In the secret chamber beneath Rain Dinners, Alabasta Kingdom's largest casino…
Inside a cage forged from Sea Stone, the Straw Hat crew—Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and Usopp—sat trapped. They had fallen for a trap far too easily.
Alongside them was the Marine officer, White Hunter Smoker, who had also been captured during his pursuit of the pirates.
"It's all your fault, you idiot! Why would you choose the path labeled Pirate!?" Nami snapped, her arms crossed, glaring daggers at Luffy.
"Ah, ah, ah! Damn it! You cowardly sand bastard! If you're so tough, let me out and fight me fair and square!" Luffy yelled weakly, slumping against the bars. "Ugh... I'm so tired…"
He collapsed onto the ground with a wheeze, glowering at Crocodile who stood calmly outside the cage, a cigar burning between his fingers.
Crocodile exhaled slowly, staring at Luffy like one would at a foolish animal.
"One-on-one? You overestimate yourself, Straw Hat. Do you think you can take down a Warlord of the Sea? I am Crocodile, one of the Seven."
Luffy forced himself up, clutching the bars again.
"What's so great about a Shichibukai!? I'm… I'm the Eight Warlord of the Sea!"
Thud.
He collapsed again, bubbles escaping his mouth.
"…Idiot," Smoker muttered under his breath, sitting silently in the corner of the cage.
He glanced at Luffy, baffled at how someone so reckless could be the Captain of a pirate like Shirogai Yamikuro.
Zoro, arms folded, was watching Smoker with caution. Still, he didn't disagree.
"Yeah. He really is a first-class idiot."
He remembered the moment of the trap: a fork in the road, one sign reading VIP, the other Pirate. And of course, Luffy sprinted straight toward the Pirate path.
Now they were stuck in a cage so solid that even Zoro's swords couldn't scratch it.
Smoker, chewing on his cigar, spoke in a low voice.
"Crocodile… this cage. Sea Stone on this scale? Looks like someone on the black market's been selling crafting techniques."
Crocodile chuckled.
"hahaha! I'm more surprised that you, Smoker—whose nose is sharper than a bloodhound's—got caught alongside this bunch of greenhorns."
He exhaled more smoke, then added coldly:
"Looks like I'll be filing a report to the World Government. Something about a brave Marine officer who gave his life fighting pirates."
On the surface, Crocodile looked composed. But inside, he was seething.
He wasn't happy. Not at all.
He still couldn't believe that Shirogai expected him to play babysitter for this circus of rookies.
That arrogant bastard…
As if on cue, a mocking voice rang out in his mind:
"Yo, Old Sand. Still haven't caught the princess yet?"
Crocodile stiffened.
That damned voice again.
"How are you moving between Alubarna and Rainbase so quickly?" he growled.
Shirogai's cheerful voice responded:
"Heh, picked up a convenient ability from a certain Fruit user I met earlier. Flight's been a real time-saver."
Crocodile narrowed his eyes.
"You… you copied Pell's Falcon Zoan?"
"Took you long enough," Shirogai replied casually. "But yeah. You want my Fruit power? You'll have to kill me for it."
"Hmph. Don't tempt me."
"Oh, please. Until you do, I'm still your superior. So get moving—I want to use your identity to have some fun with my crew."
Crocodile sneered.
"Still worried I might hurt your precious crew? You're too soft."
"Weak? Hahaha! Old Sand, give them time. You'll see. Their talent's no less than yours—Even greater."
"Spare me. That's just something weak people say."
"Then explain me," Shirogai replied, voice smug. "They're rookies. I'm… something else entirely. I'm a bug in the system. No comparison."
"…Arrogant brat."
Crocodile turned and stormed up the stairs, irritation etched in every step.
"Hey! Where are you going, Sand Bastard!" Luffy yelled from the cage, gripping the bars and pushing his face through.
"Come back and fight me! Ahhh… my body feels weak again…"
He collapsed again, wheezing like a fish out of water.
"Luffy, stop touching the cage!" Usopp warned. "Smoker already said it—Sea Stone drains your energy if you're a Devil Fruit user!"
Luffy blinked, dazed, then slowly grabbed the bars again.
"You mean this—?"
Thud!
He hit the ground again.
A pause.
"…Weird, why'd I fall again?" he mumbled.
Thud!
"…Wait, what's goin—?"
Thud!
The cycle continued. The others just stared, speechless.
"Pfft—!" Usopp finally burst out laughing. "He's like a loop!"
"Is this really the time to be laughing!?" Nami shouted, clenching her fists.
She stormed over, grabbed both Luffy and Usopp by the collar, and shook them furiously.
"You two! Get your act together! This situation is serious!"
"But—but Luffy's just too funny!" Usopp protested.
Luffy added with a pout, "We can't escape anyway…"
"That's why it's urgent!" Nami barked, slamming both of them into the wall. "You think we can rely on you like this!? Why can't you be more like Shirogai!?"
"Eh, she's got spirit. This girl's aura is close to one of the Four Emperors."
The voice came from behind.
Everyone froze.
Crocodile had returned.
Without anyone noticing, he was now seated at a table nearby, swirling wine in a crystal glass.
"You again!?" Nami stepped forward, furious. "Mock us all you want. Once our Vice Captain gets here, or once we escape this cage… you're finished!"
"Vice Captain?" Crocodile echoed, setting his glass down. He pulled something from his coat and tossed it toward them.
It landed in front of the cage with a damp splat—a bloodstained white shirt.
A very familiar one.
Nami's face drained of color.
"Are you talking about The Plunderer?" Crocodile said with a cruel grin. "Your Vice Captain? I'm sorry. I already killed him—and fed him to the Banana Gators."
The words struck like thunder.
Nami trembled, staring blankly at the shirt. Her hands clenched into fists as her breathing quickened.
"No… that's… that's not possible…"
CLANG!
Zoro drew all three of his swords in one clean motion and slammed them into the bars with everything he had.
The Sea Stone cage didn't budge.
Still, Zoro stared straight at Crocodile, cold as ice.
"Nami… don't believe a word from this snake's mouth."
His voice was calm, but furious.
"You think someone like you could kill Shirogai Yamikuro?"
---
100 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter
200 Power Stones = 3 Bonus Chapters
Sounds like a fair trade, a real win-win if you ask me.