Chapter 222

Yi Xiao murmured to himself.

This time, he was going to go and 'see' clearly.

The World Government—would it truly protect the justice of the weak, and was it worthy of him entrusting his power to it?

194—major incidents happening one after another. A storm is coming!

The Grand Line.

Off the coast of the Alabasta Kingdom.

Smoker and Tashigi, who had chased the Straw Hat crew to the Alabasta Kingdom, also took part in the battle against Crocodile, and witnessed with their own eyes the destruction wrought upon this country by Crocodile—one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, whose status was recognized by the World Government and to whom special privileges had been granted.

And the ones who saved this country were not the Marines, but pirates.

After witnessing all of this with his own eyes.

Smoker recalled the words Luo En had spoken to him when they met in Luo Ge Town.

Sitting on the deck of the warship escorting Crocodile away from Alabasta, Smoker bit down on his cigar, his expression complicated.

"Is the Marines' justice… true justice…"

After witnessing everything in Alabasta, a sliver of doubt had now arisen in his heart.

"Captain Smoker."

A voice cut off his thoughts.

Smoker turned his head to look.

Tashigi, with the famed blade Shigure hanging at her waist, wearing glasses and sporting short blue hair, walked up to him.

"What is it?"

Tashigi marched up to him with proper steps and said seriously: "The prisoner Crocodile says he wants to see you."

"See me?"

"He says he has something to say."

Smoker's eyes narrowed slightly.

He walked into the warship's interior and saw 'Desert King' Crocodile, firmly bound by Seastone shackles.

Smoker stared at him coldly and said: "Crocodile, what do you have to say?"

"White Hunter Smoker."

Crocodile leaned against the corner of the wall, staring at him, and said: "I have something to say to the Marines' high command."

"Save it for Impel Down."

Smoker blew out a smoke ring and turned to walk outside.

Just as he was about to walk out, Crocodile's voice rang out behind him.

"What I want to say… is related to the Ancient Weapon, Pluton."

Smoker stopped in his tracks.

His eyes were filled with shock.

Ancient… Weapon.

Pluton?!

After Smoker reported this matter to Headquarters.

Headquarters immediately issued an order.

The warship, which had originally been headed straight for Enies Lobby, changed course for Marineford.

Crocodile, wearing Seastone shackles, met with Marine Headquarters Fleet Admiral Sengoku, as well as the Great Staff Officer Tsuru, and the returning Marine Hero, Garp, inside a room.

Vice Admiral Tsuru looked ahead at Crocodile seated in the prisoner chair and said: "Sir Crocodile, you say you know the whereabouts of the Ancient Weapon Pluton?"

"What else did you think I was staying in that country of Alabasta for all these years?"

Crocodile smiled and said: "Because that country has the Poneglyph that records the Ancient Weapon Pluton."

Sengoku and Garp's expressions tightened slightly.

"You want to obtain Pluton?"

"Of course."

"What would you do with Pluton?"

"What would I do? Of course, use its ultimate power to become the king of this sea!"

By now, Crocodile no longer hid his ambition.

"However…"

Crocodile, bound by Seastone, gripped the armrests of his chair and said through gritted teeth: "That man… destroyed everything I had planned!"

"That man… you mean Straw Hat Luffy?"

Sengoku said in a heavy voice.

Vice Admiral Tsugu glanced at Garp beside her, who was folding his arms; his expression seemed somewhat unnatural, clearly having long known about Straw Hat Luffy becoming a pirate.

"Of course not. Him and that swordsman brat called Zoro beating me was just luck."

Crocodile's gaze was dark and fierce: "The man I despise is not someone they can compare to."

"The Poneglyph hidden in the Alabasta Kingdom that records Pluton's whereabouts was taken by him."

Sengoku, Garp, and Tsuru all had slightly solemn expressions.

"Who exactly is it?"

Vice Admiral Tsuru asked.

Crocodile looked at them: "I can tell you, but I have a condition as well."

Garp frowned and said: "You still dare negotiate conditions with us in your current state? Confess truthfully, and perhaps we can let you spend less time in Impel Down…"

"Shut your mouth, Capone."

Sengoku cut him off, turning to Crocodile and asking, "What conditions?"

"Let me leave."

"Impossible."

Sengoku shook his head: "Pirates who steal a nation — this crime absolutely cannot be pardoned."

"Don't be so certain when you say it."

Crocodile looked at him and laughed confidently: "How about going to ask the World Government's opinion on this?"

Several days later.

The warship carrying Crocodile to Judicial Island was attacked, and Sir Crocodile of the Sands, Crocodile, vanished without a trace.

The next day.

Another piece of news that shook the seas came out from the World Government.

This news startled even the Four Emperors of the New World.

"The historical Poneglyph inscribed with the Ancient Weapon Pluton is now in the hands of the Traveler, Luo En!"

"And with the Demon Child, Nico Luo Bin, on his ship, it's possible that the Ancient Weapon Pluton has already fallen into his hands."

"A king who surpasses the Four Emperors is about to descend upon the seas."

……

The New World, Cakes Island in the Waters of a Thousand Nations.

One of the Four Emperors, Big Mom Xia Luote Linlin, flew into a towering rage upon hearing this news.

"What king descending upon the seas! Just a mere brat!"

"The position of Pirate King isn't that easy to take!"

"So what if he's mastered the Ancient Weapon Pluton? If he has the guts, come try it in the Waters of a Thousand Nations!"

Xia Luote Linlin's furious roar, accompanied by astonishing presence, spread outward, and quite a few people on Cakes Island were stunned dizzy by it.

"Mama, calm down."

Xia Luote Katakuri spoke up: "This news came from the World Government's side — they probably want to provoke conflict between the Four Emperors and that Traveler, Luo En."

"Perhaps that's the case, but…"

Smoothie, one of the Three Sweet Commanders, stood with arms crossed, wrapped in a scarf: "The Sky Calamity's crew, who very likely now possesses the Ancient Weapon Pluton and has the Ohara remnant Nico Luo Bin, who can read the historical Poneglyphs, by their side, is indeed a great threat to us."

"Well said! Perhaps that fellow already has his eyes on the red Poneglyph in my hands." A flash of frenzied killing intent passed through Xia Luote Linlin's eyes: "There is only one seat for the king of the seas — how could I let a latecomer like him seize the first move!"

"Mama, what do you plan to do?"

Xia Luote Cracker asked: "Are we going to declare war on that fellow?"