In One Piece, as Hashirama Senju

[22] The Oasis & The Desert (1)

Chapter 22: The Oasis & The Desert (1)

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Sir Crocodile called all the executives of Baroque Works; the rendezvous point was the port of Nanohana. From there, after revealing his identity, he first planned to lead the group to Alubarna right away.

He said 'at first' because that plan just changed after receiving a call from one of the workers of his Casino that was in Rain Base.

"Sir, Mr Manager says he is going to kill this new player...!" A minion let him know via a Den Den Mushi. "B-because this player has clearly been cheating, even though we are unable to see through how he is doing it, and he has earned 9 million bellies just today. A-ah, Mr Manager is attacking!"

It was nighttime, Crocodile had a cigar in his mouth like usual. He had a frown on his head when he heard the news, pausing on his way down the ship that had docked on Nanohana.

'A new player who has skills that can fool the eyes of my people? The manager, no less, who is the best at poker in the casino.' Crocodile contemplated. 'Quite talented. Could he be one of the famous Gamblers who is just taking a stroll around these parts?'

Though Crocodile was mad at Hashirama and had just set foot in Alabasta after two days of traveling, he still hadn't gone insane. He calculated all the possibilities to earn the best outcome in this situation.

'Right. I should tell them to not attack this guy.' Crocodile soon decided. This guy should receive generous treatment within the casino and the hotel that was under the casino until Crocodile finished the job with Hashirama and went to meet him himself. 'No need to kill off such a talent. It's still a good thing even if he isn't world famous, I can hire him to work in the Casino.'

"Listen. Do not engage." Crocodile sent out an order. "Tell him the Warlord wishes to meet him, that should calm him down until I am there."

"Alright sir, let me stop Mr Manager." The Minion replied.

In the next few seconds, Crocodile heard through the snail while continuing his walk as the minion pulled the mad manager to a corner, and instructed him as told by the Warlord.

Crocodile could hear the rage in the manager's voice, and he understood where he was coming from. Still, an order was an order so the manager took a calming breath and received the snail from the minion to talk to Crocodile.

"Boss,"

"Have you learned his name yet?" Crocodile asked, interested to know if this guy indeed was some infamous gambling king.

"Ah. No, boss. I was too driven by my emotion and didn't get to ask for his name."

"...Alright," Crocodile held back a grunt. "Ask him, say the Warlord is interested."

The manager replied in affirmative and Crocodile could hear his footsteps fade away as he walked back to the game table. He could barely hear their voices, so when he heard the name 'Hashirama' his eyes just twitched a little, making him sigh as he realized he had started to hallucinate that name.

'Not for long. After today, he will just be a distant memory.' Crocodile told himself as he walked into the branch of the Baroque Works in this area.

Inside the building, Crocodile frowned when he asked a minion where Miss All Sunday was and the minion didn't seem to know. He just grunted a little in response, once again telling himself that it was fine since she wasn't a part of this mission, anyway. Still, it would be wrong to say he wasn't mad and didn't plan to make her pay for moving on her own without consulting him first.