Ace attended the banquet in his brother's place

Rainbase, the top floor of Rain Dinners.

Crocodile stood before the floor-to-ceiling window. The cigar in his hand had burned out, but he was completely unaware. Outside lay bustling streets, and the artificial rainfall system was running. The pattering rain made this desert city seem like a paradise.

But Crocodile's mood was as deathly still as the calm before a storm.

"The Katorea factory was destroyed, Mr. 3 and Miss Goldenweek were captured, Mr. 4's outpost was wiped out..." His voice grew colder with every sentence. "In a single day, all my arrangements in the west were ruined."

Behind him, senior agents including Mr. 1, Mr. 2, and Miss Doublefinger stood with their heads lowered, not daring to breathe loudly.

"That 'Flame Emperor'..." Crocodile turned, killing intent flashing in his eyes. "And Nico Robin... traitors must pay."

"BOSS, let me slaughter them!" Mr. 2 Bon Clay said shrilly. "I'll use the Clone-Clone Fruit to turn into one of their companions, then once I get close-"

"Idiot," Crocodile interrupted. "They have Observation Haki. Your disguise won't fool them. Besides... I've changed my mind."

He walked to his desk and picked up a gold-embossed invitation.

"I'm going to invite them to a banquet."

The agents froze.

"A banquet?"

"Yes." Crocodile sneered. "Right here at Rain Dinners, in the Desert King private room on the top floor. As for the time... tomorrow evening."

Mr. 1 frowned. "BOSS, that's too risky. The Flame Emperor's strength-"

"That's precisely why we must finish him here." Crocodile walked to the wall and pressed a hidden mechanism. The wall slid apart, revealing a secret chamber behind it. There was no treasure inside, only one thing-

A fragment of an ancient stone tablet.

The tablet was covered in Ancient Script. At its center was a recess shaped exactly like the Poneglyph rubbing template Robin had described.

"This is the key I stole from the Funeral Temple in Alubarna." Crocodile stroked the tablet. "The activation key for Pluton. But it's incomplete. It's still missing one last fragment... and that fragment is in the Flame Emperor's hands."

"How do you know?" Mr. 2 asked.

"Because that fragment appeared at God Valley twenty years ago." Greed flashed in Crocodile's eyes. "Three parties fought over it back then: the Roger Pirates, the Whitebeard Pirates, and... a mysterious woman. In the end, that woman disappeared with the fragment. And now, her son has appeared with those same flames."

All the clues fell into place.

Crocodile finally understood why the Flame Emperor was targeting him-not just for Alabasta, but for Pluton. That brat wanted to reclaim what belonged to his mother.

"So tomorrow's banquet is a trap?" Mr. 1 asked.

"A deal, and a trap." Crocodile sat back in his chair. "If the Flame Emperor agrees to hand over the fragment, I can let him leave Alabasta alive. If he refuses..."

He raised his right hand. Sand poured from his palm and condensed into a blade.

"Then he and Robin can remain buried in the desert forever."

That evening, the Flame Emperor received the invitation.

"The Desert King private room... heh, he really dared to name it that." Ace toyed with the gold-embossed invitation. "Bro, this is obviously a trap disguised as a banquet. You can't go."

Lin Yan sat on the sofa in the captain's cabin, holding an ancient document Robin had just finished translating. It contained detailed information about Pluton's key-it was indeed divided into three fragments. One was in the Funeral Temple, already acquired by Crocodile; one was held by Alabasta's royal family; and the last... its whereabouts were unknown.

"I have to." Lin Yan put down the document. "Crocodile has a key fragment. I must get it back."

"Then we attack head-on!" Ace clenched his fist. "Charge straight into Rain Dinners and drag Crocodile out!"

"Rainbase has a hundred thousand civilians." Lin Yan shook his head. "If Crocodile lashes out in desperation and swallows the entire city in a sandstorm, the casualties will be enormous. We have to deal with him under controlled conditions."

Robin, who had remained silent, spoke. "Crocodile invited you, but his real target may be me. He wants to use me to threaten you into handing over the fragment."

"I know." Lin Yan looked at her. "That's why you'll stay aboard tomorrow. Ace and I will go."

"Just the two of you?" Isuka asked worriedly. "That's too dangerous!"

"More people would only get in the way." Lin Yan stood up. "Ace, you'll attend the banquet in my place tomorrow."

"Huh?" Ace froze. "In your place?"

"Yes." Lin Yan walked to the window and looked toward Rainbase. "Crocodile wants to see me either to test my strength or to threaten me with Robin. But if you go, he won't be able to figure out our intentions. Instead, he'll expose an opening."

Ace thought for a moment, then grinned. "Sounds fun! Then I'll go meet that Shichibukai!"

"Remember, don't strike first," Lin Yan instructed. "Your job is to observe: the casino's layout, Crocodile's subordinates, and any hidden traps. If a fight breaks out..."

He patted Ace on the shoulder.

"Use that move I taught you."

Ace's eyes lit up. "Got it!"

The following evening, at Rain Dinners.

The Desert King private room occupied three hundred square meters on the casino's top floor and was decorated with the utmost extravagance: gold chandeliers, crystal wineglasses, Persian carpets, and valuable oil paintings hanging on the walls. But the most striking feature was the enormous sand table in the center-a miniature model of all Alabasta, with every oasis and trade route clearly visible.

Crocodile sat at the head of the table, with Mr. 1, Mr. 2, and Miss Doublefinger behind him. Dressed in an expensive suit and smoking a cigar, he carried himself as the host.

The door to the private room was pushed open.

But the person who entered was not Lin Yan. It was a black-haired young man wearing an orange cowboy hat. His red vest exposed lean, powerful muscles, and a sunny smile rested on his face, but his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's.

"Yo, Mr. Shichibukai!" Ace strolled in casually, pulled out a chair, and sat down. "My brother's busy, so he sent me in his place. You don't mind, do you?"

A trace of surprise flashed in Crocodile's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. "Fire Fist Ace... captain of the Spade Pirates, and now your brother's first mate. Interesting."

He gestured for a waiter to pour the wine.

"Since you're here, you're my guest. Please."

Ace stood on no ceremony. He lifted his glass and drained it. "Good wine! Much better than the liquor on Drum Island!"

"Glad you like it." Crocodile blew a smoke ring. "Now, what message did your brother send you to deliver?"

"A message?" Ace set down his glass, his smile fading. "No. I'm here to warn you."

The atmosphere in the room abruptly grew tense.

Mr. 1 stepped forward, his arms turning into sharp blades. Mr. 2 assumed a fighting stance. Spikes sprouted from Miss Doublefinger's fingertips.

But Ace did not even look at them. He only stared at Crocodile.

"Leave Alabasta within three days. This is the last chance my brother is giving you."

Crocodile laughed, a mocking laugh. "Brat, do you know who you're talking to?"

"Sure do." Ace shrugged. "A despicable little man who uses Dance Powder to cause drought, incites rebellion, and plots to overthrow a kingdom. Oh, right, and a coward who kidnaps civilians and threatens the king."

"How dare you!" Unable to restrain himself any longer, Mr. 1 swung a blade at Ace!

Clang-!!!

The blade stopped three inches from Ace's neck, blocked by a barrier of blue-white flames. It was not Armament Haki, but pure fire-so hot that the air warped and the blade began to glow red.

"Blue Flame: Adiabatic Barrier." Ace turned to Mr. 1. "Your blades can't cut through."

Mr. 1 gritted his teeth, the blades of both arms spinning at high speed. "Dust Slash Speed Blade!"

Countless flashes of blades slashed at the flame barrier, but every blade melted and evaporated in the heat. Three seconds later, the blades on Mr. 1's arms had shortened by half, while the flame barrier had not budged.

"Impossible..." Mr. 1 was stunned.

"There's nothing impossible about it." Ace stood, blue-white flames igniting on his right hand. "My brother said the Flame-Flame Fruit's true power isn't temperature, but 'concepts.' The concept of blue flame is 'penetration'-it can penetrate any substance and destroy its structure from within."

He looked at Crocodile.

"Your sand is no exception."

Crocodile finally stopped smiling. He realized that this Fire Fist Ace was far stronger than the intelligence reports had described. Those blue-white flames were completely different from ordinary fire.

"Interesting." Crocodile stood as well. "Then let me see what your brother taught you."

His right hand turned into a sand blade and swung at Ace!

Ace neither dodged nor retreated. He clenched his right fist, compressing the blue-white flames to their limit.

"Fire Fist: Blue Flame Penetration!"

Fist and blade collided.

There was no explosion, no shock wave.

Only a faint hiss.

The sand blade... broke.

It broke through the middle, the cut as smooth as a mirror, with wisps of blue smoke rising from the severed surface. The scattered sand lost all its vitality, falling as ordinary dust.

Crocodile stared at his broken sand blade, shock appearing in his eyes for the first time.

His sand had been "killed"?

"I told you." Ace withdrew his fist, blue-white flames dancing on his fingertips. "Blue flame can penetrate anything. Your sand has 'life' because your will controls it. And my flames can burn away that connection to your will."

He looked at Crocodile, his gaze ice-cold.

"Now, do you still think I'm bluffing?"

Deathly silence filled the room.

Mr. 1, Mr. 2, and Miss Doublefinger all stood frozen. They had never seen their BOSS's ability defeated like this—not suppressed by a stronger ability, but countered.

Crocodile stared at Ace for a long time, then suddenly burst out laughing.

"Hahahaha! Good! What a Fire Fist Ace! You're even more interesting than your brother!"

He sat back down as though nothing had happened.

"Go back and tell your brother that tomorrow's banquet is still on. But we're changing the venue-not Rainbase, but the Funeral Temple in Alubarna. I'll settle things with him there."

Ace frowned. "What trick are you trying to pull now?"

"I just want somewhere quiet." Crocodile tapped the ash from his cigar. "Rainbase has too many people. Fighting here is inconvenient. The Funeral Temple is an ancient ruin. It's spacious enough, and secluded enough."

He looked at Ace.

"What, are you afraid?"

Ace snorted. "What's there to be afraid of? Tomorrow night, at the Funeral Temple!"

He turned and left the room, tossing out one last remark before he went.

"Remember to bring more people, so you can't complain that my brother bullied you."

His footsteps faded into the distance.

Inside the room, Crocodile's expression darkened.

"BOSS, are we really changing the location?" Mr. 1 asked.

"Yes." Crocodile looked at Alubarna on the sand table. "Beneath the Funeral Temple is a trap I spent three years setting up. Once the Flame Emperor Stomp steps into its range... he won't get out alive."

"And the key fragment..."

"He'll bring it." Crocodile sneered. "Because he'll definitely want to reclaim his mother's belongings. And that is his fatal weakness."

Outside the window, the rain continued to fall.

But this rain would soon be evaporated by flames.

Outside Rain Dinners, Ace strode toward the agreed meeting point.

As soon as he turned into an alley, he saw Lin Yan waiting there.

"Bro, I did everything you said," Ace reported. "Crocodile suggested changing the location, just as expected. He moved it to the Funeral Temple in Alubarna."

"Just as I thought." Lin Yan nodded. "He has traps set up at the Funeral Temple. He wants to finish us there."

"Then are we still going?"

"Yes, of course." A cold glint flashed in Lin Yan's eyes. "But not tomorrow night. Now."

"Now?"

"Yes." Lin Yan looked toward Alubarna. "Crocodile thinks we'll fall for it, so he must be gathering his men right now and preparing tomorrow's trap. That means tonight is when the Funeral Temple's defenses will be weakest."

He patted Ace on the shoulder.

"Let's go. Before he catches on-"

"We'll steal the key fragment."

In the darkness, two figures silently left Rainbase.

Behind them, on the top floor of Rain Dinners, Crocodile stood before the window, the Den Den Mushi in his hand having just hung up.

"Is everything ready in Alubarna?"

"Everything is ready, BOSS." The Den Den Mushi mimicked Mr. 1's voice. "The 'Quicksand Hell' beneath the Funeral Temple has been activated. Anyone entering the core area will trigger it."

"Excellent." Crocodile looked out the window, a sneer curling his lips. "Flame Emperor... you think you're plotting against me?"

"Little do you know, every step you take is part of my plan."