The cold, emotionless voice instantly made No. 4 fall silent.
At this moment, there was no trace of a smile on No. 1 Igor's face. He looked expressionless, but his eyes emitted a faint murderous aura.
The nine-member squad had regrouped, yet the atmosphere was calm. Without No. 1's permission, no one dared to speak.
After a long silence, No. 1 slowly spoke.
"According to the intel gathered by No. 2, No. 7, and No. 8, Princess Yilu is indeed with them. Also, the enemy consists of five people, one of whom is a pregnant woman, and the remaining four are the primary combatants."
He paused, his gaze deepening as he took out four photographs.
"Crocodile, Bounty: 45 million. A well-known great pirate from the first half of the Grand Line. A Devil Fruit user with the Suna Suna no Mi (Sand-Sand Fruit)."
"Jason, previously appeared with that brat during a battle in South Blue. Bounty: 110 million. Possesses immense strength and unique martial techniques."
"Trens, A street orphan from Alabasta. Based on his displayed ability, his shooting skills are extraordinary. Calm and composed in nature."
"Lastly, this individual... a world-class criminal, Rojen!"
No. 1 slowly shifted his gaze to the photo of Rojen and continued.
"Bounty: 150 million. Possesses formidable swordsmanship, and within his body lies a terrifying power usually kept hidden. Rumor has it, he once fought and defeated Admiral Kizaru. He's not an easy opponent."
Upon hearing this intel, the other eight members were all visibly shocked.
A Marine Admiral, they clearly knew what level of powerhouse that represented. And yet, this man called Rojen could actually go toe-to-toe with an Admiral? No wonder their superiors had sent them to carry out this mission.
"As for the other three, I believe you can handle them easily. But he--" No. 1 stabbed Rojen's photo with a dagger, his eyes sharp and cold. "He must be dealt with as a priority!"
Everyone's expressions turned grim. A man who could fight a Marine Admiral was not someone to underestimate.
"So, No. 2, formulate a plan. This mission must be executed flawlessly. Not a single mistake is allowed! The priority is to take the princess. Secondly, eliminate that group!" Igor's expression was serious as he gave the order in a deep voice.
"Understood!" No. 2 nodded.
"The operation will begin soon. In the meantime, No. 7 and No. 8 will stay nearby and monitor their every move. Remember, an attack could happen at any moment. No slacking off!" No. 1 growled.
"Yes, sir!" everyone replied loudly and swiftly left.
After that meeting, the nine scattered again. Some resumed surveillance near Rojen's original location, while others secretly tailed Crocodile and his companions.
Days passed slowly.
This squad was extremely patient. No. 1 showed no signs of rushing, and without Igor giving orders, the other members remained dutifully at their posts, saying nothing. Their professional discipline was excellent.
In front of the rapeseed flower field.
Rojen opened his eyes from a meditative sitting posture, his gaze glowing briefly with vibrant purple energy before quickly retracting.
"All 360 acupoint apertures are open!"
This recent period of cultivation had gone incredibly fast. In just a short amount of time, the merit method he created had nearly reached completion. Only five apertures remained unopened.
At this point, even in a Wuxia world, his strength would be considered on par with the level of the Five Greats.
Looking over at Trens, he could see true qi flourishing around the other's body. It was obvious Trens had also cultivated Innate Merit to an impressive level.
After checking his own internal power, Rojen opened the System interface.
"Balance: 1.35 billion."
This enormous amount of funds brought a faint smile to his face.
Within a certain kingdom, the internal structure was incredibly complex, yet Crocodile and Jason were astonishingly efficient. During this time, they raided one prestigious noble house after another, and unbelievably managed to amass a staggering amount of treasure.
"Once they return today, they can't go out again. They've destroyed at least 7 or 8 noble families. The Alabasta royal family has likely noticed by now."
No country would tolerate bandits running wild in their capital city, no matter how corrupt the nobles were. To the people of Alabasta, they, Crocodile's group, were still outsiders.
"1.35 billion... I wonder what level of powerhouse I could summon if I used the full amount?"
Rojen was full of anticipation.
Last time, luck had burst forth like never before. Old Man Yamamoto swept across the world like a storm, wiping out everything. So this time?
"Rouge, it's getting close now!"
Slowly standing up, Rojen's expression turned serious again.
In recent days, Rouge had barely been getting out of bed. Ace could be born at any moment. Rojen had already arranged for a midwife to stay at their home, and everything was fully prepared, just waiting for the final moment.
Casting a glance at Trens, Rojen's eyes swept warily across the surroundings.
These past few days, he had been clearly feeling it, that sense of being watched, constantly tugging at his nerves.
"Whoever it is... the moment they show themselves, they die!"
His gaze turned sharp, and he pulled out his Den Den Mushi (transponder snail).
"Time to call them back."
In an alleyway leading to the outskirts of Alabasta's capital,
"Damn! Why are there so many guards chasing us today?"
Jason and Crocodile, each carrying bulging sacks on their backs, were running quickly through the narrow street.
Behind them was a well-equipped squad of palace guards, closing in fast.
"We robbed too many noble families, it's backlash," Crocodile replied coolly.
"So... can we still operate here in the future?" Jason shouted.
"Obviously not, unless you want to fight the whole kingdom."
Crocodile answered matter-of-factly.
As he spoke, he suddenly halted, and extended one arm behind him, trembling slightly.
"What are you doing?"
"Blocking them."
The Sand Crocodile on his shoulder quickly transformed into sand and flowed ahead, spilling across the ground.
"Turn to sand." Crocodile muttered.
"Weng weng weng…"
The ground trembled as layers of sand grains were drawn out. Within moments, the alley was filled with a rushing sound, as if a river of sand surged forward.
"Sand Wall!"
With a squeeze of his right hand, Crocodile summoned a massive sand wall, which rapidly formed and blocked off the entire alley behind them, cutting off the guards' pursuit.
"Damn it! What the hell is this?!"
"That guy… he can control sand!"
The guards cursed loudly, but they had no choice but to stop. Having completed his move, Crocodile turned and quickly left with Jason.
"Your powers are getting stronger. But hey, I'm no slouch either," Jason said.
"Heh heh." Crocodile chuckled.
The two soon exited the alley, stepping onto a narrow path leading to the outskirts, heading toward their hideout. But after walking barely a hundred steps, both their expressions turned grim.
Up ahead, three figures clad in black stood silently, coldly watching them. Their eyes glinted with killing intent.
"Your path ends here!"
(End Of This Chapter)
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