Chapter 134 – After the Fight
[MC POV]
We had defeated Crocodile's entire crew. I had braced myself for more resistance, but the girls proved far stronger than I anticipated. Except for Lily's intense fight with Crocodile himself, every other matchup ended quickly and decisively.
Even Nami took down her opponent surprisingly fast. I couldn't help but feel impressed.
'The portions definitely helped getting girls stronger.'
I scanned the fallen Baroque Works members scattered across the sand. Mr. 1 and Miss Merry Christmas were already dead, along with many of the lesser minions—most of them pirates anyway, killed during the chaos, especially by Vivi's ruthless killing efficiency.
As for the survivors, I wasn't sure what to do at first. Then I focused my Conqueror's Haki, shaping it like a fine needle aimed straight at their brains. One by one, except for Mr. 2, Mr. 3, and Crocodile, the remaining Baroque Works agents died quietly, without a sound.
I was able to kill using Conqueror's Haki because they were very weak. If I used some strong ones or even full-strength Mr. 2 and Mr. 3, I was sure all I could do was make them unconscious.
[A/N: I had Intermediate-Level Conqueror's Haki do all this because I have some idea about more advanced-level Haki.]
I spared Mr. 2 and Mr. 3. They weren't good people by any stretch, but in the original story, they later helped Luffy escape Impel Down. Maybe fate would bring them across our path again, or perhaps they would prove useful somehow.
Either way, they were weak—far too weak to pose any real threat to me or my crew. Knocking them unconscious was enough. I did not kill them.
Crocodile was different. I really didn't want to leave him alive. His Sand-Sand Devil Fruit was one of the rare Logia types—fewer than thirteen existed in the entire world till the Wano Arc, and it ranked among the strongest.
I really wanted to extract it and give it to Vivi.
She would soon be the future queen of Alabasta, a kingdom covered in endless desert. With the Sand-Sand Fruit, her power here would be overwhelming. She'd wield it to her full advantage, and even after I left this island, I wouldn't have to worry so much about her safety.
The problem was Devil Fruits. To integrate the Dark-Dark Fruit into the ship during its evolution, I would need to acquire it eventually. But I didn't have the luxury of waiting around for luck to hand it to me.
Blackbeard's fruit might respawn anywhere if I killed him, and with all the butterfly effects I'd already caused, tracking him down wasn't guaranteed—even in Mock Town.
Keeping Crocodile captive on the ship until I found the Dark-Dark Fruit wasn't an option either. I didn't want that bastard anywhere near us. He was too much of a risk.
So I gritted my teeth and opened the system store.
[Deep Sucking Vacuum: Able to extract a Devil Fruit's power and transfer it into a new fruit. One-time use item. Cost: 150,000 Lust Energy Points.]
[Ding!! Note: This item disrupts the world's natural energy flow. Each subsequent use will double the cost.]
It was expensive—half of my nearly 300,000 Lust Energy Points gone in one go. The next use would cost 300,000, then 600,000 after that. Brutal.
Still, I had considered this item before. Killing Blackbeard might not guarantee I could claim his fruit, and he was a child of fate—hard to kill even with preparation. This vacuum item was the surest way to secure the Sand-Sand Fruit right now.
"Damn... it's pricey. I really want that Dark-Dark Fruit. If I had its power, this cost would feel like nothing."
"System, purchase Deep Sucking Vacuum."
[Ding!! Host, confirm purchase of Deep Sucking Vacuum? Cost: 150,000 Lust Energy Points.]
"Yes. Buy it!!"
A strange object materialized in my hand—a bizarre, mouth-shaped sex toy designed to look like a woman giving a blowjob. It seems like lips parted and sucked eagerly.
I pressed Crocodile's mouth against it. From the side, it looked almost like they were locked in a deep, grotesque kiss.
I coated my sword with Armament Haki and drove it straight through his heart. Crocodile twitched violently for a few seconds before going still. He was dead.
As soon as he died, a dark aura began seeping from his mouth, trying to escape. The Deep Sucking Vacuum pulled it in greedily, drawing the essence of the Sand-Sand Fruit into itself.
I summoned an ordinary fruit from the system inventory. With a squeeze, the device transferred the captured power. The plain fruit twisted and patterned, transforming into the unmistakable Sand-Sand Devil Fruit.
I stared at it for a long minute.
"Fuck... 150,000 Lust Energy Points down the drain. I hope it's worth every point."
One extra reason I had spent so much was to gain favor with Vivi even after fucking her.
In the original story, there were hints of some strange connection between her and Imu. Strengthening Vivi now might elevate her position and make her a valuable ally against whatever threats lay ahead. Vivi was valuable especially Imu.
I could already leverage Crocodile's defeat and the kingdom's salvation for some favors. Handing her this Devil Fruit could open the door to more... personal requests. Maybe even use it as leverage with Queen Titi. I can use this for threesome if necessary.
I stored the Devil Fruit safely in my system inventory for now.
Then I buried all the bodies—except Mr. 2 and Mr. 3, who remained unconscious. Finally, I walked back to join the girls.
"Girls, Crocodile's dead. We have finished off his crew. Now let's head to Alubarna, deal with the rebel problem, stabilize the kingdom, and then we can throw a proper victory party."
"Yeah! Let's go, let's go! After the rebels, it's party time—party, party, party!" Lily bounced with excitement. She was already pumped at the thought of having a huge feast.
"Yeah, let's move. I don't want my skin getting any darker in this heat," Nami said while fanning herself with her hand.
"My body's burning up too. Somewhere cool sounds perfect," Kaya added.
"I'm fine with food and some cold beer," Kuina said with a nod. She had already sheathed her sword.
We gathered our things and set off toward Alubarna.
...
…
After a long trek, we finally reached Alubarna.
The city sat on a high plateau beside an oasis, northeast of the kingdom. Most buildings followed classic Arabian architecture—domed roofs, tall minarets, intricate patterns everywhere. It was really beautiful.
We entered through the long eastern staircases, climbing steadily until we reached the grand Alubarna Palace at the city's heart. Home to the royal family and the main place.
"Girls, let's head inside and meet the Queen. We'll discuss the rebel army with her."
"Okay."
"Yes, I'll lead the way."
The others agreed, and Vivi stepped forward eagerly. We followed her through the gates.
As soon as the guards spotted her, they parted immediately.
"Huh? Princess Vivi is back! I'll inform the Queen at once. Who are the people with her?" one soldier asked bravely.
"Don't worry about them," Vivi said firmly. "They're my friends—and the saviors of the kingdom. Let us through. I need to speak to my mother urgently. There is an emergency."
She gave the soldier a steady look and continued forward without another glance.
We followed her inside the palace.