Chapter 36: Hot-blooded

Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Hot-blooded

At this time, Crocodile was far from becoming the ruthless "Desert King" that the world would come to fear. He had only recently set out to sea, and somehow, he'd gotten his hands on the Logia-type Sand-Sand Fruit. Captain John, recognizing the potential in him, had taken Crocodile under his wing, grooming him to be a future right-hand man.

Captain John wasn't wrong in his judgment Crocodile had immense potential. A Logia-type Devil Fruit user, especially in a crew full of seasoned pirates, was a major asset. If trained properly, Crocodile could have become John's most trusted lieutenant.

But right now, the immediate concern was escaping the Marines. John had bigger problems than nurturing Crocodile, and Crocodile's future as his second-in-command was suddenly uncertain.

"Captain, let's fight them head-on!" Crocodile said, full of youthful energy.

Captain John looked at his crew and then, with a fierce grin, declared, "Yeah, we can't let those Marine dogs think they've got us cornered. Even if we die, we'll go down biting! Fight to the death!"

Crocodile, fired up by John's words, shouted, "Yes, captain! Let's show them we're not to be trifled with!"

But John wasn't about to charge into a suicidal battle. He was a cunning man, and he'd long anticipated that they might be forced into a situation like this. He had already made preparations for a secret escape route.

"Of course, we won't just throw our lives away," John said in a low voice, his eyes gleaming with a calculating light. "There's a secret port on this island. We can use a submarine I've hidden there to make our escape."

John was always careful to leave himself an out. In every situation, he made sure he had an escape plan. Here, on this island, was no different. But the submarine was too small to carry everyone. His plan was simple: leave a group of his men behind to act as a distraction while he slipped away with a few chosen ones.

One of the younger crew members perked up. "A secret port? As expected of the captain!" he said, impressed.

"Of course!" John continued, keeping his voice steady. "But we can't just flee without a fight. That would make us look weak. Here's the plan: I'll take a few of you to the submarine while the rest stay behind to hold off the Marines. Once their warships are close enough, we'll attack them from the submarine, cause some chaos, and grab one of their ships to break through their blockade. Afterward, we'll head to East Blue, where I've got a stash of treasure buried. With that treasure, we can rebuild the crew and come back stronger!"

John's plan sounded inspiring, but it was full of holes. If anyone had stopped to think about it for a moment, they would've realized that most of them were being set up to be cannon fodder. Claudius, if he were here, would have seen through the scheme immediately John was setting his crew up as decoys while he made his own escape.

As for the treasure in East Blue? There might have been something there, but more likely than not, John was just spinning tales to keep his crew motivated.

Even Crocodile, who would later become a master of manipulation himself, didn't pick up on the deception. At this point in his life, he was still a hot-blooded teenager, full of idealism and loyalty to his captain.

Perhaps it was this very betrayal that would later shape Crocodile into the ruthless and untrusting man he would become. Maybe it was Captain John's betrayal that taught Crocodile not to place his faith in others.

"In that case, let me lead the charge!" Crocodile declared, eager to prove himself.

As expected, before long, Claudius spotted the Marine warships approaching the coastline. Soon after, he saw groups of Marine soldiers disembarking from the ships, led by officers.

Stussy, peering through a telescope, lowered it and said quickly, "It's Admiral Sengoku. I saw him getting off the ship."

"Sengoku, huh?" Claudius murmured. "He really likes to throw around Buster Calls, doesn't he?"

While Claudius watched the Marines, something else caught his eye. A group of rugged-looking men suddenly charged down the mountainside nearby, heading straight for the Marines. It was obvious from their appearance that these were pirates, likely the remnants of Captain John's crew, now making a desperate attempt to fight back.

At first, Claudius didn't pay them much mind. He didn't really care who these pirates were or what crime had earned them a Buster Call. But then, his eyes landed on one particular figure leading the charge a young man who seemed oddly familiar.

"Wait... is that...?" Claudius squinted. "No way, I must be mistaken. That guy looks way too young. He shouldn't have even gone to sea yet..."

Just as Claudius was questioning his own eyes, a burst of yellow sand appeared from the battlefield. A small sandstorm whipped up, tearing through the Marines who had just landed.

Claudius's jaw dropped in shock.

"Holy crap, it is Crocodile!" he exclaimed, recognizing the young pirate now. "What the hell did he do to get the Marines to pull a Buster Call on him?"

Among the group of pirates, Crocodile was still relatively weak compared to the more seasoned crew members, but the flash of his Devil Fruit powers was unmistakable. His abilities, even in their undeveloped state, were already dangerous enough to wreak havoc on the Marines.

In a matter of moments, Claudius saw a Marine Rear Admiral go down, slashed and thrown by the sheer force of the pirates' attack.

"Wow, that's brutal. These aren't your run-of-the-mill pirates, huh?" Claudius muttered to himself. "Makes sense, though. Crocodile wouldn't join just any weak crew. If he's on board, they've got to be pretty strong."

Claudius observed the battle for a few more seconds, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. Then, a grin spread across his face.

"Well, well... looks like fate has brought you to me, Crocodile," Claudius said to himself, chuckling. "You're still so young, caught up with pirates like this? What a waste of talent.

With that, Claudius's form shimmered, turning into a gust of wind as he vanished from the rooftop.

"Your Highness!" Nia called out in a panic as she saw Claudius disappear.