Chapter 200: No Running, No Chasing, No Critical Health, Don't Know How to Play!
"This is everything I know about the Void Century."
Ralph said, "The specific details still require us to collect the Poneglyphs step by step on our journey to become the Pirate King, gradually uncovering the truth."
He had originally intended to take the opportunity to invite Robin to join the crew.
But seeing her current state—mouth agape, panting heavily, pupils trembling—it was clear she wasn't in the right frame of mind to consider such a question.
Well, no rush.
Robin's dream was to uncover the truth of history.
There was no place more suited to carrying her dream than the ship of the Straw Hat Pirates.
Let Robin calm down here alone for now.
Ralph took a deep breath and activated Geppo, soaring into the air.
From the aerial view, the battle situation was clear at a glance.
In the distance, Munch-Munch was having a great time.
It was chasing after Mr. 4, Miss Merry Christmas, and the gun named Lassoo, kicking up clouds of dust as it ran.
Both the humans and the dog were somewhat plump, and after being chased around and around by Munch-Munch, Ralph thought they might actually slim down a bit.
Munch-Munch remembered Ralph's instructions: just scare them, don't actually eat them.
So it merely chased, occasionally roaring or spitting a sand-and-rock cannonball beside their escape route, making the three of them shriek in terror.
It was having a blast.
The battle on the other side wasn't so relaxed.
Zoro and Bon Clay were locked in fierce combat with Mr. 1 and Miss Doublefinger.
The scene was somewhat brutal.
Zoro was covered in blood, but his grip on his swords remained as steady as a rock.
Blades clashed repeatedly with Mr. 1's edges, sparks flying everywhere.
Bon Clay wasn't faring much better.
His Okama Kenpo emphasized agility and grace, but Miss Doublefinger's Toge Toge no Mi ability specifically countered such close-quarters martial arts.
His arms and legs were covered in numerous fine puncture wounds, stained with blood.
But they didn't retreat.
Zoro even wore a grin at the corner of his mouth.
It was the kind of wild joy that only surfaced when facing a worthy opponent.
Though Bon Clay grimaced in pain, his dance steps remained dazzling, and he even shouted slogans like "The Okama way brooks no retreat!"
Ralph withdrew his gaze and turned to the distance.
There, the clash of yellow sand and rubbery fists had somehow come to a stop.
His heart skipped a beat, and he accelerated his flight over.
Upon landing, he saw Lufia with an angry expression and Ace with a grave one.
Crocodile was gone.
"Where is he?"
Ralph asked.
"He ran away!"
Lufia stomped her foot angrily, "I was just about to knock him flying, and he suddenly vanished!"
Ace added: "Just now, when Lufia arrived, we stopped as agreed.
Lufia hit him a few times with Armament Haki. He clearly hadn't expected a rookie with a 30 million bounty to master such power and was caught off guard."
He recalled, "Later, he changed tactics, actively turning into sand and using the desert terrain to maneuver around us."
"But Lufia's reactions were quick too, and she possessed beast-like intuition."
"Just as Lufia seized the opportunity and was about to deliver the final blow..."
"Then he disappeared!"
Lufia interjected, her eyes reddening with grievance, "How could he do that! We agreed I'd knock him flying!"
Ralph's brow furrowed tightly.
Crocodile truly lived up to being a formidable figure of his generation.
Capable of bending and stretching.
Fight when he could win, run when he couldn't.
Such people were the most troublesome.
But Ralph had no time for lamenting.
Because a strange sound suddenly came from the distance.
He turned his head.
A small whirlwind swept through the ruins of the Rain Dinners.
Not an ordinary whirlwind, but a miniature sandstorm composed of yellow sand.
The swirling sand rose into the sky, then rapidly moved in a certain direction.
Ralph's heart sank heavily.
"Damn it."
He said.
He almost exerted his full strength, using Geppo to fly back to the ruins.
Ace and Lufia followed closely behind.
When he landed back at the original spot, he saw a scene he didn't want to see.
Zoro was still fighting.
Alone, he was battling both Mr. 1 and Miss Doublefinger.
Blades and blood intertwined, his movements were even more ferocious than before, but also more reckless in defense.
Clearly, he had entered a state where he absolutely had to defeat his opponents.
But Ralph didn't see Bon Clay.
Nor did he see Robin.
"Zoro!"
Ralph shouted, "Where's Bon Clay? Where's Robin?"
Zoro forced Mr. 1 back with a slash, taking a moment to reply:
"Just now, a gust of wind and sand blew past, and Bon Clay disappeared! I suspect it was Crocodile's doing."
His voice was cold, carrying suppressed anger.
"He hid in the wind and sand and took Bon Clay."
Ralph's pupils contracted sharply.
"What about Robin?"
Zoro replied:
"That woman? I didn't notice!"
Ace said gravely:
"Crocodile hasn't given up."
Ralph's mind raced.
Bon Clay had the power of the Mane Mane no Mi, able to copy anyone's face.
For Crocodile, this was the most useful tool to overthrow Alabasta.
And Robin could read the Poneglyphs, which was crucial for him to obtain clues about the Ancient Weapon Pluton.
These two were indispensable pieces in his plan.
He suffered a setback here today, but he hadn't conceded defeat.
He ran, but he hadn't given up.
He captured Bon Clay and Robin, preparing to continue his plan.
"Bastard!"
Lufia punched a broken wall, causing it to collapse with a rumble, "I'm going after him! I'll save them both!"
She said, about to chase in the direction the sandstorm had vanished.
"Wait! Lufia!"
Ralph quickly called out to stop her, "The direction of the wind isn't necessarily the direction Crocodile fled!"
"What? That damn guy, he's too cunning!"
Lufia pressed, "Then which direction should we chase? Ralph, do you know? Tell me quickly!"
Ralph remained calm, first signaling to Munch-Munch in the distance.
Munch-Munch swung its tyrannosaur tail, sending the Mr. 4 duo and their dog flying over like baseballs.
As Munch-Munch ran over, Ralph said:
"We don't need to follow Crocodile's tracks; we just need to know where he wants to go!"
As Munch-Munch reached Ralph, he chanted the transformation command again, "Munch-Munch Modification Fourth Form, Tyrant Tank!"
With a series of clanking sounds, the tyrannosaur-form Munch-Munch transformed into an earth-yellow tank with a ferocious dragon head.
Then Ralph waved his hand grandly, "That bastard Crocodile must be heading to the battlefield where the Rebel Army and the Royal Army are clashing!"
"Let's get on and chase!"
Lufia, seeing Munch-Munch transform again, her eyes sparkling with stars, shouted excitedly:
"So cool!"
Then she jumped onto the tank.
Seeing such an awesome thing, Ace's eyes also lit up, and he climbed aboard.
"Zoro, how much longer are you planning to play around? We're leaving you behind!"
Ralph's taunting words reached Zoro, who was in the midst of a tough fight, reigniting his fighting spirit.
Once again forcing back the combined attack of the Mr. 1 duo.
Honestly, as two cold-blooded and ruthless assassins, seeing Zoro covered in blood, with both blade wounds and gaping holes, yet still standing and fighting them, both felt a bit of fear.
Was this really still human?
"No need to remind me, I'll end this battle now!"
Having grasped flying slashes and even touched the threshold of Armament Haki, though not yet achieving the level of cutting steel, Zoro also wanted to seize this opportunity to break through himself.
The facts proved that he was the type who wouldn't perform unless pushed to the brink.
After being beaten to a pulp by others, he finally had an epiphany!
The entire world fell silent, and he seemed able to hear the breath of all things!
Was this the epiphany?
Was this the state that Ralph guy had entered time and again?
Seeing the green-haired swordsman standing still in place, with no sign of his companions coming to help, Mr. 1 and Miss Doublefinger thought.
They seemed quite honorable.
Unlike them, these assassins, they were a bunch of fools who adhered to warrior etiquette.
Exchanging a glance, they decided to finish off this green-haired guy and then escape!
Just as the two launched their charge, Zoro moved!
Wado Ichimonji left afterimages in his hand.
"One Sword Style: Shishi Sonson!"
A brilliant flash of blade light swept past, and Mr. 1, the Supa Supa no Mi user whose body was as hard as iron, was slashed open with a massive gash.
Blood gushed out as he collapsed unconscious.
Miss Doublefinger, covered in spikes like a sea urchin, had all her sharp tips shaved off by Zoro's single slash and was similarly cut down.
After Zoro dragged his injured body onto the Tyrant Tank, Ralph snapped his fingers and pointed in a direction.
"OK, let's head to the battlefield, stop the war, and save this country!"