Crocodile and Moria
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"I don't want to see this happen a second time. The next candidate is Crocodile. He should be somewhere in the first half of the Grand Line." Brontes said.
"Woosh!"
With that, the marine warship took off from Amazon Lily, soaring into the sky.
The women of the island watched the ship disappear into the distance, feeling utterly defeated this time around. Even their Empress had to swallow her pride and yield to the threat on her life.
Gloriosa approached Hancock with a gentle but firm reminder: "Hebihime, that man wasn't bluffing with his threats. As the current Empress of Amazon Lily, you have to consider the welfare of your people, even if it's because of your terrible past."
Hancock, filled by anger, could only respond with a sharp voice: "Get lost!"
...
Three days had passed when Brontes, using intelligence provided by the World Government, located Crocodile.
Now a loner wolf, Crocodile had lost his crew in the New World, and while Brontes wasn't certain, he suspected that Whitebeard might have been responsible for their demise.
Crocodile was extremely surprised to see Brontes, the former Marine-Admiral Ragnarok, personally extending an invitation to him.
It seemed he had no other option but to accept this forceful offer to join the Seven Shichibukai Project.
Recalling the message from the World Government's agents, Crocodile realized that Brontes's lack of immediate aggression meant this visit was indeed about the Shichibukai.
He had considered fleeing at the sight of Brontes, but where could he run from the infamous Admiral Ragnarok? He knew he had no choice but to stay and face whatever was coming.
Brontes laid out the situation plainly: "You can either accept the offer or face imprisonment. Those are your options. If you agree, you'll be publicly recognized as one of the Seven Shichibukai."
Crocodile managed a grim smile. "The Seven Shichibukai, officially legalised pirates... Not the worst fate. I suppose few pirates would turn down such an offer."
"That's right. And the alternative to accepting isn't very pleasant." Brontes said with a bright smile.
"I realized that the moment you showed up." Crocodile replied, his voice tinged with helplessness.
Ultimately, Crocodile became the second member of the Shichibukai. He didn't have the right or the courage to say no, especially not in front of Brontes.
He even thought that if he dared to object, he might very well find himself bleeding out on the ground.
As Brontes turned to leave, Crocodile couldn't help but express his curiosity about his own strength: "I'm curious to see just h-how strong.... you really are."
Brontes looked back, and asked with an interested smile: "Oh? Are you considering a challenge?"
"I...."
Crocodile hesitated, unsure of what to say next. Deep down, he was eager to measure his might against the legendary Marine-Admiral.
Brontes was a name that every pirate in the world knew very well, especially in the New World. His reputation was built on incredible stories of his strength and victories. Even the most notorious pirates talked about Brontes's legendary feats.
Even when he fought Whitebeard, Crocodile had heard the old man speak highly of Brontes.
Crocodile vaguely remembered a phrase Whitebeard had said after knocking him out: "Compared to the Marine's Logia fruit users, your fruit power is vastly inferior, especially that lightning brat. That guy's strength almost reached mine by now!!"
That statement had stuck with Crocodile since then, Crocodile had never actually fought an Admiral, let alone Brontes, who his ranking in the World Government is even higher than Admiral.
"Sandstorm!"
"Fuuu!"
But now, facing Brontes, Crocodile didn't hesitate. He used his power to create a massive sandstorm, hoping to engulf Brontes and claim victory.
"I got him!" He thought he had succeeded and allowed himself a moment of pride.
However, before Crocodile could even laugh, he felt a sudden, chilling sensation on his neck.
"Thwack!"
"Slap!"
A sharp slap echoed, and suddenly Crocodile's world went black as he slumped to the ground, unconscious, with no idea of what had just occurred before his eyes.
"Pathetic, really. This kind of weakling... but then again, it was the Five Elders who made this choice. Even a hundred men like him wouldn't make a change in the situation of the New World." Brontes commented in a cold voice as he stood over the fallen Crocodile.
Crocodile's technique was impeccable, yet Brontes noted that Crocodile's Haki was disappointingly feeble.
It was clear to Brontes that Crocodile had become too dependent on his Devil Fruit abilities. It seemed he hadn't lasted long in the New World before running back.
"Now, we set our course for the West Blue. Gecko Moria is next, another troublesome fellow. I can't understand how his ship made it into the Grand Line, or if the Thriller Bark was always there. But since he's in the West Blue, that's where I'll confront him." Brontes thought aloud.
"Sir, is Crocodile...?!" A naval officer approached Brontes and asked in a nervous voice.
"He's alive, just unconscious." Brontes assured him without giving too much attention to Crocodile.
The officer couldn't help but wonder. The Seven Warlords of the Sea, the Shichibukai, were supposed to be formidable, yet they paled in comparison to Brontes.
The naval soldiers were baffled by the World Government's insistence on the Shichibukai system when a powerful person like Brontes was working for them.
Brontes was a living example of true power. He would dispatch pirates with such efficiency that they wouldn't even catch a glimpse of their attacker, leaving nothing but the aftermath for the soldiers to deal with.
...
The warship pressed on, bound for the West Blue, the stronghold of Gecko Moria and a territory Brontes had once patrolled after his clash with the Big Mom Pirates.
His knowledge of the West Blue and Gecko Moria wasn't just from stories or entertainment; he had personally encountered Moria there, the only pirate who had managed to escape from him—a fact Moria took pride in.
The news that Brontes was the one sent by the World Government to recruit him struck fear into Moria's heart.
It wasn't just the memory of his near death by Brontes that scared him, but also the knowledge that Brontes had once stood toe-to-toe with the fearsome Kaido.
Moria had once been a pirate filled with grand ambitions, dreaming of ruling the New World. He had boldly challenged Kaido, one of its most formidable Overlords, much like the what Shanks did.
The encounter had been catastrophic: his crew was decimated, and Moria alone survived, escaping Kaido's wrath.
He retreated to the West Blue, where he set a new goal: to create an invincible army of zombie pirates, he started by stealing the legendary samurai Shimotsuki Ryuma's corpse.
Understanding that he was up against a monster who had fiercely battled Kaido for days, Moria lacked the courage to decline the offer. He was well aware that to do so would invite consequences too terrible to imagine.
"The third one has accepted our invitation. Now, it's time to move on to the New World. We shouldn't linger here any longer." Brontes spoke in a low tone.
"Yes, sir!" The naval soldiers responded in unison.
As Brontes gazed up at the clear sky, he pondered: "Borsalino must have located Jinbe by now."
...
When the warship arrived at G-1 Base, its presence barely caused a stir; the personnel were expecting Brontes.
His ship was unique, the only one of its kind in the world. Even the World Nobles had coveted such a warship, but none had the means to power it. Only someone with the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's abilities could operate a warship like this.
The warship touched down at the dock, where a multitude of officers stood in formation, awaiting Brontes's emergence.
Having commanded this base for a decade, Brontes had earned a deep-seated respect and admiration from the marines, from the lowest to the highest ranks, even though he was no longer officially part of the Marine.
Stepping off the ship, Brontes was greeted by the soldiers. Despite his brief absence, it was evident they still held him in higher esteem than Sakazuki.
"Commanding this base is no simple task. Just look at the difference between when Brontes was in charge and now." Borsalino said with a teasing smile, observing from the commander's office window as Brontes was warmly welcomed by the marines.
He then turned to address the man seated in the main chair, wearing a dark red suit: "Don't you think so, Sakazuki?"
There sat the current commander of the G-1 Marine Base, the Marine-Admiral Akainu, Sakazuki!