Chapter 98: A Warlord of the Sea Appears
"Crocodile?"
Mr. 5's eyes were clearly filled with confusion. He struggled to speak. "Why would I be taking orders from him?"
So he doesn't even know who his boss is.
"Does that mean you decided to attack us on your own?" Shane rubbed his temples, a little exasperated. "You knew who I was, and you still dared to attack. Who gave you that kind of courage?"
"A misunderstanding! It's all a misunderstanding!"
Mr. 5 was on the verge of tears, his insides twisting with regret. He wished he could turn back time just ten minutes and slap his former, confident self across the face.
Is this really a rookie pirate crew that just entered the Grand Line?!
The captain didn't even have to lift a finger; two of his crewmates were already Logia-type Devil Fruit users!
Logia-types!
When did they become as common as cabbage?
In all his years in the Grand Line, he had only ever seen one Logia user from a distance: Crocodile himself, during a triumphant return where Mr. 5 was just a face in the welcoming crowd.
And now, today of all days, just when he wanted to show off in front of his subordinates, he had run into two of them at once…
Shane looked at his pathetic state and let out a soft sigh.
Honestly…
This sea was just filled with too many inexplicable people. There were always idiots popping up whose ambition far outstripped their intelligence. It was just like with the Supernovas—even after watching an Admiral like Kizaru take them down one by one with a single kick, there would still be some hothead who thought he could be the one to land a lucky shot and make a name for himself.
Shane shook his head. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Mr. 5's eyes widen in disbelief as he stared at something behind him.
Someone else is here?
Shane frowned and stood up. He turned around, and his eyes narrowed at the scene before him.
Swish… swish…
A great cloud of sand had inexplicably risen over the port. A dark silhouette gradually solidified within the swirling sandstorm and slowly walked out.
It was a man, about two and a half meters tall. His hair was slicked back impeccably, and he wore a luxurious, dark brown fur coat. A cigar was clamped between his teeth, and his gaze was casual and lazy.
If it weren't for the golden hook that replaced his left hand and the scar across his face that added a roguish air, he could have passed for a court noble straight out of an oil painting.
"Your boss is here," Shane said, glancing at Mr. 5 with a grin. "So, were you lying through your teeth just now, or… is this just a coincidence?"
"A coincidence?"
Crocodile spoke, his voice muffled by the cigar. "Of course it's not a coincidence. I've been waiting for you here since this morning, Tachi Swordsman… Shane."
"As for these two…"
He snapped his fingers. Mr. 5, still in a state of shock, was instantly lifted by the sand and deposited at Crocodile's feet.
"Boss! Crocodile, you're the boss, Mr. 0, right?!" Mr. 5 finally realized what was happening and cried out excitedly. "Save me! I'm one of yours! I'm a newly signed Officer Agent of Baroque Works! My codename is—"
Crocodile didn't even glance at him. His golden hook suddenly dissolved into sand and shot through Mr. 5's chest.
"—just another idiot who got himself killed!"
Under the shocked gazes of the crew, the Officer Agent's body rapidly shriveled. He barely had time to twitch a few times before he became a dried, mummy-like corpse.
"Hey, hey…" Nami's jaw dropped. "What is this bastard doing? He's killing his own men?"
"You're next, Shane," Crocodile said softly, his gaze sweeping over each member of the Curtain Call Adventurers.
"Attacking a town, murdering Marines, and you, former Marine Headquarters Captain, 'White Chase' Smoker, for assassinating the king of an affiliated nation. The crimes of you two are monstrous and unforgivable!"
"Today, with me here, you pirates," he said, exhaling a large cloud of smoke, his coat flapping in the sandy wind, "will not escape!"
"...Excuse me," Nami couldn't help but poke the arm of Smoker, who was closest to her. "I'm not seeing things, am I? That coat he's wearing is black, right? It doesn't have the word 'Justice' on the back, does it?"
Isn't this guy a pirate too? Why does he talk like one of those Marine officers who practically have 'Justice' tattooed on their faces?
"No, it doesn't," Smoker sighed. "But he's not wrong. The Seven Warlords of the Sea do have an obligation to cooperate with the government and arrest pirates."
"Especially this one," Smoker said, his eyes fixed on Crocodile. "He was one of the first great pirates to join the Seven Warlords twenty years ago. Over the years, he has helped the Marines capture countless pirates. He's even become the poster boy for the Warlord system. Even the old-timers at Headquarters who hate the system the most have nothing but praise for the name Crocodile."
"But, it seems," Smoker said, glancing at the mummified corpse on the ground, his tone laced with sarcasm, "this model Warlord has quite a few secrets of his own."
"It seems you know a lot about me," Crocodile said, lightly tapping the ash from his cigar. "In that case, you should also understand that a bunch of rookies who have just entered the Grand Line are not on my level. Why don't you just obediently lay down your weapons and surrender? It would save me some trouble."
"We know a lot about you," Kuina said suddenly, her voice cool. "But it seems you don't know much about us. Are you really so arrogant as to think that you alone can defeat all of us?"
Shing.
The Wado Ichimonji was drawn halfway from its sheath, the white steel glinting between the scabbard and the hilt, reflecting the cold, resolute light in the young swordswoman's eyes.
A Logia-type Devil Fruit user?
Back in Loguetown, she might not have been able to handle him. But after more than ten days of intensive training, she could now skillfully wield Armament Haki in battle.
She wanted to see if a Warlord could withstand her slashes!
Shane had remained silent throughout the exchange.
Unlike his crewmates, who were getting fired up, he looked at Crocodile with nothing but disappointment and dissatisfaction.
As a Warlord active in this sea, Crocodile's intelligence network on the nearby islands surpassed even the Marines'. He wasn't surprised that Crocodile had found him first.
But to come alone, when he had a whole army of subordinates…
Where is Mr. 3, the Candlestick Man? Where is Mr. 2 Bon Clay, the flamboyant dancer? And Mr. 1, the walking blade? What about the most important one, Miss All Sunday?
I was expecting a full-course banquet, a chance to shear all the wool at once, but all I get is a single appetizer?
This feeling of being underestimated…
"It's really starting to piss me off."
A grin spread across Shane's face. He rolled his neck, and a series of satisfying pops echoed in the air. He stared at Crocodile, a long-dormant excitement flashing in his eyes.
"Hey, all of you, get back to the ship! This one's mine! No one interferes!"
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