Shandana Oasis Station, southeast.
This is a deserted, empty desert.
The rebels that Rowan had just let go on purpose, about several tens of people, were now all lying on the ground, not knowing if they were alive or dead.
They were in two kinds of states.
First, all the water in their bodies had been sucked dry, making them look like dried-up corpses;
Second, their bodies had been pierced by spears made of sand, either killing them instantly or causing them to lose too much blood and be unable to get up.
The two people who caused this situation were standing not far from this group of rebels, facing each other.
...
The hot wind in the desert blew the purple silk ribbon, and it also blew the black coat.
Crocodile took a puff of his cigar, raised his eyebrows, and said jokingly, "What a 'merciful' king, very Alabasta-like."
Rowan smiled, "Why do you say that?"
"Hey, those guys are rebels, they invaded your country's territory!"
Crocodile shrugged and said jokingly, "If I were you, I wouldn't stop until I turned them into beehives."
However, Rowan's answer was unexpected to Crocodile.
"Really? So some people didn't die."
Hearing this, Crocodile was taken aback, "You didn't know?"
Rowan shook his head and corrected, "I 'didn't care'."
Crocodile frowned slightly.
Rowan continued, "I only care about the direction I'm going and the enemies on the road ahead."
"As for them, they're not worthy to be my opponents, so I don't care."
Hearing Rowan's words, Crocodile suddenly laughed, his shoulders shaking.
"Hehehehe, as expected of an old monster from eight hundred years ago, so arrogant that it's a little annoying!"
"So..."
Crocodile tapped the ashes of his cigar and looked up at Rowan, "Why did you lure me out here alone?"
Cobra could see Rowan's plan, and Crocodile also guessed Rowan's purpose!
The reason he let a small group of rebels go was to create time to be alone with Crocodile!
Rowan was not surprised, after all, Crocodile was a person very skilled in schemes and tricks. When dealing with this kind of person, it was best to be direct.
"Did you lead that group of rebels into the country?"
Rowan's question was simple and direct, and Crocodile's answer was also straightforward.
"Yes."
He nodded, gently stroking the gold hook on his left hand, and asked, "So, Mr. King from eight hundred years ago, why do you think I did this?"
Rowan thought for a moment and answered, "You want to test the strength of this country, to make it easier for you to arrange your next plan."
"As for your real goal—"
Rowan grinned, "Nefertari once told me that he was messing around with something very complicated, something like..."
What he said next made Crocodile's pupils shrink suddenly.
"Ancient Weapon - Pluto."
As soon as he said this, Crocodile's face immediately darkened, and a sinister smile slowly appeared.
"It seems my investigation was on the right track."
"So, overly clever Mr. King, I can only ask you to die again, right after being revived."
Rowan was a little surprised, "Hey, are you going to fight me here? How are you going to explain this to Cobra and the others later?"
Crocodile smiled sinisterly, "An old king who sensed the people's suffering and reappeared before disappearing again; and an old monster who clearly died eight hundred years ago but has been revived, you're the second type, but you can also be the first type."
Rowan thought about it, and it seemed to make some sense.
After all, he himself had not expected to reopen his eyes after eight hundred years!
"What an impulsive crocodile."
Rowan crooked his finger, and sand surged, a sand soldier rising from the ground.
"How are you going to deal with my soldiers?"
Crocodile suddenly grinned, his smile twisted and fierce, "Don't try to bluff me, you paper tiger!"
Immediately, a sandbag suddenly gathered from the palm of his right hand.
Whoosh!
His right hand swung out with force, and a violent sandstorm tornado went straight towards the sand soldier.
Bang!
The sand soldier was instantly shattered, scattering into countless grains of sand.
Crocodile shouted, "What if there are ten thousand of this kind of thing to deal with trash!"
"On this sea, personal strength is absolute!"
Rowan didn't answer, but instead raised his left hand, summoning even more sand soldiers.
They held spears and charged towards Crocodile!
Crocodile roared and twisted his body, and a huge sand scimitar emerged from his body.
Desert Treasure Sword!
Whoosh!
The blade swept across, cutting all the surrounding sand soldiers in half!
One of the sand soldiers, only with his upper body left, struggled, and Crocodile stepped on his head, then suddenly used his strength.
Bang!
The sand soldier's head was crushed, and his body instantly vanished.
"This kind of toy might have been very useful eight hundred years ago, but it doesn't work now, old fossil!"
Crocodile suddenly bent down and rushed forward!
Whoosh!
In the desert, the speed of a Sand-Sand Fruit user can reach an amazing level.
In just an instant, Crocodile was close to Rowan's body.
The protective cover on the gold hook of his left hand was removed, and the sharp hook held against Rowan's neck.
On it, dark purple liquid slowly dripped, corroding a small pit in the sand on the ground.
That was poison.
As a Sand-Sand Fruit user, Crocodile knew his own weakness very well.
As long as the user's body is touched by liquid, that part will temporarily lose the ability to turn into sand, and can be hit by physical attacks.
Now, Crocodile's hook, covered with poison, was holding against Rowan's vital point!
He smiled grimly, "You might be very good at leading armies and fighting wars, but your body must be weak as can be, otherwise you wouldn't have created so many sand soldiers to protect you!"
"Now that you're about to die again, what are your thoughts?"
Rowan thought for a moment and suddenly asked, "Don't you want to know about Pluto?"
Crocodile was overjoyed.
That was why he hadn't immediately killed him!
An old monster who created the Alabasta Empire eight hundred years ago, an old guy from the same era as the first Celestial Dragons, this kind of person must know something!
Crocodile nodded, "I do, tell me."
Rowan shrugged, looking apologetic.
"Well, Nefertari should know a lot about this, why don't you try to revive him too?"
Crocodile: "..."
He was stunned for a few seconds.
Crocodile was angry!
He put strength into his left hand, preparing to kill this annoying old monster.
But just then, Rowan suddenly said, "Little Crocodile, you're actually wrong about three things."
Crocodile was taken aback, but suddenly a grain of sand floated past his eyes.
Huh?
What's so special about a grain of sand?
It was very special.
Because it was a black sand.
Crocodile felt a familiar power on it.
Armament Haki!
The next second, an extremely dangerous feeling surged into Crocodile's heart.
He immediately raised his gold hook to block.
Instantly, a black spear flash passed!
Clang!
A crisp metallic collision sound rang out, and Crocodile's expression suddenly became contorted.
He was numb.
With just one collision, his left arm was almost completely numb!
What strength!
Crocodile retreated several steps before finally steadying himself.
Rowan's voice came.
"The first thing, I'm an Emperor, not a King."
Crocodile looked up again, and saw that the staff in Rowan's hand was now covered in black Armament Haki. The staff, which already looked like a spear, had now truly become an Armament Haki spear!
Huff... huff...
The wind in the desert picked up.
Countless grains of sand swirled around Rowan.
For a Sand-Sand Fruit user, this was not difficult to do.
But what truly shocked Crocodile was that the sand actually contained some black sand grains!
Those were grains of sand wrapped in Armament Haki!
"The second thing—"
Rowan held the spear, spun the shaft around, pointed the spear tip diagonally downwards, and walked slowly forward through the swirling sand.
Each step was like tearing open a thin layer of sand.
"That era of power struggles and wars, whether between individuals or between countries, was far more cruel than you can imagine."
"So, I can fight very well."
Whoosh... whoosh...
The speed of the black sand swirling gradually increased, gathering into four black sandstorms behind Rowan.
Four figures gradually took shape within the sandstorms.
The sound of metal colliding and rubbing could be heard faintly.
Crisp and pleasant to hear.
Rowan stepped through the floating sand and came in front of Crocodile.
Behind him were four soldiers, their bodies and spears all a solid black!
They stood as Rowan's loyal guards.
Rowan looked at Crocodile and said slowly:
"The third thing."
"What protects an Emperor isn't soldiers, but - the Imperial Guard."
Armament Haki, full coverage!
Sand Imperial Guard!