After arriving here, Alonso stopped in his tracks. A moment later, amid the rustling of sand, Sand Crocodile appeared before him.
"Sakrok Dal, the famed Shichibukai Sand Crocodile. What does someone like you want, following an unknown nobody like me?"
Alonso looked up as he spoke.
"An unknown nobody? Heh. Ordinary nobodies don't possess Observation Haki at this level." Sand Crocodile waved his golden hook.
"Even if you're a nobody now, you'll leave Your Name on the world someday. Can you tell me your name?"
"Well... my name is Alonso. For now, I'm acting as the leader of the Hasshoken Army."
"The leader of the Hasshoken Army!? Conical Chinjao's descendant?" Sand Crocodile asked in surprise.
"Sorry, although I'm the leader of the Hasshoken Army, I have nothing to do with Conical Chinjao. Lao Cai here, on the other hand, is Chinjao's grandson."
Alonso patted Lao Cai on the shoulder. "You still haven't answered me. What exactly do you want by following us?"
"Guhahaha, I thought highly of you at first, but I never expected you to already be the leader of the Hasshoken Army."
Sand Crocodile stroked his golden hook. He knew full well that the leader of the Hasshoken Army might rank slightly below a Shichibukai, but not by much. He wasn't some Great Pirate on the level of the Four Emperors—trying to recruit someone like that would only make a fool of himself.
Of course, Sand Crocodile would never say that aloud. The man had to maintain some dignity, after all.
So...
"Then let me see what you, the leader, are capable of!"
The instant he finished speaking, Sand Crocodile's golden hook shot toward him.
"So hot-tempered? Pirates who've been to the New World really are different." Alonso spoke with a faintly mocking smile, casually raising a hand.