"Shut up! Are you trying to get yourself killed, asshole?"
Hanging upside down with his feet in the air and his head submerged in the sea, Crocodile's expression changed drastically as he roared.
He hadn't expected his subordinate to expose his background so recklessly.
At that moment, he felt utterly humiliated.
At the same time, guilt and fear surged within him.
He had come out clearly to carry out the mission that Kojin had assigned to him. Yet, because of a foolish impulse, he had challenged that man and ended up in this miserable state.
"Gurararara... Kojin, huh?"
"I didn't expect you to have such a background."
Whitebeard burst into laughter again, his eyes flickering slightly.
"Now I'm curious, when he hears this news, will he have the courage to come here and rescue you?"
Crocodile clenched his teeth, his face grim. If Kojin really came here, it would be like walking straight into a tiger's den.
Without a doubt, the Whitebeard Pirates' territory was the most dangerous place in the world.
Having personally challenged Whitebeard, Crocodile now had a clear understanding of his strength, it fully lived up to the title of World's Strongest Man.
In fact, he felt that Roger had probably been just like him.
If Kojin were to fall into such danger because of him, he would be overwhelmed with guilt.
"Old Man!" Marco called out in a low voice.
"Oh? Marco? What do you want?" Whitebeard replied with a faint smile.
"Shouldn't you make some preparations?" Marco pressed his lips together; his eyes were filled with tension and seriousness. "That's Kojin!"
Hearing this, Whitebeard was momentarily stunned. Then, he turned to look at his sons.
He noticed that Marco and the others all had grave and tense expressions. Some had beads of sweat on their foreheads and were trembling slightly just from hearing that name.
It was clear how much pressure that name put on them.
Upon further thought, however, it was only natural. Even Whitebeard could not ignore Kojin's astonishing achievements. The rumors surrounding him, along with Roger's past evaluation, carried an overwhelming sense of pressure.
"Preparation?"
Whitebeard's expression suddenly turned serious. Then, he abruptly swung his hand and smacked Marco on the head.
"Who the hell do you think I am?!"
"If I need to prepare just to face that brat... Then I don't deserve the title of World's Strongest Man!"
He paused, lowering his voice, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.
"And I would disgrace the name of Roger, who once stood as my equal!"
He suddenly stood up and flicked his fishing rod. Crocodile, who was tied to the line, had his head plunged straight into the seawater; bubbles rose rapidly.
"If he dares to come, then all the better; I'll fight him! I've been itching for a proper battle!"
Whitebeard laughed loudly.
Ever since Roger's execution, he hadn't had a serious fight. Now, upon hearing about the most renowned man of the current era, his blood began to boil.
However, Marco, Jozu, Vista, and the others all wore solemn expressions, feeling immense pressure. Though on the opposing side, that man possessed power that made them deeply wary.
Capturing Roger. Defeating the Golden Lion.
These two feats alone were enough to shock the world.
Among pirates, he was even called the nemesis of pirates—a devil-like Marine.
"I didn't expect this guy to have such a background."
But this is the Moby Dick.
"He wouldn't be bold enough to charge in here to rescue his subordinate, would he?"
Marco thought to himself, gradually relaxing.
"And besides…" He raised his eyes and looked at the towering figure ahead, smiling faintly. "The Old Man… is still in his prime."
If anyone truly understood the strength of the World's Strongest Man, it was undoubtedly his sons. In his prime, Whitebeard, when enraged and fighting at full power, possessed a force capable of shaking the heavens and making the entire world tremble.
Whitebeard glanced at Crocodile below and chuckled, lifting the fishing rod slightly. Crocodile's head emerged from the sea, and he gasped for air immediately.
His face was filled with anger. Several of his ribs were broken, and his internal organs had been shaken. Yet, he had no choice but to endure it.
"A Marine once mentioned by Roger... If you dare come here, let me see what kind of power you truly possess!"
Whitebeard smiled faintly, his eyes narrowing slightly.
——
West Blue, New Headquarters.
Kojin was overwhelmed with work. As the Marines expanded in size, the number of matters passing through his hands increased as well.
This included the finances of Vegapunk's experimental base, inventory lists, numerous transactions, West Blue mafia organizations, and missions across various branches and Ohara.
At that moment, he suddenly understood why ancient Chinese emperors often died young.
Handling government affairs like this was practically exhausting him, he was barely getting any time for movement or even sleep. Of course, people in such positions died early.
What frustrated him even more was that he had to handle many of these matters personally; he couldn't delegate them to Eveya.
"Vice Admiral Kojin!"
Hurried footsteps echoed as the office door was suddenly pushed open. Eveya rushed in, her face filled with panic and tension.
"This is bad!"
Kojin looked up, frowning slightly. "What is it?"
"Crocodile has been captured!" Eveya took a deep breath and said, her expression grave.
"Crocodile was captured?" By whom? Marine Headquarters?" Kojin was taken aback.
That shouldn't be the case.
With Crocodile's current strength, having mastered Marine Rokushiki, Armament Haki, and Observation Haki, he was already a well-known powerhouse.
As long as he was careful, the Marines shouldn't have been able to catch him.
"No... It was Whitebeard!" Eveya said, her voice trembling.
Kojin's entire body shook, his pupils contracting sharply. After a long moment, his expression finally calmed.
"So he still didn't listen to my orders... Crocodile!"
Sighing, Kojin shook his head.
He tapped his index finger lightly on the desk, producing soft knocking sounds.
Eveya stood to the side, waiting nervously. As a Marine, she clearly understood what the name Whitebeard represented in this world:
The World's Strongest Man.
He was one of the Three Great Legends among pirates and was now the only one still alive.
The uncrowned king of the New World.
He was a man whom even Marine Headquarters treated with extreme caution, rarely daring to provoke him.
For Crocodile to fall into Whitebeard's hands was an extremely serious matter. If handled poorly, it could trigger a war that would sweep across the entire world.
So, what would the Vice Admiral choose?
To rescue him...or not?
"Even if he wants to rescue him, it must be incredibly difficult... That's Whitebeard!" Eveya's heart trembled.
Even though the man before her had recently surpassed Golden Lion Shiki and withstood the combined force of Sengoku and Zephyr, it couldn't be said with absolute confidence that he could defeat that man.
During the Ohara incident, they had been former comrades and held back due to mutual sentiment.
But this time, they were truly enemies.
"Eveya!" Suddenly, the tapping on the desk stopped, and Kojin stood up.
"Vice Admiral!" Eveya snapped to attention and responded immediately.
"My ship...it's finished, right?" Kojin asked with a faint smile.
"Yes, it's docked at the base port." Eveya replied quickly.
Kojin nodded and stepped toward the door. Eveya froze for a moment, then hurried after him as her expression changed.
"Where are you going?"
The figure ahead moved quickly, his Marine cloak fluttering behind him. After four or five steps, his light laughter reached her ears.
"Don't ask such a foolish question next time." He paused briefly. "My subordinate has been captured. How can I, as his superior, just sit still?"
"Of course I'm going to rescue that disobedient idiot!"
His calm laughter made Eveya stop in her tracks.
"But... This time, the enemy is Whitebeard!" Her voice trembled, and fear rose in her heart.
Even years later, the terrifying pressure that Golden Lion Shiki had brought upon the G-18 fortress still haunted her.
What about someone even stronger, like Whitebeard?
"Heh. Whitebeard? He is terrifying."
"But I am Kojin."
His voice remained calm and steady.
Yet, the faint dominance and confidence in his voice made Eveya's pupils tremble and her whole body shake.
She came to her senses and hurried after him.
"You...you're really going?"
"Of course!" Kojin moved swiftly, already leaving the office building.
"Then I'll go with you!" Eveya gathered her courage and said through gritted teeth.
Hearing this, Kojin paused briefly before continuing to walk, a smile appearing on his face.
"No need. Just wait here for good news."
A flash of lightning burst before Eveya's eyes, and in the next instant, the tall figure ahead had vanished.
"I alone am enough!"
His voice, accompanied by faint thunder, echoed in the air.
"S-Sir..."
Eveya stood blankly staring toward the port where the flying ships were docked. After a few breaths, a small battleship shaped like a scepter suddenly shot out, crackling with electricity. Its speed increased rapidly as it ascended. Within ten breaths, it became a brilliant streak of lightning on the horizon and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Eveya returned to the office in a daze.
At some point, the Den Den Mushi began ringing.
"West Blue Headquarters, Commander's Office." She answered mechanically.
"Where is Kojin?" A stern voice came from the Den Den Mushi.
Eveya immediately recognized the speaker and jolted.
"Admiral Sengoku!"
"Where is Kojin? Has he seen the news about Crocodile?" Sengoku demanded.
"Vice Admiral Kojin… has already left!" Eveya replied, her voice trembling.
At Marine Headquarters, inside the Admiral's office, Sengoku's expression suddenly froze.
His fists clenched, then slowly loosened.
"Something big is about to happen…" He muttered with a sigh, his expression uncertain.
(End of Chapter)
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