Chapter 599

"You'll see."

"This battle…"

"I'm going to crush you utterly!"

Barrett smiled broadly.

In an instant,

a ferocious, menacing aura slowly radiated from his body.

Just as the two sides were about to clash,

Barrett's peripheral vision swept over, casting a look of contempt toward a figure a kilometer away.

Then,

his lips twitched slightly, his voice cold: "But before I deal with you, let me first clear away these annoying pests!"

"I don't want…"

"some insignificant pests to interfere with our battle!"

"A mere soldier dares to be a spectator?"

"Laughable!"

"Pests?"

At Barrett's reminder, Crocodile gradually became aware.

In the northeast of their battlefield, roughly a kilometer away,

there stood a seemingly ordinary young figure.

Due to the great distance,

Crocodile could only make out

that the figure wore a white robe and was very young—apparently still a child under ten.

"Hm?"

"A child?"

Crocodile raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised, but didn't take it seriously.

Still…

Seeing such a childish child appear here caught him off guard.

"How will you clear him out?"

Crocodile asked.

"Simple!"

Barrett grinned, revealing a knowing expression.

He said: "From the moment I set foot in the Alabasta Kingdom, that child has been following my trail, all the way until I found you—he never stopped trailing behind."

"I've thought and thought…"

"I can't figure out what that child's purpose is."

"Surely a mere child wouldn't dare come after my hefty bounty, would he?"

"After consideration, that possibility isn't realistic."

"But whatever."

"No matter what purpose that child has, he shouldn't have come to disturb our battle."

With that said,

under Crocodile's gaze,

Barrett gazed calmly at the figure a kilometer away, his tone tinged with amusement: "You just asked how I'd clear out the pests? Actually, there are many ways."

"And I…"

"personally favor this method:"

"Let the child take a little nap."

Hearing this,

Crocodile's eyes narrowed, his expression subtly shifting.

He could sense what Barrett intended to convey.

"Let that child sleep?"

Crocodile pondered.

Instantly,

he spoke: "Conqueror's Haki? The so-called royal potential possessed by one in a million. It seems you've mastered this power perfectly."

"You're quite…"

"an extraordinary being."

"But today, I will not lose to you!"

Crocodile fully understood Barrett's method of resolution.

Only Conqueror's Haki…

could induce unconsciousness.

And this, precisely, was the simplest solution.

The best way to clear out pests!

For this,

Crocodile felt a tinge of envy.

Undeniable.

He deeply desired the power of Conqueror's Haki.

Unfortunately…

Only those born with it can possess and control such power.

Such people are one in a million!

Only a genius monster with the potential of a king can awaken Conqueror's Haki.

Clearly.

Though Crocodile's strength is indeed formidable, he is not a monster with the potential of a king.

Therefore.

No matter how hard he tries in his entire life, he will never awaken Conqueror's Haki, let alone control it.

Even with even greater effort…

Conqueror's Haki is a power he can never master in his lifetime.

"A born king?"

"I don't believe it!"

"As long as I gain control of one of the ancient weapons—the Pluton…"

"This world, this sea, will all be within my grasp!"

"At that time, no matter what so-called genius monsters stand before me, they will be nothing but ants."

Crocodile thought to himself thus.

His desire for the ancient weapon Pluton had grown to a pathological intensity.

Once he obtained the ancient weapon Pluton…

His first target would undoubtedly be Bai Huzi!

The strongest man in the world, who bore him a deep grudge!

"Soon!"

"This day will come very soon."

"As long as I uncover the secret of Alabasta, I will surely find information on the ancient weapon Pluton and gain complete control over it."

Crocodile clenched his fists unconsciously, his eyes filled with intense fervor and anticipation.

At this moment,