As soon as Nami's words fell, even King Cobra and his ministers turned their expectant gazes toward her, waiting for an answer. If this mysterious man, Ayanami Kaito, was truly powerful, then perhaps he could defeat Crocodile—and save Alabasta from ruin.
Under the weight of everyone's stare, Nami and the rest of the Straw Hats fell silent. How could they admit that their captain, Luffy, wasn't even close to Kaito's level? After all, Luffy was still their leader. Saying it out loud would be humiliating.
"It's hard to compare," Sanji said, breaking the tense silence and sparing Nami the awkwardness.
"No comparison? What do you mean by that?" Vivi pressed, desperation lacing her tone. This was her homeland, they were talking about its salvation.
Nami hesitated. She knew Vivi wouldn't let it go, and finally, with a nervous swallow, she admitted softly, "Luffy… was defeated by Kaito in the past."
As soon as she said it, her cheeks turned red like ripe apples, embarrassment flooding her face. Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp instinctively lowered their heads, unwilling to meet anyone's eyes.
But Vivi and the others didn't notice. Their attention was locked on the calm figure floating high above the battlefield. Kaito hovered in the air effortlessly, the breeze tugging at his cloak. His expression was serene, his presence overwhelming yet refined—like a being that didn't belong to this world.
Vivi's lips parted slightly in awe. Her heart trembled.
"Kaito-sama! Please," she suddenly called out, dropping to her knees. Her hands clasped tightly as she pleaded, "Defeat Crocodile! Save my people! I beg you!"
"Vivi!" King Cobra's voice wavered with pain as he saw his daughter kneel before a stranger. "Stand up!"
"Princess Vivi…" Igaram whispered, his voice heavy with emotion. Kosha, Bell, and Chaka all looked at Kaito's figure with conflicted expressions.
Kaito frowned slightly. He had come here for one reason—the Eternal Pose that pointed to Gaya Island. He had no interest in meddling with others' affairs. He already knew Luffy would eventually handle Crocodile; this wasn't his fight.
But the sight of a proud princess kneeling for her people gave him pause. For a brief moment, her sincerity reached him.
After a short silence, Kaito spoke calmly, "Very well. But this is a trade. Give me the Eternal Pose to Gaya Island, and I'll take care of Crocodile."
"Agreed! As long as you defeat Crocodile, you can have anything you want!" Cobra replied, his voice filled with relief.
Kaito nodded once. "Deal."
Then, without another word, he vanished. One instant he stood before them, and in the next, he was gone, leaving behind only a faint ripple in the air.
Everyone froze in astonishment. They hadn't even seen how he disappeared.
Vivi's eyes widened, hope flickering within them. "He's… incredible," she whispered.
Zoro and Sanji exchanged a look of disbelief. They had once thought they could challenge Kaito after growing stronger in the Grand Line. Now they realized they couldn't even follow his movements. They both fell silent, their pride quietly crushed.
Amidst the ruins of Albana, Luffy stood panting heavily, his clothes torn and his face bruised. Crocodile towered before him, calm and cruel, a smirk curving his lips.
"Mugiwara," Crocodile sneered, grinding his cigar between his teeth. "I've grown tired of this little game. It's time to end it."
He pressed his right hand to the ground, his voice cold as desert steel. "Desert Requiem!"
Hum!
A wave of invisible force exploded outward, swallowing the battlefield within a hundred meters. In an instant, the ground began to decay—the sand turned brittle, the stone cracked, and entire buildings withered into dust. The air shimmered with heat and death.
Crack… Boom!
Walls collapsed like paper, crumbling into heaps of sand. Within seconds, the once grand plaza became nothing but a barren wasteland.
Crocodile raised his right arm, sand swirling into a massive crescent-shaped blade. With a sweep of his hand, it launched forward, dozens—no, hundreds—of slicing arcs filling the sky.
"What the—?!" Luffy gasped, dodging desperately as the whips of sand sliced through everything in their path. But this time, there were too many. The attacks were relentless, forming an entire storm of cutting sand that blotted out the light.
Even Luffy, agile as he was, couldn't evade them all. Each slash that brushed past drained the moisture from his skin, leaving faint, dry marks wherever they grazed.
"Damn it! How can this guy be so strong!" Luffy shouted, sweat dripping down his chin. His breathing grew ragged, his strength nearly spent.
Another crescent slash came at him—too fast, too close. He barely twisted aside, the edge slicing his arm and drawing blood. Pain flared through him.
"Not good…" he muttered through gritted teeth, staggering back. His body screamed for rest, but he refused to fall. Kneeling on one knee, he glared at Crocodile with fading determination. "Damn it… I can't lose… Vivi's country… depends on this…"
He bit his tongue to stay conscious, the metallic taste of blood keeping his mind awake. His vision blurred.
Then a voice cut through the chaos.
"Leave it to me. It's been days, and you're still this weak?"
Luffy's eyes widened. Before him stood Kaito, his silhouette framed against the dust-choked sky.
"Kaito…?" Luffy gasped weakly. "Then… please… defeat him…" His head fell forward, and he slumped into unconsciousness.
Kaito knelt, placing a hand on Luffy's shoulder. He closed his eyes briefly and sensed the energy inside him. So his vitality is recovering this fast… he mused. The bloodline of the D family truly is remarkable.
Far away, Crocodile exhaled a plume of smoke and narrowed his eyes, the sand swirling tighter around him. "So, Alabasta's got new backup?" he muttered.
Recognition flickered in his gaze. "That man… The one with a bounty of one hundred million."
He snorted derisively. "Hmph. If that fool Cobra thinks a pirate worth a hundred million can defeat me, he's even more naïve than I thought."
Crocodile's smirk widened as the desert wind howled around him. He had no idea that the man standing before him wasn't just another pirate—he was far beyond his reach.
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