"Who's there!"
Crocodile, hearing other voices, was startled. His Observation Haki hadn't detected anyone.
Some might say that Crocodile's Vivre Card doesn't mention Haki, but that only means he appeared too early.
P.S.: At that time, Haki hadn't even been conceptualized. The dog author here just set it so he can use it, after all, he did challenge Whitebeard, didn't he?
"Since you asked so sincerely!"
Zhong Chen suddenly materialized, striking Kojiro's standard pose, and said.
"Then I'll mercifully tell you!"
Rimuru also materialized, speaking to Crocodile.
"To prevent the world from being destroyed!"
"To protect the peace of the world!"
"For love and true evil!"
"The cute and charming villain!"
"Zhong Chen!"
"Rimuru!"
"White Hole, a white tomorrow awaits us!"
"That's how it is!"
Milim also materialized between Zhong Chen and Rimuru after finishing the last line.
Crocodile looked at the three posing figures with a black line on his face. Where did these clowns come from?
And those cloaks behind the three of them, why do they look so strange?
"Hmph! Unknown nobodies! Since you dared to show yourselves, then die!"
Crocodile fully demonstrated his 'man of few words, fierce actions' trait, directly manipulating sand to form a tornado that rapidly surged towards the three.
"Whoa! No martial ethics!"
Whoosh... Just as the tornado was about to reach Zhong Chen and the two others, a Goblin in a Security Force uniform instantly appeared before the tornado.
"Flash Step: Extreme Slash!"
The Goblin drew the long blade from his waist and unleashed a sword energy ten-odd meters long towards the tornado.
The collision of the sword energy and the tornado instantly caused the surrounding ground to become pockmarked.
Ultimately, the tornado couldn't withstand the sword energy, was split in two, and dissipated into the air as a gentle breeze.
Meanwhile, the sword energy continued to rapidly surge towards Crocodile.
"What!"
Seeing the incoming sword energy, a flicker of surprise flashed in Crocodile's eyes.
Although he hadn't used his full power, it wasn't something just anyone could block.
Furthermore, to be able to break through his attack, the person who came was definitely not a simple character.
Before Crocodile could think further, the sword energy had already reached him, but he didn't dodge at all.
With a whoosh, the sword energy passed through Crocodile's body and struck behind him.
Boom... Crocodile turned to look behind him, only to see that the wall had been cut through by the sword energy, forming a passage over a hundred meters long.
"Elementalization?"
The Goblin softly uttered a single sentence.
"Who exactly are you?"
Crocodile, seeing the scene behind him, looked gravely at the Goblin holding a sword and staring at him.
"Monster Country Federation, Academy City Security Force, Third Squad, Fifth Platoon Leader, Gobuta!"
"Pfft!"
Crocodile hadn't said anything upon hearing the Goblin's self-introduction, but Zhong Chen, standing behind Gobuta, couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Rimuru, when you named him, you weren't thinking of Kabuto, were you? Like Beetleborgs!"
"Hehe! I just couldn't think of a name, you know!"
Rimuru rubbed his head, sticking out his tongue, and said with an adorable expression.
"Impossible, a strong person like you is just a platoon leader? How could that be!"
Crocodile looked at Gobuta, who claimed to be a platoon leader, and shouted in disbelief.
[Eye of Identification!]
Gobuta
Loyalty: 100
Affection: 100
Abilities: Advanced Swordsmanship, Shadow Movement, Shadow Strike: Absolute Slash... Overall Strength Rating: A+
Crocodile
Loyalty: 0
Affection: -10
Abilities: Sand-Sand Fruit, Desert Spada, Elementalization... Overall Strength Rating: A+
[Good heavens, their strength is truly evenly matched!]
Zhong Chen exclaimed in his heart, looking at the two's strength.
"Even if you don't believe it, my identity is indeed a platoon leader!"
Gobuta looked at Crocodile with a speechless expression and spoke.
"Hmph! Even if your strength is indeed impressive, you alone cannot protect so many people here!"
Crocodile looked at Cobra, then at Zhong Chen and the two others, and threatened Gobuta with a gloomy expression.
"Hey there! My short temper!"
"Everyone from the Monster Country Federation, come out!!!"
Zhong Chen looked at Crocodile, who dared to threaten him; this was simply not taking him seriously!
As Zhong Chen's words fell, dense crowds suddenly appeared around them.
"Monster Country Federation, Third Squad, First Platoon reporting!"
"Monster Country Federation, Third Squad, Second Platoon reporting!"
..."Monster Country Federation, Third Squad, Fifth Platoon reporting!"
"Monster Country Federation, Tokiwadai Middle School, Third Year, Class 2 reporting!"
..."Third Year, Class 7 reporting!"
"Do-Nothing Organization member, Storm Dragon Veldora reporting!"
Hearing Veldora's voice, Zhong Chen finally remembered what he had forgotten.
"Veldora! Where on earth did you go, you fellow!"
"Ha! It was that Enju who told me that only those who survive buried in the desert for twenty-four hours are worthy of being called true men!"
Veldora looked resentfully at Aihara Enju, who was standing in front of the numerous lolis of Third Year, Class 2.
"Hehe! How was I supposed to know you'd actually believe it!"
Aihara Enju stuck out her tongue, tapped her little head with her right hand, and acted cute.
"Where did all you guys come from!"
Crocodile looked at the suddenly appearing crowd around him and shouted in horror.
If what Gobuta said earlier was true, then among these people, at least five would be on par with his strength.
Plus those members who clearly looked troublesome, he felt like he was in a bit of danger.
Just as Crocodile was thinking about how to escape, someone had already planned to sneak away.
"Oh my, where is this young lady trying to go!"
Zhong Chen looked at Nico Robin, who was trying to sneak away, and spoke with a playful expression.
"I..."
"Or should I call you the sole survivor of Ohara, Demon Child Nico Robin!"
Hearing Zhong Chen call out her name, Nico Robin trembled all over, and an uncontrollable look of fear appeared in her eyes.
"Are you people from the World Government?"
Hearing the words "World Government," a flicker of surprise flashed in Cobra's eyes, who had been playing the role of Jesus on the side.
The Alabasta royal family had never been particularly fond of the World Government, and the World Government also disliked the Nefertari family.
After all, eight hundred years ago, the Nefertari family refused to move into the Holy Land and gave up becoming Celestial Dragons.
So, among the Celestial Dragons, the Nefertari family had always been regarded as a family of traitors.
However, due to the Nefertari family also being one of the Twenty Kings of that era, they had never been able to directly eliminate them.
"Has the World Government finally lost its patience!"
Hearing Cobra's loud questioning, Zhong Chen frowned and said with a speechless expression:
"I say, old man, if it weren't for the fact that you're Vivi's father, I'd send you on a trip into the human emperor banner right now!"
"What kind of garbage is the World Government? Aren't you insulting me!"
"Listen up, I am the Regent of the Monster Country Federation, and an Honorary Director of Academy City!"
"Destroyer of Oni, Annihilator of the Dark World, Founder of the Do-Nothing Organization, First Sealer of the Blanket Fort..."
Everyone present, listening to Zhong Chen's introduction, couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat from their foreheads.
"The beginning was fine, but why does it get weirder and weirder towards the end! Is this Monster Country Federation really a legitimate country!!!"