat made it hard to breathe, and every step felt like a struggle.
Finally, they reached the city limits of Rainbase, the massive casino and surrounding buildings looming ahead. Luffy, driven by his usual insatiable hunger and thirst, bolted toward the nearest tavern. Usopp wasn't far behind, both of them desperate for water. They burst through the doors, their shouts echoing through the tavern.
"Water! Water! Water!" they chanted, slamming their hands on the counter as they demanded relief from the desert heat.
The bartender, startled by the sudden commotion, quickly handed them both large mugs of water. Luffy and Usopp grabbed the mugs, gulping down the water as fast as they could. They didn't even notice who was sitting right next to them—Smoker and Tashigi.
Smoker, mid-drink, recognized Usopp instantly. He spat out his water in surprise and pointed a finger at him. "You! You're a pirate!"
Usopp froze, his eyes widening as he realized who was sitting beside them. Smoker's face was a shock and anger. It didn't take him long to piece things together—just a few days ago, this very person had tricked him by handing over Baroque Works agents, Mr. 3 and Mr. 5, pretending to be a bounty hunter. Now, here he was, exposed as a pirate alongside Luffy.
Luffy, blissfully unaware of the danger at first, continued to chug down his water until he saw Usopp's face turn pale. Smoker's words finally registered, and Luffy's eyes widened in panic. He almost choked on his drink. "Shit!"
--
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