Chapter 105: Parched Yuba! The Captain's Resolve
After enduring countless hardships and the baptism of the scorching sun and sandstorms, the Straw Hat finally arrived at their destination—the former base of the Rebel Army, Yuba.
However, the sight that met their eyes chilled everyone's hearts.
This was no longer the legendary prosperous oasis.
The wind howled, yellow sand filled the sky, and most of the former streets and houses were buried under endless shifting sands, leaving only broken walls wailing in the wind.
The Rebel Army had long since moved on, leaving behind a silent, dead city.
"Hey!! Is anyone there!!" Luffy shouted, his voice swallowed by the wind and sand.
In this desperate ruin, the only one holding out was a skeletal old man.
Toto.
He was the father of Koza, Vivi's childhood friend and leader of the Rebel Army.
Even though everyone else had left, he remained alone, digging day after day at the long-dried well, trying to find a source of water.
...
Night fell, and the wind and sand subsided slightly.
Under the half-buried eaves, Uncle Toto warmly hosted everyone.
Despite his extreme poverty, he still brought out his most precious possession.
"Here, drink."
Toto tremblingly held an old, broken bowl and handed it to Luffy.
In the bowl was a tiny bit of water he had dug for all day, even digging until he bled.
It was murky, muddy water mixed with a large amount of silt.
Toto looked at Luffy, a light of almost stubborn hope shining in his eyes:
"This is Yuba's water... Yuba is not dead yet! This oasis will return!"
"The King... would never betray us! I believe in the King who can make it rain on this land!"
Nami and Usopp nearby looked at the bowl of water that was almost entirely mud, their throats tightening, not knowing what to say.
However.
"Gulp, gulp."
Luffy didn't hesitate for a second. He took the bowl of muddy water, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one go.
He even licked the silt from the corners of his mouth.
"Ha—!!"
Luffy put down the bowl, wiped his mouth, and gave Toto that brilliant smile:
"Ah! It's delicious!!"
"Thanks for the treat! Uncle, you'll live to be a hundred!!"
Toto looked at Luffy, stunned for a moment, then was moved to tears: "Thank you... thank you for believing in Yuba..."
To the side, Tatsuya watched this scene quietly, deeply touched.
This was the charm of Monkey D. Luffy.
He could always see through to the essence of things; he wasn't drinking muddy water, but the dignity and conviction of an old man protecting his home.
Tatsuya stood up and walked silently to the dried-up well outside the house.
"Right now, although I cannot use Ninjutsu to change the climate of the entire country, nor can I fill this deep well..."
Tatsuya looked at the empty large water bucket next to him, his hands quickly forming hand signs.
Boar-Dog-Bird-Monkey-Ram.
[Water Release]
Tatsuya did not release the aggressive torrent type; instead, he converted his Chakra into the purest, clearest stream of water, slowly filling that large bucket.
"Splash..."
The crisp sound of water was exceptionally pleasant in the quiet night.
Tatsuya carried the bucket full of crystal-clear water into the house and placed it before Toto.
"Uncle."
Tatsuya said softly:
"Use this clean water tonight and get some good rest."
He looked out the window at the desolate desert, his gaze deepening:
"This land is'sick,' and that's not something digging a well can cure.
"But please rest assured... we will go and completely cure that 'root cause'."
...
The next morning.
Everyone was ready to set off in front of the ruins of Yuba.
"Let's go! To Katorea!"
Vivi looked at the map, exhausted but with a determined look:
"The Rebel Army has moved there! As long as we see Koza before they launch the general offensive, we can stop this war!"
However.
"I don't want to go."
An abrupt voice sounded.
Everyone turned back in surprise to see Luffy standing there, having even taken the large wooden barrel used for water storage off his back and sat down on the ground.
"Luffy? What are you saying?" Usopp was confused.
"I said I don't want to go to that Katorea place." Luffy picked his nose with a flat expression, "I'm so tired, I want to drink water."
"Mr. Luffy!!"
Vivi was instantly enraged. She rushed over and grabbed Luffy's collar, tears welling in her eyes:
"Stop joking around! Do you know what time it is?! The lives of a million people are at stake!!"
"Do you want everyone here to die?! Get up and keep moving!"
"No!" Luffy still sat on the ground, but his gaze became exceptionally sharp, staring intently at Vivi:
"Because even if we go there, we won't be able to stop that bastard Crocodile!"
"Even if you stop the Rebel Army, as long as that Crocodile is still there, he'll continue to cause destruction! The sandstorms won't stop!"
"We pirates don't have time to play that mediation game with you!"
"Where we should go... is that guy's base—Rainbase! To send him flying!!!"
"What do you know!!"
"Are you denying me!!"
Vivi's sore spot was hit, and her emotions completely spiraled out of control.
She swung her fist and punched Luffy hard in the face.
"To avoid sacrifice... so that no one dies... I've been working so hard!!"
"Slap!"
Luffy's face was knocked to the side, but he didn't back down and punched her right back.
"Luffy!!" Sanji wanted to rush forward to stop them, but was blocked by Zoro: "Don't interfere."
The two scuffled on the scorching sand.
Luffy pinned Vivi to the ground, looking at the girl who wanted to bear everything alone, and let out a deafening roar:
"Then bet our lives along with yours!!!!"
This roar was like a thunderclap.
Vivi was stunned, her pupils shrinking violently.
Luffy grabbed her shoulders tightly and shouted:
"Whether it's you or this country, everyone is betting their lives to resist!!"
"Why are you the only one trying to sacrifice yourself?!"
"We are comrades!!!!"
These words completely shattered the defense line in Vivi's heart named "strength."
"Ugh..."
Vivi looked at Luffy's sincere and angry eyes and finally couldn't hold it back.
She lay on the sand, crying loudly, venting all the fear, grievance, and helplessness accumulated along the way.
"Waaa... actually I... I also want to kill him... I want to save everyone..."
Nami stepped forward and hugged the weeping Vivi sympathetically.
Zoro and Sanji looked at this scene, both showing relieved smiles.
Tatsuya stood to the side, looking at the Captain who was usually unreliable but could always strike the soul at critical moments.
He walked forward, gently pressed his hand on Luffy's Straw Hat, and pulled the brim down.
"This is our Captain."
Tatsuya looked at Vivi and said with a smile:
"Although he's usually a fool who only knows how to eat, at a critical moment like this, his intuition is sharper than anyone's."
"To catch the bandits, first catch the king."
Tatsuya turned around and looked at the distant sky shrouded in conspiracy:
"As long as we kill Crocodile, the sandstorms will stop, and the war will naturally dissolve."
"Let's go, Princess."
Tatsuya reached out and pulled Vivi up:
"We're not going to mediate anymore."
"This time... we're going straight to Rainbase, to that Crocodile's lair..."
"To cause a massive scene!!"
And so... the wind changed direction.
The Straw Hat no longer chased the footsteps of the Rebel Army, but turned around, their blades pointed directly at the lair of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Crocodile—
Casino City, Rainbase!
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