Even on this island, Crocodile was confident that his Logia Devil Fruit ability could guarantee him a safe retreat, even if he could not win a straight fight.
But the face of that smiling Marine still gave him a strangely familiar, unsettling feeling.
Suddenly, a patron across the restaurant stood up, pointing excitedly at Raleigh and exclaim.
"This... he is Marine Vice-Admiral Christian Raleigh! We are saved!"
Upon hearing Raleigh's name, the other diners grew equally ecstatic.
Most of them had never seen Raleigh's photo, but almost everyone on the Grand Line was well aware of his exploits.
With Raleigh sitting right there, there was no way a pirate like Crocodile would be able to cause any trouble.
After all, Raleigh was known globally as the monster who even legends like Golden Lion Shiki and Whitebeard could not kill.
This was actually a massive misconception among the civilian population.
Raleigh had merely participated in those historic events and wasn't the sole main force, but people naturally believed and spread whatever epic rumors they wanted to hear.
Realizing that Raleigh's presence meant Crocodile wouldn't dare harm them, the civilians frantically surged toward the exit.
Within seconds, the restaurant was completely empty except for Crocodile, Raleigh, and his two companions. Even the owner and the kitchen staff had bolted.
Upon hearing Raleigh's name, Crocodile's face turned deathly pale.
Dealing with the Demon Heir alone would require his full effort.
If he had to face a legendary Vice-Admiral on top of that, escape would be mathematically impossible.
"Don't just stand there. Come have a seat." Raleigh casually raised his hand in invitation.
Upon hearing Raleigh's words, Bullet silently returned to his seat and continued eating his seafood noodles.
Crocodile desperately wanted to flee, but he could feel three incredibly powerful auras locking onto him from across the room.
If he dared to step one foot outside that door, he would instantly face three devastating attacks.
That was a consequence he simply could not afford.
Dragging his feet, the young pirate slowly shuffled over to Raleigh's table.
"Have a drink." Raleigh pushed a wooden cup filled with rum toward him, offering it warmly.
Crocodile snorted coldly. "No need. I dislike anything related to water or liquids, including alcohol."
Unfazed by the cold rejection, Raleigh reached into his coat.
He pulled out the official Seven Warlords of the Sea appointment notice, along with the thick document outlining their rights and obligations, and handed both to Crocodile.
"What is this?" Crocodile looked at the sealed documents with a deeply puzzled expression.
"A proposal from the World Government. They plan to recruit a few promising, powerful pirates to work as privateers for the Marines," Raleigh explained enthusiastically.
"The details are all written inside. You can read it for yourself."
With a highly skeptical expression, Crocodile broke the seal and began reading the Warlord appointment notice and guidelines.
The more he read, the more shocked he looked.
The excitement in his eyes grew increasingly intense.
Such a grand plan held immense appeal for an ambitious man like him.
Once he became one of the so-called Seven Warlords of the Sea, the legal authority resting in his hands would be tremendous.
Crocodile had absolutely no doubt that no sane pirate would ever refuse such conditions.
In the past, being a pirate meant living in constant fear during raids—always wary of becoming a target for an Admiral, being hunted by powerful bounty hunters, or getting backstabbed by rival pirate crews.
But now? The World Government was offering a limited number of positions that allowed legal, unrestricted plundering.
The Navy would literally provide protection for him to freely raid civilians and amass wealth!
Crocodile knew that with this status, even a penniless beggar could rise to global prominence in the shortest time possible.
Countless strong pirates would flock to gather under his command and serve him.
After all, who would choose to be a desperate, hunted criminal constantly risking their life when they could live comfortably and enjoy total stability?
"I accept!" Crocodile declared resolutely, slamming the papers onto the table.
Raleigh showed no surprise, for he knew exactly what kind of ambitious man Crocodile was.
No intelligent person would ever reject such incredibly favorable terms, except for one small detail...
"Your legal plundering rights are strictly limited to pirate ships and underground, illegal criminal forces."
Crocodile froze.
He instantly felt deceived, his eyes widening in fury as he pointed a shaking finger at the Government instruction manual.
"It clearly states right here that I just cannot target the World Nobles, allied nations, or the Marines! It says I can plunder unaffiliated civilians! Are you joking with me?!"
Raleigh's previously cheerful, relaxed expression vanished instantly, replaced by a terrifying cold demeanor.
"I don't care what the World Government thinks, or what they wrote on that piece of paper. In my eyes, you are just an experiment chosen by the Navy. You have no right to choose." Raleigh leaned forward, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper.
"Although the World Government wrote those terms, if I disagree with them, that clause will not take effect."
Hearing Raleigh's blatant disregard for the Government's authority, Crocodile stood up and violently slammed his hands on the table.
"If these are the true terms, I cannot accept them. Find someone else!"
With that, Crocodile rose from his seat.
But just as he turned to open the door, Raleigh's eerie cold voice echoed from behind him.
"What do you take me for, Crocodile? A haggling street vendor?"
Raleigh took a slow sip of his tea. "Actually, my meeting with you today only has two possible outcomes. Either you accept my conditions and follow my orders from now on... or you die right here, and I find another suitable pirate to take your place."
Whoosh.
The sound of rushing wind followed close behind.
Crocodile instantly kicked the door open, activating his Logia elemental transformation at top speed as he fled outside.
A violent sandstorm rapidly formed exactly where Crocodile had just been standing, quickly expanding to sweep up the tables, chairs, and everything in its path.
With a grim expression, Crocodile charged forward into the streets.
He did not actually expect the sandstorm behind him to defeat his monstrous opponents—he only needed it to buy him a few precious seconds to reach the open desert terrain, which was far more suitable for his powers.
Boom!
An impossibly muscular figure suddenly shattered the newly formed sandstorm, bursting through the swirling debris and closing in on Crocodile with terrifying speed.
Huh?!
Sensing the danger, Crocodile immediately spun around.
He instantly condensed a massive, razor-sharp blade of solid sand in his hand and swung it viciously at the dark figure rocketing toward him.
Bullet remained completely unfazed by Crocodile's resistance.
A twisted, manic grin stretched across his face as he continued charging forward without slowing down a single step.
"Don't look down on me!"
Feeling deeply insulted, Crocodile poured every ounce of his Devil Fruit power into the slashing attack.
Thud!
The heavy sand-blade struck Bullet's shoulder, but the pirate had already coated his skin in pitch-black Armament Haki. T
he blade completely failed to penetrate his defense.
A split second later, Bullet's massive body collided squarely with Crocodile's chest like a runaway freight train.
Crack!
A sickening, clear bone-breaking sound echoed through the street.
Crocodile violently spat out a mouthful of blood as he was launched backward through the air.
Thump!
A loud crash followed as Crocodile hit the ground, his momentum skidding him backward until he carved a large crater into the dirt.
Bullet stood tall, crossing his massive arms and looking down indifferently at Crocodile lying broken in the pit.
"Conqueror's Haki...?!" Crocodile gasped, clutching his shattered ribs. "Damn you! I will kill you!"
Crocodile's eyes turned blood-red with fury.
Never once, since the day he ate the Sand-Sand Fruit, had he suffered such complete and utter humiliation.
Being so effortlessly dominated and swatted away like a bug made the proud Crocodile question his very existence!
Slowly climbing out of the crater, he took a deep, ragged breath.
Countless fine grains of dry sand began radiating rapidly from his body.
Instantly, the surrounding air grew thick and turbid, dropping visibility to near zero.
---------
Read 40 chapters ahead and support me on patreon.
patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator