The desert fell into a heavy, ringing silence after the shockwave of Kai's attack. Mr. 1 lay trapped in the spiritual quicksand, his metallic skin flickering like a dying lightbulb. He wasn't dead, but his connection to his Devil Fruit power was frayed, leaving him physically exhausted and spiritually drained.
Kai stepped back, his breathing heavy. Maintaining the [Soul Resonance] had cost him more than just coins; it felt as if his own spirit had been stretched thin.
[Ding! Victory over a High-Level Threat.]
[Experience Gained: Leveling Up...]
[New Level: 14.]
[Soul Balance: 310 Coins (Bonus from 'Devaluing' a Devil Fruit User).]
"Kai!" Vivi rushed to his side, her eyes wide with shock. "You... you actually stopped him. I've never seen anyone stand against Daz Bonez like that."
"It was a gamble, Vivi," Kai said, wiping a trail of sweat from his forehead. "If he had more willpower, my resonance wouldn't have worked. But he relies too much on his steel body. He forgot how to protect his soul."
Silas approached, his hand still on the hilt of his weapon, keeping a wary eye on the horizon. "We need to move. The Millions will be crawling all over this area within the hour. And next time, they won't just send one officer."
Kai looked at the trembling Mr. 1. "Leave him. The message is sent. Crocodile now knows there's a virus in his system. We need to reach Rainbase before he can re-calculate his strategy."
Meanwhile, miles away in the luxurious darkness of Rain Dinners, a glass of fine wine shattered in a massive, gold-hooked hand. Sir Crocodile stared at a flickering monitor. The signal from Mr. 1's transponder snail had gone flat.
"A merchant?" Crocodile's voice was a low, predatory growl that made the shadows in the room dance. "Miss All Sunday, it seems we have a guest who thinks he can trade in my desert without paying the tax."
Nico Robin leaned against the wall, a cryptic smile on her face. "He didn't just defeat Mr. 1, Sir. He bypassed the fruit's defense entirely. It's almost as if... he was attacking the man's very existence."
"Then I'll show him what true existence feels like," Crocodile said, standing up, sand beginning to pour from his cloak. "Prepare the ships. I want this 'Soul Trader' brought to me. Alive... for now. I want to see what price he puts on his own life when it's slipping through his fingers."