Roldy's rare show of goodwill eventually loosened Crocodile's tongue.
The story unfolded much as it had been destined to.
After losing to Roldy, Crocodile refused to accept defeat. Burning with ambition, he set his sights on the man known as the World's Strongest Man—Whitebeard.
Before even reaching Edward Newgate, Crocodile carved a path through much of the Whitebeard Pirates. He defeated several Division Commanders and fought the First Division Commander, the "Ice Witch" Whitey Bay, to a standstill.
If even Whitebeard's top commanders were only this strong—
Then perhaps the gap wasn't insurmountable.
Even if he lost, so what?
He was still young.
Give him a few more years, and he would surpass Whitebeard.
That was what he believed.
Until the moment Whitebeard himself appeared.
From the very first exchange, Crocodile understood how naïve he had been.
His opening strike was effortlessly blocked by Whitebeard's bisento.
His sandstorm was shattered by the Gura Gura no Mi.
When he tried to exploit his Logia intangibility to launch a sneak attack from behind—
Whitebeard severed one of his hands in a single stroke.
The defeat was absolute.
The distance between him and the true summit of the sea was suffocating.
Whitebeard had even offered him a place aboard his ship.
Crocodile refused.
Though he lingered briefly to recover, he slipped away that very night using his sand-form.
Afterward, he turned his attention to the East Blue.
Upon learning that Roger would be executed in Loguetown, he decided to witness the end of an era—
And then begin his own plan.
Seize a nation.
Build military power.
Use force to realize his ambition.
Would that truly work?
Even Crocodile doubted it.
Perhaps it was self-deception.
And then—
He ran into Roldy.
"Gahahaha!"
"Your strength doesn't match your ambition!"
"If you think soldiers alone can stand against the monsters at the top of the sea, you're dreaming."
"Join my crew."
"You'll gain what you actually want."
Crocodile had always walked alone.
Everything he achieved, he achieved through sheer instinct and grit.
He was worth investing in.
Sheen, who had pieced together most of the story, felt his excitement fade slightly.
Oh.
So it's just partnership…
Wait.
Actually, that's not bad either.
With a captain like Roldy, having another strong brain around wouldn't hurt.
After a long silence—
Crocodile finally spoke.
"If I don't grow stronger on your ship…"
"I'll leave."
"Of course."
"And if I ever surpass you—"
"I'll kill you."
Roldy grinned.
"I look forward to it."
And just like that—
Roldy gained not another subordinate—
But a true comrade.
Loguetown — Execution Plaza
The square was packed beyond measure.
Layer upon layer of civilians filled the streets.
Joy lit their faces.
In their eyes, the World Government represented justice.
The Pirate King represented evil.
Justice eliminating evil—
That was natural.
Roger's death would surely suppress piracy.
This was a victory worth celebrating.
"So many people…"
Roldy shoved through the crowd with brute strength.
The civilians he bumped aside dared not protest.
A few who recognized him blanched and hurried away.
Crocodile and Sheen followed close behind.
They claimed a prime position.
Roldy sat down heavily.
The civilians' fear was understandable.
Hidden Marines watched cautiously from the shadows.
But they couldn't act.
Too many infamous pirates had gathered.
The so-called weakest sea—the East Blue—
Had become, for one day, the epicenter of the world.
Pirates with bounties over 100,000,000 Berries.
Rising stars.
Underworld brokers.
Loguetown had become a paradise for criminals.
Of course, the Marines had deployed overwhelming forces to ensure the execution proceeded smoothly.
"What a spectacle," Sheen muttered, lighting a cigarette.
He offered one to Crocodile.
Accustomed to cigars, Crocodile hesitated—then accepted it anyway.
"Quite the lineup," Crocodile observed calmly.
"The North Blue's rising monster Donquixote Doflamingo…"
"Gecko Moria from the first half of the Grand Line…"
"And that swordsman with hawk-like eyes—Dracule Mihawk…"
"None of them are easy prey."
Crocodile's Observation Haki scanned the town.
Dozens of powerful presences.
Yet among them—
Roldy carried the greatest weight.
He sat quietly, eyes closed.
Even seated, his towering frame stood out.
In the distance—
"Hey… that's Roldy!"
"He's not here to storm the execution, is he?!"
Two young pirates whispered nervously.
One red-haired.
One blue-haired.
Former apprentices of the Roger Pirates—
Shanks and Buggy.
"Calm down," a golden-haired man said from in front of them.
"He won't act recklessly."
"After the Impel Down incident, he left without looking pressured. He must've reached some understanding with the Marines."
Silvers Rayleigh.
His gaze was complex as he looked toward the execution platform.
For a moment—
He saw the sunny afternoon when a reckless young man had invited him to see the world.
The sun climbed higher.
The heat intensified.
Everyone waited patiently.
Then—
From the distant street—
The faint sound of chains clinking.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Roldy's eyes snapped open.
His Observation Haki had already confirmed it.
That familiar presence.
He had arrived.
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