In the oasis city of Rainbase, the desert jewel. Rising like a mirage from the sands, the towering Rain Dinners Casino stood proud in the distance—its golden crocodile statues glinting in the sunlight, and laughter leaking through its walls like perfume in the air.
"Looks like we're walking into the belly of the beast," Vihaan muttered, stepping off the ship.
"And it's all sparkly," Luffy added, his eyes already wide with wonder. "I bet they've got meat in there."
Zoro cracked his neck, adjusting his swords. "Try not to get distracted."
Sanji lit a cigarette. "Don't worry. I've got my eye out."
"For the women," Usopp muttered.
As the crew entered Rainbase, they were hit by a wave of cool air, the soft scent of spices, and the jingle of coins. Inside the casino, opulence reigned—glittering chandeliers, roulette tables, bartenders spinning bottles, and a jazz band playing something classy.
Before anyone could say "Jackpot," Luffy vanished, leaving a straw hat-shaped breeze behind him.
"STARTERS!" he shouted, sprinting toward the buffet table stacked with trays of meat, desserts, and an unfortunate octopus-shaped cake.
"Damn it, Luffy!" Nami shouted.
"I'm gonna win big!" Usopp declared, already sitting at a roulette table, surrounded by concerned staff.
Zoro turned a corner and was instantly lost. "Huh? I thought the exit was this way…"
"Zoro, you idiot! That's the janitor's closet!" Sanji pulled him by the collar.
"I knew that."
Meanwhile, Vihaan and Nami stood near the bar.
"Fancy place," Vihaan noted.
"You better not flirt with the staff."
He raised a brow. "Only got eyes for you…and maybe Vivi when she smiles like that."
Nami rolled her eyes but leaned into him anyway.
Suddenly, a sharply dressed casino manager approached with a courteous bow. "Pardon the interruption. A distinguished guest has requested your presence in our VIP lounge."
"Food?" Luffy asked, mouth full of steak.
"Better," the man said. "An exclusive meeting."
Vihaan narrowed his eyes, exchanging a look with Nami. "Suspicious?"
"Extremely."
As the crew moved toward the designated hallway, Luffy barreled ahead—naturally—while the others tried to keep up. Except Sanji, who paused as a graceful waitress passed by carrying a tray of wine glasses.
"Mademoiselle!" he called, spinning. "Allow me to—"
WHACK.
The waitress turned and kicked him in the nuts so hard, Sanji's soul briefly left his body.
Zoro passed by and whistled. "That'll leave a mark."
"Not fair... I was polite…" Sanji wheezed, crawling behind the group.
The crew came to a massive set of ornate doors, where a lit sign flashed:
Left: For Regular GuestsRight: For Pirates
"Let's go right!" Luffy shouted without hesitation.
"Wait!" Vihaan grabbed his shoulder. "That's too easy. It's screaming trap."
"That's why we should do it!" Luffy grinned.
Zoro shrugged. "I vote we fight our way in either way."
Usopp was trembling. "Can't we just go left?! NORMAL sounds SAFE!"
"I've got a bad feeling…" Chopper mumbled, hiding behind Nami's legs.
Vihaan stepped closer to the right door. It had no visible handle. He touched it—warm to the touch.
"Nami, Vivi," he said. "Stay close to me."
"Always," Nami replied.
Vihaan formed a thin mirror shard and slipped it under the door's crack.
For a split second, he saw a corridor lined with armed guards and snail transmitters.
"They're waiting for us," he said. "It's a trap."
Luffy, already pressing forward, laughed. "We're pirates, right?!"
The door opened automatically.
And inside… Rain Dinners' trap was sprung.
Luffy charged through the right-hand door with the glee of a child entering a festival.
Behind him, the others followed—Zoro stretching his arms, Usopp loading his slingshot "just in case," Nami and Vivi flanking Vihaan, who remained alert. Chopper trotted nervously, clutching his medical bag.
The hallway curved downward, floor turning slick with polished obsidian tiles that gleamed in shades of gold. Wall sconces lit the path with soft, unnatural glow.
"It's too quiet," Vihaan murmured.
Luffy opened another door. What lay beyond took their breath away.
They had entered a massive golden dome, wide and circular, with a velvet carpet leading up to a center stage. Lights dimmed above, casting shadows that danced along the walls. At the center was an empty throne, with two golden crocodile statues arching over it.
"Woahhh…" Luffy's jaw dropped.
But Vihaan didn't speak. He had already summoned a mirror shard into his palm. "Something's wrong," he said. "This… isn't a lounge. It's a cage."
Suddenly, the doors slammed shut behind them.
"Wh-what was that?!" Usopp spun around.
Heavy clicks echoed—mechanisms locking, walls shifting.
A rumble from beneath.
And then—
CRACK!
The floor vanished.
It wasn't a slow trapdoor—it was an instant, engineered collapse. The ground beneath them shattered into mirrored fragments—revealing a gaping vertical shaft, pitch black and endless.
They fell.
Wind howled past their ears as they plummeted through the hollow column, its inner walls plated with Seastone, the cursed material that nullified Devil Fruit powers.
"VIHAAN—DO SOMETHING!" Nami shouted, reaching for him.
He tried. He stretched his hand, attempting to conjure a Mirror Platform—
Nothing.
The seastone rendered his Mirror-Mirror Fruit useless.
Vihaan's fingers twitched. He looked down—saw Luffy flailing, completely unable to stretch. Chopper was screaming.
Zoro gritted his teeth. "Clever bastard."
The lights flickered. A speaker crackled.
Then came that voice.
"Enjoying your fall, pirates?"
"Welcome… to my kingdom."
"I've been expecting you."
Crocodile's voice oozed confidence and venom. From the speaker, laughter followed.
They were caged.
They were weakened.
And worst of all?
They had walked right into the trap.
ALABASTA PART 1 DONE , THE MAIN PART STARTS NOW! , WILL BE DIVIDING IT INTO 2 MORE PARTS , THE FIRST WHERE LUFFY FIGHTS CROCODILE , THE REBELS , MR.2 BEING CAUGHT ETC AND THE LAST IS THE FINAL BATTLE AND ROBIN'S RECRUITMENT AND THOSE WHO ARE WONDERING ABOUT ACE AND SMOKER , I WILL BE INTRODUCING THEM IN ALABURNA , WILL BE UPLOADING PART 2 TOMM , SORRY FOR THE DELAY , STILL DOWN WITH FEVER