Capítulo 299: Chapter 299: Plant A Tree
(T/N: There is now a p.atreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early release of up to 30 chapters edited smoothly. https://www.p.atreon.com/INeedRest)
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Regarding Crocodile, Colt didn't care about him, nor about his combat power.
He had only one goal, and that was Nico Robin.
So, he didn't plan in fact to have anything to do with Crocodile.
However, he found that his subordinates were too capable, which was also a helpless situation for him.
Kisame seemed to have misunderstood his thoughts, believing that Colt had something in mind for the famous sand Shichibukai.
Coupled with Sasori and Deidara having directly killed Moria, the current state of affairs became more complex.
Now there were six Shichibukai (Kuma had not yet joined; he only became one after Ace's failed attempt to recruit him), and Colt had already gained control of two of them.
He simply accepted this fact and considered it expendable.
But now that he was here and things reached this state, Colt thought of a mission for the warlord.
As for Colt's task for Crocodile, it was very simple: collect food and supplies.
From all kinds of Sea Kings to the most basic provisions—everything was needed.
Crocodile was startled for a moment after hearing this request.
He didn't know why Colt wanted this, but he dared not ask.
After the recent events, Colt's unpredictable nature had deeply imprinted itself in Crocodile's mind.
He feared that if he angered him, he might lose his life on the spot.
And this was exactly the effect Colt wanted.
"How much do you need?" he agreed to the mission of course. So, he asked for the amount needed.
"The more the better; you need to gather enough to support at least one hundred thousand people." Colt tapped his fingers lightly on the table and ordered, "Stop your actions in Alabasta. Such a valuable country shouldn't be destroyed."
"Understood." Crocodile replied in a muffled tone, adding, "I need some time. Additionally, the assets of the Baroque Works won't last long."
What he needed was supplies enough for 100,000 people.
His usual funds were tied up in recruiting powerful individuals and purchasing weapons.
There wasn't much left.
A look of confusion crossed Colt's eyes.
How could Crocodile be so poor and still claim to be a Shichibukai?
Doflamingo was thriving—why was Crocodile in comparison struggling so much?
"If you don't have money, then rob it. Rob pirates, rob Marines, or even steal the Celestial Dragons' tributes."
Crocodile felt absurd hearing this.
If he had the power to do that, why would he even need to plan to acquire Pluton?
Crocodile's spirit had been shattered after his defeat by Whitebeard.
In the world of One Piece, courage and willpower were key factors in becoming stronger.
When a person becomes dispirited, their Haki weakens as well.
Crocodile and Moria were prime examples—one was crushed by Whitebeard, and the other lost everything at the hands of Kaido.
After more than a decade, neither had shown any improvement in strength.
They couldn't even maintain their previous levels of strength.
Understanding the issue, Colt ordered Kisame to leave with Nami and Robin, leaving Crocodile alone.
"Do you want to become stronger?"
Crocodile was stunned for a moment and laughed bitterly, "Can I even become stronger at this point?"
Colt didn't respond immediately.
His RinneSharingan's purple light flashed, and a black hole appeared out of thin air.
Suddenly, a massive tanuki-like creature was pulled out.
"This is..."
Crocodile stared at the massive One-Tail Shukaku, standing nearly fifty meters tall, sensing from him a power that felt oddly familiar to him.
"Where is this place? And who the hell brought me… here?"
The creature's shrill voice grated on the ears, but when Shukaku noticed the purple glow in Colt's eyes, he wisely changed his tone.
"Oh, it's Colt-sama." Shukaku's voice was full of respect.
"Go in," Colt commanded.
"Where to?" Shukaku asked, confused.
Colt pointed at Crocodile.
"From now on, follow this man. If he makes any wrong moves, kill him. But if he behaves, lend him your strength."
Shukaku glanced at Crocodile disdainfully but knew he had no bargaining power here.
Reluctantly, the tailed beast transformed into a stream of quicksand and flowed into Crocodile's body through his upper abdomen.
"What just happened?" Crocodile touched his abdomen, puzzled at how such a massive creature vanished.
"Not bad, kind of like that guy Gaara," Shukaku's voice echoed from within Crocodile, adding mockingly.
"Hehe, Crocodile, from now on, you'll be my sidekick."
"Sidekick?!" Crocodile couldn't sense Shukaku's presence and felt both bewildered and broken.
"What kind of monster are you?!"
He looked toward Colt, wanting to ask him to remove the creature, but Colt remained impassive.
"Don't look at me like that. One reason that Shukaku was brought here is to monitor you, but he'll also end up enhancing your power. As long as you remain loyal, he'll be your greatest ally."
As if he understood the cue, Shukaku released a bit of his power, causing the sand around them to stir wildly.
Outside the place, a fierce sandstorm formed instantly as the wind howled.
Crocodile was astonished, feeling as though the vast ocean of sand was now under his control.
Who was the real Sand-Sand Fruit user?
He was stunned.
"Can you feel it?" Shukaku boasted from within.
"If you cooperate with me, you'll be invincible in the desert. I am Shukaku! And I have absolute control over sand"
Crocodile's initial resistance faded, replaced by a wave of excitement.
All his years of work, metaphorically even eating sand in Alabasta, had been for the sake of obtaining Pluton—a weapon of unparalleled strength.
But with Shukaku's power, he realized that while it might not rival Pluton, it was certainly more fitting for him.
So, what if it was a monster?
Those who ate Devil Fruits were also considered monsters, weren't they?
Thus, he was a monster already.
Having figured it out, Crocodile felt a hint of gratitude towards Colt.
"Thank you, Colt-sama," he said, echoing Kisame's manner of address.
"You don't need to thank me. Just make sure to do your job properly." Colt waved his hand dismissively.
"I'll be taking Nico Robin with me. You don't have any objections to that, right?"
"None at all," Crocodile replied without hesitation.
Without the need for Pluton, Nico Robin had lost her value to him.
However, curiosity got the better of him.
"Colt-sama, what exactly is your goal?"
With power like the one Colt had and with his formidable subordinates, why had their organization remained in the shadows?
He had only seen Kisame but he knew for sure that there must be others…
"Goal?" Colt paused, surprised by the question.
He slowly raised his head, his gaze drifting upward toward the sky.
"My goal is to plant a tree at the highest point in this world."
Capítulo 300: Chapter 300: Doflamingo
(T/N: There is now a p.atreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early release of up to 30 chapters edited smoothly. https://www.p.atreon.com/INeedRest)
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Fortunately for Alabasta, Colt's appearance spared them three years of suffering.
After facing the reality of what was going on, Crocodile quickly went into action.
First on the agenda was ending the dance powder incident he had started before.
He was ordered to terminate it.
With some remaining inventory on hand, Crocodile found it wasteful to simply destroy it.
Instead, he located two scapegoats, blaming them as the instigators of Alabasta's suffering.
It was rather easy for someone like him to do so. The two weren't good people at any rate.
He then publicly burned the remaining dance powder, enhancing his reputation and establishing himself as a true national hero.
Even King Cobra of Alabasta expressed his gratitude, welcoming Crocodile into his palace for dinner with the king.
However, Princess Vivi, though still young, harbored suspicion and hostility toward Crocodile.
Crocodile just didn't care, however; it was just the view of a young girl.
He had already destroyed all evidence linking him to any wrongdoing, even if it raised some doubts.
Did King Cobra suspect him before?
Of course, he did. And he still does to this date.
But why was he still so welcoming?
Because he understood that the world was not only about right and wrong; it was also about strength and weakness.
Now that Crocodile had publicly ended the incident, it meant that the matter was closed.
Cobra had no other choice.
Crocodile wasn't a weak person from their perspective…
With the dance powder incident settled Crocodile turned to other pressing matters—making money and gathering resources.
Crocodile started reassigning Baroque Works operatives, sending his elite members to Whiskey Peak.
As an experienced pirate, he knew how to make money fast.
Those fresh to the Grand Line, coming from across the seas, were often wealthy elites carrying fortunes.
When these newcomers first entered the Grand Line, they were likely at their wealthiest.
By using his people as pirate hunters, Crocodile could not only plunder their wealth but also hand them over to the Marines for additional income.
The main reason?
Colt's massive needs: starting with providing enough supplies for 100,000 people, as such, he required as many as possible.
When the numbers climbed, even basic supplies came at a tremendous cost.
But during this time, Crocodile noticed some unexpected competition.
A pirate hunter named Kakuzu had recently risen to prominence—he was not only powerful but he was also targeting pirates aggressively, often within Crocodile's area of influence.
The most troubling was the news that the Marines were impressed by Kakuzu and were even considering him for a position among the Shichibukais.
If Kakuzu actually became a Shichibukai, wouldn't he become even more powerful?
Faced with this new rival, Crocodile went to Colt, who was busy collecting points by healing people.
"Kakuzu, did you say?"
Watching the Wood Clone outside tirelessly healing others, Colt stayed in the room, drinking as he listened to Crocodile's report.
"Yes, Kakuzu has hunted various pirates with a collective bounty total reaching over one billion berries recently, many of them were Baroque Works' targets."
Colt's mouth twitched as he set his cup down.
This… he knew quite well.
Not long ago, Kakuzu had sent over Colt's cut, totaling 600 million berries.
To avoid delaying his earnings, Kakuzu stored the berries in the coffin of the [Impure World Reincarnation], allowing Colt to summon them directly.
He was a true, hardworking ally.
Unexpectedly, his activities had caught Crocodile's attention.
It seemed Colt had to explain things.
"What? Is he also one of your subordinates?"
After Colt's explanation, Crocodile was shocked, blurting out in disbelief.
"Ah, well, kind of," Colt replied.
"I'll contact Kakuzu and arrange for him to share this territory with you."
Colt took out a small den-den mushi and began dialing.
Although contacting Kakuzu through the [Impure World Reincarnation] or [Rinnesharingan]'s remote communication would be faster, Colt had recently become fond of the communication method of this world.
He found it amusing how it mimicked the expressions of the person on the other end.
Yesterday, he had called Sasuke and had nearly laughed himself to tears.
Seeing Sasuke's serious expression on a tiny snail was hilarious.
********
Meanwhile, in the Grand Line— Jaya Island.
Jaya held many legends, the most famous being the tale of the land of gold preached by the great liar Noland.
Long ago, Jaya and the Sky Island had once been one, until an upward current separated them, sending part of the island to the White Sea, creating the Sky Island.
Though Noland's words were dismissed as lies by many, some still believed in the land of gold.
Jaya had since become one of the most pirate-populated areas in the first half of the Grand Line.
And with so many pirates came pirate hunters.
Kakuzu being one of the best to do it, was taking full advantage of this paradise.
In his pursuit of wealth, Kakuzu had become the most disciplined pirate hunter in the world of pirates.
Marine's bounty conditions required hunters not to carry a bounty on their own heads, and Kakuzu respected the rule as long as he profited from it.
"Once I finish these two, I can head to the nearby Marine base to collect the bounty."
Studying his notes, Kakuzu silently walked into a bar where two supernova pirates, each worth 100 million, were drinking.
He muttered to himself, "That guy, Uchiha Sasuke, has a bounty of over a billion, but I'm no match for him…"
The thought of maybe capturing Sasuke and cashing his bounty stirred a strange excitement in Kakuzu.
If only he knew Sasuke better; a partnership with the kid could also be very profitable.
Dividing the spoils with the guy, and giving him 20% sounded worthwhile.
Kakuzu pushed the bar door open.
To his surprise, he was met with silence and a room full of corpses, including his two targets.
Sitting at the bar was a tall figure with small sunglasses, a pink feathered coat, and a glass of wine in hand.
"Shichibukai Doflamingo."
Kakuzu's voice held a note of displeasure as the shadows around him seemed to shift restlessly.
"Are you here to steal my prey?"
Doflamingo burst into laughter, his sinister grin widening.
"Fuffuffuffuffu… Kakuzu-san, don't misunderstand," Doflamingo replied.
"These two can be considered a gift from me to you."
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