Blooming Amidst the Slaughter / A Hero Appears?

"..."

The people were bewildered at first. Then anger surged from deep within them.

"Hey! What's going on?!"

"If you do this... His Majesty won't stand by and do nothing!"

Army Commander Tank drew a deep breath, his eyes fierce, and shouted at the top of his lungs:

"This is the king's order!!"

"What?!!"

The people around him were stunned by Tank's words.

What... had they just heard?!!

The king they had always loved had given an order like this?!

Why...?!

"We can't explain, and we're out of time!!"

"Hurry!!"

"Just this once, please trust King Riku! Hand over all the cash you have on you!!"

Tank knew how absurd it sounded, but he had no choice.

Suddenly.

A startled cry snapped the dazed crowd back to their senses.

"It's a recording Den Den Mushi!!!"

Blooming Amid Slaughter

Bzzzt--!!!

Static flickered across the screen, and King Riku's face appeared on the display above them.

"Throughout Dressrosa..."

"It's King Riku!!"

"Your Majesty, what are these soldiers doing?! Are they robbing us?"

"Exactly! How dare they do this in your name!"

The moment their beloved king appeared, the aggrieved people began shouting their complaints.

The soldiers had woken them in the middle of the night and, without explanation, demanded every bit of cash they carried.

Who could accept that?

But...

"This has come without warning, and I have a request! I know you'll find it hard to believe. It's an unreasonable request."

As the people looked up at him, their hearts sank. A terrible feeling came over them.

"I can't explain why right now..."

Thud--!!!

Dust billowed up.

Before everyone's astonished eyes, the haggard-looking King Riku bent both knees and dropped to the ground.

"Please lend me all your possessions, all your money! Every last bit!"

"Lend it all to me!!"

With