Pirate: I Maxed Out Conqueror's Haki First Because I Can't Die

Ivy said.

"Heh. Looks like that guy's gone back to being a pirate."

"Living out his dream?"

Xia Le smiled faintly.

Then he put the matter out of his mind.

Crocodile had been sent out on assignment. His task was to establish a worldwide intelligence network: Baroque Works.

For him, it ought to be familiar work, nothing too difficult.

Clearly, though, once he was free to travel, he had started doing as he pleased. He had even drawn a personal inquiry from Sengoku.

"Eighty-one million berries. Crocodile!"

"At least his bounty hasn't gone up."

Xia Le shook his head with a wry smile.

He set the wanted poster aside and soon returned to his other work.

He now handled assignments and appointments throughout the West Blue himself. The tedious work swallowed nearly all his free time.

"I'd love to just walk away from it all!"

"Oh well. I'll call it preparation for becoming Fleet Admiral someday."

Xia Le sighed.

It was Sea Circle Calendar year 1507, Xia Le's seventh year as West Blue Commander-in-Chief.

In the Second Half of the Grand Line.

"Boss, any farther and we'll be in Whitebeard Pirates territory!"

Aboard a pirate ship flying the skull and crossbones, a sturdy man with a scarred face spoke in a trembling voice.

"Whitebeard?"

"So what?"

"Just hearing his name has you shaking all over?"

Embers glowed at the tip of Crocodile's cigar as he spoke with scorn.

Since leaving the West Blue, he had felt free again. While carrying out Xia Le's assignment, he had also indulged his old taste for life as a pirate.

Now that he was back in these familiar waters, he could not help feeling a little nostalgic.

At the same time, excitement surged through him.

"That's Whitebeard, Boss!"

The pirate behind him sounded