"Don't be surprised, Miss Robin. The Marines are divided into many factions. The justice I uphold is the Burning Justice that incinerates all evil. I would never assist evil deeds!"
Ivan emphasized the word "all," which convinced Robin that he was not one of those rigid Marines.
Faced with Ivan's invitation, Robin did not give an immediate answer. Instead, she cautiously replied, "Vice Admiral Ivan, you're different from ordinary Marines. It's too early to discuss this now. Let's talk after you've met my boss."
Since the destruction of Ohara, her life no longer belonged solely to herself—it carried the legacy of the many scholars who had died tragically at Ohara.
Therefore, she had to survive, continue deciphering the Poneglyphs, and uncover the history of the Void Century!
Ivan understood this and did not press further. Soon, they arrived at the VIP area.
Over the years in Rainbase, Crocodile had invested immense effort into Rain Dinners, making it the most famous casino in Alabasta.
The first floor's decor was already far more extravagant than that of an ordinary casino, and the VIP area was even more so, giving Ivan the illusion of being back on Gran Tesoro.
There were few guests in the VIP area, most of whom were nobles from different regions, along with a small number of wealthy merchants.
Ivan even spotted a king wearing a golden crown in the central area.
Robin did not stop there. She pushed open the door to a private room and led the group inside.
Upon entering the room, a tall man with slicked-back hair and a cigar in his mouth appeared before Ivan and the others.
At the same time, this tall, slicked-back man exuded an overwhelming sense of pressure on everyone except Ivan.
This man was one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea—Sand Crocodile Crocodile!
Ivan casually pulled out a chair, sat down opposite Crocodile, picked up a plate of senbei, and began eating. "Crocodile, why did you ask me to come here?"
Crocodile took a deep drag from his cigar. His icy gaze pierced through the smoke, carrying a bone-chilling killing intent as it locked onto Ivan:
"Vice Admiral Ivan, after winning tens of millions of Berries, you should leave. Otherwise, some greedy individuals might not only lose their Berries but also their lives here at Rain Dinners!"
Ivan nodded in agreement. "That's right. Some people should be content with a little power. If they become too greedy, they might not even be able to keep their lives. Don't you think so, Sand Crocodile?"
Crocodile's pupils suddenly contracted. After learning that Princess Vivi was traveling with Ivan, he had a bad premonition, and now it had come true!
Clearly, Ivan was aware of his plan. Did the higher-ups in the Marines know? And what was their stance?
If the Marine higher-ups intervened, his plan to overthrow the kingdom would be impossible to succeed!
But even if the Marine higher-ups knew, Crocodile could not abandon his plan.
His main goal was not the weakened kingdom of Alabasta but the Ancient Weapon Pluto buried deep within the desert!
With Pluton, he could take revenge on Whitebeard and greatly expand his own influence. Perhaps he could even become the new Pirate King in the future!
How could Crocodile possibly resist such temptation?
His eyes lowered slightly, the killing intent in his heart already boiling over. No longer concealing it, he laid his cards on the table:
"Rear Admiral Ivan, if I were you, I'd crawl out of Alabasta right now. The waters here run too deep—it's not something a mere rear admiral like you can meddle in!
If you harbor any misguided ideas, you'll likely end up buried here!"
"Buried here?" Ivan sneered. "Who could kill me? You? Just a Sand Crocodile who's lost its claws and fangs. It's not like I can't handle a Seven Warlord!"
"You arrogant brat, how dare you compare me to trash like Hana-Fuda?!"
"Shut up. Right now, in my capacity as a Marine rear admiral, I suspect you of involvement in a plot to overthrow the kingdom. Surrender quietly, or I won't mind beating what little brains you have right out of your skull!"
"Heh heh heh, the Marines?" Crocodile let out a disdainful chuckle. He abruptly stood up, the killing intent in his eyes no longer hidden. "Brat, let me teach you what the most important thing on the seas is—it's power! Desert Sunflower—"
Boom!
Just as Crocodile was about to strike, a massive hand suddenly filled his entire field of vision. Immediately after, a terrifying force pressed against his face, slamming him through the wall of Rain Dinners and sending him flying like a meteor out of Rainbase!
Soon, an impact even louder than the previous one rang out. In the desert outside Rainbase, countless grains of sand were compressed by an immense force, shooting skyward and forming a sunflower blooming in the desert!
But this wasn't Crocodile's technique—it was Ivan's doing!
Standing by the hole in the wall, Robin covered her mouth in shock, gazing into the distance at the magnificent Desert Sunflower and murmuring to herself, "How is he this strong? Isn't he just a Marine rear admiral?"
Nami placed her hands on her hips, accentuating her already slender waist even further:
"That's Ivan for you. He never lets us down! Miss Robin, I don't know why Ivan wants to recruit you, but you should agree. After all, Ivan is someone truly worth trusting!"
Robin fell into thought. At this moment, she was genuinely tempted by Ivan's invitation!
In the distant desert, Crocodile transformed his body into a swirling mass of yellow sand, breaking free from Ivan's grip.
Blood now seeped from his forehead, staining one of his eyes crimson.
The wound at his temple continued to bleed, the vivid red obscuring one side of his vision—a shocking sight.
He raised a hand to touch his bloodied cheek, and when he caught sight of the glaring scarlet on his fingertips, his knuckles turned white with fury. He growled through gritted teeth, "Damn it, it's Armament Haki!"
Ivan, hands in his pockets, leaped out of the desert crater and hovered in mid-air, his deep eyes looking down at Crocodile. "Well, Sand Crocodile, do I have the qualifications to stop your plans now?"
"Damn brat, don't get cocky!" Sand Crocodile was instantly enraged. "In the desert, I am the invincible Sand Crocodile! Sandstorm!"
Crocodile raised his palm, and a rapidly spinning desert tornado quickly formed.
Then, he hurled the desert tornado toward Ivan, sending it sweeping forward. Every tiny gust within it seemed to slice through everything like a blade.
Facing this attack, Ivan drew Snowfall, the blade instantly covered in flowing water: "One Sword Style Azure Water Breathing Land Form Twisting Vortex!"
The water rapidly rotated, actually forming a massive tornado on the arid desert.
The water tornado collided with the desert tornado, the two continuously canceling each other out. The sand within the desert tornado gradually became soaked, losing momentum and falling to the ground.
In the end, the water tornado undoubtedly gained the upper hand, easily shattering the desert tornado!
Even the well-traveled Crocodile had never seen such a sight. He exclaimed in shock, "How is this possible? It's actually a swordsmanship that manipulates water!"