Chapter 52: Resolve
BOOM!
The sudden explosion raised few eyebrows within Alabasta's palace. The staff had grown accustomed to the daily routine. Clashes between Crocodile and Alvin Vergil were frequent, usually ending with Crocodile acting, Vergil receiving, and both emerging unscathed.
Perhaps… a form of high-level exercise? Incomprehensible.
Today, post-eruption, Crocodile and Vergil approached Cobra, proposing a temporary departure from Alabasta.
"We have matters to pursue. We'll be gone for a time." Crocodile took a slow drag from his cigar. "The Land of Music. Elegia."
"The East Blue?" The Land of Music was renowned; Cobra knew of it. As for their departure, he offered no objection, only a touch of reluctance to see old friends go. Wanted criminals? True. But they had aided Alabasta's people.
"I'll have a ship prepared. Travel safely." Cobra smiled, then gathered the palace staff and little Princess Vivi to bid farewell.
Vivi waved vigorously. "Bon voyage!"
Vergil smiled, waving back, then nudged Crocodile with an elbow.
Crocodile: "…"
The hand holding the cigar gave a slight, dismissive wave.
Thus, the two departed Alubarna for Nanohana Port, boarding the swift clipper Cobra had arranged.
Set sail!
...
The voyage from Alabasta to Elegia in the East Blue comprised three legs. First, Reverse Mountain, then locating a port on the adjacent Red Line. But no ship change was needed this time. By riding special currents through World Government-controlled canals, one could travel freely among the four Blues.
A conventional approach.
For the powerful, alternatives existed—diving with soap bubbles, ascending Reverse Mountain's upstream current, even crossing the Calm Belt directly. All intriguing options.
"…"
"But we won't use any of those!" Crocodile glared at Vergil at the helm. "As a Warlord, I'll use my status reasonably. No unnecessary risks!"
"…"
"Hey, are you listening?"
"…"
Vergil remained silent, blinking, his expression screaming 'How boring.'
Crocodile: "…"
Fine. Pretend he heard.
In truth, Vergil's mind had wandered far ahead.
...
The Land of Music—Elegia.
A famed nation, yet destined to vanish from the seas in the near future. The reasons involved two factors:
One, the "Great Demon" Tot Musica from the ancient text.
Two, the currently rising Red Hair Pirates.
Today's Red Hair Pirates, aside from their crew, included a little "musician"—Uta. Adopted by [Red-Haired] Shanks as an infant, she'd consumed the Song-Song Fruit, possessing a voice that could captivate the world.
When the Red Hairs were based in the East Blue, Uta met Luffy and traveled with the crew to Elegia. Shanks supported her, allowing her to study under King Gordon. The people of Elegia recognized her prodigious talent and cherished her.
But that extraordinary gift also attracted the attention of Tot Musica. The unconscious destructive entity, triggered by instinct, secretly altered the score Uta was to perform. Through her singing, it was temporarily unleashed, embarking on a rampage.
Though Shanks and the crew intervened, Tot Musica slaughtered the island's residents, reducing the Land of Music to ruins. Only Gordon survived among the natives.
To protect Uta, the Red Hair Pirates shouldered the blame for Elegia's destruction, leaving Uta with Gordon.
...
The rest concerned Monkey D. Luffy. A reunion years later. Uta's attempt to drag the entire sea into a "new era" alone ended in her fall.
After the reunion came…
Farewell.
...
Back to the present.
The Red Hair Pirates had likely just arrived in the East Blue. Shanks hadn't yet bet his arm on the "new era." Uta and Luffy had only just met.
The future remained unwritten. Even fate-bound, possibilities were infinite.
Vergil wanted to see.
See.
Yes, go and see.
See!
I know, of course I'll see…
"Primitive! Eyes on the sea!"
"Hm?"
Crocodile's shout snapped Vergil back. He realized their ship was caught in a powerful, inexplicable current, being dragged forward.
"An undercurrent!" Crocodile frowned. He knew blaming Vergil was pointless. The Grand Line's seas were capricious; even the Four Blues' best navigators needed time to adapt.
Their task now: escape this current, fast.
"Hard to starboard!" Crocodile barked, unleashing streams of sand to adjust the sails.
At the helm, Vergil pulled out a navigation manual borrowed from Alabasta, seeking a solution. Crocodile felt a flicker of relief. Vergil's learning ability was monstrous. Given time, he'd decipher a way out.
Soon, Vergil spoke up.
"Got it. I can do it!" For once, Crocodile wasn't annoyed by the phrase.
Vergil waved the book. "It says: 'Those who defy nature are punished by God!'"
"Right… Huh?" Crocodile blinked. A surge of inexplicable fury rose. He spun, snarling, "What kind of book is that?!"
Vergil showed the cover. "Granny's Intimate Guide to Navigation."
"…"
"?"
Crocodile gritted his teeth, abandoning any hope of Vergil navigating. He'd handle it himself. More troublesome, but manageable.
"Move, primitive!" Crocodile shoved Vergil aside, taking the helm. "If you have any ideas, just… shout them out."
Vergil pondered seriously, then nodded. "Possible."
"?"
Before Crocodile could process it, Vergil strode to the stern, gripped the rail, and opened his mouth. Sharp fangs reappeared; his body shifted subtly.
Crocodile saw, understood the plan, but too late to stop it.
ROAR!
Pure gale force erupted, striking the sea. Immense recoil lifted the entire clipper into the air, soaring skyward.
"PRIMITIIIIIVE—!"
Crocodile's roar pierced the clouds. Only when the ship slammed back down with a CRASH did he exhale. Safe. Safe. Safe…
Wait.
He noticed something. Their ship had been flung an unknown distance. Free of the undercurrent, but the surrounding sea and clouds were… still.
A chill crawled up Crocodile's spine. The "forbidden zone" no human should enter—
The Calm Belt.
"No wind" alone wasn't terrifying. Both he and Vergil could provide propulsion. The real danger was the Calm Belt's other denizens: Sea Kings. Colossal ones.
"…"
"Hey."
Crocodile spotted an anomaly on the water's surface. The calm blue sea… was turning white. Looking closer, it wasn't a color change. Beneath the azure, an enormous eye had opened. Compared to that eye, their Alabastan clipper was a mere speck on its dark pupil.
The sheer size of the creature hidden below was unimaginable.
And the most nerve-shredding part: it wasn't alone. Further out, more eyes surfaced. Dozens more lurked beneath.
"Giant-class Sea Kings…" Crocodile chuckled darkly, lighting a fresh cigar. "Isn't this… a bit much?"
"…"
"Really."
Vergil leaned over the rail, assessing.
Crocodile felt his blood pressure spike. "Get this ship moving! If those things surface, even wings won't save us!"
"…"
BOOM!
Before Vergil could reply, the entire clipper was hoisted skyward by an "unknown" force from below. The keel snapped; the vessel disintegrated mid-air.
Crocodile scowled, ready to abandon Vergil, dissolve into sand, and flee. But two hands clamped onto his shoulders, halting his fall.
He looked up. Vergil had spread his wings, hauling Crocodile to a higher altitude, beyond the Giant Sea Kings' predatory reach.
"Worth a try, right?" Vergil grinned. "Like, 'even wings might not save us'?"
Crocodile: "…"
He made a silent resolution:
He never wanted to sail with Alvin Vergil again.
Wait.
The primitive still had uses. That resolution was illogical.
So, a new resolution:
If he ever sailed with Alvin Vergil again, he wouldn't buy an expensive ship.
It'd get wrecked anyway.
Tomorrow, the Elegia Arc begins!
The Super Theatrical Version is here!
(End of Chapter 52)
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