Magnetic field power could practically be called omnipotent. Anyone who devoted themselves to studying it could become nearly capable of anything.
The more Zephyr cultivated, the more he sensed the terrifying vastness of this power. It was far stronger and more versatile than Haki.
It allowed him not only to fly and reconstruct cells, but even to read minds, observe the stars, and see the future.
By cultivating magnetic field power alone, he could reproduce the capabilities of all three types of Haki while also gaining abilities similar to those granted by certain Devil Fruits.
However, the Haki within Zephyr's body had now been assimilated by his magnetic field power. It was therefore impossible to determine whether magnetic power itself had given him these abilities or merely stimulated his Observation Haki until it reached the level of future sight.
Regardless, Zephyr was deeply fascinated by magnetic field power. Although he was now seventy-two years old, his physical functions had not deteriorated with age in the slightest.
He was currently circulating that power. The moment Cobra began to think, Zephyr read his thoughts.
Before Cobra could say anything, Zephyr already knew what had happened inside the entrance to Hell.
Cobra had no intention of concealing it. On the contrary, he had placed his hopes in the Man in the Mirror and wished for him to stop the war in Alubarna.
He therefore recounted what he had experienced, unaware that Zephyr had already learned everything without needing to hear it.
Zephyr looked toward Crocodile, who immediately snorted. "Don't look at me. I don't know what happened."
Magnetic field power could read minds, but it did not work against sufficiently powerful opponents. Someone with exceptional mastery of Observation Haki found it particularly easy to conceal their thoughts from him.
The Man in the Mirror's ability to read minds was not truly a secret among their circle. Crocodile, as a fellow Warlord, was at least aware of it.
Many people doubted whether the Man in the Mirror was human. How could any human possess such strange and varied powers? With a great demon like Toguro already among the Seven Warlords, many suspected that the Man in the Mirror was also a demonfolk.
But suspicions were only suspicions, and no one had any evidence.
Naturally, Crocodile maintained the highest possible vigilance around him.
"As for the Thunder Angel..." Cobra looked confused. "I don't know what that is."
"It was buried beneath Alubarna, and you know nothing about it?" Zephyr asked coldly.
Cobra shook his head. "I truly don't. Alabasta possesses thousands of years of history, but the Nefertari family has not been able to preserve a complete record of it."
That was what he genuinely believed, even subconsciously. Zephyr frowned. If even the Nefertari family knew nothing about the Thunder Angel, then who would?
Still...
Never mind.
Marine Headquarters should be capable of handling the Thunder Angel. The greatest problem now was Aatrox, a Demon Lord who had been released...
Aatrox should presently be at his weakest. He had not found a suitable host, and a body formed from the flesh of Alabasta's inhabitants should not sustain him through a prolonged battle. This was the best opportunity to seal him again. If he found a suitable host after this period passed, the situation would become truly dire.
But...
According to the Shinigami, Aatrox had merely left the entrance to Hell. He had not said where the Demon Lord had gone.
Under his identity as the Man in the Mirror, Zephyr surveyed the Alubarna battlefield. He ultimately decided to risk investigating the chasm.
Without another word, he flew from the high platform and plunged at tremendous speed into the black abyss, the enormous depression located not far from the palace.
"Mr. Man in the Mirror!"
Cobra shouted after him. He had wanted to ask the Man in the Mirror for help.
"Don't waste your breath," Crocodile said mockingly. "That man is a lunatic. You'd better not place your hopes in him."
The Man in the Mirror was infamous in the New World for hunting pirates like a madman. His methods were so bloody and extreme that many people who witnessed the aftermath of his massacres could no longer sleep at night.
Even if someone like him agreed to help, it would probably be in a manner Cobra could never accept.
After speaking, Crocodile held his head. His condition remained terrible. Ever since the octopus had been forced out of him, he had felt as weak as if he had fought someone for ten days and nights. What he needed most was rest.
He needed rest to recover his strength and to come to terms with reality.
He had expected to receive power from the Shinigami. Instead, he learned that the Cartel had enslaved his very soul!
Crocodile turned away.
There was no longer any need to act. Whatever happened to Alubarna had nothing to do with him. However, the Cartel had dared to use him, and he would never let them escape punishment.
That was why he had returned with Cobra. The king did not know Crocodile's thoughts or that he had been pretending, so the two still possessed a foundation for cooperation.
For now, however, he needed rest.
Cobra also knew how poor Crocodile's condition was. He said nothing as the Warlord left and merely looked down at the battle with anxiety.
"Your Majesty, the fact that you received treatment is already a blessing for this country," Igaram hurriedly said. "The situation in the city is extremely strange. It would be best if you didn't reveal yourself carelessly."
Indeed, both sides had clearly succumbed to a murderous frenzy. Cartel soldiers and royal guards alike had been completely assimilated by the battlefield and were lost in bloodlust.
That was obviously abnormal. They thought of the octopus Cobra had mentioned. It appeared to have subtly controlled Crocodile's mind. Were the people in the city now being controlled as well?
But how was it being done?
It might have made sense for the Cartel's people, but why were the royal guards behaving the same way?
Robin leaned against the wall in thought, then quietly withdrew and found Crocodile.
"Did you come here to mock me?" Crocodile asked coldly.
He sat on a bed and appeared to be preparing to sleep.
It was difficult to tell whether he was exceptionally confident or simply careless. With artillery fire raging outside, he still intended to rest.
But without rest, he would have no strength, and without strength, no amount of caution could protect him. Crocodile's decision was not wrong.
"I only want to ask about the octopus," Robin said. "I had already noticed some peculiarities in your behavior. Can you tell me exactly what happened?"
Crocodile had said nothing while they were outside because he still needed to maintain his public persona.
There was no need to do so in front of Robin. She already knew almost everything he had done.
"..." Crocodile gave her a cold look before finally answering. "I went to their headquarters with Anzu Seifer. I don't know what happened afterward."
"The Cartel... wanted to release Aatrox?" Robin asked doubtfully. "How would that benefit them?"
No matter how she considered it, Aatrox was not a being capable of negotiating with human "insects." No one could cooperate with a demon determined to become the "Ender of Worlds," and he had no need to cooperate with anyone.
"Who knows what they're thinking?" Crocodile massaged his temples again. "Perhaps they want to plunge the world into chaos and profit from the confusion."
No one could be that stupid. Aatrox was emerging in Alabasta, the heart of the Cartel's territory, and the Cartel also maintained military forces in several neighboring countries. Even if they wanted to throw the world into chaos by detonating a nuclear bomb, why would they set it off in their own home?
Robin did not believe that explanation, but Crocodile genuinely seemed not to know.
She asked another question. "What is the unusual power Koza and the others are using? Does it have any connection to the Thunder Angel?"
Crocodile grew impatient. "I don't know. After that octopus left me, my memories of many Cartel matters became unclear. If you're so interested, go ask the Cartel yourself."
"You're truly heartless. The members of Baroque Works are still serving the Cartel. You've regained your senses, yet you haven't even mentioned them," Robin said mockingly.
"Is that so? Since you're so kind, bring them here for me. Then be considerate enough to close the door behind you. I need to rest."
Realizing she would learn nothing more from Crocodile, Robin left. She felt no particular attachment to Baroque Works, but recent events had given her a reason to remain.
She would carefully observe how this incident unfolded. She could summon the Baroque Works members and question them about the Cartel, assuming they were still alive...
.......
Usopp was sprinting for his life.
For reasons he could not understand, everyone had suddenly gone mad and begun attacking indiscriminately. The Cartel's rabid dogs fired wildly in every direction, filling the area with dense barrages. Usopp could only keep searching for cover.
Unfortunately, the cover he finally found was destroyed by a tank shell. Usopp barely escaped with Hirenkyaku before it exploded.
"You!"
He finally reached an alley with no soldiers.
More precisely, it had no soldiers because they were all dead. Corpses filled the dark alley, which was riddled with bullet holes and signs of explosions.
Usopp was about to breathe a sigh of relief when he suddenly saw Koza ahead.
Usopp had sniped at Koza from the city wall earlier, allowing Koza to discover him. Some similar substance also existed within both their bodies. Koza instinctively drew his gun and fired.
Usopp hurriedly evaded with Hirenkyaku and cursed, "What rotten luck! Why did I have to run into him?!"
He would rather fight a hundred armed soldiers than encounter this troublesome opponent!
Seeing Usopp flee, Koza pursued him with the same madness as the other soldiers. His mental condition was terrible, and his eyes were bloodshot.
The entrance to Hell he had finally been about to find had disappeared. Naturally, the stone inscription within it was also gone. He had missed his final opportunity!
Amid that emotional turmoil, overwhelming fury and despair surged through his heart. In his grief and anger, a violent voice appeared within his mind and ordered him to kill Cobra for revenge.
Koza unconsciously raised his hand and fired.
After that, the voice in his mind nearly took complete control. Amid his pain and grief, he raised his gun and began killing!
The king was dead. No one else in the city mattered, so he might as well kill them all!
With those thoughts filling his mind, Koza encountered Usopp and fired three consecutive shots. Koza was not only accurate but also extraordinarily fast, allowing him to keep pace with Usopp's repeated use of Hirenkyaku.
"Damn it! Don't think I'm an easy target!" With Koza pursuing him relentlessly, Usopp hurriedly fired his bow. Blue Reishi arrows descended like rain.
But the arrows inflicted little damage on Koza. He drew another gun with his left hand and wielded both pistols as though performing a dance. Countless bullets erupted in an instant and shattered every Reishi arrow.
"Are those really handguns?!"
Usopp's expression changed dramatically. Could handguns truly fire that many bullets in such a short time?!
That was cheating!
Unfortunately, there was nowhere to report him. Usopp could only prepare another arrow, but before he fired, Koza abruptly threw both pistols.
Had he gone insane?
What kind of master gunman threw away his weapons?
Then something even more astonishing happened. Koza's pistols not only flew toward Usopp at incredible speed, but continued firing automatically while in flight!
So he wasn't even pretending to play fair anymore? Did he really have to cheat this blatantly?!
Usopp hurriedly twisted his body to evade the bullets. He avoided the small projectiles but failed to dodge the much larger pistols!
The two flying guns slammed into his chest like a pair of cannonballs. Usopp's body bent into a C and flew backward. It felt as though every trace of air had been driven from his lungs.
He spat out a large mouthful of blood and crashed heavily to the ground.
"Fire! Fire!"
The surrounding soldiers shouted when they saw Usopp fall. Dozens of guns aimed toward him and unleashed a storm of bullets!
But those bullets did not come from their weapons. They arrived from another direction.
When the gunfire ended, small holes appeared in the foreheads of the Cartel soldiers who had aimed at Usopp. Blood flowed from the wounds, and they collapsed almost simultaneously.
A white-haired old man wearing cowboy clothes and a long black coat appeared before Usopp.
"The situation has taken the worst possible turn... Boy, where did you get the Punishment Fragment inside you?"
He looked down at the fallen Usopp as he asked the question.
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