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The Strongest Frost Loli (176)
🕑 Added 2025-01-07 17:02:33 +0000 UTCChapter 176 - Lycoris
The day began smoothly. Just past seven in the morning, Crocodile sat in the underground level of Rain Dinners, listening to Robin’s report. Mr. 2, disguised as King Cobra, had successfully incited the rebel army, inflaming public sentiment with the declaration, “I stole the rain!”
Koza, who had met with Vivi the previous day, harbored doubts. However, a glimpse of the statue of Vivi, crafted by Mr. 3 and Miss Goldenweek and transported by carriage, convinced him and his companions that they had been betrayed.
Mr. 1 and Miss Doublefinger, having acquired a merchant ship from Maraptonoka, crashed it into Nanohana’s harbour. Mr. 2 and his subordinates, disguised as royal soldiers, set fire to the town before retreating. The citizens’ outrage reached fever pitch, and the rebel army, armed with the plundered weapons from the merchant ship, set their sights on Alubarna.
While Mr. 4 and Miss Merry Christmas’s mission had failed, their failure was inconsequential. Crocodile’s plan was unfolding perfectly. The rebel army, convinced they were saving their country, would unwittingly destroy it.
“Kuhahaha. How poetic. Their patriotism will be their undoing,” Crocodile laughed.
“Indeed. But the king’s abduction failed,” Robin observed.
“…Did they identify Twilight’s escort?”
“Reinforcements arrived, as expected. But they weren’t significant enough to be recognized.”
Twilight was notoriously secretive. While Kanata had joined the Warlords twenty years ago, alongside Crocodile, the organization’s true strength remained hidden. While establishing territories and showcasing powerful figures was common practice among pirates, Twilight defied convention.
Their members, regardless of their strength, remained unlisted, their bounties revoked, their names absent from newspapers. Information about them was scarce, even in the underworld. Consequently, Twilight’s reputation was based solely on rumors of their immense power. Occasionally, a reckless rookie crew would challenge them, only to be swiftly crushed and their defeat dismissed as an encounter with a formidable, but ultimately unknown, force. In this instance, however, Robin had simply intercepted and suppressed any reports before they reached Crocodile.
“They must be elites, trained in the New World. Whether they’re veterans or rookies is irrelevant. They’re a nuisance.”
Crocodile sighed, puffing on his cigar. However, with the rebel army marching on Alubarna, a clash with the royal army was unavoidable. Even a partially successful operation was sufficient.
“I’ll have to go myself,” Crocodile decided.
“To the king?”
“Yes. Ideally, he knows where Pluton is hidden… or at least the location of the Poneglyph.”
Alabasta was vast. He couldn’t afford to waste time searching after the kingdom’s destruction. He prayed Cobra possessed the knowledge he sought. Having finished his breakfast, he stood. “I need to secure him before the rebel army arrives.”
He turned to leave, when an unfamiliar sound reached his ears.
A metallic clang, rhythmic and growing louder. He turned towards the source. The sound wasn't coming from the direction he was heading, but from the opposite end of the casino, towards the entrance leading to Rain Dinners. He frowned, his hand instinctively reaching for his hook as the door slowly creaked open.
A small figure stood in the doorway. A young girl.
“Greetings, Warlord Crocodile.”
“…Who are you?”
“Twilight.”
Steel heels encased her lower legs. Long, purple hair cascaded down her back. She wore an oversized penguin hoodie, its hood pulled low, obscuring her features except for a pair of sunglasses. Crocodile’s initial apprehension gave way to amusement.
“Twilight must be truly desperate. Sending a child like you…”
He dismissed her as insignificant. While Kanata was an exception, she was an anomaly. This girl, however, looked as young as she appeared. Given the current situation in the New World, it wasn't unreasonable to assume Twilight lacked the resources to deploy stronger forces.
“Do you really think so?”
“…What?”
“You’ve been a pirate for a long time, haven’t you? It’s unwise to jump to conclusions.”
A predatory grin spread across her face as she crouched and coiled like a spring. Crocodile instinctively raised his guard. It was a futile gesture.
With explosive speed, she lunged, her steel heels was grinding against the floor with a deafening screech, sending sparks flying. Crocodile barely managed to deflect her kick with his hook, the force of the impact sent him sprawling.
Rain Dinners was built on a lake. The room they were in was submerged. Any significant damage would flood the room, a potentially fatal scenario for everyone present, all Devil Fruit users.
“Ugh…!”
“Impressive. You managed to block it. I’d heard you’d grown complacent, but…” She sounded almost disappointed.
“You…!” Crocodile glared at her, scrambling to his feet. He couldn’t afford to underestimate her. He also recognized the disadvantage of fighting in this location.
“I wouldn’t recommend assisting him, Nico Robin. Touching your opponent without knowing their ability is a risky proposition, especially if you don’t possess Haki.”
Robin, who had been feigning assistance from Crocodile’s blind spot, froze. While not common, Devil Fruits with abilities activated through touch existed. Approaching an unknown opponent without proper assessment was indeed dangerous.
Crocodile, deciding to retreat, turned and fled towards the underwater corridor leading to the surface.
“Running away, are we? A wise decision, but…” With a flick of her wrist, she unleashed a flying slash that ripped through a section of the corridor, sending water gushing into the room.
Robin realized the danger and followed Crocodile’s escape route. As the room began to flood, Lycoris followed.
***
The casino’s upper levels remained largely unaffected, the tremors from the earlier clash barely noticeable. Lycoris emerged from the underwater corridor and pursued Crocodile, her Observation Haki scanned for his presence. The corridor led towards Alubarna, narrowing down his escape route.
As the sun rose, the desert air grew warmer. She spotted him, his clothes still soaked, and launched a surprise attack. He barely managed to dodge.
“Damn it…!”
“Still have the energy to curse, I see.”
He tried to create distance, but she unleashed a barrage of Rankyaku, preventing his escape. While her attacks weren’t Haki-infused, Crocodile’s sand body that was unable to fluidize due to the water, couldn't simply phase through them. He was forced to rely on conventional dodging.
“Tch!”
He clicked his tongue in annoyance, retreating from the town into the desert. His decision wasn't motivated by any concern for the townspeople. He simply believed he was invincible in the desert. He changed tactics, hoping to wear her down in the scorching heat and unfamiliar terrain. She was young, likely inexperienced in desert combat.
“Humiliating…” he muttered, his pride wounded by the necessity of such a tactic.
Lycoris, seemingly unfazed, pursued him relentlessly. Her flying slashes and Haki-infused strikes were difficult to defend against. As the sun climbed higher, she paused, observing him.
“You can withstand this much, at least.”
His experience was undeniable. He held the advantage in the desert. But that simply meant… she could have more fun. A predatory grin spread across her face as she activated her ability.
“…What’s that…?”
Crocodile watched as her skin glistened. It wasn’t sweat. A viscous liquid flowed across her body, dripping onto the ground.
She was the Honey Queen, a Melt-Melt Fruit user. Her touch could liquefy anything, a dangerous ability even for Haki users. The dripping liquid dissolved the rocks beneath her feet, a chilling reminder of its potency. Crocodile grimaced.
“Let’s begin.”
With one swing of her leg, she launched a projectile of liquefying liquid towards him. It was a Fish-Man Karate technique, ‘Gekisui’ but with a deadly twist. He narrowly dodged the corrosive projectile, before contorting as he launched a counterattack.
“Desert Spada!”
He transformed his right arm into a sand blade, but she effortlessly evaded it, sending another Gekisui towards him.
The essence of his sand powers lay in dehydration. He could desiccate a liquid Logia, rendering them powerless, but… touching her meant losing his arm. Moreover, getting close enough to touch her was suicide. Her Haki was formidable. He had felt its power in their initial clash. A direct confrontation was unwise.
“Sables!”
He conjured a sandstorm, concealing himself as he gathered his power, drawing more sand under his control. He would make her regret challenging him in the desert.
“Desert Ondata!”
A massive wave of sand, amplified by the swirling sandstorm, surged towards her, threatening to engulf her. It was a wide-area attack, unavoidable through conventional means. She should have been powerless.
“You underestimate me. You think this can defeat me?”
She was a liquid Logia. The power of a Devil Fruit was directly proportional to the user’s skill. For a substance generation ability, this meant quantity, speed, and precision. Such abilities were common within Twilight, allowing for ample opportunities to learn from experienced users. Moreover, Lycoris was a prodigy, selected for the Valkyries at the age of sixteen.
“What?!”
A torrent of water erupted, pushing back the sand wave. The liquefying liquid beneath her feet transformed into a tsunami, colliding with Crocodile’s sand wave, the two forces locked in a stalemate. If he could control all the sand in the desert, she would be at a disadvantage. But he couldn't. He had honed his ability, but his control was limited. She was stronger.
“What’s next? I do enjoy crushing hope, one by one.”
However, she couldn't afford to linger. The Beasts Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates were approaching. Twilight forces were engaging them near the eastern port, but she needed to reinforce them.
Crocodile’s face contorted in rage. The humiliation of being toyed with wounded his pride. He conjured multiple sandstorms, hid himself as he plotted his next move.
“Do you really think that will work again?”
Would he try the same tactic, or something different? She sliced through the sandstorms with Rankyaku, clearing her vision as her Observation Haki scanned the area. She sensed an unfamiliar presence.
“Where are you, Crocodile?!”
A young man in a straw hat came running towards them with an excited look on his face.
