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Silence fell. On the battleship, it was as if all sound had vanished. The dark expression on Arashi's face was visible.
Crocodile stared intently at him, seeking just one answer.
His once fragmented memories merged with his new self, and old ambitions resurfaced.
Pirate, Marine—everything had shattered and reformed into the face of the young Marine standing before him.
After a while, as the sea breeze gently stirred the cape behind Arashi, the darkness on his face faded, replaced by a faint smile.
"So, you've started remembering the past?" Arashi asked.
Crocodile nodded. "Not much, but I'm beginning to understand my history."
"So, you were there that day two years ago?" Arashi sighed. He hadn't expected anyone to witness that scene.
The alley was narrow, less than a meter wide, and the exit was blocked by people kneeling in fear.
How many would dare to look up and see what lay ahead when facing a Celestial Dragon? But Crocodile had been there.
"Yes!" Crocodile nodded again.
"So, what are your thoughts?" Arashi asked with a slight smile, his eyes on his subordinate in Marine uniform.
Crocodile fell silent, deep in thought. A person capable of decisively striking down a Celestial Dragon had unimaginable courage and spirit.
This person would not be content to remain a mere rear admiral; perhaps his ambitions would extend beyond the Marines.
After a long pause, Crocodile looked up.
"Whatever ambitions or aspirations you have, one thing is clear." Crocodile took a deep breath and met Arashi's gaze. "You will need trustworthy allies."
"I am willing to become your most reliable, strongest ally!" he declared solemnly.
The Crocodile of the past might have dreamed of becoming a great pirate, a Pirate King.
But those memories were shattered, and he could only rely on fragmented recollections of his former self.
Now, he cherished the present, just as Captain Arashi had told him when he was commissioned—live in the moment!
Arashi laughed heartily at Crocodile's declaration. The others exchanged glances, unsure of what was going on between the two.
"Hey, Old Sand, what's the deal? What did you say to Captain Arashi?"
Rosinante asked curiously, throwing an arm around Crocodile's shoulders. Ivans and the others turned their heads, their interest piqued.
"I discovered one of the Captain's secrets!" Crocodile replied with a slight smile.
"What secret?" Mina asked. "Can you share it with us?"
Crocodile glanced at Arashi, then chuckled. "Our Captain," he said, "has killed a Celestial Dragon!"
In an instant, the entire ship fell silent. Rosinante, smiling, suddenly narrowed his eyes in shock, and the others visibly paled.
But everyone quickly recovered their composure when they saw Arashi standing there with his arms crossed, smiling at them.
"Hahahaha!" they laughed. "You're kidding, right? That's not funny at all."
"Yeah, I was just scared out of my mind!" The crew joked and laughed it off.
No one took Crocodile's words seriously because their Captain hadn't confirmed it.
Only Ivans, when he glanced back accidentally, noticed that his smile had faded, replaced by a look of shock and awe.
"He didn't deny it!" Ivans thought to himself. But soon, the matter was forgotten in the minds of the crew.
Everything seemed as if nothing had happened. The crew's curiosity shifted to what exactly was inside the wooden box Ivans was holding.
"What could it be?"
"The Captain mentioned that this mission is important to the headquarters."
"The contents must be incredibly valuable, right?"
"It has to be something beyond our imagination."
Everyone's curiosity was piqued, but due to protocol, none dared to unlock the box casually.
"If you want to know what's inside, why not just open it?" Arashi said with a smile.
He wasn't interested in the box's contents because he had a good guess. It was likely a Devil Fruit.
Vegapunk should have begun a series of research projects on Devil Fruits and the Lineage Factor by now.
"Can we open it?"
"Isn't this mission supposed to be strictly confidential?" T-Bone asked in surprise.
"Keeping it confidential means not telling anyone, right?" Arashi responded.
"Little Bone, don't be so rigid! Or you'll regret it someday."
Then, he turned to Crocodile. "Crocodile, use your ability to open it!"
Crocodile chuckled. "That's easy."
A moment later, grains of sand slipped into the box's lock and quickly solidified into a key.
With a soft click, the lock turned, and the box was opened. Ivans lifted the lid, and everyone leaned in to see.
Inside was a fruit with a strange, intricate pattern on its surface.
"A Devil Fruit!" Slo exclaimed in shock.
"Our mission is to escort a Devil Fruit?" Kira added, equally astonished. Everyone was surprised, but Arashi remained calm.
He knew that after the Marines had taken control of Vegapunk, the scientist had initiated extensive research on Devil Fruits, leading to various developments.
"Close it up," Arashi said calmly, noticing the longing in everyone's eyes. Ivans promptly shut the box.
"Heh, if you want a power like this, you can strive for it in the future. But this fruit is part of our mission," Arashi reminded them.
Only then did the desire in Slo and the others' eyes fade away.
Egghead Island wasn't far from their current location, but it wasn't close either. Ten days later, the battleship finally docked at the island's port.
As Arashi expected, the security on Egghead Island was tight, and a Marine Vice Admiral greeted them.
"I'm sorry, Rear Admiral Arashi, but according to regulations, no one outside of this island is allowed to enter," the Vice Admiral said sternly.
"What about me?" Arashi replied, taking the wooden box Ivans handed him. "My orders are to personally deliver this item to Vegapunk."
The Vice Admiral was silent for a moment before he responded. "As the disciple of Marine Hero Vice Admiral Garp, I trust you."
"However, as I mentioned earlier, only you can carry the mission item inside."
Arashi nodded. He then passed through the heavily guarded port, entering the island.
There was no doubt that Egghead Island was now a tightly secured research base.
As Arashi passed through the base's entrance, he noticed not only Marines but also mysterious black figures, their expressions cold and alert.
About half an hour later, Arashi found himself in a waiting room, where he met Vegapunk.
"Come with me, Rear Admiral Arashi," Vegapunk said, waving his hand as he left.
Arashi hesitated momentarily, then picked up the box and followed him.
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