It was as if destiny decreed it so.
The moment Crocodile died, a deafening thunderclap echoed across all of Alabasta.
It was as if the entire world was cheering, for the wicked individual who had plagued Alabasta was finally no more.
Then came a gust of cold wind, rapidly sweeping through Alabasta, adding a touch of coolness to its arid air.
Following close behind the cold wind were thick clouds that blotted out the sky.
"Is it going to rain?"
In Elumalu, Yuba, Nanohana, and other towns in Alabasta not yet ravaged by drought, the townsfolk, upon hearing the thunder, rushed out of their homes, their gazes fixed upwards.
A streak of white lightning, wide enough to split the very sky, traversed the heavens above Alabasta.
At the end of the white lightning, a mass of churning, ink-black clouds, accompanied by countless tiny white flashes, rapidly approached Alabasta.
Soon, they obscured the entire sky.
BOOM—!
With the first thunderclap, there were naturally second, third, and countless more.
RUMBLE—!
The numerous lightning bolts, like white serpents, darted restlessly within the clouds.
Drip!
Drip!
Drip!!!
"Ah! It's actually raining."
Someone's booming voice, startling countless people standing frozen, staring blankly at the sky, broke the silence.
They tore off their headscarves and hats, spread their arms wide, tilted their heads back, and excitedly watched the raindrops falling from the sky.
As the raindrops grew denser and heavier, the heavens and earth were soon enveloped in water.
It was noon, and countless people napping were awakened by the jubilant shouts from outside. They gazed out their windows at a scene where it was impossible to tell if it was raining or if water was being poured, and then, recovering from their shock, were overcome with overwhelming joy.
Some wept tears of happiness, others burst into laughter, and some shrieked wildly…
They expressed their current elation through every conceivable emotion.
Countless people rushed out of their homes, heedless of whether they might fall ill later. All they knew was that this rain, this rain of life, had come both so timely and so late.
Timely, because it arrived just as they were about to be relocated, meaning they wouldn't have to abandon the homes they had lived in their entire lives.
Late, because during the year-long drought, countless people had not survived, leaving this place. Some fortunate ones had crossed the desert and found other, still verdant oases to continue their lives, while more were forever buried in this arid desert.
Elumalu.
The tavern.
There wasn't a single customer in the tavern at this moment.
The tavern had closed its doors the day before.
Listening to the countless cheers and the boisterous laughter of children outside, the tavern owner, sitting by the window on an old wooden chair, reached up and wiped the moisture from his eyes.
He looked up at the raindrops falling on the windowpane, as if gazing upon the most beautiful scene in the world, and became lost in contemplation.
Snapping back to reality, the owner pulled a pipe from his waist, put it in his mouth, and then took out his lighter.
Click—!
A flame flickered to life.
The faint orange-yellow light cast a large halo in the dim tavern.
Though weak, the flame illuminated the tavern window and the smiling face of the owner.
The owner brought the pipe to the flame, puffed his cheeks, and lit his tobacco.
He leaned back against the chair, completely relaxed.
Ding—!
The flame extinguished.
The owner put down his lighter, took a puff of his pipe, and slowly closed his eyes, listening to the sound of the rain on the window, and drifted into a peaceful sleep.
For over a year, he had never felt this relaxed.
Alabasta was saved, Elumalu was saved, and the tavern wouldn't have to close.
"This is good."
…
Yuba.
Outside the town.
Clang—!
Clang—!
Clang—!
Day after day, the old man dug in the sand, hoping to conquer it and bring back the oasis to Yuba.
At that moment, a thunderclap made the old man stop his work.
He knew this sound.
For over a year, this was the sound he had longed to hear in his dreams.
Woo woo woo!!
This time, it wasn't a sandstorm, but a refreshing, cool breeze.
Doto looked up at the rolling clouds in the distance, and the handle of his hoe snapped as it fell to the ground.
He gazed at the sky, his body trembling uncontrollably, his eyes shining with an infinite light.
Then, as if dazed, he mumbled incessantly.
"I knew it, I knew it, I knew it. Alabasta would surely rain. His Majesty the King definitely didn't use the Dance Powder."
"As long as it rains, as long as it rains, as long as it rains, Alabasta will surely return to its former state, and Yuba will once again become the beautiful Yuba it once was."
As he spoke, tears streamed down his weathered face, pooling at his chin before dripping onto the ground.
Just then, the rain arrived as expected.
Pitter-patter, pitter-patter, pitter-patter!!
The raindrops mingled with Doto's tears, drenching all of Yuba. For the first time since its establishment, this beautiful city in Alabasta, having endured countless sandstorms, showed signs of life.
…
Across the St. Sandora River.
Kouza, with the main force of the rebel army, had just crossed this lifeblood river of Alabasta.
As Kouza directed the remaining troops to cross quickly, the same thunderclap drew everyone's attention.
Gazing at the sky-obscuring clouds in the distance, those crossing the river and those yet to do so, all looked up in unison.
Their gazes first showed disbelief, then their mouths widened, and they gradually grew excited.
Countless people shouted with exhilaration.
"Clouds, clouds, clouds, rain mixed with clouds!"
"It's rain, it must be rain, it's going to rain, hahahahaha!!!"
No one wanted to fight, no one wanted to leave their homes, and certainly no one wanted to join this damned rebel army.
But they had no choice. Without rain, in this kingdom of sand, they and their families would all perish if they didn't rebel.
Compared to life itself, war and leaving home seemed insignificant.
Now that it was raining, they wouldn't have to fight and could return to their homes to live their lives as before.
I believe no one would be unhappy or unexcited by such an outcome!
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!!
The rain extinguished the hatred in the rebels' hearts and dispelled their doubts about their king.
Under the rain, countless people turned their faces towards Alubarna and, in their hearts, apologized to their king.
"Kouza."
Koza, one of the members of the Sun Pirates and a childhood friend of Vivi's, who served as Kouza's right-hand man in the rebel army, named Cobb.
He rode his camel to Kouza's side.
With an excited expression, he asked Kouza, "Kouza, what do we do next?"
He actually knew the answer in his heart, but Kouza had always been their leader, so he couldn't help but ask.
"What do we do?"
Kouza lowered his head, removed his brown sunglasses, and then reached up to wipe the moisture from his face, unsure if it was rain or tears.
He then turned to Cobb and smiled, "What do you think?"
Cobb looked at Kouza for a moment, then turned his camel and went to relay the message.
As one of the people who had followed Kouza the longest, having grown up together, he naturally understood Kouza's thoughts.
In fact, it wasn't even necessary for them to say anything.
As Doto had said, as long as it rained, none of this would be a problem.
Because the fundamental reason for their rebellion was water.
Now that there was water, who would still want to rebel!
Kouza retracted his gaze from Cobb and turned to look in the direction of Yuba. He wished he could return to Yuba immediately and say to his father, "I'm sorry."
He truly shouldn't have doubted the king.
Thinking of his father's aging appearance over the past year due to Yuba's plight, his eyes once again misted over.
In truth, no one loved this country more than he and his father. If not for their love, they wouldn't have come to Yuba and built it from nothing into a major trading hub in the west.
If not for their love, he wouldn't have tried so desperately to save this country.
If not for their love, he wouldn't have decided the moment it rained to disband the rebel army and return to Yuba to rebuild it with his father.
…
Of course, his current self-reproach was even greater than that of others, given how much he had loved it before.
However, these were all personal choices, and everyone wanted to save the country. In essence, there was no right or wrong.