One Piece: Talent Copy System

Noir awkwardly pushed Blueno away, muttering, "We'll talk about this later."

He then approached the Mr. 1 and Miss Doublefinger pair, crouching down with a grin. "Big Sis Boobs, what are you two doing here?"

Miss Doublefinger's face flushed with anger. "It's Paula!"

"Tch, whatever." Noir casually picked up the quickly-defeated Mr. 1 and shrugged. "Come with me, you two."

Mr. 1, struggling to lift his head, asked in a strained voice, "What do you want with the boss…?"

Noir chuckled, flicking his fingers. "I'm short on cash."

Mr. 1 nearly choked on his own spit.

Who in the world didn't know that "Devil" Noir had plundered the Heavenly Tribute, becoming a fabulously wealthy pirate?

And now he was claiming to be short on cash?

After the previous battle between Noir and Crocodile, Crocodile had revealed his true identity to Mr. 1.

So Mr. 1 knew the truth: his boss hadn't just foolishly thrown money away, he'd been tricked by this very man!

The problem was, this 'shameless' thief had the audacity to come back for more!

Noir grinned and had Blueno carry the indignant Mr. 1, while he himself casually draped an arm around Paula, leading them into the casino.

As soon as they pushed open the doors, the patrons inside were drawn to the unusual quartet.

The portly, mustachioed receptionist, in particular, trembled when he saw Noir's face.

Though he didn't recognize him immediately, there was something eerily familiar about his demeanor…

Noir, seeing the receptionist's face, greeted him warmly. "Yo, Fatty! Still haven't been fired, huh?"

The receptionist stared at Noir, his face pale with terror. That familiar way of speaking…

"You're… you're the one who impersonated the boss!"

Noir looked at him, surprised. "Not bad. You still remember my voice."

How could he possibly forget…?

It was his negligence, his failure to recognize Noir's disguise, that had cost the casino so much money.

After the Rainbase beli shower incident, he had been severely punished. If not for Crocodile's subsequent rise in public favor, he might have lost not just his job, but his life…

Noir patted the man's shoulder sympathetically. "Poor guy…"

The receptionist looked at him warily. "What do you mean?"

Noir smiled, placed his hand behind the man's head, and with a gentle push, sent him tumbling to the floor, unconscious.

The receptionist slumped to the ground, eyes wide with a silent scream. His last thought before losing consciousness was:

'Oh no… here we go again.…'

....

Noir, satisfied, surveyed the stunned onlookers in the casino. Before they could react, a wave of crimson energy erupted from his body, instantly sweeping through the entire hall.

Everyone in the room collapsed in unison. Noir whistled, a pleased smile on his face. "Just like old times…"

He navigated the casino as if it were his own home, effortlessly locating the entrance to the underground vault and kicking the door open.

In the underground chamber, Crocodile was staring grimly at the wanted posters of Noir and Robin when his door suddenly exploded.

The shattered remnants of the door flew across the room. Crocodile stood frozen in place.

"Long time no see, Croc."

Noir casually tossed Paula to Crocodile's feet. "You haven't changed a bit, have you?"

Crocodile sprang back from his desk, his hands instantly transforming into razor-sharp sand blades. His voice was filled with wary. "Noir! You bastard! What are you doing here?"

Noir strolled into the room as if visiting an old friend. "I'm short on cash, so I came to 'borrow' some."

The mere mention of money ignited Crocodile's fury. "You dare come here, you scoundrel!" he roared.

His patience finally snapped. He lunged at Noir, his sand-formed arm morphing into a massive axe, swinging down with deadly force.

Noir clicked his tongue, shaking his head theatrically. "Why so serious? We haven't seen each other in a while."

Black Busoshoku Haki instantly coated his head as he met Crocodile's sand axe head-on, neither dodging nor retreating. The impact scattered sand in all directions.

Crocodile's heart skipped a beat. Before he could react, a large, Haki-coated hand shot towards his face.

Noir grabbed Crocodile's head and slammed him into the ground.

The entire casino shook from the force of the impact.

Noir looked down at Crocodile, pinned beneath him, with a hint of disappointment. "You haven't improved at all, Croc."

"Shut up!"

Crocodile roared, his body dissolving into sand, forming a swirling vortex that engulfed Noir.

Sand filled the air, obscuring everything. Noir closed his eyes, a chilling aura suddenly emanating from his hand.

A distinct freezing sound echoed through the room as the entire casino, along with the raging sandstorm, was instantly encased in ice.

The patrons in Rainbase, feeling the sudden drop in temperature, looked towards the casino in surprise.

'Is Lord Crocodile… performing another act of kindness for the citizens of Rainbase?'

Inside the casino, a thick fog of cold air filled the room. Blueno and Mr. 1 stared dumbfounded at the scene before them.

When Crocodile had unleashed his sandstorm, Blueno had been worried for Noir and had considered intervening. But now…

Worry? Please. With two Logia users capable of altering the environment, there was no room for him to get involved!

As Blueno and Mr. 1 stood shivering in the cold, the sand on the ground began to coalesce, reforming into Crocodile's shape.

Crocodile's normally immaculate slicked-back hair was now a disheveled mess. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he struggled to his knees.

Noir emerged from the rapidly dissipating ice, scoffing. "Without the desert as your home-field advantage, you're not much, are you?"

Crocodile forced himself to stand, his voice strained. "What… what do you want…?"

Noir smiled coldly. "You should have been prepared for this when you decided to put a 'hit' on me."

Crocodile gritted his teeth. He had suspected this was the reason for Noir's visit.

But… how could Noir have known it was him?