The Ultimate Sucker: Taken Out by the Plot

"Luffy."

"You should pull yourselves together now."

"Otherwise, Sanji's sacrifice will have been in vain."

"You'd better leave Alabasta immediately. If they run into you again, you'll be in trouble."

Ace stood up, keeping his Observation Haki active in case the enemy caught up with them.

"No. I'm going to avenge Sanji, and I promised Vivi I'd help her save this country."

Luffy refused without hesitation, his reddened eyes filled with bloodshot veins.

"Luffy, that Marine Tough Guy clearly came to Alabasta with a purpose. If you stay here, there's a good chance you'll run into him again."

"That guy may only be a rear admiral, but his strength far exceeds that rank. You won't stand a chance against him. Besides, I have other things to do. Waiting for you in Alabasta for ten days was already my limit."

Ace frowned, finding Luffy's idea somewhat unrealistic. Revenge was one thing, but how had saving a country gotten involved?

If you wanted to be a pirate, then be a proper pirate. Saving a country had nothing to do with being a pirate.

Besides, saving a country was not so easy. There were far too many issues involved.

If war broke out, it could very well draw in the Marines. If that happened, Luffy would be dead if he remained on the island.

For all they knew, the Marine Tough Guy had come to Alabasta for this country.

Political power.

It was not something pirates should meddle with.

And Luffy was no match for the Marine Tough Guy. If he wanted revenge, he at least had to wait until he became stronger.

"Ace, go take care of your business first! If I run into that big Marine again, I'll avoid him."

Luffy had not lost his mind.

He knew that, with his current strength, he could not avenge Sanji. But he had to keep the promise he had made to Vivi.

For now, he had to bury all his grief in his heart, because Vivi still needed his help. Sanji had already sacrificed himself and would never come back.

But Vivi was still here.

As captain, he could not collapse just like that. He had to give his other companions something to lean on.

"Be careful."

"As captain, don't let your companions be put in danger. That is the most basic duty and responsibility of a captain."

Ace was somewhat stunned.

He had not expected Luffy to have grown so much. If it had been when they were children, Luffy would definitely have been shouting about revenge without considering the consequences at all.

But now, not only had he not lost his head, he was also very clear about what he needed to do next.

He had really grown up.

"I know."

Luffy turned to look at Zoro and the others, who had remained silent. He understood what Ace meant and forced a smile.

"That's my little brother."

"Keep my vivre card safe. It can tell you which direction I'm going. The next time we meet may be in the New World."

"I hope you'll be stronger by then. Otherwise, the title of Pirate King will be mine."

Ace spoke solemnly and patted Luffy on the shoulder.

"I'm definitely going to become Pirate King. Even if you're my brother, I won't go easy on you."

Luffy's expression was equally serious.

"Everyone, I'm leaving Luffy to you."

Ace leaped onto a rock, turned to look at Zoro, Nami, and the others, then waved before jumping down the other side and quickly disappearing.

He still had to hunt down Teach.

Soon after.

After resting briefly, the Straw Hat Pirates also headed toward the capital. Perhaps they were of one mind; everyone buried their grief deep inside. Maybe after helping Vivi, they could finally have a good cry.

Along the way, Zoro successfully caught a giant crab. Under Nami's seduction, the crab ran at a speed it normally could never have achieved. In just five hours, they could already see the outline of the capital.

Anyone who did not know better would have thought they had flown there, but in truth, the crab had scuttled sideways the whole way.

They arrived at the capital.

Nami contacted Vivi. Once the two sides met, they cried their hearts out, then, under Vivi's hospitality, the Straw Hat Pirates stuffed themselves with food and drink.

They were instantly back at full strength.

After resting for two hours, they headed to Rainbase, Alabasta's dream city and Crocodile's headquarters, the only city untouched by drought and civil unrest.

The kingdom's largest casino, Rain Dinners, was located there.

Not long after.

Alabasta's civil war began. Led by Vivi's childhood friend Koza, the rebel army attempted to overthrow the kingdom's regime, turning the entire capital of Alubarna into a living hell.

"Crocodile!"

A heart-wrenching roar rang out.

Beneath the capital of Alubarna, inside the underground royal tomb, an earth-shattering battle was underway. Luffy was covered in blood, his eyes blazing with fury as he repeatedly suppressed Crocodile, a mighty Shichibukai and a Logia-type Devil Fruit user.

Though he lacked Armament Haki, he used the fact that clotted blood could strike sand to bring Crocodile unprecedented pressure.

A poisoned hook lay on the ground nearby.

Judging by Luffy's unnatural complexion, Crocodile had clearly already ambushed him. Their battle had reached the point where victory and defeat were about to be decided.

Elsewhere.

Baroque Works' officers had all been defeated by Zoro, Usopp, and the others. Everyone was full of grief and rage over Sanji's sacrifice.

They had basically all erupted with newfound power.

Those people could only blame themselves for running into the wrong targets.

"Vivi's friends."

Lying amid rubble stained red with blood, Cobra stared unblinkingly at the roaring figure. That was his daughter Vivi's friend.

They had to.

They had to defeat Crocodile.

Not far from Cobra's side, a tall figure lay unconscious on the ground. It was Nico Robin, who had stabbed Crocodile in the back at the crucial moment to help Luffy.

The course of events was not much different from the original story.

"What a joke. Taken out by plot armor."

On the street above the underground royal tomb.

Wilton stood atop a coconut tree, holding dumbbells as he worked his biceps. He watched the stone road continuously bulge and jump, as well as the buildings that kept collapsing.

He knew the battle was about to end.

Crocodile was a Shichibukai, had once made a name for himself in the New World, had even crossed paths with the World's Strongest Man, and was a Logia-type Devil Fruit user.

Yet in the end, he was inexplicably defeated by an idiot with no Haki, even if that idiot had an impressive background.

But that was no reason for Crocodile to lose.

To be honest, Wilton could not understand it.

It was even more unbelievable than playing poker with God.

Still, it did not matter. Crocodile was going to fall into his hands anyway.

Moreover, Wilton had secretly kept watch. Neither Fire Fist Ace nor anyone from the Revolutionary Army was present. At first, he had thought Crocodile's defeat was suspicious.

Now, it seemed Crocodile had simply been taken out by plot armor.

Or perhaps the protagonist's halo was simply too invincible.

"Brrr brrr~"

Wilton hung one dumbbell from his waist, then pulled a Den Den Mushi from his elastic workout shorts. After dialing, the other side answered quickly.

"Lord Wilton."

"Sadi, Smoker, you can move now. Stop this war, and make sure to capture the Baroque Works officers and the Straw Hat Pirates' members."

"Remember, Baroque Works' Mr. 5 must be captured no matter what. Spare no cost, even if it means letting other criminals escape."

Wilton's expression was extremely stern.

His purpose in coming to Alabasta this time was the Sand-Sand Fruit and the Explode-Explode Fruit. He had even prepared some fruit for that purpose.

On closer inspection.

There was a large bundle beneath that coconut tree, filled with all kinds of ordinary fruits Wilton had bought.

It all came down to luck.