One Piece Chapter 165: Flavor of Sand.

This page is a full-color version of the previous title page. The One Piece logo is colored in yellow and orange. Luffy's headscarf is blue, and he wears a red shirt. Zoro's headscarf is yellow, and his striped shirt is black and white. Nami wears a pink top and gold jewelry. Usopp's headscarf is brown, and his goggles have gold rims. Vivi wears a light blue dress. Sanji's hooded jacket is purple. Chopper's hat is pink, and he holds a red and white piece of food.

In the desert town of Yuba, Nami smiles brightly and says, "Sure thing!" Toto, the old man, smiles warmly with tears in his eyes and says, "Please do come visit once the town is set up! Well, I guess we should say good-bye for now, Vivi." A wide, detailed panel shows the partially buried, ruined buildings of the Yuba oasis under the bright sun, with sand dunes encroaching on the structures. Vivi looks at Toto with a concerned expression and says, "Vivi..." (Wait, the bubble says "Vivi..." pointing to Toto, and Vivi says "Toto..."). Toto hands her a small folded piece of cloth or paper and says, "Please don't worry anymore."

Vivi smiles brightly, a small bandage visible on her forehead, and declares with determination, "I'll stop the rebels no matter what!" Luffy, wrapped in his desert scarf and sporting a bandage on his cheek, looks on with a serious, focused expression. Toto, with tears streaming down his face, says, "Thank you, Vivi!" Sanji, Chopper, and Zoro stand nearby, listening quietly to the exchange, their faces partially shadowed by their desert gear.

Inside a room, the crew is settling down to sleep. Usopp stretches his arms wide and yells, "Good work, crew! You must all be exhausted by now so why don't we all get some rest, So we have enough energy for tomorrow!?" Sanji, lying down, retorts, "Some talk comin' from someone who was sleeping until now!" Zoro, sitting up angrily, yells back, "YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT! I PASSED OUT BECAUSE I WAS FREAKIN' EXHAUSTED! YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT?" Sanji replies, "SORRY I'M NOT FREAKISHLY STRONG LIKE YOU MONSTERS!" Zoro challenges him, "Oh, so it's a fight you want, is that it...?" Sanji points at Chopper and yells, "AND DON'T JUST INSULT ME FOR PASSING OUT WHEN BLUE-NOSE OVER THERE TAKES THE TOP PRIZE FOR THAT TODAY!" Chopper looks shocked. Nami, holding her head, screams, "I TOLD YOU! I'M NOT GOOD WITH THE HEAT!" Vivi stands near Sanji's bed and says, "Umm, Sanji, this is my bed..." Sanji immediately swoons and says, "Oh, I assumed you might need someone to comfort you while you sleep so I..." Usopp yells, "AND WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING OVER THERE!?" A pillow is thrown at Zoro's face. Zoro yells, "HEY! WHO JUST THREW THAT PILLOW! YOU'VE GOT SOME GUTS!" Nami yells, "SOME PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO GET A LITTLE SHUT-EYE HERE!" Usopp joins the chaos, yelling, "OH THAT'S IT! YOU'RE ALL OOONNN!" The room devolves into a massive pillow fight and brawl.

Outside in the dark, Toto is digging in the sand. Luffy's voice calls out, "Yo old man! I still don't see any water! Ugh, my throat's soooo dry. I'm surprised you can manage to survive in a place like this." Toto continues digging and says, "The water will come... The Yuba Oasis is still alive." Toto digs deeper, saying, "Yuba won't be defeated by the likes of sand... I'll dig the oasis back up as many times as it takes... Because this is the land the king himself specially entrusted to me...!" Luffy is also seen digging a hole nearby. Toto says, "Alright! Let's keep digging!" Toto then notices sand flying into his hole and yells, "HEY STOP! You're getting all the sand in my hole!" Luffy pauses and says, "Hmm..." Toto says, "Hm?" Luffy asks, "Are you TRYING to fill up my hole!?" Toto replies, "No, I'm trying to dig."

Toto yells angrily, "Yes I know that but you're getting sand in my hole!" Luffy retorts, "There's no point in digging if you're also going to fill up the very hole I dug already!" Toto screams, "NO! Oohhh... So your hole is some kinda magic hole, is that what you're saying?" Suddenly, Luffy falls asleep while digging, his head sinking into the sand and creating a swirling funnel. Toto looks on in absolute shock. The scene cuts back to the room where the rest of the crew is now fast asleep, snoring loudly in a pile of blankets. A large bubble reads, "SNOOOOREEE!"

The scene shifts to a lavishly decorated room with a long dining table and a chandelier. Mr. 2 Bon Clay is spinning rapidly on one foot. Someone yells, "STOOOP, JOOOKING AROUND!" A man with a bald head and stitched face (Mr. 1) asks, "How long is he planning on making us wait!?" A woman with dark curly hair (Miss Doublefinger) says, "The least he could do is give us an octofait in the meanwhile!" Mr. 2 continues spinning and says, "Well, I'm just going to stand here and spin! Spin, spin, spin like a beauuutiful swan!" Mr. 1 says, "Mr. 2, could you please just wait quietly?" An older, stout woman (Miss Merry Christmas) yells, "That's right! All yer' yappin' is makin' my hips ache to hell!" A large, round man (Mr. 4) slowly laughs, "Fo... Fo... Fo... Fo..." A voice says, "That goes for you too, Ms. Merry Christmas."

Miss All Sunday (Nico Robin) enters the room wearing a cowgirl hat and a fringed coat. She chuckles, "Fufufu... I suppose asking you to all get along is impossible. Then again, There's no need for that either..." Mr. 2 stops spinning and greets her, "Oh heeellooo there, Ms. All Sunday! How ya doin'!?" Miss Merry Christmas yells at him, "Didn't I tell you to pipe down idiot!?" Mr. 1 asks, "Ms. All Sunday...? Where exactly are we," Miss All Sunday stands at the head of the table and says, "Thank you all for taking the long trip out here for this meeting. It's quite a sight seeing you agents all gathered in one place." She continues, "Oh that's right. You don't know because Banchi brought you here using the back door... I'm sure you've all heard of it before though. The city where travellers come to gamble in hopes of getting rich... I welcome you officer agents to Rainbase, the city of dreams..."

Miss All Sunday continues speaking over a wide exterior shot of a bustling city. "And the building you're in right now, Is sitting right in the middle of the Rainbase oasis." The panel shows a massive pyramid-shaped building with a giant crocodile statue on top. The sign above the entrance reads "CASINO". Miss All Sunday says, "Rain Dinners, The largest casino in Rainbase...! Casino 'Rain Dinners'".

Inside the meeting room, Miss All Sunday says, "If you have no further questions, then let's get the meeting underway." Mr. 2 says, "Fine by me!" Miss Merry Christmas impatiently yells, "Start the damn meeting already! Start! Begin! Go!" Miss All Sunday adds, "But of course, there's someone I must introduce to you before that... The boss whom you've known nothing about except his codename..." A large figure sits behind a translucent screen at the head of the table. Miss All Sunday says, "Until now, I've been acting on his behalf to keep his identity a secret, But there's no longer a need for that... You understand why, don't you...? The end is near, that's why..." The agents react with shock and confusion as the figure behind the screen begins to stand up. "WHA!?"

The figure steps out from behind the screen, revealing himself to be Crocodile, smoking a cigar and wearing a large fur coat. He announces, "OPERATION, UTOPIA. That is the name of the final plan, We the Baroque Works shall carry out." The agents are completely stunned. Mr. 1 sweats and exclaims, "CROCODILE!?"

Miss Doublefinger looks surprised and says, "Ah, good... So you're all already familiar with the man himself." Mr. 4 says, "We've got a real big-name here now..." Miss Merry Christmas yells, "Of course we know him! But more importantly, why would one of the Shichibukai be..." Mr. 2 looks shocked and says, "So we were following a pirate's orders all along!?" Mr. 1 glares and asks, "'You're' our boss...?" Crocodile stares them down with a menacing grin and asks, "ANY COMPLAINTS?"

Miss Doublefinger clarifies, "We're not complaining here. We're just confused why a Shichibukai, A pirate officially sanctioned by the World Government, would go all the way out and form a criminal organization..." Crocodile sits down and says, "What I desire isn't money or land... IT'S MILITARY MIGHT!" Mr. 2 looks confused and repeats, "Military might...?" Crocodile lights his cigar and says, "Allow me to explain from the beginning, My true objective and the full picture behind the final operation of Baroque Works..."

An exterior shot of the Rain Dinners casino is shown. Mr. 2 says, "There's really something like that here in this country!? And we're gonna be stealing it along with this entire country!? Why, I'm giddy as a little schoolgirl now!" Mr. 1 asks, "So in short, our objective this time is to ensure the successful completion of this plan, correct...?" Crocodile slides envelopes across the table to the agents. "Correct. Everything you've ever done for Baroque Works, Was all to build up for this final operation. Inside the letter in front of you are the final orders I shall leave to you." He declares, "THE TIME TO END THE KINGDOM OF ALABASTA HAS COME..."

The agents—Mr. 4, Miss Merry Christmas, Mr. 2, Miss Doublefinger, and Mr. 1—each open their envelopes and read the contents. They then hold the letters over the candelabra on the table, burning them to ashes. Miss Doublefinger says, "Once you've carried out those orders, They too, will fall into the hands of Baroque Works!" Crocodile grins evilly and says, "Within a single night, This country shall become our 'Utopia!' And once the rebels and citizens of Alabasta have lost their place to go, This kingdom shall crumble on its own...!"

Crocodile stands at the head of the table, addressing the agents. "Operation Utopia will be the last and greatest plan carried out by Baroque Works! Failure will not be tolerated. The operation will begin tomorrow morning at 7!" The agents stand and salute or acknowledge the order, saying in unison, "Roger...!" Crocodile smiles menacingly and says, "I PRAY FOR OUR SUCCESS."

Back in Yuba, the sun is up. Toto stands with the Straw Hats, who are packed and ready to leave. Toto says, "Forgive me for the shameful sight yesterday, Vivi..." Vivi replies, "Oh, you don't need to apologize for that. Well... We'll be off then, Toto." Toto says, "Right... Oh Luffy, take this with you." He hands Luffy a small, round canteen. Luffy's eyes bulge out in excitement as he yells, "WATER!? WATER!" Toto explains, "Yes. Shortly after you fell asleep while digging that hole, I finally managed to reach a layer of moist earth... The water I gave you is from distilling a portion of that." Luffy smiles widely and says, "Thanks, mister! I didn't really understand all that stuff you just said but I'll treasure this water!" Toto smiles warmly and says, "It's genuine Yuba water... I'm sorry there isn't anymore to give than that right now..."

The crew begins walking away across the dunes. Suddenly, Luffy sits down heavily against a dead tree, crossing his arms. Usopp turns back and yells, "LUFFY! What do you think you're doing!?" Vivi looks concerned and asks, "...? Is something wrong, Luffy?" Luffy looks serious and simply says, "Mmn... I quit." The rest of the crew stops and stares at him in shock, exclaiming, "WHAT?"

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