The Marines around him looked at Crocodile with undisguised shock, their faces expressing a mixture of grief, rage, and helplessness. In front of the entire Marine force, including the three captains who had taken part in the battle, Crocodile had easily taken the life of one of the high-ranking officers.
Cruel, bloody and at the same time elegant technique.
Murphy also stood frozen in shock, although he was shocked by something completely different from what had astonished the guards. After all, Gaara's signature move had once been brilliantly executed by Crocodile.
Murphy had wondered before how Naruto's story might impact this world. After all, judging by the original story where Luffy and his crew first met Raizo, ninja were incredibly popular in this world. If the novel's popularity continued to grow, its influence was bound to show up sooner or later. He just didn't expect it to happen so quickly or with such dramatic effect. After all, he'd only just gotten the story up to the Chunin Exams, and Crocodile had already mastered these two techniques.
Now that's a real fan!
Murphy couldn't imagine what an arrogant Crocodile would look like when he eagerly awaited the new chapter of Naruto every week. So maybe he should take the opportunity to interview him?
Of course, not to ask him about the affair, but to get some exclusive information. After all, before the incident with Roger happens, it's worth checking the ground...
Rubbing his chin and thinking about this, Murphy continued to watch Crocodile show off his power.
- Barukhan! - exclaimed the pirate.
Crocodile's arm transformed into a giant sickle-shaped blade of sand that shot towards the remaining guards. It tore through a dozen soldiers without losing speed and crashed into the trees behind them.
In an instant, the soldiers' skin became cracked, and their bodies began to visibly dry out and shrink before their eyes until they died of dehydration. The trees also instantly dried out, their trunks shrank several times, and then turned to dust under the blow of the sand blade.
Both people and trees - all living things under the attack of Crocodile were deprived of moisture and completely destroyed.
"Damn it!" cried one of the remaining officers.
"Hahaha, now it's just you two left. Fight back as best you can! The Coveted Sword of the Desert!" Crocodile laughed.
A stream of sand, sharp as a blade, rose up and fell like a curtain on the two remaining officers.
Ding!
The guard with two swords held the blades out in front of him. The black glow on the blades completely disappeared before he barely managed to block Crocodile's attack.
"He really was incredibly strong in his youth!" thought Murphy, who was some distance from the fight, occasionally taking pictures and mentally expressing admiration.
He wasn't particularly worried that any of the combatants would attack him. After all, he was an ordinary civilian, and the principles of the two officers did not allow them to harm civilians, especially when they had other things to do. As for Crocodile, for all his arrogance and indifference to the fate of civilians caught in the crossfire, he was not the kind of pirate who would kill a random passerby without reason.
In a few minutes the battle was over. And if before even a whole squad could not cope with Crocodile, now they had even less of a chance.
Only Crocodile stood on the battlefield. The large officer had perished under the pressure of the sand, and the rest were desiccated husks, dead from dehydration.
"Hey, you're a journalist, right? Did you manage to film anything?" Crocodile suddenly asked, turning to Murphy.
Murphy raised an eyebrow, looked warily at Crocodile, and, after making sure that he was not taking any hostile action, replied, "Yes, I did."
He was extremely cautious, not understanding why Crocodile had suddenly turned to him.
Maybe he just didn't want to be photographed?
- Excellent. Choose a couple of impressive pictures for the newspaper, let the world see the greatness of the future king! - said the pirate.
Murphy looked silently at Crocodile, in whose eyes one could clearly see what was called ambition, and he made no attempt to hide it.
"Is there a problem?" Crocodile asked.
- No... By the way, would the future King Crocodile like to give an interview? Photos alone are not enough for publication in the newspaper.
"How brave!" Crocodile glanced sideways at Murphy, lifting his head slightly in an arrogant pose. "If you want to interview me, go ahead and ask, but be quick!"
Even just looking at him made Murphy feel the immense pressure that only true warriors had been trained in, the blood and fire that only true warriors could feel. It made him wonder if he was being overconfident, being so close to the battlefield all this time.
The Crocodile standing before him was not the 50-year-old pirate from his memories. If he decided to attack, Murphy would not have a single chance to resist. However, since the situation was like this, there was no need to worry. Therefore, Murphy immediately took the recording Den-Den-Mushi out of the system and began recording.
"Mr. Crocodile, judging by your appearance, you have just arrived at the Sabaody Archipelago. I assume your next step is to head to the New World? What is your goal?"
"Of course, find the Pirate King Roger, defeat him and get the title of the strongest!" Crocodile answered with an impressive look, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
But Murphy, knowing Crocodile's future, barely suppressed a skeptical grin.
The strongest? Seriously?
After some thought, Murphy had a rough idea of the path Crocodile would have to take. He would never find Roger, and instead would be greeted by news of the Pirate King's capture.
After Roger's execution, Whitebeard will be the world's strongest man. And this arrogant fool, striving to become the strongest, will go and challenge Whitebeard. That's how life goes up and down. From arrogant self-confidence to a cunning schemer, it only takes one hit.
After this, Crocodile will become despondent and place all his hopes on the ancient weapon, but unfortunately, he will spend half his life in Alabasta, constantly moving downwards.
A typical case when life teaches a harsh lesson.
- So Mr. Crocodile's goal is to become the strongest. I have already seen your impressive strength. Surely your team, who have gone through so many trials with you, is also quite strong. Could you tell us about your team?
"I don't have a team. I can handle it alone!" Crocodile declared.
Murphy's face showed genuine surprise. Indeed, judging by Crocodile's appearance, he had not yet created his own organization, Baroque Works. But to intend to challenge Roger's entire team on his own was beyond simple arrogance.
- Are you going to fight Roger's entire team alone?
— Are there any problems?
- No, but what if... you still can't find Roger?
Crocodile was lost in thought. He hadn't really considered that possibility. In the current era, there was only one way to become the Pirate King - defeat the current recognized king, Roger.
But why has he really been unable to find Roger all this time, despite his attempts? Maybe Roger is hiding from him?
Crocodile's face took on a worried expression. Perhaps he should ask this journalist not to talk too much about his plans? What if Roger, frightened by his power, disappeared without a trace? How would he be found in the New World then?