Chapter Seventy: Sand Crocodile, Crocodile [First Update]

It was as if a bolt of lightning had split the heavens and earth. The thunder spear in Shu Mingyuan’s hand slowly dissipated, and then, from the neck of the Saint Dora Giant Lizard, a crimson line of blood spurted forth. The line gradually lengthened, spreading across its entire throat.

Under Vivi’s horrified gaze, the enormous head of the Saint Dora Giant Lizard began to slip from its neck, finally thudding heavily onto the sand. Blood gushed from its body like a raging river, dyeing the vast stretches of sand a deep red.

This monstrous killer, as large as a hill, had been beheaded by him in a single stroke!

“This… this…”

Vivi and Karoo Duck stood frozen in place—such power was simply monstrous!

“If I remember right, this thing was edible in the original story, wasn’t it? Supposedly tastes pretty good, too.” Shu Mingyuan muttered to himself. The thunder spear reappeared in his hand; he sliced a large piece of thigh meat from the creature, stripped away the scaly hide, and was left with pure, lean flesh. Flames formed from chakra rose and cooked the meat to perfection. He tore off a piece, popped it into his mouth, and, after a few chews, found the taste quite satisfactory.

“Here, have a bite. Otherwise, you won’t have the strength to continue. The road to Cattleya is still a long one.” Shu Mingyuan tore off a generous chunk and handed it to her. After the two of them and the duck had eaten their fill and rested for a while, they set off again.

As dawn began to break, the two finally neared the port, the fresh scent of sea breeze mingling with the air, bringing a long-lost sense of refreshment.

Suddenly, a silhouette appeared up ahead, standing quietly at a short distance. Yet the sand around him seemed to drift toward him of its own accord, as if he were the very emperor of this desert.

Karoo Duck hastily came to a halt; from the man radiated a formless pressure, a force far more oppressive than that of the Saint Dora Giant Lizard.

When they got a clear look at the figure, Vivi felt as if she could barely breathe. Trembling, she clapped a hand over her mouth, her face a mask of disbelief, “Mr. 0—Sand Crocodile, Crocodile!”

Shu Mingyuan poked his head from behind Vivi, caught sight of the man, then leapt nimbly from Karoo Duck’s back, stepping in front of Vivi. Instantly, that suffocating pressure disappeared.

This man stood nearly three meters tall, a horizontal scar slashing across his face, a black fur coat draped over his shoulders, and a thick cigar clenched between his teeth. Such a figure could only be one person in the world of pirates.

The Logia Sand-Sand Fruit user—Sir Crocodile!

“Gwahaha! So it’s you—a distinguished guest from Alabasta. I suppose you’re the one who took care of those two idiots, Mr. 5 and his partner?” From the moment Shu Mingyuan had stepped forward, Crocodile’s attention had been locked on him, and the surrounding pressure grew even heavier.

Shu Mingyuan remained calm, shrugging lightly in tacit acknowledgment.

A flicker of surprise passed through Crocodile’s eyes, but in the next instant, the oppressive aura that had filled the air faded away.

“If those two fools failed to recognize you, they have only themselves to blame for courting death. But what brings a person of your stature to Alabasta so suddenly? I received word that you were elsewhere only four days ago. Had I known you were coming, I would have prepared a proper welcome, to show my hospitality.”

As Crocodile spoke, Vivi’s heart was in turmoil. In front of this young man, Crocodile had entirely set aside the airs of a Warlord of the Sea, even treating Shu Mingyuan as an equal.

Who was this boy, to make a Warlord like Crocodile act with such caution?

Seeing that Shu Mingyuan was ignoring him, Crocodile smiled with a gentleman’s poise and said slowly, “Why don’t we wait until I take control of this country? Then I’ll host a feast in your honor. I trust a man of your caliber has no interest in such mundane concerns.”

“If you agree, I’ll be taking Princess Vivi with me for now. When my plans succeed, I’ll throw you a proper banquet.”

Vivi took two steps back, realizing these two clearly knew each other. One a fugitive, the other a pirate, both mighty in their own right—surely this young man wouldn’t risk everything for her and make an enemy of a Warlord. It seemed all too likely he would hand her over, weighing the odds in his favor.

Crocodile noticed Vivi’s small retreat, took a deep drag of his cigar, and said evenly, “It seems Her Highness doesn’t know this man’s true identity. Allow me to enlighten you: he’s the one who recently broke out of Impel Down, the one whose escape shook the world—a notorious criminal.”

Vivi’s heart trembled. No wonder his prison uniform had seemed so familiar. As a member of the Alabasta royal family, she’d seen photos of Impel Down prisoners more than once. So young, so powerful—she should have known he couldn’t be an ordinary person.

“Heh…” Shu Mingyuan flashed a radiant smile, then suddenly grasped Vivi’s hand.

Vivi’s hope faded; she didn’t resist. Any struggle before these two would be futile.

Bitterly, she thought, “Just as I feared. In the end, this boy has made his choice—he’s handing me over.”

“What resolve you have. Alabasta’s Utopia will always welcome you…” Crocodile began.

“And what if I say no?” Shu Mingyuan’s voice overlapped his, and in that instant, the expressions of all three changed.

That perpetual calm, even slightly mocking look remained on Shu Mingyuan’s face; Crocodile was stunned; Vivi’s face was one of utter disbelief.

“He actually… refused!”

Crocodile’s eyes grew cold, his tone heavy. “Have you really thought this through? Is it worth making an enemy of me for a woman? Once I seize this country, you’ll be able to choose any beauty you like.”

Shu Mingyuan’s mocking smile deepened. “Whether it’s worth it or not isn’t for you to decide. Crocodile, don’t think I don’t know your true intentions. On the surface, you’re after this country’s power, but in reality, you’re after that ancient weapon that could shake the world, aren’t you?”

A glimmer of murderous intent flashed in Crocodile’s eyes, but he quickly suppressed it.

He laughed heartily, “Though I don’t know how you discovered my secret, since you’ve guessed it I won’t bother to hide it. You’re right—I’m after Pluton. With it, I’ll have the power to challenge the world, to stand at its very peak! You and I, together, could seize it all. When the time comes, the world will be ours—treasure, power, women, all at your command. What do you say to that arrangement?”

Shu Mingyuan chuckled lightly. “Crocodile, perhaps you’ve misunderstood one thing: I have no interest in Pluton whatsoever. So your temptations mean nothing to me.”