Invited to Participate in the Summit War!?

Alabasta, Rainbase.

Deep beneath the Rain Dinners Casino, inside Crocodile's office.

Crocodile was currently reclined in his boss chair, feet propped up on the desk, a cigar clamped between his teeth as he spoke into a Den Den Mushi.

"You've already met him?" Crocodile inquired.

Nico Robin's voice drifted from the Den Den Mushi, responding softly: "I have. He is currently at Little Garden."

"And the task I entrusted to you—how did that go?" Crocodile asked again.

"Not particularly smoothly. He is indeed interested in you, but he did not accept my invitation, saying he would personally travel to Alabasta later to discuss matters with you face-to-face," Robin replied.

After a brief pause, Robin glanced at Bane, who was sitting quietly beside her, and added to the Den Den Mushi: "However, I don't think you should be too optimistic. That man is brimming with ambition; his interest in you may not be for the sake of cooperation. I suspect he is more likely looking for a chance to kill you."

"Heh heh heh." Crocodile's sinister laughter echoed from the Den Den Mushi. Once he finished, he said dismissively, "I told you, don't mistake me for some second-rate pirate. I like ambitious men; they are easier to put to use."

A moment later, however, Crocodile asked one more thing: "Did you manage to probe any of his background?"

"His presence is overwhelming, and he is quite confident. While he appears somewhat rough, he is not reckless. His mind may be quite complex. As for the rest, I didn't probe further. I get the feeling that man has a bad temper; given my strength, I fear that if I were to annoy him, I would be in danger," Robin provided the intelligence quite naturally.

Crocodile didn't overthink it. Although he didn't trust Nico Robin, he didn't believe that a simple encounter between her and this man named Bane would lead to betrayal; after all, it defied logic.

At most, Nico Robin might have some hidden agendas, such as using that man to keep him in check.

But Crocodile didn't care about such things; he was supremely confident in himself.

Thinking that he would still need Nico Robin to decipher the Poneglyph later, Crocodile said, "Then stop probing. Just make sure to keep yourself safe."

"I understand," Robin responded softly.

"So, what's next? Should I return first, or continue to keep an eye on him here? It seems he has no intention of leaving Little Garden anytime soon," Robin asked.

Crocodile was a bit puzzled, asking curiously, "Why? Is there anything worth lingering for in Little Garden?"

"Uh," Robin hesitated for a moment before saying, "He seems quite fond of the dinosaur meat barbecue here. He said he wants to eat the dinosaurs into extinction. Does that count as a reason?"

Crocodile was stunned by this, remaining silent for a long time. Once he regained his senses, he sneered, "Then let him eat his fill. I have no use for him at the moment. As for you, if there is nothing else, return as soon as possible."

"Understood," Robin agreed submissively.

After hanging up the Den Den Mushi, Bane smiled and said, "Well played. He shouldn't be suspicious, right?"

"Crocodile is a naturally suspicious person, so I gave him more negative intelligence. That way, he will actually dispel some of his doubts," Robin said with great composure.

She had worked under Crocodile for many years and understood his temperament quite well.

Seeing this, Bane didn't say much more and remarked, "In that case, you should head back to Alabasta first."

"What about the eyes I've placed around you? Do you need me to take them back?" Robin didn't object, instead bringing up another matter.

Bane waved his hand. "No need, leave them. They'll be my subordinates eventually anyway."

Just as Bane finished speaking, a volcano on Little Garden suddenly erupted, and like a signal, it startled the two overlords of the island.

These were the two captains of the Giant Warrior Pirates from a hundred years ago: Blue Ogre Dorry and Red Ogre Brogy.

The central area of Little Garden seemed to transform into a gladiatorial arena. The figures of the two giants gradually emerged from the dense forest, and the moment they saw each other, they swung their massive weapons and clashed.

Robin clearly hadn't known there were two giants here, and she watched the situation with a look of surprise. "This is?"

"Nothing, just two warriors who have been fighting for honor for a hundred years," Bane waved his hand.

However, just as he was watching the giants' battle with interest, the Den Den Mushi that Nami had tucked away in her 'Nami Valley' began to ring.

Nami took out the Den Den Mushi with great composure, glanced at it, and handed it to Bane. "It's from Smoker."

"Smoker?" Bane took the Den Den Mushi, which still carried Nami's body heat and scent, with some confusion. He answered, "Smoker? What do you want with me?"

"Sorry to bother you, Bane," Smoker greeted first, then said, "Just as you guessed, we in the Navy have finalized the operation against the Whitebeard Pirates. The location will be our Marine Headquarters, Marineford."

"Oh?" Bane asked with even more confusion, "Although I did guess as much, why are you telling me this all of a sudden?"

"Vice Admiral Garp feels that since you are one of the core members involved in this incident, would you like to come to Marineford to observe the operation? It would also be a chance to get a deeper understanding of our Navy," Smoker inquired.

Bane pondered for a moment, then retorted, "Observing the battle is a lie; being used as bait to lure the Whitebeard Pirates in is the truth, right?"

Although the Navy already had Teach and Ace in their hands, one could never have too much bait. As the man publicly recognized by the Whitebeard Pirates as the one who killed Thatch, and with a bounty of 500 million Belly on his head, if he also appeared at Marine Headquarters, the Whitebeard Pirates would have one more reason they absolutely had to come.

"Cough, cough." Smoker was clearly embarrassed after being called out, so he quickly said, "At the very least, the invitation we issued is for observation. As for other reasons, I am not at liberty to say. Of course, this is an invitation, and it naturally depends on your willingness. If you don't want to, we won't force you."

To Smoker's surprise, Bane didn't refuse. Instead, he laughed and agreed, "No problem. I am very interested in observing such a world-class battle on-site. Furthermore, I have great admiration for our former Navy Admiral Zephyr senior. To be honest, the reason I went to sea to become a pirate hunter is because I idolize him. If I go to Marine Headquarters this time, I must ask you to introduce me."

In truth, the idea of inviting Bane to Marine Headquarters wasn't Garp's, but that of the Fleet Admiral Sengoku. Smoker just found it inconvenient to tell Bane that, so he pushed it onto Garp.

And Sengoku's intention was, without a doubt, the same as Bane's guess: any extra leverage for the war was a good thing.

Thinking about it, introducing Bane to Teacher Zephyr wasn't a particularly difficult task, nor was it an unreasonable one, so Smoker agreed directly: "No problem. I should be heading to Headquarters in a while, you..."

"I'm currently in the Grand Line. If I arrive first, I'll wait for you at Sabaody Archipelago," Bane responded after some thought.

"Good, it's settled then," Smoker agreed.

The two didn't say much more and soon hung up the Den Den Mushi.

After looking at the Den Den Mushi in his hand, Bane asked Nami, who was standing to the side, "What's the date today?"

"April 26th. Why?" Nami replied casually, taking the Den Den Mushi from Bane and tucking it back into her valley.

"Nothing," Bane said softly, a smirk playing on his lips.

Garp's other precious grandson is about to set sail. I wonder if he'll be able to make it out of the East Blue this time?

One must remember that Garp is still in Loguetown. Judging by what Smoker said, he is almost certainly going to set off with Garp. If he delays things here a bit more, who knows—Luffy might just end up reuniting with Ace in a prison cell.

After all, if Smoker couldn't handle Dragon when he came to the rescue, could Garp, as a father, really let Dragon ride all over him?