Chapter 640: The Second Warlord of the Sea

As Lu En's voice fell silent.

Crocodile, still in shock, swiftly took the invitation letter Lu En offered.

Then,

with inner confusion, he opened the invitation letter in his hands.

He pulled out the envelope inside,

and read its contents.

Not long after,

upon finishing the letter, Crocodile was shaken to his core and suddenly awakened, finally understanding Lu En's true purpose.

It turned out…

the man had never intended to capture him!

Rather,

he had come to invite him!

To invite him to join the Seven Warlords of the Sea!

To become a pirate recognized by the Marines.

To gain recognition from the World Government.

Thus,

as long as he did not commit grave offenses, he would no longer be hunted by the Marines.

From now on,

he could act with even greater recklessness across these seas!

Even,

his plan's success rate would rise steadily.

With the protection of the Seven Warlords of the Sea identity, his plan would no longer face failure.

As long as he exercised greater caution,

his plan would surely succeed!

The ancient weapon Pluton—he must obtain it!

"Seven Warlords of the Sea?"

"What an irresistible offer."

"Once I join the Warlords, my status will be recognized by the Marines. Then, from this day forward, Alabasta will naturally become my domain."

"In that case, finding the ancient weapon Pluton will become a simple matter."

"I no longer need to go to such lengths to feign friendliness—I can simply follow my plan as planned."

"This will also save me a great deal of time."

Crocodile smiled.

Unexpectedly…

it was truly a turn for the better!

He had thought

he would be captured and sent to the underwater prison Impel Down, living out his days in eternal confinement.

Who knew

in the end—

the man had brought him a Marine invitation letter.

An invitation to join the Seven Warlords of the Sea!

This perfectly aligned with Crocodile's goals.

It matched his objectives exactly.

Using the Seven Warlords of the Sea identity, he could conceal many hidden secrets and plans.

"Perfect!"

"Though I must pay a certain price, the cost is negligible compared to the gains."

"The price is small, but the rewards will be immense."

"Utterly beneficial with no downside."

"For me right now, this invitation to join the Seven Warlords of the Sea could not have come at a better time."

"It was made just for me."

Crocodile sighed in awe.

Joining the Seven Warlords of the Sea?

Even if only temporarily, it would bring him tremendous gains.

As long as he could successfully seize control of the ancient weapon Pluton,

then,

that would be the moment he overturned these seas.

By then, he would no longer care for the title of Seven Warlord of the Sea.

But before that,

this title was extremely important to him!

"Besides…"

"It seems I no longer have the means to refuse."

"If I choose to refuse, the monster Fist Demon Lu En will probably strike at me on the spot without the slightest hesitation, and might even kill me then and there."

"The more likely outcome is that I'll be arrested and sent to Impel Down."

"So, in truth, from the very start, I had no choice at all."

"I could only join the Seven Warlords of the Sea."

"This is the only choice laid out before me."

Crocodile thought this to himself.

He could not help but let out a bitter laugh.

To think that one day, he would be forced by someone into having no choice but to join the Seven Warlords.

Although this itself already fit his own thoughts and plans.

Still, the taste of being forced into joining the Seven Warlords was genuinely somewhat bitter and stifling.

The key point was…

He didn't even dare resist!

Only because,

the Fist Demon Lu En standing before him possessed strength that was simply far too terrifying.

Before such a monster, he didn't even have the capital to refuse.

Once he refused, it would be a dead end!

Even if he didn't die,

in the end he would inevitably be unable to escape the fate of being arrested.

And then,

the greatest probability would be being sent to Impel Down.

From now on, spending his remaining years inside Impel Down.

This is the greatest possibility.

As for resisting?

Crocodile didn't even dare think about it.

Otherwise,

just now, he wouldn't have shown such a look of being at others' mercy.

Now,

at the very least, his fate had reached a turning point.

Even if it was a turning point forced upon him by someone else, he was already content.

As long as he wasn't arrested, that was enough.

It was merely making him join the Seven Warlords of the Sea, that's all.

With this outcome, he was very satisfied.

"Have you thought it through?"

Lu En looked toward Crocodile.

"Is the content on this real?"

Crocodile took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing all the swirling thoughts in his head, and asked once more, tentatively.

"Of course it's real."

"The content above comes from our Navy's highest commander, Kong the Bonecrusher."

"He has no need to deceive you all on a matter like this."

"Now, tell me your answer and your choice."

Lu En cast a deep look at Crocodile, his gaze carrying a hint of playfulness and profundity.

If Crocodile refused…

He could only deal with the man on the spot.

Precisely because of this.

That was why he had spoken those words to the man just now.

In effect, it was to serve as a warning!

Once the wrong choice was made,

there would be no remedy for regret.

When that time came, Crocodile would have to face the corresponding consequences of his wrong choice.

"I agree to join the Seven Warlords of the Sea."

Crocodile exhaled heavily, and slowly began to speak.

At this point.

The second of the Seven Warlords of the Sea was born.

He wondered how things were going on Vice Admiral Tsuru's side.

But Lu En had already completed his mission on this end.

Successfully…

he had brought Sand Crocodile Crocodile into the fold of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, to maintain the balance of this sea, and to counterbalance the Four Emperors of the New World and the ever-emerging pirates of the Grand Line.

Before Lu En, Crocodile naturally had no capital to refuse.

"A very wise choice."