The Great Voyage: The Props Master on the Straw Hat Ship

Ever since that day she told Crocodile that the man named Link knew his secret.

He seemed very... anxious the whole time.

This was the first time in four years that Robin had seen Crocodile so agitated.

He would often stand by the window and gaze into the distance, making it seem to anyone who didn't know him think he was contemplating grand plans for the future.

But Robin knew that Crocodile's biggest reason for standing there was probably that he was waiting for someone who was about to arrive.

Backup 2qun ba9 (3) research (6) feed (4) pomegranate zero

"Because I knew they would definitely come to me."

Crocodile didn't turn his head, slowly wiping the golden hook on his right arm.

"So you're not sending anyone to pursue them, afraid that something might happen that could lead to your secret being leaked...?"

Robin silently guessed to himself.

"What kind of secret could be so important to Crocodile?!"

Robin pursed his lips, his curiosity stemming from both the matter at hand and the man who had caused it.

Link's figure and appearance slowly appeared in her mind.

What kind of person was that man?

After a short period of time, Luffy and his crew overcame the harsh environment of the desert and many ferocious beasts, and successfully arrived at the outskirts of Rain City.

There, Ace also found the bounty hunter Scorpion Man who claimed to have information about Blackbeard.

Then, it was revealed that the Scorpion Man knew Ace was looking for Blackbeard, and deliberately claimed to have fought Blackbeard in order to challenge Ace.

Ultimately, it ended in his failure.

However, as an apology, he also provided Ace with some suspicious information about Blackbeard.

Thus, with no trace of Blackbeard left in Alabasta, Ace had no reason to stay there any longer.

It's time to say goodbye.

Under the sunset.

"Luffy, take this."

Ace, dressed neatly, handed Luffy a clean white piece of paper.

"This is my Vivre Card, something that can only be made in the New World."

He smiled and said, "Although it's not as magical as Link's gadgets, this card can still help you pinpoint my location and status, so it's not entirely useless."

"That's it..."

Luffy took it and then scratched his head a little.

He said with some distress, "You gave me this, but I don't have anything good to give you in return."

Ace joked, "Then why don't you take your straw hat..."

"What are you thinking?! Absolutely not!!"

After a period of lively fun, Ace turned to Link and said, "I'm entrusting my brother to you all."

"Don't worry~" 613

Link smiled, and his companions behind him all smiled in unison.

“Actually, you could borrow some items from Link, Ace.”

Luffy carefully put Ace's Vivre Card away and made a suggestion.

"For example, tools for finding people, which can help you find Blackbeard and his crew faster..."

No, that's not necessary.

Ace shook his head. "I have a general idea of ​​what's going on with Blackbeard."

"Besides, this is my own business. If I'm out on business and finally run into my younger brother, instead of helping him, I end up needing his and his crew's help..."

He laughed heartily, "Then I'm a really terrible older brother, aren't I?!"

"If my friends and my dad found out, they would laugh at me for a long time."

"but……"

Ace turned around gracefully, glancing back at Link, "If you can come to us in the future and meet with our Whitebeard Pirates..."

“We’d be happy to host you. Also, I might need to borrow your gadgets for Dad’s sake at that time, Link.”

The fact that they borrowed the tools from Whitebeard was most likely because they wanted to help Whitebeard heal his body, which was riddled with injuries and illnesses.

"OK?"

Link smiled and nodded, "See you later then."

Ace left gracefully. During his time with Luffy and the others, he experienced Link's gadgets, which greatly broadened his horizons.

He didn't ask to borrow any props when he left, just as he said, it was his own business.

Actually, Ace had already experienced the effects of Link's gadgets at the restaurant, and dreamed about some key issues concerning the future.

Having gone this far, Ace wouldn't have been able to rely on Link's tools if he still wanted to. He had his own pride.

Ace's departure didn't cause much of a stir for the Straw Hat Pirates.

Although Ace is Luffy's brother, he has his own pirate crew, so Ace is just a guest and a relative.

When they arrive, we offer them a warm welcome; when they leave, we bid them a reluctant farewell.

Everyone has their own things to do.

For example, right now, in front of the Straw Hat Pirates lies a city with a vast oasis-like landscape, incredibly rich and luxurious.

Crocodile's lair, Rainfield.

"We've finally arrived here..."

The group faced the tallest building, which resembled a banana-crocodile pyramid, and an aura of abundance emanated from it.

108. Sorry, I choose Link!! (Luffy jumping up and down in frustration!!)

"Crocodile should be in that house, right?"

As the group entered the street, Zoro gazed at the banana-shaped crocodile-head building that resembled a sapphire-like architectural masterpiece, his eyes gleaming with a fighting spirit.

"That should be right, and we should have been exposed as soon as we came in, right?"

Sanji glanced around and saw several men with Baroque Works logos tattooed on their bodies, brandishing weapons and glaring at them menacingly in the dark alley corner.

“Those people should all be the ‘Million Elders’ and ‘Billion Elders’ of the Baroque Works…”

Arriving at the enemy's lair for their final meeting, even Weiwei felt a little nervous.

"However, they don't seem to be coming forward to stop our actions..."

Nami also sized up the people around her, and it was clear that they made no attempt to hide the bloodlust in their eyes directed at her.

However, they all managed to suppress their impulses and just kept their eyes on them, as if afraid that they would run away.

"Crocodile already knows we're here, but he hasn't sent anyone to attack us..."

Usopp also swallowed hard.

"Does he think he has victory in his grasp, look down on us, and plan to deliver a heavy blow to us from his superior position when we find him, shattering our confidence and perseverance, and completely dismantling our will?!"

"Wait? So that's how it is?!"

It has to be said that Usopp has a very vivid imagination in this regard, which startled Chopper next to him.

"Perhaps."

Link had a pretty good idea of ​​what Crocodile was thinking; he was probably more wary of the "secret" Crocodile had mentioned.

He didn't allow his subordinates to act rashly, fearing that it might trigger some unpredictable event and expose his secrets.

"But no matter what, we definitely have to face him head-on."

"The fact that no one is jumping out to stop us is actually a convenient thing for us."

At least until we meet Crocodile, things won't be so complicated.

The others nodded silently in agreement, and the group headed toward the largest casino, Rain Banquet.

The whereabouts of Luffy, Link, and their crew were truthfully reported to Crocodile by the "Millions of Elders" of Baroque Works.

"Is it finally coming~"

Crocodile, with a cigar in his mouth, calmly hung up the Den Den Mushi.

"I want to see what kind of person you really are. Do you truly understand, or are you just using a half-baked understanding as a bargaining chip for your own self-righteousness?"

Crocodile slowly walked to the chair, his entire body instantly turning into yellowish-brown sand that floated throughout the room!

Robin, standing to the side, also had a glimmer in her eyes.

We'll meet again, Link, the prop master!

The Straw Hat crew arrived at the entrance of the Rain Banquet without any obstacles along the way.

It wasn't entirely without obstacles; as they passed by a restaurant, they bumped into Smoker and Tashigi coming out.

The two of them arrived in Rain City ahead of time because, according to Smoker's guess, Luffy and Link must have some special purpose in coming to this country full of rebellion.

The only person or thing on this island related to pirates is Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

Therefore, Smoker had a premonition that Luffy and Link would definitely come here, so he arrived here in advance to wait for them.

Given the current situation where they're staring at each other and bumping into each other head-on... it does seem to be quite effective?!

"Stop!"

After a moment or two of stunned silence, Smoker immediately raised his eyebrows and roared through his mouth, which was clenched with a cigar.

His body was instantly enveloped in billowing smoke, as if trying to shoot the smoke out and trap the group of people in front of him.

But when he thought of the [Smoke Man Creation Bottle] in Link's hand, he paused and reluctantly withdrew his smoky body.

They followed Luffy and his crew on foot, who immediately fled when they sensed danger.

Once bitten, twice shy; Smoker isn't foolish enough to make the same mistake twice!

Tashigi, carrying her weapon Shigure, hurriedly gave chase.

When Luffy and his crew saw this terrifying-looking smoker, they immediately fled.

Their main target right now is Crocodile, and they don't have the extra time or energy to argue with the other guys.

A group of people, being chased by Smoker, arrived at the entrance of the Rain Banquet.

As soon as they pushed open the door and rushed in, they saw a group of well-dressed staff in suits bowing and pointing them in the right direction.

"VIP lounge? II!"

Seeing the VIP room door clearly designed to welcome them in, the group didn't hesitate and barged in.

With the Smoker chasing them from behind, even though they knew it was likely a trap set by Crocodile, they had no other good options at the moment.

Upon entering the VIP room, they saw a long road ahead.

At the end of the road is a fork in the road.

There's a sign there that says...

"The VIP is on the left, and the pirate is on the right?!"

On the left and right sides are arrows indicating this word.

"Pirates, of course!!!"

Luffy replied matter-of-factly, "We're pirates!!!"

"No, this might also be a trap set by the other side!"

Nami then offered a different opinion.

"There's also the possibility that traps have been set in both directions!!"

"So which way do we go?!"