radicalducati Chapter 49 The Sand Crocodile's Plot, A New Master Appears
Chapter 49 The Sand Crocodile's Plot, A New Master Appears
The Grand Line, the Kingdom of Alabasta, Rain Land.
Deep within the Rain Banquet, in a dark, secluded room isolated from the outside noise and the sound of rain.
The air was filled with the spiciness of cigars and a hint of rust.
A huge iron cage occupied a corner of the room, and now, there was no sound inside.
A figure huddled in a corner, all traces of his three Command Seals gone, leaving only a body that had almost turned to mummies. The breath of life had ceased.
Crocodile stood with his back to the iron cage in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window. He slowly raised his right hand, clenched his fist, and felt the power that was completely different from Haki.
"Transfer...it worked. The principle is unknown." Old Sha's deep voice echoed in the secret room, tinged with indifference.
"In short, this power... has indeed been stripped away and transferred."
A cruel smile curled at the corner of his lips.
"The Holy Grail... I could also try to get a piece of it. It seems that being chosen isn't the only way to gain 'qualification'."
The door to the secret room was pushed open silently.
Nicole Robin walked in carrying a steaming cup of coffee and several of the latest newspapers.
She walked with graceful steps and a calm expression, as if she had not seen the horrific scene in the cage or the pervasive atmosphere of death in the air.
Her gaze swept over the Command Seal on Old Sha's right hand, her eyes remaining calm and undisturbed.
"President, here's your coffee." Robin placed the coffee by the window.
"Also, here's today's newspaper with the latest news: the impact on Loguetown, and our upcoming 'little guests'."
Old Shah turned around, picked up the newspaper, and cigar smoke swirled around his angular face.
"Straw Hat Luffy escapes with the Pirate King, while Revolutionary Army's Sabo summons powerful Heroic Spirits to form an alliance with him..."
"Yes."
Robin flipped to the top of the World Journal, which had a huge headline: "The Pirate King Returns! Loguetown Collapses!"
Pointing to the striking image on the front page—an illustration featuring the silhouettes of Saab and Napoleon.
"The Navy launched a top-level Buster Call to suppress them, with Admiral Aokiji and hero Garp personally taking action. Yet they still managed to escape."
Robin's voice calmly repeated the key information: "Revolutionary Army Chief of Staff Sabo has been confirmed as a Master. He has summoned a powerful Heroic Spirit wielding a giant cannon, temporarily codenamed 'Archer'."
"His precise strike crippled half of the Buster Call warships, covering Luffy and Roger's successful breakout. The Navy was forced to terminate the Buster Call, suffering heavy losses."
She paused, then pointed to another intelligence briefing: "According to the latest confirmation from our informants at the port, Luffy and his crew have approached Reverse Mountain and officially entered the Grand Line..."
Old Sha listened quietly, his eyes sharp as an eagle's, gleaming with calculating light.
"Hmph, those idiots from the World Government and the Navy have really bitten off more than they can chew this time." Old Sofa let out a disdainful snort.
"They couldn't even handle a kid who just went to sea and a man who had been dead for twenty years, and they even let the revolutionary army get away with it."
He put down the newspaper, his gaze falling on Roger's blurry yet still imposing profile on the page.
"Gol D. Roger..." Old Crocodile murmured the name, his eyes filled with longing for that legendary power.
"Heroic Spirits... the power of the Pirate King... it's truly enviable."
He was silent for a moment, as if weighing something.
His ruthless nature meant he wouldn't easily trust anyone, much less form alliances.
But the Holy Grail War and the power Roger displayed made him realize that going it alone might not be the best solution.
In particular… all opponents may possess monsters of the same level.
"Miss Sunny." Old Sha raised his head and looked at Robin, who was standing quietly to the side.
"Please give your instructions, President."
"In the name of Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea..." Crocodile's voice carried an unquestionable command.
"Prepare a formal invitation. The wording... be polite. Invite the Straw Hat Luffy crew to the Rain Banquet."
A flicker of surprise crossed Robin's eyes: "But they are the government's most wanted criminals right now, and you, as the King's Seven..."
"You don't need to think about these things." Old Sha's lips curled into a meaningful smile.
He raised his right hand again, and the three eerie command symbols were faintly visible in the dim light.
"I just want to talk to this 'resurrected' Pirate King and that interesting kid... The enemy of my enemy might just be... a temporary 'friend'."
He paused, then added, "Remember, it's 'inviting' them. Take a few 'friendly-looking' people with you, and when you see their ship, hand them the invitation. Tell them the Rain Banquet's doors are open to them, and that I have intelligence about Alabasta... and some other things that might interest them."
He deliberately emphasized the word "intelligence," and his gaze swept over Robin meaningfully.
"Understood." Robin nodded slightly and noted down the order.
She understood Old Sha's intention—to make a tentative contact. As for whether it was to win him over? To exploit him? Or... to pave the way for future actions? Perhaps even Old Sha himself hadn't fully decided yet.
"Furthermore," Old Sha's gaze turned icy.
"Clean it up." He glanced in the direction of the iron cage.
"Yes," Robin replied calmly, turning to leave the secret room.
The casino lobby remained bustling with noise and filled with smoke, exuding an intense atmosphere of money and desire.
In an inconspicuous corner, a blue-haired girl was walking out with her partner, Mr. 9, with her head down.
She is none other than Neferutari Vivi, the princess of Alabasta and an undercover agent who infiltrated Baroque Works.
Her movements seemed ordinary, but her slightly trembling fingers betrayed her inner tension.
Just now, she received a mission—"Go with the group to Reverse Mountain to invite the Straw Hat Boy who summoned Roger..."
The news struck her like a thunderbolt! Could it be that the guy who summoned Roger was actually coming to Alabasta?
And Crocodile even wants to "invite" them? That's definitely not a good thing!
Crocodile is a usurper and the root of the turmoil in Alabasta! What evil plans do they have?
What terrified her even more was what would happen if they knew I also possessed "that thing"...
Beneath the bandage on the back of his right hand, three Command Seals, shimmering with a faint golden light, were emitting a dim glow.
She knew what this meant, but she didn't think it was a good thing. She kept it a secret carefully, afraid that no one would find out, especially not under Crocodile's nose.
What to do? If these two gangs of vicious pirates team up, this country...
Vivi's heart pounded like a drum; the immense sense of crisis and responsibility to protect her home almost suffocated her.
She had to find a way! If she really was chosen for that war, did that mean she could summon a powerful heroic spirit like Roger...?
But in Crocodile's stronghold, every step was fraught with danger.
She suppressed the turmoil in her heart, lowered her head, and quickly blended into the noisy crowd.
Beneath the wide-brimmed hat, those beautiful blue eyes were filled with determination.
"If... if we could summon a powerful Heroic Spirit, then we should be able to stop Crocodile, right?"
At this moment, Vivi and Crocodile simultaneously clenched their right hands, red and black standing in opposition under the guidance of fate.
Meanwhile, in the Holy Land of Mary Geoise.
The current commander of the Knights of God, Garin, is facing his son, Shamrock, a rising star among the younger generation.
Garin Sheng's expression was very serious, and his eyes behind his sunglasses were fixed on the three Command Seals on the back of his son's hand.
He touched the hideous scar on his chest. Although he appeared calm on the surface, his heart was actually in turmoil.
"How could that bastard's creation have chosen you...?"