Chapter 355: Brother, You

Alabasta, rapeseed flowers.

As the kingdom's primary port city, Rapeseed not only boasts well-developed transportation and handles domestic and international freight, but is also famous for its perfume production and exorbitant property prices.

The secret base of the Cat Fushe is built on the outskirts of the city, not far from the harbor.

Inside a three-story, high-ceilinged Western-style villa, Crocodile is lavishly entertaining Mihawk and his two companions.

"Brother Mihawk, come, drain this cup."

Among this generation of the Saint Saint Saiwen Warlords of the Sea, Mihawk is the only one Crocodile deems worthy.

Not for any other reason, but because Crocodile once challenged the Four Emperors Whitebeard and was defeated, and Mihawk once challenged the Four Emperor Kaido and suffered the same fate.

More crucially—

Mihawk and he both chose to return from the New World to the乐园 to develop, their territories located on Gaya Island, near Saintin Island.

Their remarkably similar experiences led Crocodile to believe Mihawk was one of his own kind: both developing and lying low in the乐园, waiting for the right moment to strike back at the New World.

Compared to the two of them, what caliber are the rest of the Warlords?

Do they even deserve to sit at the same table?

Especially that recently deposed Hanafuza—he's brought nothing but shame upon the Warlords' reputation.

"Brother Crocodile."

Mihawk set down his cup: "You're too kind, but these two Devil Fruits... they're burning a hole in my hand."

Crocodile's lips twitched slightly.

As the current Warlord and head of Baroque Works, he wasn't green to the sea—he understood perfectly that Mihawk was demanding an advance payment.

Had it been any other time, Crocodile would have dragged out the payment as long as possible.

But this time was different.

This time, they were facing Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen, the former Emperor of the Sea with a bounty of 5.2 billion, and Crocodile had to tread carefully.

"Ha... ha... ha..."

With a strange laugh, Crocodile pulled a wooden crate from behind him and opened it—inside lay two Devil Fruits, spiraled with intricate patterns, shaped like a pair of gourds.

"Paramecia: Mimic Fruit."

"Brother Crocodile, you're a man of principle!"

Mihawk gave a thumbs-up. As a resident of Wano, he knew the Mimic Fruit all too well—its former user was Blackie Himu, who was executed by Kaido for interfering in his and Oden's decisions.

Though the Mimic Fruit grants little immediate combat power, its strategic value is immense.

For instance, impersonating the Five Elders or Sengoku.

The captain would surely be interested.

Add this to the previously seized Mythical Zoan: Nine-Tailed Fox form, and the Toki Toki Fruit, and the three of them are guaranteed the Starlight Guild's year-end bonus.

Reluctantly handing over the advance payment to Mihawk, Crocodile spoke.

"I invited you all here out of sheer desperation—I'm sure you're already aware that the Starlight Guild's leader, Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen, has arrived in Alabasta."

"Brother Crocodile, do you have a grudge against Lord Saint Saint Saiwen?"

As soon as Mihawk finished speaking, Cat Fushe and Brook both turned their gazes toward Crocodile.

If Crocodile truly had a grudge against the captain, they must bind him and deliver him to the captain's feet—lest they be written down on the captain's little black book.

"How could that be?"

Crocodile quickly denied it, sensing something off about their reactions.

"I'm just a lowly Warlord; he's a World Noble, a Celestial Dragon."

"I invited you only hoping that Lord Saint Saint Saiwen, out of respect for two Warlords, might spare the World Government some face."

"After all, I've heard that wherever Lord Saint Saint Saiwen goes, he recruits everyone he meets."

"And I'm unwilling to give up this patch of land."

At these words, Mihawk and his two companions exchanged glances, each catching the others' suppressed smiles.

The captain's reputation was truly terrifying.

Had they reduced a Warlord to this state?!

But sensing Brook's subtle signal, Mihawk suddenly stood up, feigning panic.

"Oh no, brother, you've ruined me!"

"If the three of us are taken by Lord Saint Saint Saiwen, all the hard work we've put into building our base on Gaya Island will vanish overnight."

Watching Mihawk's frantic demeanor, Crocodile blinked.

Hmm... maybe that's true.

Had he really ruined Mihawk?

What had been merely Crocodile's pre-prepared excuse to conceal the historical Poneglyph of the冥王—now, with Mihawk's outburst, Crocodile felt a sudden chill in his chest.

Could he really be interested in me?

I don't want to join the Starlight Guild, abandon my status as a Warlord, and become a subordinate to Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen?

Crocodile was cruel and distrusted everyone—only trusting himself.

Even as powerful as Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen, he acknowledged the man's strength but had never once considered joining anyone's faction.

Serving under others? How could that compare to the freedom of being your own boss?

But if Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen truly intended to recruit him, and he refused outright—what if he angered the man...?

"What should I do?"

Seeing this, Mihawk suddenly froze—he'd only meant to subtly hint to Crocodile that the two Devil Fruits weren't enough payment.

He needed more money!

He hadn't expected the man to misunderstand completely.

The Sand Crocodile seemed truly worried, wondering what to do if Captain Saint Saint Saiwen took an interest in them.

"This..."

Moriah held his forehead with one hand, a thousand thoughts flashing through his mind as he pondered how to talk his way out of it.

Even if the Sand Crocodile planned to run, they must settle the final payment first; after all, since they had come, they would demand payment regardless of whether they did the job or not.

Seeing the big patron fall silent, Brook spoke up to break the deadlock.

"As far as I know, Saint Saint Saint Saiwen usually issues an invitation to board first; if refused, he offers heavy profits, and there has never been an act of forcibly detaining people."

"You two need not worry at all."

"Although we must remain vigilant, with two Warlords of the Sea present, Saint Saint Saint Saiwen will certainly give the World Government face; moreover, do not forget, besides you two, only Tiger remains among the Warlords."

Listening carefully, the Sand Crocodile breathed a sigh of relief.

The World Government would certainly not allow the Warlord of the Sea system, which they had vigorously promoted, to end with only one Warlord remaining.

Saint Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen must give this face.

"That makes sense," the Sand Crocodile took up the thread.

"Brother Moriah, we will advance and retreat together then; I simply do not believe Saint Saint Saint Saiwen would dare deny the World Government face."

Even for a rampant pirate crew, clashing head-on with the World Government would yield no good result.

Cat Fushe, who had remained silent all along, suddenly spoke up.

"But in that case, would not our Moriah Pirates thereby anger Saint Saint Saint Saiwen?"

With his good brother Cat Fushe playing along, Moriah immediately unleashed unparalleled acting skills.

"Brother Crocodile and I hit it off at first sight; how could I flee the battlefield out of fear of Saint Saint Saint Saiwen?"

"You two, do not stop me."

The Sand Crocodile finally understood; Moriah was simply dissatisfied with the low reward. Indeed, pirates are never good people.

"Brother Moriah, I will add one Devil Fruit to the reward afterwards."

"Brother Crocodile, you are a man of principle!"