Everyone looked up.

Two towering figures strode toward the port—Boa Sandersonia and Boa Marigold, carrying large bags filled with food.

“I knew it—they wouldn’t be that pretty,” Sanji muttered in satisfaction, averting his gaze.

The two sisters weren’t ugly, but they certainly weren’t beauties either.

The two of them moved quickly toward the harbor.

Behind their massive figures, several other individuals emerged—Shakky, Nico Robin, Lily, Makino, and Kuina.

A total of seven women.

They were currently in Nanohana, the bustling port city of Alabasta, while the rest of their crew was scattered across the island’s other cities.

Makino and Lily had come here because Nanohana was the most prosperous port, with the largest variety of food. Shakky was here to gather intelligence about the sea.

At first, Shakky and Lily didn’t draw much reaction from Sanji.

But as soon as Makino, Nico Robin, and Kuina appeared—

Sanji’s eyes widened, and he froze in place.

His expression turned vacant, his pupils dilated.

“Look at them… and then look at us.”

Sanji clutched his head in agony, pounding the ground in frustration before shooting a disgusted glance at Luffy and Zoro.

Then, as his gaze landed on Nami, his mood momentarily lifted—

Only to sink again immediately.

Nami is about to leave…

Sanji burst into tears.

Zoro, however, had eyes only for Kuina.

Over a decade had passed.

She had changed significantly, but he recognized her instantly.

The person standing before him was the same rival he had never once defeated in childhood.

Meanwhile, Crocodile’s attention was on Nico Robin.

She was the key to his ambition and his dream.

Luffy scratched his head, staring at Makino in confusion.

She looked familiar, as if he should recognize her—

But his poor memory for faces made it impossible to recall her instantly.

Nami, both excited and puzzled, looked toward them.

Kuke and Gion weren’t present.

But she recognized Shakky and the Boa sisters.

It was real.

“Well, well… quite the gathering. A little crocodile like Crocodile showing up is one thing, but even a former Marine Admiral is here,” Shakky commented, taking a drag from her cigarette as she scanned the group.

Her gaze then shifted to the Straw Hats.

“Have we been gone too long, or are rookies just getting bolder? Do they not care about our Sun and Moon flag anymore?”

She exhaled a puff of smoke, her eyes turning cold.

“Entering someone else’s territory uninvited… do you all have a death wish?”

“So… so scary!”

Usopp, who had worked up the courage to leave the ship, scrambled to climb back onto the Going Merry.

Zoro narrowed his eyes.

She was strong.

But as a member of one of the Four Emperors’ crews, such a presence was only to be expected.

“Witch Shakky, I haven’t stepped inside,” Crocodile stated, pointing at the ground beneath him.

He had carefully avoided stepping past the Sun and Moon flag’s boundary.

Aokiji, too, had stood just outside the flag’s range.

At this moment—

Only Luffy, oblivious as ever, had stepped within the Sun and Moon flag’s domain.

“A witch? A witch?!” Usopp trembled behind Zoro, gripping his clothes tightly. “Just from the name, she sounds impossible to deal with!”

Swish—

Everyone’s attention turned to Luffy, who had unknowingly trespassed into Sun and Moon territory.

Among pirates, stepping into another’s territory without permission was tantamount to declaring war.

But Luffy remained entirely unaware of the gravity of the situation.

“I’m so hungry! I need food! You guys have so much—just give me a little, just a little!”

His eyes were locked onto the massive bags of food the Boa sisters were carrying.

Exquisite ingredients, freshly prepared meals—

To Luffy, it was the ultimate temptation.

Using both his hands and feet like a monkey, he lunged toward the food.

Shakky’s eyes turned cold.

Crocodile spoke up first.

“Members of the Sun and Moon Pirates, leave this small fry to me.”

The moment he saw Nico Robin, an idea struck him.

He needed her to decipher the Poneglyphs.

Had it been anyone else, Crocodile would have simply taken them by force.

But against the Sun and Moon Pirates, he couldn’t afford to be reckless.

Luffy, in his eyes, was nothing more than an insect.

By eliminating this nuisance for them, he could then make his request—

To have Nico Robin translate the ancient texts for him.

That way, he wouldn’t offend the Sun and Moon Pirates directly.

And he wouldn’t have to expose the true nature of the Poneglyphs.

It was the perfect strategy.

Without another word, Crocodile dissolved into sand and rushed toward Luffy.

“I’m only here to eat—I don’t wanna fight!”

Luffy grumbled as he watched Crocodile charge at him.

As the golden hook came stabbing toward him—

Luffy twisted his body, narrowly dodging, flipping backward to gain distance.

His right fist shot forward, aiming straight for Crocodile’s face.

Boom!

His punch connected—

But Crocodile’s head simply crumbled into sand, dispersing harmlessly.

“Rubber Rubber—!”

Luffy unleashed a flurry of punches, striking Crocodile’s body dozens of times in an instant.

But it was useless.

At his current level, Luffy had no way of dealing with a Logia user.

“Again with this kind of ability?”

Luffy’s face fell.

He had already experienced this helplessness against Smoker—

And now, once again, his attacks were completely ineffective.

“Too weak.”

Crocodile effortlessly grabbed Luffy’s outstretched arm.

Then—

He activated his ability.

Sapping the moisture from Luffy’s arm.

In an instant, Luffy’s right arm withered, shriveling like a dry husk.

“Huh?!”

Luffy stared in horror at his shriveled limb, screaming in panic.

“Luffy!”

Zoro and Sanji immediately moved—

But they weren’t fast enough.

Two figures intercepted them before they could reach Luffy.

Daz Bonez, wielding his Dice-Dice Fruit powers, clashed with Zoro, his blade-like hands forcing Zoro into a rapid retreat.

Sanji, meanwhile, was blocked by Bon Clay, whose Copy-Copy Fruit allowed him to mimic his movements.

Both were forced into a disadvantage.

In mere moments, the Straw Hats found themselves in an unprecedented crisis.

“This… this can’t be real…”

Usopp trembled, his eyes wide with fear.

Their three strongest fighters were all losing.

And Luffy—

His arms had been drained of moisture.

“This is terrifying…”

Nami shuddered.

Though she was frightened, she wasn’t as panicked as Usopp.

Because—

Shakky and the others were here.

She had a safety net.

Luffy desperately evaded Crocodile’s attacks.

He didn’t dare attack again—

For fear that his legs would be drained next.

“Wait… that’s Luffy?”

Makino finally recognized him.

At first, she hadn’t noticed.

But once he used his Rubber-Rubber Fruit powers, she immediately remembered the reckless kid from Foosha Village.

“Oh, that brat,” Shakky mused.

She took a graceful step forward.

Just one step—

And Crocodile instinctively halted his attack.

“Crocodile, if you’re trying to win favor, at least be a little more subtle,” Shakky remarked, seeing right through his intentions.

Crocodile lowered his head slightly in respect.

“I once had the honor of seeing Kuke in Sabaody,” he said. “I’ve admired him ever since. Today… I have a small request for the Sun and Moon Pirates—I need Nico Robin’s help in translating some ancient texts. Consider it a favor owed.”

He had lowered his stance significantly.

A simple task, in exchange for a favor from him—

A reasonable deal, one he believed they wouldn’t refuse.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep