Squeak! Squeak!
Mr. 1's entire body gleamed coldly, transformed into a living blade.
Under his control, every sharp edge on his metallic form began to spin rapidly, generating an ear-piercing friction sound that echoed across the battlefield.
Knowing he couldn't evade the oncoming attack, Mr. 1 clenched his jaw and crossed his arms in front of his chest—choosing to block Bai Yu's powerful slash head-on.
In the blink of an eye, the strike landed.
A crescent-shaped turquoise slash swept forward, shimmering with killing intent and infused with pure sword will. It collided with Mr. 1's rotating blades without hesitation.
Bang! Boom! CRASH!
The instant they met, a deafening clash erupted, releasing a shockwave that reverberated through the air. Sparks exploded from Mr. 1's body as steel ground against the force of Bai Yu's strike.
Clang! Clatter! Crack!
But the resistance Mr. 1 had anticipated never came.
Though the slash seemed ordinary, its internal power was anything but. It was laced with Bai Yu's sword intent—the essence of countless days and nights of training, condensed into a single blow.
The pressure was overwhelming.
In just a heartbeat, every rotating blade on Mr. 1's armored body shattered like glass.
Pfft!
The remainder of the slash cut through flesh and bone, breaking past what little defense was left.
A spurt of blood sprayed into the air as the sword aura left a deep, slanting wound running from Mr. 1's left shoulder to his right hip. Bone glinted faintly beneath the torn flesh.
Thud!
With such a grievous injury, Mr. 1 lost consciousness instantly. His massive frame crumpled to the ground in silence, unmoving.
With elegant composure, Bai Yu flicked the blood from his blade and sheathed it in one smooth motion. He turned around, expression calm.
Not a word was spoken—but his dominance was absolute.
Silence fell across the battlefield.
Every onlooker froze. The sheer brutality of the scene, paired with Bai Yu's effortless grace, stunned them into speechlessness.
"How long are you all planning to stand there?" Bai Yu's cold eyes swept over the stunned soldiers. "Two of you, go cuff him with sea stone. Bring him back to the ship."
His voice snapped the others back to reality.
"Y-Yes, sir!" the marines stammered.
Two soldiers rushed forward immediately, snapping open a pair of Kairoseki (Sea Prism Stone) handcuffs—specially made to neutralize Devil Fruit abilities.
They secured them onto Mr. 1's wrists, then hoisted his unconscious body between them and began retreating down the same path they'd come.
---
Ding! The host has successfully swung the sword 10,000 times. Rewards issued: Azure Dragon Sword Qi proficiency +10%, Physical Level upgraded to B-Rank.
Ding! Additional milestone achieved: Three-Color Haki Awakened!
Just as the others departed, a series of system prompts echoed in Bai Yu's mind.
10,000 accumulated sword swings.
Azure Dragon Sword Qi—enhanced by 10%.
Physique—now boosted to a solid B-Rank.
And most importantly…
The legendary foundation of top-tier One Piece combatants—Haki in all three forms—had awakened within him.
As knowledge surged into his brain, Bai Yu closed his eyes and focused, allowing the system to upload understanding directly into his consciousness.
A warm current surged through his limbs as his enhanced physique began to stabilize.
Moments later, Bai Yu's eyes snapped open—sharper, clearer, stronger.
A satisfied smile tugged at his lips.
His muscles felt denser, his reflexes quicker. The increase in physical power was tangible.
Even more exhilarating was his new grasp on Haki.
Though still at the beginner stage, he could now access the basics of Observation Haki, Armament Haki, and even a faint glimmer of Conqueror's Haki—the rarest of the three.
"What perfect timing," Bai Yu murmured to himself. "Armament Haki... it's the best counter to Logia-type Devil Fruit users."
With Crocodile looming ahead, this power spike couldn't have come at a better moment.
"Commander!"
"Are you alright?" one of the marines asked cautiously, jogging toward him.
"We saw smoke coming off your body just now!"
Indeed, after the battle, Bai Yu had suddenly fallen silent, his body strangely emitting wisps of heat and vapor.
"It's nothing," Bai Yu said smoothly. "Just a moment of insight."
Of course, he couldn't reveal the existence of the system. So, he gave the simplest explanation possible.
"We move. Now."
"Yes, sir!"
The marines snapped to attention, their expressions sobering as they regrouped behind Bai Yu.
He took the lead once more, heading for the heart of the capital—Alubarna Palace.
---
Meanwhile, inside the Alubarna Palace...
Crocodile stood confidently, draped in his heavy fur coat, flanked by his most loyal subordinates. The royal palace, once a symbol of order, now echoed with chaos and despair.
"Guhahaha!" Crocodile's laughter boomed through the chamber.
"I alone am fit to rule this kingdom!" he bellowed.
He turned to glare at the lone figure before him.
"Vivi... Your father is in my hands. You still dare resist?"
Princess Vivi trembled—but held her ground.
"No!" she cried, eyes burning with fury. "Even if I die, I won't let a monster like you take over this country!"
Crocodile's grin twisted into a sneer.
"I don't need your permission."
"Then die along with your delusions!"
His right arm transformed into a swirling column of sand. With a flick, he unleashed it—crescent-shaped sand blades screamed through the air.
Swish! Swish!
"Protect the princess!"
The last of the royal guards charged forward, shields raised.
Puff! Puff!
But they never stood a chance.
The sand blades sliced through armor and flesh alike, instantly dehydrating their victims. Bodies collapsed into withered husks, bones outlined beneath parchment skin.
The blades flew on—straight for Vivi.
As death closed in, she shut her eyes and braced for impact.
BOOM!
A muffled explosion rang out.
But... no pain came.
Vivi opened her eyes.
The sand blades were gone.
Instead, a fine spray of sand scattered around her feet.
She looked up—and saw Crocodile, stunned, his eyes focused beyond her.
"Crocodile!" a bold voice rang from behind Vivi.
"If you want to harm Princess Vivi, you'll have to get past my blade first!"
Vivi spun around.
Step. Step. Step.
A full unit of marines filed into the palace, their formation tight and disciplined.
At the center of the group, leading with quiet intensity, stood Bai Yu—his sword arm relaxed, but his eyes burning with resolve.
He stepped forward, placing himself directly between Vivi and Crocodile.
The tide of battle was shifting.
And this time, it was the navy's blade that would decide the fate of Alabasta.