Crocodile was sprawled on the ground, trembling incessantly.
A gale erupted, stirring the surroundings and impacting reality with the surge of Conqueror's Haki at its epicenter.
His condescending words and dismissive attitude fueled an inferno of hatred within Crocodile's heart.
Rage simmered and brewed.
Using his broken arms, he forced himself to prop up his body.
The searing pain and humiliation drove Crocodile to the brink of madness.
He raised his blood-red eyes and roared:
"Ahhhhhhh!!!"
Boom—
A burst of Conqueror's Haki exploded!
However, it was quickly suppressed and annihilated by Sakazuki's potent Conqueror's Haki.
Sakazuki chuckled softly:
"Interesting."
"But..."
He lowered the foot he had been stepping on Crocodile's head.
He then placed his black leather boot onto Crocodile's right hand, which was supporting himself on the ground.
Crunch, crunch—
The sickening sound of bone cracking echoed.
The bones in his entire right hand were being ground to dust.
The erupting Conqueror's Haki suppressed Crocodile's mental fortitude.
He slowly regained a sliver of his senses.
The intense pain from his body surged. His uncrushed left hand pushed against the ground.
He yanked his right hand free and retreated, collapsing onto the ground.
With blood-red eyes, panting heavily, he glared at Sakazuki with hatred.
Sakazuki chuckled softly:
"Why bother."
"Such pathetic pride."
"Lying on the ground was your best option."
"At least you would have suffered less."
"Wouldn't you agree."
Hearing Sakazuki's words, Crocodile let out a wheezing, cold laugh.
Seeing this, Sakazuki said indifferently:
"Enel."
Enel's crisp voice responded:
"Rai Kin."
The golden ornaments on his wrist were instantly engulfed by electrical currents, melting them.
Four golden cones appeared, imbued with black Armament Haki.
Enel swung forward.
The four golden cones pierced Crocodile's limbs:
"Twenty Thousand Volts · Electric Torture."
A burst of white light erupted from Crocodile's body, and he collapsed to the ground, utterly incapacitated.
His body convulsed uncontrollably, his mind a blank slate.
Sakazuki sat on a crate, smoking a cigar. Beside him, Barrett stood with a sinister grin, watching the convulsing figure on the ground.
After an unknown duration.
Sakazuki's cigar was nearing its end.
He took a deep puff, flicked the butt onto the ground:
"Hoo—"
White smoke enveloped Crocodile's head.
"Have you considered it now."
Crocodile's intermittent laughter rang out:
"Heh... heh... heh heh heh.."
"Have you ever seen..."
"A king who acts like a dog."
With that, another surge of Conqueror's Haki erupted from his body.
Sakazuki sighed lightly:
"Foolish."
"Not everyone who awakens Conqueror's Haki can become a king."
"If you lose your life, what use is being a king."
"Besides."
"A dog king is still a king."
He then raised his right hand, pointing his index finger at Crocodile, deciding that a profound lesson was necessary for him to yield...
Whoosh—
Bang!!!
A magma finger gun, imbued with Armament Haki, directly blew Crocodile's left hand apart.
It dissolved into a mist of blood.
Ignoring Crocodile's terrified gaze:
"One last time."
"If you talk back again, you will become a legless..."
"Dog."
Dread continuously gripped Crocodile's heart.
The soaring spirit that had just awakened Conqueror's Haki was utterly extinguished.
The missing left hand jolted him back to harsh reality.
Life was paramount to everything.
Suppressing the turmoil within him:
"What opportunity."
Sakazuki chuckled:
"That's more like it."
"Why bother, if you had said this earlier, you wouldn't have lost your left hand."
Ignoring Crocodile's forced composure:
"The opportunity is the proposal the government has put forth regarding the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
"You have been chosen as one of the trial participants."
Crocodile took several deep breaths:
"Seven Warlords of the Sea?"
Sakazuki explained calmly:
"The Seven Warlords of the Sea is a government proposal."
"To select potential pirates who have animosity towards the New World powers."
"Grant them the title of the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
"The government will aid in their development."
"In terms of strength, resources, and various other aspects."
"They will even possess the right to legal plunder."
"And the primary objective is to foster the rapid growth of the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
"To counter the New World powers."
"And they must also be available for immediate summons by the government."
"Without any excuses for refusal."
Crocodile pondered the explanation, grasping the government's intention:
"Mutual destruction, is it..."
"Heh heh..."
"A clever scheme."
"What about the scope of that legal plunder right."
Crocodile temporarily suppressed his fear, a spark of interest ignited. The conditions were simply too tempting...
Sakazuki chuckled:
"The scope of the legal plunder right is limited to..."
"Plundering pirates."
Crocodile's eyes widened:
"Are you kidding me!"
Bang—
Sakazuki stomped down with his black leather boot.
He pressed down hard:
"Your question was good."
"You hit the nail on the head."
"But your tone of voice..."
"I dislike it immensely."
He released his foot. Crocodile, lying on the ground, remained still for a long time.
However, his trembling body betrayed the profound unrest within him.
Sakazuki spoke indifferently:
"The legal plunder right itself encompasses everything except the Marines and nobles."
"You can plunder all of that."
"However."
"I forbid it."
"Do you understand."
"When you act like a dog, you must behave like one."
"Do not overstep your bounds."
After a long silence, Crocodile slowly raised his head.
His face was now calm, devoid of expression:
"Alright."
Sakazuki stood up:
"Very good."
"Since you understand."
"Government officials will arrive later to brief you on various matters."
"Let me say this again."
"Do not overstep your bounds."
"This notification is concluded."
Bang—
He casually kicked Crocodile several meters away:
"Enel, go call the government personnel outside to treat him."
Enel made a gesture:
"Received!"
Zzz—
He vanished in a flash of lightning.
Zzz—
He reappeared in a flash of lightning:
"Forgot something."
He aimed at Crocodile, who was lying in the distance.
With a wave of his hand.
The four golden cones were pulled out, and Crocodile let out a muffled groan.
He was furious, his teeth almost grinding to dust, but he remained still on the ground, suppressing his anger and calming his mind...
Zzz—
Enel vanished in another flash of lightning...
-----------------
Sabaody Archipelago, Giant Red Tree, Number 24.
Approaching nightfall.
Sakazuki, Enel, and Barrett sat outside a restaurant.
Empty plates appeared continuously on the table.
Restaurant staff kept bringing meat and wine.
Barrett, whose body had shrunk from dehydration, was recovering by constantly eating meat and drinking wine.
Sakazuki leaned back, his arms resting on the top of his wide chair.
He looked to his right as Carole walked over:
"How is it."
Carole approached and shook his head with a wry smile:
"Terrible, the injuries."
"Left hand gone, most of his bones shattered."
"When reporting to HQ,"
"They almost decided to throw him directly into prison."
"Fortunately, he awakened Conqueror's Haki, which is why he was spared."
Remembering the arrogance of the Seven Warlords in the original story, Sakazuki chuckled:
"A bit of suffering will teach him a lesson."
"Otherwise, he would become lawless."
"Come, have some food."
Carole nodded and was about to sit down.
Suddenly, all four at the table turned their attention to Sakazuki's right side.
A little girl, holding a ten-layered ice cream, tripped while running with her friends.
She lunged towards Sakazuki.
Bang—
Sakazuki caught the little girl.
But the ten-layered ice cream splattered all over Sakazuki.
The little girl looked at the empty cone in her hand and Sakazuki's stern, intimidating face.
Tears welled up in her eyes. Tears streamed down, her shoulders trembled, but she dared not cry out.
The onlookers and her friends dared not approach.
Sakazuki wiped the ice cream from his arm:
"Carole."
Carole chuckled.
He reached towards the pocket on the side where his Sakura Ten hung...
He pulled out a thousand Berries and walked up to the little girl.
He patted her head, and Carole's gentle voice rang out:
"There, there~ don't cry~"
"Go buy some twenty-layered ones~"
"And share them with your friends~"