Lighting a cigar and taking a drag, Crocodile lifted his gaze, staring coldly into Aeridar's eyes. His voice was flat:
"Cut the crap. Let's hear your plan."
The words made it clear, Crocodile fully agreed with Aeridar's assessment. The current Warlords of the Sea were a fractured joke. United, they were a fantasy. Alone, none of them could stand against the Yonko, and resisting the Marines was equally hopeless. Pathetic, really.
But maybe, just maybe, if Aeridar became a Warlord, things would change. He might actually be able to rally the others. Crocodile himself didn't have the charisma, or the face, for alliance-building.
"My first move is becoming a Warlord of the Sea. That way, I'm no longer a direct target of the Marines and can build my influence in peace," Aeridar explained, sensing Crocodile's shift in tone. "As for who I'll replace, I've got two targets. I'll take down either Gecko Moria or Jinbe the Knight of the Sea."
Crocodile narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "Moria, huh? He might be a mess now, but he survived an encounter with Kaido of the Beast, which is no small feat. His bounty once sat at 320 million, and he's the oldest among the current Warlords. He won't be easy prey. As for Jinbe, he's under Whitebeard's protection, and strong enough to match the commanders in Whitebeard's fleet."
"Any Warlord worth the title isn't going to be easy," Aeridar replied with a chuckle. "Or would you rather I go after Dracule Mihawk? Or maybe that troublesome Empress?"
"Hmph. If you tried Mihawk, he'd just cut you down. Man's got the rep of being the 'World's Strongest Swordsman,'" Crocodile snorted. He glanced sidelong at Millie and Mina, standing by Aeridar's side, then smirked mockingly. "And as for that woman from Amazon Lily... she'd turn you to stone in a heartbeat."
Aeridar twitched, mouth tightening. He didn't argue. Instead, he pressed on.
"I've already clashed with Doflamingo, he outmatches me for now. As for Bartholomew Kuma, he's just a loyal dog to the World Government, always vanishing into thin air. No tracking him down. That leaves Moria and Jinbe as viable options."
"So who do you pick?" Crocodile asked.
"I lean toward Gecko Moria," Aeridar answered bluntly.
Crocodile paused mid-drag on his cigar. "Care to explain why?"
"Moria got utterly crushed by Kaido. His crew was wiped out, and he himself barely survived. The man suffered a total defeat, physically and mentally," Aeridar said, a slow smile creeping across his face. "It's likely his Haki has deteriorated."
Crocodile mulled it over. Thinking back to the first time he met Moria, and the most recent encounter, the difference was stark. The threat Moria posed had steadily shrunk, not that Crocodile felt confident about beating him now, but the cost of winning seemed far less than before. That alone spoke volumes.
He didn't ask how Aeridar knew all this. They weren't allies yet, and everyone had their own sources. Aeridar's just happened to be... his memories from a past life. But that wasn't something he could reveal.
Seeing Crocodile deep in thought, Aeridar pressed on. "As for Jinbe, the guy rarely leaves Fish-Man Island. Going there to fight him would mean kicking a hornet's nest, Whitebeard's hornet's nest. They're tight. Starting trouble there would be asking for it."
"Even if you defeat Moria and become a Warlord... what comes next?" Crocodile exhaled smoke, shrouded in haze.
"The point of becoming a Warlord is to form a new alliance," Aeridar said simply.
Before Crocodile could interrupt, Aeridar continued: "The allies I have in mind are you, Doflamingo, he said we'd talk once I made Warlord, so that's probably a done deal, then Boa Hancock, the Pirate Empress. She's difficult, sure, but I'm confident. Lastly, Jinbe, he's not off the table either."
Crocodile frowned. "Hancock? I doubt she'd ever agree. And Jinbe? He's tight with Whitebeard, what reason does he have to join your alliance?"
"There's every reason. Let's start with Boa Hancock. Her Amazon Lily is deep in the Calm Belt, protected only by Sea Kings. But the Marines are developing a way to embed Seastone into their warships. If they succeed, they could enter the Calm Belt freely. And if that tech leaks... Amazon Lily won't be safe anymore."
Aeridar took a sip of water, then added, "And Jinbe may be close to Whitebeard, but he's not part of his crew. If he joins the Warlord alliance, Fish-Man Island gains dual protection, from both us and Whitebeard. Why wouldn't he agree?"
"As for Mihawk, his only real connection is Shanks, one of the Yonko. He roams solo, impossible to pin down, no way he joins. Kuma's practically a full-blown government puppet now. That leaves us with five solid picks."
His voice grew animated as he laid it out:
"With five Warlords aligned, we can share intelligence, pool resources, cover each other's backs. Whether it's the Marines or the Yonko, they'd have to think twice before crossing us. We'd stop being pawns, and start playing the game."
Even Aeridar felt a rush of excitement as he finished.
If they pulled this off, the only thing missing from their group would be someone strong enough to match a Yonko head-on. But in terms of reach, power, and influence, they'd rival any Yonko's crew.
Crocodile's lips curled into a grin, his normally indifferent eyes flashing with heat.
"A five-Warlord alliance... not a bad idea. We might even hold our own against a Yonko. That's a damn solid proposal."
"Hehehe... So?" Aeridar grinned, hand outstretched. "You in?"
Crocodile clasped Aeridar's hand, a wicked smile on his face. "When you take down Moria and claim the title... that's when this alliance begins. Just don't die first."
Aeridar laughed darkly. "Hehehe... Pleasure doing business!"
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