chapter 9

A sandstorm was moving through the desert.

Inside the storm was crocodile.

It had been several minutes since he had left to finish off the pirates.

This would be the last time, it was a small whim to go.

After all, he would soon get what he was looking for and this country was no longer necessary for his future plans.

He only needed to find that weapon, and his ambition would be fulfilled.

He could already imagine his future when he would have in his hand what for many years he has sought.

"Hmp... every one of those fuckers will pay me back later."

Remembering the purpose of his coming to this country and his revenge, he snorted with a dark look, bit into his cigar and his journey continued.

"What's that."

Suddenly in the distance he noticed a black dot, growing larger and larger.

"A person."

The sandstorm covered crocodile's body, maybe that person flying over his head might not notice it, but he could clearly see everything around him.

Soon, that person flew past crocodile over his head.

Crocodile stopped and looked back.

The sandstorm stopped and the desert became calm again. Mugen, who was jumping in the air in the sky, turned his head and looked at Crocodile.

The two exchanged glances.

Mugen held his hat on his head and lowered it a little, withdrew his gaze and continued on to his next destination.

Crocodile, on the other hand, stood in thought.

"That guy, he's stepping on air, rokushiki of the marines, and those black clothes."

Crocodile turned his body into sand and a storm arose around him, he followed Mugen's footsteps.

"The direction he headed in is rainbase, is it coincidence or is it something else, besides, the aura that guy has is unpleasant, a look devoid of emotion."

"Cipher pol. government flunkies. It'll be what I do in this place was exposed."

Crocodile mistook Mugen for a government agent, if his plans were allowed to leak to third parties, the only thing he could do was silence them.

He couldn't afford to have anything go wrong.

 He spent years planning and working towards his goal.

 After finally seeing his future that was just one step away from completion, he would not allow anything to ruin it.

In the arabasta desert, with no one around, a man could be seen flying through the sky while holding his hat so it wouldn't blow away in the wind, as a sandstorm hit him from behind.

Mugen had already felt it, it was something he was already expecting.

As soon as he met crocodile on his way, he guessed that this guy would not leave him alone.

He could more or less imagine what that guy was thinking.

Because if it were him in his place, I wouldn't let anything interfere with my business.

Besides, the direction in which he headed, crocodile is not a fool and although he does not know what his purpose is, if he sees someone who knows the Marine rokushiki geppo technique flying right in the direction of his hiding place, it is easy to raise suspicion and become suspicious.

Therefore, after thinking about it, Mugen stopped in the desert, his body fell to the ground as he descended treading the air with light steps.

The newly obtained katana he held with one hand, the straw hat tied in the sheath, while with his other hand he held his top hat.

Crocodile noticed the change and stopped some distance behind, the sandstorm dispersing with the air merging with the desert.

Mugen took off his hat and combed his hair back, put it back on and pulled it down a bit making shadows to cover his eyes.

"Who are you, I haven't seen you around these parts, where are you headed."

Crocodile asked, his gaze swept over him from head to toe.

"My name is Mugen, a traveler, he asked me if you have any purpose for me to stop, Mr. Crocodile."

"Who do you belong to, the government or the navy?"

"You were wrong, I don't belong to anyone, if you are asking only because of the rokushiki geppo."

 Mugen did not explain further, crocodile should have understood, although just saying that he did not belong to either side, i.e. the government or the navy, was hard to believe, anyone could lie, if lying serves to get out of a tight spot, it is a good way.

However, crocodile also knew that geppo, was not a technique that only the navy used.

"Do you believe in fate, Mr. crocodile?" Mugen asked suddenly.

"Fate is bullshit, what kind of question is that." Crocodile replied without even thinking about it.

If it was someone else who was in Mugen's place, he wouldn't stop to chat with the other party like it was nothing, however, mugen is different.

Crocodile felt the breath of someone strong, that's the first point.

A fight between the two would draw too much attention, his own tricks are quite flashy and he doesn't know the other party yet.

Although the desert is his field and he thinks he has the advantage against any kind of opponent, it is better to be cautious and not act without thinking.

He is not a novice who has never seen the world and knows who to mess with and who not to mess with.

His strength may have waned with the passing of the years he was in the grand line, paradise.

But he still retained that sixth sense that warned him, rather, he still retained some of his touch of natural, wild instinct that alerted him to a dangerous presence.

Mugen in front of him gave him a sense of something dangerous, a breath of blood and savagery hidden in an appearance that appeared noble and elegant.

It might be just a little, but it reminded him of someone he faced many years ago.

The wind was blowing bringing sand dust that rose in the air, it was past noon and the heat was felt in the atmosphere.

However, for the two people in the middle of the desert that was not important, rather, they seemed to be unaffected by something so small.

Mugen broke the silence. "What a coincidence, we have the same thoughts, fate is bullshit, just like the prophecies said by some people, I just believe in myself and what I think."

"I don't understand what you are saying. Get to the point you want, don't waste my time with nonsense."

"True, maybe the heat has affected me a little, then I'll get straight to the point." Mugen raised his head and looked crocodile straight in the eye. 

"A few moments ago I asked you if you believed in fate, it's wasn't something I asked randomly, since I was originally planning to look you up for a little something."

"Who would say that for things of the... Let's say it's luck, if you think about it that's what you could call it, I mean, look at everything that surrounds us, and just meet face to face."

"Anyway. I want to chat with you about something, I can help you and you can cooperate a little with me, we could benefit from each other, of course, if you agree after listening to what I have to say."

"The decision is in your hands."

Crocodile did not intervene and just listened.

Mugen smiled and spoke. "It's about what you've been looking for for years." 

"Pluto."

Desert Sword!!!

As soon as he heard the word Pluto, crocodile did not hesitate and attacked.

He waved his hand and the sand gathered, it was like a sharp cut that a swordsman would make with his sword.

A crescent-shaped attack formed of sand was directed towards Mugen.

On the other hand, Mugen smiled, held his hat and received the attack head on, he did nothing to dodge or defend himself.

There was a chance it could turn out this way, he had already thought of it when he met crocodile.

Without a battle between the two, there could be no talk of cooperation.

For now he's a nobody, nobody knows him and he's not famous, he's not a pirate, let alone has a bounty poster.

In other words, a guy that came out of nowhere and that he met by coincidence, who also knows his secret.

Crocodile wouldn't think twice and would only attack with intent to kill.

Crocodile may have been on guard when he was in front of Mugen, whom he labeled as someone dangerous, he didn't know the purpose of Mugen's arrival and wanted to know the reason why he wanted to meet him.

I was still a little curious when he said that.

However, when Mugen named what he had worked so hard for, and did his best to keep it a secret.

He forgot about everything else and his thought was that this person must be silenced.

With a loud bang, the sand covered Mugen, and like a wave containing power and heaviness, it washed over the surrounding area, adding yet another layer of sand to the desert, it looked like a small mountain.

Crocodile was not distracted and kept alert to any changes, his piercing and somewhat dark gaze scanning the surroundings with vigilance.

"That guy is messed up in the head, he was smiling and I'm sure my attack hit him full on, he didn't fight back or dodge."

Crocodile noticed a change and his gaze focused on the small sand hill made with his power, the sand shifted and soon Mugen appeared from within.

There was no change in his person, just a little dirty and nothing else.

The sand was on his suit, he took off his hat and shook it a few times with his palm, combed his hair and put the hat back on.

After patting his clothes to get the remaining sand out, he looked at crocodile and apologized.

"Sorry, it's a little habit, I don't like to dodge or hide, I usually like to receive attacks and then counterattack."

Crocodile looked at him with a blank stare and said. "Have you ever been told you're sick in the head, this is the first time I've seen a guy like you. Usually, battles are attacking, dodging, planning, and so on among many things."

"But a guy who receives the attacks of others, and even smiling, it's the first time I've seen him."

Crocodile smiled and became interested.

"I don't know where you got that information from though."

"What do you think, are you interested in following me, I happen to lack strong subordinates, you seem to be one, and more so than the other useless ones I have."

"I'm sorry, I would think twice if that invitation was sincere on your part, but, your words say one thing and your mind thinks otherwise, it's obvious you're going through a stage where you don't trust anyone."

Mugen looked at crocodile and said. "And it's for that, for that attitude of not trusting anyone that you earned my praise."

Crocodile wiped off his smile and just scoffed. "Hmp, interesting guy, but stupid, you don't know how to appreciate an opportunity, though my thoughts were obvious and easy to guess."

"You could have quietly accepted and maybe then found a small chance to escape my hands."

Crocodile raised his hand and a small tornado formed in his palm. "I don't have the interest to go through with this anymore, so die for me."

Storm.!!!

The small tornado expanded and a whirlwind formed, the wind around it looked like a sharp blade that seemed like it could cut through everything in its path.

Mugen braced himself, now it was his turn to attack.

Crocodile still had one hand outstretched when he launched the attack, his face contained confidence and his arrogance could be seen in his eyes, despising everything.

However, that confidence and arrogance on his face changed to a small shock at what he saw.

Mugen passed through the tornado and soon arrived in front of crocodile.

Mugen's speed was something crocodile could not react to.

Mugen opened his palm and slammed it forcefully into crocodile's face, pushing him to the ground.

A loud thud of something heavy falling on the ground echoed, the sandstorm stopped and all was silent.

The wind was blowing lightly.

Mugen and crocodile lay in a hole that formed beneath the two.

Mugen looked at crocodile while crocodile, grabbed the hand that was on his face.

"Damn you... You take pity on me."

Crocodile spoke with difficulty, he had already understood the difference between Mugen and him.

He understood from the blow he received.

His body is supposed to be useless against physical attacks, this makes him think that Mugen has haki.

And the power he felt, which went through his body, caused his internal organs to be damaged, though he doesn't know to what extent.

"I pitied questions." Mugen looked at crocodile under his hand, in fact he had restrained himself, crocodile was a guy that could grow over time, it would be a shame to kill him in this place.

"Indeed, yes." Mugen replied.

"You're... A fucking bastard." Crocodile breathed heavily, blood was coming out of his mouth, his sleek and well-groomed hairstyle could no longer be seen, with one blow he was already out cold.

Mugen stood up and said. "Actually, I don't like those fights that drag on if I have the strength to finish my opponents in an instant."

"I think this place where there is not a soul in sight would not be a good place to be your resting place after you die. You have become weak. I don't know what you were like before forces, but I think this place, paradise, has made you weak and trusting.

"I bet you've only fought guys much weaker than you over the years, and that's made you stoop to their same level."

"You rely on your past accomplishments to be arrogant and disdain any pirate who doesn't know you, his majesty oka shichibukai, I imagine you have taken advantage of that, of your title to impose fear on novices and ...."

"Well, I stop, who am I to say such things, if I did the same thing before, I still regret it." Mugen shook his head and sighed, he looked at crocodile and crouched down squatting next to him.

Crocodile kept his gaze on Mugen and his breathing steadied.

Mugen's words echoed in his head, if he looks back at the past deeds he did over the years, he would find that those words held some truth.

It was hard to accept.

Mugen raised his finger and looked at crocodile. "I'll tell you something, before I met you, I met the second commander of the Whitebeard pirates."

Crocodile opened his eyes.

He figured something, though he wasn't sure.

His purpose for coming to this place at first was because there were pirates fighting.

He just happened to meet this guy and if we take into how much of a route he came from.

"It's you, one of the pirates who were causing a ruckus." Crocodile said.

"Almost, although it's not entirely wrong, it has some truth to it." Mugen pointed his finger back and just said. "As I was telling you, I met that Ace guy and let's just say I beat him up, he ended up with a severed arm and his life or death is still unknown."

Crocodile suddenly burst out laughing.

"You did that to a son of that man, Whitebeard won't sit still, tell me, you are scared and that's why you want someone to cooperate with you."

Crocodile seemed to have guessed what Mugen was thinking, or so he thought.

Mugen shook his finger. "No, no, no, no, the opposite, not only do I not want you to chase me, I actually look forward to it, I look forward to you bringing all your pirates and hunting me down."

"Because that's more fun, right."

Crocodile looked on in disbelief, this guy had a smile on his face.

he expected it.

Crocodile didn't know what to say, he felt there was something wrong with this guy's brain.

"So, let's talk you want, then you'll decide whether to cooperate with me or not, but at least listen to what I have to say."