He lowered his proud head and spoke with great deference.
El shook his head.
He had little interest in the Kingdom of Alabasta.
Seizing control of a single nation was far too small-minded.
As far as El was concerned… Reaching the very summit of the world was the only goal worth pursuing.
"And what about the title of Warlord?" El asked, looking at him.
"One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, authorized by the World Government… such a prestigious status. Are you willing to throw that away too?"
As one of the Three Great Powers of the sea, the title of Warlord carried immense weight.
Countless people trembled in fear just hearing the name.
Crocodile replied immediately: "A Warlord? I care nothing for such things."
"To be able to serve under you, even as the lowest-ranking commander, would be the greatest honor of my life!"
"You are certainly sincere, Crocodile." El said calmly. "Very well then — stand up. I accept your request."
Crocodile was overjoyed!
Holding his painful wound, he slowly rose from the ground.
"Go then. Settle your affairs and come back to report to me." El said evenly.
"But if you do not return…"
He glanced at Crocodile with deep meaning. "You know exactly what the consequences will be."
Crocodile knew perfectly well: if he dared to break his word, El would hunt him down to the ends of the earth and kill him without hesitation.
He bowed his head and walked slowly away.
El then turned to Robin, who stood beside him.
"Come along. I will explain the rules here to you."
---
Several days later.
In the Kingdom of Alabasta.
Thanks to his long-planned schemes, Crocodile had long maintained the public image of a hero among the common people.
When he suddenly returned, wrapped entirely in bandages, and announced he was leaving forever…
The people of Alabasta were genuinely sad to see him go.
Countless citizens followed him to the port to see him off, bringing him gifts and well-wishes.
It left Crocodile feeling somewhat confused.
If I had stayed this course… perhaps I really could have become a true hero here.
The members of Baroque Works following him were completely bewildered.
Crocodile had only told them urgently that they were leaving — never explaining where they were going.
Coupled with the severe injuries covering his body, their curiosity only grew.
Finally, aboard the ship, Mr. 2 — Bentham the Newkama — spoke up.
"Boss Crocodile! Why must we leave now?!"
"We finally established such a solid foothold here!"
"Exactly!" The others all agreed loudly.
At last, Crocodile told them the truth.
"We are not leaving to start some new great undertaking elsewhere."
"We are going… to become subordinates to someone else."
The men and women of Baroque Works looked at him in utter confusion.
Subordinates… to someone else?
Everyone was stunned.
This was not Crocodile's style at all!
In their eyes, Crocodile was a king in his own right — a ruler who would never bow to anyone.
Why was he acting so strangely today?
Mr. 2 Bentham even wondered if this was an impostor, perhaps someone using a Copy-Copy Fruit ability to impersonate their boss.
Mr. 3 spoke in a deep, heavy voice: "Boss… who on earth could make a great pirate like you submit?"
Crocodile looked at them all.
"You have heard this name before."
"The legendary great pirate… El!"
Hearing that name, everyone was struck dumb with shock!
"That guy… the legendary pirate?!"
"A true king among men — someone even the Marines dare not provoke!"
"Boss Crocodile is truly amazing… to be connected with such a legendary figure!"
The pirates under Crocodile completely changed their attitude from earlier.
They began praising him enthusiastically.
Crocodile was speechless.
Am I really that insignificant in their eyes?
Is the gap between El and me truly that enormous to them?
However, there were still a few loyal and thoughtful subordinates.
Daz Bonez was one such man.
He had always been fiercely loyal to Crocodile, and that loyalty hadn't changed now.
He glared unhappily at those who were already idolizing El just from hearing his name.
He grunted loudly: "I don't believe Boss simply decided to join him just like that."
"Look at the injuries Boss is carrying… he must have fought a battle of epic proportions against El!"
After he spoke, everyone looked closely at the bandages covering Crocodile — and their expressions shifted.
Injuries this severe?!
Their imaginations ran wild.
They pictured a scene where two great overlords fought fiercely for a day and night, both suffering terrible wounds, until finally — out of mutual respect as heroes — Crocodile decided to join El's crew.
Mr. 3 was even moved to tears by his own imagination.
"A duel between legends… brotherhood between men… it's just too touching!"
But at that moment, Crocodile spoke up and shattered their fantasies.
"It wasn't anything like what you're thinking!"
"I lost to El… and I lost badly."
"He defeated me in a single strike."
Crocodile was far too proud to lie about something like this.
It simply wasn't his style.
Every single member of Baroque Works froze in shock.
They stared blankly at Crocodile and the wounds on his body.
It was completely unexpected — utterly beyond their imagination!
They had always believed that as a Warlord of the Sea — a great pirate recognized even by the World Government…
Even if he wasn't El's match, El would still have suffered some cost or injury to defeat him.
They never dreamed the gap between them would be this vast!
Just what kind of terrifying power did this man, El, possess?
Crocodile stood up and gazed out at the boundless ocean.
He knew that from now on, as a subordinate of El, he would no longer have absolute authority over these followers.
He turned back to face them.
"Very well — I have told you the truth."
"Whether you choose to follow me and serve El… that is entirely up to you. I will not force anyone."
"Those who wish to leave… may disembark right now."
Yet, after Crocodile finished speaking… not a single person moved to leave.
__________________
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