"Welcome, Lord Crocodile of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, to the Wine Capital. I am Captain Luka of the Marine Base here. Is there anything I can do for you?"
The speaker was a strikingly handsome middle-aged man, clad in the distinctive uniform of Marine Headquarters. The word "Justice" on his cape fluttered in the wind.
Rosen scrutinized Captain Luka. His overly friendly demeanor was suspicious. When he had first seen the large assembly of Marines waiting for him, he had assumed they were preparing for trouble.
But to his surprise, the moment he and his crew disembarked, Luka had even given them a formal salute—a gesture of welcome.
Sure, he was a Shichibukai, but did these Marines really forget that the Warlords were still pirates at their core? Wouldn't this kind of reception stir dissatisfaction among his subordinates?
Still, Rosen was curious. Such a grand welcome, paired with this kind of excessive politeness... If Luka wasn't simply afraid of him, then he must have an agenda.
Did this man know about his past?
Rosen glanced at Robin, but she subtly shook her head, indicating she had no idea why Luka was treating him this way.
So, they weren't acquaintances.
"What do you want?" Rosen pondered for a moment but couldn't make sense of the situation. He lit a cigar and spoke to Luka in a calm, indifferent tone.
"This isn't the best place for a discussion. I've prepared a fine feast at the vineyard—top-quality wine and food. You've traveled a long way; you must be exhausted. Why not dine with me as we talk?" Luka offered sincerely, his infectious smile exuding charisma.
For a moment, Rosen felt like he was back in the world of political negotiations. Clearly, Luka was a man adept at social maneuvering.
But Rosen wasn't interested in playing along.
Since it was obvious the Captain had a favor to ask, and Rosen had no desire to get involved in unnecessary trouble, he wasn't inclined to entertain Luka's invitation.
"If you have something to say, say it here. I'm in a hurry," Rosen replied after a brief pause, rejecting Luka's offer outright.
Luka was momentarily stunned. He hesitated, weighing his options.
Crocodile isn't taking the bait... Should I use force?
No, that wouldn't work. Even if they were a match in strength, a confrontation would only ruin his plans.
"I've heard that you and Bam have some... unpleasant history. Now that you're back on the island, word has likely already reached him. And knowing Bam, he won't let this slide so easily," Luka said in a hushed voice as he stepped slightly closer to Rosen.
Bam—the overseer of Bordeaux Winery.
Rosen had asked Robin about the details of Crocodile's past actions on this island.
It turned out that Crocodile had actually done one good deed here—at least by his own twisted standards.
One time, during a meal, a child abuse incident broke out in the streets nearby, disrupting Crocodile's peace. Annoyed, he wiped out the culprits on the spot.
Unfortunately, those same men had been members of a pirate crew allied with Bordeaux Winery. The winery's second-in-command had later come knocking for an explanation.
At first, he had only wanted to save face, but Crocodile had been in an exceptionally foul mood that day. A fierce battle erupted between the two, ending with Crocodile leaving the second-in-command in the dirt.
At the time, the winery's leader, Bam, had been away in the New World. If he had been present, the situation might have escalated further.
But Bam had not let the matter rest.
The dead man had been his younger brother.
If not for their captain's direct orders to prioritize wine production above all else, Bam would have personally sailed to Alabasta to settle the score with Crocodile.
A mere Warlord of the Sea? In Bam's eyes, that was nothing more than a government lapdog.
Even Doflamingo had been forced—through "negotiation" with Bam's captain—to temporarily lend the winery his Seven Warlords title as a front.
Otherwise, how could pirates like them openly operate such a large winery in the Wine Capital?
While they paid a symbolic tax to Doflamingo, their so-called allegiance to him was nothing more than a façade.
For the past two years, Bam had held back.
First, because Bordeaux Winery was of utmost importance, and rival forces were always lurking, waiting for an opportunity.
Second, because tracking Crocodile's movements wasn't easy. Even if he knew the Warlord was in a certain country, finding him within it was another matter entirely. Bam simply did not have the time to spare.
But now?
Crocodile had come straight to him.
The moment he got the news, Bam's rage boiled over. He desperately wanted to personally kill Crocodile.
But he could never forget the captain's command:
"No matter the situation, no matter the time—wine production comes first. If there's even the slightest failure, I will personally take your head."
And right now, reports showed that the Louis Winery and Medoc Winery had seen severe drops in top-quality wine production due to environmental issues.
Bam was the only one with sufficient stockpiles.
This meant he had to stay put at Bordeaux Winery, lest his competitors make a move.
So, even if he wanted to go after Crocodile, he couldn't.
Despite years of cooperation, tensions between the three major wineries had steadily grown due to shifts in the world's power balance.
Luka's goal in approaching Crocodile was simple:
By reminding him of the unfinished grudge, he hoped to strike a deal—leveraging their shared title as Warlords to take down Bam.
If they defeated or even eliminated Bam, Luka could not only seize Bordeaux Winery's stockpile, but also erase the negative stain of an attack on a fellow ally.
It could even pave the way for securing control over the winery itself.
But Crocodile wasn't as easy to manipulate as Luka had hoped.
"Ah... I do recall something like that," Rosen said coolly. "But what does that have to do with you, Captain Luka? If there's nothing else, step aside."
In just three days, the Log Pose would be fully set. Then he could leave, far away from this nonsense.
As for Bam?
If he hadn't come for revenge by now, it was probably too late to start caring.
In the world of pirates, profit outweighed everything.
"You must have important matters to attend to, Lord Crocodile. I won't keep you any longer," Luka replied with a polite smile. "But I believe we'll have another opportunity to become... friends."
He tactfully left room for future discussion—just in case Crocodile reconsidered.
Then, stepping aside with his Marines, he cleared a path for Crocodile's group to pass.
Some things couldn't be said in public. Luka would simply need to find another opportunity.
"Let's go," Rosen ordered, wasting no more words.
Right now, all he wanted was to find a strong but uncomplicated opponent to complete his mission and grow stronger.
Someone with a bounty of around 100 to 200 million...
As long as they weren't some ridiculously overpowered Devil Fruit user, he was confident in taking them down.
Luka watched Crocodile's retreating figure, standing in silence for a long time.
"I'll have to find another way to make this work..." he muttered.
Meanwhile, at Bordeaux Winery, Bam's furious roar echoed throughout the estate.
"Crocodile... I'll make sure you have no place to die. Just you wait!"
Bam—one of Ghostwine's top officers.
A ruthless pirate, notorious for his cruelty.
Bounty: 275 million Berries.
A Devil Fruit user—powers unknown.
But his infamous calling card?
Twisting off the heads of his enemies.
(End of Chapter)