Chapter 78: Sand? I Can Do That Too [Third Update]

Inside the grand hall of the royal palace, four bodies lay in pools of blood, the thick stench of iron saturating the air.

Shu Mingyuan walked over to Bell, the deputy captain of the royal guard, whose fate was equally tragic. Members of the Baroque Works had beaten him within an inch of his life, so many of his bones shattered that it was impossible to say how many had survived intact.

“Hah… Thank you, sir, for saving my life,” Bell managed to sit up and speak, his gaze toward Shu Mingyuan filled with awe. To Bell, the Baroque Works was terrifyingly powerful, yet this young man had suppressed them with ease—the level of his strength was simply unimaginable.

Shu Mingyuan nodded impassively and cast a healing spell, tending to Bell’s internal injuries.

“May I ask, sir, do you know who these people are?”

Bell inquired, still bewildered by the events. He couldn’t fathom why the king had suddenly been replaced, and by someone who was neither man nor woman.

“It’s a long story. All you need to know is that they are under Crocodile’s command, and Crocodile is the mastermind behind this war,” Shu Mingyuan replied coolly.

“That’s impossible… Then where is the real king?”

“Most likely in Crocodile’s hands right now.”

“Well then, I must go look for Vivi. The war has already begun. If you’re not dead, get yourself to the front lines and prepare for battle.” Shu Mingyuan strode toward the gate, then suddenly turned back at the threshold. “Almost forgot to mention: the royal army is now under attack from three sides.”

Bell scrambled up from the floor, rallied the soldiers, and hurried toward the front.

Shu Mingyuan wandered the palace, unable to find any trace of Crocodile. He chuckled, remembering a certain place, and set off toward the mausoleum to the west of the palace.

If his guess was right, Crocodile—one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea—had gone searching for the Pluton. And the historical record containing information about Pluton was hidden in the mausoleum, the resting place of Alabasta’s royal lineage.

…

“Haha, so this is the historical text? The information I need about Pluton is hidden here, isn’t it? Nico Robin, tell me everything written here, word for word!” Crocodile’s voice was cold and menacing.

“All that’s written here is the history of this kingdom, Mr. Crocodile. Are you truly interested?” Nico Robin asked, puzzled.

“I’ve plotted for three years, and I have no interest at all in the history of this country. Tell me—where is the most evil weapon hidden within this land?” Crocodile roared.

“But… There really isn’t anything here. Apart from history, not a single word mentions the so-called ancient weapon—Pluton!”

“Is that so? How unfortunate. In that case, I’ll have to kill you here.”

…

“Lord Shu Mingyuan, what are you doing here? Weren’t you…” Vivi appeared in the western wing of the palace. She had been frantically searching for her father, but after scouring every corner, only the mausoleum remained unexplored.

The young man shrugged. “Everything’s dealt with, so I’m just wandering.”

Vivi’s heart skipped a beat—those were the four highest-ranking officers of the Baroque Works, and it had all ended so quickly. Not a single wound marred him. But remembering that he could suppress even Crocodile, she relaxed. After all, monsters could only be expected to do monstrous things.

“Right. You should return and lead the royal army—the front lines need you. As for the king, I think I know where he is. If nothing unexpected happens, he should still be alive,” Shu Mingyuan said quietly.

Vivi pondered for a moment, then ran toward the main gate of the palace.

She crossed the avenue of tombs. At its end, a section of flooring was pulled up by chains, revealing a hidden, shadowy staircase.

“So it’s here,” Shu Mingyuan murmured, stepping down.

He descended the shadowed stairs and arrived in a vast, ancient crypt, where generations of Alabasta’s kings had been laid to rest. Humming softly, Shu Mingyuan walked to its far end and pushed open a massive door.

Beyond the door, another staircase led to an isolated stone chamber. Three figures gradually emerged into Shu Mingyuan’s view.

Crocodile gripped Nico Robin’s throat. A fierce sword flash sailed through the air, severing his arm. The detached limb turned to sand and instantly reformed. Crocodile stared in the direction the sword flash had come from; his pupils shrank.

“You, brat? Where are Mr. 1 and the others?” Crocodile demanded harshly.

“Of course… I killed them all,” Shu Mingyuan grinned, flashing white teeth.

“You… damn you! In that case, I’ll deal with you first.” Crocodile sneered, his arm transforming into a sand blade that slashed viciously at Shu Mingyuan.

“Desert Spada!”

At such density, sand possessed terrifying cutting power. The ground split, a deep gash streaking toward Shu Mingyuan.

“The same move won’t work on me,” Shu Mingyuan laughed, shaking his head, and swung his Thunder Spear. A pale blue sword flash, three meters long, collided with the sand blade; sand billowed, then both attacks vanished.

“That strike…” Crocodile pressed hard against Shu Mingyuan’s Thunder Spear. The brat not only knew the Navy’s Six Powers and Haki, but now possessed potent sword techniques—and rumor had it he wielded all sorts of strange abilities. Ever since this boy appeared, the unease in Crocodile’s heart had grown stronger.

“Crocodile, there’s not enough sand here for you to beat me. Do you believe it?” Shu Mingyuan taunted, “No, even if there were endless sand, you’re destined to lose.”

“On the strength of your half-baked Haki?” Crocodile, cigar clamped between his teeth, looked down on him.

“Kid, you haven’t seen how terrifying I truly am. My power fears no Haki user. In this desert kingdom, I am god!”

“Erosion Cycle!”

His massive cloak billowed behind him as he pressed one hand to the ground. Instantly, all the rock nearby seemed to age and decay by countless millennia, turning to fine sand in moments. It was a unique domain—wherever his power extended, everything became sand.

The area of sandification expanded rapidly within the crypt. Huge stone pillars, surrounding tombs, even the domed ceiling above—everything except the indestructible historical text—was reduced to fine sand.

All the sand gathered to Crocodile. Standing amid the swirling grit, he seemed the very incarnation of a god.

“Ghost Hunter Monkey D. Shu Mingyuan, do you see? This is my true power! To kill you is mere child’s play!” Crocodile laughed wildly.

“Heh.” Shu Mingyuan brushed the sand from his clothes and chuckled.

“Sand, huh? I know how to use it too…”

ps: [Had a fight with my wife today, almost broke up. I didn’t want to update, just couldn’t get into the mood, felt terrible. But a few readers kept urging me, so I wrote this chapter anyway. Please read it for now—tomorrow, maybe, two chapters.]