The earth-shattering explosion.
The sweeping shockwave and sandstorm.
The violently trembling ground, and the blinding light that illuminated the heavens and earth.
All plunged the tens of thousands of Royal Guards and hundreds of thousands of rebel troops in front of the royal capital into endless panic.
Cobra stared blankly at the dazzling sun rising in the distant desert, completely frozen as if he had fallen into an ice cavern.
Was this level of power really unleashed by Crocodile?
He must be joking.
If Crocodile possessed this level of power, why would he need to stay in the small Alabasta for over ten years?
A terrible thought suddenly struck him, recalling the Pluton battleship that Rorschach had mentioned.
And at the far reaches of his vision in the distant sky, a golden battleship stood atop a towering pillar of yellow sand, protruding from within the royal capital.
Could it be...
A dreadful idea emerged in Cobra's mind.
Could Crocodile have truly acquired the Pluton battleship?
But where would a Pluton battleship come from in the underground ruins of Alubarna?
As the King of Alabasta, and with the Nefertari royal family having lived in Alubarna for generations, he had never discovered any trace of a Pluton battleship.
It wasn't just him; even Vivi and Hibari, who knew the situation beforehand, were terrified by the dreadful power.
"I can't believe that besides Rear Admiral Rorschach, Mr. Enel, who is still only a Petty Officer Third Class, possesses such terrifying power," Vivi's heart was filled with indescribable shock.
Hibari was somewhat dejected.
As fellow Logia users, Enel's performance was truly too strong.
Compared to him, she was not just a little bit behind.
Rorschach, on the other hand, didn't feel too surprised.
This, in fact, wasn't even Enel's limit.
Just think about the Raigō he created on Skypiea.
The power of that thing could wipe an entire sky island off the map.
He remembered that in his previous life, because Enel had used that Raigō, when Im later used the alleged Uranus's Mother Flame to erase the Lulusia Kingdom, the massive spherical energy that fell was even linked by some to Enel.
That was truly a disaster-level attack.
"Alright, it looks like the Sand Crocodile has inflated enough. Hibari, simulate the mirage clouds. Princess Vivi, now it's your time to perform. Let's go."
Rorschach winked at Hibari.
Hibari understood, and her figure lightly soared into the sky, transforming into a cloud that rapidly expanded, reflecting the towering pillar of yellow sand in the royal capital, as well as Crocodile and the golden battleship.
Meanwhile, on the rooftops of some buildings within the royal capital, several shadowy figures, holding visual Den Den Mushi, aimed at the golden battleship and Crocodile from various directions.
Cobra was still in a daze, but Rorschach, right in front of him, put his arm around his beloved daughter Vivi's slender waist. His body shot up like the wind, rushing towards Crocodile's location.
Enveloped by Rorschach's large hand, Vivi's delicate face immediately flushed crimson with shyness.
But the whistling wind in her ears made her instinctively grip the clothes on the young man's chest, her small body pressed against his.
An unprecedented sense of security surged in Vivi's heart.
Rorschach, flying through the air with Vivi, quickly caught Crocodile's attention.
But it was only attention.
At this moment, with the Pluton battleship in hand, he no longer paid any mind to the approaching Marine youth.
With world-destroying power now in his grasp, the confidence he had lost after being defeated more than a decade ago was rapidly returning.
At this moment, Crocodile seemed to have returned to the era over ten years ago, when he had just witnessed Roger's execution in Loguetown and set out to sea full of ambition.
Faintly, Rorschach even sensed a familiar aura brewing within him, about to burst forth.
It was clearly Conqueror's Haki!
This discovery made Rorschach's eye twitch uncontrollably.
What the hell.
What was going on?
He had merely delivered a fake Pluton battleship, letting Crocodile fire a shot, essentially launching Enel as a projectile.
And it actually awakened this guy's Conqueror's Haki?
A million alpacas stampeded through Rorschach's mind; he didn't know where to begin his complaints.
However, now was not the time for him to concern himself with that.
He needed to take advantage of Crocodile's inflated ego to make him confess his crimes on record.
Then, it would be his turn to act.
Flying to about twenty meters in front of the golden battleship, Rorschach stopped. He withdrew the hand that was embracing Vivi, subtly patting her slender lower back.
Vivi understood. A look of anger immediately appeared on her pretty face, her eyes slightly red, with faint, shimmering tears.
Her expression was filled with anger, pain, and sorrow, along with a hint of a young girl's stubbornness.
The speed of her emotional change made Rorschach, standing behind her, gape.
However, Rorschach could feel that Vivi wasn't entirely acting.
Her hatred for Crocodile and her compassion for the victims were genuine.
Before Crocodile, who was looking at Rorschach indifferently, could sneer and speak, Vivi preempted him, biting her silver teeth and questioning loudly, "Crocodile! You brutal executioner, all the disasters that have befallen Alabasta over the years, you orchestrated them, didn't you?"
Crocodile stood at the bow of the golden battleship, slowly taking out a thick cigar from his coat pocket and lighting it. He glanced indifferently at the agitated Vivi, and sneered, "Baselessly slandering a Shichibukai who has protected this country for over ten years is not something you, as the Princess of Alabasta, should utter. Heh, you seem to have forgotten that just over ten days ago, I saved your life from a brutal pirate, my dear Princess Vivi."
"Hypocrite! Even at a time like this, are you still pretending? You fraudulent scoundrel!"
Tears welled up in Vivi's eyes, her small body trembled uncontrollably, and her voice choked with emotion:
"Do you know how many innocent people in Alabasta have died over the years because of you? The excessive use of Dance Powder led to years of no rain in this already arid desert region. The crops in the fields couldn't grow or ripen due to lack of water, and even drinkable water evaporated completely due to the high temperatures. I witnessed with my own eyes many villages, and even towns and cities, becoming uninhabited ruins due to extreme water shortages. People migrated, dying of thirst, hunger, and exhaustion on their way to flee their homes."
"The deaths of so many people haven't made you feel even a tiny bit of remorse. Instead, you've secretly instigated riots, rebellions, and incited conflict. Crocodile, I truly can't imagine how someone could be so shameless. You, who have done so many heinous things behind the scenes, still have the audacity to portray yourself as a kingdom hero, a guardian of the desert. Your hypocrisy sickens me!"
Vivi's accusations made Crocodile's face grow increasingly grim.
Seeing this, Rorschach took over from Vivi, angrily saying, "Crocodile, you hypocrite who plunged Alabasta into chaos, you dare to do these things but not own up to them. It's truly disgusting. I will immediately report this situation to Marine Headquarters. I will request that they revoke your Shichibukai status..."
"Shichibukai?" Crocodile laughed lowly, his shoulders shaking as if he had heard a hilarious joke. "Hahahaha, Shichibukai, do you think I care about that damn Shichibukai title?"
He placed his right hand on the protruding button on the golden base, his lips curved into an unrestrained smile, looking at Rorschach and Vivi.
"The only reason I accepted the World Government's Shichibukai invitation was to stay in Alabasta under a legitimate identity."
"Legal plunder rights over the ocean? An alliance with the World Government? As long as one possesses absolute power, these are simply within reach!"
"And I already have that power. My decade-plus spent in this wretched place wasn't in vain."
He grinned, revealing a devilishly evil smile.
"Hehehehehe, so what if the disasters within Alabasta were orchestrated by me? Yes, I am the president of Baroque Works. I had Dance Powder bought from other places, I instigated the rebel army, and I arranged for their weapons and warhorses to be sponsored. So what? Hahahaha, what can you do even if you know? I can destroy this country with a mere flick of my hand!"
Rorschach clenched his fists, looking at the arrogant and狂妄 Crocodile, and growled angrily, "Crocodile! You're so arrogant, aren't you afraid of the World Government, aren't you afraid of us Marines coming after you?"
"World Government? Marines?" Crocodile laughed, tilting his head back. He suddenly grabbed the thick golden cannon barrel to his right, aiming it at the paled Rorschach and Vivi, and sneered, "What damn World Government and Marines? Before the Pluton battleship, they're all chickens and dogs! If you anger me, I'll just blast Marineford with one shot, then Mary Geoise with another! Now, you, who caused Daz's death, go down and join Daz first, Marine Rorschach!"
Crocodile smirked and waved his hand, directly pressing the hemispherical button on the golden base.
"Die!"
(End of Chapter)
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