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"Those old relics in Mary Geoise have ruled this world for far too long.
One day, I will surpass them and stand at the very top."
Alex's voice was calm, but his words carried a weight that could shake the world.
If this declaration ever got out, it would cause an uproar.
A newly escaped convict, a pirate wanted across the globe, openly claiming he would destroy the World Government? That would make him a bigger target than ever before.
Crocodile, for the first time, looked genuinely shaken.
"Crocodile, I suggest you get on board with him."
Douglas Bullet stepped forward, standing beside Alex with a serious expression.
"This kid has something… a power that will eventually bind us all to him, willingly or not."
Crocodile narrowed his eyes.
"I won't submit unless you prove yourself completely."
Even now, he wanted a proper fight.
Alex smirked.
"Foolish. Water Release: Hidden Mist Jutsu."
A thick fog surged from his mouth, enveloping the battlefield once more.
"The same trick won't work on me twice! Desert Tempest!"
Crocodile immediately retaliated, forming a miniature sandstorm in his hand and hurling it forward.
The swirling wind rapidly expanded, sweeping through the air and dispersing Alex's mist.
But then—
Alex suddenly reappeared, charging straight toward Crocodile.
"Let's see what else you've got! Desert Spada!"
Crocodile's strongest attack.
His arm transformed into a massive sand blade, slashing straight at Alex with deadly precision.
But Alex didn't stop.
He ran straight into it.
A gasp rippled through the onlookers.
Crocodile's sand blade pierced right through Alex's chest—
—Only for his body to vanish into mist.
"I'm behind you."
A chilling voice whispered into Crocodile's ear.
"Impossible!"
Panic flashed through Crocodile's eyes as he spun around.
But it was too late.
A powerful, water-soaked hand shot out, clamping around his throat.
"Don't move," Alex said coldly. "Unless you want to die."
Water dripped from his fingers, seeping into Crocodile's skin.
The moment it touched him, his body failed to turn into sand.
His greatest advantage—the ability to become intangible—was now useless.
Crocodile gritted his teeth. He had lost. Completely.
His body trembled, but he forced himself to stay calm.
"I give up," he finally muttered.
Ding! Congratulations, Host! You have defeated Crocodile. 50,000 Reputation Points earned!
Alex's eye twitched.
"Only fifty thousand? I just wasted 300,000 points on this fight! Should've let Bullet handle it!"
His heart ached at the loss, but what was done was done.
Maybe he had overestimated Crocodile's value. After all, while a Logia user, his weaknesses were too obvious.
As Crocodile admitted defeat, the entire casino fell into stunned silence.
All of Crocodile's men, including the barely conscious Daz Bones, could only stare in disbelief.
This was Alabasta—a superpower of the Grand Line.
Crocodile's defeat would send shockwaves across the world.
"What are you all standing around for? Go check on that guy on the ground. Careful, though—he might still be a bit hot."
Alex's casual command snapped the bystanders into action.
With their leader defeated, they dared not resist.
Crocodile exhaled deeply and looked up at Alex.
"What now? Since you've beaten me, the World Government will strip me of my Warlord title."
"According to their rules, you're now my successor—if both sides agree to the deal."
His voice was heavy.
Crocodile had accepted his loss, but he needed to know—what was Alex's next move?