Crocodile had a plan.
He'd team up with Nico Robin and casually stroll around the city.
While discussing future strategy, they might even take out a few pirates along the way for entertainment.
That way, he could accept the Red Hair Pirates' favor without getting tangled up with the slave traders.
It was a perfect plan.
But when they actually put it into practice, things went slightly awry.
He wasn't sure who it was—maybe that Jolian?
In any case, he'd butted in with one unnecessary comment, and the four of them ended up switching partners. Everything had gone completely off the rails!
"Hmm-hmm~ Mm! Bouncy-bouncy..."
Uta hummed an unfamiliar tune as she walked ahead of Crocodile.
The latter had an unlit cigar between his teeth and a deep furrow between his brows.
"Red-Haired's daughter, huh?"
He had to admit, Uta's singing voice was lovely. It even gave people the feeling they'd fallen into a dream.
Crocodile didn't dislike it.
But Uta's personality was clearly cut from the same cloth as Shanks's.
Her boisterous words and careless manner were especially hard for Crocodile to deal with!
"Tch..."
He clicked his tongue.
Crocodile suddenly thought of another question.
A very dark one.
Red-Haired knew exactly what kind of man he was. So how could he feel comfortable leaving his own daughter alone with him?
As he pondered this, a flintlock pistol pressed against the back of Crocodile's head.
Crocodile's pupils contracted sharply. He turned and saw a muscular man with long black hair.
Most of the man's hair was tied up, with a lock hanging over his forehead.
He had a cigarette between his teeth and wore a black shirt and green cargo pants. A faint smile played on his face.
Crocodile recognized him and exclaimed in surprise,
"Ben Beckman..."
The