Killing unfolded beneath the starlight.
At first, both sides moved in silence.
Boom.
An explosion rang out from an unknown direction.
Then, one blast after another began echoing through the prosperous city.
After the explosions, the Marines gathered outside the city began pouring in along the paths cleared by the vice admirals.
The first ones to meet them were soldiers led by the Million and Billion agents of Baroque Works.
The curtain rose on the war in the instant of the explosions.
Meanwhile, after hearing the blasts, the civilians living within the city—
Nearly half of them followed the drills they had practiced beforehand.
They immediately picked up blades and guns, following Baroque Works members to resist the Marines.
During the years Crocodile had ravaged Alabasta, those loyal to him had often lived well.
Those who resisted, meanwhile, were either branded as rebels or forced to live in misery.
Nearly half the people gathered in this city now were fanatics who had come from all over.
So, faced with someone threatening the idol in their hearts, they naturally raised their weapons and began fighting.
The well-trained Marines from Marine Headquarters clashed with the civilians of Alabasta's royal capital.
Many soldiers could not bear to fire upon these deceived civilians at first.
"Everything you have experienced was Crocodile's scheme.
Whether it was the years without rain or the king slaughtering innocents, Crocodile was the mastermind behind it all.
Wake up! Our targets are Crocodile and the criminals under him. If you continue obstructing the Marines, then we will show no mercy."
Watching the civilians slash and kill without holding back,
the Marines' propaganda unit began loudly warning them and exposing Crocodile's crimes.
"Don't let those Marines deceive you! They're the evil king's accomplices.
Otherwise, why did we never see them when