Pirates: Invincible from the Start

Those two were the powerful fighters he acknowledged without reservation.

As for the others...

He had either never fought them or never even had the chance to, so he did not know.

Despair

"Igaram."

Vivi stared at Igaram, at his shriveled body struggling ceaselessly, at his expression of unbearable agony. At last, she could no longer hold back her tears. Like floodwater bursting through a dam, they poured from her eyes, raced down her cheeks, gathered beneath her chin, and fell like raindrops.

Over and over...

They kept falling.

Falling onto this parched desert.

The despair on Vivi's face mirrored this hopeless desert, this hopeless country.

She bitterly regretted her earlier impulsiveness.

Seeing the despair and regret in Vivi's eyes, Crocodile burst out laughing.

"Guh, hahahahaha!! My princess, where did that courage you had when you swung your weapons at me go?"

His laughter stopped, and he slowly walked toward Vivi.

As he walked, he said, "The weak should know their place. I admire your courage, but if you raise your weapons against me, you must be prepared to face my wrath. I don't dislike impulsive young brats like you, but...!"

He took a drag on his cigar and stopped in front of Vivi, his shadow swallowing her completely.

"Whew..."

He lowered his head and exhaled smoke, staring down at Vivi with an oppressive gaze. "But I absolutely despise brats who don't understand where they stand."

"Crocodile."

Vivi raised her head and met Crocodile's cold gaze without a trace of fear. Her eyes were filled with anger and hatred.

"Crocodile, we might die here today, but I believe that one day, you will pay for everything you've done."

She now understood perfectly how vast the gap between them was. But so what? Was she supposed to stand there and wait