Chapter 400: Sandstorm Showdown: Twists of Fate in Alabasta

“Even if you can use Armament Haki, it won’t matter if you can’t hit me.” Crocodile’s head exploded into sand, then reformed—his cigar perfectly intact.

“Hmph!”

“Kid, let me show you what real battle looks like!”

“Desert Funeral!”

Crocodile stretched out his right hand and, in an instant, a tornado erupted around Luffy’s position. Sand poured down from above, pinning Luffy beneath it until he was completely encased in a ball.

Once Luffy was sealed in the sand, Crocodile suddenly clenched his fist tight.

Splat!

The sand sphere shrank relentlessly toward the center. Spots of blood slowly began appearing on its surface.

“Luffy!?”

“One Sword Style—Lion Song!” Just then, Zoro, locked in his own fight, saw Luffy’s predicament. He slashed both swords, firing a green arc of sword energy straight at the sand ball.

Screeech!

Clang!

Trapped inside, Luffy braced himself against the crushing force with Armament Haki. But he was a step too slow—his body still took some hits.

Just as he struggled to break free, he sensed Zoro’s sharp sword aura coming from his right. A faint grin crept to his lips.

“Ah, saved!” Zoro’s sword aura smashed right into Luffy’s right arm, and Luffy used that force to burst out of the sand ball.

Crocodile twisted his head, eyes dark as he swept his gaze toward Daz Bones.

Feeling his boss’s displeasure, sweat beaded on Daz Bones’s forehead. “You—do you even take me seriously?”

Infuriated, Daz Bones charged, both arms flashing with brilliant silver light as he lashed out at Zoro. For a moment, white sword blades danced through the air from every direction.

Zoro tried to parry, his defense quick but clearly rushed. He couldn’t dodge them all—Daz Bones landed a hit, slicing across Zoro’s waist and side.

Zoro managed to block with Armament Haki just in time, but a ten-centimeter gash still appeared on his torso.

He glanced at Chopper, who was struggling nearby. Zoro quickly wrapped his shirt tightly around his waist to staunch the bleeding—for now, it would have to do.

As the fighting kept ramping up, a huge number of Billion and Million Works agents appeared from afar.

They completely surrounded the area, and some of the better marksmen started firing suppressing shots at Luffy and his friends.

“You’re a worthy opponent, but that’s no reason to underestimate me.” Daz Bones flicked his right hand, blood flying off the blade.

On the Grand Line, Zoro was the first to ever make him fight this seriously.

“Out of respect, I’ll take your head as proof of victory.” Daz Bones stamped his feet, then shot forward toward Zoro like a bolt of lightning.

Zoro was injured, but injuries never stopped him—he’d faced off against people like Arlong even worse off than this. “Oh? If you want my head so bad, come take it yourself!”

Daz Bones’s words only fueled Zoro’s anger. Since he set out to sea, he’d never met anyone this arrogant.

And honestly, Daz Bones’s strength wasn’t that much greater than his own. So where was he getting all this nerve?

The two clashed instantly.

While their swords rang out in fierce combat, Ye Fan and Gin slipped away to the bell tower—where, in the original story, Crocodile hid his bomb. Without hesitation, Ye Fan retrieved it into his System space, removing the threat completely.

“Interesting. Didn’t expect to run into her here.”

Standing before Ye Fan was none other than Nico Robin.

Standing atop the bell tower gave Robin a clear view of the land below. She glanced back again and again as she hurried over from Rainbase.

Her destination was obvious: the Alabasta Poneglyph. But this Poneglyph only revealed the location of Pluton—the Wano Country!

Ye Fan couldn’t help but chuckle at that. Wano was under his control now, the Kozuki Family nearly wiped out. What hope did Luffy’s crew have of getting their hands on it?

“Vice-Captain Ye Fan, did you discover something?” Gin stepped up and lowered his voice beside Ye Fan.

Ye Fan’s gaze led Gin to a purple-haired woman darting through the alleys below. At a glance, Gin recognized who she was.

“I wonder if my arrival will change fate. Eh, forget it. Come on, Gin!” Ye Fan didn’t pursue the topic, just left the bell tower with Gin in tow.

As for where Nico Robin was headed, that wasn’t his concern.

Besides, she had a certain half-sibling stalker trailing her. If Ye Fan wasn’t careful, this clone of his could be in real trouble.

That’s right—the stalker was none other than Aokiji. He’d joined the Revolutionary Army instead of the Navy this time.

But the Navy still enforced the Buster Call on Ohara, just as before.

Aokiji managed Revolutionary Army operations in the West Blue, which often put him in contact with Nico Robin.

And after learning of Robin’s tragic past and her importance as a scholar, he helped her many times over. Without that, she could never have survived with a 79 million belly bounty while constantly evading capture.

You had to remember, Nico Robin was just eight years old back then.

Once Ye Fan handled his side of things, he rushed toward the site of Luffy and the others’ fierce battle.

Arriving at the chaotic battlefield, Ye Fan immediately spotted Ace perched atop a distant rooftop.

“Gin, you take care of them. Try not to take lives.” Ye Fan gestured at the swarm of Billion and Million Works agents.

Gin didn’t know why, but he obeyed without question. He pulled a jet-black staff from behind his back and charged straight at the mob.

“Watch out, enemy incoming!”

The agents, who’d been here to set up a blockade, quickly noticed Gin coming for them, bloodlust in his eyes.

“Fire!”

Bam! Bam! Bam!!!

Bullets poured down on Gin, but they were useless. Gin swung his staff from side to side, knocking every round out of the air.

Still dozens of meters away, Gin crouched then swept his iron staff at the ground ahead, aiming right where they stood.

Ye Fan said not to kill, but hurting them was fair game. His strike hit right in front of the mob.

Boom!

As the staff slammed into the sandy earth, several agents went flying. Gin pressed his attack, barging into the crowd. “He’s here! Shoot him!”

“Ouch! You shot me, you idiot!”

“Stop using guns—switch to blades!”

The scene became chaotic. It didn’t take long for the agents to realize their guns only harmed their own, so they tossed their rifles aside and drew their sabers, surrounding Gin.