The blade-like hands crossed up and down, instantly producing a ringing metallic clash.
"Hard as steel?!!"
Watching Daz Bones narcissistically display his Devil Fruit Ability, Tashigi shook her head with a light laugh.
Before, she truly would not have been a match for Bones, but now, she had more than enough strength.
Clang!!
Wado Ichimonji flashed from its sheath!
Royal Palace Garden.
Miss Doublefinger, with a blue afro and spiderweb tattoos across her body, twisted her slender waist as she prepared to search the nearby rooms.
The next second, she stopped in her tracks and looked in surprise at the woman blocking her path.
"Oh my... let's see who this is?!!" Miss Doublefinger feigned surprise, placing her hands by her mouth, though a mocking smile curled at the corner of her lips.
"Miss Valentine, you've got some nerve. You betrayed the BOSS and didn't run away, yet you still dared to show up here. Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?!"
Miss Doublefinger lightly fiddled with the spikes on her fingers, like a cat toying with a mouse.
"Miss Doublefinger, don't be so sure of yourself. Whether Crocodile can even survive today is still unknown. Besides, it's not certain who will win between us."
"Hm?!!" Miss Doublefinger stared at Miss Valentine in surprise.
After all, she was Mr. 1's partner in Baroque Works, while Miss Valentine was merely Mr. 5's partner.
Who gave her the courage to act so arrogantly in front of her?!
The Kilogram-Kilogram Fruit?!
If she dared to come down, she would skewer her to death!!
Could there be some other trick?!
Shaking her head and casting aside those impossible thoughts, Miss Doublefinger's expression gradually turned cruel.
"Miss Valentine, once I defeat you, I'll take you before the BOSS and let him deal with you personally."
As soon as she finished speaking, sharp spikes abruptly emerged all over Miss Doublefinger's arms.
As the User of the Spike-Spike Fruit, she could extend thorn-like spikes from every part of her body, capable of piercing even rock.
"The Spike-Spike Fruit?!!"
Looking at the spikes covering Miss Doublefinger's body, Miss Valentine slowly let out a breath.
With a hum, pitch-black Armament Haki instantly surged over her entire smooth arm.
"Miss Doublefinger, I've already found you a good home. Once I defeat you, I'll take you to meet the captain."
Under Miss Doublefinger's somewhat bewildered gaze, Miss Valentine took the initiative and launched her attack.
Inside a palace corridor.
"What?! Why are my opponents you two?!"
Looking at the duo before her, Nami pouted in dissatisfaction.
One was a fat man with blond hair and thick lips. The other was a short, fat old woman, along with a dachshund that was yawning wildly.
Mr. 4 Babe and his partner, Miss Merry Christmas.
Nami already knew everything about them. Among the four remaining officers, they were the weakest pair.
"A gun that ate the Dog-Dog Fruit: Dachshund Form? Interesting."
Nami watched the yawning dachshund with great interest. This was the first time she had seen an inanimate object eat a Devil Fruit and become a living creature.
She wondered how it had eaten it.
Did they just shove the Devil Fruit straight into the barrel?!
While Nami was still curious, the fat woman across from her had already begun rapidly digging into the ground.
As a Mole Fruit User, digging holes was her specialty.
The dachshund did not stay idle either. It opened its mouth, and with a bang, spat out a timed bomb.
Mr. 4 Babe grabbed his bat and swung it. The timed bomb shot toward Nami with a whoosh, like a meteor.
"You're so slow!"
Having watched enough of their performance, Nami pressed her palm downward. Silver-white Lightning crashed down with a series of thunderous booms!!
At this moment, each of Baroque Works' remaining officers had found an opponent.
At Reno's reminder, Bello and Chaka led the Royal Army, which had long been standing ready, to eliminate Baroque Works' Million Longs and Billion Longs.
Crocodile made his way unhindered to the main hall, but after searching for a long time, he still could not find King Cobra.
The longer this dragged on, the more disadvantageous it became for him.
Crocodile grew increasingly irritated. He had no way back now. Today, he had to find Cobra and force him to reveal the location of the Poneglyph.
"Stop looking. He isn't here." A teasing voice rang out as Reno appeared before Crocodile with Robin.
Hm?!
Crocodile looked at the two holding hands intimately, and his face immediately darkened.
"Robin, even you betrayed me?!!"
"Crocodile, I was never sincerely loyal to you. So where does betrayal come into it?!"
Robin looked at Reno and smiled faintly. "From now on, I'm leaving Baroque Works and joining the Reno Pirates."
"As for what you want, I'm afraid I can no longer help you."
"Good. Very good!!!" Crocodile narrowed his eyes as a dangerous gleam rapidly spread through them.
Leave?! What a joke!
What did she think Baroque Works was?!
Did she think she could come and go whenever she pleased?!
Robin was the only person who could read the Poneglyphs. She was an indispensable part of his plan.
Anyone could leave, except Robin.
"Did he give you a sense of security?!! Not only did he kill so many of my men, but for your sake, they even dared to betray me."
Crocodile looked Reno over from head to toe, seemingly trying to discern what kind of magic he possessed that made his subordinates defect from Baroque Works one after another.
"Reno, User of the Cloud-Cloud Fruit, bounty of 30 million Belly. If that's all you have to rely on, then you can go die!!!"
The killing intent in Crocodile's eyes intensified. "Robin, once I kill this kid, I'll deal with you properly."
Robin instinctively moved closer to Reno.
No matter what, Crocodile's intimidation still carried weight.
Reno rubbed Robin's head, and his face immediately darkened. "You dared to threaten my woman?!!"
"Robin, stand aside and watch closely. See how I peel off his crocodile skin!!"
"He's just Whitebeard's defeated subordinate. Does he really think he's so impressive?"
"You're courting death!!!"
Having his sore spot struck, Crocodile could no longer contain his anger. He raised his Gold Hook as countless grains of sand rapidly gathered.
Desert Treasure Saber!!!
Boom!!!
The hard floor split apart like tofu, and the slash howled toward Reno.
Reno flashed aside and easily dodged the attack.
"Hm?! No wonder you dared to act so arrogantly before me. You do have some skill."
After a moment of surprise, Crocodile unleashed another killing move.
If he did not eliminate Reno today, how could he continue to hold his head high among the Shichibukai afterward?!
Desert Great Sword!!!
The ground beneath Reno's feet instantly cracked open, and a massive sword condensed from sand slashed at him again.
"Crocodile, today I'll teach you a proper lesson!!"
Water Slash Break!!!
Reno snorted coldly and manipulated the power of rain from the Weather-Weather Fruit, creating dozens of water blades that shot rapidly toward Crocodile.
"What?!! How is this possible?!!"
"Aren't you a Cloud-Cloud Fruit User? Why can you control water?!"
Crocodile's pupils shrank, and unprecedented panic appeared on his face.
As the User of the Sand-Sand Fruit, aside from Seastone, the sea, and Haki, his weaknesses also included water-like liquids.
Reno could actually control water. Wasn't he finished?!!
"I never expected even Crocodile to panic like this." Robin, watching the battle, was deeply surprised.
After following Crocodile for so many years, this was the first time she had seen him lose his composure so completely.
It seemed she truly would not die today.
Looking at the figure standing in front of her, Robin's beautiful eyes shone with brilliance.
The dozens of water blades shattered the Desert Great Sword at incredible speed, then continued onward toward Crocodile without losing momentum.
Crocodile's face turned as dark as liver as he darted and twisted through the palace, constantly evading them.
He was terrified that even a single drop of water might splash onto him.
"You still dared to threaten my woman, and now you know to run?!!"
"Too late!!"
Water Flow Fierce Whip!!
Water gathered in front of Reno, forming several long, slender water whips.
Crocodile subconsciously glanced at them, and a chill shot from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.
Then he saw Reno's devilish smile.
"No!" Crocodile let out a heart-wrenching roar.
The next second, the water whips began lashing wildly, forming an impenetrable barrage that left Crocodile nowhere to evade.
The crack of the water whips and Crocodile's screams intermingled, echoing throughout the entire palace.
Reno used Observation Haki to lock onto Crocodile firmly. Under the continuous whipping, Crocodile was quickly defeated.
Crocodile's Miserable Death, Robin Gives Her Heart!
Crocodile stared at Reno with venomous eyes.
His coat had become tattered rags, and whip marks crisscrossed his body, blood dripping everywhere.
Reno's water whips seemed to have tracking devices installed. No matter how Crocodile dodged, they struck his body with absolute precision.
Wait... Observation Haki?!!
Realizing it too late, Crocodile shuddered. He had nearly been blinded by rage just now.
Damn it, this was only the first half of the Grand Line. Why had he encountered someone who could use Haki?!
Especially when Reno was from the East Blue. It was simply unbelievable.
"So what if you can use Observation Haki? Reno, don't get too arrogant!!!"
Fox Moon Sand Dune!!!
Crocodile snorted coldly, his body abruptly vanishing. When he appeared again, he had already flashed behind Reno.
A sand blade condensed from flowing sand slashed directly at Reno's neck.
Before you continue