[POV: SMOKER] The Cell
Smoker regained consciousness slowly.
His head was buzzing. His limbs were heavy, numb.
He opened his eyes.
White light. Blinding. Sterile.
"Damn..."
He tried to move his arms.
CLANG.
Handcuffs. Sea-prism stone.
That horrible weakness. That feeling of emptiness. As if all his energy was being drained.
"Shit..."
He looked around.
A cell. Four meters by four. Reinforced concrete walls. Immaculate tiled floor. A hard bed. Toilets. A sink.
And thick bars separating him from an empty corridor.
Where am I...?
He remembered. The fight in Rainbase. Straw Hat with those strange gloves. That guy – Marc – who had cuffed him. Then... nothing.
They drugged me.
Smoker stood up with difficulty and approached the bars.
The corridor was long. White. Clean. Too clean.
With that symbol everywhere on the walls.
Three arrows in a circle.
FOUNDATION
"What is this place...?"
The Mysterious Neighbor
A movement caught his attention.
Across from his cell, in another identical cell, stood a man.
Massive. With a ridiculous crown on his head. And a metal jaw.
He was also handcuffed. But in addition, he was gagged with some kind of straitjacket that prevented him from opening his mouth.
The man saw him and began making muffled sounds.
"Mmmmph! Mmmmmph!"
Smoker frowned. "Who are you?"
"MMMPH! MMMPH!"
He's trying to speak but the gag is suffocating him.
Smoker observed the man more carefully. The crown. The torn but once luxurious clothes. The arrogance in his eyes despite the situation.
A king? They captured a king?
"Are you a king?"
The man nodded vigorously.
"And they captured you..."
Another nod, accompanied by furious muffled sounds.
Smoker looked around. The complex he had glimpsed during his transport was IMMENSE. Maybe even larger than Marine Headquarters.
What pirate organization could have such a massive base?
And those soldiers. Those guards he had seen. Identical. Perfectly coordinated. With weapons he had never seen.
Too disciplined to be pirates. Too organized.
So who are they?
First Confrontation
Footsteps echoed in the corridor.
Synchronized. Mechanical. Regular.
A squad of guards appeared. Ten men. Identical. Black helmets. Bulletproof vests. Strange weapons.
They stopped in front of Smoker's and the king's cells.
Smoker straightened up. "HEY! YOU!"
The guards didn't react.
"I'M A MARINE! A MARINE CAPTAIN! YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SERIOUS PROBLEMS FOR KIDNAPPING ME!"
Silence.
"I'M TALKING TO YOU!"
Nothing. The guards stood motionless like statues.
Then a robotic voice echoed through the walls.
ALERT: MEAL TIME.
ALL CLASS-D MUST PROCEED TO THE CAFETERIA.
CLANG. CLANG.
The cell doors opened automatically.
The guards entered. Two for Smoker. Two for the king.
They seized them without a word and pulled them out of their cells.
"LET GO OF ME!" roared Smoker.
But the sea-prism stone drained him of his strength. He couldn't resist effectively.
The king was also trying to struggle, but the guards held him firmly.
Although he had an arrogant look – as if he were above all this – he lowered his eyes as soon as the guards tightened their grip.
He's afraid of them, Smoker realized. Despite his arrogance, he knows what they're capable of.
The Cafeteria
They were escorted through endless corridors.
Smoker observed everything. The numbered doors. The cameras. The guards patrolling.
This is a fortress. Impossible to escape.
Finally, they arrived in a huge interior courtyard.
The cafeteria.
Aligned tables. Benches. A high ceiling with walkways where other guards watched.
And prisoners.
About ten people, already seated.
Smoker was pushed toward an empty table. The gagged king was placed next to him.
Then Smoker saw them.
At an adjacent table.
Nico Robin. Mr. 3. Zala. Marianne.
The Baroque Works agents.
Robin looked up. She immediately recognized the Marine uniform.
And she smiled.
A cold smile. Mocking.
"Ara ara... a Marine? Here?"
Mr. 3 burst out laughing. "GYAHAHAHA! THEY CAPTURED A MARINE!"
Zala sneered. "Pathetic. Even the Marines can't do anything against them."
Marianne just painted quietly, ignoring the scene.
Smoker clenched his fists. "Shut up, criminals."
"Criminals?" Robin tilted her head, amused. "Here, we're all the same. Just test subjects."
"Test subjects?" Smoker repeated.
"Yes. For their experiments. Their anomalies. Their SCPs." She paused. "And no one will come looking for you. Not even your precious Marines."
"You're lying."
"No. I've read the files. I've seen the reports. This organization... it's above governments. Above the Marines. Above everything."
Smoker wanted to respond, but Mr. 3 cut him off.
"Accept it, Marine. You're trapped. Like all of us."
A tray of food was placed in front of Smoker by an automated robot.
Meat. Vegetables. Rice. Water.
Basic. Nutritious. Flavorless.
Smoker looked at the king next to him. Still gagged. Unable to eat.
"Why is he gagged?"
Robin smiled. "Because he has a Devil Fruit. The Baku Baku no Mi. He can eat anything. Including walls, bars, guards."
"So they prevent him from opening his mouth..." Smoker murmured.
"Exactly."
The king – Wapol, Smoker realized – was fuming silently. His arrogant gaze poorly masked his frustration and fear.
[POV: MARC & THE CREW] Pursuit to Alubarna
The Going Merry sailed rapidly on the waters of Alabasta, ascending a river that led to the capital.
Luffy stood at the bow, clenching his fists. "CROCODILE! I'M GOING TO KICK YOUR ASS!"
"We know, Luffy," Nami sighed. "You've said it a hundred times."
Zoro was checking his swords. Usopp was preparing his ammunition. Chopper was organizing his medical kit.
I watched the horizon, thoughtful.
Crocodile fled to the capital. He's going to accelerate his plan. Probably take the king hostage.
"Marc," Vivi called, worried. "Do you think my father is okay?"
"He'll hold on. Crocodile needs him alive."
"Why?"
"To read the Poneglyph."
She blinked. "But... my father doesn't know how to read Poneglyphs..."
"I know. But Crocodile lost Robin. He's desperate. He'll try anything."
[POV: HINA] Investigation in Rainbase
Captain Hina walked through the devastated streets of Rainbase.
Destroyed buildings. Craters. Traces of combat everywhere.
"Hina is worried..." she murmured, lighting a cigarette.
At her side, her subordinate Fullbody held a report. "Captain, we've lost all contact with Captain Smoker several hours ago."
"Since when?"
"Since he engaged the Straw Hat Pirates in Rainbase."
Hina frowned. "Smoker doesn't just disappear like that."
"Witnesses say he fought against Monkey D. Luffy. Then... nothing. He vanished."
"Vanished..." Hina blew smoke slowly. "Someone captured him. Or killed him."
"Impossible to kill Captain Smoker! He's a Logia!"
"Then captured. With sea-prism stone."
She looked at the ruins around her. "Launch a full investigation. Interrogate all witnesses. And find me the Straw Hats. They have the answers."
"YES, CAPTAIN!"
Hina crushed her cigarette under her heel. "Smoker... where are you...?"
[POV: MARC] Palace Assault
We arrived at the royal palace of Alubarna.
The doors were smashed. Guards lay on the ground, wounded, dried out like mummies.
"Father..." Vivi murmured, horrified.
Luffy charged forward. "LET'S GO!"
He literally catapulted us toward the palace with his stretching arms.
"GOMU GOMU NO... ROCKET!"
WHOOOOSH!
We flew through the air and landed in the inner courtyard.
Wounded guards everywhere. But two stood up – Zoans. A jackal and a falcon.
They attacked us immediately.
BAM! CRASH!
Luffy and Zoro neutralized them quickly.
"Wait!" cried the jackal guard, holding his broken arm. "You... you're with Princess Vivi?"
"Yes," Vivi answered, stepping forward. "Where's my father?!"
"Crocodile took him hostage... to the royal cemetery... under the palace..."
"The royal cemetery?" Luffy repeated.
"That's where the Poneglyph rests," I explained. "Crocodile wants to force the king to read it."
"Then let's go!" Luffy rushed toward the stairs leading to the underground.
I followed him, hand on my SCP-609 balls.
This is going to be hot.
[POV: VIVI & SANJI] The War
Meanwhile, outside the capital, Vivi and Sanji arrived at the battlefield.
Thousands of soldiers. Royal guards against rebels. Brothers against brothers.
Chaos. Blood. Screams.
"NO!" Vivi shouted, running toward them. "STOP! STOP IT!"
But no one listened. The noise of combat covered her voice.
Sanji grabbed an abandoned megaphone. "Vivi-swan, use this!"
She took it and screamed with all her might. "STOP! YOU'RE ALL BEING MANIPULATED! CROCODILE DECEIVED YOU ALL!"
A few soldiers hesitated. But the majority continued fighting.
Then...
The sky darkened.
Massive clouds formed.
And it began to rain.
SPLASH. SPLASH. SPLASH.
Water. Cold. Refreshing. Pure.
Over the entire kingdom.
For the first time in three years, it was raining.
The fighting stopped. Soldiers looked up, incredulous.
"It... it's raining...?" a rebel murmured, tears in his eyes.
"THE RAIN! THE RAIN HAS RETURNED!" cried a royal guard.
Vivi took advantage of the silence. "LISTEN TO ME! CROCODILE USED A SPECIAL POWDER TO PREVENT RAIN! HE MANIPULATED YOU ALL TO START THIS WAR!"
The soldiers lowered their weapons, confused, exhausted.
"Is... is it true?" a rebel commander asked.
"YES! MY FATHER NEVER WANTED THIS WAR!"
Slowly, weapons fell. Soldiers collapsed, crying in the rain.
The war was over.
[POV: MARC] The Royal Cemetery
Luffy and I descended the stone stairs.
Deep. Dark. Ancient.
We arrived in a huge underground cavern.
The royal cemetery.
Tombs everywhere. Statues of ancient kings. And in the center...
The Poneglyph.
A massive stone block covered with ancient inscriptions.
Crocodile stood before it. Holding King Cobra by the neck.
"Read it," he hissed. "READ THE PONEGLYPH!"
"I... I can't..." Cobra coughed. "I don't know how to read these symbols..."
"LIAR!"
Crocodile squeezed harder. The king was suffocating.
"HEY!" Luffy shouted. "LET HIM GO!"
Crocodile turned around, smiling. "Straw Hat. And the thief. What a surprise."
He dropped the king who collapsed to the ground, coughing.
"You're going to die here, kid."
Luffy charged.
"GOMU GOMU NO... BAZOOKA!"
The battle began.
I ran toward the king. "Your Majesty, are you injured?"
"I... I'm fine..." He looked at me. "You're... Vivi's friends?"
"Yes."
"Then leave. Now."
"What?"
He pointed to a massive cube in the corner of the cavern. Three meters high. Made of metamorphic rock speckled with black. Covered with carved patterns corresponding to no known civilization.
"The tomb guardian is going to wake up... It protects the secret... It kills everyone who isn't from the royal family..."
My blood ran cold.
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.
[ALERT: ANOMALY DETECTED]
[DISTANCE: 5 METERS]
[SCP PROBABILITY: 98%]
[ANALYZING...]
The cube's lid began to move.
Slowly. With a deep rumbling.
GRRRRRR...
"LUFFY! WE NEED TO LEAVE!" I shouted.
"WHAT?!" He dodged a sand blade. "I'M GOING TO BEAT HIM!"
"NO TIME!"
The lid slid. Red light emanated from inside.
I had no choice.
The moment Crocodile expelled Luffy backward with a massive attack...
"SABLES!"
WHOOSH!
I summoned a giant door. Four meters wide. Eight meters high.
Luffy fell directly into it.
"HEY! MARC! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! I WAS GOING TO BEAT HIM!"
I closed the door.
CLANG.
Crocodile looked at me with disdain. "Pathetic. Protecting your captain won't help. I'm going to kill you all anyway."
He raised his hand, sand swirling around him.
"Let's start with y..."
WHAM!
A knee struck his face.
Crocodile flew backward, crashing against the wall.
"What...?!"
A figure stood where he had been.
A man. Slim. Of Semitic origin. Approaching thirty. Black hair. Gray eyes. Olive skin.
1.96 meters tall.
And his body... his body was covered with tattoos. Strange symbols. Ancient. That glowed faintly in the darkness.
He looked at me.
Then smiled.
BEEP.
[SCP IDENTIFIED]
[DESIGNATION: ABEL]
[CLASS: KETER]
[DANGER: EXTREME]
My heart stopped.
"Oh shit..."
[END OF CHAPTER 37]
[MULTIPLE POVs: SMOKER, MARC, HINA, VIVI]
[SMOKER: PRISONER, DISCOVERS THE FOUNDATION]
[WAPOL: GAGGED, ARROGANT BUT FRIGHTENED]
[HINA: INVESTIGATING SMOKER'S DISAPPEARANCE]
[VIVI: STOPS THE WAR THANKS TO RAIN]
[MARC: FACING ABEL (SCP-076)]
[TOTAL CLASS-D: 11]
[MAJOR ANOMALY RELEASED: ABEL]
[CROCODILE: ATTACKED BY ABEL]
[LUFFY: LOCKED IN FOUNDATION (TEMPORARILY)]
[IMMINENT DANGER: KETER AT LARGE]
[NEXT STEP: CONFRONTATION WITH ABEL]