Matsudaira Katakuriko pointed his gun at Crocodile, speaking one word at a time.
Each word seemed squeezed out through clenched teeth.
"Don't tell me the World Government is fictional in One Piece."
"Even if it really exists, where did this space fleet come from?"
"Don't underestimate an uncle who's still young at heart, you bastard!"
This time, it was Crocodile's turn to look confused.
"Weekly Shonen Jump?"
"One Piece?"
He repeated the terms in his mind, his brows faintly furrowed. His expression was clearly not an act.
Presumably, it was not referring to Gol D. Roger.
"My apologies, I don't understand what you mean."
"The World Government is the World Government. As for why it has a space fleet..."
Crocodile's tone suddenly turned meaningful.
"Everyone will understand soon enough."
As he spoke, Crocodile took something from the inner pocket of his suit.
It was a snail-like creature about the size of a fist, its shell covered in pale yellow spiral patterns.
When he gently set it on the ground,
two soft beams of white light shot from the little creature's eyes.
"Th-that is..."
Matsudaira Katakuriko felt as though his breathing had stopped in that instant.
His eyes widened to their limit as familiar scenes from manga flashed through his mind.
"A Den Den Mushi?!"
His unconscious murmur made Crocodile raise his brows in surprise.
"Oh?"
"You actually recognize it?"
But Matsudaira Katakuriko's reaction became even more intense as he suddenly shouted,
"I remember now! Y-you're Kuro of the Hundred Plans!"
"But weren't you a pirate?"
"How could I be a pirate? And what is 'Hundred Plans' supposed to mean?"
The more Crocodile listened, the more baffled he became.
Before he could finish speaking, a translucent light screen roughly two meters wide formed in the air.
The screen flickered a few