Chapter 73: The Storm
Crocodile took a long drag from his cigar and exhaled a thin stream of smoke.
The corners of his mouth curved upward.
"My dear partner," he murmured with a faint, amused smile, "it seems I'm growing faster than you are."
He lifted his hand — a flicker of dark light glimmered briefly across his palm.
Back at Whiskey Peak, he had taken all of Jiang Qize's advice to heart. There, he'd also encountered Celine, the Spore-Spore Fruit user, whose parasitic control abilities had proven invaluable. Using her powers, he had seized control of countless transponder snails and sent them scattering across the seas.
Now, wherever there were transponder snails, there was his network.
Truly, fate worked in strange ways — Ze had taken Nico Robin, his former right hand, but had unwittingly delivered someone even more fitting to replace her.
And beyond that… Crocodile had now awakened Armament Haki — only recently, but awakened nonetheless.
It was undeniable: Jiang Qize had changed his destiny… and forged the foundation of a coming titan.
…
Across the boundless sea—
The Dragon Flame Pirates cut swiftly through the waves, their ship slicing ahead with the wind.
On the deck, Ze sat back in his chair, a transponder snail in his hand.
"Doffy, calling me at this hour — I take it you've got good news?" he said, lips curling slightly.
"Fuffuffuffu… of course I do. You've already guessed, haven't you?"
Doflamingo's laugh came through the snail's receiver, full of satisfaction. These past few days had been excellent for him — not only had he earned over a billion, but he'd also expanded his business network significantly.
"So," Ze asked calmly, "when are you sending me the money?"
He didn't care how much Doflamingo made — all he wanted was his share. Whatever the profit margin, Ze never lost. Every person who ate one of his dinosaur fruits would eventually end up working for him.
"Fuffuffuffu… of course. But tell me, do you still have more of those fruits?"
"Of course," Ze replied smoothly. "But this time, no more credit."
"Fuffuffu, naturally!"
Doflamingo chuckled, his grin audible through the receiver.
Moments later, the call ended.
Ze's lips curled upward. Another payday was on its way.
As for the idea of not selling dinosaur fruits — impossible. Even if their immunity to seawater would eventually shock the entire world and make every power in the seas hunt him down, Ze was certain of one thing: as long as Doflamingo had half a brain, he wouldn't expose that secret so soon.
And those who had eaten his fruits — once they saw his face — would never harbor ill will toward him. That part he had ensured.
By the time Doflamingo even thought of betrayal, Ze would already be far beyond anyone's reach.
BOOM!
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning ripped through the sky, illuminating the sea in a blinding flash.
Moments later, the clouds rolled in — thick, dark, and heavy — blanketing the sky like the onset of the apocalypse. Fierce winds began to howl, and the calm waves grew wild.
The once-blue ocean turned pitch-black beneath the stormy sky.
"Captain! A storm's coming!" Camon shouted urgently.
Whoosh!
Rain poured down in sheets, slamming into their faces and the deck with brutal force.
Pa! Pa! Pa!
The heavy raindrops hammered against the ship's surface with explosive noise.
Winds and waves lashed violently, tossing the vessel back and forth, teetering on the edge of capsizing.
"Kyah!"
The Pterosaur, Wukong, was forced to land, flapping frantically before perching on the deck for safety.
"Transform into your dinosaur forms," Ze said coolly, his tone calm despite the chaos.
Even with the Mosasaurus swimming below, the rising waves were too unstable. If it tried to support the ship now, it might get flipped or crushed.
"Yes, Captain!"
Camon, Aisha, and Buck all answered at once.
Their bodies began to change rapidly — flesh and bone expanding, scales spreading, the air thick with primal ferocity as their auras flared outward.
Within moments, three colossal dinosaurs stood on the deck beside the towering Raptorex, who had already shifted into his giant form.
The massive weight of their combined bodies pressed down on the ship, steadying it at once.
Even the storm's fury could now do little more than make it shudder slightly — the sea roared around them, but the Dragon Flame Pirates' ship held fast.
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