Chapter 396: A Journey Through the Desert: Unexpected Encounters

“Huh? Where did everyone go?”

Luffy, fresh off teaching Kung Fu Dugong some moves, looked up and suddenly realized Ye Fan, Nami and the rest were nowhere to be seen. He blurted out his confusion.

“Luffy, it’s time for us to head out too.”

Usopp surveyed the swirling sand, hands on his hips, glasses in place, and his long spear strapped to his back. Without waiting he led the charge into the desert.

While Luffy was still trying to piece things together, Sanji spoke up with a reminder.

“Hey, Usopp, that’s the wrong way. We’re supposed to go this way.”

Usopp froze, embarrassment written all over his face as he turned to look at the direction Sanji pointed. “Ah, right, right. I knew that.”

“I was just scouting ahead for the team, you know?”

“Little guy, this is goodbye for now.”

Even as he left, Luffy didn’t forget to bid farewell to the Kung Fu Dugong.

The vast group of dugongs all bowed to Luffy, showing their gratitude for his guidance.

As the group journeyed deeper into the desert, it was Chopper who started struggling the most.

“It’s hot—way too hot!”

Chopper, being a reindeer who’s grown up in freezing climates, was absolutely out of his element in the sandy heat.

He wobbled back and forth like a limp noodle.

“Water… is there any water?” Luffy was in the same boat. Being a bottomless pit when it came to food, his remarkable metabolism made him lose water even faster under the blazing sun. He was starting to run out of steam.

“Ah! But this is a desert. I can’t see a single town anywhere!” Sanji consulted the map, frowning.

As the Straw Hats’ cook, Sanji normally handled everyone’s meals with ease. Out here in the desert, though, it was tough luck—he had nothing to work with. If only Ye Fan were here, things might be different.

Ssssss—

“Hold on, something’s up.”

Zoro’s sharp ears picked up a strange rustling ahead. Instantly, his right hand drew the Wadō Ichimonji from its sheath.

Swish!

A massive scorpion, easily ten meters long, burst out of the sand in front of them.

“Food! Meat!”

Before Zoro could even finish getting into his fighting stance, Luffy dashed forward, his huge fist slamming into the scorpion with a wild attack.

Boom!

The scorpion, freshly emerged and hunting for a rare meal in this deserted wasteland, was hoping for a feast.

Opportunities for a decent meal were few and far between here. Just as it poked its head out, it got smacked right back into the sand by a fist as big as its own head.

When the scorpion finally shook it off and surfaced again, it saw Luffy and the others lined up neatly in front of it.

“I have an idea!”

Sanji announced, pulling a thick rope from his pack and lassoing it around the scorpion’s head. With that, the whole group hopped onto its back and sped across the desert toward their destination.

Meanwhile, Vivi and her group, riding Karoo the super-speed duck, came across a flock of Karoo’s kind which picked up their pace even more. Thanks to that, they were the first to reach their intended destination.

“Halt! Who are you?” The Rebel Army guards around the camp instantly spotted Nami and her companions racing toward them and raised their weapons to bar their approach.

“Stop right there! Don’t take another step or we’ll open fire!” The lead guard chambered his bullet with a serious look, warning them as they continued forward.

“I’m Princess Vivi! I’ve come to see Koza.” Vivi slid off Karoo and strode forward, holding out a royal emblem as proof.

The surrounding guards instinctively lowered their weapons. “What? Princess Vivi?”

“No way…”

“Does this mean our demands are finally being answered?”

There was a key difference between the Rebel Army and the Revolutionary Army. The Rebellion, led by Koza, hoped to achieve change through ‘dialogue’ and political demands. The Revolutionary Army turned to armed conflict to overthrow the system.

Koza’s approach had plunged Alabasta into chaos, but it was actually a last resort. He’d purposely made himself the sole focus of conflict, to eliminate the risk of Alabasta splitting into rival factions.

He always avoided direct battles against the Royal Army, hoping everything could be settled by talks. Clearly, Koza wasn’t just politically savvy. He also held a certain level of trust in the royal family.

Plus, thanks to his childhood bond with Princess Vivi, even with the Revolutionary Army’s interest in backing him, Koza would never accept their help. This was a battle for Alabasta’s people, not a revolution for regime change.

“Princess Vivi, please wait a moment!” The lead guard, who’d never actually seen Vivi before, kept them outside for now.

He signaled to the other guards to stay alert, just in case this ‘Vivi’ was an impostor—or worse, preparing to attack the camp. With caution, he hurried off toward the command tents.

“Vivi, will Koza actually listen to you?” Nami was genuinely worried—if things went sideways, all of their lives could be on the line.

Luckily, Johnny and Yosaku had come along as well. They weren’t on Luffy’s level, but they did have the strength of lower-ranking officers.

If things got bad, they could at least bust Vivi and Nami out of trouble.

“Nami, Koza and I grew up together. Besides, he’s been deceived by Crocodile all this time.”

“Just look—he hasn’t attacked the Royal Army yet because deep down, he doesn’t truly want war.” Vivi admitted she had her worries, but she still believed in the bond the two of them shared.

While everyone outside wrestled with their own concerns, the guard rushed into the center of the camp.

“Leader Koza, there’s someone outside claiming to be Princess Vivi, holding the royal emblem, wanting to see you.”

“Ah, Vivi!”

“Quick, take me to her!” Koza had always harbored feelings for Vivi, though he’d never expressed them because of their different backgrounds.

He hadn’t started a war against the Royal Army because of his love for his country. The current king’s policies had been kind to ordinary people, and Koza had no desire to ruin this fragile peace.

There was also the matter of Vivi. He didn’t want to leave a bad impression on her. Ever since becoming the Rebels’ leader, he had to see himself not as an individual but as the representative of everyone who’d joined him—many only because they couldn’t feed their families anymore.

He carried that burden, knowing he was responsible for tens of thousands of people.

“Leader, this way please.”

Guided by the guard, Koza quickly made his way to the edge of the camp.