Carlmand had been in a terrible mood these past few days.
He wanted to find a soulmate like Kazu had, someone who could make the long voyage more fulfilling.
But after spending these past few days with Robin, Carlmand discovered that her thoughts were not on him at all. Instead, she frequently asked him about Kazu.
Carlmand knew perfectly well what that meant, but feelings were not something he could force.
He doted on her for two days, then, finding that Robin really had no feelings for him, simply dragged Behrens off to keep training hard.
Since Robin-chan did not like him, he would turn his grief and frustration into effort, keep improving his strength, and strive to stay strong and survive the journeys ahead.
As long as he stayed alive, he would meet his destined woman someday.
"We're here, guys!"
Kazu sunbathed on deck every day without fail, and by now, he had more or less become a stand-in lookout. Whenever anything happened, he was always the first to know.
Alabasta was one of the few superpowers in the pirate world, and its vast desert scenery had a charm of its own.
Kazu and the others did not need to worry about their ship at all. With Kazu around, everyone could go ashore to explore.
After docking at the harbor, Kazu and the others each bought a set of traditional Alabastan clothes, helping them blend into the country a little better.
"Say no more. Let's have a big feast and throw a banquet first."
Before Carlmand and Behrens could speak, Kazu settled their plans for the evening.
They bought some local wine and specialty camel meat, things that were hard to sample anywhere else.
Vast stretches of desert lay between the towns here, so they found an empty spot on the edge of town and held a desert barbecue banquet.
"Hahaha, this place really is pretty nice! It's our first banquet in the desert. You really know how to pick them, Kazu."
Carlmand, Behrens, and Robin ate and drank behind them while Kazu personally took charge of the cooking, intending to show off his culinary skills, with Makino helping him.
The banquet had a flavor all its own. Everyone ate their fill and thoroughly enjoyed the drinks.
Meanwhile, in a basement somewhere, a man sat on a sofa with a cigar in his mouth. Looking at the intelligence his subordinate had just delivered, he could not help frowning.
"The Blond Hair Pirates. Quite the big shot has shown up."
"But this is the place I've set my sights on. I won't allow you to run wild here."
"Looks like I'll have to go there myself."
Crocodile wore his hair in his signature slicked-back style, dressed in a black top and yellow trousers with a black coat draped over him. Even in a desert region like Alabasta, he did not feel hot.
Casually tossing aside the newly delivered intelligence, Crocodile decided to meet them during the day tomorrow.
If they knew what was good for them, he did not want to fight either. After all, causing too much of a commotion would be detrimental to his search for traces of Pluton.
But if they refused to appreciate his offer, he could only send them to their deaths.
When Crocodile was twenty, he had fought the nineteen-year-old Bullet to a draw.
He later continued making his way through the New World and eventually found a few clues about Pluton. Only then had he gladly accepted the position of Shichibukai offered by Marine Headquarters.
His purpose was to use that status to conceal his true objective and thereby fulfill his ambitions.
Not long after becoming a Shichibukai, he encountered the Whitebeard Pirates. After a fierce battle with Newgate, Crocodile was defeated and fled, making him crave Pluton's power even more.
After losing to Whitebeard, Crocodile followed the clues here.
He intended to use his status as a Shichibukai to build his reputation here, win the people's support, and then oust Alabasta's king.
That way, he could use the power of the entire country to search for Pluton's whereabouts.
He had been doing well lately, killing pirates who came to wreak havoc in Alabasta and already earning some prestige in the surrounding towns.
Yet just then, the Blond Hair Pirates had come swaggering into Alabasta.
Crocodile could not allow that. He was not afraid of Bullet, and he even dared to take a few swings at Whitebeard to his face, let alone a mere Blond Hair Pirates crew.
He had heard that Her Kazi had fought Marine Admiral Aokiji for half a day and ultimately escaped Loguetown successfully. Presumably, he had some skill.
Early the next morning, Carlmand dragged Behrens off to search for the desert princess of their dreams.
Robin planned to buy some books, while Makino wanted to stock up on local specialty ingredients, leaving Kazu forced into the role of bag carrier.
By the end of the morning, both women were satisfied, having obtained what they wanted.
"Let's go. A special guest is coming today. Let's meet him outside town."
Seeing that the two women had more or less finished shopping, Kazu felt it was time to get down to business.
"A guest?"
Robin and Makino were both intelligent women and knew that an enemy had come looking for them.
Still, from Kazu's relaxed tone, they could tell that the other party would not be too powerful. At the very least, Kazu could definitely handle him.
Kazu led the two women around turn after turn toward the outskirts of town, where the desert made it more convenient to do things.
Whoosh~
Sure enough, before the three had gone far beyond the town, a gust of windblown sand appeared before them, and Crocodile's figure slowly took shape.
"Hahahahaha! A pleasure to meet you, Her Kazi."
Crocodile still sported his slicked-back hair and coat, paying no heed to the current temperature.
With a cigar in his mouth, he carefully sized up Kazu before him, paying Robin and Makino no mind at all.
"Oh?"
"Well, if it isn't Crocodile of the Shichibukai. Are you blocking my way because you want me to loosen up those bones of yours?"
Kazu's words were thoroughly provocative. Crocodile narrowed his eyes and frowned, with veins even showing on his forehead.
"You little brat, you've got quite a sharp tongue. I was planning to spare you as long as you obediently left Alabasta."
"Now it looks like you'd better stay and become a dried-up corpse in this desert."
The moment he finished speaking, Crocodile raised his golden hook and charged.
Armament Haki turned the golden hook black. Its surface was also coated in deadly poison, giving the black a hint of purple.
"Die, you foul-mouthed brat!"
Crocodile had read the news about Kazu and knew that he, too, was a Logia Devil Fruit user, so he attacked with Armament Haki right from the start without holding back.
Kazu raised his right hand and clenched it hard around empty air. Muramasa appeared directly in his grasp.
"Riki Sword Technique."
Kazu brought his sword down hard on Crocodile's hook, the clash of metal ringing deafeningly.
Crocodile still possessed two types of Haki at this point. That did not surprise Kazu.
After all, it had not been long since his Pops, whom he had acquired so easily, had defeated Crocodile. His spirit had not yet deteriorated to the point of losing his Haki.
In a few more years, Crocodile's strength would probably plummet.