Rain Dinners, Crocodile's headquarters.
"Tell me, why did they come to Alabasta, and Mr. 1 and the others are nowhere to be found?"
Crocodile's voice was low and icy. He gripped Nico Robin's neck tightly, lifting her into the air.
His eyes burned with rage, and veins bulged on his skin, showing his extreme irritation.
The news of Yun Lie's party entering Alabasta reached Crocodile's ears immediately.
However, Mr. 1 and the others he had sent out on a mission had vanished without a trace, like stones sinking into the sea. Their fate seemed self-evident.
"Boss, it's an accident, this is an accident."
Nico Robin managed to squeeze out a few words, a small amount of air struggling into her lungs.
Her face was flushed from lack of oxygen, but she still tried to remain calm.
She knew very well that the enraged Crocodile did not truly intend to take her life—she still had irreplaceable value to him.
"Useless. In three days, I want to see their corpses."
Crocodile irritably flung Nico Robin to the ground. His cigar flickered between his fingers as he turned and left.
Nico Robin slowly propped herself up, her slender fingers wiping away the blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.
Her face was unperturbed, only her eyes swirled with endless coldness, like a bottomless cold pond: "You forced my hand, Crocodile (Sand Crocodile)."
As her words fell, the air itself seemed to condense with bone-chilling cold.
........
The next day, the Spider Cafe was filled with the rich aroma of coffee, and the warm yellow light illuminated the interior, making it cozy and tranquil.
A woman with long, wavy blue hair was meticulously wiping cups, her movements gentle and elegant.
"Smack!"
The cafe's front door was violently flung open, the harsh sound shattering the indoor serenity.
"Oh? Why is this young man so impulsive? Such a temper, does big sister need to help you cool down?"
Ms. Double Finger was about to lose her temper, but the moment she glimpsed the newcomer, her tone suddenly became alluring, and her eyes, as they shifted, were full of seductive meaning.
The newcomer was Yun Lie.
Previously, information given by a kind passerby, like a beacon in the darkness, guided him to rush all the way here.
"Truly a slut, but unfortunately, I'm not interested in public transportation." Yun Lie's eyes were cold, his words like knives.
In an instant, he had flashed before Ms. Double Finger and uttered a low growl: "Banish."
A silvery-white sphere suddenly appeared, instantly enveloping the unsuspecting Ms. Double Finger. The next second, she vanished from her spot, banished to an endless, void-like alternate dimension.
The alternate dimension was empty and eerily silent. Although she wouldn't suffer any actual harm, it was enough to plunge anyone into deep fear.
Ms. Double Finger was terrified, frantically activating her Thorn-Thorn Fruit ability. Countless thorns shot out like venomous snakes in all directions, but it was like falling into quicksand; all was futile.
Yun Lie didn't hesitate, turning and striding out of the cafe, his gaze fixed on his next target.
By evening, Yun Lie felt the three Devil Fruits newly acquired in his space, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously curved upward, his heart filled with joy.
The Paramecia Thorn-Thorn Fruit, the Paramecia Slip-Slip Fruit, and the Zoan Turtle-Turtle Fruit: Green-Haired Turtle Form—each fruit was his "trophy" of the day.
And all of this was thanks to that crucial information, which allowed him to precisely destroy dozens of Baroque Works' strongholds in Alabasta, almost wiping out all of Crocodile's Devil Fruit users.
"Buruburu."
The Den Den Mushi suddenly rang.
"Mr. Yun Lie's speed is truly impressive, isn't it?" Nico Robin's intellectual and alluring voice came from the Den Den Mushi, carrying a hint of a subtle smile.
"Whether my speed is fast or not, do you want to try?" Yun Lie's lips curved into a mischievous smile, his words full of teasing.
On the other end of the line, Nico Robin's face instantly flushed. She cursed inwardly but still maintained an elegant tone: "Little brother is truly naughty. See you tomorrow at Rain Dinners, alright?" With that, she hastily hung up the phone.
"What a mischievous little vixen," Yun Lie muttered to himself, already understanding.
Nico Robin's words were hinting that Crocodile would remain in Rain Dinners tomorrow.
And everything that happened today had been cleverly suppressed by her, not reaching Crocodile's ears.
Tomorrow would be the time for his direct confrontation with Crocodile.
Although he didn't know why Nico Robin had suddenly switched sides, the sincerity she showed today had made Yun Lie's decision clear.
Now, Crocodile, having lost many of his capable subordinates, was effectively a lone wolf.
........
Time flew, and it was already early morning the next day. Above Rain Dinners, Yun Lie's figure appeared like a ghost.
Looking down, he glimpsed the house where Crocodile was, and a mischievous smile played on his lips: "Old Sand sure knows how to enjoy himself. Let me give you a little excitement!"
Yun Lie lightly sliced open space. In an instant, a large volume of seawater poured down like a waterfall, crashing through the roof.
"Which bastard did this!"
A disheveled figure burst out of the house. It was Crocodile, soaked and with messy hair. At this moment, he looked like a drowned rat.
"What? Weren't you going to kill me? Did you forget about me so quickly?" Yun Lie looked down from above, his eyes full of mockery.
"It's you! You actually dared to come to my doorstep!" Crocodile stared fixedly at Yun Lie, his eyes practically spitting fire, as he snarled through gritted teeth.
"Alas, I never thought that the renowned Crocodile (Sand Crocodile) would, after one failure, hole up in this yellow sand. From now on, you shouldn't be called Crocodile (Sand Crocodile); 'Cowardly Turtle' would be more fitting."
Yun Lie deliberately showed a disappointed expression, every word like a sharp blade, mercilessly piercing Crocodile's heart.
"Bastard! If your goal was to infuriate me, then I can tell you with full responsibility, you have successfully infuriated me!"
Veins bulged on Crocodile's forehead. In his rage, he launched the first attack.
Endless yellow sand, manipulated by him, surged like a raging tide, surrounding Yun Lie, like countless pythons, savagely strangling the target at the center.
However, just as Crocodile thought victory was assured, a familiar voice sounded behind him: "Are you looking for me?"
"Desert Spada!"
Crocodile's gaze sharpened, and the sand in his hand instantly transformed into sharp blades, striking at Yun Lie.
"Nani! It went right through!"
Watching his attack pass directly through Yun Lie without the expected sensation, Crocodile was instantly shocked.
"Got him."
Yun Lie seized the opportunity, instantly materializing and punching Crocodile.