Previously:
"I think… leaving this case to his majesty to settle would be for the best..." she decided. Ka Kobun was staggered. "But we will have conditions for our withdrawal," she said, pointing at Sinbad. "For the case of Balbadd being truly included into the Alliance of the Seven Seas, you king of Sindria, must personally come to the emperor. And show us proof!" Sinbad nodded.
"I will definitely pay a visit!" he promised.
"That will be all!" Kyougoku said. With that, she turned on her heel and left.
"P… Please wait! Princess…!?" Ka Kobun called as he and the rest of her entourage followed. Kyougoku sighed again.
'What a relief, such a big situation is washed from my hands,' she thought as she continued to walk. 'And also...' she glanced back at Ahbmad. 'I would rather die than marry that pig…!!'
"Were… were we saved…!?" one of the palace guards asked, amazed.
'Alibaba...' Sinbad thought, also impressed as he watched everyone around him brightening with relief. 'From the time that I heard that you infiltrated the royal palace alone, I thought it wouldn't amount to anything… But what would you know, he really did clear up so much of this mess. Against the Kou Empire, not wavering at all… Alibaba, maybe you… will be able to become a great person.' From the back of the room, Markkio watched the touching scene. A sinister smile stretched across his face as some black rukh fluttered around his staff.
Chapter 58: The Republic of Balbadd and Cassim's Answer
"Princess, is it alright if we do not bring the oracle along?" Ka Kobun asked her as they and the rest of the princess's entourage flew away on their magic carpet.
"It is alright. After all, I left him in Banker's hands," she replied. "In any case, let us withdraw for now. Let us inform his majesty about Balbadd's end to monarchy! And also about the matter regarding Sindria's king..." She remembered Sinbad's serious expression when he promised to 'definitely pay a visit' and blushed. 'I wonder when that person will come to pay a visit?' she thought happily, holding her flushed face. Ka Kobun wasn't sure how to feel about that. Her crush on the king of Sindria seemed like trouble, given how easily she had given in to the enemy because of it. He sighed.
"Ka Kobun-san… People below are gathering for some reason," one of her guards reported.
"I know about that," Kyougoku said. "Haven't they been outside the palace all along?"
"No, it's… a different group of people..." another guard said. "They seem like they're heading straight for the royal palace..."
Sure enough, down below in the streets, a large group of people had gathered and were marching together in that direction.
—∞—
Inside the palace, Sinbad was just saying goodbye to the delegate from Artemyra, who was sitting on the back of a very large bird perched on the balcony. They watched her fly off to catch up to the Imuchakk and Heliohapt representatives, who had already left on their own birds.
"Diplomatic chiefs…" Barkak said, watching them go. "Everyone has returned… and we haven't expressed our gratitude..."
"Really, you truly are reckless," Sinbad said, turning back to face Alibaba. "Sneaking into the royal palace by yourself like that, at one point I didn't know what to expect!"
"I apologize!" Alibaba said at once, bowing to him. "Willfully doing things..."
"But, oh well… I could expect that you would be thinking something like that..." Sinbad said. "From now on, you'll really have to put in your best effort!"
"Yes!" Alibaba agreed brightly.
"What should we do from now on?" Sahbmad asked.
"I believe that the end of the monarchy will have merit for the peace movement. However, the country cannot continue with the sudden loss of a government..." Barkak said.
"Exactly!" Alibaba said, nodding his head in agreement. "That's why we will need to construct an interim government. The shape of the formation of a republic, firstly we will need to involve representatives from the citizens to open a discussion session… because to hold an election, we will have to have an executive committee. Gather up the honest government officials from the palace. Please do it immediately. I want to hear your opinions about elections, elder brother Sahbmad and Barkak. I want the previous king Ahbmad to be held in confinement or a solitary island within Balbadd's territorial waters. The people may ask for a death sentence, but… I do not want to kill my own brother… And anyway, currently, no one is allowed to punish another in this country. The reason is because the penal law has to be reconstructed… Let's slowly build up order. Though I said 'republicanism', there are many ways to go about doing that and you may be puzzled, what I want to see is a success: something like that of the urban state of Kashgan, that's in the middle of the desert. I want to see Balbadd become like that country, where there is a complete citizen-ruled government, where everyone is not judged by race, upbringing, wealth or income, but a country ruled by equality… everyone, wouldn't you wish the same…?" Everyone stared at him in awe.
"Looks like he's serious..." Sinbad remarked with a small smile.
"Alright!" one guard said.
"Let's try it!!" said another, and their determination spread to the rest of their comrades like wildfire.
"I wonder if that'll turn out well?" Markkio said, drawing their attention. They all looked at him. "Republicanism, you say? I wonder if that'll go smoothly? Your highness, the prince. I too have travelled and been to such countries… but these countries which proclaim equality definitely spawn governors… and they become a fatal flaw… creating dictators. No matter how much you wish for equality… people who want to govern will appear… in the end, people will still need to be governed. Even for this kingdom, there will be people who wish to be king. Definitely." Some of the guards faltered.
"Even so, we want this country to have a form of one with no disparities," Alibaba said, standing his ground.
"Prince Alibaba!" a guard by the balcony said, getting his attention. He pointed outside. "The masses have returned and are forcing their way in… we will not be able to hold them much longer!"
"We can't just idle around here!" Alibaba said, springing into action. "Move quickly, prepare arrangements for the announcement to the people!"
"..." Markkio watched them all rush off to carry out these orders. "This is also according to the flow of time. As I thought, I am unable to stop it..." Black rukh fluttered from his staff, out of the palace and through the town, connecting with the magic weapons of the missing Fog Troupe members, who were marching their way to the palace. "Oh well, if we make a move… They will retaliate..."
—∞—
Meanwhile, the rukh continued to swirl around Aladdin, but it now seemed to be forming some kind of shape.
"What is happening!?" Ja'far exclaimed, shielding his face. "The rukh…!!" As the rukh amassed itself over Aladdin, Faith was suddenly struck by the impression that it intended to take him away.
"Oh no, you don't!!" she said, taking a step forward, when the rukh suddenly flapped what appeared to be wings and took off, flying straight up through the ceiling. They all stared after it in astonishment.
"… It flew..." one of the women in the room said, stunned.
—∞—
The people outside the palace cheered when Alibaba stepped up to the balcony to address them. Hope looked up from where she was by the inner gate. She was sure Morgiana was watching too. Hope listened while Alibaba told the citizens about the reformation of their country. Alibaba and Sahbmad made the announcement together. Ahbmad's withdrawal, the end of the monarchy, and also the birth of the Republic of Balbadd. Alibaba also told them everything the government would become after that day. She could tell from the voices she heard carry over the walls that the people were shocked and quite lost.
"Republicanism… we'll become… a country without a king..." one man said, taken aback. Others were talking among themselves, but she couldn't quite hear them. Their tone sounded confused.
"..." Barkak watched with the other palace guards, recalling the Banker's words.
I wonder if that'll go smoothly? In the end, people will still need to be governed.
"You may be hesitant because this is so sudden," Alibaba said. "Republicanism is that we will govern our own country. But that is already… what all of you have been doing."
"….?" the people said.
"In this declining country, heavy taxation, poverty, pressure—because you have been fighting against many different things, in your own families, your own territories, protecting them till today, you are your own governors," Alibaba told them. "Isn't that right, now that you are all still here?" The people stared at him, surprised by his words and the realization of their own strength in such hard times. Hope smiled softly. "Also, those royalty and nobility that have put you in these times of affliction are already gone… This place may… be struck with war, chaos and disaster, or any other things… but when that happens, let's all get together and think of a way out. Even if there are times when we cannot find an answer, I will choose to think of a way to let you and your families live happily. Have courage! Everyone take a firm step, and live in this land! That is the new form of Balbadd!" Everyone in the crowd wore brave smiles on their faces with hope in there eyes.
"The Republic of Balbadd..." one woman said, and an outpour of cheering and celebrations roared through the city.
'Aladdin...' Alibaba thought, keeping a stiff upper lip to prevent himself from crying because he was so touched by the scene before him. 'I will not run away from this place again. I'll have to put off our promise till a while later...' He remembered Aladdin's excited face when he invited him to go on adventures together and smiled. 'Just wait a bit! I will try my best to do as you told me, to not lose… at being a 'courageous person'!'
—∞—
"..." Faith blinked something wasn't right.
"… Aladdin?" Ja'far said, trying to gently shake him. There was still no response, but…
"… Eh?" he and Faith said as they continued to stare at him, their eyes widening.
"Hey, what happened?" one of the women asked. "Don't tell me..."
—∞—
"It seems like they're here," Markkio said gleefully, watching the movement of the black rukh. "And now, fate, flow backwards!"
The black rukh swarmed around the Fog Troupe members armed with the weapons his organization had supplied them with. Cassim, Zaynab, and Hassan looked impressive from the back as they marched up to the palace gates. No one behind them thought twice about following, even though they were about to drag the rest of the country into hell with them.
Unaware of this, the rest of the people were cheering, calling out the name of their country with pride. Many tears of relief and joy were shed.
"We'll also have to call those people left in the streets..." and older man said, thinking of those who weren't already present.
"Yeah! The change of the country…!" a younger man said, getting ready to run and spread the word. "Hm?" he paused when he saw who was coming his way. It was prominent members of the Fog Troupe. They all looked fierce and ready to start a fight.
"H-Hey… those guys..." the older man said nervously.
"Yeah..." the younger man said, also a little unnerved by their sudden and hostile appearance. "Hold it!" he said, stepping forward to speak to them. "If you guys are going to barge into the royal palace… There's no need for that!!" The men of the Fog Troupe just glared at him. "Hey… Hey!!" he said when they started to move again. But it was to make room to let their leaders pass to the front. Cassim narrowed his eyes at the man. "Listen, this country has been reborn!" the younger man continued bravely. "Balbadd… has become a country without a king! The ending of the monarchy, and a country meant for the citizens… Prince Alibaba said so!" Cassim stared at the man in astonishment.
"Oh… the end of the monarchy..." said the veiled person from the Organization with long hair who had helped them recruit so many criminals and undesirables to their ranks. "With that, the reason you are barging into the palace has disappeared, right? What… will you do?"
"I wonder..." Cassim said, his eyes cast in shadow. He looked out at all the happy cheering people.
"Balbadd! Balbadd!" they cried.
Alibaba smiled wide at the amazing sight.
"… I wouldn't have imagined, the country reaching a state like that…!" Sahbmad said, deeply touched.
'The people's faces have changed a lot from when I just returned to this country and now. What a relief!' Alibaba thought. 'I will never forget this scene I am seeing today… For this to continue forever, I'll keep it in my heart!' He was so touched and proud of his people that he couldn't stop tears of happiness from forming in his eyes.
"Alibaba! Alibaba! Alibaba!" they cheered.
"Hm?" said one man when he realized someone was behind him. He turned to look and saw Cassim leading his men.
"!!" Alibaba and the others with him said when they spotted them too.
'So you've come,' Alibaba thought, furrowing his brow as he looked down at his misguided friend. 'Cassim!!!' He watched as the people made way for Cassim. Some of their happy faces now looked nervous.
"It's Cassim… Cassim of the Fog Troupe..." they said quietly. Hope, who couldn't quite hear them, wondered what had caused a change to come over the crowd.
'… So this is the conclusion you have come to… Alibaba,' Cassim thought, gazing up at the palace where his friend stood. He frowned. 'You… really… are a great person. All the things you said back then I thought were just words, you really made them into reality… You were already like that back then. A stubborn man who accomplished things you thought were right, for others. That's why I… always felt suffocated by you. And for the sake of the country… for the sake of stopping me… This is the answer that you came up with… However…'
"What is going to happen?" one person from the crowd asked.
"Both of them were from the 'Fog Troupe', right?" said another.
"..." Cassim took a breath and projected his voice as loudly as he could, so everyone would hear. "I heard… that Balbadd is going to become a republic," he said. "And so, the country that was with a king… will be evenly divided among the citizens of the country..." Alibaba and everyone else smiled. "But, putting it that way, aren't you just cheating us?"
"?" the people and Hope said.
"…!?" Alibaba said, a little startled.
"This land will be divided and given to the people? Every bit of this country is built from the blood and sweat of the citizens… Doesn't that mean the country was ours to begin with…?" Cassim pointed out. Hope frowned. This wasn't good. "Whose idea was it, for us to be swallowed up by a useless government…?" he asked everyone. "Don't you remember? Those days when everything was stolen from us during the heavy taxation… we had no food, our parents died… siblings… What republic…? The dead won't come back!!" Some people hung their heads in frustration at the thought of everything that had happened to them—no, had been inflicted onto them by a parasitic king. Who was going to pay for that!? "If the monarchy disappears, does that also mean that the sins of the royalty disappear with it…? There's no way it could disappear!!" Cassim shouted forcefully. "As I thought, the royalty and those related are all enemies we have to cut down!!"
'!!?' Alibaba thought, shocked. Hope could hear the people start to talk among themselves again.
"Yes…" a woman said.
"That's right…" said a man.
"Even if Balbadd subscribes to republicanism, my daughter won't return."
"My little sister..."
"Even so, 'equality' now…? Strange..."
"That's strange…!"
"Let's punish the royalty, nobility, and the army who stole our country from us!!!" Cassim roared.
"UUOOOOOOOO!!" people roared in support.
"Isn't that enough…?" their veiled collaborator asked Zaynab, who was using her weapon to drug the crowd without their knowing. "Even without the red fog, fate has already started reversing..." Many people were screaming and yelling abuse up at the palace now. Hope furrowed her brow and took a step back from the inner gates, concerned and a little afraid of this turn of events.
"Morgiana!! Are you still alright!!" she called over the wall, hoping the crowd wouldn't hurt her in their frenzy if they got in.
"Yes!! I am alright!" Morgiana called back. "Stay there, Hope-san!"
"No… This… since just now…!??" Barkak exclaimed while Sahbmad looked terrified.
'Cassim… Why!?' Alibaba shouted internally, frustrated.
'… I'm sorry, Alibaba..." Cassim thought, though he didn't look particularly regretful. All around them black rukh was fluttering around the crowd, rising high into the sky. 'This is my answer!!'
—∞—
Meanwhile, back at the Fog Troupe's base, Aladdin appeared to be in trouble again.
"Aladdin… Aladdin!?" Ja'far said urgently, examining him.
"Hey, Aladdin…!!" Faith called, trying once again to wake him up.
"Hey… This kid..." the woman helping them said. "Isn't he dead?"
"….!!" Jafar gasped.
"Whoa, hold on!!!" Faith said, put the brakes on that idea. She put her head against his chest. "He can't be dead! His heart's still beating!"
"Y… Yes!!" Ja-far said, double checking. "He is still breathing. It's weak, but he's still drawing breath."
"Ah! I'm sorry!!" the woman apologized. "He's just so still..." They were all far too focused on the boy in front of him to pay any attention to his flute, which sat half forgotten on a crate not far from Aladdin's bed.
—∞—
"Aladdin… Aladdin..." a familiar voice called, waking him up. Aladdin's eyes opened wide, and he found himself before a long flight of steps that led to a familiar place. "Welcome back, Aladdin… to the 'Sacred Palace'…" Aladdin was stunned. He was back in that same room he had spent so much time in with Ugo before he started his adventures with Faith and everyone else, only there were all sorts of 'blobby' creatures all over the place, moving books and performing minor chores. "Hey, welcome back, Aladdin!" the voice said again, and this time Aladdin knew who it was, because he was staring at his giant, blue disembodied head.
"Ugo-kun?" Aladdin asked, taken aback. 'U-go…?' he thought, surprised to see him again and in such a state.
"That's right," Ugo answered with a smile. "Can you stand me up, please?" Stand me up," he asked the little blobby creatures, who complied and straightened Ugo's head so he was looking straight at Aladdin. "I made these guys. Since you weren't here it became very quiet."
'… I see...' Aladdin thought "I… died right..." he said.
"Died?" Ugo asked.
"I mean, look. My body's all weird," Aladdin explained, showing him how wavy and incorporeal his limbs had become. He could even float if he tried. Ugo laughed.
"Don't worry, Aladdin," Ugo told him with a reassuring smile. "You haven't died. It's just that your rukh transported your self here. Your body is still alive. But it's not safe." He thought of Judar and how Aladdin had used up too much of his magoi to try and save him. "Because of such recklessness, you really could have died. I would have liked to bring that magi along as well."
'Huh?' Aladdin thought.
"As I thought, it's impossible. There was a hindrance," Ugo said.
—∞—
Outside the Sacred Palace, the black rukh was getting in the way of the white rukh, preventing it from transporting Judar, who was surrounded by swirls of both white and black rukh. The Banker stood on the balcony of another part of the palace, using his staff to control the black rukh.
"The counter measures against the 'Sacred Palace' were excellent," his veiled colleague, who had been with Cassim, said, approaching him.
"And it's not over just yet..." Markkio said, returning the greeting of placing a hand over the heart. His veiled colleague stepped forward and merged with him to create a new whole.
"I will cover this world… in darkness..." the veiled 'Banker' said, looking out at all the people from the balcony, focusing on the determined faces of Cassim, Zaynab, and Hassan and the black rukh around them.
—∞—
"Come here, Aladdin," Ugo said with a smile, and some of his blobs grew arms that motioned for him to come closer. "On a whim, you left here to go on a journey. Following my wish, you went on a journey to search for Metal Vessels..." Aladdin remembered meeting Faith and then Leila and Sahsa. "You met Djinn and the masters of Djinn..." He and Faith met Alibaba and Amon, then Hope and Ipos, Hakuei and Paimon. "And always seemed to be guided." They met Sinbad. "I didn't teach you anything… You cannot travel spontaneously… because the flow has become broken. Life is born… and it lives within the flow… one must move forward, one must accept that. Thats is rukh's guidance. And that is… 'fate'. However, on the surface there are people who try to go against it. The degeneration of evolution, existence becoming nothing, and for everything to become their negative. That is what it means to go against it… and that is 'falling into depravity'. And that time, the rukh were dyed black. Moreover, you two magi were both equal. Just like you, I was surprised when a magi dyed in black stood before you… At that time, you should've died. Since they've changed fate. But I opposed that. I used up all of the magoi that my master had left for me, but… You gave me your magoi, but I am not your djinn. Though your power is a copy of my master's, it was impossible. I couldn't protect you anymore. That's why with the last power of the flute, I called you here. Because I have something important to give you! Look." They both looked up at the ceiling of the Sacred Palace and saw images of Alibaba and Cassim and what was happening in Balbadd. "Your chosen king. As it is now, he will perish. However, that is not the original flow. The darkness produced by going against fate, it should not be in this world. Even if people used all their strength, they would not be up to the task. When the world turns black… to cut through and dispel the darkness, a 'power' will be needed. That's right, a 'miracle'." All of Ugo's little blob creatures grew arms that looked like smooth tentacles. These arms stretched out and began wrapping themselves around Aladdin, who fell unconscious. They held him up, encased in a glowing orb. "That is the 'magi's' mission! However, for that, you have to go to a certain place, for you to understand the world, fate, and yourself. And, once you've finished, you will have procured my master Solomon's wisdom." The arms formed into 'arms' for Ugo, and he gently lifted Aladdin high up above him towards the eight-pointed seal in the door on the ceiling. 'Goodbye, Aladdin. I won't meet you a second time,' Ugo thought sadly. 'Still, it may be too early for you to go alone, but…' He suddenly remembered Aladdin's crying face as he asked him to become his friend. '… No, that's wrong. Outside, Aladdin's made companions… made friends… made family… the truth is… even if I'm not there, he will be fine!' Ugo crossed his arms. "Open..." He uncrossed them. "Sesame!" The door opened, and the seal disappeared. Aladdin flew up into the space beyond them. 'Sacred Palace… Great King Solomon! Take this child back to the surface! And please grant your wisdom, your miracle… upon this child!"
—∞—
Floating through the void in the orb, Aladdin began to regain consciousness.
'Everything's swirling around… where is this?' he wondered. Looking around, he seemed to be surrounded by stars. 'This is!?' Was this what it was like when Faith and Hope traveled through space?
"This is the entrance to an enormous collection of information," a voice said. "Look at those grains..." Aladdin looked. They appeared to resemble the description the twins gave of galaxies seen from a distance. "They are elementary particles of the universe's truth." Up close, he could see that they were not made of stars at all, but knowledge given form. "From now on, you will learn everything and be reborn as a 'magi'."
"Who are you?" Aladdin asked.
"Everything will become clear when this long journey ends..."
—∞—
"Thank goodness, the color's coming back into his face!" Ja'far observed, and Faith and the woman helping them smiled with relief. "We leave the rest to you. We must go," he told Faith, referring to himself and Masrur. "I can't ignore… the rebellion that Sin and the others are facing!"
"Yes, sir!" Faith said, giving him a salute, determined to keep her promise to Hope and look after Aladdin, even though she also wanted to help. Ja'far was surprised by the obedient response.
"I would have thought you would insist on coming?" he said.
"Ordinarily, you would be right. But Hope said she was depending on me to look after him," Faith replied seriously. "So that's what I'm going to do." Ja'far was relieved to hear that.
"Let's head to the royal palace, Masrur!" Ja'far said, leading the way.
"Understood," Masrur responded, following.
—∞—
"Kill them all!" Cassim roared, pointing his black blade at the palace. "The palace's royal family, bureaucracy, army, and, of course, this city's nobility and powerful families!" The Fog Troupe and angry citizens charged the palace gate together, killing the guards.
"Wha!?" Hope said, horrified by what she heard. From the sound of it at least half the huge mob outside had joined Cassim. "!" she was only slightly surprised when Morgiana hopped over the inner gate to join her on her side of it.
"Hope-san! Allow me to carry you!" Morgiana said firmly. Guessing what she had in mind and knowing how valuable time was, Hope didn't argue. She climbed onto Morgiana's back and held on tight. Together, with Morgiana carrying Hope, they leaped from one architectural feature to another, until they at last landed on the balcony near Alibaba and Sinbad. "We have a huge problem. Terrible chaos is beginning to spread outside the palace! What should we do…?" Morgiana said urgently.
"Damn it! What the hell is going on?" Sinbad exclaimed.
"Deputy King, please give the army instructions to attack!" Barkak said.
"Although the enemy may be a rebel army of civilians, as it is now, it's war!" said another guard. "The plaza and streets are filled with casualties… The rebels have already penetrated the royal palace! If we don't attack them, the country will be destroyed! Please give us your orders!"
"Uh…!!" Sahbmad said nervously. "What should we do… Alibaba…!?" Alibaba's expression was grim.
"Can half of the army head for the main gate and try to hold back the rebelling citizens to gain time? The rest should suppress those that have already invaded the palace," Alibaba ordered. "Sahbmad and those that are injured should take shelter in the inner sanctuary… I'll head to the location of the enemy's boss. I'll stop Cassim."
While the mob fought outside, the Fog Troupe strolled past dead palace guards through the palace's inner gates to the inner courtyard.
"The army is foolish; it's only been ten minutes," Zaynab said with a smirk.
"With just us, we can head to the inner sanctuary..." said Hassan.
"…" Cassim stopped. "Here he comes." Sure enough, a streak of flames snaked its way across the ground quick as lightning and encircled their group, trapping them. They watched as the person generating the flames stepped forward. It was Alibaba. Alibaba stepped into the circle of flames, raised his knife, and pointed it at Cassim. Each side stared at the other. Cassim smiled.
"Hey, Alibaba, what's up? Your face doesn't look too good," he said.
"..." Alibaba continued to stare at him with his brow furrowed. "Cassim… What are you doing?" he asked sternly. "The monarchy ended. There's no need to shed any more blood. Yet… Yet you… why!" Cassim said nothing, looking completely indifferent. Alibaba shook with frustration. "Answer me, Cassim!" he yelled.
"You too… What are you doing? Alibaba..." Cassim said.
"…!?" Alibaba said.
"A country… of equality with no king…?" Cassim asked, manipulating his magoi to create black fog with his dark Metal Vessel. "Such a thing… When did I wish for that?" He shot his black fog at Alibaba.
"!!" Alibaba dodged. "Cassim, you bastard!" The other Fog Troupe members began using their Metal Vessels too. They shot black fog at Alibaba.
'They also have Kokabaku Mutou!? They got more magical weapons!' Alibaba thought, gritting his teeth. "… But!" he said, the crease in his brow deepening. 'Things like fog… I'll disperse them all with Amon's flames!' He raised his burning knife and struck back, cancelling out their attacks.
"Sekigen Mutou! Zaynab shouted and hit Alibaba full blast with her red fog.
'Ugh! Damn it, the red fog!' Alibaba thought, holding up his arms to shield himself. 'My vision… is warped!' He could barely see a thing. Everything was too distorted.
"!" said Hope, who was watching them from the balcony. 'He really shouldn't be fighting alone…! Come on, Ipos!' she looked at her ring, trying to activate her Djinn Equip.
"… Hey, Alibaba… don't you think… children of royalty should live like royalty?" Cassim asked.
"…!?" Alibaba said, wondering what the hell he was talking about.
"And a brat of the slums… should live their whole life in the slums..." Cassim added as two other Fog Troupe members with Kokabaku Mutou attacked together, hitting Alibaba from both the left and the right.
"!!" Alibaba gasped when he felt the fog wrap around him and trap him in place.
"!!" Hope gasped too. 'Ipos… please!!'
"I... don't think that," Cassim said. "Everyone's the same human being. That's why…" He raised his Metal Vessel and began forming a black sphere with the fog. "Anyone has the qualifications… to be 'king'!" Alibaba's eyes widened. Cassim threw it at him. There was a flash of brown and light pink, and Alibaba swung his transformed sword, cutting the sphere in half before it could touch him.
"!!?" Cassim gasped with wide eyes as he looked at Alibaba and the long black blade, stunned.
"I don't want to sound ungrateful… but what are you doing here, Hope!?" Alibaba asked her, just as surprised as Cassim by her arrival. He was just about to break free himself, when, in the blink of an eye, she had jumped her way down to them and dispelled the fog holding him with the pressure from her claw strikes. But only her hands had changed. "You're still wounded!!"
"Thank you for telling them that," Hope deadpanned, straightening up. "My body is tougher when it's like this, even if I didn't manage to transform my arms too. And you're welcome."
"I said I would handle this alone!"
"He's not alone, is he!?" Hope pointed out firmly, giving him a concerned glare that reminded him so much of his mother for a moment that he lost the will to argue. Now that she mentioned it, he could see her point, and there were bigger fish to fry.
"Cassim..." Alibaba said, turning back to face his friend, frowning and furrowing his brow. He held Amon's sword in front of him. "Basically, you are saying that you wanted to become king…!" He took up a fighting stance. "I won't allow anything else to be swallowed up by your selfish ambitions!"
"What's with that sword!?" Cassim demanded, evidently more concerned about that development than Hope's arrival, although he thought she might also be something to be concerned about since he didn't know what she was capable of as a person. Hassan recognized her from when they attacked the hotel, and remembered that she and Faith had kicked him in the face.
"Keh… It doesn't matter what kind of sword you have!" Hassan said, stepping forward with the intention of taking down Alibaba and then paying her back. "Oushou Mutou will just melt them!" He charged, raising his blade high over his head. Alibaba ran forward to meet him.
"Stay behind me!" Alibaba told Hope. Having seen the acid sword in action, she didn't need to be told twice. Alibaba swung his sword and sliced the blade of the yellow fog Metal Vessel in half.
"Wh… What!?" Hassan said, stunned. Alibaba ducked past him and he and Hope lunged at the rest of the Fog Troupe members
"Ku…!!" They gritted their teeth and braced themselves, preparing to counter attack. They never got the chance. Hope snapped several of the blades in half like pocky sticks, and Alibaba sliced through the rest like butter.
'Amon's sword will cut through anything with its heat,' Alibaba thought. 'In other words… an offensive sword!' Alibaba cut Cassim's blade and held his sword near Cassim's neck. He had him now. "Draw back your troops, Cassim. I'll make you draw back with all my strength."