Night in the desert

"I will join your organization, on one condition" Hawkins said causing everyone else to be surprised and Crocodile to give a big smile.

"Perfect, what is your condition?" Crocodile took a deep drag on his cigarette, he was convinced that any condition would be easy to ask for, after all he was already offering to be his right hand, there was nothing more important to ask for.

"I will join you if you let me be the boss" Hawkins said with a confident smile, although Hawkins did not underestimate Crocodile's strength as he considered him one of the strongest Shichibukai, even so he did not think he could win in a fight alone against him. , Law and Bellamy who mastered Armor Haki, also had the strength of Gion and Tokikake.

Bellamy let out a big laugh when he heard Hawkins

"You-You… ARE YOU MOCKING ME?!!" Crocodile slammed his fist into the desk, splitting it in half.

"Don't get worked up Crocodile, did you really think I'd join you? He didn't plan to work for anyone, how about you join me? I could make you my fourth commander" Hawkins said causing Law to smile and Bellamy continued to laugh, as Crocodile's face contorted with anger because Hawkins put him below even Sarquiss who was the third commander, Crocodile exhaled to calm down

"Kuahahahaha... Your ego is your greatest punishment Wara Gaki" after letting out a laugh Crocodile became serious and in just a second he flew towards Hawkins with the intention of attacking him with his hook.

Hawkins created his straw sword with which he deflected the attack, they both looked into each other's eyes for a few seconds, Crocodile, anticipating Hawkins's counterattack, stepped back and stood a short distance from Hawkins.

"So you've been doing some research on me," Hawkins said, having not used much of his fruit since entering the grand line.

"You ate the Wara Wara no mi, a special Paramecia type fruit that turns you into a straw man and produces straw" Crocodile said this and then vanished into sand particles, the others were surprised to see this, but Hawkins was calm .

Right behind Hawkins, Crocodile reformed, and as he tried to pierce him with his grappling hook, he received a heavy blow from the back of Hawkins' hand, who spun around, sending Crocodile crashing into the office wall.

"And you ate the Suna Suna no mi, a logia-type fruit that turns you into a sandman which makes for a tricky enemy...if only we didn't know armor haki." Just as Hawkins finished speaking, Crocodile stood up and bled. dripped from his forehead, also a strand of his hair had become disheveled.

"Rookies who know Armor Haki, I see it was no coincidence that you killed a Vice Admiral" Crocodile said as he returned to a serene state, he had realized that he was at a disadvantage when facing a group who knew Armor Haki with a captain close to his force.

"I guess it's our turn to retire if there's nothing else to talk about, I wouldn't like to be the one you kill for a Shichibukai position... after all I like you" Hawkins said as he began to leave along with his companions, it was true that Crocodile was one of his favorite characters from the one piece play.

"Do you plan to take the Shichibukai title by killing one of us?" Crocodile was surprised because he thought that Hawkins did not want to obey anyone, much less the navy.

"You're not the only one who has plans Crocodile" Hawkins said without looking back as he left the place.

Later they found some Sarquiss, Shachi and Penguin drunk, so they had to be carried by Law, Bellamy and Bepo.

Later outside of Rainbase

"Captain we could have won more money at the casino if you played~" Sarquiss said still drunk.

"Shut your mouth drunk, you already vomited on me once, if you do it again I'll throw your drunk ass in the desert" Bellamy said with disgust, while carrying Sarquiss on his shoulder, in the city he had to change his clothes because of Sarquiss.

"Law, take the others to Erumalo to pick up the Polar Tang, I'll go with Robin to Alubarna, once we finish the matter there we'll go to you" Hawkins said ignoring the drunken Sarquiss.

"Okay captain, we'll see you later then" Law accepted the order and then got on one of the camels they had stolen to transport themselves, they were pirates they would not be paying for everything.

The others also said goodbye to Robin and Hawkins, once they were alone, Hawkins used his King's Haki to call Kokubishyō, once he arrived, they both mounted on him and flew to the capital of Arabasta.

That night – West of the royal palace - On the tomb of the kings

"Captain Hawkins, are you sure there is a Poneglyph in a secret chamber under this place?" Robin asked still amazed that Hawkins knew the location of a Poneglyph.

"That's right, Kokushibyō let's go down" Hawkins ordered Kokushibyō to land.

Once on the ground, Hawkins approached the statue of a sea cat, which then turned, opening a passageway with underground stairs.

"Let's go this way, let's hurry up so we can leave this place, the Poneglyph is at the bottom of this underground chamber" Hawkins said as he walked without stopping for a second, Robin following him closely.

They went down for a few minutes until they reached a large room where they could see a huge block of stone with inscriptions in a language indecipherable for Hawkins, Hawkins leaned against a wall while allowing her to read, after a while Hawkins asked.

"So Robin… what does this Poneglyph say? Even though Hawkins already knew the answer, he still asked.

"Kahira falls to Arabasta Year of Heaven 239... The Bitein dynasty of Taymar begins its reign Year 260... The Great TAPH Temple was completed in Erumalu Year 306... The Hero of Oltea, Mamudin-" Robin recited the history of Arabasta, which Hawkins he supposed she would say so he interrupted her.

"You don't need to keep lying to me, I know that's not the information it says on the Poneglyph... Let's go before someone else comes" Hawkins started to walk back down the passageway, Robin hurried after him.

"Captain Hawkins! Doesn't it bother you that I lied to you? How did you know I lied to you? can you read the Poneglyphs too?" Robin's mind was filled with doubt as he realized that his lie was discovered by Hawkins, Hawkins stopped and looked Robin in the eye.

"Robin… I know you still don't trust me or the crew, but one day you will and you will realize that no one is born completely alone in this world, you have found nakama who will fight for you, and you have a place to call home together. to us" Hawkins spoke using the words of Jaguar D. Saul to reach deeper into Robin's heart.

Robin was silent and with a surprised look as she looked at Hawkins and for a moment in her mind the slight smile and face of Hawkins was replaced by the wide smile and face of Jaguar D. Saul, causing Robin's eyes to widen. become crystal clear due to tears.

Hawkins walked over to her and wiped away Robin's tears, then proceeded to place his forehead next to Robin's, leaving them just a few millimeters apart.

"Come on, I don't like to make my Nakamas cry" Hawkins said and then separated from her, and kept walking, Robin stared at her back for a second before giving a slight smile and walking after Hawkins.

When they were about to surface, Hawkins spoke.

"Robin wear your mask, we have a sandstorm waiting outside" Hawkins said this and continued walking, with his observation Haki he could tell that Crocodile was waiting for them outside, Robin understood the message and proceeded to put on his mask.

When they got outside they could see Crocodile standing smoking a cigarette.

"We meet again…Hawkins" Crocodile said as he tossed his cigar to the side.

"Hello Crocodile, I must assume that you didn't lose track of me when I got separated from my companions, right?" Hawkins said as he created his straw sword, then activated his king's haki to call Kokushibyō

"Haki of the king... Without a doubt, you are the strongest rookie of this generation" Crocodile said noticing the strong haki of the king, then he saw a Pegasus as black as night arrive.

"Go with Kokushibyō, I'll call them once the fight is over" Hawkins ordered, Robin gave a nod before mounting Kokushibyō which took off at high speed.

"Do you have the confidence to come out of this match alive?" Crocodile said as he prepared to attack.

"Against you? Even a rookie with no knowledge of Haki could defeat you" Hawkins said mockingly remembering that the Shichibukai was defeated by a rookie Luffy.

"Tch how cocky… You found the Poneglyph in this place didn't you? What did he say?" Crocodile asked anxiously, he followed Hawkins to the capital when he noticed that he was separated from the rest of his crew because his instinct told him that it had to do with the Poneglyphs.

"Defeat me if you can and you will know" Hawkins said this and immediately attacked Crocodile with his sword, but Crocodile deflected the attack with his hook, repeating the scene from before in Crocodile's office, again they looked into each other's eyes for a second .

Immediately both returned to attack with their sword and hook respectively, the exchange of blows was even, Crocodile hit Hawkins with his fists and he generated cuts to Crocodile thanks to his Armor Haki.

'How the hell did this guy lose to Luffy?!, he's so strong!'Hawkins thought as he dodged Crocodile's grappling hook coming at his face, he immediately countered with his sword and quickly retreated with Soru and Geppo for a few seconds. meters behind and in the air.

"Let's see what you think of this new technique... Ken kara no namida no ame (Rain of Tears of the Sword)" Hawkins said as he moved his sword around him in a semi-circle generating a trail of his sword on the way, then gave the first He slashed at Crocodile from a distance, then the number of slashes increased at an incredible speed and the trail turned into hundreds of blades raining down on Crocodile, causing great destruction all over the ground.

In the distance on a tower, a man about 18 years old wearing a black tuxedo and a top hat had just arrived, with a dove on his shoulder, the man took a Den Den Mushi and dialed a number.

"What's the Lucci report?" asked a voice that was transmitted by the Den Den Mushi.

"The pirate Hawkins separated from his crew along with a woman wearing a white mask and then went to the capital of Alabasta, specifically to the tomb of the kings and at this moment he is battling the Shichibukai Crocodile for reasons that I don't know. they are unknown" Lucci gave the information he had managed to collect.

"Okay, don't intervene, kill any witnesses that appear" The Den Den Mushi said.

"Understood," Lucci said before hanging up the call and turning her attention to the battle where Hawkins' attack had just ended.

Hawkins landed on the ground and the dust raised by his attack just dispersed, once it was completely dispersed it was possible to see how the entire battlefield had been destroyed including the entrance to the secret chamber.

In the middle of the battlefield was Crocodile mostly turned into sand, there was even a hole on the left side of his face which was reforming.

But Crocodile's only true wound was in his stomach where on his right side he was missing a piece the size of half a fist, in said wound he had his hand trying to stop the bleeding.

"You…. Straw brat… you almost killed me, let's see if you like being hit back… Sables: Pesado" Crocodile concentrated a whirlwind of sand in his hand, then launched it at Hawkins creating a destructive shock wave on impact.

Hawkins was enveloped in a large and violent sandstorm which seemed to crush his entire body, after a few seconds Hawkins' body fell to the ground very badly injured.

"IT'S OVER! You mean nothing to me… KUAHAHAHAHA And now? do you still think you can win? Crocodile asked mockingly, although he was bleeding from Hawkins' attack it wasn't something that was impossible to recover from.

"Tch… Shut the fuck up Crocodile," Hawkins said as he stood up.

Crocodile was surprised to see how Hawkins looked without a single injury, even his clothes now looked intact.

In the desert on the way to Erumalu

"Is the captain going to be okay?" Sadi asked scared when she saw the inert voodoo doll that a few moments before was connected to Tokikake, the Straw had been completely shattered and between the straw was the heart beating more and more slowly.

"We're talking about Captain Hawkins, of course he'll be fine, won't he, Mr. Bellamy?" Ideo tried to cheer Sadi up and then asked Bellamy who was looking at the pile of straw in dismay thinking that he should go help Hawkins.

"Yeah, he's fine, you have to trust the captain… plus there's still Gion's voodoo clone" Law said and put a hand on Bellamy's shoulder to reassure him, Bellamy gave Law a thankful smile.

On a Grand Line marine base

"A DOCTOR! REAR ADMIRAL TOKIKAKE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED!" A Marine yelled as he ran for help around the base.

"Tokikake, Resist!" Gion told a Tokikake that he was on the verge of death, a moment before Tokikake was asking him out on a date and the second after his body was shattered to death.

Tomb of the kings in Arabasta

"Impossible..." Crocodile was surprised to note that his attack did not deal any damage to Hawkins.

"I told you to shut your mouth" Hawkins said this and appeared in front of Crocodile with Soru a second later, punching Crocodile hard in the face causing blood to come out of his mouth, then punching him in the stomach making him double over, then he kicked him with his right leg on the side of the face, taking advantage of the momentum he turned 360 degrees to hit Crocodile's neck with his heel.

Crocodile fell with a thud to the ground, tried to get up, but before he could, Hawkins punched him hard with Haki on his back making Crocodile spit blood and his eyes rolled back.

Hawkins walked a bit before calling Kokushibyō with his King's Haki, once he was down with Robin, Hawkins climbed on top of Kokushibyō to take off in flight to Erumalu.

Robin looked in surprise at her captain and then at the unconscious Crocodile from the sky, she was pleasantly surprised by her captain's strength. After Hawkins and Robin disappeared into the sky, Lucci appeared in front of Crocodile, Lucci's hands were stained by the blood of the squad of guards she had killed, as the guards had come upon hearing the sound of battle.

"Reporting, Crocodile was defeated by Basil Hawkins and it seems Hawkins has an ability that allows him to nullify the damage caused to his body, in this he is possibly heading to Erumalu to get out of arabasta" Lucci reported through the Den Den mushi.

"The gorosei has given the order that you infiltrate his crew, the next island that is their possible destinations is Jaya, go to the place and try to join them" The Den Den Mushi transmitted the order.

"Understood, what do I do with Crocodile?" Lucci asked as she prepared to kill Crocodile if the order was given.

"The government does not benefit from its defeat being publicized, take it to its Casino, if it survives or you die, it is its problem" Den Den Mushi said.

"Understood" Lucci said hanging up the call and proceeding to put Crocodile on his shoulder, leaving a few seconds later with Soru.

End of chapter.

What do you think, did you like the chapter?

I inform you that I have an outline for the story until your arrival in the new world.

I appreciate the comments and reviews because they motivate me to write and other people to read.

Until next time.

Greetings. :)