The cold, clear jade disk hung high overhead. Tonight's full moon was bright, tinting the sky a faint blue.
Moonlight spilled across the desert, making it seem somewhat desolate. Every now and then, movement could be seen in the sand—probably some local residents disturbed from their rest.
"This feels like Hueco Mundo," Reiner muttered. The desert at night looked ash-white beneath the brilliant moonlight, involuntarily reminding him of a certain figure.
"When I find a suitable template, making a little Ulquiorra would look pretty cool too."
Several bonfires blazed in the desert as a group gathered around to chat. Perhaps because it was their first time spending the night in the desert, everyone found it novel and talked animatedly.
Sanji had set up several piles of firewood. One was for his cooking, while the undead were using the rest to burn Dance Powder.
A skeletal undead stood nearby, continuously spinning two Clima-Tacts in its hands. After Nami's arms started aching, she realized how stupid she had been. Why did she have to do this herself?
So she directly went to Reiner to press-gang someone into it. She sat off to the side, watching and giving orders. "Too many hot bubbles. Spin out more cold bubbles, idiot."
"You even curse undead? A skeleton's life is a life too!" Reiner said speechlessly.
"Dinner's ready, everyone!"
Sanji's voice rang out like a magical command, always followed by a matching response.
"Wahahaha, coming, coming!"
Luffy hurried over, his bowl and chopsticks clinking nonstop as he laughed and called out,
"Sanji, can we grill that venomous snake I caught later?"
"How are you supposed to eat that thing? You said it was venomous, idiot." Sanji calmly blew out a ring of smoke.
"What about the poisonous lizard?"
"Changing the animal doesn't make you any less stupid! The point is that it's poisonous!!"
Sanji finally could not hold back and started cursing. He scooped up a huge bowl of meat from the pot to dismiss Luffy, then handed a bowl to Reiner.
"You worked hard today, Reiner."
"It was nothing. Logistics is part of my job—" Before Reiner could finish, Sanji had already run off.
Then an exaggerated voice rang out. "Miss Nami~, Princess Vivi~, I saved the very best portion for you two~~"
"Ero-Cook."
"Perverted curly brows."
"Marimo, you got a problem too?!"
"Ah, thanks." The two girls thanked Sanji. "But give it to Reiner instead. We'll just eat whatever. He must be exhausted after today."
"Ahh, Miss Nami and Princess Vivi are so enchanting when they're gentle too~" After fawning for a moment, Sanji turned back with a dark expression.
"Damn it! Eat it all! Don't leave a single drop!"
"Huh? Is that a dog barking?"
"You damn four-eyes!"
"Hahahaha!"
And so, Reiner kept the undead burning Dance Powder. Not long after dinner, everyone climbed into their sleeping bags to rest until the next morning, when the sky had only just begun to brighten.
Cock-a-doodle-doo~!
Huh? What the hell was that?
Whatever.
Reiner slowly opened his eyes, brushed aside the crowing in his head, and pushed himself upright with both hands.
"Hey, everyone, rain clouds are gathering!"
Seeing the gray sky, Reiner could not help shouting, waking everyone up.
At the same time—
Outside Cattelya, at the Rebel Army's headquarters camp, dawn had only just broken. Most people were still asleep; only those on watch and a few early risers were moving around outside.
"Hey, look at the sky!"
A shout rang out, immediately drawing everyone's attention.
"Th-This, this is?!!"
"How could this be?"
"Rain clouds!!!"
A crowd stared at the distant sky. Dark clouds blanketed the heavens. Everyone wore stunned expressions, their mouths hanging open for a long time as they stood frozen in place and gazed upward.
"Quick! Go tell the leader!!"
"Y-Yes!"
The Rebel Army camp was quiet at this moment, with most people still immersed in sweet dreams. Along the corridors, a figure rushed frantically toward the depths of the camp, shouting urgently as he ran,
"Leader!!"
"Leader, clouds!"
"Rain clouds are here!!!"
The shouting naturally woke many people who had still been asleep. Those who got up could not help feeling annoyed, and some with particularly bad morning tempers started cursing outright.
But once they understood, without exception, they threw off their blankets with all their strength and leaped out of bed, rushing outside into the streets without even bothering to put on shoes.
Drip—
A raindrop struck the cheek beneath one Rebel Army man's eye. It was damp, cold, and a little itchy, but he did not care in the slightest.
He only looked up at the dark sky, his entire body trembling uncontrollably as tears continuously spilled from his wet eyes.
"Rain clouds... They're really rain clouds."
"Three years. Three whole years!!"
Looking at the clouds overhead, the man could not stop himself from dropping to his knees and bowing low, pressing his entire head to the ground as he wept bitterly.
Drip—
Drip—drip—
Pitter-patter-patter-patter-patter...
The dripping grew denser and denser. Excited voices gradually rose through the streets, followed by fervent cries and heartbroken sobs.
The drizzling rain quickly blanketed the city. Everyone forgot to think, forgot the war, forgot everything.
They simply stood in the streets, greedily savoring the rain soaking their bodies.
"Don't just stand there! Go find containers to collect water!!"
"Leader!?"
"Leader! It's raining!!"
"Right, collect water. Collect water! Everyone, get moving."
A tall figure stood in the middle of the street. He was the one who had just told everyone to start collecting water.
Kong Zha, leader of the Rebel Army, raised his blond head and stared blankly at the sky. Unlike the others, after a brief moment of joy, his face had returned to calm.
"Why is there rain? Didn't the royal capital use Dance Powder to steal the entire country's rainfall?"
Kong Zha unconsciously clenched his fists and muttered,
"Could it be that even heaven does not wish to see war, and this is a gift bestowed out of pity?"
Remembering battle after battle, and the sight of his brothers and subordinates dying miserably before his eyes to protect him, the ever-calm Kong Zha could not stop a tear from slipping from the corner of his eye.
"I'm really tired."
No soldier liked war. Shattered bodies, mangled wounds, and the unwilling expressions on the faces of brothers-in-arms before they died.
They hated fighting. They had simply been forced into it.
"Kong Zha!"
A crisp voice rang out. Hearing the familiar call, Kong Zha suddenly turned around. What entered his sight was a head of sky-blue hair deeply etched into his memory.
"Vivi...?"
Kong Zha stared at the figure before him in disbelief. Several others stood around her.
"Looks like this is pretty much in the bag," Reiner could not help saying as he looked around. The Rebel Army's nerves had been stretched too tight by the nonstop fighting, and when the thing they desired most deep in their hearts suddenly appeared, that tension instantly collapsed.
When their group arrived at the Rebel Army stronghold, nobody had the time to care about them at all. It had even made Reiner question these people's military discipline.
"Looks like we still underestimated the despair in their hearts, and how desperately they wanted rain."
"I think I can understand some of it." Sanji tried to light a cigarette, but the rain kept putting it out. Looking despondent, he said,
"If, when I was about to starve to death back then, someone had put food in front of me, even if they told me it was poisoned, I would have wolfed it all down."
"Vivi, why are you here?"
"I'm here to tell you about the conspiracy behind this war. This is a war being manipulated by someone!"
Upon hearing that, Kong Zha's calm expression became strangely unnatural. "This isn't a good place to talk. Let's go inside first."
With that, Kong Zha turned and walked straight into the camp. Vivi looked back at Reiner and the others. Seeing Luffy nod, she led them into the camp.
A new month had arrived. Gentlemen, if you have investment votes in hand, send some over.
Before you continue