"Kuina, what are you doing here?" Zoro asked in astonishment.
"Kuina?" Hearing Zoro's voice, Crocodile could not help turning his curious gaze toward the female marine. "The most prominent newcomer in the Marines in recent years, Shura Kuina?"
In truth, the reason he had noticed her was mostly because of her other identity.
"Why would that man's disciple appear in a place like this?"
"Of course it's because of you, Sir Desert Crocodile Crocodile!" Kuina ignored Zoro's question and fixed her blazing eyes on Desert Crocodile.
"Me? Looks like my movements still couldn't escape his informants!" Crocodile narrowed his eyes slightly, a fierce glint flashing in them. "But why is it you, a little brat, who showed up here? Even if I am his defeated opponent, who exactly are you looking down on with that attitude?"
"No, my teacher has never looked down on you." Kuina shook her head. "My teacher said that if your vision hadn't been blinded by the Ancient Weapon, then with your talent, you might have become an existence second only to Hawk Eyes among the Shichibukai."
"Second only to Hawk Eyes?" Crocodile curled his lips. He had always thought highly of himself. A man who had dared challenge Whitebeard in his early twenties obviously would not take such an assessment to heart.
"I just didn't expect you to join forces with a deserter from the Whitebeard Pirates, conspire to steal a Poneglyph, and try to pin the crime on the Whitebeard Pirates."
Crocodile did not deny it. He only gave a sinister laugh. "So what do you plan to do now?"
Kuina looked at Ace. "Can you still fight?"
Ace was somewhat surprised. From Kuina's nickname, "Shura," it was clear that she had always been the ruthless type when dealing with pirates. He had not