Chapter 136: the replacement

“Is it over?”

Robin said as she looked at Crocodile, who was swallowed by the flames. Although the damage she caused was fatal, but Crocodile was a Shichibukai after all.

It was less than three rounds against Ron.

“Nah he is so persistent, he won’t go down easily. I still can hear his breathing.”

Ron looked at the blazing flame below and responded flatly.

Without Robin’s backstab, Ron really may not be able to beat Crocodile, or it would be a long fight with consistent struggle before Ron could take him down, because there was no wizard tower in the area, and there was a possibility that Ron would drain all his mental power before he finishes his opponent.

But with Robin’s backstab, which took Crocodile by surprise, it was destined that Crocodile will have the most humiliating end.

Use strategy to dominate the world.

In the end, he died because of the classical betrayal scheme.

Rush!

The dust surged, barely extinguished part of the flame, revealing Crocodile’s figure.

His whole body was completely burned by the flames, and he couldn’t even stand up. He was barely supporting his body with his ability.

The scene of Roger being executed, the time when he conquered the first half of the grand line, the time when he arrived at the new world to challenge Whitebeard… Countless scenes flashed through Crocodile’s mind one after another, till he went blank.

The idea of dominating the world, the ancient weapon Pluton, everything was completely gone.

At this moment, Crocodile despised only one person. It was not Ron, but Robin.

Without Robin’s blow, even if he couldn’t beat Ron, he could escape if things went south, with the ability of his Suna Suna no Mi, he could easily retreat in this desert environment.

“Cough…cough…”

“Nico Robin…you piece of shit…you will have the worst end…”

Crocodile coughed out a few mouthfuls of burnt blood, looked at Robin, and said: “So far you have betrayed countless organizations, but I didn’t expect you to betray me at this time. Do you think you can still gain the trust of others?”

Crocodile didn’t know why Robin would cooperate with Ron, the marine, but he could roughly guess a few reasons.

“…”

Robin’s eyes changed slightly.

However, at this moment, Ron spoke with a slight smile.

“Have you forgotten that I answered that question of yours earlier? why Robin betrayed you? Crocodile…Because you are too weak to protect her, she has been threatened, so she could only betray you.”

“So, don’t worry 😊 I will trust her! Because as long as I have the capability to protect her and keep her safe, she will never betray me.”

Robin looked at Ron blankly.

She didn’t expect Ron to say such a thing. She was still worried about whether Ron would hand her over to the government after he seizes the Baroque Works.

She was chased since she was eight years old, struggled in the underground world for more than ten years, and was used to countless deceptions, but at this moment she couldn’t see any flickering and guilty conscience in Ron’s eyes.

In that gaze, there was only seriousness, no falsehood.

“Farewell.”

Ron looked at Crocodile, spoke lightly, and waved his wand down.

The wind turned into a cyan dragon, hovering in the air. Then soon after a few seconds, it fell at a high speed, swallowing Crocodile’s body, completely tearing it into countless pieces scattered in the sand that was burned into lava by the flames.

“Desert King” Sir Crocodile.

Just Died!

Ron put down his wand and flew with Robin to the roof of a building.

Turning his head, seeing Robin still looking at him in a daze, he couldn’t help but say: “Wake up! We have no time to waste. We have to proceed to the next step of our plan.”

“……Yes.”

Robin gradually recovered her senses and responded.

…

Somewhere in a spacious office.

Ron took the Den Den Mushi and dialed the marine headquarters.

“Hello? Kuzan speaking.”

Ron called Sengoku office, but it was Aokiji who picked up the phone. He was sitting in the Marshal’s office at the moment, yawning, and said: “Sengoku-San went to Mary Geoise to report on duty. Just report to me.”

“I’m Ron.”

When Aokiji answered the phone, Ron was slightly surprised, but he still spoke calmly.

When he heard Ron’s voice, Aokiji’s tired face suddenly changed, and immediately sat up and said: “Ron, you bastard, what were you doing yesterday? you didn’t even answer my call. Willfulness is not something a vice-admiral will do!”

“Huh, I know that things are messed up, but the government will give Alabasta an explanation. Just return to the branch now. I will help you with Sengoku-San. However, you will be demoted, and transfer back to the headquarter as a rear admiral.”

Hearing what Aokiji said, Ron apologized: “I’m sorry, admiral Kuzan, but what I said yesterday was not about willfulness, I wasn’t acting on a whim, I decided to leave the marines.”

“…”

Hearing such words, Aokiji fell into a brief silence.

After a few seconds, he sighed and said: “Everyone has different justice in mind, and you have your own understanding of the matter. I won’t force you to stop, but while dealing with people like Crocodile, you must be cautious, against such opponents you need to remain calm otherwise you will find yourself dancing on their palms.”

“Crocodile is dead.”

“Uh…WHAT?!”

Surprised, Aokiji almost threw the Den Den Mushi in his hand.

His eyes widened and then he said in disbelief: “What did you say?!”

“Crocodile is dead.”

Ron repeated it and said: “I killed him.”

Aokiji: “…”

Aokiji was about to say to Ron to stop joking around, but he could only sense seriousness from his tone, and he had been in contact with Ron many times, and he knew his character well.

When Ron confirmed again that Crocodile was killed, then it should be the case. Aokiji could barely process the news and couldn’t help but feel shocked.

Crocodile is dead!

Another Shichibukai is down. And the thing is, that in less than one year, two of them were killed by Ron!

Kuzan did not support the Shichibukai system at first, so he was not strongly opposing Ron’s behavior, but there was no doubt that the death of the two Shichibukai would turn the sea upside down! Things will change and the people standing at the pinnacle of this world will start to move.

“Ron, you are destroying the balance of this world…”

Aokiji said in shock as he held his head between his arms: “There is still no replacement for Moria, and now that you have killed Crocodile, the situation became worse. With no Shichibukai placed on the first half of the grand line, the pirates will go on rampage…It will be much worse than it is now, and the pressure on the marines will also increase a lot.”

“It’s ok.”

Ron said slowly: “Since the government needs the Shichibukai system so much, and I can’t stand the power of those pirates getting legally plundered, then…I will take this position.”

Aokiji’s face changed slightly, then he said: “What do you mean…!”

“I’ll do it, I will be the replacement, I want to become a Shichibukai!”