Boom!
A shockwave exploded outward, sending ripples of force in all directions.
Scattered gravel blasted across the ground like bullets from a gun barrel, tearing deep grooves into the earth.
"Hee-she-she-she-she~"
Moria's massive frame emerged from the smoke, moving forward like a wall of muscle and menace.
He was like a monster stepping out of the mist, his laughter made all the more eerie under the cover of night.
Seeing the intruder's face clearly, the head of the Rokuro family sucked in a sharp breath. He wasn't some backwater fool who didn't know better.
Moria was one of the strongest pirates to rise from the West Blue in recent years.
But that wasn't what terrified him most.
The last time this man had made a public appearance, it was during a rampage at Loguetown—with none other than Donquixote Doflamingo.
And now?
Doflamingo was the man who killed the Golden Lion, Shiki, and clashed with Admiral Zephyr without dying.
Someone like that… Even Crocodile of the Seven Warlords of the Sea paled in comparison.
With his massive blade slung over his shoulder, Moria narrowed his eyes and cast a sweeping gaze over the few people who could pose a threat. He grinned broadly and barked:
"Which one of you is Daz? Hand over Nico Robin!"
"Moria-sama! We—"
The Rokuro family head stepped forward, about to explain.
There was no need to mention Moria's backing. The strange ritual happening outside, with bodies strewn about the ground, already proved this man's terrifying power.
"Heh heh heh~ HAHAHAHA~"
Crocodile let out a cold laugh, appearing in front of the Rokuro family head, his gaze locking with Moria's.
"You think you can ignore me?"
"Gecko Moria!!!"
"Nico Robin belongs to me!"
Moria's dismissive attitude ignited Crocodile's prideful fury in an instant.
His massive golden hook slashed toward Moria's throat.
"Hee-she-she-she~"
Moria's grin widened, his voice dripping with mockery.
"A lackey of the World Government like you, Crocodile—you think you deserve my respect? You? Hah!"
Moria's fist clenched, coated in Armament Haki, and he struck faster than Crocodile's hook, the two weapons colliding with a deafening clang.
BOOM!
The force of the clash sent sand and debris flying in all directions, blowing away the Rokuro family members who had been lucky enough to witness the scene.
"Move! Get out of here!"
The Rokuro family head and Daz dragged two unconscious relatives as they fled in a panic.
Caught in the crossfire of monsters like these… they'd die without ever knowing how.
...
Amid the storm of smoke and dust, Crocodile's hook and Moria's blade clashed with thunderous force.
Even the scattered shockwaves were enough to blast apart nearby walls like they were rotten wood.
"Man… that's deadly," Lafitte muttered, watching from a distance.
Only the Grand Line could produce monsters like this.
At some point, he had already slipped to the edge of the battlefield. Wings unfurled from his back as he took to the sky.
Let those two idiots slug it out—he was going for the real prize.
He wasn't the only one with that idea.
All the other factions seemed to be thinking with a single shared mind—as if linked to a global hive.
The battle unfolding made it clear: Nico Robin was on this island.
But neither of the two had her in hand yet.
They might not be able to beat Moria or a Warlord… but a nine-year-old girl? That they could manage.
Whoever got to Robin first would be the real winner—and the one raking in the profit.
In no time, the civilians of the island became collateral damage.
Homes were raided one by one. Every child was taken. Blood spilled across every street and alley.
Only the port remained untouched.
On the mast of a Rokuro family ship, eyes had sprouted—silent observers to the chaos, pain, and destruction.
They snapped shut and vanished.
"Saul... I really am a devil who brings nothing but misfortune…"
In the ship's cabin, Robin could hardly breathe, drowning in guilt, fear, and despair.
Her body trembled as she muttered again and again.
Deceip's family…
It was all because of her.
But she couldn't die—not yet. Ohara couldn't vanish like this. Her mother's wish still needed to be fulfilled.
After a while...
Robin calmed herself with deep, trembling breaths. Then, she closed her eyes and activated her Hana Hana Fruit powers.
Eyes and ears bloomed across the port's hidden corners, gathering information.
...
The Rokuro family estate was now nothing but rubble.
BOOM!
Crocodile, distracted for just a moment, lashed out with a wave of sand.
It transformed instantly into a roaring sandstorm, pulling in the retreating Lafitte.
The swirling grit spun like blades, a vortex of death that could grind anything to pulp.
Bang!
In the next instant, Moria's fist smashed directly into Crocodile's chest.
Crocodile flew backward at high speed.
His body turned into a mass of sand to absorb the impact before crashing into a distant building.
"Hee-she-she-she~"
Moria didn't care that the ground near him was beginning to sandify. He swung his massive sword downward.
The giant slash tore through the sky, cleaving the sandstorm in two.
BOOM!
The storm shattered like a shotgun blast.
Lafitte flew out, his body ragged, clothes in tatters, nearly split from neck to waist.
Drenched in cold sweat, he raised his cane and glared at Moria, barely standing.
Taking attacks from both sides in quick succession had nearly killed him.
"Hee-she-she-she, kid—Nico Robin belongs to the winner! So stay put and behave!"
Moria bellowed with laughter, quoting a classic villain line as he loomed over Lafitte.
He had no idea why Crocodile was trying to block him—but whatever the reason, he'd deal with it later.
Now, turning to the growing sand dune behind him, Moria sneered.
"You ready yet, Crocodile? With the power you've got now, you're not even good enough to shine the BOSS's shoes!"
Atop the sand mound, Crocodile's body began to re-form, dust and grit shaping his outline.
His face darkened with rage as he snapped back with venom.
"Oh? Weren't you the mighty West Blue legend who begged Doflamingo for mercy on your knees? That's how you kept your life, wasn't it?"
He didn't let anything show on the surface—but inside, Crocodile's guard was fully up.
He'd taken a bad hit in their last exchange.
Since returning to the Grand Line, he'd rarely met opponents who could use Armament Haki.
But more importantly—Moria was stronger in close combat.
Fine. If brawling wasn't enough…
Then he'd use his powers.
Crocodile's right hand morphed into a massive sand blade that struck the ground.
The earth cracked open instantly, fragments spinning into the blade's arc, growing its size and force.
It looked ready to split the entire Rokuro family estate in half.
"You don't get it at all! The BOSS is a man of ambition—a vision you can't begin to understand!"
"And this? This is my own choice!"
Moria's muscles bulged, his massive shadow merging with his blade.
The sword grew with the wind, becoming a weapon fit for a giant.
He swung it with full force.
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Fanfic is finished 527 chapters in total on p@treon/tambeerg