If Crocodile, a proud Shichibukai equal in name to the world's greatest, had dropped to his knees to beg for his life, Rowan would have actually looked down on him.
Without wasting words, Rowan ended Crocodile's life with a single strike of Ryuuo. He then turned to look at Vivi, whose expression was a complex mixture of emotions.
"What's wrong? Is the little girl not used to bloody scenes?"
Rowan arched an eyebrow. Greenhouse flowers don't last long in this turbulent world. Furthermore, after infiltrating Baroque Works and operating under Crocodile, Vivi and Igaram had certainly seen death before. Her current distraught look made Rowan wonder if she was mourning the "Hero" she once looked up to.
"No, Grandpa Rowan... it's just... now that the President—no, Crocodile—is dead, what happens to the people of Alabasta? What about my father?"
Vivi felt a sense of relief at Crocodile's death, but it was quickly eclipsed by anxiety. She wasn't yet the "Princess Vivi" of two years later—the one who would endure years of hardship to transform into a hardened leader. Right now, she was just a young girl terrified of the widening rift between her beloved father and the citizens.
"Little one, with this old man here, such small matters are simple!"
Rowan realized he had misread her. Since he had chosen to kill Crocodile, he naturally had a plan to resolve Alabasta's underlying crisis. Vivi's worries were non-existent in his eyes.
"Really? Grandpa Rowan!"
Upon receiving his firm affirmation, Vivi ran forward and buried her face in Rowan's shirt, sobbing loudly. Ever since she discovered the conspiracy separating her father from the people, she hadn't had a moment of peace. Now that the weight had been lifted by Rowan's promise, her emotions finally spilled over.
"Zoro."
After briefly comforting Vivi, Rowan's brow furrowed slightly as he called out to the swordsman.
"Understood!"
Zoro, having practiced Observation Haki, already knew why Rowan was calling him. He looked toward the casino entrance, a strange, sharp grin spreading across his face.
Rain Dinners was the headquarters of Baroque Works. With Rowan's overt invasion, the organization wasn't going to sit idly by. In the Alabasta region, Crocodile's organization reigned supreme. Their base being attacked was a slap in the face that provoked everyone from the Millionmen to the Billionmen. Even if some were cowards, the fear of Crocodile's brutal punishments drove them to action.
Hundreds of Baroque Works agents had swarmed to the front of the casino. They stood before the shattered doors, hesitant, waiting for a summon from their boss. None dared to charge in without orders; Crocodile's discipline was absolute. They didn't know their boss was already dead; they were merely there to "show their loyalty" in hopes of avoiding his wrath.
They never imagined their boss could be defeated. So, when a green-haired youth with a haramaki stepped out of the dust, the crowd was momentarily stunned.
"Where'd this brat come from?" "Feisty look in his eyes!" "Is he one of the Boss's... wait! That's the Pirate Hunter!"
Most in the crowd were much older than Zoro and initially dismissed him as a child. Even his murderous aura was seen as posturing—until someone recognized him.
Baroque Works operated primarily in the Grand Line and the Four Blues. Before Zoro joined Rowan, he had already been on Crocodile's radar. His refusal to join the organization was well-known among the frontier agents and officers.
"Kid, looks like you finally faced reality and came to bow to the Boss!"
One of the Billionmen mocked him, imagining that Zoro had tried to fight his way in only to be broken by Crocodile's power. They had viewed his original refusal as an insult to the organization and were eager to pay him back with interest. They didn't dare fight in front of the Boss, but they could certainly use their tongues.
They didn't realize how wrong they were.
"Three-Sword Style: Three Thousand Worlds!"
Zoro didn't waste a single word. He dropped into his stance and tore into the crowd like a tiger among sheep. Blades flashed, and the Baroque Works officers were carved apart like autumn leaves.
In moments, the ground was littered with the fallen. By the time Rowan emerged from the casino with Vivi and Igaram, there was hardly anyone left standing.
"Teacher, the cleanup is complete!"
Zoro exhaled, finally venting the restlessness in his heart. He returned to Rowan's side to report.
With this purge, Baroque Works—aside from a few scattered high-level agents—was effectively dead. However, Rowan didn't plan to wipe them out entirely. Crocodile was a villain, but he was a good judge of talent. The remaining mid-level management of Baroque Works, while weak in combat, were efficient at administration and intelligence.
After removing the "poison" from Alabasta, Rowan planned to use the remnants of Baroque Works to assist Vivi, turning them into a support pillar for the Navy.
As the Navy gradually moved toward breaking away from World Government jurisdiction, Rowan needed to secure new foundations. Historically, the Government handled the Navy's logistics and daily expenditures. If the Navy went independent while the Government still held the purse strings, the Marines would simply be strangled by the neck. Rowan was playing the long game.