Thunder rolled violently across the skies of Nanohana, echoing through the desert city.
"Hey, hey—haven't they finished yet?"
"Didn't the rumors say he could end pirates in less than a minute?"
"Maybe they're up against someone strong!"
The spectators of Nanohana, who had gathered in excitement, began to sense something was wrong. Panic spread through the crowd as they retreated from the scene.
None of them noticed that the thunderclouds—previously dispersed—were once again swirling together under the influence of the Magical Clima-Tact.
Faster… hurry up!
On the rooftop of a residential building, Nami took aim with her staff and fired a Weather Egg into the sky.
Back to where you belong, little thundercloud!
The egg cracked open midair, releasing a bundle of storm clouds that merged seamlessly with the growing mass above.
The sky darkened instantly—as if the heavens themselves had awoken, frowning down at the disturbance below.
Then came the wind. Furious gales whipped through the clouds, twisting them into violent motion.
Positive and negative charges clashed wildly, producing countless streaks of lightning that slithered like silver serpents within the storm.
Moisture condensed rapidly, forming fine sheets of rain that began to fall across the city—not as torrential as before, but heavy enough to drench the streets.
Nami's interference had diverted most of the power toward lightning generation instead of rainfall—a feat only she could accomplish.
Sensing the unnatural shift in weather, the townsfolk quickly vanished indoors.
Meanwhile, within the sandstorm-shrouded tower, Crocodile frowned. Descending to the first floor of the hall, he glanced outside, his instincts prickling.
Something was wrong. The sandstorm he'd conjured was faltering. The barrier he'd raised to seal the battlefield wouldn't last much longer.
Whooosh—whooosh—
A strange sound echoed. Crocodile narrowed his eyes, looking up. Footsteps approached from above—steady, deliberate.
Then, through the gaping hole in the ceiling, a figure appeared—an angel clad in shining light armor, hovering in midair.
The radiant armor was scarred and dented, grains of sand embedded in the gaps.Golden flames licked along its seams, illuminating the hall like divine fire.
"You're testing me?"
Ren descended slowly, holding a sphere of crackling lightning in his palm, his cold gaze locked on Crocodile below.
He knew this man's ability well. That was why he'd combined the powers of the First Calabash Brother and the Fire Calabash—his Triple-Layer Armor would prevent any contact-based moisture absorption and offer other layered defenses besides.
Even so, the fact that it had lasted this long was unexpected.
"Or…" His voice was calm, yet cutting. "Are you afraid?"
The four-winged angel looked down like a judge addressing a sinner, towering above the so-called king of the desert.
"Heh… hahahaha!" Crocodile's laugh was low and mocking. "Don't get cocky, brat.
You think you've earned my respect just because you survived that attack?
But fine, I'll at least let you tell me your name—so I know what to carve on your gravestone."
Despite his words, Crocodile wasn't as dismissive as he pretended. When facing a worthy opponent, he usually tossed out an hourglass, giving them three minutes to struggle before their inevitable end.
But this one—This one made him uneasy.
Someone like Nico Robin wouldn't submit to a weakling. And he'd seen that sudden burst of seawater earlier—enough to make even the master of the desert wary.
"My name?" Ren's tone was almost bored. "I suppose I don't really have one. But the Marines seem to like calling me—Demon Ren."
He could already feel the pressure in the atmosphere building. The storm above was almost ready to strike.
"Demon Ren?" Crocodile's brow twitched. "Ah… so it was that time, huh?
Then tell me, how did you make a woman like Robin obey you?
Answer honestly, and I'll grant you a painless death.
Don't delude yourself into thinking you can win. Even if we've both lost to a Yonko, the gap between us is vast."
Still scheming, still probing. Crocodile's eyes never left Ren, desperate to learn the secret behind Robin's betrayal.
"Since you're asking so sincerely," Ren said lazily, "I'll be merciful enough to tell you—
I simply gave her what she wanted. Something you never could."
Both men were buying time. Ren waited for the storm. Crocodile waited for answers.
The false calm between them was fragile as glass.
Then came the crack of thunder. The sandstorm outside shattered completely as rain mixed with sand, dissolving its form.
At that moment—
"…So, she's waiting for—"
Ren's tone never changed, but the faintest spark danced in his eyes.
He triggered the Electrocution Mark.
The gray-black sky above the tower trembled—then split open as a thunderbolt, thick as a tree trunk, descended like a dragon!
BOOM!!!
Light struck before sound.Blinding lightning consumed Crocodile's position, vaporizing everything within reach.
A crater three meters deep and eight wide appeared where he stood.
Ren's cold voice drifted through the air.
"I was waiting for the thunder. What were you waiting for?"
He looked down with a victor's smirk—only for his eyes to narrow in genuine surprise.
Crocodile reemerged from the haze, unscathed.
"Heh. As expected from an East Blue brat. You still don't understand how different our worlds are."
Crocodile's grin widened, sharp and cruel. "Strange, isn't it? Why didn't that decisive strike work?
That's because you're too ignorant to comprehend the vastness of this world.
Among Devil Fruits, there are three types—Logia, Paramecia, Zoan.
And I… am a Logia user."
He spread his arms, the air around him shifting into swirling grains of sand.
"You can feel it, can't you? Lightning, fire—it doesn't matter. None of it can hurt me.
That's the difference between us. A gap you can never cross.
Before a Logia user, you're nothing but prey!"
As he spoke, his right hand dissolved into flowing sand.
"Desert Spada!"
A crescent arc of sand lashed out like a blade, slicing through the air at terrifying speed. Anything it touched crumbled into dust—its destructive power was far more than simple dehydration.
Ren's hand tightened around the Thunder Spirit, his senses catching faint electric interference within the sand blade—static fields, charged particles… something beyond his comprehension.
A technique blending wind, sand, and electrical manipulation—a strike born for destruction.
Golden fire gathered beneath his feet, ignited by the Glory Armor's heat. The air expanded violently—
BOOM!
Ren vanished in a flash, narrowly evading the sand blade before an explosion ripped through the tower.
CRASH!!
The Desert Spada split the entire hotel ruins in half, sending debris flying hundreds of meters.One half of the building collapsed instantly; the other stood barely intact.
And then—footsteps.
"Boss, are we starting the fight early?"
Zoro, his green bandana already tied, stepped into view, recognizing the winged figure immediately.
"That one's the boss, huh? Then the other… Crocodile? He just walked into his own execution!"
Zala swayed her hips as she appeared, eyeing the darkening expression on Crocodile's face.
Behind them came Mikita, umbrella in hand, followed by Bonney.
Mikita covered her mouth, laughing mockingly. "Well, well. I thought our boss was in trouble, but it's just you, old lizard.
Looks like we can save ourselves the trouble and take out Baroque Works' biggest pest right now!"
Bonney said nothing, her face tense.
"Another unexpected twist," came a slow voice—Galdino, fully equipped in his wax armor, stepped forward.
There was no sign of Marianne.
Clearly, the noise had drawn back every Baroque Works agent in the area.
"Where's Mr. 2?" Galdino muttered, frowning. Then shrugged. "Forget it. That nutjob's probably dancing somewhere."
But none of that mattered now.
The Boss was here.
Even knowing how much stronger he was than them, every agent still wanted to show loyalty. After all, nearly all of Baroque Works' senior members had gathered in one place.
"Seems like it's going to be many versus one," Ren said with a faint smile.
He looked at Crocodile with mocking calm. "Daring to oppose our Baroque Works, are you?
Even if you're Alabasta's hero, Crocodile—you don't stand a chance."
"...You damn traitors!"
Crocodile's jaw tightened, teeth grinding audibly. Every one of these people—his former subordinates—stood on the opposite side.
He'd been the one who built this organization, who gave the orders, who found and recruited them all. And now, every one of them sided with Ren.
All because of that woman—Robin.
His expression twisted with fury and despair. Then he began to laugh—a low, broken sound, dripping with venom.
"Fine. Fine! Then you'll all vanish together! I'll rebuild my order from the ground up!"
With a snarl, Crocodile slammed his right hand into the ground.
"Desert Girasole!"
The floor cracked open, sand swirling like a whirlpool as the ground collapsed.Everything—stone, debris, foundation—was swallowed by a rising sea of sand.
The entire hotel and surrounding area began to sink into a vast quicksand field.
"Whoa—quicksand?!"
"That guy's Devil Fruit Ability!"
The smooth, flowing ground offered no foothold. Everyone began to sink. If they didn't act fast, they'd be devoured completely.
"I'll handle this!"
Galdino's face hardened. The number 3 on his head flared as a candle flame ignited—
(End of Chapter)