Issho: Bane's Connections in the Marines Were Seriously Powerful!

Meanwhile, in Crocodile's office beneath Rain Dinners.

Crocodile was biting down on a cigar as he listened to Nico Robin's report.

"He's upstairs right now?" Crocodile exhaled a puff of smoke with an arrogant expression.

"That's right. I had him wait there while I came down to ask you: do you need me to summon him?" Robin asked, putting on the air of a loyal subordinate.

Crocodile examined Nico Robin carefully with a scrutinizing gaze. After a moment, he waved his hand. "I'll wait for him here. Go bring him to see me."

"Understood." Robin nodded lightly, then left the room.

After Robin departed, Crocodile thought for a moment before deliberately adopting a more intimidating posture. He turned his executive chair around, facing his back to the door. With a cigar clenched between his teeth, his expression gradually tightened, making himself appear more inscrutable.

Clearly, Crocodile intended to use these little details to establish himself as someone not to be trifled with during their first meeting, thereby seizing the initiative in the conversation to come.

While Crocodile was busy putting on his brooding act, Robin searched upstairs for quite a while before finding Bane's group in the buffet area at the corner of the casino, chatting with some blind middle-aged man she didn't recognize.

The moment she approached, she heard the blind man cursing. "I only went to the Gran Tesoro once, and that Tesoro slandered me like this. It's outrageous! The next time I go there, I'll make him pay!"

"Exactly! That bastard went too far. You could tell at a glance he was no good, talking trash about people behind their backs!" Bane agreed emphatically from the side.

Without the slightest awareness that he himself was the one badmouthing others behind their backs.

Nico Robin was puzzled by their conversation. How had this gotten tangled up with Tesoro again?

She slowly walked up behind Bane, while Issho seemed to sense something and turned toward Robin.

Bane naturally noticed as well. The moment he turned around, he saw Robin and said, "Crocodile said he's waiting for you in the office downstairs."

When Crocodile's name came up, Issho's brow twitched almost imperceptibly. He hated Pirates, and Crocodile was one. From the sound of it, this casino was Crocodile's too?

Issho quietly made up his mind never to come here again.

At the same time, he had originally felt somewhat guilty about misunderstanding Bane. Coupled with how well they had gotten along just now, he had formed a rather favorable impression of Bane. But upon hearing that Bane had dealings with Crocodile, he immediately felt that Bane probably wasn't any good either.

Before that thought could settle, however, Bane waved his hand dismissively. "If that guy likes waiting, let him wait a little longer. Can't he see I'm right in the middle of a great conversation with Brother Issho?"

Robin???

No, sir, had he forgotten what he came here for?

Hearing Bane's tone, Issho could tell that Bane seemed to dislike Crocodile intensely. He wanted to ask why, but felt it would be inappropriate.

Yet if he didn't clarify whether Bane and Crocodile were allies or enemies, he wouldn't know what attitude to take toward Bane. After a brief hesitation, Issho could not help asking, "Mr. Bane, forgive my impertinence, but what is your relationship with that Shichibukai?"

Bane might have brushed anyone else off, but he was exceptionally sincere with Issho. Grinning, he said, "No need to be so formal. Come to think of it, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm a bounty hunter. I came to find Crocodile this time to take that bastard's head!"

Issho was dumbfounded by that answer!

Wait, Bane had come to kill Crocodile? Then why was Crocodile inviting Bane to meet him?

Did that make any sense?

Nami also spoke with a proud look. "Brother Issho, you might not read newspapers, but you must have heard that a Whitebeard Pirates commander was killed recently. That was our Boss Bane!"

Issho had indeed heard of the incident. But since he could not see the newspapers, he naturally had no idea what Bane looked like. He said respectfully, "So that's how it is. Since you dared to strike against the Whitebeard Pirates, you must be someone devoted to justice."

"I am indeed devoted to justice. To be honest, I'm quite close with the Marines. Before long, I'll be visiting Senior Zephyr, the former Marine Admiral, at Marine Headquarters. If nothing unexpected happens, I'll also be invited to join the Marines afterward." Bane spoke in an exceedingly humble tone.

Upon hearing that, Issho felt a stir in his heart.

As a man who would later rise in one leap to become a Marine Admiral during the World Military Draft, how could he possibly not yearn for the Marines?

Issho was fairly confident in his own strength. He had considered joining the Marines these past two years, but he had no intention of starting as an ordinary recruit. Unfortunately, he had no connections in that regard, so he had never found a good solution. It was only later, when the World Military Draft came along, that he finally rose to the top in one stroke.

Of course, he had no way of foreseeing the World Military Draft now. But hearing Bane speak as if he had tremendously powerful backing in the Marines, as though visiting a former Admiral at Marine Headquarters was as simple as dropping by a neighbor's house, Issho could not help feeling tempted.

Before Issho could settle on that thought, however, clever little Nami had already seen through Bane's intentions and cooperated perfectly. "And that's not all. Not long ago in the East Blue, my Boss Bane carried out a secret mission with Mr. Garp!"

Bane gave Nami an approving look, then put on an act and waved his hand. "Hey, hey, Nami, don't talk nonsense. This concerns core Marine secrets. Fleet Admiral Sengoku repeatedly warned us not to reveal this kind of classified information carelessly during this period."

Zoro was left staring in disbelief. Hadn't it been Captain Smoker who warned them? How had it turned into an order from the Fleet Admiral?

The two of them played off each other so smoothly that Issho's blood began to race.

Good grief. Just moments ago, it had only been a former Marine Admiral. Now it was the Hero of the Marines and the Fleet Admiral himself!?

Bane's connections in the Marines were seriously powerful!

An idea formed in Issho's mind. After considering it for a moment, he asked, "So your trip to Alabasta to deal with Crocodile is also connected to the Marines?"

Bane pretended to fall silent for a moment before speaking. "Brother Issho, I feel like we hit it off at first sight. I can see you are also a man devoted to justice, so I won't hide it from you. That's right. I came to deal with Crocodile this time at Senior Zephyr's request."

I'm taking out Crocodile so that, in the future, I'll have enough funds and a mature industrial chain to support Boss Zephyr in building the Neo Marines. So it's not wrong to put it that way, right?

Issho clearly held Admiral Zephyr, whose reputation across the seas was excellent, in great respect. His expression immediately turned solemn. "Since you have spoken to me from the heart, Brother Bane, I shall also speak frankly. I have long wished to join the Marines, but I have never had a suitable opportunity."

After briefly recommending himself, Issho said, "Crocodile has committed countless evils in Alabasta. If Brother Bane needs any assistance in this operation, I will not hesitate!"

Bane was immediately delighted. He had already been confident he could take down Crocodile, but now that even Issho wanted to join, he could only feel that Crocodile's luck had been terrible lately. This time, Crocodile was as good as dead.

"No problem. I have some connections in the Marines. If you want to join our great family of justice, Brother Issho, then come with me to Marine Headquarters afterward. We'll join the Marines together. Don't worry, I've got people above me!" Bane declared boldly, thumping his chest.

That was exactly what Issho had been waiting to hear, and he agreed at once.

Meanwhile, in the office on the second underground floor, Crocodile's face was nearly frozen from holding his brooding pose. He was deeply confused. More than half an hour had passed already. Why the hell hadn't that bastard come yet?