Chapter 74 Fire Fist
[Rain City·Rain Banquet Headquarters·The next morning]
It was a cloudless morning.
The sunlight filtered through the window lattices, casting an amber halo that shone on the velvet carpet and golden armchairs in the classical interior.
The president of Baroque Works, Seven Warlords of the Sea Crocodile, was humming a melodious tune as he walked out of his bedroom.
He held the hem of his gold-threaded nightgown in one hand and elegantly grabbed the kettle with the other, slowly pouring warm water into the washbasin, his face full of the satisfaction of "Laozi's peak life".
"Tsk tsk... I can make the Marine owe me a favor by taking care of a few ignorant little pirates..."
He smiled at his hair in the mirror, which had just been styled with slicked-back wax, and was extremely satisfied.
"The only thing left is the last key to the ancient ruins... Hey."
He turned and walked towards his desk, sat down, crossed his legs, and his posture was as elegant as an aristocrat;
He casually picked up a letter from the intelligence letter, took a sip of coffee, and had a leisurely smile of victory on his face.
"Today is a good day~"
——"Bang!!!"
There was a loud bang, like thunder!
The golden carved door of the office was suddenly pushed open, and sand and wind rushed in instantly, blowing up the carpet and causing documents to fly!
"President—something big has happened!!!"
Mr.1 was pale, panting like a cow, and his clothes were all dusty.
Crocodile paused for a moment, his eyes fixed on the coffee cup in his hand, and said calmly, "Why, you're crying out for help so early in the morning?"
"The Straw Hat Crew...all ran away!!!"
--puff!!
Coffee sprayed all over the desk and dripped onto the corner of the newspaper.
Crocodile's smile froze instantly, and his facial muscles were as tight as if petrified!
The air suddenly condensed.
"...What did you say?"
"I said - Straw Hats, they ran away, all of them! All six are gone!" Mr. 1's legs were shaking.
"...Where's the West Prison? Where's the guard? Where's the patrol?!"
Crocodile spoke each word through gritted teeth, and with each word, a wisp of sand floated in the air.
"The person...the person was dispatched by Miss Robin, saying it was a temporary safety replacement..." Mr. 1's forehead was covered with sweat.
"And then... she herself disappeared..."
--boom!!
The Crocodile's big golden hook smashed the desk directly!
The entire office was caught in the center of a sandstorm, with papers flying, wooden boards exploding, and metal furniture making sharp noises.
"Nicole-Robin!!!!"
He roared to the sky, and the murderous intent and sand gathered into a roaring salon, swirling around the roof!
"How dare you betray me?!"
"I treated you as a partner! You actually!!"
Mr.1 was trembling beside him, not daring to say anything.
Crocodile lowered his head, his whole body trembling, and roared coldly word by word:
"Catch them back! All of them!!!"
"Straw Hat Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Nami, Chopper, Usopp—no one can be left behind!!!"
"I'm going to make them turn into mummies on the sand dunes and regret ever setting foot in Alabasta!!!"
"Use all available manpower! Dispatch bounty hunters, covert forces, insiders—"
"Even if I have to dig through this sea of sand, I will find them and tear them to pieces!!!"
Outside the office, yellow sand is like a curtain, and the earth is about to usher in a storm called "wrath".
Alabasta: Sand dune rift leading to the port
The morning sun shines down and the dust flies.
Nico Robin's robe fluttered, his hair danced in the morning breeze, his eyes were cold but no longer confused.
She took the lead, leading a team of wounded "losers" all the way to the port.
Behind him, Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Chopper, Usopp, Nami... all looked tired and their steps were staggering.
"We'll be able to see the lighthouse soon." Nami wiped the sweat off his forehead, his tone a little excited.
Zoro wrapped the wound on his abdomen with a piece of cloth while looking at the graceful and resolute figure in front of him and whispered, "Hey... why did you save us?"
Robin didn't stop walking, his tone calm but with an undeniable indifference:
"...have no idea."
"But I felt like I had to do it."
Her eyes moved slightly, but a bitter smile appeared in her heart:
——"Crocodile never trusted me... Even though I was his vice president, I was just a translation tool."
——"If Pluton's plan succeeds, the first person he wants to get rid of is me."
——"I just took the initiative."
She turned around and glanced at Straw Hat Luffy, who was running along with an innocent look on his face.
"Your ship is at the port ahead. I have only one condition."
"Take me with you."
Luffy stopped, tilted his head, and then a bright smile appeared on his face. He answered without hesitation:
"OK!"
"We really welcome partners!"
Robin was stunned, his eyes trembling slightly, but he didn't say anything.
Chopper and Usopp were already moved to tears, but Nami simply scolded him, "You're being too casual, kid—!"
Sanji even smiled while holding his ribs: "Of course I agree unconditionally to any request made by a beautiful woman."
However--
Just at that moment when they crossed the sand dunes and saw the light of the lighthouse in the distance!
--"boom!!!"
The whole earth shook suddenly, and the sand was lifted up like a tide!
The sky behind changed color, and the yellow sand rolled like a dragon!
In the sandstorm, a figure like a god or demon stepped on the void and suddenly descended from the top of the sandstorm!
"Nico Robin!!!"
Crocodile's cape fluttered wildly, his eyes were fierce, the golden hook in his hand flashed with sand, and he roared loudly:
"How dare you betray me?!"
"You—sinister little fox!!"
The sandstorm turned into a hook and swept down, and the air exploded!
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
Usopp's eyes bulged out, and he ran away with his head in his hands. Chopper transformed back into his reindeer form and burst into tears: "Oh my god, oh my god, we are dead!!!"
"This guy is really haunting me..." Zoro drew his sword and wanted to fight to the death, even though his hands were still shaking.
"Tsk, just when you've recovered you want to fight again?" Sanji frowned, holding a broken cigarette in his mouth.
Just when Crocodile swung out the sandstorm hook!
——"Fire Fist——!!!"
Along with a wild roar, a red flaming fist gust of wind came from the side!
"boom--!!!"
The sandstorm was instantly torn apart by the blazing flames, the sandstorm shattered! The sky was filled with flaming clouds!
The red figure tumbled through the yellow sand and fell to the ground, with arms crossed and flames rising!
A man in an orange hat walked out of the flames, a lazy yet murderous smile on his face.
"Before you touch my brother..."
"Have you ever asked me—?"
Fire Fist Ace!!!
Luffy's eyes lit up and he smiled like a child: "Hey! Ace!!! You're here!!!"
Ace grinned and said, "Ha, I just happened to stop by to catch someone, and I found out you're really good at causing trouble."
Crocodile stared at the man who suddenly burst into flames, his expression darkening. "Captain of the Second Squad of the Whitebeard Pirates—Fire Fist Ace?!"
"Tsk, I drank my coffee too early today."
Ace's eyes turned cold, and flames danced at his fingertips.
The wind was howling and the dust covered the sky!
Ace's fists were wrapped in blazing flames, he was wearing a black robe, his upper body was bare, his tattoos were eye-catching, and he was standing on fire.
Crocodile's face was gloomy, and the sand behind him rolled like the mouth of hell.
"'Fire Fist' Ace?" He narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing here messing things up?"
Ace grinned, his flames boiling. "My brother was bullied by you like that. As your brother, I can't swallow this anger if I don't beat you up."
"Brother?" Crocodile frowned. "Whose brother are you?"
Ace clenched his fist and burned it, the flames roaring: "Monkey D. Luffy."
Crocodile's face completely darkened.
"Hmph, that damn 'D' again..."
boom!!!
Before he could finish his words, the ground suddenly collapsed!
Crocodile suddenly rushed out, its claws turned into sand, and it swept up gravel all over the sky and swung it towards Ace!
"Desert Sword: Thousand Slashes!"
Countless sharp sand blades fell like a storm!
"Fire Fist!!"
Ace stepped into the air and punched loudly!
boom!!!
The raging flames turned into a roaring wave and clashed head-on with the sand blade. The collision between the heat and the dryness roared through the heavens and the earth!
Crocodile spun with his back to the body, left arm raised high—
"Sandstorm Tomb!"
An entire stretch of sand collapsed in an instant, mud and sand tumbling down like a corpse pit, attempting to swallow Ace up!
Ace leaped up, arms outstretched.
"Flame Ring: Cross Blazing Strike!!"
A cross of flames streaked across the sky, blasting the sand pit apart and burning the entire wilderness!
"…You b*****d!"
Crocodile, seething with rage, began to infuse Haki!
"Sandstorm Corrosion Field!"
His entire body turned to sand, covered in Haki, and even the air was drained away in an instant!
Ace's eyes focused, and he also released the Armament Haki, his arms burning and exploding!
——Fire and sand!
——Flames and cracks!
Two Logias engage in a life-and-death battle in the wilderness!
[On the other side, people are evacuating towards Nahana Port]
Luffy and the others were struggling to move forward, with the dust and smoke still rising behind them.
Robin turned his head to look at the explosions in the distance, suppressed his shock, and said:
"You just said...that man is your brother?"
"He's the second captain of the Whitebeard Pirates, a big shot that most people in the New World have to avoid..."
Luffy grinned with a relaxed expression, "Yeah! Ace is my brother!"
"You've been protecting me since I was a kid!"
Everyone: "?!!!"
Usopp opened his mouth and almost swallowed his tongue, "Why didn't you tell me your brother is Ace?!"
Nami's face twitched: "You Monkey family...are you here to make people laugh or to dominate?!"
Chopper held his head in his hands: "No wonder you can still laugh when you can't even beat the Shichibukai..."
Robin looked at the group of exhausted but still playful "losers" with a complicated look, and his eyes gradually softened.
"This storm at sea...maybe it really has just begun."