The curtains were tightly shut, and the lights were off.
The entire room was shrouded in dim darkness.
Only the ember at the tip of the cigar flickered with its owner's occasional breaths.
Crocodile made none of the pre-battle preparations outsiders might have imagined.
He simply sat cross-legged on the carpet at home, meditating with his eyes closed.
This made the Lynx Tribe members responsible for the household chores afraid to make any noise.
Yet they failed to notice the rare, nearly imperceptible loneliness on Crocodile's face, crossed by a horizontal scar.
A round yellow figure could not help appearing in his mind.
"Shukaku."
Crocodile murmured inwardly, with a hint of nostalgia.
If that noisy, hot-tempered fellow who had spent so many years with him were here—
He would surely use that uniquely shrill voice either to mock Crocodile for being challenged one after another,
Or to loudly demand that Crocodile take him along to wreak havoc.
Unfortunately.
Two years ago, in pursuit of becoming Sea Star's spirit beast and gaining a greater amount of Chakra,
Shukaku had voluntarily dispersed his body and merged into the cycle of Sea Star's natural energy.
By estimates, it would not condense and be reborn somewhere on Sea Star until July next year at the earliest.
So at this moment, there was no one he could chat with, even if it was only to trade insults.
Just then.
The silence was broken by a burst of "pururururu" ringing.
The uniquely designed Den Den Mushi on the table, dressed like a miniature Shukaku, suddenly opened its eyes and issued an urgent call.
Crocodile slowly opened his eyes, surprise showing in them.
Who would contact him at a time like this?
He reached out, picked up the receiver, and answered in a low voice, "Hello."
There