For a few seconds after Kael spoke—
The battlefield went still.
Not silent—
But frozen.
Both the Rebel Army and the Royal Army stared at him as if they had just heard something completely absurd.
Then—
The noise returned.
"What the hell is this guy talking about?!"
"Who the hell are you to order us?!"
"Kill him!!"
"Yeah!!"
One of the soldiers rushed forward, drawing his sword in a frenzy.
With a shout, he leapt toward Kael—
Swinging his blade straight at his neck.
But—
Clang.
Kael raised his hand.
And stopped the blade.
Barehanded.
The sword froze mid-air.
The edge pressed against his palm—
Yet it didn't move an inch further.
"…Woah."
"Easy there."
"At least hear the options first before acting."
The soldier stood there—
Frozen.
Eyes wide.
His hands trembled around the hilt.
What… just happened…?
Around them—
The reaction wasn't any better.
Shock spread like wildfire.
Chaka's eyes widened.
Koza's breath hitched.
Did he just… stop a sword… with his bare hands?
Kael released his grip casually.
The soldier stumbled back and fell to the ground.
Without sparing him another glance, Kael turned back to the crowd.
"So where was I again?"
"…Right."
He raised one finger.
"Option one."
"Stop this idiotic war."
Then—
He raised a second.
"Option two…"
His sword pointed forward.
"…if you're still that hungry for a beating—"
"Try me."
A ripple of unease spread.
Some soldiers gulped.
"He… sounds serious…"
"B-But he's just one man, right?"
"That shouldn't be a problem…"
"Yeah! So what if he stopped a sword?!"
"Probably some trick!"
"He can't defeat all of us!"
"Yeah!!"
That was the reaction from the rebel side.
Confidence.
Numbers.
Blind belief.
On the other side—
Chaka frowned deeply.
This is bad…
Dealing with the rebels is already difficult…
And now this man…
He glanced sideways—
Toward Koza.
And paused.
Koza was sweating.
His expression tense.
Worried.
Unlike the others—
Koza understood.
Fighting this man—
No matter the outcome—
Would cost them dearly.
And that alone made him uneasy.
After watching him for a moment, Chaka turned back to Kael.
"Young man…"
"Can I ask something?"
"Why are you doing this?"
"You're a stranger."
"Why interfere in someone else's war?"
"What's your motive?"
Koza looked at Kael as well.
Curious.
Suspicious.
Kael smiled faintly.
"What reason do I need…"
"…to stop a meaningless battle?"
Frowns deepened across the field.
Kael continued, his voice calm but firm.
"You—people of Alabasta."
"Now fighting as the Rebel Army."
"You've all been manipulated."
"By Crocodile."
A ripple passed through the crowd.
"King Cobra has been framed."
"The stories about Dance Powder…"
"The corruption…"
"All lies."
"Fed to you by your so-called hero."
"Crocodile."
Silence fell.
A heavy one.
This time—
It didn't break immediately.
Chaka's eyes widened.
So did the soldiers behind him.
Shock—
But not anger.
Hope.
"Y-You… know the truth?" Chaka's voice trembled slightly. "How…?"
He stepped forward instinctively.
"No—are you here to help?"
There was desperation in his tone.
At this point—
Anyone who stood against Crocodile—
Was an ally.
And someone like Kael—
Would be invaluable.
But the rebel side—
Exploded.
"I KNEW IT!!"
"He's with the royal army!"
"Of course!!"
"These bastards!!"
"Chaka!! How much did you pay this brat to act, huh?!"
"The king really has no shame!!"
Koza's expression darkened.
He looked at Chaka.
"Chaka…"
"I didn't expect you to stoop this low."
Chaka frowned sharply.
"What are you talking about?!"
"You've misunderstood again!"
"Misunderstood?!" Koza snapped.
"You lying—"
"Enough."
Kael shook his head.
Disappointment clear on his face.
"Your rage has blinded you."
"Stop acting like idiots and use your brains for once."
"I have no reason to lie—"
"SHUT UP!!"
The rebels roared.
"How dare you insult us?!"
"Kill him!!"
"Kill this bastard!!"
"Let's go!!"
Thousands moved at once.
Weapons raised.
Intent clear.
"Soldiers!!"
Chaka shouted immediately.
"Protect the young man!!"
Behind them—
Vivi flinched, stepping forward instinctively.
But Kaya held her back gently.
"Don't worry."
"Kaya… how can you be so calm?!" Vivi said anxiously. "Kael-san is strong, but this many people—"
"You worry too much," Nami said, crossing her arms.
"Look at his face."
Vivi turned—
And froze.
"He… he's smiling…?!"
Tashigi spoke calmly, though her hand rested on her sword.
"They're not a threat to him."
"But…"
She remained ready.
Just in case.
Vivi frowned.
"But why is he smiling…?"
Nami huffed.
"Hmph. I bet he's planning to show off again."
Kaya giggled.
"Then why do you look excited?"
"Nami—"
"Kaya!!"
Even Vivi sighed softly.
Back at the battlefield—
Koza saw it too.
That smile.
Dangerous.
Unshaken.
His instincts screamed.
"No—!"
He turned toward his men.
"STOP RIGHT NOW!!"
But—
It was too late.
"Kill him!!"
Kael nodded slightly.
Amused.
"So you've chosen option two…"
"Good."
"I wanted to test something anyway."
His gaze sharpened.
That.
Conqueror's Haki.
His eyes widened.
A faint, dangerous aura gathered around him.
He spoke softly—
Just loud enough for Koza and Chaka to hear.
"…Go to sleep."
In the next moment—
It erupted.
A faint—
Reddish-green pressure surged outward.
Invisible.
Yet overwhelming.
The soldiers couldn't see it—
But their instincts—
They screamed.
Fear.
Pure, primal fear.
And then—
It hit.
One by one—
Then dozens—
Then hundreds—
Then thousands—
Bodies dropped.
Weapons slipped from their hands.
The ground filled with collapsing figures.
Not dead.
Not injured.
Just—
Unconscious.
Thousands of rebel soldiers—
Gone.
Just like that.
The shockwave didn't stop there.
Even the royal army felt it.
Around fifty soldiers collapsed instantly.
The rest—
Barely held on.
Knees trembling.
Breathing ragged.
Sweat pouring down their faces.
Fear gripping their hearts.
At the center—
The remaining rebel soldiers staggered back.
"T-This…!!"
"M-M-MONSTER!!"
"What the hell was that?!"
"Are they… dead?!"
"No… they're just… unconscious…"
Even the royal soldiers trembled.
Some couldn't stand.
Others stared in horror.
Koza stood frozen.
Jaw slack.
Eyes wide.
Sweat dripped down his face.
"What… was that…?"
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT POWER?!"
He turned toward Chaka.
"Chaka…!"
"Where… where did you find this man?!"
Chaka blinked, snapping out of his shock.
Then laughed nervously.
"I told you already…"
"This is my first time seeing him too."
At the center—
Kael exhaled slowly.
(Still weak…)
He frowned slightly.
Only a few thousand ordinary soldiers—
No haki.
No resistance.
And yet—
That was all.
(Against real opponents…)
(This won't be enough.)
Behind him—
The girls finally recovered from the shock.
"D-Did I hear that right…?" Vivi whispered. "He called that… weak?!"
Kaya smiled softly.
"As expected of him."
Nami sighed.
"To us, it's unbelievable…"
"To him, it's just normal."
Tashigi stared at the fallen soldiers.
"…Conqueror's Haki…"
Her grip tightened slightly.
"What an incredible power…"
Will I ever…?
She paused.
Then shook her head.
No.
Her gaze shifted to Kael.
That's not important right now.
He's getting stronger…
Her eyes hardened with determination.
Then I will too.
Back at the battlefield—
Kael looked toward Koza.
"Yo, Koza."
"Ready to listen now?"
Koza blinked.
"You… know me?"
"Of course."
Kael pointed behind him casually.
"And I brought someone you know too."
Koza's gaze followed—
Toward the group standing at a distance.
"…What?"
Kael smirked.
"Your childhood friend."
"What do you say?"
"Shall we talk now?"
Every gaze turned.
Koza.
Chaka.
The remaining soldiers from both sides.
All of them looked—
At the four women standing there.
Koza's eyes widened.
"V… Vivi…?"
Chaka stepped forward in shock.
"Vivi-sama?!"
"You're here as well?!"
Murmurs spread rapidly.
"Did he just say… Vivi?"
"Yeah… I heard it too…"
"Isn't that—"
"The princess?!"
"Commander Koza knows her too…!!"
The battlefield—
Once filled with chaos—
Now stood on the edge of revelation.
For a few seconds—
No one moved.
All eyes remained fixed on Vivi.
The princess stood there, trembling slightly… yet her gaze was firm.
"Chaka…"
"…Koza…"
Before she could continue—
Koza stepped forward abruptly.
"Vivi."
His voice was sharp.
Demanding.
He pointed toward Kael.
"Tell me."
"Is he telling the truth?"
His expression hardened.
"Don't try to side with your father."
"I want the truth."
Vivi looked straight into his eyes.
No hesitation.
No fear.
Only determination.
"Koza…"
"Everything Kael-san said…"
"…is the truth."
Koza's eyes widened.
Shock flickered—
Then something darker.
Vivi continued.
"Crocodile's goal is to overthrow the kingdom."
"He has been framing Father from the very beginning."
Her voice didn't waver.
From there—
She explained everything.
The lies.
The manipulation.
The Dance Powder.
The carefully constructed deception that had turned the people against their own king.
Every word—
Clear.
Honest.
Unfiltered.
The battlefield listened.
The rebel soldiers—
Stood frozen.
Disbelief written all over their faces.
When Vivi finally finished—
Silence returned once more.
"Koza…"
She stepped forward slightly.
"Kael-san and his crew are here to help us defeat Crocodile."
"They're my friends."
"You should trust—"
"What nonsense!!"
A few rebel soldiers shouted, unable to hold back.
"Do you think we'll believe that?!"
"She's obviously taking her father's side!"
"Yeah!!"
"Crocodile-sama would never do something like that!"
"As expected—corrupt father, corrupt daugh—"
"SILENCE!!"
Koza's voice thundered across the field.
The soldiers froze instantly.
He glared at them.
"Not another word."
"That is the princess of our kingdom you're speaking to."
They hesitated.
"B-But, Commander—"
"I said enough."
Koza's voice dropped.
Firm.
Unyielding.
"I trust her."
Silence followed.
This time—
No one dared to argue.
If their commander believed her—
Then so would they.
Koza turned.
Toward Kael.
And Chaka.
Then—
He bowed.
Deeply.
"I apologize."
"I'm ready to accept any punishment."
He clenched his fists.
Then raised his head, looking straight at Kael.
"But…"
"Help me."
"Help me deal with that bastard."
"Please."
For a moment—
No one spoke.
Kael turned back toward his crew.
A faint smile appeared.
Nami, Kaya, Tashigi… even Vivi—
All smiled back.
He stepped forward.
Closing the distance between them.
Koza still stood there, bowed—
Shoulders tense.
Waiting.
Kael placed a hand on his shoulder.
"That was the plan anyway."
Koza looked up.
Relief flooding his face.
"Thank you…!!"
Chaka stepped forward as well.
"You have my gratitude too."
"Captain Igaram informed me about you."
"I apologize for not recognizing you earlier."
He bowed respectfully.
Kael waved it off casually.
"Don't worry about it."
Chaka smiled faintly and nodded.
Vivi stepped forward again, urgency returning to her expression.
"Then we shouldn't waste any more time."
"Let's go to the capital!"
Koza nodded immediately.
"Yes."
"King Cobra might be in danger."
"We need to move now."
Chaka agreed—
But hesitated.
"…We should."
Then he glanced around.
At the battlefield.
At the countless unconscious soldiers.
At the injured—some barely alive.
His expression tightened.
Vivi noticed.
"Chaka."
"You and the remaining soldiers stay here."
"Take care of the injured and the unconscious."
"We'll head to the capital."
Chaka straightened immediately.
"Understood!"
"Vivi-sama!!"
She nodded.
Then turned toward Kael.
"Kael-san… should we…?"
Kael nodded.
"Yeah."
"Let's go."
Koza signaled a few of his trusted men.
Leaving the rest behind to assist the wounded—
He followed behind Kael.