Happenings

All the townspeople couldn't sleep through the night after experiencing nerve wrecking dangerous situation. Vash lead them through safe routes. After walking for hours in cold night, they reached an empty clearing where their town was supposed to be situated, but all they found there was a flat ground with large craters dotting it. The people teared up seeing their houses destroyed; there wasn't even a debris left.

Camping on the shore of the sea, most of the people rested. In the morning they heard quacking sounds. They woke up and saw dust cloud in the distance rapidly approaching. After sometime, they noticed some men in armor riding big duck like creatures.

"It's the King's soldier!!!" A person among crowd said.

"Hmph... I favour the king no more, at least he could have stationed some soldiers in the town." Another person said in sadness. This person was a trader by occupation, he had recently acquired some shipment from foreign place, but it was destroyed in the fight. There were many people like this in the crowd who had eaten such loss. The King of Alabasta was already disliked for mismanagement in times of drought, and now, along with the town destroyed in absence of patrolling soldiers, made their hate level escalate.

"Silence everyone!!! The help has arrived." Vash shouted for people to shut up at once. He went to the soldiers and relayed them the situation. He told them to employ Masons and labour to rebuild town, Vash had previously discussed the plan with King Cobra regarding rehabitation plan over den den mushi. He chose those who were good in masonry, as well as all those who wanted to earn doing labour.

There were enormous igneous rocky structures in the vicinity, and Vash went there along with some people. Taking out Sleek Slicer, Vash cut the stones in brick like shape. Sleek Slicer was the name he gave to his katana, and the short sword was named Heavy Razor.

In no time, the large rock structure was dismantled, and people began carrying them back to the construction site. Essential tools were brought by the soldiers. All the people contributed in some way, they worked rigorously to rebuild their houses. The most troubling problem now was to secure food and freshwater, it was difficult to acquire these resources in desert country. Vash took it upon himself and went to Sandora river Delta. In his way, he carved large bowls out of rocks to carry water back from the river. He uprooted dried up pine trees and collected them with intention to start a fire. He again went to shore and hunted sea creatures for food. Doing all that preparation, he boiled the water to remove harmful microbes and scum. He prepared the first sumptuous meal, and after that the a person took over feeding duties; he was owner of the restaurant in town.

Vash found a spot for his training, but this time he was only doing meditation. He was now accustomed having inhuman strength, and his utilization of force was going to surpass Grandmaster level. It was difficult for him to grow in bodily strength without suitable equipments here so he wanted godly control over his power; response before a fleeting thought. The difficulty of it lay upon the emphasis on correct move, if he were to expose himself with a rash move without thinking, the enemy could benefit off from the opening he presented. Vash started doing Martial Arts Kata while meditating, he was enforcing his move to be always in appropriate offence and defensive postures. He punched and kicked visualizing a shadow opponent, each of his moves were only with 40 percent of his full strength so that his body could have time to readjust and demolish any other unexpected attacks coming, though the Color of Observation made it impossible to be attacked unexpectedly, but still there were exception; attacks without intention or the likes of what Vash was trying to achieve now.

Practicing for hours gave him minimal results, but Vash wasn't discouraged in the slightest, he knew the muscle memory is required to achieve such a state of mind. In actuality, muscle memory wasn't even related to muscles but mind. Even normal people who do regular things countless time had become able to do the same actions involuntarily. Doing voluntary action fire up neurons in specific path way, and repeating same action many times turns it into involuntary action without any concious intent behind them; like blinking eyes and breathing. Vash had been trying basic moves like straight punches and kicks to familiarize himself with control, he wanted to convert these basic moves into involuntary action. It would result in explosive power and fast speed.

After Vash finished his day of training, he went back to the construction site. He saw people huddled together in a group and Royal soldiers were lying on the ground injured. There was a ship with a black flag docked on the shore and a riff-raff group of pirates were holding guns and swords and were threatening the people. Vash made them faint using Supreme Kings Haki, the bodies of unconcious pirates floated and they flew towards their own ship, and got stuck to the hull with weapons going through their chests, holding them in place. People cheered seeing the pirate's demise.

"You guys unload everything from the pirate ship and make food and water priority. Hmm... The pirates only drink alcohol so use them as well." Vash said to gathered people. The people nursed injured soldiers and went back to their work. Vash passed his days like that.

Meanwhile at the Alburana city.

The rebel army had made final preparation for the war, and Royal Army of the King Cobra were also getting ready for the action.

Straw hats group had also reached the outskirts of Alburana city where they faced off against Baroque Works agents. Zoro chose Mr 1 as his opponent, Sanji fought Okama Mr 2 Bon Kurei, Luffy one shotted Mr 3 and ran straight towards the Royal palace where Crocodile was. Nami was having thorny difficulty against Miss Doublefinger. Usopp and Chopper fought against Mr 4 and Miss Merry Christmas.

The shortest fight was between Zoro and Mr 1. Zoro at this time had already achieved the ability to cut steel. It was when he was trapped in metal like wax of Mr 3 in Little Garden, at that time he got so mad that he was planning to cut his legs to break free, but he calmed down and thought through his previous battle with Mihawk and the teachings of his sensei and he finally gained some valuable insight in sword wielding during life and death situation.

Zoro used single move to cut Daz Bones steel like body, then he went toward Nami to help her, but he got lost in his ways.

Sanji was having bad time, he was grossed out seeing man pretending to be a woman, and he covered his behind like it was in danger, so he was just dodging blows without retaliating. But later into fight he realized that finishing the fight quickly would be good for his mental and physical health. He avoided an overreaching kick of his opponent and spun in high speed igniting his leg, the flaming leg stretched out and hit the crotch of his enemy, knocking him out.

Nami, Usopp and Chopper also finished their fight, they were injured heavily. Sanji picked Nami up in fervor with hearts in his eyes and dragged Usopp and Chopper without a care for their well being.

Vivi wanted to stop the battle between Rebels and Royal Army so she directly went in between them but she couldn't stop the momentum of war. Both sides of troop started massacring each other mixed within both armies were Baroque Works grunt pouring oil in flames of war.

Crying at the her helplessness, Vivi watched as her people died one by one. Just as she was getting desperate she felt a strong momentum of oppression spread in the battlefield, and dark clouds covered the sky with booming of thunder. The aura was like heavy mountain, it suppressed everyone. All the fighting stopped as people started falling with white eyes, apparently fainted. After some time, rain fell on whole Alburana.

Luffy at this time was also fighting injured Crocodile in underground chamber. Both of them felt strong oppressive aura.

Crocodile halted his attacks feeling his wounds sting which gave Luffy an opening. Unlike Crocodile, Luffy wasn't affected by the aura, so he held the collar of Crocodile and sent him flying upward. He rained solid punches on Crocodile coating his fists in blood. Crocodile's body crashed through the thick stone ceiling of chamber. From the outside, the ground above chamber morphed like a mound and bursted. Crocodile was sent flying in the sky and soaked in rainfall, then a snake like thunder streaked down from cloud hitting him.

The last leverage of Crocodile that was a bomb planted on watchtower couldn't be diffused so a royal soldier with bird type Zoan fruit held the bomb and flew up in the sky before it could explode near the ground.

The war of Alabasta Kingdom ended in this way.

The straw hats regrouped in Royal palace after the intense fight. And the marine led by Captain Smoker arrested all the defeated Baroque Works agents.

Inside Royal Palace

"Hawk eye Mihawk!! What are you doing here!?" Zoro said, and other crew mates also saw the sword wielding Shichibukai nonchalantly eating food sitting on the kings main seat.

"Hmm... And what are you greenhorns doing here?" Mihawk said, but he had already felt them coming.

"So that was you... the earlier aura of dominance." Luffy who was being supported by Nami and Usopp said.

"No big deal... I was just repaying the King's favor." Mihawk said finishing his lunch and went back to the library. Vivi also came back and went straight to where Straw Hats were.

"You guys... I can't thank you enough for this. You saved this kingdom. uwwuuu..." Vivi started crying mid sentence. Sanji and Usopp cajoled her.

"Vivi!! Stop crying!! It's time for the party." Luffy shouted in hunger.