"Bastard, don't get too arrogant! I'm not so easy to kill!" Crocodile glared up at the crashing water dragon and roared furiously, "Desert Diamond Blade!"
His hands transformed into scattered yellow sand, coalescing into four massive sand blades.
Any one of these four sand blades was sharper than the Desert Broadsword, capable of slicing through a mountain with ease.
Yet, when the four sand blades collided with the water dragon, they were instantly scattered by the rapid torrent of water, crashing down onto the sandy ground.
Without the sand blades to block it, under Crocodile's terrified gaze, the enormous water dragon came crashing down!
The moment the water dragon made contact with Crocodile, the sharp cutting force contained within erupted, shredding Crocodile's flesh and blood like a meat grinder.
"Ahhh, no!"
After a roar of unwillingness, a faint crimson hue stained part of the water dragon. When the water dragon dispersed, Crocodile's battered body was revealed to the world.
His appearance was utterly wretched, covered in numerous wounds that continuously gushed blood, making one doubt he would survive another second.
The Seven Warlords of the Sea, Crocodile, had been defeated!
"Cough!" Crocodile spat out a mouthful of blood. Noticing Ivan, holding Snowfall, walking slowly toward him, he hurriedly said, "Cough, cough, wait... I admit you've won..."
"I don't need your admission. I have indeed won." Ivan's tone was calm, his steps toward Crocodile steady, his killing intent unwavering.
Knowing death was imminent, Crocodile quickly pleaded for mercy: "Wait, you can't kill me! I am one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. The Marines need me to maintain the balance of the seas!"
Ivan's expression remained unchanged, unnervingly indifferent. "Correct, you're right. But that's the Marines, not me."
Crocodile's face grew even more grim. Faced with life and death, even he felt panic. Yet, what he feared was not death itself, but dying here and now, becoming a stepping stone for the Marine White Dove.
He still needed to seize Pluton, take revenge on Whitebeard, and then conquer the seas. How could he die here?
Though somewhat unwilling, Crocodile revealed his trump card: "Wait... as long as you don't kill me, I can tell you a secret."
"Oh? Let's hear it."
"Do you know why I tried to seize Alabasta?"
Ivan silently watched Crocodile, showing no intention of playing along.
A flicker of anger passed through Crocodile's eyes, but to survive, he held it back:
"You might not know this, but buried beneath Alabasta lies an immensely powerful Ancient Weapon. Whoever masters it can dominate the seas!
Come on, Ivan, spare me. I'll share this information with you. Together, we can become the new generation's Pirate Kings. That's far more interesting than your little Marine games!"
Crocodile stared confidently at Ivan, awaiting his response.
He couldn't believe anyone would refuse an Ancient Weapon. Nor could he believe a powerful individual like Ivan lacked ambition, content to remain just a Marine Rear Admiral.
However, after a moment, Ivan remained expressionless, and Crocodile gradually felt an ominous premonition rising within him.
Soon, his premonition became reality.
"The Ancient Weapon—if I recall correctly, the Poneglyph in Alabasta should contain information about Pluton," Ivan said in a flat tone, yet his words stirred a tidal wave in Crocodile's heart.
"Wait, you know about Pluton!" Crocodile's sense of foreboding grew thicker, enveloping him like dark clouds.
Ivan sneered disdainfully:
"That's right. I not only know the contents of the Poneglyph but also the exact location of Pluton.
Crocodile, for someone who is one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, it's a shame you didn't realize that everything you've done from the very beginning was wrong.
Let me tell you where Pluton is. It's not buried beneath Alabasta but located in Wano Country in the New World!"
"No, how is that possible?!" Crocodile's face was filled with disbelief. If this were true, what had all his efforts over the years amounted to?
Didn't this mean he had been walking the wrong path from the start? Whether it was seeking revenge against Whitebeard or dominating the seas, it was all nothing but an illusion!
Ivan's expression turned icy as he watched Crocodile, who seemed to have lost all his spirit in an instant, and swung Snowfall.
A brilliant blue slash flashed, and twisted crimson bloomed in the desert. Thus, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Sand Crocodile Crocodile, met his end!
After Crocodile's death, Ivan soared into the sky and rushed toward Rain Dinners.
The people inside Rain Dinners had witnessed the entire process. When Ivan arrived, a blue-haired girl rushed out from the crowd, tightly embracing him, unable to hold back her tears any longer.
Only heaven knew how much pressure Vivi had endured over the years. Faced with one of the sea's top powerhouses, as a young girl, she had no choice but to infiltrate the enemy's camp in pursuit of that elusive hope.
Even so, her chances of success were far too slim, far too slim!
At that moment, Ivan appeared in her sky like a brilliant sun, dispersing the thick dark clouds and revealing the azure sky above.
The pressure weighing on Vivi's head vanished completely, leaving her feeling an unprecedented sense of relief. The sudden change caused her emotions to spiral out of control, and she buried herself in Ivan's arms, crying tears of joy.
Nearby, Tashigi anxiously ran over with a medical kit, wanting to treat Ivan's injuries.
But upon closer inspection, there were no injuries left on Ivan's body—only some red marks and dried bloodstains.
With Life Return, as long as Ivan's stamina wasn't exhausted, his wounds could heal rapidly.
With the battle over, Ivan and the others quickly returned to the capital, Alubarna, to meet with King Cobra.
To express his gratitude, King Cobra held a grand banquet, inviting Ivan and the others to dine.
Moreover, he directly granted Ivan the prosperous metropolis of Rainbase as his fiefdom.
It could be said that Ivan had now become a noble of Alabasta.
With the sudden acquisition of a fiefdom, Ivan had no immediate plans to leave. After bidding farewell to King Cobra, he returned to Rainbase to expand it.
With Wood Release, he could effortlessly construct a city in a short amount of time. Under his governance, Rainbase was sure to grow increasingly powerful.
Rainbase, Rain Dinners, top floor.
The office that once belonged to Crocodile was now occupied by Ivan.
After clearing out all of Crocodile's belongings and replacing them with his preferred decorations, Ivan lay on the sofa and opened the system panel.
The several battles that had erupted in recent days had yielded him considerable gains, making it the perfect time to use up his remaining lottery draws.
[Lottery Draws: 3]
Crocodile, Mr. 1, and Mr. 5 had provided Ivan with three lottery opportunities.
With a slight stir in his heart, Ivan began the draw!
Before his eyes, countless cards rapidly swirled and flickered past, finally coming to a stop.
The remaining card depicted a man with two faces and four arms, resembling a demonic deity.