"Click—"
A busy signal came from the Den Den Mushi. In the lavishly decorated study, Crocodile silently smoked his cigar, staring wordlessly at the Den Den Mushi on the desk, seemingly not yet recovered from what the Gorosei had told him.
That was right. The one he had just spoken to was the highest authority in the World Government—the Gorosei.
"Save my life?!"
"What kind of joke is that? I'm Crocodile."
"A mere Marine Admiral, and you think he can threaten me?"
"Even if Tsugikuni Yoriichi himself showed up in Alabasta, I wouldn't fear him in the slightest!"
Crocodile's deep voice echoed through the study. He had no doubts about the intelligence provided by the Gorosei. Such information would be extremely easy to verify, and there was no need for the Gorosei to deceive him over something like this.
It was the World Government that had taken the initiative to seek cooperation with him. If they wanted to reach a preliminary agreement with him, they naturally had to display their capabilities. If they could make mistakes even in basic intelligence work, then the World Government would never earn Crocodile's trust.
Tap—tap—
Crocodile lightly drummed his fingers against the tabletop, a thoughtful expression appearing on his face.
He held no favorable opinion of the World Government, nor could he fully trust the Gorosei. At the same time, Crocodile was a proud man. Even knowing that he was in danger and about to face a Marine Admiral, he felt no fear whatsoever.
That said, Crocodile cared greatly about the promise the Gorosei had offered.
Shichibukai.
While the eyes of the world were focused on Marine Headquarters and the New World, the title of Shichibukai, which had only emerged in recent years, had been quietly growing in influence.
Once pirates recruited by the