Chapter 42

"Is that so?" Jack grinned, stacking his chips neatly. "In that case, exchange these for cash, and I'll bet the rest on small."

With that, he handed 90 percent of his chips to the beautiful attendant beside him, his confidence unwavering.

Robin smiled and nodded at the attendant before casually shaking the dice a few times. With an easygoing demeanor, she asked, "Anyone else want to place their bets?"

The surrounding gamblers exchanged glances. In the end, most chose to follow Jack's lead, placing their chips alongside his. A few, sensing something was off, quietly cashed out and slipped away.

Once the final bets were placed, Robin lifted the dice cup with a knowing smile. "Looks like I win this round."

A wave of dissatisfaction rippled through the crowd as the dice revealed a high number. Some players even turned on Jack, grumbling in frustration. He didn't bat an eye.

Unfazed by their complaints, Jack simply stood, casting one last glance at the table before casually following Robin. The suspicions of the remaining gamblers—or the integrity of the casino—meant nothing to him.

Inside the VIP lounge, Robin leaned back slightly, her sharp gaze fixed on Jack. "So, tell me… What's a Navy Captain doing here?"

Jack's smile was relaxed, but his words carried weight. "What else? I'm here to catch pirates."

Robin chuckled softly. "Pirates? My boss isn't one."

"Of course. That's why I'm here for you."

Before his words even settled, Jack lunged at her.

Robin might not have been the strongest fighter, but her Flower-Flower Fruit abilities were troublesome. Striking first was the best option.

"Mir Fluer—!"

Robin instinctively retreated, summoning extra arms to strike at Jack, hoping to buy time. She knew Crocodile was watching.

"Bang!" — "Boom!"

With a single, devastating punch, Jack sent Robin crashing into the rubble. The additional arms she had conjured vanished instantly.

He stepped forward, towering over her fallen form. "Nico Robin, 'Devil's Child'—I officially place you under arrest."

Just as the words left his lips, a wave of sand rose before him, swirling ominously before solidifying into the familiar figure of Crocodile.

"You've overstepped, marine. This is my territory."

Jack barely spared him a glance. "Back off, Crocodile. She's beyond your control." Without hesitation, he scooped up the injured Robin and turned to leave.

Crocodile's expression darkened as his body dispersed into golden sand, reforming in front of Jack to block his path. "Picking a fight with me now? That's a mistake."

Jack exhaled sharply, his patience wearing thin. "Move." His voice was calm but laced with unmistakable confidence. "If I wanted to deal with you, you wouldn't even have the chance to stand here running your mouth."

Robin had been proof enough—his speed, power, and control had surged beyond his past limits. Even his new technique, Treading on Snow Without a Trace, had surpassed everything he had learned before.

And if Crocodile insisted on pushing his luck… Jack was more than ready to prove it.

"Oh? Is that so?" Crocodile sneered. "You've officially pissed me off. And you're going to regret it."

Before he could finish, Jack's fist was already flying toward his head.

"Boom!"

The punch landed—or so it seemed.

Despite channeling some chakra into the strike, Jack's fist passed right through Crocodile's head, hitting nothing but air.

Crocodile, now fully reformed, smirked. "Haki? Is that where your confidence comes from?"

Jack narrowed his eyes. "So that's how it is. You've got good instincts."

He realized that before his punch had even connected, Crocodile had already elementalized his head, allowing the attack to pass harmlessly through.

But Jack also knew something else—Crocodile wasn't like Katakuri. He didn't have Observation Haki strong enough to see into the future. This was either a coincidence or he had noticed Jack's movements just in time. After all, it had been nothing more than a casual strike.

"Seems your boss values you quite a bit," Jack mused, his tone amused.

Then his expression hardened. "I wasn't looking for a fight, but since he insists on making this difficult, I have no choice. After all, Crocodile is still a Warlord of the Sea—technically an ally of the Navy. But if he's hell-bent on throwing his life away, I won't be the one to stop him. I can only ask you to wait here for a while."

With that, Jack let go of Robin, flashing a cold smile.

Even though he had defeated her, the system had given him no prompt—no experience, no diamonds. That meant his job wasn't done yet.

Crocodile, however, wasn't the type to sit around and wait for death. The moment Jack released Robin, he attacked first.

"Crescent Sand Dune!"

A massive, razor-sharp crescent of sand slashed through the air, aiming directly for Jack.

Jack smirked. "Interesting. Alright, I'll play with you."

As the sand blade sliced toward him, Jack's fists darkened—and with a single leap, he dodged the attack with ease.

"Armament Haki!" Crocodile's eyes narrowed.

As a Logia-type Devil Fruit user, he was practically invincible on the Grand Line—especially in the desert, his home turf. However, there was one power that could counter him: Haki.

At first, he had assumed Jack wasn't proficient in it, but now, seeing it firsthand, he realized he had underestimated him.

"Geppo"

"Boom!"

Before Crocodile could react, Jack twisted midair using Geppo and delivered a powerful punch to his face, sending him flying several meters.

Crocodile rolled across the sand before getting back to his feet. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his expression darkening.

"So, you were hiding your true strength. I was wondering what gave you the nerve to act so recklessly here," he sneered. "But if you think Armament Haki alone is enough to defeat me, you're sorely mistaken."

With a flick of his wrist, a swirling mass of sand formed in his palm.

"Sables!"

He hurled the small tornado of sand directly at Jack.

Jack didn't even flinch.

"Pathetic. If that's the best you've got, you should be embarrassed."

With a swift step, he vanished, using Soru and Kami-e, allowing him to glide effortlessly out of harm's way. The sandstorm didn't even graze his clothes.

Crocodile's smirk widened. "Is that so? Then try this—Ground Death!"

His right hand slammed into the ground.

Instantly, a wave of decay spread outward from him. The very earth beneath their feet began to crumble into dust. Buildings withered and collapsed, turning into nothing but desert sand.

Jack frowned as he saw the destruction rapidly spreading.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Robin backing away, struggling to stay clear of the decaying ground.

Without hesitation, Jack dashed toward her, scooped her up, princess-style, and launched into the air with geppo, escaping the encroaching sands below.

"You're lucky today, but luck won't always be on your side."

With that, Jack shattered the rooftop with his jump and disappeared into the night, Robin in tow.

Crocodile watched them vanish into the distance. He made no move to pursue. Instead, he pulled out a special Den Den Mushi, his expression unreadable as he began dialing.

Once they were clear of the casino, Jack released Robin, turning to face her.

"I can't let you go just yet, so you'll have to come with me for a while."

Robin, though wary, knew she had no choice. Escape was impossible against someone of Jack's strength, so she followed him without resistance.

After they had left Rainbase behind, Robin, sensing the tension ease slightly, finally spoke.

"Mr. Jack, what exactly do you want from me?"

Jack shook his head. "You don't need to know that. Just understand that you'll be free to leave soon enough."

As they traveled, a familiar chime echoed in Jack's mind—the long-awaited system notification.

[Mission Complete: Captured Nico Robin]

- Rewards: 7,900 Diamonds, 2,000 Experience Points

Jack furrowed his brow slightly. The experience he gained was far below what Robin's bounty suggested. But he understood why.

Robin's high bounty wasn't due to her combat prowess—it was because of her unique ability to decipher Poneglyphs.

Ideally, this wasn't the right time to go after the Straw Hat Pirates. They were prime investment stocks, destined for rapid growth. Their bounties would skyrocket in the future, and taking them down later would yield far greater rewards.

For now, patience was key.

However, the appearance of the Treasure Wheel made Jack unwilling to wait any longer—he had to act. So without hesitation, he struck at Robin.

"Alright. You're free to leave at daybreak. If Crocodile asks, just tell him I let you go after receiving a call."

Having already secured 7,900 diamonds, Jack had no real intention of capturing Robin. He might need her abilities in the future, and keeping her in his debt was far more useful than turning her in.

Robin frowned. "Why?"

"Don't ask too many questions. Knowing too much won't do you any good." Jack's tone was calm but firm. "And one more thing—Crocodile isn't the right choice for you. Leave him while you still can. You have good things waiting for you."

Without another word, he turned and disappeared into the night.

Having already made a move against Robin, Jack had no intention of stopping there. His sights were now set on the rest of Baroque Works' senior agents.

Meanwhile, not far from Rainbase. Princess Vivi, along with Luffy and the others, had arrived at the oasis city of Yuba, only to find it reduced to a desolate wasteland. The rebels they sought were long gone—relocated to Nanohana, an oasis city dangerously close to Alubarna.

That night, Baroque Works' senior agents finally regrouped at Rainbase, standing before their leader, Crocodile.

Despite the chaos Jack had caused during the day, the casino remained as lively as ever—as if nothing had happened. Even more surprisingly, Robin had returned.

Although Crocodile harbored some suspicion, there had never been trust between him and Robin—they were merely using each other. So when he learned that Jack had released Robin after receiving a call, he chose not to press the matter.

Despite having placed the call himself earlier, Crocodile never truly expected Robin to be rescued. Had the senior agents not been arriving soon, he might not have allowed Jack to walk away so easily. Yet, against all odds, Robin had returned.

His goal had always been to exploit Robin's abilities, and her personal thoughts on the matter were irrelevant. What mattered was that she remained by his side.

Soon after, Crocodile gathered the senior agents and laid out the details of Operation Utopia—a grand scheme to seize control of Alabasta. While many were shocked by his true identity and the sheer scale of the coup, none of them were ordinary criminals. They quickly accepted their roles in the plan.

However, the sudden arrival of Candle Man, Mr. 3, sent Crocodile into a rage. Without hesitation, he drained Mr. 3's moisture, reducing him to a husk, and fed him to the crocodile pit. As the tension settled, Crocodile also issued a kill order for Luffy and his crew.

Yet, Jack's unexpected appearance remained a lingering concern. The presence of a Navy captain was never good news. Though Crocodile's Shichibukai status granted him certain advantages, he knew better than to ignore the growing threat.

Meanwhile, after resting for the night, Luffy's crew found themselves in a heated dispute. Vivi wanted to head to Nanohana to negotiate with the rebels, hoping to prevent an all-out war. But Luffy, ever direct, chose to confront the real source of the problem—Crocodile—head-on.

After some heated discussion, the group finally decided against retracing their steps and instead pressed forward toward Rainbase.

Meanwhile, in the capital of Alabasta, King Cobra received a letter from Karoo the Duck. After learning the truth, he immediately took action—dispatching Pell, the adjutant of the Kingdom Guard and a Falcon-Falcon Fruit user, to investigate Rainbase. At the same time, he began mobilizing his forces in preparation for an assault on the city.

Elsewhere, Jack—who had set out from Rainbase in search of the senior agents—found himself hopelessly lost in the vast desert. With no prior experience navigating such terrain, frustration quickly set in.

"Damn it! I should've just stayed in Rainbase and waited for them. Why the hell did I run off toward the capital for no reason?" Jack muttered, resisting the urge to slap himself.

In hindsight, capturing Robin had been an opportunity wasted—he could have asked her for a map, a guide, or even just information on where the senior agents were regrouping. Instead, he was now wandering aimlessly.

To make matters worse, his original plan to track down Ace had been derailed by the sudden appearance of the Treasure Wheel, and he had no idea where his navy subordinates were. At this point, Jack was seething. He was about to call Lena when something caught his eye.

"Huh? What's that?"

--------------------------------

AN: Check out my P@treon For +30 extra chapters.

Thank You For your Support!!

www.p@treon.com/noviceauthor777