"Bastard Crocodile!"
Luffy suddenly rushed to the edge of the cage and roared.
"I'll beat... you... you..."
"Hey, hey, I told you not to touch the cage."
Seeing Luffy slide down like a noodle, Crocodile just sneered.
Is that it?
This idiot actually took down the Baroque Works officers I sent out and fought all the way here. Yet a simple trap captured them all!
I had prepared a series of deadly traps, but they fell without me even lifting a finger.
How boring.
"I'll kill you all, but you'll have to wait a bit."
"I've already sent my partner to invite a 'guest'."
Seeing his years of planning about to succeed, his hard work finally bearing fruit, Crocodile didn't mind taking some time to enjoy his opponents' miserable wails. Otherwise:
Such a brilliant plan without anyone to applaud it would be like wearing fine clothes at night.
Finally, all the conditions were met! 'Pluton' was about to fall into his hands...
Sitting in the hall, Crocodile was momentarily lost in thought. Once he possessed that ancient weapon, how should he use it?
Openly challenge the World Government?
Or take that man's head...
"Crocodile!!"
A furious shout pulled the Sand Crocodile back from his nostalgic reverie. The princess of Alabasta, the blue-haired girl Vivi, had already charged at him, her weapon 'Peacock Chain' spinning at high speed, accumulating considerable power and speed! Then:
"Peacock Chain Saw!"
Splat—
The peacock feathers, linked like a long whip, suddenly slashed through Crocodile sitting in the hall, instantly decapitating him along with the chair behind him! But:
Rustle, rustle~~
The decapitated Crocodile instantly disintegrated into a pile of yellow sand, then reformed behind Vivi into a tall man draped in black fur.
Smack!
A large hand covered Vivi's face from behind, accompanied by Crocodile's domineering voice.
"As the princess of this country, you should know my 'Sand-Sand Fruit' ability, right?"
The tall man bent down, his cold voice whispering in Vivi's ear.
"—Do you want to become a mummy?"
Thud,
As Crocodile released his hand, Vivi collapsed to the ground. It wasn't that she was afraid, but the difference in their power levels was so vast that it could only be described as despair.
"Sit down, Vivi... no, Miss Wednesday."
"It's impressive that you managed to infiltrate my organization and uncover the truth bit by bit. But your strength is not enough to kill me, not even to harm a single hair on my head..."
"Sand Crocodile!"
Vivi, who had gotten up from the ground, stared fiercely at the tall man in front of her, the 'hero' of this country, the 'legitimate' pirate of the government, the mastermind behind all the disasters, the man she wanted to kill more than anything! But:
"Where is Roman? What did you do to Roman?"
...
"That's strange,"
Crocodile, who had pulled over a chair and sat down arrogantly, tilted his head to look at the woman who had just entered. — It was the 'partner' he had sent to invite Vivi: codenamed Miss All-Sunday, Nico Robin.
"Have I recently killed any small fry named 'Roman', Miss All-Sunday?"
"No, boss."
Robin, wearing a white cowboy hat, shook her head, causing Vivi on the ground and the Straw Hat crew in the cage to subconsciously breathe a sigh of relief.
"However, if I'm not mistaken—"
Robin's tone shifted, instantly raising everyone's tension.
"The young devil fruit user you killed yesterday should be the 'Roman' they're talking about."
!!!!!!!
Bang!
"You're lying!"
Luffy, who was pressed against the iron bars, his body suppressed by Sea Stone like someone with Parkinson's disease, bit the bars with his teeth to keep himself from falling! His muffled words echoed in the hall.
"Roman... Roman is not the kind of man who would fall in a place like this!"
"Hahahahaha~~~"
Crocodile laughed loudly as he stood up, rubbing his forehead.
"So you were talking about that assassin from yesterday."
"Not bad, Princess Vivi."
"You managed to find such a talented young man to work for you. I'm impressed."
As Crocodile spoke, he spread out his right hand, revealing a fresh wound on his palm.
"To be able to wound me, that's quite an achievement. This is the first time I've been injured in the last five... no, ten years."
"Impossible, Roman..."
Vivi bit her lip hard, blood trickling down without her even noticing. She was the one who least wanted to hear this news!
Not only had she unconsciously come to see the Straw Hat crew as her companions, but more importantly, when Roman, who had always emphasized how powerful Crocodile was, left alone, Vivi had assumed he was planning to stay out of it. However, the reality was:
Clang,
A broken sword was thrown to the floor, the special paper weapon unmistakably indicating its former owner.
"I originally wanted to keep it as a trophy,"
Crocodile flicked the ash from his cigar,
"But now I'll generously return it to you."
...
"This is impossible!"
Grit, grit,
The sound of teeth grinding against steel.
Clang!!!
The sword struck the cage futilely, sparks flying.
No,
Vivi, who had tried to stand up, collapsed to the ground, muttering to herself...
"I'm sorry, it's all because of me... I... I wanted to apologize to him in person—"
"That's really a pity,"
Crocodile tilted his head, his face full of mockery.
"When you go down, run faster, and maybe you'll catch up with him."
"You—"
Crocodile!
No, he's a devil!!
"Oh, right. And you—"
Crocodile couldn't be bothered to look at Vivi on the ground, turning instead to Luffy, who was hanging onto the cage bars with his teeth, a hint of disdain in his voice.
"You're the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates?"
"I thought you'd be someone impressive, but it turns out you're just an ignorant—fool!"
"I originally admired that little guy Roman, who planned such a clever assassination and even managed to wound me. Such talent, even I wanted to recruit him... but:"
Crocodile looked down at Luffy, who refused to fall, biting the bars with his teeth, feeling increasingly irritated.
"That guy actually refused me because of an idiot captain like you?!"
"What did you do to Roman..."
Facing Luffy's question, Crocodile just coldly raised his chin.
"I crippled him—"
Thud,
"I pierced him with a sand gun—"
Thud!
"His body was devoured by vultures—"
Thud!!
"Shut up!!!"
Luffy bit down hard on the iron bars, glaring at the man with the title of 'Seven Warlords of the Sea' in front of him, his teeth biting so hard that they bled! With his heart pounding, the straw-hat boy muttered through clenched teeth.
"I will kill—"
"Blub blub blub~~ Blub blub blub,"
A strange sound interrupted the tense atmosphere in the hall, and the rising aura around Luffy suddenly paused. Because the intellectual beauty beside him, code-named 'Miss All Sunday', real name Nico Robin, took out a:
Small Den Den Mushi.
This type of Den Den Mushi couldn't make overseas calls, nor could it mimic the appearance of the person on the other end. It also had the risk of being eavesdropped on, but it wouldn't 'betray' the caller's image. As a secret organization, Baroque Works used these Den Den Mushi extensively.
"Moshi moshi~~"
"Ahem, is this connected?"
In the quiet hall, a familiar voice to the Straw Hat crew came from the Den Den Mushi: the voice of their cook, Sanji.
"Hmm? What's going on..."
Before Crocodile could finish, an annoying voice came from the other end.
"This is... the poop restaurant."
?!
In an instant, Crocodile's face darkened.
Because he realized that the person on the other end was the same guy who had fooled him in 'Little Garden' under the name Mr. 3! And also:
"Ah, thanks for the 'Alabasta' Eternal Pose, it's very useful."
!!
Visibly, Crocodile's anger began to rise. To think that he, a brilliant and powerful figure who controlled everything and toyed with a country, was being mocked by this guy...
"Who are you?"
Facing Crocodile's icy, murderous tone, the voice on the other end remained nonchalant and provocative.
"You can call me, Mr. Prince."
"Mr. Prince, huh," noted, when I get my hands on you, I'll kill your entire family.
If I said this, not even an admiral can save you!
"Where are you now?"
In response to Crocodile's question, the voice on the other end calmly replied.
"I can't tell you that, if I did, you'd come and kill me, right?"
"But whether you can kill me is another question. I'm not stupid enough to—casually reveal information," back in Little Garden, Crocodile had mistakenly revealed his plans to the Straw Hat crew, thinking the person on the other end was Mr. 3. Although Roman had already 'spoiled' it, Crocodile himself didn't know. So:
"I'm different from you, Mr. 0."
Anger—
Taking a deep breath, Crocodile's fury had reached its peak!
"Over here!"
?
At that moment, another voice suddenly came through the Den Den Mushi, followed by the chaotic sounds of bullets and fighting. After a series of jumbled noises:
"...Damn it... Huh? Is this Den Den Mushi still connected?"
"Hello, which officer is this?"
The voice on the other end changed to one of panic, "This is Squad Leader Bank. This guy is too strong, we need support! Repeat, we need—"
"Where are you?"
Faced with Crocodile's unquestionable demand, the other side instinctively answered.
"We're at the main entrance of the Rain Dinners casino. Wait a minute, your voice... who are you..."
Smack,
Crocodile casually hung up the Den Den Mushi and walked straight to the door.
"Let's go see how capable this person who dares to challenge me really is." He then turned back to the people in the hall, pulling out a key.
"This is the key to that cage. Miss Wednesday, do you like to gamble?"
???
Seeing Vivi's confused expression, Crocodile snapped his fingers, and a mechanism on the floor of the hall revealed a pool below, where giant beasts, the Banana Crocodiles, were swimming!
Each one was a ferocious sea beast weighing several tons.
Splash,
The key in his hand traced an arc and fell into the pool, landing among the Banana Crocodiles.
"Come on, while I go bring that Mr. Prince."
Standing at the door, Crocodile turned back, looking at the fallen Vivi with a face full of malicious glee.
"Will you dive into the pool full of Banana Crocodiles to retrieve the key and save your pirate friends,"
"or will you leave immediately to stop the impending battle between the royal army and the rebel army,"
"It's all up to your choice,"
"Although the success rate of both choices is less than one in ten thousand!" With that, Crocodile, draped in a black fur coat, laughed as he walked out, followed by Nico Robin in a white coat.
Leaving behind:
"Wait, I'll save—"
"Wait!"
As Vivi prepared to jump into the pool full of giant sea beasts without hesitation, Nami, who had been silent, raised her hand to stop her. Then:
Clang!
Nami drew the 'Sandai Kitetsu' from Zoro's waist and slashed her own wrist, blood splattering!
Zoro, who was about to say something, could only watch in anger.
"Hey, hey, Nami, don't do anything rash!"
While Usopp frantically searched for bandages among his tools, Nami calmly opened the third page of "The Thief's Ultimate Art" in her hand, letting her blood drip onto the iron-bucket-like mouth in the picture.
"I haven't lost my mind,"
Nami looked seriously at the book in her hand, silently praying: Eat, eat...
It worked!
The image of Wapol's Munch-Munch ability activated, absorbing Nami's blood, making her delighted! Without hesitation, she turned to the others in the cage.
"Come over, and bleed!"
??
Despite their confusion, everyone obediently made a cut on their wrists. With their physiques, losing a few blood was nothing~~ Even Smoker, with a grim face, joined in the wrist-cutting.
As the blood was continuously absorbed by the 'Munch-Munch ability' on the third page, Nami finally regained the feeling of activating the abilities from the "Thief's Extreme Art."
As expected.
Since Roman was undoubtedly in a very poor state and isolated by the Seastone cage, the book had no 'energy' to activate any abilities. However:
By using the 'Munch-Munch page' to consume blood and provide energy, the three abilities in the book could be used normally, and:
"Paper Dance - Key!"
Ding,
A key formed from paper fell into Nami's hand. She inserted it into the lock and fiddled with it.
Click,
"Oh oh oh, we're free!"
"Finally out—"
"You two, keep it down," under Vivi's joyful gaze, Nami walked out of the cell and picked up the broken sword, placing it on the "Thief's Extreme Art."
"Paper Dance - Paper Crane."
As the paper folded and transformed, a scarred paper crane appeared in Nami's hand.
"Take me to your master!"
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You can read 30 advanced chapters at my patreon.com/YeyeQiu