It's clearly impossible to deceive someone as perceptive as Crocodile with just a few impressive words, especially not a rookie like Gnar who wants to assert dominance.
However, Gnar wasn't in a hurry. Alongside the idea of collaborating with Crocodile, another, even more exciting idea had come to him.
He said, "Three months!?"
"??"
"Let's meet again in the Capital of Seven Waters in three months. By then, I'll show you why I'm qualified to lead this collaboration."
"!!!"
Crocodile looked at Gnar and then at Robin. Though he had doubts about Gnar's claims, he didn't refuse. He knew that with Gnar's protection, he wouldn't easily get the information about Pluton from Nico Robin.
Fortunately, he wasn't in a rush. He had been planning this for years, and three months was a small price to pay. Besides, learning about Pluton was worth the wait.
"Interesting! In that case, I'll see you in the Capital of Seven Waters. I hope you won't disappoint me!"
With that, Crocodile turned to leave, recognizing that there was no more value in staying here.
Just then, Gnar spoke slowly with a deep laugh. "Don't worry, you'll be eager to follow through when the time comes. But I need to tell you something in advance. Don't be too surprised by any news you hear about me in the next three months."
Crocodile was momentarily stunned. He could sense that the kid in front of him was planning something, but it didn't concern him much. Instead, he was increasingly looking forward to their next meeting.
As Crocodile departed, the previously tense atmosphere in the underground palace eased.
Gnar turned to Kobra. "Your Majesty Cobra, since Robin has seen what she needed, I must take my leave. Remember our deal. In a few days, I'll send a girl named Rasha and her father to take possession of this land."
Kobra's expression was conflicted, but he finally nodded and asked, "Do you really know where Pluton is?"
Gnar just smiled and left with Robin and Zala...
Outside the capital city of Alabasta, despite Gnar's absence, his creation, Nine Tails, continued to wreak havoc in the desert.
It was like a beast released from its cage. Once freed, it played wildly, leaping through the air, causing the sky to darken and the ground to collapse wherever it went. Its nine tails whipped around, stirring up dust everywhere. Pirate bounty hunters fled in panic.
Anyone who was killed by Nine Tails saw their blood escape their bodies, merging into the creature's massive form.
"This... what kind of monster is this!"
"Run... hurry!"
"Ah... boom..."
Only now did the bounty hunters realize the true nature of the monster they were up against.
In the desert, filled with yellow sand and strong winds, Ain stood with a pale face. The Marines who had accompanied her had already fled in all directions.
She tried to stop the rampaging monster, but it was futile. Despite its enormous size, it was incredibly agile, easily deflecting her attacks. Even if she managed to injure it, its body healed almost instantly.
A deep sense of helplessness washed over her. She feared that only her mentor could handle such a monster, and this creature, Nine Tails, was merely a descendant of the pirate known as Vampire Gnar.
Despite the chaos around her and the fact that she wasn't actively attacked, Ain felt conflicted. Her first kiss had been taken by this evil pirate, and she was determined to fight back.
"Damn it!"
Fueled by anger and embarrassment, Ain gritted her teeth and attacked the massive demon fox. But every time, her slashes were effortlessly blocked, and she was knocked back.
Exhausted from her futile efforts, Ain found herself unable to continue. She wasn't a pure swordsman; her technique involved using the Tempest Kick from Marine Six Styles, which generated slashes through high speed and power. This made her attacks more energy-consuming compared to those of dedicated swordsmen.
As a young woman, her stamina depleted quickly. Nonetheless, she couldn't give up. Zephyr's teachings and her commitment to justice pushed her to keep fighting.
She had no time to dwell on why Gnar and Crocodile were in Alabasta.
Just as she prepared for another attack, the entire world seemed to freeze. The giant demon fox suddenly stopped its rampage and stood still.
Ain quickly understood the reason: she saw two figures atop the massive demon fox—Gnar and Nico Robin.
Feeling Gnar's gaze on her, Ain gripped her knife tighter, remembering how he had taken her first kiss. Despite her anger, she didn't make a foolish move to attack.
Gnar seemed to ignore her. With a wave of his hand, Nine Tails leaped into the desert with overwhelming force, eventually vanishing from sight.
"It's... it's over..."
"Great, that monster is gone..."
"I survived..."
As the monster disappeared, Ain and the remaining Marines breathed a sigh of relief. Some Marines gathered around Ain, their concern tinged with awkwardness.
"Captain Ain, are you injured?"
Ain knew their concern was due to the public nature of her earlier humiliation. She was reminded by a Marine, "Captain Ain, should we report this to Teacher Zephyr?"
Ain snapped back to reality, quickly pulling out her phone and reporting everything to Teacher Zephyr.
She didn't notice the subtle change in the Marines who had returned to her.
On the vast sea, a warship sailed rapidly.
On the deck, Zephyr listened to Ain's report with a frown. "I understand."
As the call ended, he turned to his disciple, Binz. "This warship is yours for now."
With Binz looking both flattered and confused, Zephyr leaped into the air, soaring swiftly toward Alabasta.
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