Nia stepped out to complete her tasks, while Crocodile sat huddled in the corner, his expression vacant, clearly trying to process what was happening. Meanwhile, Claudius and Admiral Sengoku continued their conversation in high spirits, almost as if nothing out of the ordinary was taking place.
Before long, Sengoku received a report from Kuzan: John's submarine had been apprehended, and Kizaru and Sakazuki were on their way to support the operation. At that moment, Sengoku felt a wave of relief wash over him. With Kuzan, Sakazuki, and Kizaru working together, John and his crew wouldn't stand a chance. They were young but undeniably powerful. John's fate was sealed.
This was probably the first real conversation Sengoku had ever had with Claudius. They'd crossed paths before, but any interactions were mostly formal or through Zephyr, who had a better relationship with Claudius. Zephyr had often spoken of how different Claudius was from the typical Celestial Dragons, but now, after their exchange, Sengoku was beginning to understand what Zephyr meant.
Claudius wasn't just physically strong for a Celestial Dragon; he was sharp, well-spoken, and far from the spoiled, entitled aristocrat Sengoku had expected. In their interaction, Claudius could have easily used his status to force Sengoku into bending the rules to protect Crocodile. But instead, he chose a more nuanced approach, one that allowed Sengoku to save face while still achieving his own goals.
In that moment, Sengoku couldn't help but think: What a shame Claudius is a Celestial Dragon. If he had been a Marine, with proper training, Claudius could have become as remarkable as Kuzan, Sakazuki, or Kizaru.
Just as Sengoku was reflecting on this, the door opened and Nia returned, holding a red-hot branding iron in his hand. The sight of it caused Sengoku to let out a resigned chuckle. "Zephyr told me you weren't like the other Celestial Dragons, Claudius, but I didn't expect to witness something like this today."
Nia respectfully handed the branding iron to Claudius, who took it with a mischievous smile. "Well, Admiral Sengoku, even I have my 'Celestial Dragon' moments. After all, a bit of cruelty runs in our blood."
Sengoku smiled wryly. "I wouldn't call this cruelty, Your Highness. If anything, you're simply 'guiding' others onto the right path."
Claudius laughed. "Who would've thought? The Marine Admiral just called one of my acts a good deed! Maybe I should do more 'good' in the future."
Sengoku could only shake his head with a helpless smile. There really wasn't much he could say.
Claudius turned to Stussy. "Hold him still and get his back ready. From now on, he belongs to me. Let's see if he still wants to be a pirate after this."
Stussy complied without hesitation, stepping forward and pressing Crocodile to the ground. With swift, practiced movements, she tore his clothes apart, exposing his muscular back.
Crocodile, sensing the gravity of the situation, began to struggle, but the seastone cuffs sapped his strength, leaving him powerless. Stussy, a skilled fighter herself, easily pinned him down. Crocodile's arms were locked in place, leaving him no choice but to shout in frustration.
"What the hell are you doing, Claudius? Let me go!" Crocodile yelled, his voice laced with panic.
Claudius strolled over, the branding iron in hand, and grinned. "Relax, kid. I'm saving your life. After today, you're no longer a pirate. Your bounty will be wiped clean, and you'll have a fresh start. You should be thanking me."
In his mind, Claudius couldn't help but find the situation amusing. This is Crocodile, one of the future Seven Warlords. And now, I get to brand him with the mark of a Celestial Dragon.
"Let me go! You can't do this!" Crocodile's voice trembled with terror. Sure, the promise of having his bounty erased sounded nice, but something about this whole situation felt wrong. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was stepping into an even deeper trap.
Nia, standing by, said. "You should know what's happening, Crocodile. His Highness is about to mark you with the 'Celestial Dragon's Hoof.' Once it's branded onto you, there's no removing it. From that point forward, you'll belong to him. For life. Of course, there are perks. Most people won't dare to touch you as long as you're under His Highness' protection. But if you disobey... well, we'll make sure you understand what it means to wish for death."
Crocodile's face contorted in rage and disbelief. "A slave? You think I'll become a slave? I'd rather die here than live with that brand on me! I Crocodile will never be anyone's slave!"
"In time, you'll come to accept this, maybe even embrace it. I'm not like the other Celestial Dragons. I don't just collect slaves for fun. You'll still have your freedom, to some degree. Even Admiral Sengoku here can testify that I'm a reasonable man."
"Reasonable?" Crocodile spat, trying to struggle free. "Go to hell!"
"Relax," Claudius said, his voice calm but firm. "This is all for your own good."
With those words, Claudius pressed the searing hot brand onto Crocodile's back. A sickening sizzle filled the room as the mark of the Donquixote family—the "Celestial Dragon's Hoof" burned into his skin.
Crocodile let out a scream of pure agony. "Claudius! You bastard! I swear, I'll make you pay for this!"
Claudius casually pulled the branding iron away, handing it back to Nia. Crocodile lay on the ground, his body drenched in sweat, his muscles twitching from the excruciating pain. The brand, still fresh and red on his back, marked him as property of the Donquixote family.
He glanced at Nia, who promptly took the branding iron away. "Make sure he's treated. We saved his life, no point in letting him die from infection or something trivial."
Stussy nodded and began to drag the weakened Crocodile out of the room.
As they left, Sengoku, who had been watching the entire scene, spoke up with a slight frown. "Your Highness, are you sure Crocodile won't try to harm you in the future? I don't think he's the type to submit easily."
Claudius smiled confidently. "That's the fun part. I don't need him to submit right away. I didn't mark him just to turn him into a mindless slave. I see potential in him. He'll either come around and be useful to me, or he'll keep fighting. Either way, I win. If John could win him over, why can't I?"
Sengoku shook his head slightly, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Well, if you're that confident, I won't argue. Now that the situation with John is under control, I should go see how things are progressing. Once we've finished with the John Pirates, I'll personally escort you back to Mariejois."
Claudius chuckled. "Looks like I have no choice but to accept. After all, your Marines blew up my ship when you launched the Buster Call. Can't exactly swim back, can I?"
Sengoku grinned, though it was tinged with embarrassment. "We'll make sure you're taken care of, Your Highness."
After Sengoku left, Nia approached Claudius. "Your Highness, should we really return with the Marines? Weren't we planning to travel a bit more and scout for new talent?"
Claudius smiled. "Don't worry, Nia. We've already had an unexpected windfall. Crocodile has plenty of potential. We'll be fine."
Nia frowned slightly, still skeptical. "Him? I'm not sure. He doesn't seem very... cooperative."
Claudius laughed heartily. "Trust me, Nia. Give him time. We can work on his IQ later."