Primitive Man

After fighting a creature called "Aiven Lindsey," Crocodile had realized something.

Was Lindsey's most troublesome quality his fighting strength?

No!

What a joke. Just a few hours ago, he'd only just learned how to walk.

Even with the advantage of a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit, how much could it really boost his fighting strength?

What truly made Lindsey troublesome—even terrifying—was his astonishing ability to learn!

Or rather, as a "creature"...

His Evolution Speed?

Crocodile couldn't describe the feeling.

It was as if Lindsey's potential was endless, and his limits impossible to gauge!

"Ahahahaha!"

Lindsey's laughter rang out.

Crocodile looked a little impatient, then closed his eyes to rest while turning the matter over in his mind again and again.

If they were on land, where neither he nor Lindsey risked falling into the sea, and they continued the fight they'd just started, how would it end?

Would he crush Lindsey outright with his fierce attacks?

Or would Lindsey's "Evolution Speed" be faster, allowing him to figure out how to counter Crocodile's moves?

Either seemed possible.

But Crocodile wasn't curious about the outcome. He wasn't some greenhorn who'd only just set sail.

A few years ago, he'd fought Douglas Bullet, the "Devil's Descendant," to a draw, then lost to "Whitebeard." In the end, the World Government had recruited him, and he'd become one of the Shichibukai.

Those experiences had made Crocodile increasingly cautious. He preferred to make plans before he acted.

And for now, at least, Aiven Lindsey showed no hostility. There was no need to risk letting Lindsey "evolve" further by fighting him to the death.

So Crocodile would let him do as he pleased!

"..."

Crocodile studied the sea chart, confirmed their direction, then picked up the oars and began rowing.

Lindsey watched with interest, eager to give it a try.

"Tch. There's only one oar. Don't cause trouble, you primitive man!"

Crocodile certainly didn't want to row for Lindsey.

At the same time, he didn't want Lindsey to break the oar and leave the two Devil Fruit Users with no choice but to row with their hands.

"Anyway, I'm heading back to 'Paradise'—the first half of the Grand Line."

Crocodile explained.

Then it occurred to him that the primitive man in front of him probably didn't know how the world was laid out these days, so he casually elaborated.

"The sea we're in now is called the Grand Line. This particular area is the 'New World,' the second half of the Grand Line. The first half is called 'Paradise.'"

"Besides the Grand Line, the Red Line divides the world into four seas..."

"..."

And so on.

Crocodile gave Lindsey a rough introduction to the world, mentioning the Great Pirate Era, the Grand Line, the Red Line, the Four Seas, the Calm Belt, and so forth...

Lindsey already knew all of that, but it was nice to have someone to talk to for a change, so he reviewed the information anyway.

Of course, Crocodile wasn't being nice for no reason. He had another purpose in mind.

As he explained the world to Lindsey, he focused on its geography.

There was a rumor at sea that the two stretches of "Calm Belt" bordering the Grand Line had been created by an Ancient Weapon!

If Aiven Lindsey really knew anything about the Ancient Weapons, he'd surely react to changes in the world's geography.

Crocodile carefully watched Lindsey's expression.

When he mentioned that the "Calm Belt was the nesting ground of Giant Sea Kings," Lindsey's head suddenly trembled.

Was that it?!

Crocodile's eyes widened. He was about to ask a follow-up question when he saw Lindsey slump over the side of the boat and fall fast asleep.

Crocodile: "..."

A few veins bulged on his forehead.

Just the kind of personality that really got on his nerves...

If he weren't still clinging to a faint hope of learning something from this primitive man, he'd have liked to throw Lindsey straight into the sea!

Crocodile rowed all night.

By dawn, he finally spotted the towering Red Line in the distance!

After rowing along its edge for a while longer, they came upon a huge port.

The port had been established by the World Government as an official passage connecting the two halves of the Grand Line.

It was used only for transportation and had never developed into a port town.

Crocodile gazed toward the docks and let out a gloomy sigh.

"We're finally here."

"Thanks for all the effort."

"I'm... fine..."

Seeing that Lindsey had finally woken after sleeping through the night, Crocodile's eye twitched. He forced down his irritation.

This was World Government territory, after all. His status as a Shichibukai made his presence legal, but keeping a low profile was still the sensible thing to do.

At the dock.

The two of them climbed out of the small boat one after another.

Crocodile then used his powers to turn the boat to sand, making it sink completely into the sea and leaving as little trace as possible.

"Pay attention and learn!"

Seeing the puzzlement in Lindsey's eyes, Crocodile felt some of his irritation fade.

They had to change boats anyway. Leaving the old one behind would only create unnecessary risks.

But Crocodile couldn't be bothered to explain, so he brushed him off.

"Figure it out yourself."

"Okay, I get it!"

Lindsey nodded, looking thoughtful.

Crocodile's eye twitched. He said slowly,

"There are usually only two ways to travel between the two halves of the Grand Line."

"Either change ships and take the official route over the Red Line, or take the risk of going underneath it, along the seafloor."

Crocodile lit himself a cigar.

"The official routes over the Red Line don't just connect the Grand Line. They also lead to the other Four Seas."

"But if you're an illegal pirate, your options are limited."

"So for pirates, once you set foot on the Grand Line, it's difficult to leave with any dignity, in a sense."

"You can either disguise yourself as a refugee and flee with your tail between your legs, or get captured by the Marines."

He paused, then suddenly said,

"Of course, you can always choose suicide and try to cross the Calm Belt."

He'd still hoped to learn something from Lindsey, but once again, he'd gotten nowhere.

Information about the Ancient Weapons was truly hard to come by. He could only make the best of what he knew and take things one step at a time.

"..."

Watching Lindsey, who seemed intent on taking a good look around the port, Crocodile rubbed his brow.

"Come on. The World Government keeps a tight grip on this place. Everyone here is just passing through, and even the merchant caravans carrying goods wouldn't dare linger."

"If you want to have some fun, wait until we've crossed the Red Line and reached the Sabaody Archipelago."

Sabaody Archipelago.

Hearing the familiar name lifted Lindsey's spirits.

Punk Hazard and the port on the Red Line both felt utterly lifeless. An island made for sightseeing, like Sabaody Archipelago, was far more exciting!

The two of them walked along with the crowd, following the route.

The status of a Shichibukai really was special.

They were great pirates who even the World Government found troublesome. Nobody wanted to provoke them, so they passed through without a hitch.

Soon, the two of them had reached the special route across the Red Line and covered most of the distance.

Lindsey silently observed everything along the way.

Many merchant companies were lined up, undergoing routine inspections by World Government officials to prevent pirates or contraband from slipping in.

As they walked, a special "merchant caravan" caught Lindsey's attention.

Like the others, they had a caravan, but their wagons carried not "goods," but a group of "people" in chains and shackles!

Lindsey knew exactly what they were: slave traders—

"legal" slave traders!

Crocodile noticed Lindsey's gaze and chuckled as he took a drag from his cigar.

"Hehehehe, let me explain this to you, primitive man."

"In this day and age, a 'person' can become a 'slave,' and 'slaves' are a kind of 'legal cargo.'"

"..."

Crocodile thought nothing of it.

He didn't care about the slave trade. That kind of business only brought in money, while what Crocodile truly desired was "military power"!

Lindsey nodded faintly.

As the two drew closer, the noise from the slave traders' caravan reached them.

Perhaps because they'd been waiting too long, the slave traders had grown bored and started taking out their frustration on the cheapest slaves.

Smack! Smack!

A whip lashed across a young slave's back again and again, leaving bloody streaks.

The young man knelt and begged the merchant to spare him, but all he got in return was the slave traders' laughter.

"..."

Lindsey watched in silence, his eyes shifting to the people around them.

The other slaves watched with numb expressions. Some were even relieved that they weren't the ones being singled out.

As for the ordinary people from the other merchant caravans...

Some took it as nothing out of the ordinary; others watched with interest, passing the time.

Laughter and screams mingled, muddled by their numb stares until they blended into a filthy sludge.

"...Hey!"

Lindsey suddenly grinned.

"Little Croc, look at them."

He patted Crocodile on the shoulder and pointed at the slave traders nearby, then at the many people around them. With a smile, he said,

"I thought I was primitive enough already..."