Thump thump thump--
A knock sounded in Crocodile's spacious office. The enormous Banana Crocodile in the indoor crocodile pool seemed to sense something and timidly sank back into its shell...
Not only was the arrival incredibly illogical—it arrived directly at his doorstep without alerting anyone—but also... from the moment his footsteps sounded, the surrounding atmosphere seemed to shift into a sinister, eerie atmosphere.
"He's not here!" Crocodile said, clearly displeased.
However, the door opened, and a long face that felt both strange and familiar to Crocodile, yet also very eerie, walked in.
What's unfamiliar is that Crocodile doesn't recognize this person at all; what's familiar is... he'd seen this face in a report before; and what's strange is that Crocodile feels a sense of familiarity with his aura!
The unusual activity preceding the "contract" particularly reminded Crocodile of Siegfried.
But...
"Shiryu?" Crocodile frowned as he looked at the person in front of him.
"Heh, as allies, shouldn't you recognize me just because of my face and body?" Sig didn't change his appearance or clothing; everything else was his usual way of doing things, and he didn't imitate Shiryu.
Sig could forcibly Distortion flesh and blood to temporarily revert to his own form, but... since it wasn't his own body, it was a consumable item that could easily be damaged, so Sig wouldn't easily Distortion Shiryu's flesh and blood.
"Why are you like this? Have you realized how ugly you are?" Crocodile wasn't worried; it was "Shiryu" trying to trick him.
However, he hadn't completely believed that the person in front of him, who looked like "Shiryu," was Siegfried. He simply assumed that the other party represented Siegfried because of the contract's reaction.
"It's nothing, just a change of body, a bit of relaxation," Sig said, as if it were a trivial matter.
Crocodile merely sneered at this, realizing that "Siegfried" wouldn't tell him the truth.
"You're doing pretty well in Alabasta! When you met Cobra before, although he had doubts about you, he had already tacitly agreed to give you control of the Western Continent." Sig said, finding a super luxurious chair and sitting down.
Crocodile, upon hearing Sig's words, showed no smugness; clearly, his ambitions extended far beyond that. He simply pulled out a cigar and lit it...
Sig, without any hesitation, walked over and took Crocodile's cigar box.
This scene undoubtedly made Crocodile even more puzzled— Siegfried shouldn't have the habit of smoking, but Shiryu was a heavy smoker!
Yes, Sig does not smoke, but... as an ethereal body, the physical body does not have no effect on the Mind Body, or even the Spirit Body. Sig has been "borrowing" Shiryu's body, which also has some reverse effects on him.
This is why Sig rarely does this when he's at Sequence 6. After advancing to Sequence 5, the impact is much smaller, and since they're still "human," the influence can be controlled.
However, it's better to combine guidance and suppression in such matters. For example, Sig didn't deliberately suppress his smoking addiction, since it was a "non-issue." Once he gave up Shiryu's body, Sig could quit smoking with a single thought. As for the influence on his temperament, that's what Sig tried his best to suppress.
"That 'time' you mentioned, it hasn't arrived yet, has it?" Crocodile asked, seemingly casually.
"No, it's not that demanding. I still need to prepare a bit more."
Sig's promise to Crocodile was that, at a certain point in time, Crocodile would be able to activate Alabasta and unleash its full "power" to help him usher in a new era for the seas!
Sig also realized that Crocodile wanted to use this opportunity to test his identity.
Sig didn't need to prove anything; he just wanted the man to know that he had indeed come because of the "contract."
There's no need to convince Crocodile that "Siegfried" has reappeared; it's better if he remains uncertain.
Sig learned about the current situation of the Western Continent directly from Crocodile —besides the obvious seawater Purification device, Crocodile had an even bigger secret here: "IQ".
That's the thing Golden Lion Shiki made before...
Now Crocodile has moved it to Alabasta, and even the land has been "transplanted" to the desert, surrounded by tight security.
Crocodile didn't need these rare beasts mutated under the influence of IQ to actually serve as combat power; instead, he sold them to Tesoro...
Tesoro then sold these to Kaido, who used them to create counterfeit Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit!
The success rate is even lower, but once successful, it grants the user not only physical mutations but also some "superpowers," much like how some mutated rare beasts can use fire, lightning, or poison gas. Kaido loves it...
Wano Country's logistical efficiency has greatly improved, but Kaido's "sales channels" are actually fewer than in the original work, with most of the goods flowing to Tesoro. Naturally, most of the transactions between Tesoro and Crocodile are settled in the form of arms and weapons.
Crocodile already possesses a sizable armed force in the Western Continent!
It is also because of this revenue that Crocodile is able to "subsidize" the Western Continent, allowing the seawater Purification plant to operate at a loss.
Without considering the deal with Tesoro, the seawater Purification plant simply couldn't sustain itself. The benefits from expanding the habitable area wouldn't even cover the energy consumption of the seawater Purification plant. However, with the unique business of the IQ Beasts, the situation is completely different.
After hearing this, Sig slammed his hand on the table, then frowned and said, "Crocodile, isn't that the key point? What about what you were looking for in Alabasta?"
"Didn't find it," Crocodile said truthfully.
Although he had a stern face, Sig could still tell that he was hiding something.
"I want to see Nico Robin," Sig said directly.
Crocodile may not have found "Pluton," but he has found Nico Robin, who is the key to his success!
Crocodile glanced at Sig, then burst into laughter. "Hahaha, so you still believe in the legend of One Piece? You were saying before that placing your hopes on 'Pluton' meant your heart was already old? What are you now? Half-buried in the ground?"
Partly he was testing the limits, and partly he was testing whether the person in front of him was really Siegfried or just putting on an act!
Sig's expression remained unchanged as he replied, "No, I'm only 'interested,' I haven't placed any hopes on that kind of thing."
"Oh? Then where does your hope lie?" Crocodile said, scrutinizing Shiryu's face intently.
Rather than asking about "hope," he was asking Sig about his "vision" for the future, which also relates to Crocodile's attitude towards this contract.
Sig's expression turned serious. Just as Crocodile expected him to say something interesting or surprising, Sig asked with utmost seriousness, "Do you believe in 'God'?"
Crocodile:???