Strongest Possessor of One Piece

"I believe you will."

Rojen gripped his longsword tightly, and the cold blade pressed against Crocodile's neck, drawing a faint line of blood. A flicker of fear flashed deep in Crocodile's eyes.

"Damn it!"

Clenching his fists, Crocodile didn't dare to move an inch.

The sword edge at his throat, along with the chilling pressure behind his head, made him genuinely feel the presence of death.

"Make your choice, Crocodile. Because this time… your choice decides whether you live or die."

Rojen's voice was calm, but it shook the very soul of the Sand Crocodile. He hesitated.

He had once been filled with ambition. After witnessing the death of Pirate King Roger and the opening of the Great Pirate Era, no young man could resist the temptation of immense fame, wealth, and power. Crocodile was no exception; he had dreamed of one day reaching the places Roger once stood, of becoming a great pirate known across the world.

But the moment he entered the Grand Line, he began to realize how far he still had to go.

There were too many powerhouses. Rojen. Jason. And that twisted man Doflamingo.

Each one was no weaker than him; some were even stronger.

To rise above such opponents and stand at the very top… the difficulty was self-evident.

And with just his current crew? Impossible.

"He's hesitating, Captain. Let me punch him to death, we've got things to do," Jason said, eyes locked on Crocodile, fists clenched.

"Hmph."

Crocodile snorted coldly at Jason's blunt threat. Then, taking a deep breath, he stared at Rojen.

"Fine. I'll go with you."

He wasn't a coward, he had guts. But when it came down to life and death, there was no room for pride. Surviving was better than dying. If he kept his life, there'd still be a chance to rise again.

"Smart move," Jason sneered.

"So… can you move that sword now? Also, the kid in the back…"

Standing in the desert, Crocodile looked disheveled and defeated, but still didn't dare make any sudden moves.

Compared to Rojen's sword, he found Trens' gun even more dangerous.

"Trens."

Receiving Rojen's signal, Jason waved toward Trens.

The latter blinked, then quickly realized and cautiously lowered his weapon.

Only then did Crocodile breathe a sigh of relief. When Rojen finally withdrew the Rainbow Abyss, it was clear the desert crocodile had broken into a cold sweat.

He had nearly died, by the slimmest margin.

Casting another deep glance at Rojen and Jason, still on either side of him, watching him like hawks, Crocodile understood very clearly: either of these two men was incredibly dangerous.

That overwhelming punch from before had shattered the air itself, absolutely terrifying. And the other, cloaked in mystery, was no less deadly.

"What? Having second thoughts? Then move it already!" Jason barked coldly.

Crocodile clenched his fists… then slowly released them.

He reached into his coat, pulled out a cigar, lit it, and exhaled a swirl of smoke as he said faintly:

"My legs are weak. Can't walk."

Rojen chuckled, unable to hold back his laughter.

He never would've guessed that the ugly, rough, supposedly bold Sand Crocodile would end up scared stiff by a single brush with death.

"It's only because the captain sees potential in you. Otherwise, you think someone like you could join us?" Jason spoke with disdain.

"You'd better not try anything funny, or I'll blow you to pieces with one punch."

Faced with Jason's threats, Crocodile didn't seem to care, but his eyes flickered subtly as he looked once again at Rojen.

Judging from this big guy's tone, it seemed Rojen had another identity. Combined with the strange way the Marines had set his bounty…

"As expected, this guy's really mysterious…"

After a few more puffs of his cigar, Crocodile relaxed slightly. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward and followed Rojen and Jason.

"C-Captain!"

At that moment, Crocodile's crewmates hurried after them, nervous and frightened, glancing at Rojen and Jason with fear in their eyes.

"W-What about us? What should we do?"

"Disband. Do whatever you want."

Crocodile paused in his steps, smoke curling around his face as he spoke coldly and flatly.

His crewmates shuddered. Disbelief flashed in their eyes.

"No, Captain, we can't go on without you!"

"Yeah, please don't abandon the ship, don't abandon us!"

"Captain, don't leave us!"

In the blink of an eye, these pirates shouted in panic, faces filled with fear.

But Crocodile didn't even turn around. He simply spat out three words coldly:

"Get lost. Now."

The icy tone made his kneeling, pleading crewmates tremble even more. Not one of them dared say another word. They knew this captain's temper well, if they kept pushing, he really would kill them without hesitation.

"Tch. Heartless bastard, aren't you?" Jason mocked.

"Hmph." Crocodile didn't argue. He strode right past and walked up beside Rojen.

Noticing Jason still on guard, Crocodile smirked.

"Relax. When Crocodile gives his word, I keep it." Rojen waved it off.

"Jason, from today onward, this guy's one of us. No need to be so guarded."

"But he---!"

Jason glared at Crocodile.

"His ruthless thinking, we'll just fix that over time," Rojen said.

Crocodile listened quietly, saying nothing, but the corner of his mouth lifted in a cold, sarcastic smile.

"Such merciful people…"

"Too bad, the sea has no place for kindness."

From that point on, the three said nothing more. They walked together toward the camel-drawn cart.

When Trens saw Crocodile, he nearly jumped back in fright. The middle-aged driver also looked terrified.

This monstrous man, could he control the desert itself? Unbelievable. That a human could reach such a realm...

"Relax, Trens. He's one of us now," Rojen said with a smile, patting Crocodile on the shoulder.

That simple touch made Crocodile tense up instinctively.

Then, the three of them boarded the cart one by one.

The camel bells jingled, and the cart resumed its journey.

With Crocodile added, the already cramped cart felt even more crowded. But for a while, the air was completely silent, oppressively so.

Gradually, Trens' breathing grew uneven, his face turning red with restraint.

Finally, he gathered his courage and snapped at Crocodile.

"Was it you… Who killed my companions?!"

"Your companions? I've never seen you before," Crocodile glanced at him indifferently.

"It was your sandstorm! Your storm blinded them during the fight with those bandits! That's why they got killed!" Trens shouted.

"Calm down, Trens." Jason slapped him gently on the back, showing clear appreciation for the young man's courage.

"Oh? If a bunch of people can't even handle a small sandstorm, then their deaths were well-deserved." Crocodile raised an eyebrow, a cold smile on his lips.

"And besides, "

He paused.

"Didn't my sandstorm also kill the bandits?"

"You should thank me. Because of me, you're still alive."

(End Of This Chapter)

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