104 Chapter 104 - We do a bit of trolling

"Alright, I think I've heard enough. You can continue your duel, Yoruichi," Ryu said nonchalantly, waving his hand dismissively.

"Wait! Wh-" Crocodile's panicked protest was cut short as Yoruichi's blade sliced through his neck with lightning speed.

A sensation like glassy tendrils spread across Crocodile's head, transforming it into an exquisite glass sculpture. With a final, resounding crash, the fragile masterpiece shattered as his body crumpled to the ground.

"Well, that was quick. I expected you to draw the fight out a little longer," Ryu remarked, raising an eyebrow in Yoruichi's direction.

Yoruichi shrugged, a hint of disappointment in her voice. "Why drag it out? His little trick was all he had going for him, and I could just brute force my way through it."

"Fair point," Ryu conceded.

Suddenly, Ryu paused for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he seemed to discover something. A faint smile played at the corners of his mouth as he exhaled slowly, his eyes closed in concentration. "Oh? Now that's quite intriguing," he murmured, his smirk growing bolder.

Yoruichi tilted her head slightly, her catlike eyes scrutinizing Ryu's expression. "What exactly are you up to, Ryu?" she inquired, her voice laced with suspicion and interest.

Ryu's eyes snapped open, a glint of excitement dancing in their depths. "Well, you see, the 'certain object' that Crocodile has been searching for is actually one of this world's three ancient weapons," he began, his voice full of excitement as he relayed his findings. "He managed to get wind of a Poneglyph, an ancient stone that records history, which is currently in the possession of the royal family. Interestingly enough, it's inscribed in a coded language that only his assistant can decipher."

Ryu paused for a brief moment, trying to find the right words. "I already utilized Miru and Rikia's abilities to locate and examine the assistant. You know, to learn the coded language, and now I've read the mind of Alabasta's king to uncover the whereabouts of the Poneglyph. Crocodile was right on the money. I just went through it, and it does indeed reveal the location of the ancient weapon," Ryu explained.

Ryu lifted his hand, his fingers poised for a snap. "It's too dangerous for this knowledge to fall into the wrong hands, so I'll teleport the Poneglyph away for the time being. Better to keep it out of everyone's reach. But this thing... Well, we're going to do a bit of trolling," Ryu said as Yoruichi adopted a sly grin.

Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed in the staircase leading to the basement. "Ah, the Marines are here, just in time," Ryu commented.

"Hands in the air!" The first Marine soldier to enter the chamber barked, aiming his gun at Ryu with practiced precision.

"And on what grounds are you arresting us?" Ryu inquired, his tone unfazed by the threatening entrance.

"Killing a warlord," the Marine responded as the rest of the soldiers filed in beside him.

Ryu raised an eyebrow, his expression incredulous. "Really? We just thoroughly smashed this guy, and you believe a few guns will make us surrender?"

Despite the tense situation, Ryu's demeanor remained relaxed. "But don't worry, we'll go with you. Lead the way." At his words, the Marines hesitantly began to escort them out, their guns still trained on Ryu and Yoruichi's heads.

---

Ryu and Yoruichi were led through the winding streets of the city, escorted by the Marines who maintained a cautious distance. They passed bustling shops and lively cafes, the sights and sounds fading into the background as they neared their destination. The tension among the Marines was palpable, their fingers twitching on the triggers of their weapons, ready to respond to any sudden movements from their captives.

Soon, the group arrived at the Marine base, a fortress-like structure that towered over the surrounding area. The imposing building was constructed from white stones, its walls studded with watchtowers and fortified with heavy iron gates. A sense of authority and unyielding control emanated from the architecture.

As they entered the base, the stark contrast between the vibrancy of the city and the plain environment within was striking. The courtyard was immaculately maintained, with perfectly trimmed hedges and gravel pathways that crunched underfoot. A large flag, embellished with the emblem of the Marines snapped crisply in the breeze.

The interior of the base was equally impressive, with polished marble floors, high ceilings, and imposing columns that lined the wide hallways. The walls were adorned with portraits of decorated officers and maps of strategic locations. Soldiers hurried through the corridors, their boots echoing off the walls as they executed their orders with precision.

Finally, Ryu and Yoruichi entered the interrogation room. A plain, white, room with a shiny metal table and two metal chairs.

"Let's not waste any time here. Why did you kill Crocodile?" Their interrogator, a stern-looking Marine with a chiseled jaw and piercing eyes, asked aggressively.

Ryu merely shrugged, his voice dripping with indifference. "I believe the whole kingdom knows why I killed him. I did broadcast it, after all."

The interrogator's eyes narrowed. "And we're just supposed to take your word for it? What evidence do you have?"

"Well, I exposed a secret basement full of documents incriminating Crocodile. Your team should finish going over them soon enough," Ryu replied calmly.

"Is that so? And how did you know that Crocodile was running an underground operation in the first place?" The interrogator inquired, prompting a sly smile to appear on Ryu's face.

"Now that's the money question. You see, we were both looking for Pluton. There was a Poneglyph with the weapon's location here, which was the 'certain object' Crocodile was after. But I found it first and hid it. Then the guy wanted my head, and you can see how that turned out." Ryu's casual tone contradicted the gravity of his words, causing the interrogator's face to pale in terrible realization.

Ryu's smile grew more chilling. "Go make your call. If anyone lower than an Admiral comes after this, I'll be disappointed."

The interrogator hurried out of the room, his face a mask of nervousness. But before leaving, he made sure to signal the firing squad waiting outside, prepared to take out Ryu and Yoruichi if they attempted to escape.

Sure enough, not an hour passed, and the door got kicked in as a tall man walked in.

The man had an incredibly tall, relatively slim, frame that caused him to tower over most of the people around him. He looked to be middle-aged, but despite that, his lean frame exuded an air of grace and agility.

A moderate amount of wrinkles on his face reflected the experiences he had accumulated over the years. His short, curly black hair framed his face, providing a striking contrast to his relatively light skin. A very thin beard, meticulously groomed, adorned his chin and subtly accentuated the contours of his jawline.

The man wore a yellow striped suit, with the stripes being a brighter shade of yellow that captured the eye. Draped over his shoulders like a cape, a Marine coat billowed behind him, its sleeves left empty. Underneath his vibrant suit, a dark green shirt contrasted sharply against a purple tie that was impeccably knotted at the collar.

His feet were encased in a pair of pure white shoes, which appeared squeaky clean. Gold-amber-tinted sunglasses shielded his eyes, providing a stylish flare to his face.

A tiny Black Den Den Mushi was fastened around his left wrist like a wristwatch, its minuscule size belying its importance as a vital communication tool.

"For someone who can travel at the speed of light, you sure took your time," Ryu commented casually.

"Oh? That's a reaction I didn't expect. You are aware that knowing about an ancient weapon is grounds for execution, right? That's not the tone of someone who thinks he's about to die," Kizaru responded in his relaxed manner, sizing up Ryu.

"You think you can kill us? That's cute," Yoruichi chuckled playfully.

"Hm... Seems you don't get your situation. The fact I'm here means there's no escape for you," Kizaru said nonchalantly.

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Yoruichi raised a doubtful eyebrow.

"I guess you need a demonstration," Kizaru shrugged before taking action. At light speed, he appeared behind Yoruichi's chair. But as he looked down, he saw nothing. Before he could react, an arm was wrapped around his shoulders.

"Think you can outspeed me, Slowpoke? That's adorable," Yoruichi chuckled as Kizaru froze in place. But before he could think of a response, he felt something light on his head. "Wow, you are tall," Ryu remarked, sitting atop Kizaru.

"Now, what did you say again?" Ryu asked sarcastically.

"Hehe, I guess I'll need backup," Kizaru chuckled dryly.

"Oh, perfect! Can you call your superior on the Den Den Mushi real quick? I'd love a chat," Ryu requested.

"That's the chillest way I've seen someone ask to talk to Sengoku... Alright, let's do it," Kizaru shrugged as he contacted Sengoku using the Den Den Mushi on his wrist.

"Kizaru, did you get any intel from the targets?" Sengoku inquired with a stern tone.

"Well, he learned that he needs backup. Hey there, I'm Ryu. You must be Sengoku, right? I wanted to ask you a couple of things. Oh, and I've got your Admiral here," Ryu mentioned casually.

"...Kizaru, explain," Sengoku demanded after a lengthy, somewhat awkward, silence.

"What can I say? They got the better of me," Kizaru admitted with a self-mocking chuckle.

"You mean to tell me that two nobodies from Paradise can overpower an Admiral?! You move at the speed of light—couldn't you escape?!" Sengoku practically shouted through the Den Den Mushi.

"He tried to outspeed us, it was pretty amusing," Yoruichi added to the conversation.

"...Are you certain you want to pursue this course of action?" Sengoku asked icily.

"What do you mean? I just wanted to chat," Ryu replied innocently.

"Very well. I wasn't sure if the news were true, but given your abilities, I assume you really do know Pluton's location. Tell us where it is, and you will be forgiven—even rewarded," Sengoku said.

"Seriously? Do you think I'd tell you? Nah, I have a better idea" Ryu said with a mischievous smirk.

"And what would that be?" Sengoku asked with caution in his voice.

"We'll play a game. You see, Pluton is quite far from here, and that gave me an idea. Yoruichi and I will enjoy our cruise, moving from island to island, and eventually, we'll reach the place where Pluton is kept. Your goal is to find it before us, and as the game progresses your island choice will narrow more and more.

If you win, you get Pluton. If I win, I get Pluton. Sounds fun, right?" Ryu asked as Kizaru stared at him with a dumbfounded expression. Even if Kizaru didn't take things seriously most of the time, playing a game with an ancient weapon was too much for him.

"Oh, one last thing. You can do whatever you want aside from giving us bounties. Do you want to send the admirals? Go for it. But if you give us a bounty the game will be over and I'll just go get Pluton. You should know that using my speed I can get it in no time," Ryu added

"...Very well," Sengoku agreed.

"Alright, then I'll see you later," Ryu responded before he and Yoruichi vanished from the room, heading for their ship.

"Are you really planning to play with them, Sengoku?" Kizaru asked, now all alone.

"No. But if they managed to overpower you so easily... I'll have to send Garp," Sengoku sighed as he felt a headache coming.

"What if Garp can't beat them? They were faster than me without using any devil fruit ability that I could notice. And even if one of them had some speed ability, they couldn't both have the same devil fruit. If their strength is the same..." Kizaru speculated with an unusually serious tone.

"...Let's cross that bridge when we get to it," Sengoku said before hanging up.