A Powerful Lady.
A Big Deal.
When Aaron heard Crocodile actually mistook him for a woman, he couldn't help but find it amusing. A mischievous smile crept across his face.
But he quickly hid that expression and said softly,
"A big deal, huh? Don't tell me that's just an excuse to go after my head. After all, I did just send one of your business partners straight to hell."
"Business partner? Hmph, don't make me laugh." Crocodile sneered. "Weaklings have no right to be my partners. Someone like Fetes could never be my equal—he was just a delivery tool. Dead or alive, it makes no difference. The weak are born guilty. But you… I wouldn't mind forming a partnership with a strong lady like yourself."
Hearing how easily Crocodile dismissed Fetes as worthless garbage—and then, without hesitation, invited the very man who had killed his subordinate to become his new partner—Aaron immediately gained a clearer understanding of Crocodile's personality.
This was someone who valued only strength. Once a person lost their usefulness, they were discarded without a second thought. And for the sake of his goals, he would even cooperate with someone who had just wronged him.
"I see. Then tell me, Crocodile—are you a strong man or a weak one? I've already proven my power by killing Fetes, who had a bounty of seventy million Berries. You probably don't believe it, but it took me less than ten seconds to finish him off. How about you? How many seconds do you think it'd take you to kill him?"
Facing someone like Crocodile, Aaron chose to be just as straightforward—laying out his strength plainly.
Aaron wasn't exactly sure how powerful Crocodile truly was, but he did know the man possessed a Logia-type Devil Fruit. As long as his weakness—his inability to turn into sand when wet—remained hidden, few pirates in Paradise could ever stand a chance against him.
After all, Crocodile had been the first pirate invited by the Marines to join the ranks of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. His strength was unquestionable in the eyes of the World Government.
As for why, years later, he'd end up defeated by a rookie like Luffy… Aaron figured it was because Crocodile had grown complacent in Alabasta. Having once been defeated by Whitebeard, he'd lost the drive to grow stronger. Like Moria, he became obsessed with grandiose schemes—in his case, stealing Pluton and ruling the world—while neglecting real combat and training.
But now, at this point in time, Crocodile was without a doubt in his prime—his power at its peak.
Still, if Aaron remembered correctly, that sand crocodile didn't know Haki (his life card confirmed it). Because of that, Aaron didn't find him particularly intimidating.
"Defeating Fetes in under ten seconds, huh? Impressive. You're indeed strong. You've earned the right to know my name, lady. I am Crocodile. Surely you've heard of me."
When Aaron boasted about his strength, Crocodile dropped the act and revealed his identity outright.
He believed his title as a Warlord would be enough to intimidate anyone in Paradise.
Aaron, seeing Crocodile finally reveal himself, paused deliberately—letting him think his reputation had indeed struck fear—then replied with a faint smile,
"No wonder you're so full of yourself. So it's Mr. 0 himself, huh? You should've said that earlier. All right then, tell me—what's this big deal? You've got my interest."
"Hahaha! Well then, lady, I'll need you to deliver the cargo from Fetes' ship to Alabasta. Once you arrive, use that Den Den Mushi in your hand to call me back. Oh, and lady, since I've given you my name, shouldn't you tell me yours?"
Crocodile sounded genuinely pleased, thinking his fame had managed to impress Aaron.
"My name?" Aaron chuckled. "Something so trivial shouldn't matter to you, right? Forget it. Just call me Miss Swordswoman, Mr. 0."
"Hmph. Fair enough. Names mean nothing. Strength and usefulness are what truly matter. I look forward to your arrival in Alabasta, Miss Swordswoman."
Though annoyed that he'd been outplayed, Crocodile didn't dwell on it long. With a matching cold grin, he ended the call.
"Touched a nerve, did I?"
Aaron shrugged as he stared at the now-silent Den Den Mushi.
Then his expression turned serious. He carefully stored the snail away, used his Munch Munch Fruit power to restore his voice, and stepped out of the captain's quarters.
The cargo.
Crocodile had mentioned it at the end.
Aaron was eager to find out what exactly Crocodile wanted delivered.
The pirates on board had long since submitted to Aaron. When they saw him heading toward the hold, one of them immediately hurried forward, eager to curry favor, and offered to lead the way.
Among pirates, the law of the jungle reigned supreme—submission to strength was second nature.
At first, they had despised Aaron for killing their captain, who, by their standards, had treated them decently. But once they saw the overwhelming gap in power, their hatred quickly faded. Some even began to think that following Aaron might lead to a better future.
"Typical," Aaron thought. Pirates—bullies of the weak, cowards before the strong.
Their shifting loyalties didn't interest him in the slightest. To him, these men were nothing but tools to steer the ship. Once they reached Villea Port, he intended to deal with them personally.
Before long, led by the sycophantic pirate, Aaron reached the cargo hold.
Inside were burlap sacks filled with green powder. The crew didn't know what it was—only that Fetes had been instructed to seize it from a certain merchant vessel, and every time he delivered it to Alabasta, the profits were enormous.
"So that's what it is. No wonder Crocodile had Fetes handle the transport himself. I didn't think his plot to seize a kingdom had started this early."
The moment Aaron saw the powder, he recognized it and muttered to himself.
That green substance was Dance Powder—the artificial rainfall agent used in the One Piece world. With it, even drought-stricken lands could summon rain. But the downside was catastrophic: areas downwind would suffer devastating droughts.
A selfish invention that brought rain to one land by stealing it from another.
Because it could spark wars between nations, the World Government had long since banned its manufacture and possession. If discovered, they would intervene directly.
Clearly, this substance was not just contraband—but the highest-grade kind. Even the greediest merchants rarely dared to touch it, for getting caught meant facing the wrath of entire nations—and the World Government itself.
Crocodile, however, was cunning. Instead of buying directly from smugglers, he had his pirate subordinates plunder shipments from merchant ships. Those same pirates would then serve as unwitting couriers, delivering the goods to Alabasta—reducing his risk and covering his tracks.
"Heh, this sand crocodile sure knows how to run his operations. And his subordinates aren't half bad either…"
Aaron smiled faintly as he gazed at the sacks of Dance Powder piled in the hold.
---
[Every 50 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
For early access to advanced chapters visit my P@treon:
P@treon/ Dexy3
Thank you so much for your support and for reading!