Vivi's face went pale with fright, and she could barely stay on her feet. Crocodile took a drag on his cigar, then blew a smoke ring into Mr. 9's face. "You know there's only one fate for traitors in Baroque Works: death."
"Boss..."
Mr. 9's face had gone white with pain. He looked at the expressionless Crocodile, terror filling his eyes. But he knew Crocodile would never let them go.
Gritting his teeth, Mr. 9 suddenly pulled out his Club and swung it at Crocodile. "Vivi, run!"
"You're out of your league. But I don't want to kill you yet."
Crocodile dodged the Club and knocked Mr. 9 unconscious with a single punch. Vivi wheeled Karoo around and fled. Little Garden was so vast that even if she screamed for help, Ye Chen would never hear her.
"Karoo, run!"
"Quack, quack..."
Karoo was even more frightened than Vivi, his eyes rolling back in his head. She didn't need to urge him on; he took off at full speed.
"Tch..."
Crocodile spat on the ground and was about to give chase when he froze. Karoo, who had already run a good distance, had turned around and was coming straight back.
Karoo had remarkable legs and could run like the wind, but his sense of direction was as bad as Zoro's. Either he got lost easily or his head went fuzzy. Somehow, he had turned right back.
Crocodile smiled. Before long, he had captured both Vivi and Mr. 9.
As the saying went, the first to strike gained the advantage; the last to act paid the price.
Ever since Ye Chen had appeared at Whiskey Peak, Crocodile had known he wouldn't be spared. Nor did Crocodile intend to let Ye Chen ruin his plan. He would strike first, using Little Garden's terrain