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It seemed no one noticed an extra eye and ear on one of the pillars.
Outside the palace, in a luxurious crocodile-drawn carriage, Robin was relaying what she had seen and heard to Crocodile.
His face was grim.
He had already considered Alabasta his. And now, someone was reaching their hand into his plate?
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That night.
The palace was brightly lit. Nobles from all over the kingdom had gathered to discuss the matter.
In a hotel not far from the palace, Maya was practicing the Six Powers.
Shave, Iron Body, Paper Art, Moonwalk, Tempest Kick, Finger Pistol.
They were martial arts that pushed the human body beyond its limits.
They were also, in a sense, the basic version of Haki.
Although in the eyes of the truly strong, the Six Powers were child's play—especially Iron Body, which had gotten a lot of people killed—they were a complete martial arts system. For anyone below the level of Vice Admiral, they provided a significant boost in power.
Not everyone was a genius. The Six Powers were for the masses.
They were a good foundation to build on.
Jin sat on a nearby chair, cross-legged, meditating, feeling the flow of his "Ki."
Suddenly, he opened his eyes.
Knock, knock...
The sound was sharp and clear in the night.
Maya stopped her training.
"Go open the door," Jin said.
When she opened it, a man and a woman were standing in the doorway.
The man was over two meters tall, with his hair slicked back, a long scar running across his face, and an earring in his right ear. He wore a black fur coat over an orange plaid shirt, and his left hand was a golden hook. A cigar was clenched between his teeth. He had an air of importance about him.
The woman was young and tall, with long limbs. She wore a low-cut, dark-colored cowgirl outfit. Her features were sharp, her nose high, her eyebrows long and thin. Her eyes were a deep blue, her skin pale and smooth.
"Who are you...?" Maya asked.
They ignored her and walked straight in.
"You're King Jin?" the man asked.
"That's me," Jin said, stopping Maya from intervening. "Dropping in uninvited... what do you want, Crocodile?"
A flicker of surprise passed through Crocodile's eyes.
'He knows who I am?' But his name was famous throughout the seas. Jin had probably done his research.
Good. That makes things easier.
"I'm here to talk business," Crocodile said.
"Oh?"
Robin observed the young man. He had a faint smile on his face as he sat in his chair, watching them.
"I will buy all of your goods," Crocodile said. "On the condition that you leave Alabasta immediately. And you are not to return."
"Alabasta is a big place," Jin said, resting his chin on his hand. "Are you trying to take it all for yourself, Crocodile?"
"I am informing you, not negotiating with you," Crocodile said, his eyes cold and sharp.
"Heh." Jin said, stretching. "In that case, I'll inform you: impossible."
"So," Crocodile said, "—you're making an enemy of me?"
"So what if I am?" Jin replied. "You think you're so great? What are you going to do? Kill me?"
Robin was stunned. He was showing no respect to Crocodile at all...
The veins on Crocodile's forehead bulged. His face darkened. Their eyes locked for a few seconds, and then he suddenly burst out laughing.
"Of course not. You're a king, after all. But the seas are rough. A king should be careful."
"Thank you for your concern," Jin said. "But the bigger the storm, the more valuable the fish. We'll see, won't we?"
Crocodile turned to leave.
Robin lagged a step behind.
"Miss Robin," a voice whispered in her ear, "—are you interested in a change of employer?"
Her heart skipped a beat. She whipped her head around.
The king was looking at her with a knowing smile.
"What did you say?" she said, suppressing her fear and feigning composure.
"Nothing," Jin said. "Close the door on your way out."
After they had gone, Maya looked at him, worried. "King, will there be trouble?"
"There will," Jin said. "Crocodile is a crafty one. He's planning something big here, and he doesn't want any complications. That's why he didn't make a move just now. But if he wants to drive us out, what will he do?"
Maya thought for a moment. Crocodile's words echoed in her mind. The seas are rough.
"He'll attack our ship?"
If the ships from Drum Island were sunk, one after another, even the Winter Blossom Kingdom's resources would eventually be depleted.
"If I'm not mistaken—" Jin said with a smile, "—someone will be attacking our ship in Nanohana very soon."
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Outside the hotel.
Crocodile climbed into his crocodile-drawn carriage and picked up a Den Den Mushi.
"Mr. 1. Burn that ship."
"Yes, boss."
Mr. 1 looked at the ship in the port, pulled up his hood, and said, "You guys go first."
"Sir."
A dozen of Baroque Works' "Millions" agents crept through the darkness and threw their grappling hooks onto the ship.
'Too easy,' Mr. 1 thought.
It seemed he wouldn't even have to lift a finger.
He waited for a moment, then frowned. Strange. Where was the fire? The ship was completely silent.
He sensed that something was wrong. He and the rest of his men boarded the ship. The moment his feet touched the deck, he fell through.
What?? Where's the deck?
A trap?
All of them fell.
The deck closed above them.
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"They're dealt with? Good work," Jin said, setting down a map of Sandy Island. He laced his fingers together and cracked his knuckles.
"It's rude not to reciprocate."
Jin wanted Alabasta's resources, but Crocodile was too greedy. He didn't want to cooperate; he wanted it all for himself.
And he was trying to cut off Jin's source of income, to drive him out?
He was bullying an honest man.
"How could he do that?" Jin sighed. "Can't we all just make money together? You started this, Crocodile. Don't blame me for what comes next."
Crocodile had declared war.
And it wasn't Jin's style to back down.
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In a remote area of the royal capital, inside a brightly lit carriage, Crocodile was resting with his eyes closed, waiting for the good news from Mr. 1.
Robin was reading a newspaper, but her mind was elsewhere.
That king... he knew who she was.
But... why didn't Crocodile react? Did he not hear?
A sense of unease settled in her heart.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.
Crocodile and Robin both jumped.
The carriage was being pulled by a Banana Gator—a beast that hunted Sea Kings for breakfast.
Without a second thought, they both leaped from the carriage, Crocodile from the back door and Robin from the window, their movements swift and silent.
They landed and looked warily ahead.
On the back of the Banana Gator, a figure stood, silhouetted against the moonlight, casting a long shadow.
He was handsome, exceptionally so, with a slender build and a refined air.
"King Jin." Crocodile said, his voice calm, but filled with a simmering rage and a heavy threat.
How did he get here??
He had been annoyed by Jin's refusal, and now, he was being provoked, right to his face.
And the way he was standing there, looking down at them... it was as if he were a god, looking down on mortals.
A flame of rage ignited in Crocodile's heart.
But he wasn't an ordinary man. He could suppress his anger.
"You've come to me," he said, his voice a low growl. "Have you had a change of heart?"
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