One Piece: Start as a mythical beast, practice to become stronger

With the final document in the conference room, everything was settled.

Crocodile left his seat and walked towards the door. Every step he took seemed unusually easy, with complacency written all over his face.

Gang Gukong and the others had already left, leaving only Jin An with the other party.

Jinan's mission was not yet completed, so he stood up and prepared to go to the port with him.

They walked through the long corridor, their footsteps echoing off the walls of the old naval headquarters.

The two walked out of the building, the sun shining on them, and the sea breeze blew gently with a warm and humid breath.

"I didn't expect that I would need you to accompany me back to the port in the end."

"Actually, I can go there alone."

Crocodile looked up at the vast sea ahead.

That will be his ideal starting point and also the beginning of a new journey.

Jin An stood quietly beside him as an escort, with his hands behind his head, pretending not to hear what Crocodile said.

What a bastard, he has been secretly mocking him in his words all day long.

Don't let him catch us next time, otherwise send this sand crocodile to Advance City to keep Barrett company.

If he remembered correctly, after Crocodile arrived in Alabasta, in order to maintain his image, he caught pirates for a long time and was featured in newspapers many times.

Crocodile didn't expect the other party to answer. He smiled and walked towards the port.

They moved slowly towards the port, one after the other, in coordinated steps.

At this moment, every step Crocodile takes seems to be telling the world that his plan has been accomplished, and every breath he takes is filled with desire and confidence for the future.

As Crocodile got closer, the scene of the port gradually became clear. Waiting for him was a ship ready to set sail and endless possibilities for the future.

"..."

The waves gently brushed over the hull, and as I climbed aboard this old ship, every wooden plank exuded the scent of time.

Crocodile frowned and looked behind him in confusion, with a few dark lines appearing on his forehead.

"Aren't you a marine?" He suppressed his desire to beat someone up and asked word by word, "Why are you following me on board?"

A figure followed behind Crocodile.

Jin'an stepped onto the deck that belonged to the pirates with heavy but helpless steps.

Faced with Crocodile's questioning and the wind blowing in his face, Jin An rolled his eyes, his face full of reluctance.

"Do you think I want to go?"

He finally met Shanks, Kuma and the others, and now he needs to accompany Crocodile to Alabasta. He is the most depressed one.

But the order was irresistible.

The old man's instructions rang in my ears: "Send Crocodile to Alabasta."

"I'll give you a promotion and a raise when you come back."

All the promises made by Kong Gu are like farts.

Last time I said I would give him a reward, but there is still no sign of it till now.

Make a lot of promises before the mission, and pretend to have amnesia after the mission.

I have really lived to such an old age in vain, and I am so disrespectful to the elderly...

Crocodile's eyes wandered over the cargo and debris on the deck of the ship, and finally stopped on Jin An who was already sitting beside him.

There was an uncomfortable doubt in his voice, as if he was asking about a secret that was full of loopholes: "Why didn't I see Marshal Kong come to you to explain something?"

Jin An sat down quietly, picked up a rope blown by the sea breeze and fiddled with it, and a smile appeared on his face again.

His answer was somewhat veiled in ridicule, "What else did you care about at the time besides the terms the Navy gave you?"

Crocodile coughed lightly, trying to let the embarrassment go away with the wind.

He paused for a moment, then suddenly turned his head and looked in the direction of Marinford which had disappeared from his sight, recalling the intensive negotiations and terms.

Crocodile's eyes narrowed slightly, and he admitted his momentary negligence, "It seems so."

He was in deep thought, frowning, and couldn't help but feel new wariness about this voyage.

It was also his fault that he was careless and did not notice this matter at that time, otherwise there might have been room for maneuver.

Now that he had an additional burden, he had to think carefully about the next course of action. At the very least, he had to hide his previous preparations and not let Jin An know about it.

Jin An leaned on the side of the old boat, his eyes as deep as the waves, and an elusive smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

His eyes briefly swept over Crocodile's figure, a look that saw through the other person.

Just like an old hunter who knows the small beasts that walk lightly in the forest.

Jin An understood what the other party was thinking.

He turned his face away indifferently, his back to the sunlight, and a shadow seemed to merge with his outline.

Crocodile's figure shuttled back and forth on the deck.

"Everyone, work harder. We need to reach Alabasta as soon as possible."

His eyes were fixed on the crew's movements, and commands jumped out of his mouth.

Even though Jin An was right beside him, he seemed to be non-existent. Crocodile's entire attention was focused on the work at hand, with a frown on his face.

Plans don't change quickly.

He raised his right hand and directed the crew members who were lifting the cargo. With the loud clicking sound of pulleys, the heavy boxes were lifted from the deck and then placed steadily in the corner of the cabin.

"..."

Jin An leaned against the wall, playing with a silver coin in his hand. His eyes seemed to look through Crocodile and into the deep sea.

There was a hint of his usual sarcasm on the corner of his mouth, and his tone was frivolous and confident, "Crocodile has done a good job of planning along the way."

"I would suggest you just join the navy."

“The benefits in the Navy are actually pretty good.”

"Would you like to consider my suggestion?"

Crocodile stood beside the table, tapping his fingers on the bronze compass, his usually cold eyes briefly flashing with a hint of surprise.

Soon, he regained his usual arrogance, "Lieutenant General, you are too kind."

"There are enough talented people in the navy. They don't need me."

"Besides, my dream is to become the Pirate King. I'm not interested in joining the Navy."

As he spoke, the corners of his lips raised slightly, forming a smug smile.

"So, you joined the Shichibukai just to increase your strength faster, right?"

Jinan tossed the coin into the air and caught it expertly.

"That's for sure."

"In this world, everyone is pursuing their own interests."

"Of course I am no exception."

Crocodile did not hide it and admitted it directly.

He knew since he was a child that only interests can make people progress.

People are not killed for their own sake.

The light of the oil lamp danced between the two people, and the atmosphere between them was like a taut string on a bow, full of subtle tension.

...

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