Chapter 43: Working with Crocodile
"By the way, Crocodile, your strength is too weak. Stop relying on outside powers — you should focus on strengthening your body. A powerful physique is the true foundation of strength.
After all, Logia-type Devil Fruits aren't invincible. Out here on the seas, Armament Haki, Seastone, and even seawater are your natural enemies. And in the New World, people who can use Armament Haki are as common as dirt."
At those words, Crocodile's face darkened.
"Don't look at me like that. I'm saying this for your own good. Out on the seas, which strong person can't use both Armament and Observation Haki? Are you really content to stay cooped up in that tiny country for the rest of your life?"
Jiang Qize spoke softly.
Honestly, Crocodile was a decent guy — especially later on. He had real style. But he'd wasted too much time. He failed to take the country, lost Baroque Works, and didn't even find a trace of Pluton.
If Crocodile could start taking things seriously now, he could definitely become a powerful ally — maybe even someone not weaker than an admiral.
"Think about it. Especially if you still want to kill Whitebeard."
"I know!"
Crocodile's expression was gloomy as he spoke. His severed hand trembled slightly.
"Good. Give up on taking Alabasta by force. Just use it to make money. All you really need is the Poneglyph there. Don't make your headquarters in that country — with your fruit's ability, once it awakens, you could turn an entire island into a desert."
"Focus on developing Baroque Works and earning money."
Jiang Qize spoke seriously.
"The last sentence was your real point, wasn't it?" Crocodile said through gritted teeth.
"Uh… don't sweat the small details. You need money too, don't you?" Jiang Qize rubbed his nose with an awkward laugh.
"Hmph!"
Crocodile snorted coldly and didn't say another word.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
The ground suddenly began to tremble.
Crocodile's eyes narrowed, and he stood up immediately.
"No need to panic. It's just another one of my pets."
Jiang Qize smiled, stood up, and walked outside.
Crocodile's gaze shifted before he followed.
Outside, an enormous shadow was slowly approaching, each step making the ground quake.
The massive, ferocious head, lined with rows of razor-sharp teeth gleaming coldly in the light, sent a chill down Crocodile's spine.
When he saw the dinosaur clearly, his pupils contracted.
"Roar~"
The Tyrannosaurus Rex lowered its head toward Jiang Qize and let out a deep growl.
The nearby Raptorex's eyes gleamed with excitement.
"Hungry? If you are, have the Raptorex take you to the Mosasaur — it'll catch you a sea beast to eat."
Jiang Qize patted the Rex's tough hide and chuckled.
"Roar~" The Tyrannosaurus answered, clearly saying it was hungry.
"Raptorex, take the T. rex to get some food."
"Yes, sir!"
Raptorex responded in a deep voice.
"I'm really curious — what kind of Devil Fruit user are you?"
Crocodile asked, looking at the boy beside him — the one who seemed so ordinary, almost like the kid next door — but couldn't help feeling a strange curiosity.
As Lu Xun once said: when you start to feel curious about someone, that's love…
Cough, cough.
Jiang Qize gave him a glance. "I'm not a Devil Fruit user."
That was the truth — he really wasn't.
Crocodile frowned.
"Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King, had Observation Haki strong enough to hear the Voice of All Things — to understand everything that speaks. So me being able to understand dinosaurs shouldn't surprise you. You've just seen too little of the world."
Jiang Qize said calmly — unconsciously showing off again.
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