https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-94-Any-Interest-in-Deep-Collaboration-/12608635/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-96-What-Kind-of-Calamity-Called-the-Overlord-of-the-Sky/12608637/
Chapter 95: A Pirate's Code of Honor (4k)
Chapter 95: A Pirate's Code of Honor (4k)
"In-depth cooperation?"
Sark raised an eyebrow, "How do you intend to cooperate?"
What was there to cooperate on between a Warlord and an ordinary pirate?
Crocodile exhaled a puff of smoke, "Conquering territory in the New World requires a substantial amount of funding. I can invest in you, but in return, once I enter the New World, you assist me. What do you say?"
In terms of financial resources, he had more than enough.
What he lacked the most was influence and helpers.
Sark was strong, and Crocodile could sense that, especially as a newcomer who utilized a similar fighting style. Perhaps there was room for collaboration.
"Assist you? As your underling?"
Sark crossed his legs, "Are you joking with me, Crocodile?"
Crocodile spoke in a deep voice, "Someone like you would never follow others. It's a mutual utilization of our strengths. You ensure my plans go without a hitch, and I'll do the same for yours."
The so-called cooperation naturally didn't involve sharing their deepest secrets. He wasn't that kind of person, and by nature, he trusted no one.
However, a long-term mutual utilization of their strengths could work.
"Mhm."
Sark nodded thoughtfully, "Alright, but I don't need your investment. I must have personal control over my territory. Let's change it to this—as a Warlord, you must have numerous businesses. How about I invest in one of them?"
Even among the Warlords, like Donquixote Doflamingo, Crocodile had more channels to earn money. This guy could be considered the best money-maker among pirates!
And that was what Sark admired the most.
While others thrived in their endeavors, he faced challenges even in robbery.
The heist in Alabasta was probably the easiest.
Even so, as a newcomer, he had already fought two battles.
If he were any weaker, he would've perished by now.
Having robbed so much money, not being able to spend it was also a nuisance. Neither he nor his crew were prepared for the New World yet.
Before that, having too much robbed money could also be a hassle.
Money was something everyone liked, but if there was too much and it couldn't be spent, it would become a burden.
His ship was only so big, and there was only so much treasure it could hold. Shouldn't he stop robbing after storing it full?
Aside from those collectibles worth appreciating, the rest of the money had to go somewhere.
Without a territory, it was troublesome even to bury the treasure, and he had deep confidence in his bad luck, to the extent that he was certain that what he buried today would be found by someone tomorrow.
This portion of the money was originally intended for doing business. Only by owning fixed assets could he ensure the possibility of a comeback if he ever met his downfall.
Even without Crocodile, he had prepared to find suitable opportunities to start a business again!
And now, with Crocodile's invitation, he had found that opportunity.
While it was out of the question to follow him, they could definitely collaborate.
His luck might be bad, with every business he touched turning sour, but it shouldn't be the case that a person good at doing business would fail in every single one, right?
If he invested some money and it grew, then it would be a worthwhile endeavor.
"Invest in one of them? That's not impossible. How much money do you have?"
Crocodile, of course, had grasped numerous channels. In the underground world, he was also involved in finance, transportation, and warehousing businesses.
Not accepting investment but instead investing in others was fine too, as long as there was a contractual guarantee.
At Sark's words, his eyes lit up, "I'll use the money robbed from Rain Base and Alabasta for investment. It doesn't matter how big or small the business is; earning a little is fine!"
This way, at least his money would have a channel for storage, and he could retrieve it at any time.
As for putting it in a bank...
For someone like him, who was on the World Government's bounty list, putting money in a bank would be a joke, wouldn't it?
A vein popped out on Crocodile's temple, "You robbed money from my territory and now you're giving it back to me to make me help you earn more?"
"Don't nitpick that much. Our contract is established, and they're all my money anyway. As for Alabasta, you be their hero, and I'll rob my treasures." Sark laughed.
Whether pirates were trustworthy or not depended on the person, but most of them valued promises and contracts.
And Crocodile was one of them.
In fact, in this vast sea, even minor characters might not go back on their words.
Sark didn't consider himself a minor character, and Crocodile, as a Warlord, was naturally a major one.
Crocodile looked deeply into Sark's eyes and lit another cigar. After waiting for the smoke to drift upward, he said, "Alright, I agree to your terms, but don't rob Rain Base. After all, they're all my industries. In terms of valuation, I'll count it as five hundred million berries of principal for you.
"Deal." Sag agreed to the valuation after giving it some thought.
Not wanting to let go of an opportunity just because it wasn't a major economic town like Loguetown, but rather a gambling city in the desert, with its scale evident right here. While he was more interested in Crocodile's possessions, he acknowledged that the other party's money wasn't all kept in Rain Base.
"I initially wanted you to go to Alabasta to add a layer of assurance to my plan. But since you're taking the initiative, I might as well tell you what's really behind this Utopia plan of mine." Crocodile slowly revealed his intentions.
The so-called Utopia plan entailed pitting the Royal Army against the rebel forces in the king's city of Alba, while simultaneously detonating a special bomb hidden there, effectively destroying the king and a large portion of his army.
"Without their pillar, the kingdom will naturally fall into the hands of their hero, Crocodile, who will then be revered by the people."
Upon hearing Crocodile's plan, Sag seemed somewhat disinterested, "I have no interest in such matters. My own strength is what matters most."
He vaguely recalled something about a hidden weapon in the desert but couldn't quite remember the details. Yet, he knew it wasn't important.
Relying on external objects was not an option for him. With his streak of bad luck, whether he could find it or not was one thing, and whether he could use it or not was another. He'd rather spend that time enhancing his own capabilities.
"My own strength, you say?"
Crocodile's eyes narrowed as he took a drag from his cigar, pausing as if something had crossed his mind, before eventually shaking his head, "I have my plans, and you just need to make sure you deliver on your end of the bargain."
"Is that so?"
A red glint flashed in Sag's eyes as he smiled and said, "In that case, be warned. It's easy to lose your ambition and drive in this desert. Don't let yourself be defeated by some random rookie pirate..."
Bang!
Suddenly, several individuals fell from the cage in front of them, crashing to the ground.
"...like some hot-blooded rookie pirate."
Sag's gaze shifted to the cage, where a straw-hat-wearing youth had just picked himself up from the floor, still looking a bit dazed.
"Crocodile!"
The straw-hat lad grasped the bars of the cage, calling out to the man sitting on the sofa, his voice filled with determination, "Let's settle this once and for all!"
A shadow passed over Crocodile's face, and he fixed his eyes on Sag, his tone turning somber, "Are you looking down on me?"
He rose from his seat, his attention now focused on the individuals within the cage, "I'll deal with all of you once the guests of honor arrive. There's no need to rush."
"Damn! To think you'd resort to such despicable traps...I've lost all my strength!"
Luffy, still grasping the bars of the cage, slumped, his voice weak, "Why did we have to take that stupid pirate entrance anyway? We could've just used the VIP room!"
Namis' voice rang out in exasperation, directed at Luffy, "How could you not know that, you idiot!"
"Hahahaha, truly beyond my expectations! I never thought anyone would actually take that moronic path!"
Sag's laughter filled the room, "The sea never ceases to amaze."
He had just been commenting on how idiotic it would be for anyone to take the path clearly marked as the 'Pirate' entrance, and lo and behold, someone had actually taken that very path.
Within the cage were four individuals.
Aside from Luffy, there was a green-haired youth, a long-nosed fellow, and a sharp-looking woman with orange hair.
"Hey, what are you doing here?"
Zoro's hand rested on the hilt of his sword, his eyes fixed on Sag as he spoke in a low voice, "Have you formed an alliance with Crocodile?"
"Disaster!"
Usopp and Nami huddled together, their voices filled with dread, "We're done for! How did he even end up here?!"
Two hundred and seventy million.
This figure far exceeded their wildest imaginations.
Luffy's bounty was a mere three hundred million, not even close to a tenth of this amount.
"Let's take him down together!"
Luffy pulled himself back up, his gaze locked on Sag, his voice resolute, "You're a bad person, and you've got no strength left in you!"
"Don't touch it, then!"
Zoro shouted, then fell silent as he thought it over. "No, wait, why are you so weak?"
"Sea-stone," Sag replied, shifting into a more comfortable position on the sofa. He stubbed out his cigar in an ashtray, poured himself a drink, and slowly explained, "It's a stone imbued with the power of the sea. If a Devil Fruit user relies solely on their abilities, it will sap their strength."
Finishing his drink in one gulp, he stood up and said, "Let's go, Croc. Get me some recording pointers and mounts. Since we're not raiding Rain Base, I'm taking my crew to Alba."
"Don't call me Croc!"
Crocodile's face darkened. "I'll have someone get you what you need. My agents should be arriving soon, too. I'll send them a message so they don't hinder you."
Sag shrugged and started walking up the stairs.
...
After obtaining several recording pointers and crocodile cars from Crocodile, Sag set off with his crew in tow.
"Hey, aren't we going to rob them?" asked one of the crocodile-drawn carriages as it sped across the desert, kicking up clouds of dust.
Inside the spacious carriage, Sag reclined on a sofa with his hands behind his head, joined by Renetia, Lily, and Marika.
"No need," Sag replied. "I've invested the money from Rain Base, so we'll just raid Alba instead."
Leaning back, he continued, "Life is full of surprises, but this is a good thing. With a business channel, my dream is one step closer to reality, and now we have a place to store our loot."
"A weapon?" Lily mused. "A weapon that can destroy an island with a casual strike—could it really exist? Renetia, with your engineering expertise, have you ever considered this possibility?"
They, too, had received Sag's intelligence and were aware of Crocodile's true intentions.
"I'm a shipwright, not a weaponsmith," Renetia replied, shaking her head. "If we're talking about cannons, they'd have to be a hundred times bigger than the current models, with barrels to match, and the firing speed would need to be increased a hundredfold as well. Even then, the amount of gunpowder required would be catastrophic if the cannon malfunctioned. My skills aren't up to the task."
"What a terrifying weapon," Marika remarked, her smile unwavering. "Is that what the Shichibukai member is after? What if he gets his hands on it...?"
"It won't make much of a difference," Sag said, straightening up. "Destroying an island is achievable in the Grand Line. That crocodile has become petty and small-minded. Ever since he failed against Whitebeard, he's lost his ambition."
"Whitebeard?" Lily asked.
"Yeah," Sag nodded. "He challenged Whitebeard in the past, didn't he? In this desert, I've encountered three Logia users, but they've all been failures."
One was banished to the East Blue, constrained by his superiors' orders.
Another challenged Whitebeard and became his subordinate after losing.
Similarly, Crocodile challenged him, and after his defeat, he became a Shichibukai, dreaming of greatness at the entrance to the first half of the Grand Line.
However, the one dreaming now was his partner.
As for whether Crocodile would lose... Sag's memory told him he did, but that was without Sag's involvement.
"Although I owe Garp a favor," Sag said, drawing back the curtain to gaze at the desert flashing by, "when it comes to making a fortune, all bets are off. I won't let Crocodile fail if I can help it."
It wasn't easy to find a business partner, and Sag wasn't about to let this opportunity slip away.
Five hundred million berries were nothing compared to the importance of a business channel.
If Crocodile lost, where would Sag find another partner like him?
The Shichibukai title was expendable, and nations were of no consequence. What mattered to Sag was ensuring he had a place to store his wealth! Everything else was irrelevant.
Anyone who stood in the way of his get-rich scheme was his enemy.
Sparing Luffy's life was already a favor to Garp.
After all, even pirates had their code of honor.
Sag wasn't a petty, small-minded person who went back on his word. Otherwise, he wouldn't possess the Color of Conquest.
(End of Chapter)
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