However, when he saw the recruitment flyer from the one who poached his targets, Crocodile's face turned green.
Even the cigar at the corner of his mouth slanted as he slammed the flyer onto the table while cursing furiously.
"Which bastard dares plagiarize my idea?"
The first line printed on that recruitment flyer was: "Sincerely inviting you to build a Utopia together!"
After viciously cursing that copycat, Crocodile forced himself to calm down a bit. He continued reading the information provided by the West Blue underworld forces.
The salary did seem a bit better, but that wasn't the main point.
What mattered more was…
"A rising star of the West Blue? The newly promoted underworld force, one of the Five Major Families of the West Blue, the Grado Security Company."
Crocodile sneered with contempt. "Security company? You're already an underworld syndicate. Do you really think changing the name means you aren't a mafia? A mere small mafia family dares to provoke me? Ridiculous."
He skimmed the name and continued down, but what he saw next made him frown again.
Gini, originally a small-time thug from a remote area of West Blue, killed the former Grado Family boss, Victor, and became the new head of the Grado Family.
The Grado Family officially renamed itself as Grado Security Company.
Later, for unknown reasons, they were targeted by the Capone Mafia Family but unexpectedly defeated its boss and seized most of its assets, becoming one of the Five Major Families of the West Blue.
Note: Confirmed that there is another boss behind Grado Security Company.
Name: Ian.
Former West Blue Branch Base 315's Lieutenant.
Unknown reason for retirement.
Strength is questionable.
The boss of the Capone Mafia Family was killed by the hidden boss of Grado Security Company.
None of that mattered much to the Crocodile. As long as they weren't those top fighters who stood atop the world, he believed he wasn't weaker than anyone.
However, the information that followed made his pupils contract.
Currently residing in the Sibia Village in West Blue, and has already started a family.
The founder of Sibia Green Grape Wine appears to be retired and preparing to live a quiet life.
However, based on what has already happened, this guy does not seem as calm as he appears and is suspected of having some unknown secrets.
At the same time, from the Sibia Green Grape Wine and the anti-crime sweep incidents, it is inferred that he has a close relationship with two high-ranking officers at Marine Headquarters.
The exact nature of the relationship is still unknown.
Crocodile's eyes were fixed tightly on the last line of the information: Has a close relationship with two high-ranking officers at Marine Headquarters!
Although the document did not specify who they were, the advertisement of Marine Headquarters' must-drink fine wine, Sibia Green Grape Wine, placed below made it clear at a glance what the underworld organization that commissioned this report wanted to imply.
Hero of the Marines, Garp!
Marine Headquarters' Chief Instructor, Zephyr!
There was no doubt that these two were indeed high-ranking officers in Marine Headquarters, and moreover, ones who stood at the very top.
Crocodile once again gazed at the information in his hand, his face shifting from gloomy to sullen, his brow furrowed as if he were pondering something.
To be honest, at this stage, he really did not want to attract the attention of Marine Headquarters, especially not from two such terrifying individuals.
The anger he had felt over having his people taken was already beginning to subside.
Crocodile lit the cigar in his hand, took a fierce breath, then exhaled a smoke ring, eyes deep as he stared at the information on the table, muttering: "Just a few tools. I can find replacements. I'll settle accounts with them later!"
Only those tools did not matter to him. They could be replaced. The orphan of Ohara... was extremely important.
It concerned whether he could obtain an Ancient Weapon, settle scores with that man, and achieve his dream.
So he absolutely had to get that Devil Child!
However, when he looked again at the intel on the table, his head hurt.
Although he did not know what the Marine Headquarters high-ups were planning to do in the West Blue, no matter how he looked at it, the West Blue was not calm right now.
Crocodile held his cigar in his left hand while his right finger tapped lightly on the table, producing crisp clicks, his brows still tightly knitted as though pondering something.
After a moment, he finally let out a long sigh, clamped the cigar between his teeth again, and stood up with determination in his eyes.
"Fine. In that case, I'll take a trip to the West Blue myself!"
The Devil Child, Nico Robin; he would get her himself!
…
"Achoo!"
"Dear, what's wrong..."
Robin looked curiously at Ian, who had sneezed in the sunlight, brows slightly wrinkled.
"Could it be that you've been too tired recently?"
"No. I'm brimming with energy. I could fight for three days and three nights with no problem."
Feeling that Robin was doubting his physical condition, Ian squinted and stroked his chin. "It just feels like someone wants to steal my wife!"
Robin rolled her eyes at him, yet the slight upward curve of her lips showed she was quite happy seeing how nervous he looked.
As for his words, she was not worried at all. Only Ian would truly take her in.
Everyone else only cared about the knowledge in her head.
With a gentle smile on her face, Robin lightly stroked her slightly bulging belly.
"Want to go see the new house?"
Ian looked at Robin with a smile. "Yesterday I heard from Village Chief Martin that the house is almost finished."
The architect from the big city truly lived up to his name. Spring had barely passed, but the house was already nearly built.
Since Robin was pregnant, he had not gone to the back mountain for training recently. He trained near home instead.
He was only developing Haki and Devil Fruit abilities lately, so it made no difference whether he went or not.
Once he gains some insights, he can go again.
Speaking of which, didn't Binz say Ain had a gift for him? It had been so long. Where was the gift?
"The house?"
Robin's voice came just as Ian drifted into random thoughts.
She smiled and nodded. "Alright!"
"Then let's go! Let's see how the architect that Village Chief Martin, invited from the big city, did!"