Vic's harshness towards Saturn wasn't Vic didn't know how important the Five Elders were to his promotion to Marine Admiral; for now, his best option was to remain patient, appease, and choose sides.
However, he couldn't completely control his emotions when facing the Five Elders. He knew too much about the Five Elders' filth towards the world. They might be natural adversaries. Bowing down to the Celestial Dragons for the sake of status was more painful than killing him. Hiding his murderous intent towards the Celestial Dragons was already the limit; he couldn't do anything else!
"Stop."
After putting away the Den Den Mushi, Vic called out to Crocodile as he was about to leave, "You've finished talking to Saturn but haven't talked to me yet. Are you already thinking of leaving? Are you going to repeat the same mistakes and try to steal the country again? What are you thinking!"
"Is there anything else? I've already reached an agreement with the World Government, are you still going to keep me here?"
Crocodile, now backed by the World Government, is no longer so afraid of Vic. In his mind, the two are now practically colleagues. Dark Dragon might make a move, but he would never take Crocodile's life. In his understanding, the Navy would never disobey the World Government's orders.
"Although you are now a reserve member of the Shichibukai and have reached some agreements with the World Government, I still have to add some conditions for you. Consider it a restriction on you as the Navy, but it won't affect your agreements with the World Government."
Vic couldn't simply let Crocodile become Shichibukai as in the original story. How many people in Alabasta would die because of him? Vic might as well kill Crocodile now. When he decided to make Crocodile Shichibukai, he had already decided to put another shackle on Crocodile.
"What? Restrictions? What do you think you're doing? I'm Shichibukai recognized by the World Government, don't you dare mess around!"
Crocodile had a bad feeling. His body quickly turned into elemental form, transforming into a wisp of sand and flying into the distance.
Before the sandstorm had gone very far, Crocodile was blasted back to his original form by a Inazuma -fast punch from Vic. Crocodile's elemental transformation was of little use to Vic, who could find Vic true form in an instant. Not to mention that Crocodile's previous injuries had not yet healed, even in his full condition, he was no match for Vic.
After defeating Crocodile, Vic immediately drew Blood Wither, wrapped it with Armament Haki, and flashed to Crocodile lying on the ground clutching his stomach, the tip of the blade pointing directly at Crocodile's neck.
Crocodile's face was ashen, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. He stopped all movement, staring at the blade that could kill him at any moment. His eyes were filled with disbelief; his previous conversation with Saturn seemed like a hallucination.
"Agree to my terms and you can become a Shichibukai. Don't agree and you'll die right now. I'll just report that you were too badly injured during the assessment and couldn't hold on. I'll be fine. So, which do you choose?"
Vic stood not far from Crocodile's arm, tilting his head slightly to glance at Crocodile on the ground. His right hand and the Blood Wither were pointing at Crocodile in a straight line. At this moment, Vic's domineering manner was completely unlike that of a Marine. In Crocodile's eyes, he was more like a pirate than a Marine!
"Okay! Go ahead and say it, I'll agree to anything!"
Crocodile swallowed hard and said with difficulty, thinking that he hadn't yet signed a contract with the World Government to Shichibukai one of the Shichibukai yet, and being killed wouldn't matter much.
Isn't it perfectly normal for the Navy to kill pirates? If Vic kills him, he'll at most be punished, but it won't be a big problem. It's different for him; he'll lose his life!
"After becoming Shichibukai, don't wander around unless summoned by the World Government. Use Alabasta as your base. Your Devil Fruit ability is also suitable for this country. I want you to protect Alabasta, deal with other invading pirates, and not disrupt the balance of this country. Become a hero of this country. This does not conflict with your contract as Shichibukai. These are my conditions."
Vic said calmly that he didn't mind Crocodile becoming Shichibukai because he himself was in the Navy. As long as he was in the Navy, Crocodile wouldn't dare to cause trouble, so it didn't matter if Crocodile became a hero of Alabasta.
"Okay! I agree!"
Crocodile assumed that Vic was unaware of his true purpose in staying in Alabasta. He was more than willing to stay in Alabasta as Vic had allowed him to, and as for being a hero in the open? He was fine with that, as long as he carried out his plans in secret.
Crocodile was unaware that Pluton ' information was in the palace; he would only find out after Robin arrived. Therefore, he didn't think it would conflict with Vic's conditions, and he agreed without any burden.
Chaka and Pell had been listening to the conversation between the two men. They had also seen the conditions for the Shichibukai Vic had given them during Crocodile's call.
Already furious about the World Government's conscription of pirates, he was even more dissatisfied with Vic's decision to leave Crocodile in Alabasta, even feeling that Vic was somewhat heartless—was this how he repaid them after entertaining them for so long?
However, upon hearing the rest of the story, I learned that Vic wanted Crocodile to protect Alabasta for the sake of the country's security, and my impression of Vic immediately improved.
They know how dangerous a country without military power can be. Newspapers frequently report on countries being destroyed by pirates, who then plunder and leave, after which the country changes dynasties. Ordinary pirates wouldn't dare to occupy an island and become king; if you don't run away, the navy will come to surround and suppress you.
"Of course, I also have a more personal matter that I need your promise. In the future, a boy wearing a straw Straw Hat may come to this island."
He's new to the industry and might be a bit reckless, which could lead to some conflicts with you, and he might even try to hit you. I don't care how you deal with him then.
There's only one condition: you're not allowed to use Haki against him. Otherwise, even if you kill him, I won't say a word. But if I find out you used Haki, I'll kill you no matter what happens to the Straw Hat kid!
At this moment, Vic remembered what the mysterious man in black robes had said about Nika when he left, and then he thought of Luffy's future, so he added a condition on the spot.
Even if Crocodile could easily dominate him, in Luffy's eyes, who had just set Luffy, it was an Haki obstacle. How could Crocodile possibly win Luffy Crocodile with his Haki? Should he Awakening his Nika Form prematurely?
Vic knew that Crocodile's lack of Haki in the original work was due to the absence of this setting in the early stages, but the world he was in now was a real world, and the settings would inevitably remain consistent. Although long-term neglect would weaken his Haki, it wouldn't disappear entirely.
Therefore, Crocodile already possessed both types of Haki at this point, and he will continue to do so later. Thus, Vic must provide Luffy with an extra layer of protection.
Nika is absolutely key to overthrowing the World Government in the future; he's the one chosen by the Devil Fruit, so nothing can happen to him!
If we have to force an explanation for why Crocodile didn't use Haki when fighting Luffy in the original work, the most likely explanation is that someone else intervened.
After all, quite a few people are paying attention to Nika. Now, Vic suspects that the mysterious man in black robes warned Crocodile. That means there's a force behind the scenes protecting Luffy. Does Dragon's Revolutionary Army also belong to this force? The questions seem to be piling up!
"Okay! I agree to that too!"
Crocodile readily agreed, after all, Dark Dragon was talking about something that would happen in the future, and it was still unknown whether such a boy would appear in the future. Right now, the most famous one wearing Straw Hat was Red-Haired Shanks.
However, Shanks is not a teenager, so we can rule him out directly. If it really Shanks, even if he used Haki, it wouldn't be effective. So, if a teenager wearing Straw Hat really appears in the future, he should just stay behind the scenes and avoid facing him, so as not to attract the evil star, Dark Dragon.
"Since you've agreed, leave the palace. Don't leave Alabasta lightly unless absolutely necessary; I'll be keeping an eye on you."
After retrieving the Blood Wither Dried Blood, Vic calmly remarked that Crocodile was no match for him now, and it would be even more difficult in the future.
Crocodile stood up, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, gave Vic a deep look, and then transformed into his elemental form and flew away with the wind. He didn't want to stay where Vic was for even a moment longer.
Although he had lost his challenge to Whitebeard, Whitebeard had no intention of killing him. At most, Whitebeard thought he was still strong and wanted to take him in as a son, but he felt it was an insult and refused.
That's how it is among pirates; there's no such thing as defeating someone and then killing them. It all depends on individual thoughts and moods. But facing Vic's emotionless gaze, he felt that if he didn't agree, Vic would kill him without hesitation. He wouldn't be like Whitebeard, who would give you a chance to challenge him and then use his personal kingly aura to subdue you.
The reason he wasn't afraid of Whitebeard was that he wouldn't kill you directly unless you harmed his son, leaving room for maneuver. But the Navy had no concept of letting pirates go, killing them at the drop of a hat, and at best sending them to Impel Down to eat.
" Rebecca! Assist me with my training today. We'll leave Alabasta tomorrow; we've already been here quite a while."
After Chaka and Pell went to report on Crocodile, Vic specifically asked Rebecca to assist him in his training. Besides him, Rebecca had the strongest Armament Haki. Since they were going to go through it all anyway, they might as well start with the strongest and work their way down to the weakest.