All eyes were on Zoro and Mr. 1's duel.
Everyone was worried – especially Sanji.
Once Nami was safe, Sanji's full (sideways) attention was on Zoro.
"This moss-headed idiot..." he muttered, "all talk, no skill. And he won't even let me help! Not that I wanted to anyway!"
He had tried to intervene, but Zoro had sternly shut him down.
No one was to interfere, even if he died.
Ray understood.
Zoro was cutting off all his escape routes.
'No retreat, no surrender. He needs to face death to find that state of stillness again, to hear the breath of all things.'
Despite being at a disadvantage, Zoro fought relentlessly.
"Three Sword Style: Oni Giri!"
His classic slash forced Mr. 1's blades apart.
"Three Sword Style: Tiger Hunt!"
The Haki-enhanced pounce slammed into Mr. 1's chest... and did nothing.
"Roronoa, your Haki is weakening."
"So is yours," Zoro shot back. 'If not for Ray, I'd be toast right now.'
"Three Sword Style: Ox Demon!"
"Spiral Slash!"
Brute force vs. precision. Mr. 1, no longer holding back, knew Zoro was the key.
Their clash sent Zoro flying, blood gushing from new wounds.
"ZORO!" Usopp and Chopper cried out.
Nami and Vivi tensed, ready to jump in.
"Believe in the moss-head!" Sanji yelled, stopping them, his cigarette snapping between his gritted teeth.
"But... he's dying!" Chopper transformed, ready to charge—only to be kicked down by Sanji.
"Don't insult his resolve!"
Mr. 1, figuring Zoro was finished, turned to the others.
"Cocky brats," he sneered. "I'll take your heads next."
Sanji just smirked, lighting a new cigarette.
"You're not worthy... because you'll never beat Zoro."
Daz Bones whirled around. "Roronoa Zoro... you're still alive?"
Indeed, Zoro had struggled back to his feet, holding only Wado Ichimonji.
He was bloody, but he was grinning.
"I should thank you, Mr. 1."
Daz Bones tensed. Zoro's whole aura had changed.
"Come at me, Steel Cutter," Zoro said calmly. "Now... I can hear the breath of your steel."
"Arrogant fool. My next strike will dice you into pieces!"
Both charged.
"Spiral Slash: Speed Blade!"
Zoro just stood there, his single sword flashing in a perfect draw-and-resheath.
"One Sword Style: Lion Song!"
They passed each other.
A moment later, Zoro collapsed to his knees, completely spent, but smiling.
'This is it... the Breath of All Things. I've done it!'
Mr. 1 turned. "This is... the swordsman who can cut steel~"
Before he could finish, blood gushed from his steel chest, and he collapsed, out cold.
"Wow! Zoro, you won!" Chopper cheered, rushing over with his medical kit.
Nami, Vivi, and Usopp laughed with relief.
Sanji just blew out a smoke ring.
"Stupid Moss Head," he muttered, "you almost made me have to avenge you."
Seeing this, Ray, in the distance, allowed himself an imperceptible smile.
'Zoro's path is finally open.'
With Baroque Works completely wiped out, Ray picked up the half-dead Crocodile and flew back to the group.
…
At the negotiation site, the crisis was over.
Everyone was smiling.
The war was finally ending.
"The next step," Cobra declared, "is to gather our forces and launch an expedition against Crocodile!"
Just then, Crocodile's "corpse" fell from the sky and landed right in front of him.
"Protect the king!" the guards yelled, cautiously approaching. "Your Majesty... it's Crocodile."
Sanji and Nami frowned.
They knew what this meant.
Sure enough, a second later, an extremely handsome figure descended from the sky.
"Haha, I knew it! Crocodile was no match for you, Ray!" Nami cheered, jumping at him.
(And, as usual, ending up face-planting in the dirt.)
Chopper's eyes were sparkling.
'As expected of my boss's master! A Warlord is trash to him!'
Usopp immediately started boasting to the royal guards.
"I taught Ray all his combat skills, you know." (A few guards actually believed him and started begging for lessons.)
Sanji and Zoro just smiled.
"Ray," Zoro asked, "was the fight difficult?"
Ray glanced at Zoro's bandaged body. "Compared to you, it was much easier."
Zoro's face turned bright red.
Sanji burst out laughing. "The Moss Head almost died today! Embarrassment level: 100!"
"Huh? What'd you say, damn cook?!"
"Oh? Does the severely injured Moss Head want to become critically ill?"
Zoro just snorted.
He was too weak to move.
He'd just beat Sanji up later.
Cobra and Koza, seeing Ray for the first time, were stunned.
This man had just delivered the mastermind of their country's suffering right to their feet.
Ignoring his ministers, Cobra bowed deeply. Koza did the same.
Ray just gave a slight nod.
Just then, Crocodile, lying on the ground, let out a weak, mocking laugh.
"Hahaha~ cough~ Ray... Cobra... Koza... do you really think you've won?"
"I planted a massive bomb... blast radius of five kilometers... in the center of Alubarna. The moment Mr. 1 failed, the order was given. Even if I lose... I'll make you pay in blood."
Cobra turned pale. "Back to Alubarna, now! There are hundreds of thousands of people in the capital!"
"No need to panic," Ray said, stopping everyone. "My dog will handle it."
"Huh?"
Cobra just stared blankly at Ray. "Sir... what do you mean, your dog will handle it?"
Ray didn't answer.
He just walked calmly towards the Straw Hats.
Crocodile, still on the ground, was trying to process this.
He couldn't accept it.
Nobody knew about the bomb, not even Robin.
How could Ray possibly know?
'There's absolutely no way the information leaked!'
He was right, it hadn't.
But Ray was a transmigrator; he knew the plot.
Even though things had gone wildly off-script, Crocodile being a cautious, scheming bastard meant a backup bomb was highly likely.
Ray hadn't killed him yet for one reason: he wanted Crocodile to watch.
To see all his "perfect" schemes, all his backup plans, crumble to dust.
Ray held a grudge.
Once Crocodile's spirit was well and truly crushed, then he could die.
…
The moment Mr. 1 was defeated, a secret Baroque Works agent, hidden among the king's guards, made his move.
He dialed a Den Den Mushi, sending the detonation signal to the two agents hidden in Alubarna's clock tower.
He was immediately exposed and cut down, but the signal got through.
Inside the clock tower, Mr. 7 and Miss Father's Day, that foolish pair, got the call.
Behind them was a massive cannon, aimed at the palace square, containing the five-kilometer-radius bomb.
"Hohohoho, Miss Father's Day, it's time to set it off!"
"Gero gero gero, Mr. 7! We'll get a huge promotion for this, right?"
"I might even become Mr. 5! 100,000 Berries a month, here we come!"
"Gero gero gero."
The two idiots excitedly went to light the fuse.
Just as they struck the match, they saw a small white dog... sitting on the fuse.
Even more terrifying, the dog spoke.
"Eh," Chouchou said, sighing. "I really feel sorry for you two. You don't even know your boss sold you out. Blast radius is five kilometers. How exactly did you plan on surviving this? Still dreaming of promotions? Truly delusional."
Chouchou paused, tilted his head, then shrugged.
"Ahem. Anyway, this thing's on a timer, so I can't waste time with you."
With that, Dog Demon Mode activated.
One swipe of his giant paw sent the two agents flying out of the clock tower and into the square below.
Then, Chouchou ripped the cannon apart, wrapped his tail around the giant bomb, and flew straight up into the sky.
He had two and a half minutes.
Plenty of time.
150 seconds later, high above Alubarna, a dazzling flash of light vaporized the clouds.
The scene was clearly visible to everyone back at the negotiation site, especially Crocodile.
Under the intense, silent flash, Crocodile's mind finally broke.
He burst into a fit of high-pitched, angry laughter.
"Hahahaha! Ray! You spared me just to humiliate me like this?!"
Ray just looked at him indifferently. "You were never worthy to begin with. But... never mind."
Seeing Crocodile's current frenzied state, Ray suddenly felt that crushing his spirit was pointless.
'Will his awakened power just seal itself again now that he's mentally broken? Whatever.'
It was time.
Ray drew his sword to execute the man who had tried to steal a kingdom.
Nami and Vivi both moved to stop him—they still needed Crocodile to confess to the nation to truly end the turmoil!
But they both froze. They knew Ray.
His gentleness was only for his allies.
He didn't care about national affairs, only about them. And Crocodile had tried to kill him.
This was a death sentence.
But just as Ray was about to strike, a figure flashed between them.
A Haki-coated kick slammed against Tokijin.
The newcomer wore a cowboy hat and a "Justice" coat.
It was Vice Admiral 'Chaton' Tokikake.
"Hehe, Ray-kid," Tokikake said, "I need Crocodile alive. You won't stop me, will you?" He smiled, but his eyes were serious.
"After all, we were comrades for a day, saving those 200,000 people. Give me some face."
Ray was irritated, but also surprised.
'How did this guy hide from me? He must have some special ability.'
But that wasn't important right now. "Are you prepared for this, Tokikake?"
"You're really fierce, Ray. But I should add one more thing," Tokikake said, his smile fading.
"If you kill Crocodile... I'll have no choice but to kill Nico Robin."
Ray's brow furrowed. "Are you threatening me?"
Tokikake waved his hands frantically.
"Threat, deal, whatever! The important thing is, I need a body to report back with. Either Crocodile's, or a dead Nico Robin's."
Ray paused.
'Why a dead Nico Robin?' He figured it was some internal Marine political nonesense.
Seeing Ray hesitate, Tokikake knew he had to prove he wasn't bluffing.
After all, Ray had just taken down an awakened Crocodile and Momousagi.
"Ray," Tokikake said, dropping his lazy posture, "if you're that angry, how about you fight me? Let's see if I'm qualified to make this deal."
Ray just snorted coldly and accepted.
"Be careful you don't get killed by me."
"You too!"
Ray signaled for Sanji and the others to drag Crocodile further away.
If Morgans had been there, the headline would've been epic:
'Marine Admiral Candidate Chaton vs. the New Warlord-Level Pirate, "Cold Prince" Ray!'