Chapter 11 – Judgment Over Rain
Crocodile lay reclined on his velvet sofa in Rain Dinners, deep in thought, sketching out the next phase of his so-called "Utopia." But suddenly, a primal instinct screamed inside him.
"What?!"
A blinding pillar of lightning surged from the heavens, expanding rapidly above his head. Its light was too intense to look at. With no time to think, he reflexively shifted into his elemental sand form to evade.
But he wasn't fast enough.
The bolt crashed down with crushing force, hurling Crocodile's body through the floors of Rain Dinners, blasting a crater deep into the building's foundation.
While his Logia nature granted immunity to electricity itself, the intense impact and heat of the divine lightning weren't so forgiving.
"Ghh–!"
From the bottom of the pit, Crocodile groaned, barely conscious.
His internal organs felt ruptured. Burns covered his already scarred face and body, leaving a charred mess. And yet, through sheer will, he staggered upright.
His lower body turned to sand as he emerged from the wreckage.
"Who the hell are you?!"
As he prepared his golden hook, he realized it had been completely destroyed—melted by the lightning. Only the gory stump of his hand remained.
Outside, citizens and criminal patrons alike had gathered, startled by the thunderclap. But the sight of the injured Warlord sent panic through the Rainbase. Screams erupted, and people fled in every direction.
Hovering above the battlefield, Lucien looked down upon the chaos he'd sparked.
"Sand Crocodile… Instead of honing your strength and settling your score with Whitebeard, you chose to play god in this desert nation?"
A fierce pulse of energy erupted from his body.
"Domain: Electromagnetic Field."
In an instant, the entire Rainbase became saturated with electromagnetic energy. Every Den Den Mushi and transponder snail in the area sparked and fried.
And in this field, Lucien could appear anywhere with a mere thought.
Crocodile steadied himself, eyes narrowing. "I don't believe we've met. I have no quarrel with you, so why—?"
Lucien chuckled. "I just felt like playing with you."
With a crack of thunder, he vanished and reappeared behind Crocodile in an instant. A powerful, Haki-infused kick slammed into Crocodile's back.
"Have you ever been struck by divine lightning?"
Crocodile was launched like a ragdoll, tearing through walls and furniture before finally crashing to a halt, battered and broken.
"Damn it… Thunder Fruit!"
He spat blood onto the ground, seething with fury. How could he be humiliated like this—in the so-called Paradise of the Grand Line?
"Ground Death: Desert Encroachment!"
Crocodile plunged his hands into the ground. Buildings around him turned to dust. The land cracked and withered, draining moisture and turning into desert. He felt a surge of strength return as he fed on the water in the air.
But the people of Rainbase weren't so lucky. Some, unable to flee fast enough, were swallowed by the sands beneath them.
Still weak and desperate, Crocodile's body spun violently.
"Barján: Sables Massacre!"
He summoned a whirling sandstorm that threatened to engulf the city.
But Lucien was already a step ahead.
"Too slow."
His hands sparked with immense power as a beast of thunder took shape beside him.
"Thunder Art: Jade Kirin!"
A majestic thunderbeast charged through the sky, stomping on the air itself. The moment it collided with Crocodile's sandstorm, it dispersed it like dust. Crocodile was seized midair by the creature, then hurled into the earth. The Kirin detonated on impact, creating a deafening shockwave.
No one else remained in Rain Dinners. Crocodile's private casino and fortress had collapsed under the battle's pressure. The criminal patrons were vaporized, the building reduced to ash.
Lucien hovered above the devastation, the air crackling around him.
"Guhahaha… Pluton… my utopia…"
Crocodile lay in a heap, half-conscious, clinging to dreams that would never be realized.
He would never understand why fate sent a lightning god to snatch away everything he'd built.
Lucien raised his palm and began compressing a sphere of white-hot lightning.
He slapped his palm onto Crocodile's chest—extracting the Suna Suna no Mi.
The energy surged into a pineapple-shaped fruit on his belt, which rapidly morphed into a squat little cactus—arms extended like it was celebrating.
"Sand-Sand Fruit, huh? Might suit the Desert Princess someday... but not yet."
Lucien's eyes glinted. He would need more Devil Fruits for his future plans.
Crocodile's body, now without his Logia powers, shriveled further. Lucien conjured a flame from his palm and incinerated what remained.
---
Back aboard the ship…
"Lucien!"
Vivi ran to him the moment he returned, throwing herself into his arms. He caught her easily, holding her close.
Relief washed over her face. "Thank you, Lucien…"
He smiled faintly. "Don't thank me yet. Once we return to the palace, you'll have plenty of chances to show your appreciation."
Vivi blushed. "Mmm…"
Lucien gently stroked her pale blue hair, then addressed the others.
"Robin, Crocodile's done. Notify the top agents of Baroque Works. Tell them to regroup in Alubarna within five days."
Robin gave a sly grin. "As you wish, my God~"
---
Meanwhile, in Katorea—rebel base…
"Kohza, the wells are dry again! How long must we wait?!"
"We can't strike yet…"
Kohza's voice was heavy with doubt. Though his father still had faith in the king, Kohza had become the de facto leader of the rebellion.
He had to think of his people.
But even if they succeeded, Alabasta was a World Government member. A coup would only make them enemies of the world. The Marines wouldn't allow it to stand.
Even victory meant eventual destruction.
Still… the people were desperate.
And time was running out.
---
To be continued…