One of Our Own

"BOSS~"

A slightly excited yet deep voice echoed from the sealed prison cell.

His hands and feet were shackled with Seastone, yet he acted as if he wasn't captured but simply resting in a room. Crocodile, with a calm expression, slowly raised his head. After seeing Daz Bones suddenly appear outside the cell, he frowned slightly and said faintly, "Why are you here? Were you captured?"

"BOSS..."

However.

Seeing his BOSS again, Daz Bones felt a wave of relief and seemed to revert to his usual taciturn demeanor, offering no explanation and simply lowering his head.

But as his subordinate of many years, and the only one who knew his true identity, Crocodile immediately guessed what had happened from this scene.

"Foolish fellow~" Crocodile said with a cold tone as he looked at Daz Bones, then continued expressionlessly, "Did that fallen Marine come? Ridiculous~"

What use was it for him to come now?

He had thought his ambitions were about to advance further, but instead... he received a call in the morning and was imprisoned in the afternoon.

Thinking of this, Crocodile felt a pang of melancholy. If his hands weren't bound, he would have wanted to take out his cigar and take a deep puff as usual.

He said with a cold sneer, "A fine fallen Marine, you dare let him visit me even after I've been caught."

He looked up again at the silent Daz Bones, "What price did that guy ask for this time?"

"BOSS, the treasure vault in Rain Dinners!" Hearing his boss's question, Daz Bones lowered his head in shame. "And Baroque Works!"

As soon as he said this.

Crocodile: ...

Although he had guessed that greedy fellow would ask for an exorbitant price, he hadn't expected... good heavens, they had taken all the fortune he had painstakingly accumulated over the years.

And that eight hundred million...

Crocodile's mouth twitched. Thinking of how he had been tricked three times in a row by that guy, he had originally planned to settle the score with him when he arrived, but he hadn't expected... to end up like this.

His own man was imprisoned, and his entire fortune was emptied by that fallen Marine!

Seeing Daz Bones, who was usually stern and unsmiling, showing a look of shame, Crocodile revealed a cold smile. "Foolish and greedy Marines, wanting even useless tools. I really overestimated him back then."

He then calmly closed his eyes and sat upright in the cell. "You can get lost too!"

"BOSS, I came to rescue you!" Hearing Crocodile's words, Daz Bones remembered his purpose for sneaking in and quickly said, "That fallen Marine Colonel has already drawn away the Marine Hero and the Admiral. Now, all that's needed is to open this, and BOSS can quietly leave."

This was also the deal he made with that fallen Marine Colonel. After the Admiral and the Marine Hero arrived, that Marine Colonel planned to take the money and run.

Finally, in exchange for BOSS's treasure and his promise to personally cooperate fully in controlling all Baroque Works agents, he was allowed a chance to see his BOSS.

However.

While he appeared to be secretly meeting BOSS, he was actually trying to secretly rescue BOSS. As for what punishment that fallen Marine would receive, what did it matter to them?

They were pirates, after all!

However.

"Quietly leave?" Crocodile slowly opened his eyes again, glancing faintly at Daz Bones, a hint of disdain on his lips.

Quietly leave under the eyes of the Marine Hero and the Admiral?

Don't be ridiculous!

Especially that fallen Marine, he didn't look like someone who would keep his promises.

Moreover...

"I'm not in the mood right now!" Crocodile turned his head and looked forward calmly, as if recalling something, his eyes becoming hollow. He then looked at Daz Bones coldly and said, "Who do you think you are? You're just my tool. Get lost!"

"BOSS~" Daz Bones seemed taken aback that his BOSS had refused so decisively and said such things. His face froze.

But seeing his BOSS no longer paying attention to him and sitting cross-legged to the side, he remained silent for a moment, then lowered his head and sat cross-legged outside, saying nothing.

Instantly.

The two sat in silence.

A moment later.

As if sensing that Daz Bones still hadn't left, Crocodile opened his eyes again and said impatiently, "What are you still doing here? Hurry up and get lost!"

If it wasn't for seeing that this guy didn't talk much and was very obedient back then, he wouldn't have let him manage Baroque Works.

As the Desert Crocodile, he never trusted anyone!

"Stop bothering me!"

"BOSS, I'm not in the mood either," Daz Bones said expressionlessly, as if returning to his usual self. "Since that's the case, I'll be captured with BOSS!"

"Boring!" Hearing Daz Bones's reply, Crocodile couldn't help but reveal a cold smile. He then closed his eyes and ignored the guy.

The two sat cross-legged like that.

After an unknown amount of time.

Crocodile finally raised his head again and looked at Daz Bones. "Hurry up and get lost!"

"BOSS~"

"Watch my treasure carefully! Tell that corrupt Marine that I will return one day!" Crocodile's eyes narrowed, the long scar beneath them seemingly restoring his Sand Crocodile aura as he said faintly, "When that day comes, I'll go collect it myself!"

"BOSS, I..."

"Get lost already!"

"Yes! BOSS, I will keep watching that corrupt Marine!" This time, Daz Bones didn't refuse his BOSS's words, a slight smile appearing on his usually impassive face.

Only this man was worthy of his loyalty!

"When BOSS returns, we'll start the plan again!"

Saying that, he turned and walked out without looking back. Just as he was about to leave, a cold voice from BOSS suddenly came from behind.

"Don't you dare die by then!"

The words made Daz Bones pause slightly, but he didn't stop this time. In just a moment, he continued walking outside with determination.

Until he finally disappeared from Crocodile's sight.

"Start the plan again?" Crocodile sneered, shaking his head. He raised his head expressionlessly, looking at the ceiling, "As expected, it's a pointless plan!"

As if remembering something, his eyes narrowed, revealing a ferocious smile, "How dare a mere East Blue Overlord mock me!"

He wouldn't forget that scene...

Even though he had been beaten and sent scrambling, the guy still had the nerve to stand in front of him after he had fallen and say those words to him.

[Is this the strength of a Shichibukai? Just as the boss said, those who indulge in relying on external things have long forgotten their ambitions!]

How laughable!

Crocodile's eyes flashed slightly as he muttered to himself, "East Blue Overlord—Moke, we will meet again someday!"

"Hiccup!" Moke rubbed his nose, a serious expression appearing on his honest face. "I think I've caught a cold. Why do I suddenly feel so cold?"

As he spoke.

Kuma beside him: ...

He reached out and touched Moke's shoulder, then looked at Moke again, saying faintly, "No, your body is very healthy!"

"Oh, is that so?" Moke scratched his head, then looked at Kuma in confusion. "Could it be that your medical skills aren't good enough to tell?"

"..."

"Never mind, I'll go back and ask Old Cro to take a look."

"...Mr. Crocas." Kuma looked at Moke helplessly, but after saying that, he seemed to remember something and frowned as he glanced back at Alabasta behind them, saying, "The Marine Hero and an Admiral are here, do we really not need to help BOSS?"

As someone who had experienced the God Valley incident and was a former Revolutionary Army member, he was very clear about the strength of an Admiral and a Marine Hero!

However.

"No need~" Moke waved his hand nonchalantly at Kuma's words, not worried at all. "Boss is also a Marine, what are you worried about? Besides..."

Seeing Kuma still frowning and about to say something, Moke leaned in mysteriously and whispered, "I'll tell you a secret, actually Vice Admiral Garp and Admiral Kuzan are our people."

"???"

Vice Admiral Garp? Admiral Kuzan?

Our people?

What was this guy talking about?

Before the shocked Kuma could speak.

"Shh~, don't tell anyone else! I promised Admiral Kuzan I wouldn't tell anyone casually!" Moke quickly winked at Kuma, then proudly patted his chest, "You know, I, Moke, am the man with the tightest lips on the sea!"

As he spoke.

"..."

Kuma looked at Moke with a strange expression and decided internally that he would never tell this guy any secrets in the future.

But hearing Moke's words, Kuma felt slightly relieved.

However.

Looking at Alabasta, which had already disappeared behind them, his brow furrowed again, and he muttered, "Marine Hero, Admiral... is that true?"