Chapter 109: Facing off

(T/N: Please consider reviewing this Fanfic, Thanks and appreciate all who support me)

(T/N: Enjoy!!)

<><><><><><>

When Byakuya emerged from the tent after getting dressed, he saw that Bell was blocked by Lucci and Bruno, who were close to the entrance. 

It looked like a fight was about to break out. Bell was furious; if looks could kill, Byakuya would have been vaporized. 

Confused, Byakuya asked, "Uh... What's going on here?"

Seeing Byakuya, Bell shouted angrily, "Where is Princess Vivi? What have you done to her?" 

"Don't think that just because you're strong, you can take advantage of our princess! Even without you, we can still drive Crocodile out of Alabasta!"

Bell would have stormed into the tent if it weren't for his injuries. 

Even though he knew he wasn't a match for Byakuya and his companions, he couldn't just stand by and watch Vivi be dishonored. 

Lucci and Blueno, however, dutifully guarded the entrance, firmly blocking Bell's attempts to get inside, refusing to let him pass. 

This only fueled Bell's suspicion that Byakuya had done something to Vivi, making him even angrier.

Byakuya finally understood what was happening. 'Unbelievable! Last night, I was the one who nearly got raped by Vivi, and now you're accusing me?'

Who would have thought that Vivi has a low tolerance for alcohol? Thankfully, Byakuya knocks her out before his brother gets out of control.

If Byakuya hadn't kept reminding himself that she was only sixteen and resisted the urge to take advantage of her, the Royal Family might have already called him "Prince Consort" by now.

Hearing the commotion outside, Vivi was so embarrassed that she wished she could disappear. 

When she woke up, Vivi remembered being on top of Byakuya. She wanted to find a hole to crawl into to prevent the situation from escalating further. 

Vivi, her face still red, walked out of the tent.

Bell saw Vivi emerge and breathed a sigh of relief but then nervously asked, "Vivi, last night..."

Vivi kept her head down and whispered, "Uncle Bell, nothing happened last night."

"Nothing happened?" Bell looked suspiciously at Byakuya and the others. 

If nothing happened, why did they stop me from going in? But since Vivi said nothing happened, it must be true.

...

"Boss, the Baroque Works members have mostly gathered," said a tall, muscular man who approached Crocodile. 

The speaker was Mr. 1, Daz Bonez, a top agent of Baroque Works and a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit user who had the powers of the Dice-Dice Fruit. 

This fruit is quite powerful. If a skilled swordsman had eaten it, the seas would probably see another great swordsman rise. 

Unfortunately, Daz Bonez didn't have much talent in swordsmanship, which wasted the potential of the Dice-Dice Fruit.

Crocodile, wearing a cape, smoking a cigar, and with his slicked-back hair, stood on the roof of the casino, looking every bit the mafia boss. 

From his vantage point, he could faintly see the tent that Byakuya had set up outside the city. 

Crocodile muttered, "They really don't take me seriously at all!" Then, he turned and asked, "Can we confirm the identities of those people?"

Robin appeared behind Crocodile and shook his head, saying, "The opponents are wearing black robes and masks. 

They seem to be part of an organization." "But we've never heard of any organization dressed like that appearing on the seas before."

"Is there no way to identify them?" Crocodile's unease grew stronger—a feeling he had rarely experienced before. 

However, recalling the contingency plans he had set in place, his anxiety eased slightly. Crocodile looked at the 344 members of Baroque Works gathered below. 

These were the strongest individuals he had recruited since becoming one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. 

Some were even Devil Fruit users. Although their bounties might have been low, they were strong. 

Since they had chosen to join Crocodile's ranks, they were aligned with the World Government, which meant their bounties wouldn't increase.

These 344 people represented nearly all of Crocodile's forces. 

He looked at them and said in a deep voice, "It's time to show them that crossing Baroque Works comes at the cost of one's life."

As Crocodile spoke, the 344 members let out a roar that echoed through the desert, loud enough for Byakuya and the others outside the city to hear clearly. 

Byakuya grinned and said, "Oh, looks like they've finally gathered everyone." He wondered who exactly had come to die this time.

He hoped they brought enough people so that waiting the entire day would have been worthwhile.

The residents of the desert city were astonished as they watched Crocodile lead so many of his subordinates out of the city. 

They wondered who could be important enough to make one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Crocodile, mobilize his entire force. 

Some brave—or perhaps reckless—people secretly followed the group, curious to see what was happening.

As the city's gates opened, Crocodile, leading Baroque Works, appeared before Byakuya and his group. 

Byakuya smirked, "Oh, this will be a good harvest!" 

Looking at the faces in the crowd, though some were vaguely familiar, he recognized that these characters had appeared in the anime. 

Under his mask, Byakuya's grin stretched from ear to ear. The day's wait had indeed been worth it.

Crocodile first looked at Vivi and Bell, quickly recognizing them. "Miss Wednesday," he sneered, "you managed to escape from Baroque Works, but instead of hiding safely in your palace, you came here to die?"

Vivi glared at Crocodile with hatred in her eyes and replied coldly, 

"The one who's going to die is you! I've come here today to kill you and avenge the citizens who died because of you!"

You had to admire Vivi's courage to speak such words before Crocodile. 

Her words might have carried more weight if she hadn't clung tightly to Byakuya's arm. 

Crocodile's eyes flashed with contempt as he chuckled, "You think you can kill me?"

"I'm standing right here. You could spend a lifetime trying, and you still wouldn't be able to kill me." 

"If I hadn't been toying with you before, seeing how far you'd go, I would have killed you the moment you joined Baroque Works."

"And now, you stand before me, boasting about killing me? How naïve."

Crocodile then shifted his gaze to Byakuya, whom Vivi was clinging to, and said coldly, 

"Don't you know that in this sea, meddling in other people's business usually leads to an early death?"

If you want to support me, join my patr**on. Have 10 advanced Chapters for you guys.

patr**n.com/saitamablast > OP:OPM NOVEL TIER