One Piece: Transmigrated as Crocodile-Chapter 272 - CHAPTER 272 - A Haki Clash, I Don’t Kill Women

When Rosen's identity was revealed, Remont almost couldn't resist striking him down immediately. The king's bounty was his wall of protection, his city, his reward, and as a duke, he couldn't refuse such a prize.
If he could kill or capture Rosen here, that wall would remain his. The king had grown increasingly suspicious over the years, even suspecting him of disloyalty—and truth be told, he wasn't entirely wrong.
But the time wasn't ripe. He had no opportunity yet. A rebellion without a righteous cause would never gain noble support.
After all, kings come and go, but noble houses endure. Sometimes, they outlast entire royal lines.
They understood unity better than kings, knew how to adapt to shifting winds. With a just cause and enough noble backing, his plan could succeed.
But for now, it was still far out of reach.
"So, what's the deal? Speak. Don't forget the last time you roped me in for five hundred million—I ended up chased by Kizaru for a whole week. If this is another unreliable scheme, find someone else." Since Rosen was now a wanted man as well, Moris saw no need to keep up pretenses.
"You can't say it like that. Back then, you were eager enough to recoup your losses. How's the blame for killing a Vice Admiral all on me?" Rosen frowned, lit a cigar, and took a long, satisfying drag. His craving had been gnawing at him for a while.
He had killed a Vice Admiral before? Not just recently? Xia and the others felt their hearts skip a beat—this kind of conversation was far beyond their level.
"So it's all my fault now? Who was it that had his crew smashed to pieces back then?" Moris snapped, the memory still raw.
Damn it, Kizaru wasn't someone you messed with lightly! He had chased them for seven days straight, and whatever they had gained, they lost again.
"You want a fight?" Rosen asked, seeing Moris seething with fury—and truthfully, he didn't mind the idea. Back in Wine City, he had doubted he could beat Moris. Now, he wasn't so sure.
"Bring it!" Moris roared, unleashing his Conqueror's Haki, madness in his eyes. His massive frame hardened in Armament Haki, like a steel beast, and he launched a devastating punch.
Rosen released his Conqueror's Haki at the same time, raising his Armament Haki to its peak.
With a thunderous crash, their fists collided. Rosen's golden aura of Conqueror's Haki clashed with Moris's black-purple. Gale winds howled, sparks of lightning dancing between their fists.
The explosion of force shattered the ceiling and walls, blowing the top floor wide open like an exposed balcony.
Over ninety percent of the warriors and nobles present fainted instantly from the overwhelming clash of Haki.
"Two wielders of Conqueror's Haki?!" Remont was aghast. Even Colson's face darkened, sweat dripping down his forehead.
Haki itself wasn't rare along the Grand Line, especially in the New World. And here, being close to Amazon Lily, people understood Haki well enough.
But Conqueror's Haki? They only knew of one wielder—Hancock, the Pirate Empress, who often came here to fence loot or raid merchant ships nearby.
Two Conquerors clashing head-on? That was a rarity few witnessed in a lifetime.
And now they had. In just one instant, over ninety percent of those present had been knocked out cold—not even as direct targets, but simply from the shockwaves of a single punch.
Had the two of them aimed at the crowd deliberately, fewer than five people would still be standing.
The survivors trembled in their hearts.
These two men were monsters.
And the battle was still escalating. Rosen's arm glimmered with golden sand, while Moris's fist tore open the air with blades of black energy from his Ripper Fruit.
Sparks hissed violently as their powers ground against each other.
"Seems you've improved a lot lately," Rosen remarked. Though they hadn't fought before, Rosen knew from their ambush of Vice Admiral Spider that Moris had never shown strength like this.
Now, after just one exchange, Rosen could tell—Moris had reached Admiral-class power, stronger than most Vice Admirals. He had likely been at that level even before.
Aside from his Devil Fruit, Moris's martial skill and Haki were outstanding, though still a step away from true Admiral level.
Overall, Moris was only slightly weaker than Rosen—roughly on par with Hathaway.
Rosen weighed it carefully and realized: even if he went all out, victory wouldn't come easily. Any slip, any moment of carelessness, could prove dangerous.
"Save that line for yourself," Moris scoffed. His own growth had been huge, yet even so, this clash revealed he was just a bit weaker than Rosen—and that shocked him. In Wine City, he had been confident he was the stronger one.
"What are you doing in Andia Kingdom? Found yourself a new nest?" Rosen asked casually.
"Just looking for a stable place to drink. And waiting for the right time to drag a Shichibukai down from their throne. What about you?" Moris asked frankly.
Rosen had already said he wanted to pull off something big, so honesty was necessary.
"I'm here to overthrow this country. I have a friend whose homeland was destroyed, and by chance I became regent of this kingdom. I need a place for them to lie low and rebuild. This country and I already have some grudges. So—want to give me a hand?" Rosen said boldly, tightening his fist and pushing harder.
Moris' veins bulged as he poured in more power. Their third clash rang with thunder through the open-air ruin.
"Another insane idea? This isn't like killing a king or wiping out some nobles. This is a World Government affiliate! They won't let you seize it. Even if you take Andia, you'll never hold it," Moris muttered, stunned. Was this man mad again?
"Relax. If I dare to try, it means I have a plan. You've been operating here longer than me—you know the intel and the lay of the land better than I do."
"Sounds interesting. But what's the payment this time? Don't bother with Berries, I'm not short on those."
"I heard there are two Shichibukai on this island. If you already lost to Mihawk, he's clearly a tough one. Even together, we might not take him. But what about the Pirate Empress of Amazon Lily? You've committed plenty of crimes, but if you defeat a Shichibukai head-on, you could maneuver your way into becoming one yourself."
Rosen suggested. If Moris joined him now, he could set his kingdom-seizing plans into motion without delay.
"No. I don't kill women," Moris said after a pause.
Rosen: "???"
"Then Moria. I know where he is. Not too far from here by sea."
"That works."
"So, deal?"
"Deal."
(End of Chapter)