This is the 56th chapter. I don't own the series of One Piece.

Run to the Royal Tomb!

Alabasta, Alubarna

After the battle at the palace, Ace, Ventus, and Luffy gained the upper hand after Fire Fist used his Devil Fruit power to shoot a column of fire at Crocodile. Ventus was able to save to Luffy when he grabs hold, but used his strength to hold. Crocodile was now a mess and wounded with burnt marks and bloody as he stood up with a grunt in pain. However, it happened a few minutes earlier before he vanished.

"Damn you...You still able to beat me, even outnumbering me and figuring out my weakness!?" Crocodile growled in anger. "I'm growing quite tired of masting my time with the three of you!"

"Too bad, because you've got your ass handed by us. And now look at you, you're still standing and wounded." Ace remarked with a smirk.

"True, but at least I still have the last laugh." Crocodile states with a chuckle. "Within 6 minutes, this yard will be blown up along with the square. I'd like to stay, but I'm in a hurry. You three just wait right there, and then you can celebrate the new king of the sand country."

"Not if I have to say about it! Soaring High" Ventus then flies up in the air and then descends down while thrusting his lance down.

Crocodile noticed him coming down as he turns himself into sand and vanished, making Ventus lands on the ground and made him missed his target.

"Dammit! That bastard!" Ventus growled in anger. "Rrrrrr...When I get my hands on him, I'll..."

"Easy there, Ven, we'll get him." Ace assures him, tipped his hat. "But right now, we've got another problem."

Ace thrust his thumb to Luffy, who's still full-on water in his stomach. Ventus then angrily storms to Luffy and bonked him several times while stomping the fat belly of his, causing the rubber captain to spout water out of his mouth, like a geyser.

"YOU IDIOT! ARE YOU REALLY ASKING FOR A DEATH WISH?!" Ventus yelled with anger, beating Luffy senseless. "NOT ONLY YOU'VE WASTED A BARREL OF WATER! CROCODILE GOT AWAY BECAUSE OF YOUR STUPIDITY!"

After that short beating, Luffy is now beaten and battered, again. Even his face was covered in lumps and bruises.

"I'm sorry...Please don't ruin my face anymore." Luffy apologizes in a muffled tone.

Ace couldn't but chuckled nervously, remembered what happen by at the Nanohara shores where Luffy gets beaten by Ventus big time. Ace then turns to the direction, which he noticed Crocodile vanished somewhere.

"At this rate, we need to get to Crocodile before the whole place blows up to kingdom come." Ace suggests. "So, Ven, any idea where he's heading?"

"I can't get his scent, but I was able to get King Cobra and Ms. All-Sunday's scent." Ventus told him, whiffing the air. "They're heading somewhere that was called, 'Royal Tomb'."

"Then that's we'll be heading. And I know Crocodile is heading that direction!" Luffy said with determination. "Let's go!"

And with that, Luffy, Ace, and Ventus started leaving the palace and headed for the Royal Tomb to go after Crocodile.

At the Royal Tomb, Ms. All-Sunday and Cobra were heading that direction while he's still in a bind. They stopped when she saw the tomb.

"So, this is the Royal Tomb? For generations of your kings lay their eternal rest." Ms. All-Sunday states which Cobra can only give her a silent respond as she turns to him. "So, where's the Poneglyph?"

Cobra can only turn to the statue of the Sea Cat as he walk towards it, leans it, then pushes the statue the other way as the chains pulled the secret door at the ground, revealing the stairs.

"Hidden stairs." Ms. All-Sunday muttered, turns to the stairs.

"The Poneglyph is kept down there. Deep underground." Cobra explains as he and Ms. All-Sunday walks down the stairs. "Most people aren't even aware of the Poneglyphs existence."

"Many events occurred behind the scenes. Just because a country belongs to the World Government, doesn't necessarily mean that its king knows what's going on. You shouldn't be blamed." Ms. All-Sunday points out, making a valid point. "Like most people, you probably had no idea there was someone left in the world who can descipher ancient writing."

"You can actually read Poneglyphs?" Cobra questions in shock.

"That's right. That's why Crocodile and I ended up as a team in the first place. It's also why he can't kill me, I'm no use dead." Ms. All-Sunday answered as she stops. "Tell me, is it correct that the Poneglyph in this country tells where Pluton is? Is that really the case?"

"Alabasta's royal family has been obligated for generations now to protect it. That duty is the only thing we know about it." Cobra answered, shook his head.

"'Protect'? Don't make me laugh." Ms. All-Sunday mocks with a scowl as she and Cobra continued to walk downstairs.

Once they reached to the deep levels of the tomb, Ms. All-Sunday couldn't help but feel impressed of the architecture.

"This place is quite impressive." Ms. All-Sunday states.

"It's located behind the doors in the back." Cobra told her.

And just as Ms. All-Sunday opened the doors, she gasps in awe when she noticed a Poneglyph that's been hidden inside of the tomb. She then walked towards the Poneglyph.

"There it is." Ms. All-Sunday muttered.

Meanwhile at the town, the remained of the Marines and Tashighi were easily defeated by Ms. All-Sunday. Tashigi's eyes were lifeless, remembered how she was easily defeated when she first charged after the Baroque Works agent while being battered and bloodied, but Ms. All-Sunday used her Devil Fruit power to sprout her arm limbs, grabbing Sergent Major's leg and then breaks the bone, twisting it. Tashigi couldn't help but screams in pain and pants. Ms. All-Sunday was about to walk away when Tashigi grabs her leg, telling her that she won't let her leave. However, Ms. All-Sunday is not in a mood for her tenacity, used her Devil Fruit power to strangle the Marine and then she and Cobra walked away.

Tashigi tried to stand up, but her body gave out and it got her collapsing down to the ground with the groan.

"Nico...Robin...I promise I will capture you..." Tashigi grunts, using her arms to try and pull herself up until Crocodile revealed himself from behind when he chuckled. "Crocodile...it's you!?"

"Looks like Nico Robin made short work of you." Crocodile said with a sinister smirk. "I must say, I never thought that the Marines would follow me to the city. Where's your boss? Did that Smokey idiot run away and leave you all alone?"

Tashigi can only widen her eyes in horror and finding the words to remark.

"Justice is only for the people who'd take it. That's the kind of world we live in, girl." Crocodile mocks. "Why don't you just go back to your base and talk about justice until you're actually ready to fight for it."

Tashigi was still trying to stand, but she couldn't because of the broken leg which she can only respond with a groan in pain. Crocodile walk past her with a sinister laugh, heading to the royal tomb.

'Crocodile!?' Tashigi mentally growled, watching him disappeared at her sight.

While at the palace square, the battle between the rebels and the royal army continues on. The Straw Hat pirates are still having no luck on finding the bomb which they've got less than 6 minutes.

"Now you die!" Usopp shouts, terribly imitating as Crocodile with a fake golden hook on his finger and a goofy laugh.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Zoro yelled in annoyance with white eyes and shark-like teeth, bonked his head very head.

"What am I doing?! I'm to get inside Crocodile's head, that's what!?" Usopp remarked with white eyes and shark-like teeth. "Like if I were him, where would I want to shoot a cannon from?!"

"Just keep looking! We've only had 5 minutes!" Anna shouts at the liar with annoyance.

Nami, Shanise, and Chopper are still looking for the cannoneer, running from building to building which they still have no luck.

'5 minutes to go before million people all die! We've really need to hurry! We don't have much time left!' Chopper mentally thought.

"Chopper, do you think you can find the guy by using your nose?" Nami questions.

"That won't work! The only thing I can smell anywhere is gunpowder!" Chopper told her.

"Sounds about right, considering the ongoing fight at the square." Shanise points out. "Ventus, Luffy, and Ace are still fighting against Crocodile. As far as I'm concern, they're taking too long!"

"And without Ventus, there's no way we'll find a cannoneer!" Nami states, turns to Chopper. "But we have to do something! Try finding the smell of a guy who's about to blow up the square with the big cannon!?"

"What kind of a smell is that?!" Chopper exclaims.

"WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT!" Shanise yelled with white eyes and shark-like teeth, bonked Nami in the head. "JUST KEEP LOOKING! WE CAN'T WASTE OUR TIME FOR GUESSING!?"

Sanji and Ivan were sprinting past through the buildings to look for the cannon which they're having no luck on their side either.

'A cannonball that can blow up that big an area...' Sanji mentally thought, realized as he and Ivan stops running while pondered. "Hold on, in that case, it's gotta be really big. And if it's gonna be shot out of a cannon, then surely it can't go very far!"

"So, it's gotta be closer to the square than this!" Ivan adds with an agreement as he and Sanji were about to run, but goes frantic. "AHH! We don't have time to go around it!?"

And with that, Sanji thought of an idea as he ran towards the building and kicks it, making a hole.

"There, shortcut!" Sanji states as he and Ivan ran through the hole in the wall.

Vivi also kept running through the buildings to look for the cannoneer, but no luck and Pell has no luck for that either since he looked everywhere in the sky.

"Anything from the sky, Pell?" Vivi questions with a shout.

"I've searched every rooftop from the square, but I couldn't see any sign of a cannon!" Pell answered.

"Well then, it might be in the building somewhere!" Vivi guessed.

"Right, I'll search them all!" Pell suggested as he soars into the sky.

"Good!" Vivi said.

The clock tower counts down to 4 minutes. Tashigi grabs hold of her sword, trying to get herself up.

"Crocodile!" The voice of Luffy growled, earned her attention she noticed him, Ace, and Ventus were in front of them.

"Straw Hat! Fire Fist!" Tashigi growled, readied her blade when she turns to Ventus. "Ventus, what are you-"

"Never mind that! What are you doing here?!" Ventus interrupts with a growl. "And why aren't you stopping the war?!"

Tashigi was surprised that the three are after Crocodile, but remembered of Cobra's words.

'We've been warned that at 4:30, a bomb is going to be shot into the palace square where the fighting is going on! If this attack happens, it'll cost a million of citizens their lives!'

She then remembered of Ms. All-Sunday defeated her with the Devil Fruit power and how her leg got snapped. Tashigi even remembered of what Crocodile have told her.

'Justice is only for the people who take it, that's the kind of word we live in, girl. Why don't you just go back to your base and talk about justice until you're actually ready to fight for it.'

These words have echoed on Tashigi's mind which mostly Crocodile's words were haunting her because of the state she's in. It didn't take long for Ace and Ventus to figure out of her current state because her hand is trembling.

"Whatever is going on in your head, standing there and feeling sorry for yourself isn't going to help." Ventus told her, earned her attention. "Listen, you don't have time to mope around. Your priority is to find the Baroque Works and help us stop the rebellion. We've only got less than 5 minutes before the square is destroyed."

Tashigi knew that the young dragoon is right about it.

"Either way, I suggest you get to it." Ventus suggests as he, Luffy, and Ace run towards the tomb, leaving Tashigi alone.

Tashigi can only watch them left, gritting her teeth, and panting while lowering her head down.

"What justice is there?" Tashigi questions herself as she bangs her head down to the ground, then clenching her fist tightly with a grunt. "To hell with Marine Headquarters..."

Luffy, Ace, and Ventus kept running towards the tomb which the young dragoon noticed the scent between Ms. All-Sunday and Cobra is getting stronger, meaning they're getting close. However, Luffy's wound from the side of his rib opens up, causing him to stumble towards the wall with a grunt collapsed down.

"Geez, I can't move very well..." Luffy groans in pain.

"That's because you're still not fully recovered from your first fight against Crocodile." Ventus points out when he and Ace stopped, turns to him. "Idiot, you're still in no shape to fight."

"I thought ate all of that meat will-"

"EATING MEAT ISN'T GOING TO SOLVE ANYTHING, YOU MORON!?" Ventus and Ace yelled with white eyes and shark-like teeth, bonked him in the head.

"After the fight is over, we'll get Chopper patch you up." Ace suggested.

"No...I've got to...kick Crocodile's ass..." Luffy grunts as he tried to run. "I wonder if..."

Ventus grabs hold of Luffy's leg with his tail, slams him down to the ground and knocking him out.

"Sorry Luffy, but you're in no condition to fight." Ventus told his captain, turns to Ace. "Let's go."

Ace gives his partner in crime a nod as he and Ventus run towards the tomb.

At the tomb, Ms. All-Sunday is studying the Poneglyph as Cobra speaks while sitting on the floor with his legs crossed.

"Well? Did it tell you everything that you wanted to know?" Cobra questions.

Ms. All-Sunday can only give a silent respond while continued studying the Poneglyph. Crocodile was able to get to the tomb, walking towards when he noticed the hidden stairs.

"Now I see it, secret stairs." Crocodile said with a smirk as he head towards the stairs.

While the battle between the royal army and the rebels continued, the Straw Hat pirates continued to search for the bomb and they've only got 4 minutes before the square is destroyed. Luffy continued to sleep after the wound was opened up while Ace and Ventus managed to make their way to the tomb, but the young dragoon noticed a hidden stairs.

"Hidden stairs, why?" Ventus muttered with a question.

"My guess is Crocodile is heading for that Poneglyph." Ace guessed with a hum. "And Cobra was forced to lead Ms. All-Sunday in that direction, to the Poneglyph."

"And if Crocodile managed to get a hold of the information about the Pluton, then he'll use it conquer not only Alabasta, but the entire world." Ventus adds.

"Yeah." Ace replied with a nod. "We better get to Crocodile before he learns anything about the Pluton."

And with that, both Ventus and Ace head downstairs to get to Crocodile.

Back at the tomb, Ms. All-Sunday continued to study the Poneglyph while waiting for Crocodile to arrive, but she seemed unsatisfied of the information she was looking for.

"Aren't there any others around? Is this all that your country is hiding?" Ms. All-Sunday questions.

"You aren't satisfied? I have kept every word of the promise I've made to you." Cobra told her.

"You did." Ms. All-Sunday replied, knew he's not lied and made a valid point.

They then heard footsteps as Ms. All-Sunday turns her eyes slightly when Crocodile arrived.

"Just any other national secret, no matter how hard you look, you can't find it unless you already know where it is." Crocodile states, walked next to Ms. All-Sunday while looking at the Poneglyph. "So, this is the Poneglyph we were looking for."

"That didn't take much time." Ms. All-Sunday said, turns to him.

"Now that you have this odd thing in front of you, were you able to decipher it?" Crocodile inquires.

"Yes." Ms. All-Sunday answered simply.

"Very good. Now read it aloud, what does this thing say?" Crocodile asks again with an order.

Ms. All-Sunday then turns back to the Poneglyph as she reads it.

"Kahara conquered Alabasta and Sky Thermaris year 239...In year 260, Teimei ruled the Bataan Dynasty...In year 306, the Tath Cathedral was completed in Erumalu...In year 325, the hero Mandin..."

Crocodile was starting to grow impatient and starting to realize that the Poneglyph has the wrong information.

"Hey hold on! What's this?! Is this really all of the information here?!" Crocodile demands, raising his golden hook. "I don't give a damn about this deserts history! I want to know about the worlds most dangerous military power that's hiding in this country! Where is the Pluton hidden?!"

"That information isn't on here." Ms. All-Sunday points out.

"What?!" Crocodile exclaims in disbelief.

"History is the only thing that this text contain." Ms. All-Sunday explains.

"That's all?" Crocodile inquires.

"Pluton, I didn't see it anywhere." Ms. All-Sunday points out. "It isn't mentioned on this Poneglyph at all."

That got Cobra shocked with his eyes widen while Crocodile didn't like the answer and the search for the information of Pluton has gone up and smoke because the Poneglyph only has the history about Alabasta.

"'Not mentioned at all'? I see. That's unfortunate." Crocodile said with a growl, knew that Ms. All-Sunday is telling the truth. "You've been an excellent partner, but even so, I think that I'll kill you right now."

"What?!" Ms. All-Sunday exclaims with a gasp in disbelief, leaving Cobra shocked.

"The agreement that we've made 4 years ago has been fulfilled." Crocodile told her. "Do you remember the terms of that agreement? I was to bring to you to the Poneglyph and in return, you would hand over the information on the weapon to me. The work you've done for the Baroque Works these past 4 years was excellent both in terms and intellect and your ability to command."

Ms. All-Sunday couldn't help but scowl at Crocodile, who is really furious that he didn't get the information he wanted.

"Your usefulness to the company has been reasoned enough to keep you around, but in the end, you've spoiled it all!?" Crocodile growled furiously. "By betraying me, Nico Robin!"

And as Crocodile swings his golden hook, Nico barely dodges which caused her to stumble and loses the hat.

"You say the Poneglyph in this country doesn't say anything at all about Pluton, is that true?! Was this the plan all along, to hide the information from me, even if you were able to find something useful?!" Crocodile demands, turns to her when she widens her eyes. "But even so, I don't feel any anger toward you. And you know why that is, Nico Robin?!"

"Ha! Alright, I've worked with you for 4 years. I knew you'd try something like this someday, so I'm more than ready." Nico remarked with a smirk, pulls out the vial of water.

It got Crocodile off-guard when she throws the vial of water him, which he dodged until...

"Spark Spear" Ventus impales Crocodile in the shoulder with his lance and used his lightning magic to give him a shock, causing the Warlord of the Sea to scream in agony.

"Saint Elmo's Fire" Ace then throws his flame javelin right towards Crocodile, burning him which it got him scream in agony even more.

Nico and Cobra were shocked that both Ventus and Ace somehow managed to follow them all the way to the tomb. Crocodile then collapses down to his knees with a grunt in pain while feeling the sparks in his body and the brunt marks are majorly severe.

"How...how did you..."

"The nose knows, Crocodile. You see, I'm not just full human, I'm half dragon." Ventus answered with a harden glare, leaving Nico shocked. "So, I followed both of your scent to track you two down. Turns out Crocodile would stoop so low to try and kill his partner."

"This is exactly why Crocodile has a narrow-minded plan, settle down to try and conquer Alabasta with his own hand. Even killing his own men, that's just downright disgraceful." Ace adds, tipping his hat.

"Not to mention his so-called ideal nation. I find his ideal nation pathetic." Ventus told him.

Suddenly, the tomb begins to tremor which it got their attention.

"What's happening? It's still too early for the attack on the square!" Crocodile states when he stands up, but they turned to Cobra, who's leaning against the wall. "It must be you! What did you do?!"

"It's just a little present." Cobra said with a smirk. "You see, this underground temple was built, so that the disturbing just one small column will destroy the balance of the entire structure and cause it to collapse. Both you and Nico Robin are about to die here. We'll meet death together while Ace and Ventus gets out of the tomb alive. I am the 12th King of the Nefertari family. I will uphold our honor. Someone like you will never be allowed to rule the desert kingdom."

While at the square, Vivi kept looking for the bomb, but lost her footing and left her stumbled down to ground while losing her sandals, and scraped her knees. Vivi couldn't help but groan in pain while holding her leg.

'3 minutes left...Where is it?!' Vivi mentally shouts with a question. 'A cannon big enough to destroy such a large area has to be enormous! There can't be many places to hide such a weapon! So, why are we still unable to find it after all this?! Open space where a cannon will fit.'

"GAAAAHHH! STOP SHOOTING!" Usopp screamed in panic with budging eyes and shark-like teeth, dodged a bullet.

Vivi was trying to figure out where the cannon is hiding, but starting to realize.

"Open space..." Vivi muttered, figured it out where the cannon is hiding. "Yes, that place would work..."

"THAT'S DANGEROUS! I TOLD YOU TO STOP SHOOTING AT ME!? TASTE SMOKE STAR" Usopp then used his slingshot to fire a pellet at someone, which was one of the royal armies as he scream and ran.

"It's perfect...It's hidden and big..." Vivi said with a serious expression on her face.

"STOP IT, IDIOT! I TOLD YOU I'M NOT FROM THE REBEL ARMY!?" Usopp screams while the royal army chased after him, but the liar knocked him out with the hammer. "Usopp Hammer! Usopp Rubber Band of Doom! That should teach you! Do they know who they're dealing with here?! Don't be afraid when I tell you this! No, be very afraid! I am the incredible Captain Usopp!?"

Then, Vivi pulled Usopps nose to get his attention.

"What?! Oh, it's you, Vivi. So, were you able to find the cannoneer?" Usopp questions.

"I know now, I figured it out." Vivi points out.

"What?! You know where?" Usopp asked surprisingly, pulled a slingshot and a red pellet out of the satchel. "There, I'll go ahead and signal everyone! You sure about this, right?"

Vivi responds with a nod in confirm.

"Special Attack: Red Serpent Star" Usopp then fires a signal flare that creates a smoke pillar to alert his crew.

Apparently, the Straw Hat pirates were able to get the attention of the red flare while Luffy remained asleep, but he quickly wakes up with a grunt as he sat himself up.

"Oh, I slept good. Wait, oh that's right, I couldn't move all of a sudden. Ventus must've knocked me out and put me to sleep since there's really no other choice." Luffy states. "Yeah, and I feel better now. So...ALRIGHT, IT'S TIME FOR ME TO BEAT UP CROCODILE!?"

And with that Luffy sprints his way past the hidden stairs, but quickly stops when he noticed the stairs that leads down to the tomb.

"That hole over there looks kind of...kind of Croc-ish!" Luffy growled.

Just as the tomb begins to fall apart, Crocodile spoke.

"Impressive, you're truly are a remarkable king. Willing to give your own life just to take me down with you, for your kingdom." Crocodile praised him with a smirk. "Except I won't die."

Cobra then realized with Crocodile means when he's telling him.

"All I have to do is to change the rocks to sand and I can escape from here!?" Crocodile declared with a sinister chuckle. "Your death will be in vain, Cobra!"

"No...it won't!" Ventus growled with a glare, earned his attention. "You're still forgetting that me, Luffy, and Ace will stop you from escaping! And for that, his death won't be in vain along with Alabasta."

"It won't matter, because we've only got 3 minutes left!" Crocodile remarked. "When the square blows up and this temple collapses, everyone standing in my way will be eliminated in an instant! And in that moment, this land...will become mine entirely!"

Crocodile then laughs with triumph, thinking that he won the war of his own along with his scheme. Luffy continued to rush downstairs to go after Crocodile and help Ventus and Ace.

'WHERE ARE YOU...CROCODILE!?' Luffy mentally shouts.

That's it for the 56th chapter.