Dressrosa.
Inside a dimly lit room.
Doflamingo and his executives watched a screen in front of them.
On the screen, there was a huge curtain, and six images were being displayed on it.
Of the six images, five were not particularly noticeable.
Only the first image, showing the laughing man, caught the attention of Doflamingo and his executives.
At the same time, besides the huge curtain, one could vaguely see the crowd surrounding it, and the blue-haired woman guarding below the huge curtain.
Around the woman, there was a circle of strange plants, blocking anyone who tried to approach.
Although the surrounding environment was not fully visible, a uniform and loud slogan could always be heard: "Down with Crocodile."
Watching this scene, Doflamingo couldn't help but laugh.
"Fufufufufu…"
"He's being denounced by all the citizens!"
"What did that sand user do to provoke the anger of the entire country?"
Diamante's gaze swept over all six images, and he couldn't help but wonder.
"Didn't Morgans, the president of that news agency, initially report that Straw Hat was challenging Crocodile? Why don't I see Straw Hat?"
Trebol, with snot hanging from his nose, laughed.
"Maybe he got scared and ran away!"
"Crocodile is a Shichibukai, just like Doffy. Not just anyone can challenge him!"
Pica said in a particularly high-pitched voice upon hearing this.
"I heard that Straw Hat is currently the most famous rookie, with an initial bounty as high as 60 million Berries."
"There are also rumors that someone, while eating at a restaurant in the East Blue, heard the chef there say he personally witnessed Straw Hat defeat Hawkeye, the world's greatest swordsman."
"I wonder if it's true or false?"
As Pica's voice fell, Doflamingo couldn't help but laugh again.
"Fufufufufu..."
"You believe such nonsense, Pica?"
"Who is that Hawkeye? Don't you know?"
"That guy is a man even I find troublesome. Defeated by a rookie from the East Blue?"
"Don't be ridiculous!"
"Fufufufufu..."
The other cadres also burst into laughter, making Pica quite embarrassed.
...
Holy Land Mariejois.
A huge conference room.
The Gorosei sat together, watching the live broadcast in front of them.
Saint Warcury, bald with a handlebar mustache and a birthmark on his forehead, listened to the constant slogans echoing from the video, frowning and saying in a deep voice.
"What do you all think about this matter?"
Saint Mars, with long, straight white hair and a beard, looked indifferent and said coldly.
"Crocodile is a pirate recognized by our World Government. Now he has provoked so much public anger, and the impact has spread throughout the world. This has caused our World Government to lose face."
Saint Satan, with curly hair, frowned and said in a deep voice.
"Indeed! Regardless of the outcome of this incident, we should consider replacing him in the Shichibukai."
The bald swordsman, Saint Nasujuro, asked.
"Then how should we deal with the current live broadcast? The negative impact caused by Crocodile has already spread worldwide."
Saint Pitte, with golden hair, said firmly.
"Before the broadcast is seen by more people, quickly contact the Marine currently in Alabasta and have them stop this broadcast."
...
A small island in the New World.
The sky was dark, and blades clashed.
Shanks was currently engaged in a heaven-shaking battle with Hawkeye.
At this moment, Benn Beckman suddenly intruded on their fight and said.
"Boss, there's a piece of news about Luffy."
Shanks and Hawkeye both stopped their attacks upon hearing this, their eyes showing interest.
"Oh?! What news?"
Shanks asked with a smile, then followed Beckman towards the interior of the island, with Hawkeye trailing behind them.
...
Totto Land.
Inside a huge room.
Charlotte Linlin, BigMom, was devouring sweets, making excited noises.
"Mama...Mama..."
Just then, Perospero pushed open the door and said.
"Mama, something interesting has happened."
...
At the same time, in Onigashima, Wano Country, on the Whitebeard Pirates' Moby Dick, almost all famous figures throughout the Grand Line were attracted by the widely publicized broadcast by Morgans.
They all paid close attention to this broadcast.
...
Alabasta.
Flower Shop Square.
While the crowd continued to shout "Down with Crocodile," Crocodile in the first frame gradually stopped laughing.
He looked at Cobra, who was now sitting on the ground, seemingly filled with regret and self-blame, and the disdain on his face grew even stronger.
Crocodile's lips suddenly curved upwards, his eyes filled with a strange playfulness, and he slowly said.
"Let me tell you one more thing, Cobra!"
Hearing Crocodile claim he had something else to tell him, Cobra immediately looked up in confusion, gazing at Crocodile, who now had an arrogant expression.
Then he saw Crocodile looking down at him with a smile in his eyes and a playful expression, saying.
"Didn't you always want to stop this war?"
"I will help you fulfill that wish."
Upon hearing Crocodile say this, Cobra and all the people of Alabasta watching the broadcast looked confused.
Wasn't Crocodile the one who started this war?
Why would he help stop the war?
Then they heard Crocodile continue.
"Alubarna's square, which is the very center of where the King's Army and Rebel Army are clashing..."
"At 4:30 PM, which is ten minutes from now, it will be bombarded by powerful shells."
"Those are special shells that can destroy everything within a five-kilometer radius!"
As soon as this was said, Cobra and all the citizens of Alabasta were shocked.
The King's Army and Rebel Army combined numbered several million people; if the bomb truly exploded, it would instantly wipe out millions of lives.
As everyone was in shock, Crocodile's smile became increasingly apparent, and he continued.
"At that time, this war will end in this grand bombardment.
"This country... will also usher in a new life, welcoming its new master!!"
"Guhahahahaha..."
Crocodile spread his arms, threw his head back, and laughed loudly, enjoying the pleasure of having everything under his control and toying with others at will.
Such a scene immediately caused screams of terror and wails of despair to erupt in the square.
"That devil... is he going to kill all the Rebel Army and King's Army?"
"A five-kilometer radius bomb?! If it really explodes, and all the Rebel Army and King's Army are wiped out, this country will fall into hell."
"No! My family is still in the Rebel Army, this bomb absolutely must not explode!"
"Quick! We must stop this explosion quickly!"
"Quickly contact anyone you know in Alubarna, tell them to stop the war quickly and prevent this explosion."
Someone in the crowd reminded them, and those who knew people in the Rebel Army or King's Army quickly took out their den den mushi to make contact.
But Smoker shook his head at this scene and said.
"It's useless! A war of millions of people, with fighting everywhere, who would have time to pay attention to a den den mushi?"
"This country... is probably finished!"
Just as Smoker was sighing.
"Purupurupuru..."
A den den mushi sound suddenly came from Tashigi.
"Colonel Smoker, it's too noisy here, I'll go outside the square first."
Tashigi said, then planned to leave the square to answer the call outside.
Smoker glanced at Tashigi, nodded, and then turned his gaze back to the video.
At this moment, Cobra in the screen suddenly stood up.
Crocodile was still laughing.
But he also noticed Cobra's movement, his gaze following his figure, and he laughed.
"What's wrong, Cobra?"
"You're not thinking of running back now to stop the explosion, are you?!"
"It's too late, no one can stop it."
"Whether it's the war or the explosion, no one can stop it!"
"Guhahahahaha..."
Crocodile laughed, then suddenly saw Cobra running towards a hidden corner.
This made Crocodile feel a sense of confusion.
The next second, he heard Cobra shouting anxiously towards that corner.
"Straw Hat!"
"Quickly contact Straw Hat!"
"Tell him to stop this explosion quickly!"
"Did you hear that, Straw Hat's companions!"
"Quickly... tell him to stop the explosion!!!"
"..."
As Cobra shouted loudly, Crocodile's world suddenly became quiet.
His mouth was open, maintaining a smiling expression, but he couldn't make any sound.
He stared blankly in Cobra's direction, his eyes filled with confusion.
Then, he composed himself and slowly walked over.
He pulled Cobra, who was blocking his way, aside and saw a den den mushi whose body was hidden, only its two eyes revealed, meeting his gaze.
In an instant, Crocodile seemed to be frozen in place, stunned.
And at the same time.
In the Flower Shop Square.
The crowd also grew quiet, everyone staring blankly at the screen, at the man who was equally stunned.
In their minds, Cobra's words just now echoed.
"What was His Majesty the King saying just now? Straw Hat?!"
"Why would His Majesty the King say to let Straw Hat stop this explosion?"
"Could it be that this broadcast was jointly arranged by His Majesty the King and Straw Hat? Are they working together against Crocodile?"
"Crocodile seems to not know about the broadcast!"
As the crowds discussed, Nojiko, upon hearing Cobra's words, quickly took out a den den mushi and contacted Luffy.
...
Dressrosa!
Doflamingo watched the stunned Crocodile on the screen and couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Fufufufu..."
"It looks like he's been played!"
"What a rare sight!"
"Someone actually played Crocodile for a fool. Was it Straw Hat?"
"Fufufufufu..."
After a burst of laughter, Doflamingo suddenly reined in his mirth, a smirk playing on his lips, his eyes gleaming with intense interest as he spoke.
"Things are getting interesting!"
...
Marineford.
Inside a room.
Sengoku and a group of high-ranking Marine officials were seated.
Everyone was staring at a video playing on the screen in front of them.
In the video, Crocodile was staring at the camera, his eyes unblinking, his emotions extremely complex, as if his world had suddenly crumbled. For a moment, he couldn't react, simply standing there like a statue, dazed.
Looking at this scene, Kizaru couldn't help but pout, his expression lewd as he said,
"Poor Crocodile! He looks like he came home to find his entire family dead..."
Upon hearing Kizaru's description, everyone present cast meaningful glances at him.
And Kizaru, too, read some meaning from the looks everyone gave him.
Sengoku: No one would think you were mute if you didn't speak!
Garp: Well said, hehe! Keep going!
Aokiji: It does seem quite similar.
Akainu: You talk too much!
...
Funeral Hall!
Crocodile stared blankly at the den den mushi.
For a moment, his brain seemed to lose the ability to think, unsure how to react.
Three years!
He had planned for this moment for a full three years.
From the initial Dance Powder incident to gradually engulfing cities with sandstorms, slowly causing the citizens to lose patience with the King.
And now, activating the final plan, completely igniting the war.
He watched as his goal, after three years of secret plotting, finally reached its climax.
The information on Pluton was about to be deciphered, and the takeover of the country was imminent.
But the result...
This video den den mushi appeared.
This suddenly appearing small snail struck Crocodile like lightning, as if his soul had been ripped from his body. He stood there like a walking corpse.
He knew in his heart that the words he had just spoken must have been recorded and broadcast.
247 Perhaps countless people were now in front of the camera, watching him stand there looking foolish and dazed.
His three-year plan had, at this moment, utterly collapsed.
Crocodile's mouth suddenly twitched.
"Guh..."
"Guha..."
"Guhahahahaha..."
Crocodile suddenly let out a maniacal laugh, looking utterly insane.
This scene made everyone in Flower Shop Square tremble with fear, and countless viewers watching the live broadcast worldwide were also terrified by Crocodile's laughter and appearance.
At this moment, Crocodile looked like the calm before a storm, as if in the next second, he would transform into a terrifying devil.
And just as everyone felt.
The maniacally laughing Crocodile suddenly stopped, abruptly turning his head to look at Cobra.
In an instant, Cobra and countless viewers worldwide felt a jolt, their eyes filled with infinite horror and dread.
At this moment, Crocodile's face was ferocious, his brows furrowed as if they would merge, the cigar in his mouth snapped with a "crunch," his teeth grinding loudly, the muscles in his face twitching uncontrollably, and the fury in his eyes seemed to want to tear people apart. His entire being exuded an aura that made people incredibly fearful and intimidated.
Then, everyone watched as Crocodile maintained this appearance, staring intently at Cobra, speaking word by word in an extremely low voice.
"Who... did this?"
"Was it you... or Straw Hat?"
Crocodile's voice was so low it felt suffocating, and the look in his eyes at Cobra was murderous, making people dare not meet his gaze.
Facing Crocodile's interrogation, Cobra's eyes held fear, but he still gritted his teeth and said,
"It was me!"
Crocodile saw through Cobra's lie at a glance, curled his lip, snorted coldly, and said in a low voice,
"Hmph! Boring!"
With that, he casually waved his hand, and a sand blade shot out from his hand, leaving a shocking wound across Cobra's chest.
"Ah..."
Blood spurted, Cobra screamed, and fell to the ground, unable to get up.
Crocodile didn't even blink, then shifted his gaze to the den den mushi, looking at the camera, and said in a deep voice, word by word,
"Straw Hat, you... have pissed me off!"
"Hurry!"
"Hurry and come here!"
"I can't hold back... my anger any longer!!!"
When Crocodile spoke the last sentence, it was like a beast's low growl, extremely chilling.
This scene sent another shiver down the spines of everyone in front of the camera.
At the same time, Luffy held the den den mushi connecting him to Nojiko, and Crocodile's voice also reached his ears through the den den mushi.
Listening to Crocodile's enraged voice, Luffy's eyes also burned with anger.
The seeds of their battle had been sown back at Whiskey Peak.
As Luffy was thinking, Vivi suddenly cried out excitedly.
"We're here!"