Late at night, in the residence of the Five Elders, World Government.
"Crocodile again? Isn't he appearing in the news a bit too frequently these days?" said one of the Five Elders, a bald man with a white mustache.
"What happened this time?"
"He killed the sole heir of the Andia Kingdom. The incident has been fully verified, and it matches Crocodile's one-sided accusation. While he cannot be entirely blamed, targeting nobility is still a bad signal." The elder with a scar over his left eye frowned.
"The Marine Headquarters suggests removing Crocodile from the Shichibukai."
"What do you all think?"
"This would be unwise. If he had displayed extreme hostility towards the World Government, then removal would be necessary. However, since the trouble originated from the prince of Andia, and another Shichibukai was present at the scene, outright expelling him would unsettle the others." The long-haired elder, with a white beard flowing down his chin, shook his head.
"But if we don't punish him, such reckless behavior might become the norm, which would weaken the World Government's authority and the nobility's status. The Andia Kingdom also won't be easily appeased."
"This is troublesome. He doesn't have any hidden bloodlines, does he?" The bald elder with glasses hinted at something deeper.
"You're worried about the D.?"
"The seas are always in turmoil, and that family is the most active. If any danger arises, it must be extinguished immediately to prevent it from affecting Lord Imu."
"I understand. However, we've gathered detailed intelligence on Crocodile in the past. He is not a descendant of that clan. The most pressing issue now is how to deal with him."
"A compromise. Keep his Shichibukai title, but we won't interfere if the Andia Kingdom seeks revenge. Observe the situation—if Crocodile finds himself at a disadvantage, we'll take the opportunity to revoke his status. He has been quite controversial lately. If he withstands Andia's retaliation, he remains a Shichibukai. What do you all think?"
"Agreed."
—
Andia Kingdom.
A Den Den Mushi call ended, and the middle-aged king suddenly erupted in fury. The maids and royal guards attending to him were all slaughtered, and the entire palace was filled with an oppressive aura.
"Anlun!" the king shouted. A shadowy figure appeared before him.
"The World Government refuses to remove him from the Shichibukai and won't cooperate with our hunt. Our military also cannot be mobilized to Lantis Island immediately. To prevent his escape, I need to put a bounty on his head in the underground world. This task falls to you."
"Understood. The price?"
"Iron City—its entire population, land, and resources. Whoever brings me his head will become the independent ruler of Iron City under the Andia Kingdom. Alternatively, they can exchange it for an equivalent sum in Berries." The king was almost mad with rage. Offering land as a bounty was unheard of.
As an economic powerhouse, a city's ownership meant more than just wealth—it was power and influence. This was enough to drive bounty hunters, pirates, and criminals across the world into a frenzy.
Why do so many people take to the seas? For wealth and power. The king wasn't offering just money but an entire city—a title that carried both wealth and authority. It was a gamble that no rational king would make, revealing just how deeply he had doted on his only heir.
The underground world erupted. A king had placed a bounty on Crocodile, a Warlord of the Sea, offering a prosperous city in return. Such an insane and tempting reward hadn't appeared in a long time.
—
New World.
"Hahaha… This bounty is too generous to refuse! Crocodile? A so-called powerhouse of Paradise? A weakling who doesn't even dare enter the New World? I'll take his head myself." A burly, scarred man sneered at the latest bounty notice in a tavern.
For the powerful figures of the New World, the first half of the Grand Line was nothing more than a playground. Only the New World was a true battlefield filled with monstrous strength.
"A prosperous city? Boys, we've found our retirement home! As long as the Four Emperors rule, we'll never have our turn to rise. Spread the word—we're heading back to Paradise! With a developed city as our base, we can grow stronger and return to conquer the New World. The title of Pirate King will be mine!"
"A Shichibukai whose pre-title bounty wasn't even over a hundred million? Is he really that weak?" Many were tempted—not just the strong, but also those with middling power who wanted to try their luck.
"A city? Not interested. If I wanted one, I'd just conquer a country myself." However, the truly top-tier figures showed little interest.
Most of those eager for this bounty were lone wolves or small crews. Those who already wielded significant power in the Grand Line or New World didn't covet a single city.
Still, many bounty hunters and pirates began to stir. The bounty provided specific coordinates, making it easy to hunt Crocodile down. Underground factions nearby also started mobilizing—some working alone, others forming alliances.
Time and again, history proved that few could resist the lure of wealth and power. The closer they were to Lantis, the more they saw this as a golden opportunity.
But there were exceptions.
One such man was Brito, a pirate with a bounty exceeding a hundred million, who had once been punched across an island.
"Go on, go on. Try your luck and see if you come back alive."
A monster who could punch him away even when heavily wounded? You think he's an easy target? More like a lump of iron that'll choke you to death.
"Captain, are we really not going? It's not far from us, and that's Iron City! I just bought some intel—it's an incredibly wealthy place. The entire city could be ours: women, fine liquor, Berries…" A crew member couldn't stop fantasizing.
"None of that matters to the dead. Focus on training your strength. No one is allowed to go." With that, Brito left.
"What's wrong with the captain? Ever since the battle in Liquor Town, he's seemed troubled. Could those rumors be true—that he lost his nerve after fighting that Shichibukai?"
"So… what should we do? Do we go?"
"Of course! That city is worth more than a dozen small islands. The more people get involved, the greater the chaos. With our Devil Fruit powers, we have a good chance of taking Crocodile's head." The Hope brothers made up their minds.
"What about the captain?"
"Don't worry. We'll stay on the island for a while. Just say we went out to have fun."
"Alright!"
(End of Chapter)
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