One Piece : Wild Hunt

With Robin agreeing to show them the way, Thomas installed the EMIYA card and entered the underground waterway alongside Caenis, Astolfo, and Vivi. Benienma sank into the shadows to scout ahead, so the group proceeded in relative silence until Robin remarked, "I see you've acquired an Install Card of your own..."
Feeling a mixture of confidence and apathy as a result of equipping the EMIYA card, Thomas calmly replied, "After learning about the existence of Install Cards, I immediately set out to acquire one. Not just to counteract Crocodile's, but to uncover the truth behind their origin."
Raising her brows, Robin asked, "And did you? Uncover the truth, I mean."
Nodding his head, Thomas offered a curt, "Indeed," without going into further detail. He believed he could trust Robin, but she had yet to join him or the Straw Hats. Until they were 'officially' allied, he had no plans of disclosing even more information to her.
Seeing through Thomas's thoughts, Robin narrowed her eyes slightly, her perennial smile becoming marginally more prominent as she remarked, "It appears you've wisened up since our previous encounter..."
"Not really," replied Thomas, adding, "I've just figured out the path I want to walk. Once this is over, I'll tell you the specifics."
With an expression that looked as though she was restraining a chuckle, Robin asked, "Does it have anything to do with the Prism Pirates? It was quite a surprise to learn such big-name Pirates were traveling with you...."
Shaking his head, Thomas answered, "I won't deny there is a connection, but my aspirations are my own. I'm even considering pawning them off on the Straw Hats for a while..."
Since Crocodile and Baroque Works had already cleared out most of the dangerous animals occupying the waterway, Caenis had little to do. As a result, she decided to insert herself into the conversation, grinning as she remarked, "I guess they would get in the way of you collecting women for your little imperial suite, huh?"
"Imperial suite...?" parroted Robin, unaware of the existence of the Enma-tei.
Narrowing his eyes, Thomas stated, "As I said before, we'll discuss the specifics once we've wrapped things up with Crocodile. But, to make a very long story short, I'm planning to conduct business and expand an information network throughout the Grand Line."
"I see..." muttered Robin. Then, after several seconds of contemplative silence, she postulated, "I take it this is your effort to ensure the events you are familiar with transpire as intended?"
Shaking his head, Thomas replied, "I've already given up on that. Now, I just want to experience a journey of my own. One that doesn't interfere with the growth of Lucy and the Straw Hats..."
Adopting a teasing expression and tone, Robin asked, "By 'collecting' women...?"
Exhaling through his nose, Thomas retorted, "By doing as I please and helping those in need..."
Nodding her head in approval, Vivi asserted, "Thomas may not be perfect, but he is a very considerate person. He didn't force me into a relationship. Rather, he tried talking me out of offering myself as a reward. I'm certain that any women who join him in the future will do so of their own volition."
Maintaining her usual smile, Robin asked, "Does that include me...?" while staring up at Thomas.
Though he felt somewhat exasperated, Thomas's expression and tone were calm as he replied, "That's up to you. I may be an opportunistic pervert, but I'm fairly content with the company I keep. I'm not going to force anyone to sleep with me."
With the corners of her smile curling up slightly, Robin mused, "I'll keep that in mind." She truthfully had no desire to sleep with 'anyone,' but she wasn't against skinship and using her feminine wiles to get her way. Not if it meant realizing the dream she had nearly given up on...
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While Thomas's group slowly and cautiously made their way through the underground waterway, a massive complex of cavernous aqueducts that seemed large enough to facilitate ships, Benienma bypassed most of the physical obstacles by passing through the 'boundary' between reality and imagination. Shadows served as a gateway to this sub-dimensional plane, a monochromatic representation of the world it existed beneath.
Though she would ordinarily need to be wary of phantoms and other beings trapped within the boundary, Benienma was able to make good progress as the world of One Piece functioned on different principles than the reality she originated. There were 'echoes' of entities passing through the boundary, but the only creatures capable of inhabiting it were herself and those summoned to work in the Enma-tei.
With nothing to bar her passage, it only took a few minutes for Benienma to locate Crocodile and the captive Cobra. When she did, her usually stoic expression turned grim as, rather than being held in chains or imprisoned, Cobra had been nailed to a stone column. He was being kept alive by an old man and a team of nurses, but Benienma could sense that his life was nearing its end. Yokai were especially sensitive to the essence of humans, and Cobra's had just about run out.
Having witnessed people being flayed, turned inside out, boiled alive, and even eaten, Benienma wasn't particularly bothered by Cobra's crucifixion. What concerned her was how her Master and his bride-to-be would react. Both were empathetic by nature and restrained by mortal sensitivities, so the sight of Cobra being strung up was bound to upset them...
Caught between her desire to protect her Master and allowing him the opportunity to grow, Benienma failed to notice a distortion in the space behind her. When she did, she spun around, eyes briefly widening as a very familiar figure appeared before her.
Staring down at Benienma with her snake-like eyes, Datsue-ba remarked, "You useless girl. This is an excellent opportunity to groom that boy into a proper Demon King. Why are you hesitating?"
Though she would ordinarily never talk back to her adoptive mother, Benienma's expression became firm as she asserted, "Master is a good man. He should not be wrapped up in the politics of Hell..."
Rolling her eyes, Datsue-ba lazily retorted, "There is no good or evil, only opportunity and intent. Your Master may be a good man, but humans are among the most fallible of all creatures. Without discipline and consistent guidance, every last one of them submits to temptation and desire..."
Shifting her gaze to Crocodile, who was currently frozen in time, Datsue-ba remarked, "Just look at this one. Pretending to be something she's not in a vain attempt to 'overwrite' her trauma. She believes she can create a peaceful utopia where all people live in harmony but actively perpetuates the suffering of millions, all to spite a single person."
Returning her gaze to Benienma, Datsue-ba added, "You've found yourself in an extraordinary set of circumstances, my fool of a daughter. The Gods of this world are either dead or sealed away. The essence and resources of this world are ripe for harvest. All you have to do is give your Master a push in the right direction..."
Catching her adoptive mother a little off guard, Benienma didn't hesitate to respond, "I refuse! Benienma's duty is to protect and serve her Master, not manipulate him! I will continue to send gold and essence through the Enma-tei, but I will not facilitate Hell gaining a foothold in this world...!"
Recovering from her shock, Datsue-ba's expression darkened, an intense and malicious aura exuding from her body as she asked, "You dare to defy me...?"
Puffing out her chest, Benienma replied, "You have no authority over this world, so my actions within cannot be seen as defiance."
Narrowing her eyes, Dotsue-ba hissed, "You ungrateful wretch...is this how you thank your Ou-sama and me for adopting you? You have the opportunity to spread our influence to an entirely new world and choose loyalty to your Master over piety to your family?"
Maintaining her resolution, Benienma asserted, "Benienma's gratitude towards Hahaue and Ou-sama is as vast as the sky. However, betraying one's Master is the penultimate shame, second only to betraying oneself. Benienma could not call herself a proud daughter of Enma-o if she lacked proper morals and integrity."
Unable to refute Benienma's words, Datsue-ba clicked her tongue in frustration. The Laws of Hell were pretty strict, so there was only so much she could say or do before incurring a penalty. Just manifesting without a contract was already toeing a dangerous line. If not for the absence of an 'overseer,' she would be in a lot of trouble.
Suppressing her anger, Datsue-ba's expression and tone softened as she said, "You've passed my test. Continue to serve your Master, and be sure to send funds and resources back to Hell. Your Ou-sama and I have high expectations for you..."
Though she knew her mother was lying about her presence being some kind of test, Benienma cupped her hands together and bowed her as a sign of deference. By the time she straightened her back, Datsue-ba was already gone, leaving behind a single black feather that slowly dissolved as the flow of time returned to normal...
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After descending several levels, Thomas and co found themselves on a stone bridge in a vast circular chamber. Several other bridges connected to a massive pillar more than a hundred meters in diameter, rising from a pool of surprisingly luminescent water to support the ceiling far overhead. It was a remarkable feat of engineering, but what caught Thomas's attention were the dozens of TNT-like explosives encircling the towering support structure.
"I was wondering how they planned to destroy the city by setting bombs this far underground..." remarked Thomas. "They're going to collapse the pillars supporting the artificial plateau..."
Nodding her head, Robin revealed, "There are a total of sixty-three pillars similar to this one. By collapsing just a few of them, the entire city would capsize, sinking into the massive reservoir atop which Alubarna was built."
"We must remove them!" exclaimed Vivi.
Crossing her arms, Robin retorted, "You're free to try, but disconnecting any of the bombs would cause the others to explode. It would also cause the timers for the others to trigger, an action that could only be stopped if you had access to the primary control switch..."
Hearing Robin's retort, Vivi once again felt helpless. Before she could succumb to it, however, Thomas confidently stated, "That might have been the case in any other circumstance, but you forgot one thing..."
Adopting a smile, Thomas briefly met Robin's gaze before looking down at Vivi as he said, "I'm here."
Though it wasn't his own power, Thomas didn't hesitate to use the EMIYA card's unique Trace ability to analyze the structure of the bombs before converting the explosive material within to inert sand. Then, as an added precaution, he drained nearly his entire reserves to use Reinforcement on the pillar itself, strengthening it to the point normal explosives wouldn't be able to scratch it.
After explaining what he had done, Vivi leaped into Thomas's embrace, linking her arms around his neck to give him a deep and passionate kiss. This particular pillar supported the palace, so even if the rest of the city were destroyed, the castle would remain intact. If they reinforced the pillar supporting the central square, they could evacuate all the people in Alubarna to safety.
As it was a fairly good idea, Thomas permitted Astolfo to escort Vivi back to the castle so they could begin organizing the evacuation. There was a chance that Crocodile might set off the explosives in retaliation, but Robin had made it clear that destroying Alubarna was a last resort. Unless they went around trying to disable 'all' the explosives, he wouldn't go out of his way to set them off early. After all, his penultimate goal was to rule over Alabasta as its King, not destroy it outright...
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(A/N: EMIYA Card OP...)

While making their way towards Crocodile's location, Thomas transmuted the explosives of one more pillar before deciding to conserve his strength. He likely wouldn't be fighting against Crocodile directly, but he needed a fair amount of Mana for what he had in mind.
Fortunately, while Crocodile wasn't the only member of Baroque Works in the underground waterway, most of the Officer Agents were at Rainbase, serving as a kind of decoy. Everyone else was too weak to even buy time, so Thomas's group went largely undisturbed until they reached a flooded chamber occupied by several massive alligators with banana-like growths on their heads. Each was over ten meters tall and well over five times that in length, so even though he had the EMIYA Card installed, Thomas felt a little nervous entering a room filled with creatures whose individual teeth were nearly as large as he was.
Putting Thomas on the spot, Caenis asked, "Want me to save the smallest one for you, or should I just kill them all and be done with it?"
Recalling how Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji were able to defeat Bananawani on their own, Thomas shook his head and replied, "I should be fine..." before materializing a black longbow. EMIYA's D-Rank Strength probably wasn't enough to penetrate the thick hide of a Bananawani, but his arrows were more than capable. He could use Projection Magecraft to reproduce and modify Noble Phantasms into arrows, turning legendary weapons such as the Caladbolg into powerful projectiles capable of 'nuking' enemies from several kilometers away.
Adopting a teasing smile, Caenis remarked, "Just try not to shoot me in the back," before brandishing her spear and charging forward fast enough to part the water. In the very next moment, one of the Bananawani that had been trying to encircle them had half of its head blown off, the force behind the blow so immense that everything from its durable hide down to its bones was practically vaporized.
Seemingly surprised by how weak her prey was, Caenis paused for a moment before bursting out laughing. The remaining Bananawani could have used that as an opportunity to attack, but those closest to her had frozen in fear while those further away focused on getting as far away as possible.
To cut off the retreat of those closer to Caenis, Thomas leaped into the air and began sniping those further away. By targetting the base of the banana-like protrusions on their head, he was able to pierce their brains with arrows whose tips exploded after a delay. As a result, each arrow he loosed resulted in a death, as, despite their size, the Bananawani weren't nearly as durable as expected.
Refusing to let Thomas steal all the glory, Caenis swept her spear to the side, causing the water surrounding her to turn into a 'blade' that cut off the heads of every nearby Bananawani. With another sweep, she created a swirling vortex that expanded rapidly, pushing away and dicing up the corpses surrounding her.
Seeing Caenis manipulate the water within the chamber, Robin's dark blue eyes gleamed with expectation. Before, she still harbored doubts about Thomas's and Caenis's ability to defeat Crocodile. Now, she was almost certain they could pull it off. After all, once he got wet, Crocodile's power decreased tremendously...
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After clearing the room filled with Bananawani, it wasn't long before Thomas, Caenis, and Robin reached the chamber containing Crocodile, seated atop a throne-like chair with Cobra pinned to a pillar behind him.
Seeing the condition of his 'father-in-law,' Thomas's expression darkened despite feeling relieved that Vivi wasn't present. He knew Cobra suffered a similar fate in the anime and manga, but it was better if she didn't have to witness such things...
Mirroring Thomas's expression was Crocodile, who, despite sitting down, was taller than most people standing. His actual height was 253cm, and his expression, hardened by a life of crime and accented by stitching that ran horizontally across his face, gave the impression of a ruthless tyrant that killed as easily as he breathed.
Without rising from his throne-like chair, Crocodile almost sounded bored as he remarked, "Good job, Ms. All Sunday. You guided them here, just as I ordered..."
Maintaining her usual smile, Robin calmly replied, "Indeed. Unfortunately, the Princess separated from our group to return to the palace and order an evacuation."
"Hmmm..."
Directing his gaze to Thomas and Caenis, Crocodile was about to taunt them before noticing the former was muttering something with his eyes closed.
"...unknown to Death, nor known to Life. I have withstood pain to create many weapons, yet, these hands will never hold anything..."
Realizing that Thomas was 'chanting,' the pupils of Crocodile's eyes contracted as he shouted, "You punk...!" in an enraged tone. At the same time, he rose to his feet, discarding the fur-lined coat he usually wore to reveal a muscular frame and a left arm bearing a large gold-alloy hook in place of a hand.
While Crocodile's speed was nothing to scoff at, he barely managed to rise to his full height before Caenis's spear pierced through his chest and caused his entire upper body to disperse into a flowery explosion of sand. A typical Logia user would have been killed on the spot, but Crocodile had mastered his Devil Fruit to the extreme, instinctually dispersing his body the moment he sensed danger.
Using the time Caenis had bought him, Thomas opened his eyes to reveal glowing pupils, his voice echoing through the chamber as he said, "So, as I pray...Unlimited Blade Works...!"
Following the conclusion of Thomas's chant, a fiery circle spread out from his feet, spreading through the chamber in the blink of an eye. By the time Crocodile had reformed his upper body, a fierce grimace on his face, they were no longer in the underground waterway. Instead, they were in a fiery landscape dominated by countless swords. There were clouds in the sky, but the features that stood out the most were the massive gears that floated and spun aimlessly in the distance, their size dwarfing mountains.
Before Crocodile could speak or ask questions, Thomas firmly asserted, "Unless you surrender now, this place shall be your graveyard..."
With a ghastly look, Crocodile reached into his breast pocket, intending to retrieve the detonator and the snail-like Den Den Mushi that served as his deadman's switch. As he did, a ridiculing sneer developed across Caenis's face as she asked, "Looking for something~?"
Failing to find what he was searching for, the look on Crocodile's face became even grimmer as he growled, "So, that was your aim. You forced me to disperse to secure the detonator..."
Maintaining a mocking smile, Caenis replied, "That was actually Plan B. Plan A was killing or crippling you before you had the chance to talk shit and monologue."
While gradually dispersing his body into sand, Crocodile looked behind him to confirm that Cobra and the team he had watching him hadn't been drawn into the strange space created by Thomas. The moment he did so, Caenis charged forward like a humanoid meteor, crashing through him as she shouted, "Where the fuck do you think you're looking...!?"
Having predicted Caenis's attack, Crocodile allowed his body to disperse while manipulating a tendril of sand to try and grasp her. He succeeded in doing so, but that ended up being a tremendous mistake as, the moment he grabbed her wrist, his body rematerialized as if he were in contact with seastone.
Grinning like a demon, Caenis grasped the stunned Crocodile's golden hook as she said, "Divine Cord of the Sea God, bitch," before tearing it off without mercy. Crocodile reinforced himself with Haki at the last moment, but Caenis's A-Rank Strength completely ignored his increased resilience, claiming the golden-alloy hook as a trophy before kicking him away with enough force to create multiple shockwaves.
Though he was able to disperse his body the moment he was no longer in contact with Caenis, Crocodile sustained several injuries as his sand came into contact with the blades populating the battlefield. Each contained at least a trace of Magical Energy, so he needed to protect himself with Haki to avoid being minced to pieces. Unfortunately, the moment he attempted to reform his body, Caenis was there waiting for him, a murderous grin on her face as she said, "Boo."
Before Crocodile could even think to respond, Caenis punched him in the face hard enough to make his features temporarily disappear. He tried to disperse at the last moment, but Caenis's speed drastically exceeded the reaction time of his stagnant Observation Haki. It had been decades since he trained seriously, and his Haki had stagnated due to a lack of powerful opponents.
After skipping like a stone across the terrain, Crocodile avoided Caenis's follow-up attack by flying into the air, reforming only the upper half of his body as he cursed, "Damn you..." in a gravelly tone.
Looking up at the severely bloodied man, the scorn in Caenis's expression and tone became even more prominent as she asked, "You think I can't hit you in the air?"
Before Crocodile could respond, Caenis materialized her red and black spear before throwing it like a streak of crimson light. Thomas had asked her to avoid killing Crocodile outright, but she would be damned if he was able to walk away.
Though Caenis's base spear lacked the seastone-like properties of her body, it was still packed with a tremendous amount of Magical Energy. Crocodile evaded to the side, but the spear tore through a section of the sand supporting his upper body, creating a large gash on his outer right thigh.
Realizing he couldn't compete with Caenis's speed in his current state, Crocodile materialized a silver card bearing the silhouette of a Lancer and the Roman Numeral III. He initially planned to hold out until Caenis's 'transformation' wore off, but her ability to counteract his Logia powers put him at a tremendous disadvantage.
"You're not the only ones with Install Cards...!" shouted Crocodile. Then, as Caenis reared back to toss her spear a second time, he held the card in front of him and shouted, "Include...!" causing a bright light to envelop his body.
Undaunted by Crocodile's attempts to transform, Caenis tossed her spear, this time intending to remove his leg. To Thomas's surprise, she actually succeeded, causing Crocodile's left leg to plummet to the ground as the light around him faded, revealing the grimacing man in a light green tunic, white trousers, and black riding boots. He also had on a black mantle and a metallic gauntlet covering his right arm down to his hand, within which sat a vaguely familiar black and gold spear.
Before Thomas could inform Caenis of who Crocodile had transformed into, she beat him to the punch, shouting, "Holy shit! Is that Hector!?" in an excited tone. As a Greek 'hero,' there was no way in hell she wouldn't recognize one of the most famous figures from the same period.
Gaining some of Hector's knowledge and insight, Crocodile's expression darkened even further as he muttered, "Caenis..." He couldn't recall any of the legends surrounding her, but the sense of 'familiarity' he gained made him aware that the power of Hector wasn't her match. At least not on his own.
Utilizing one of Hector's more niche Skills, a haze of glowing white energy enveloped Crocodile's body before erupting outward, similar to Thomas's use of Unlimited Blade Works. When the light faded, everyone was in their initial positions, Crocodile's leg and hand having returned to their original state, albeit at the cost of the Hector Card's stored energy.
Realizing that Crocodile had used the Hector Card simply to heal himself, the smile faded from Caenis's face. She had never gotten the opportunity to battle Hector before his death against Achilles, so her eyes turned red and her blood began to boil as she growled, "You cowardly sack of shit..."
Ignoring Caenis's remark, Crocodile met Thomas's gaze as he declared, "You made a big mistake by isolating us from the outside world. Now, I have no choice but to kill you..."
Without explaining what he was talking about, Crocodile pulled out a golden card bearing the silhouette of a Caster and the Roman Numeral VI. Caenis reacted by manifesting and throwing her spear, but this time it failed to find purchase. Instead, it impacted a wall of sand, reinforced by a magical barrier. Shortly after, Thomas understood exactly why Crocodile 'had' to kill them...
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(A/N: Caenis is a beast O_O...)

Though Thomas had a decent impression of Bon Kurei from the anime and manga, his presence indicated that Vivi's father had been abducted. Time was of the essence, so his expression and tone were severe as he said, "I don't want to kill you. I know, deep down, you're someone who cherishes friendship above all else. Just tell me where Vivi's father is, and I'll let you go..."
Having recovered from his forced tumble, Chaka exclaimed, "That isn't your decision to make! This man-"
Before Chaka could finish, Vivi silenced both him and the Royal Guards clamoring into the room, shouting, "This matter is already outside the Royal Guards' ability to control! Commence searching for my father and leave things here to myself and Thomas...!"
"..."
Taken aback by Vivi's outburst, Chaka fell silent and looked around the room, his fierce gaze focusing on Bon Kurei before shifting to Thomas as he said, "The Princess trusts you. Do not disappoint her."
Without waiting for Thomas's response, Chaka ordered his men to begin searching the palace before storming out alongside them.
While the Royal Guards cleared out, Thomas kept his gaze firmly fixed on Bon Clay. Once they were gone, he said, "King Cobra is a good man who has treated his citizens fairly. I'm not sure what relationship you have with Crocodile, but he doesn't deserve your loyalty..."
Pushing himself to his feet, Bon Kurei seemingly ignored the hole running through his body as he lunged toward Thomas like a professional danseur leaping across a stage. The tips of his toes impacted Thomas's chest like a spear but ultimately failed to deal any damage as a thick magical barrier protected him.
Grabbing Bon Kurei's ankle like a vice, Thomas's expression became even more severe as he lifted the man like a gavel before slamming him to the ground. He wasn't lying when he said he didn't want to hurt him but now was neither the time nor the place for sentiments.
While Thomas's raw power couldn't compare to either Lucy or Zoro, Bon Kurei's 110kgs was nothing to him. His grip was also like an iron manacle, so he could fling the man around like the Hulk thrashing Loki if he really wanted to.
Despite having his face and upper body smashed into the marble floor, Bon Kurei managed to bounce back and pepper Thomas with a series of sharp kicks as he shouted, "A true Okama never betrays his allies...!"
Though Bon Kurei's kicks weren't able to damage him, having someone kick him in the face, throat, chest, and abdomen wasn't a very pleasant experience for Thomas. Thus, after seeing Bon Kurei take being slammed into the ground like a champ, he flung him toward the nearest wall before following up with a palm thrust that shot out a massive hand, pinning the man in place like Naruto utilizing Kurama's chakra.
While gradually increasing the force he was exerting on both Bon and the wall, Thomas shifted his attention to Vivi, saying, "He's not going to tell us where your father is. We'll need to find him ourselves."
As she could also tell that Bon wasn't the type to betray his allies, Vivi responded with a curt nod, asking, "Then what will we do with this one? Are you going to let him go...?"
Shaking his head, Thomas replied, "This is the path he has chosen. Your father can decide his fate once we rescue him."
With Bon eventually passing out, the result of Thomas converting the air he was breathing into carbon dioxide, Benienma quickly tied him up while Astolfo focused on trying to sense Cobra's location. Thomas suspected he was being kept in the Tomb of Kings, but he trusted Astolfo's intuition more than his own.
Fortunately, or perhaps not, Astolfo only hesitated for a short while before stating, "He's somewhere nearby. Maybe underground...?"
As the Tom of the Kings should be a fair distance away from the palace, Thomas's expression soured as he turned to Vivi and asked, "Does the palace have something like an underground dungeon or catacombs...?"
Unsurprisingly, Vivi replied, "There is an ancient waterway that connects to an underground water reservoir, but it fell into disrepair long before even my father was born. There have been several attempts to reclaim it over the years, but it has become a nest for Bananwani and other fierce predators..."
Imagining fighting Crocodile in an underground waterway, Thomas fell into a contemplative silence. Even a blind man could see this was a trap, and their enemies held most of the cards. However, so long as there was water present, Caenis could probably sweep through anything that came their way...
Though the notion of handling things himself crossed his mind, Thomas wasn't so self-obsessed that he would permit Vivi's father to remain in jeopardy just to 'prove' how strong he had become. He could wait until Crocodile appeared before summoning Caenis, but he imagined it would be pretty disorienting to be pulled through space and expected to fight without a proper understanding of the situation.
Having made his decision, Thomas balled his hand into a fist, focusing on Caenis as he said, "Come to me." in a faint yet assertive tone.
Following a harsh 'whooping' sound, Caenis manifested next to Thomas in an instant, spear in hand and eyes glowing red as she looked around for a target.
Holding up his hands, Thomas said, "Calm down. I called you a little early so you could help us search."
Retracting her bloodlust, Caenis brandished her spear and rested it on her shoulder as she clicked her tongue and retorted, "Do I look like a hound to you? Sniffing people out isn't exactly my specialty."
Shaking his head, Thomas clarified, "Our enemies have captured Vivi's father and holed themselves up in an abandoned waterway populated by dangerous creatures. They've likely set traps and other obstacles in the way, so I'd rather have you close by."
Adopting a wolfish grin, Caenis questioned, "So, you want me to protect you? And here I thought you were a man. What happened to your pride, hmm~?"
Catching nearly everyone by surprise, Thomas questioned, "What use is pride if it hurts the people I care about? Vivi's father wouldn't even be in this situation if we rushed over. Now, let's hurry. Every moment we waste is another moment Cobra is forced to pay for our mistakes..."
Furrowing her brows, Caenis replied, "I was just joking..." before looking away with a slight pout. She was tempted to point out that it wasn't her fault they were late but managed to restrain herself out of consideration for the circumstances.
Resisting the urge to apologize, Thomas maintained his intensity as he looked to Astolfo and instructed her to lead the way. Chaka and the Royal Guards intercepted and attempted to accompany them, but it only took a few seconds for Caenis to completely body them. Their heart was in the right place, but against a foe like Crocodile, a large group would only slow them down and get in the way...
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After traversing a hidden stairway that led deep underground, Thomas and company found themselves in a vast chamber with massive steel doors barring what he assumed to be the entrance to the underground waterway. Vivi quickly confirmed this, saying, "I hope Astolfo's ability to locate things holds up. The underground waterway is like a labyrinth that runs beneath the entirety of Alubarna. If we get lost, it would be difficult to find our way back..."
Snorting through her nose, Caenis said, "If that happens, I'll just blast a hole through the ceiling."
Recalling the massive explosion that accompanied Caenis taking out the Island Eater, a panicked expression marred Vivi's face. Before she could appeal to Caenis not to do anything rash, she and the other Heroic Spirits became tense, Benienma stating, "Someone is here..." while gripping the hilt of her sword.
Following Benienma's warning, the face of a woman materialized from the surface of the massive steel doors. It was one of the most uncanny things Thomas had ever seen, but he immediately recognized the face as Robin, commenting, "Long time no see, Miss All Sunday..." while gesturing for the others to remain calm.
Adopting a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, Robin remarked, "I was kind of hoping for a bigger reaction..." before materializing the rest of her body, fully clothed, from the door's surface.
"You and your friends should turn back," said Robin. "I understand your desire to save the King, but attempting to fight Crocodile on his terms is suicide."
Before Thomas could respond, Caenis interjected to say, "Eat a dick. We came here to beat Crocodile's ass. Get in our way, and I'll shove my fist so far up yours you'll be able to lick my fingers."
With everyone at least a little taken aback by Caenis's words, an awkward silence descended upon the chamber. Somewhat surprisingly, the first to break it was Robin, covering her mouth to stifle a laugh before cupping her cheek as she remarked, "What a curious choice of words. It's been a long time since I heard such a crude yet humorous rejoinder..."
Intervening before Caenis could make good on her promise, Thomas stepped forward to state, "We're going inside. If you could show us the way, we'd appreciate it greatly..."
Seemingly exasperated by Thomas's words, Robin exhaled a tired sigh before looking him in the eyes and revealing, "Even if you manage to rescue the King, Crocodile is a vindictive man. If he can't have Alabasta for himself, he's willing to bury it completely."
"What do you mean?" asked Vivi.
Shifting her gaze to Vivi, Robin casually revealed, "Baroque Works has spent the past week spreading high-yield explosive charges throughout the underground waterway. If that wasn't enough, there is an even larger bomb scheduled to be set off in the city's center. The moment Crocodile feels as though he might lose the battle, the entire city and its people will go up in smoke..."
Overwhelmed by what she was hearing, Vivi fell to her knees and covered her mouth in horror. Thomas also felt a bit cowed by Robin's words, but he forced himself to appear calm as he asked, "What triggers the explosives underground?"
Raising her brows, Robin questioned, "Do you seriously intend to charge in after everything I've just revealed? I thought you were smarter than that..."
Shaking her head, Robin added, "The smartest thing you could do is flee the capital and enact your plan to restore Alabasta's rain. Crocodile only intends to destroy the city as a last resort, so dragging things out forces him to come to you."
Though he could see the reasoning behind Robin's argument, Thomas still wanted to know how the explosives worked, stating, "I'll come up with a plan after you tell me how the explosives are triggered..."
Exhaling a faint sigh, Robin seemed more exasperated than ever. In spite of this, she replied, "There are two ways. The first is a manual trigger that will set the explosives to detonate precisely thirty minutes after the initial press. Crocodile intends to teach you a lesson, so he made sure he would have time to play with you beforehand..."
Adopting a wry smile, Robin allowed her words to settle for a bit before revealing, "The second trigger is a deadman switch linked to a Den Den Mushi in Crocodile's left breast pocket. If it breaks, all the explosives will detonate within a minute..."
Though Vivi felt even more helpless after hearing Robin's words, a fiery light emanated from Thomas's eyes. One of the distinctive properties of Mana was that it interfered with things like electricity and radio signals. He even had a method of dealing with the Den Den Mushi tucked away in his pocket, so even though the tips of his fingers were trembling, the look on his face expressed conviction as he helped Vivi to her feet and offered his usual, "Just leave everything to me..."
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(A/N: You know what they say. Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face xD...)

Chapter 82: Resolution : Assurance