Chapter 64 Gunshots Ring Out! Rebel Army Suddenly UprisingLittle did this naive girl know, it was her father, Aokiji, watching over her. For those pirate scum who didn't truly care for her, only death awaited them.
Just as Robin was lost in thought, I broke the silence, gazing into the distance:
"Hey, almost there! We can already see the spires of the Albanian Palace. That amphibious fat turtle is pretty fast."
"Vivi, is everything you're saying true?"
On the dirt road leading to the palace, a cool young man with slicked-back hair and sunglasses was leading hundreds of thousands of rebels in a grand procession.
This man was none other than the rebel leader, Kosa.
Because Mr. 2, the effeminate man impersonating the king to incite hatred, was no longer acting rashly, unlike in the original story.
When Vivi revealed Crocodile's heinous "ideal land" conspiracy, Koza's tense face instantly lit up with ecstatic joy.
After all, these so-called rebels were just a group of impoverished people struggling to survive. They weren't rebelling to become king; they simply wanted the king to stop using the dancing powder and return the life-saving rainwater.
Now, hearing Vivi say that Crocodile was behind it all, Koza, who already deeply loved the king, unhesitatingly chose to believe his childhood sweetheart.
So, with a wave of his hand, he led his army straight to Albana, wanting to see for himself if it was truly as Vivi said—that the royal army had surrendered and raised the white flag.
Vivi nodded vigorously, her eyes as resolute as if she were taking an oath: "I believe in my father; he would never betray his people!"
Not long after, amidst swirling yellow sand, hundreds of thousands of soldiers pressed down on Albana, the sheer number of heads a chilling sight.
As all eyes turned to the palace walls, the rows of white flags fluttering in the wind instantly ignited a frenzy.
"They've surrendered! The royal army has really raised the white flag!"
Kousha and his officers trembled with excitement. Who would willingly risk their life against their own people unless driven to desperation?
Vivi gazed up at the white flags on the walls, tears streaming down her face. She knew her father would always be that benevolent king who loved his people dearly.
Before coming, she only knew that the navy had informed her father, but they wouldn't interfere with Kobra's specific actions.
In other words, if Kobra ordered war, Vivi, caught in the middle, would face certain death.
But she gambled her life, betting that her father would rather lose his throne than turn against his people.
Fortunately, she won this gamble.
"See that! I told you it was all Crocodile's scheme! How could Father bear to take away the rainwater you depend on for survival?"
Vivi's voice was hoarse with emotion as she roared at Koza and the others.
The rebel leaders exchanged glances, their weapons slowly dropping, the tense killing intent dissipating considerably.
Zoro and the others, who had been protecting Vivi like bodyguards, couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief upon seeing this, their grip on their sword hilts loosening slightly.
"I've always believed in Father! I knew it…"
Bang—!
A sudden gunshot rang out, like a thunderclap, echoing in everyone's ears.
Kousha, who was looking at Vivi with a face full of satisfaction, suddenly had a burst of blood erupt from his abdomen, and he staggered as if struck by a heavy hammer!
Vivi's pupils instantly shrank to pinpoints, and she screamed in terror, "Kousha—?!!"
Zoro and the others' hearts skipped a beat; they knew they were in trouble!
Several figures moved with lightning speed, instantly blocking Vivi's path.
Sure enough, the situation changed drastically the next second.
A voice suddenly yelled from the rebel ranks, "Damn it! This is a trap! They're trying to lure us here to wipe us out!"
Before the words were even finished, another gunshot rang out, and a bullet, whistling sharply, hurtled straight towards Vivi's forehead.
Meanwhile, a shout rang out from the royal army on the city walls: "No! These thugs are trying to shoot Her Highness the Princess! Brothers, fight them!"
This was like pouring cold water into boiling oil; the already undisciplined rebel army instantly erupted into chaos.
Rationality completely collapsed at that moment. Everyone, eyes bloodshot, mounted their warhorses and roared as they charged towards the palace!
"No! Stop! Everyone stop!"
Vivi waved her hands desperately, her voice barely audible amidst the deafening shouts of battle.
Even Kosa sensed something was wrong. He tried to get up and stop the riot, but the excruciating pain in his abdomen prevented him from uttering a coherent sentence.
The surging crowd, like a black tide, partly surged towards the palace, while the other part pounced on Vivi like mad dogs.
Zoro and the others, their faces grim, stood like a wall, firmly blocking Vivi's path.
Sanji silently pulled out a lighter, lit a cigarette with a "click," and took a deep drag.
"How could it have turned out like this..." Vivi, seeing the situation completely out of control, slumped to the ground, her eyes vacant.
Zoro, standing in front of her, slowly drew three swords, turning the blades so the backs faced upwards.
"Hey, you perverted cook! Go easy on her, don't kill anyone!"
"Shut up, you green-haired moss, do you have to teach me this?"
Usopp, terrified, his legs trembling, nervously raised his slingshot, and despite being scared to death, resolutely stood in front of Nami.
"Chopper! Grow bigger and put yourself in front!"
Usopp cried out, his voice trembling.
Chopper: "..."
In the blink of an eye, Zoro and his crew were engulfed by the surging crowd, the dust kicked up by countless hooves obscuring the sky.
One after another, rebel soldiers attempting to approach Vivi were sent flying, their screams echoing throughout the battlefield.
The only saving grace was that, thanks to my interception of Mr. 1's delivery, the ship's munitions hadn't reached the rebels.
Most of the soldiers were still armed with machetes and spears, which greatly reduced the pressure on their defense.
Before long, a large group of soldiers, at least a hundred, lay dead in front of them.
But these few hundred were nothing in a battlefield of hundreds of thousands; they were like a drop in the ocean.
More and more red-eyed soldiers charged towards them. Zoro and Sanji, while protecting the girl behind them, also had to deliberately hold back, their stamina rapidly depleting.
Looking at the undiminished sea of people before them, the two were drenched in sweat, their hearts filled with bitterness.
At this moment, Usopp, that kid, was performing exceptionally well. Using his ranged advantage, he took down more people with his slingshot than the two main fighters combined, though his hands trembled like leaves as he pulled the rubber band.
Nami hugged Vivi tightly, shouting encouragement, "Vivi! Cheer up! Luffy will definitely find a way!"
However, Vivi seemed lost in thought, sitting blankly on the ground, only able to cry, completely deaf to anything he said.
Meanwhile, the vanguard of the rebel army had already reached the towering walls of the royal palace, and the soldiers of both sides began a fierce hand-to-hand battle.
Bullets flew wildly through the air, blood staining the white walls crimson.
Just as a bloodbath was about to unfold, at this critical moment!
Rumble—!
The earth suddenly trembled violently, as if some monstrous beast from the depths was awakening!