After exchanging a few pleasantries, Crocodile voiced her idea.
"How about it? Want to join me?"
Mihawk found the proposal somewhat strange. He had not expected Crocodile to try recruiting him.
"Afterward, I thought about it carefully. The World Government being able to pass the proposal to abolish the [Shichibukai] may well have had Austin's tacit approval behind it.
After all, if there was something that guy did not want to see happen, no one could make it happen."
Mihawk agreed with that point.
"If he truly opposed it, the Five Elders would surely have reconsidered it again and again."
Crocodile took a puff of her cigar and continued.
"It was precisely because of that that I truly realized the era known as the [Black Emperor] had already passed.
You and I are nothing more than ordinary pirates now, regarded as enemies by the Navy."
Mihawk fell silent, seemingly contemplating Crocodile's words.
"How about it? Consider my proposal."
"Austin has already gone farther and farther down the path of a legendary pirate. Even the Four Emperors and the World Government have to watch his expression before acting. We cannot keep standing still forever~"
"If you and I join forces, our names alone would form a force that cannot be ignored.
And besides... we did share a ship once, didn't we, Mihawk?"
Crocodile had completely forgotten how she had once told Doflamingo, "I will not cooperate with anyone."
Now, she was persuading Mihawk, trying to convince him to work with her.
After leaving Austin's side, Mihawk had indeed lived a quiet retirement life for quite some time. Now, faced with the changing situation,
a faint ripple stirred in his heart.
"Perhaps that would not be a bad choice?"
Elsewhere,
one of the current [Shichibukai] was also under attack.
The Great