Chapter 103

Chapter 103: Those Deceived by Adrian

Early the next morning, Adrian saw a news report from Alabasta.

It was about the Warlord of the Sea, Crocodile, single-handedly defeating dozens of pirates and ensuring the safety of the residents near the port.

The report included a photo of Crocodile, his slicked-back hair, cigar in his mouth, large hook in hand, and draped in a coat with a fur collar. In the desert, this attire truly showcased his ferocity.

The news praised Crocodile's deeds, highlighting his active efforts to suppress pirates, demonstrating the correctness of the World Government's policy of employing the Warlords.

"He's still playing the hero, and he looks quite pleased," compared to him, Adrian wasn't as content.

After bidding farewell to Camie yesterday, Adrian took stock of his gains and realized he forgot to ask Mr. 3 how they had arrived. Thinking about missing out on the income from selling the ship made him feel a loss.

Calculating his previous earnings, Adrian currently had over ninety million Berries, enough to buy a Crocodile and still have some left over.

At this moment, Crocodile, worth 81 million Berries, was hiding in his office, contemplating his plans.

Since his defeat and humiliation after challenging Whitebeard, Crocodile had been disheartened for a while. The man known as the world's strongest showed him no hope of victory through his own abilities.

Yet Crocodile's dream remained unchanged—he still aimed to become the Pirate King.

If personal strength alone couldn't achieve that, he would strive for military power. If he possessed the ancient weapon Pluton, capable of sinking entire islands with a single shot, he could easily crush any pirate crew!

So, Crocodile settled in Alabasta, where he learned of clues about Pluton's whereabouts. Choosing a predominantly desert country ensured his activities went unnoticed, given that his power was related to the Sand-Sand Fruit.

Until now, everything had been going smoothly. As a public figure, the Warlord Crocodile was seen as a hero in Alabasta, and his reputation continued to rise.

Yet behind the scenes, as Mr. 0, the founder of the Baroque Works, his organization had been growing. However, information about Pluton, likely recorded in "historical texts," required interpretation. Crocodile needed someone to assist with that.

He pulled out a wanted poster of a young black-haired girl: "Nico Robin, where are you?"

The sound of the Den Den Mushi interrupted Crocodile's thoughts. It was the unique Den Den Mushi used by Mr. 0.

"Boss, it's Miss Double Finger."

Miss Double Finger's code name followed the pattern of Baroque Works' aliases. She was known as New Year's Day (January 1st) because the date resembles two fingers, hence "double finger."

"What's the matter?" Crocodile's tone was calm.

"Since this morning, there have been numerous people hiding around Spider's Café. They appear to be soldiers from the Royal Army."

"Exposed?"

"No, my current identity is still that of Spider's Café owner, Miss Paula. It's possible that someone within the higher ranks leaked the café's true purpose." Only Mr. 0 and Mr. 1 knew Miss Double Finger's true identity.

She had been operating the café under the alias Zala, serving as a meeting point for the high-ranking agents. In a way, it could be considered the Baroque Works' headquarters.

"I see. That place is compromised. If your identity hasn't been exposed, wait a while before going bankrupt or selling it."

"Yes." Miss Double Finger understood his meaning. If her identity hadn't been exposed, she could go bankrupt after a while. If it had been exposed, she might be disposed of.

Crocodile reclined in his chair, exhaling smoke. Only those with codes lower than 5 and their partners knew about that café. The most likely source of the problem... were those individuals who had gone to Water 7?

The sound of the Den Den Mushi ringing again heightened Crocodile's unease.

"Boss, it's Mr. 1."

"What's the matter?"

"In Alubarna, the capital of Alabasta, several Million Fathers were arrested. I've dealt with it, but these were people who had successfully infiltrated the Royal Army. They were arrested without executing any missions. Something's amiss." Mr. 1 rarely spoke this much at once.

Million Fathers were generally low-ranking combatants within Baroque Works. Their main tasks might involve initiating confrontations between the Royal Army and the Rebel Army, amplifying tensions.

These operatives usually needed to remain dormant, as they wouldn't be assigned any exceptional missions.

"I understand. Inform the other high-ranking agents to lay low for now. All missions within Alabasta are on hold." This was beyond suspicious; someone had likely turned traitor. Crocodile needed to investigate the situation.

Finally, his desk was piled with a report from the Unluckies—several pages torn out from a sketchbook.

Portraits of Mr. 3 and his defeated crew, sketches of the bar patrons who defeated them, and the portrait of the individual who had issued the mission, Bizarre.

"Did the Marines learn about Baroque Works through Mr. 3 and then contact Alabasta?" Crocodile speculated.

"A small bar easily defeated three high-ranking agents. Can't we try to recruit them?" Rather than cursing them out right away, Crocodile's initial thought was to try to win them over.

Baroque Works needed talents like them. Once he located the Pluton battleship, he would require skilled personnel to operate it. Having more powerful subordinates would be beneficial.

"As for this Bizarre..." Crocodile dialed Mr. 1 again. "Eliminate one individual. Intelligence will be delivered by the Unluckies."

"Understood, Boss." Mr. 1 was a cold-blooded assassin, answering crisply.

This was what Crocodile admired most about him. Unlike Mr. 3, who was always overly pleased with his own schemes, which often caused major problems, Mr. 1 was efficient and to the point.

...

Grand Line, Food City.

Bizarre had been feeling uneasy lately. Since he contacted Baroque Works, he had constantly sensed someone watching him, making him restless. He even struggled to eat in the renowned Food City.

These days, he occasionally regretted taking such a risky step, provoking a massive criminal organization. He even toyed with the idea of leaving the Grand Line and escaping to the Four Blues.

Despite feeling he hadn't revealed any clues, he couldn't shake the feeling.

What he didn't expect was that the first ones to approach him weren't rivals or criminal syndicates, but several individuals dressed in black suits.