Chapter 104: The King of the Desert

That incident had happened several months earlier.

"Well then… that settles it."

"Ugh… damn it…!"

On the ship’s deck, the man sheathed his cleaver-like sword.

His name was Thatch.

Fourth Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates—a man whose presence alone could quiet crying children. Commander, and also head of the kitchen.

He’d just silenced a rookie crew that wandered into the New World and dared to stir trouble at the edge of Whitebeard’s territory.

They had refused to kneel. Wanted the old man’s head. After pillaging islands under Whitebeard’s flag and terrorizing civilians, this outcome was inevitable. Thatch had come to end it.

"Now then, let’s see if there’s anything worth hauling back… Hm?"

He stepped over bodies, calm and unhurried, until his eyes landed on a single chest.

"! Stop!! That treasure is—!!"

"Oh? This one’s got meaning?"

The pirate who shouted was barely conscious. But Thatch ignored him and reached for the chest.

"Too bad. You’re lucky I’m letting you live. Don’t push it."

"……!!"

No reply came—just a choked grimace.

The Whitebeard Pirates were called "good" pirates. Not that true goodness existed in these seas. But they protected their people. No drugs. No slaves. No harm to civilians. Their territory was safe, and their taxes fair.

In a world where the Four Emperors ruled and the Marines faltered, they were seen as righteous.

They didn’t kill unless provoked by something serious—strength, depravity, or both. Otherwise, they left crews alive, stripped their goods, and handed them to the Marines when useful. These rookies got off easy.

"! This is…"

Thatch cracked open the chest. And froze.

"A Devil Fruit…?"

A purple fruit, twisted in shape, marked with the telltale spirals. No doubt about it.

"Damn… Didn’t expect to find one out here."

He picked it up, held it in one hand.

Even after more than a decade on the crew, it was Thatch’s first time seeing one up close. The crew had users—plenty—but it was different seeing one untouched.

"What to do with this…"

He turned it over slowly, exhaling. Whitebeard’s rule was clear: Devil Fruits were fair game. Find one, and you had the right to eat it on the spot.

Made sense. Devil Fruits sold for no less than 100 million berries, and every one of them granted some kind of power.

And yet, Thatch hesitated. Eat it, and the sea rejects you. You sink like a stone. No swimming—ever again.

For most pirates, that was a serious cost. For a cook, it was worse.

Still… in these seas, strength mattered more.

The weak didn’t last. And this was strength in its purest form.

"…I’ll think about it back on the ship."

He wasn’t desperate to eat it. Curious, sure. Tempted, even. But if it wasn’t something flashy—like the Mera Mera no Mi, or the Hie Hie no Mi—what was the rush?

Or the Suke Suke no Mi… now that one’s every man’s dream.

Those first two were already taken anyway. One by a hotshot rookie, the other by a Marine Admiral.

But the Suke Suke…

Maybe. Later.

He’d take it back, show it off. Brag a little. Decide then.

"—ZEHAHAHA!! Hey, Thatch!! We’re done over here!"

"Tch… Here comes the loudmouth."

That booming laugh—he knew it well. A hulking man stepped into view.

Teach. Second Division. Loud. Greedy. Crude.

But a crewmate for over twenty years. More than that—a friend.

Thatch didn’t mind the casual tone. They cracked dirty jokes, watched rookies, swapped stories. Just the other day, they were talking about Devil Fruits with Ace and Musashi.

Thatch grinned. Perfect timing.

"Yo, Teach. Done already? Still gotta load the cargo. But first—check this out."

"!!! W-whoa…! Is that…!?"

Thatch held up the fruit. Teach looked like he’d been hit in the gut.

"Hah! Didn’t think you’d be this shocked."

"A… Devil Fruit…!!!"

"Crazy, right? Found it in a chest over there."

Thatch couldn’t help it—his grin widened. Teach’s stunned face was priceless.

"……Thatch. You… gonna eat it?"

"Hm? Oh—"

That question hit heavier than expected. Thatch paused. Then shrugged.

"Maybe. Y’know how we were talking about ‘em the other day? Mera Mera’s out, sure—but if it’s Suke Suke, man… HAHA!"

"…ZEHAHAHA… Yeah… guess so."

They laughed. The kind of laugh friends share.

Beads of sweat clung to Teach’s brow.

"If it is Suke Suke, I’ll let you in on the fun. Heard it works on anything you touch—maybe even people. Dunno yet."

"……Yeah. Sounds fun."

"Damn right. Let’s get back. Gotta show the old man."

"……Right."

Thatch turned, fruit still in hand.

Behind him, Teach’s eyes flicked toward the deck.

A dagger.

One of the fallen pirates’ weapons. Untouched. Gleaming.

Teach followed behind… and his hand closed around the hilt.

"Oh yeah, we got good cherries in recently. I’ll bake a pie when we’re back. You like those, right? Gonna try something new—be my taste tester."

"…Oh… Can’t wait."

Thatch didn’t feel it coming.

If it were an enemy, he would’ve. Observation Haki was second nature—reading killing intent, reacting in a heartbeat.

But there was no reason to use it here.

Not with Teach.

"…Hm? What’s up, Teach? Why so qui—"

"!!"

"…………Ah……?"

Red.

Something red burst from Thatch’s chest.

He didn’t understand.

A burning pain bloomed. Blood spilled from his lips.

Stabbed?

Why?

"…Tea…ch…"

He fell.

His friend—his crewmate—the one behind him—

Why?

"Why…………"

Those were his final words.

His face froze in confusion as he crumpled to the deck, blood pooling beneath him.

Maybe that was mercy.

Maybe it was better he never realized.

"…ZEHAHA… Sorry ‘bout this… Thatch…!!"

Teach released the dagger. His hands, slick with blood, reached for the fruit that had rolled from Thatch’s grip.

A Devil Fruit, stained at the edge with red.

"ZEHAHAHAHA…!!"

Teach picked it up, laughing wildly, and—despite the blood smeared across it—bit into the fruit without hesitation.

"ZEHAHA… Disgusting… tastes like death…!!!"

He’d heard Devil Fruits were foul, but this surpassed even his imagination.

Yet Teach couldn’t stop laughing. The fruit was vile, and he’d just murdered his closest friend. Of course it left a bitter aftertaste.

But none of that mattered—because right now, Teach was in ecstasy.

"ZEHAHA… ZEHAHAHA… ZEHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

Power surged through his veins. His body twisted with an eerie sensation.

Drunk on it, he laughed.

"Finally… I’ve got it!!! Now… I’ll be UNSTOPPABLE!!!"

——Nearly 30 years as a pirate.

The Devil Fruit encyclopedia he’d seen as a child. The most notoriously sinister ability in history.

The strongest of them all—an anomaly even among Logia-types.

He’d boarded Whitebeard’s ship for this moment alone.

"FATE HAS CHOSEN ME!!!"

If luck hadn’t been on his side, he would’ve died just another nameless crewmate.

He respected Whitebeard—admired him, even. Thatch had been a true friend.

None of that was a lie.

——But none of it could compare to his ambition.

"ZEHAHAHA… Now… it’s time to rise…!!"

"Ugh… What the hell… is wrong with him…!?"

The surviving pirates, who had witnessed everything, trembled at Teach’s madness.

And Teach knew they were still alive.

"ZEHAHA… Gotta buy myself some time… and hide the evidence… So… WITNESSES GOTTA GO!!!"

"!! STOP—"

Screams and blood filled the air.

The gravest sin aboard the Whitebeard Pirates—killing a comrade—had been committed.

And with that betrayal, a new pirate was born.

Blackbeard Marshall D. Teach.

The man who would become the trigger for the greatest upheaval the seas had ever seen.

---

—Sandy Island, Grand Line (Paradise)

The kingdom of Alabasta was one of the most advanced civilizations in the Grand Line.

A massive summer island spanning over 1,000 km in all directions, it was a founding member of the World Government.

Famous for its deserts—and for Croco·di·le.

"Huh… So 'Fire Fist' Ace is chasing 'Blackbeard,' the guy who killed a crewmate and deserted Whitebeard… Oh, this perfume’s nice!! I’ll take it, ma’am!!"

"Indeed. And it seems Lady Musashi has also set sail to pursue Fire Fist."

"Ah, got it. Ooh, this dress is cute too!! Gimme that~♪"

"My, you’re enjoying Alabasta quite a bit, Lady Nue."

Holding a Den Den Mushi, I strolled through the marketplace of Nanohana, Alabasta’s port town—famous for its perfumes.

On the other end of the line was "Calamity Joker" Stussy, one of my top executives.

Normally, long-distance calls like this risked interception by the Marines or Cipher Pol, but fortunately, we had Stussy—the former CP0 chief—on our side. With her connections, we used a rare white Den Den Mushi that scrambled surveillance signals.

"Still, capturing him now wouldn’t be difficult… Should we send pursuers?"

"Hmm~ Maybe? If we know his location, we can handle it whenever~♪ More importantly, what’s Kaido up to?"

"Lord Kaido sank a Marine fleet and is drinking again."

"Same as usual, huh…"

"Yes. Though he doesn’t yet know you fought Dragon—he’ll probably be furious when he finds out."

"But I wanted to fight him! If he gets mad, oh well!!"

Kaido was his usual self. When sober, he was serious—if he heard I’d fought Dragon, he’d probably scold me. Not angry, just… annoyed.

But as long as I, the Calamities, or the Flying Six acted within reason, explanations could come later. Power and status meant freedom.

"Still, Lady Nue, the Government now knows you were in the East Blue after your clash with Dragon."

"Good for them~ Doubt they’ll make a move unless provoked. At most, they’ll just posture."

"True. I’ll inform you if anything changes. Now… what exactly are you planning to do there?"

"Oh, that’s—"

I hummed cheerfully as I slipped into the dancer’s outfit I’d just bought, heading toward the edge of town.

Then—the sound of scrambling footsteps.

"H-hey!! Are you serious!? We can’t take on the Vice-Governor of the Beasts!!"

"Then back off!! Taking her down means a guaranteed promotion!!"

"Yeah! And she looks like some weak brat!! We can do this!! Let’s gang up on her!!"

"My… Fufufu♡ Another guerrilla performance?"

Steussy’s amused voice crackled through the receiver. I giggled in response.

"Found you!! Phatnom Beast Nue!!! That billions on your head—WE’RE CLAIMING IT!!!"

"Yep~♪ Just a little live show while I check out this country’s underworld… Maybe even say hi to Mr. Crocodile~♡"

"! Oh my… That poor Crocodile."

"Hey, bitch!! You listening!? Stop ignoring us!!"

I kept chatting with Steussy, ignoring the rabble. Normally, I’d have more to discuss… but these idiots were getting noisy.

"Ahahaha♪ Did I hear you right? You’re taking me down? …On your own orders, right? You guys are so stupid~♡"

"The hell!?"

"Of course it’s our call!! We’re bounty hunters, damn it!!"

For a split second, they faltered. Well-trained, but… too bad.

My Observation Haki saw right through them.

And more importantly—I already knew who they worked for.

Their boss would never be dumb enough to target me.

"…Hey, ever heard the phrase… 'Tear 'em to pieces'?"

"You mocking us, brat!?"

"Just get it over with already!! If they're letting their guard down, now's our chance!!"

With those words, the self-proclaimed bounty hunters raised their weapons, looking ready to pounce at any moment. ...Not that hitting me with everything they’ve got would even leave a scratch. But if they knew that, they wouldn’t have challenged me in the first place. Still, since they did, I get to have some fun—so that’s fine by me.

"——Well then, I’m going to... tear you all apart and toss you away now♡"

"Eh...?"

I grabbed the arm of the first man who reached me—and tore it right off.

Then, I casually tossed it to the ground. The air went dead silent as the man’s scream pierced through.

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"

"Gh...!?"

"A... Ah...!"

"No... way...!?"

The men stood frozen, utterly speechless.

Since they’d gone to the trouble, I decided to give them one chance—just one free hit.

But their attacks did nothing.

Neither blades nor bullets could pierce my soft, smooth skin.

Watching them, their hearts now filled with incomprehensible terror, I tilted my head cutely and delivered my verdict—just to drown them in despair and the fear of death.

"I’ll tear off each and every one of your limbs... one by one, nice and slow♡"

"Ugh... WAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"

"D-Don’t come any closer, you monster!!"

"N-No way... I... We were... so close to becoming NUMBER AGENTS—"

——And just as promised, I tore off their limbs, one by one, and tossed them aside. The fear in the air put me in a good mood, but... after dealing with that dragon earlier, this was kinda boring. With that, I leaped into the air and headed north toward my destination.

---

The Alabasta Kingdom, a member nation of the World Government, had no Marines stationed within its borders. At most, they patrolled the nearby seas.

The reason was simple—this country had a man who enjoyed the deep trust of the government.

A man who had been part of the system since its inception, hunting pirates in these waters for twenty years without causing a single problem.

A man now more popular among the people than even King Nefertari Cobra—whose trust had been shaken by rumors of Dance Powder usage.

A man hailed as a hero—despite being a pirate.

"Ah!! It’s Sir Crocodile!!"

"Lord Crocodile!!"

"Sir Crocodile!!"

In the northwestern oasis town of Rainbase, a bustling pleasure district centered around a massive casino, largely untouched by the water shortages plaguing the rest of the country, cheers erupted as a scar-faced, imposing man stepped into the casino—Rain Dinners.

His features were undeniably villainous, yet the crowd chanted his name in unison, their admiration unrestrained.

But there was nothing unnatural about his popularity. After all, he was the pirate who protected Alabasta from other pirates.

『"Warlord of the Sea" Pirate — Sir Crocodile — Former Bounty: 81,000,000 Berries』

"Hmph..."

He strode through the casino, heading toward the inner chambers.

He had just crushed a band of pirates who had caused trouble in town and was now returning. The people cheered, grateful for his constant efforts in hunting down pirates—but as Crocodile snorted to himself, he thought:

"Foolish, stupid masses."

It was a sneer, a look of utter disdain—but he was glad they were this stupid. The dumber they were, the closer his plans came to fruition.

——The takeover of Alabasta.

To achieve this, he had spent four years gathering funds, recruiting members, manipulating events from the shadows, and inciting unrest among the people as Mr. 0—the leader of the secret criminal organization Baroque Works.

His Warlord persona was nothing more than a facade, a means to gain trust and conceal his true identity.

Running this casino was just another way to fund his operations. Money was necessary—both to maintain his crew and to advance his plans.

And now, with the final stages approaching, he had ordered his agents to eliminate any obstacles.

He was about to head underground to oversee this—but then—

"Wow, you’re super popular♪"

"!"

On his way to the basement—not the main hall—Crocodile froze as a voice called out from behind him. He turned immediately, ready to react.

But the moment he saw who it was, his expression darkened.

And for good reason. Standing before him was a monster who had no business being in these waters.

"You... NUE!!!"

"Well, I’m way more popular than you, though♡ —So anyway, nice to meet you~~~ Sand Croc-kun♪"

『Beast Pirates Vice Captain — "Phantom Beast" Nue』

The second-in-command of the most dangerous Emperor’s crew—the Beast Pirates.

A true monster.

At her sudden appearance, Crocodile instantly lowered his stance, raising his guard to the maximum.

"Oh my, what’s wrong? You’re shaking like a leaf♪ Am I really that scary?"

"You bastard... What the hell are you doing here...!?"

"What? Just sightseeing, duh♡ I’ve never been to this island before, and I was bored, so I thought I’d take a look around~. Then I came to this town, figured I’d have some fun at the casino... and since I was already here, I thought I might as well say hi to the local gator boy♪"

She winked with her right eye, spouting nonsense with a carefree grin. Crocodile gritted his teeth.

As if he’d believe that.

"Sightseeing...? You expect me to buy that crap?"

"Yep, just sightseeing♡ So come on, since I’m here, entertain me a little. You’ve got a VIP room, right? How about some good food?"

Crocodile’s mind raced.

Fighting here was out of the question—he had to find a way to send her packing. But this monster, infamous for her unpredictability, wasn’t the type to listen to reason. Rumors painted her as a sadistic thrill-seeker who delighted in tormenting people in ways no one could anticipate. If she really was just here to sightsee, the best move would be to let her enjoy herself and leave.

But there was also a good chance she was lying.

Yet, pissing her off would be even worse.

So, cautiously, he played along.

"...The Warlords and the Emperors are enemies. If the government finds out you made contact with me, it’ll cause problems."

"Eh~? Who cares? As long as they don’t find out, it’s fine. I don’t mind~"

"…………"

Her words weren’t wrong. If no one knew, there was no issue.

Hell, Crocodile himself had been operating under the government’s nose this whole time.

And he had their trust. Even if an Emperor’s subordinate—let alone one who came alone—showed up here, he could easily cover it up.

With that in mind, entertaining her might not be so bad... assuming she wasn’t lying.

So, steeling himself, Crocodile asked the real question.

"...Are you here to kill me?"

That was his greatest fear.

Of course, if it came to a fight, he had no intention of losing for free—he planned to win. But... Crocodile also knew victory would be difficult.

That’s exactly why, if she had come to kill him for some reason, it would be dangerous. The Emperors and the Warlords were enemies by default, and the Beast Pirates were a barbaric crew that didn’t even need a reason to wreak havoc.

It wouldn’t have been strange if she had come to kill him on a mere whim—just for the thrill of battle.

——But his assumption was completely off the mark.

"...Huh? I don’t have any plans like that?"

"……!"

At Crocodile’s question... Nue tilted her head in genuine confusion, a question mark practically floating above her.

Her reaction left Crocodile equally baffled, but he pressed again, demanding an explanation.

"...Like I said before, the Emperors and the Warlords are enemies. It’s entirely possible you came here to kill me. Especially since you guys are a bunch of lunatics...!! If you’re saying you didn’t come to fight me, then what the hell are you here for!?"

"Eh~? Fight? What’s the point?" She smirked, resting a hand on her hip. "Beating up a small fry like you would just be bullying, don’t you think?"

"Tch... You got a death wish or something?"

"—Haaah?"

For just an instant—the moment he snapped back—Nue’s presence intensified. Crocodile’s body stiffened involuntarily.

But Nue seemed to read the flicker of fear in him. Her grin widened, and then she burst into laughter.

"Ahahahahaha!!! Ahaha...!! Look at you, puffing yourself up...!! As if a weakling like you could ever kill me...!! Ahahahaha!!! Trying to act tough... You’re just adorable, little Croco-boy~♡"

"……!! You bitch...!!"

The condescending taunt made his veins bulge as he glared at her, radiating hostility and murderous intent.

But his willingness to fight only lasted that long.

"—Just who do you think you’re dealing with?"

"!!!"

Nue’s laughter stopped. Her smirk remained, but the pressure around her skyrocketed.

It was the aura of a king—one in millions.

Conqueror’s Haki.

Under that pressure, Crocodile faltered. He couldn’t help it.

Seeing this, Nue’s lips curled up in amusement.

"You really shouldn’t push your luck, little Croco-boy~♡ You and I aren’t even in the same league as pirates. Picking a fight with the wrong person will only end in pain...!! Fufu♡ You already know that, don’t you?"

"Guh...!!"

She stepped closer, slow and deliberate, taunting him all the while.

Crocodile couldn’t move.

She was just walking. This was his chance to attack.

A single touch from his right hand, and his Suna Suna no Mi powers could drain the moisture from her body, turning her into a withered husk.

But no matter what—no matter how hard he tried—he couldn’t envision victory.

"Pirates like you—all bark and no bite—are a dime a dozen in these seas♡"

"……!!"

As she passed right by him, she whispered those words—mocking him, looking down on him with that infuriating smirk.

"Ahaha♡ Seriously, you’re all talk, huh?

—You coward."

"! The hell did you just say...!!?"

He could at least show anger when insulted.

But taking action beyond that? Impossible.

And because she saw right through him, Nue had no trouble calling him out as the coward he was in this moment.

"Ohhh? Mad now? But hey... if you were a real pirate, you’d come at me right here and now, wouldn’t you~?"

"…!"

"Fufu… And yet, despite all that, you haven’t laid a finger on me. Which means—you’re nothing but a loser at heart."

"Shut… your mouth…!!"

"Ahaha~♡ You know, if you were really a pirate aiming to be the Pirate King, I doubt you’d just sit there and take this kind of humiliation. I certainly wouldn’t… But since you are, that just means you’ve already given up, doesn’t it? Admitted to yourself that you can’t beat me?"

"Tch…!!"

Crocodile glared back at Nue with murderous intent, but she didn’t stop. If anything, she only grew more amused, weaving her words even more tauntingly.

"Ahahahaha!! Oh man, this is hilarious~♡ Guess it was worth coming all this way to see you after all?"

She looked at Crocodile like he was some sideshow attraction, a mere plaything, mocking him with deliberate malice—digging deeper into the wounds of his pride.

"I just had to swing by and poke fun at the little desert croc who’s been stuck in the lo·ser·gro·up for twenty whole years… but wow, you’ve given me an even better show than I expected~♡"

—So thanks for that.♡

With that, Nue turned on her heel.

She hadn’t come to eat, to gamble, or even to kill.

No—she’d come just to mess with Crocodile.

And if that was truly all… then there was no insult sharper than this.

"Though, y’know… as much as I’ve been teasing you, I don’t actually hate you? You’ve got no guts and you’re weak, but you’re at least kinda smart—there’s some potential there~♪ So, out of the goodness of my heart and your own fear, I’ll go ahead and answer the one thing you’re dying to know right now~♡"

Turning just her face slightly toward him, her crimson eyes gleamed as she delivered the final blow.

"—As long as you don’t pick a fight with me… I won’t go out of my way to crush you. So relax, keep aiming high, and do your best~♡"

"Tch…"

"Oh, and hey—if you ever feel like becoming one of my underlings, just say the word!! The Beasts Pirates are always recruiting strong fighters who wanna help tear the world apart~♡"

Waving cheerfully, Nue sauntered off, leaving Crocodile behind with nothing but clenched teeth and seething rage.

All he could do was repeat it to himself—fighting back was pointless.

This was just how things were. Nothing to be done.

They were on entirely different levels. Challenging someone who stood near the apex of the seas would only cost him everything.

"That damn brat… Playing with me…!!!"

All he could do was curse like some lowlife thug.

But… because of that—

"Just you wait…!! Next time we meet…!!"

If his plan succeeded, if he gained the world’s strongest military power… he’d break them all.

He’d endured for years for this very reason. Swallowing this bitterness now only meant he’d repay it tenfold later.

"Kuhahahaha…!!!"

This wasn’t over.

Forcing a laugh, Crocodile buried his fury. If anything, he should count himself lucky that monster had left without doing worse.

Now that the immediate threat was gone, all that remained was vigilance—and eliminating the obstacles to his plan.

Princess Vivi of this kingdom… and that insignificant little pirate, "Straw Hat Luffy."

They knew his identity—the true face of Baroque Works’ president.

His assassins were already on the move. Awaiting their report, Crocodile descended into the underground, his guard never dropping.

---

"Now then… what’s next?"

After thoroughly savoring Crocodile’s humiliation and rage, I soared through the desert sky back toward the port town, pondering my next move.

"Honestly, I thought the little sand croc would snap after all that taunting, but he really was broken inside… Hmm… Should I stick around Alabasta and enjoy the chaos… or head somewhere else…? Decisions, decisions~"

Staying in the desert kingdom could still be fun, but alone, it was just… boring. I’d already bought dancer outfits, perfume, eaten good food, shopped, and toured the sights—but really, I should’ve brought someone along.

"I wanna surprise someone else~…"

I just wanted to have fun.

After a moment’s thought… I reached my decision.

"Alright, I’ll call someone… Fufufu~… I’ve got a great idea~♪"

Pulling out a Den Den Mushi, I made the call.

"Ah, hey, King? Yeah, so, about that express delivery—"

And roughly ten days later…

"…Hey, Nue… You sure I gotta be the one doin’ this? Not really feelin’ it… Can’t ya just get one of the other lackeys to—"

"What are you talking about?! I called you here specifically for this! Besides, getting to team up with me is, like, the best thing ever, right? So pretty please, Petam~♡"

"Ugh… Yeah, yeah… If ya say so…"

At the port of Alabasta, near a ship belonging to a certain secret organization…

After disposing of two bodies, the two of us stepped forward before the remaining underlings.

"Huh? …Where’d those guys go…?"

"—Right here!"

"?!"

Standing before the bounty hunters—the agents of this clandestine crime syndicate—we introduced ourselves.

That’s right.

As of now… we were—

"………………Mr. 6."

"That’s right!! I am the cutest idol of Baroque Works—!! Miss Mother’s Day!!!"

—Frontier Agents of the secret crime syndicate.