Sand and Blood

Before Crocodile could react, a sharp hiss cut through the air. Mr. 1's blade skimmed past the Viltrumite's face, his strike as fast as lightning.

But speed wasn't enough.

The Viltrumite raised his hand and caught Mr. 1's metallic arm in mid-attack. A metallic snap echoed as he squeezed, and a muffled groan escaped the assassin. The sand around them danced with the displacement of air. With a sharp movement, the Viltrumite shattered the arm as if it were glass. The high-pitched sound of metal giving way filled the air. Mr. 1 screamed, but the pain didn't last long. Grabbing him by the head, the Viltrumite smashed his skull against the stone ground. The impact made the earth tremble.

A moment of silence followed the brutal death. Dust rose like a veil over the scene. The metallic scent of blood mixed with the dry desert air.

"Ohhh! So you like brute strength? How about a little style, mon cher?" Bon Clay leaped from the top of a broken pillar, his voice dripping with exaggerated confidence. Touching his own face, he transformed into the Viltrumite.

The Viltrumite raised an eyebrow. "What the hell was that?"

"I can turn into anyone I touch. Now look, I'm you!" Bon Clay spun in the air, attempting an acrobatic kick. The Viltrumite didn't move. He simply raised his hand, catching the dancer's leg mid-air. Then, he twisted.

The snap of the fracture echoed across the battlefield. Bon Clay screamed but had no time for more. The Viltrumite grabbed him by the hair and delivered a brutal punch to his jaw. Teeth flew, his tongue was shredded. With one final blow, he tore the head from the body and tossed it to the ground like a worthless piece of meat.

Silence fell once more. The ruins of Alabasta, immutable witnesses to the massacre, seemed to swallow the last echoes of the screams.

In the distance, Miss Goldenweek was drawing colorful symbols on the ground, her brush staining the golden sand with vibrant hues. A strange relaxation spread through the Viltrumite's body. He blinked, feeling his rage diminish. The pressure in the air seemed to ease.

"Hm? What the hell…?" He shook his head, confused.

Miss Goldenweek smiled. "Color Trap: Tranquility! Now you just want to relax and enjoy life."

The Viltrumite observed the colorful marks. The desert wind blew, shifting grains of sand that began to cover the painting. He then turned his gaze to the girl. Without warning, he stomped on the artwork and grabbed her by the collar.

"Mind control? Not on me."

She tried to pull away, but he tightened his grip around her neck. The colorful glow in her eyes faded as her trachea was crushed. Her small body fell lifeless onto the sand.

In the background, Mr. 3 was shaping a massive wax spear, preparing to attack. "My wax is harder than steel. Let's see how you handle this!"

The Viltrumite let the spear strike his chest. The impact rang with a metallic sound, but he didn't even flinch.

"Wax?" He grabbed the spear and snapped it in half with one hand.

Mr. 3's eyes widened. "That's impossible! My wax—"

Before he could finish the sentence, the Viltrumite closed the distance between them and drove his fingers into Mr. 3's eyes, pushing them deep into his skull. The man screamed, but his voice was drowned out by the crushing of his cranium. His body fell lifeless.

On the other side of the battlefield, Crocodile watched everything, his sharp eyes hiding his tension. "Tch. So that's how you play, huh?"

The Viltrumite didn't respond. He looked around, seeing the mutilated bodies of Crocodile's allies scattered across the ground. The wine was gone. But he didn't need wine.

With a brutal motion, he grabbed Bon Clay's already lifeless body and tore it in half with his bare hands. Blood gushed in a crimson torrent, covering his torso and face. He repeated the gesture with Mr. 3, drenching himself in the viscous liquid. The metallic scent of blood filled the air, mingling with dust and destruction.

Crocodile watched the scene with a dark expression. "You damned lunatic…"

The Viltrumite laughed, running a hand over his blood-covered face. "Let's see if this works as well as water."

The Shichibukai wasted no time. He raised his hand, and the sand around him rose into sharp blades, launching them like projectiles. The sound of the wind intensified. The storm he had summoned swallowed everything around, making it difficult to distinguish shapes in the golden haze.

In the midst of the whirlwind, the Viltrumite remained standing. Unmoved. The blades shattered against his skin.

Crocodile clenched his teeth. "Let's see if you survive this."

The Viltrumite raised a bloodied fist and smirked. "Try me."

Crocodile ripped off the gold plating on his hook, revealing the poisoned blade. In a swift movement, he lunged at the Viltrumite's chest, driving the weapon into his flesh.

For a second, there was a pause. The sandstorm roared around them. Poison dripped from the metal.

Then the Viltrumite laughed.

With a snap, he broke the hook in half and tossed the pieces away. "Is that all?"

Crocodile instinctively stepped back. The storm swirled in fury, but within it, he saw something that froze his blood: the absolute certainty that he was facing something he could not defeat.

The Viltrumite moved.

A dry impact. Crocodile flew like a ragdoll, crashing through three buildings before landing in the sand. He tried to get up, spitting blood, but his body no longer responded properly.

Slow footsteps echoed across the battlefield. The Viltrumite stopped in front of him, gripping his face and lifting him into the air.

"Pathetic."

Crocodile felt the enemy's fingers digging into his skull. He tried to scream, but all that came out was blood.

The Viltrumite tilted his head, his eyes glowing with an almost bored coldness. "You fought so hard for this place… and for what?"

He squeezed harder, cracks spreading through Crocodile's skull.

"In a few years, who will even remember you?"

Crocodile tried to respond, but his vision was already fading. With one final squeeze, the Viltrumite crushed his head like a mere insect.

He never knew if Crocodile had truly been a Shichibukai trying to protect Alabasta. But in the end, it didn't matter.

In the distance, among the ruins of Alubarna…

Vivi covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes wide and full of tears. Her body trembled uncontrollably as she witnessed the massacre unfolding before her. Crocodile, the man she had hated and feared so much, was now nothing more than a crimson stain on the ground.

Igaram grabbed her arm, his voice tense and urgent. "We have to get out of here, Princess! Now!"

But Vivi couldn't move. Her heart pounded in her chest. The monster who had annihilated Baroque Works, who had crushed Crocodile effortlessly… he was something far worse than any threat Alabasta had ever faced.

She looked at Igaram, finally managing to whisper in a trembling voice. "We never stood a chance against that…"

Not far away, hidden among the ruins…

Robin stood motionless, her arms crossed over her chest. Her cold eyes analyzed the scene with calculated precision. Crocodile's defeat didn't surprise her—he was arrogant, flawed. But the way the Viltrumite had eliminated everyone, without hesitation, without effort… that complicated her plans.

She pressed her lips together in an almost imperceptible smile. "A true monster…"

For now, it was best to disappear. That man didn't seem like the type to tolerate spectators. And she knew that if she wanted to survive, she would need to reconsider her next steps.