I the King of bandits of the East Sea

"Crocodile, are you planning to just back off and leave? People might think you couldn't handle me, which would damage your reputation."

After Sig finished speaking, Crocodile stared at him expressionlessly, taking another deep drag from his cigar.

"Reputation?"

He curled his lips into a mocking smile.

"What does that even mean?"

"A hero admired by all? A villain despised by everyone? Or a... loser defeated by other pirates?"

At this point, Crocodile seemed to think of something, pausing for a moment.

"As long as I can obtain the Ancient Weapons, what does it matter if I become a hero or a villain?"

Crocodile's tone was indifferent, and he let out a cold laugh, his demeanor exuding the aura of a conqueror.

"Sig, I've given you the Eternal Pose. We'll meet in Alabasta within a month. Don't stand me up."

After saying this, Crocodile's body turned to sand once again, dissolving into grains of dust.

Then, the massive sandstorm surrounding Sig began to dissipate, and sunlight gradually filtered through.

Sig's expression remained calm as he pondered Crocodile's words.

Over a decade later, Crocodile would famously say that he would never team up with anyone.

Yet during the Marineford War, he repeatedly aided Luffy, each time with a different excuse.

He also claimed that he didn't trust anyone and didn't need any subordinates.

But after Mr. 1 was defeated by Hawkeye, Crocodile angrily confronted Hawkeye and later re-entered the New World with Mr. 1 by his side.

However, that was over a decade in the future. Sig couldn't quite figure out what Crocodile's personality and intentions were at this point.

Sig just instinctively felt that this conqueror-like Crocodile was probably up to something.

As for standing him up?

Sig chuckled inwardly.

Can you really call it standing someone up if you just... don't show up?

But as soon as this thought crossed his mind, a strange feeling rose in his chest, as if something was stuck in his throat.

It was as if a voice in his heart was constantly rejecting the idea of not showing up.

Sig's expression shifted slightly.

Was Crocodile's invitation considered a "request" by Iruma, the extreme people-pleaser, making it impossible to refuse?

Damn it, I got screwed over by the system again...

Sig suddenly remembered a saying.

"All gifts from fate come with a price tag attached."

For this ridiculous system, it seemed that every powerful card came with a hidden downside...

The thought of having to face Crocodile in the future made Sig's scalp tingle.

Alabasta was a desert kingdom. If Crocodile turned on him there, it would be dangerous...

As Sig pondered this, the outer layer of the sandstorm finally dissipated, and sunlight poured back in.

Sig remained standing in place, his expression unchanged from start to finish, with no injuries on his body.

Meanwhile, Crocodile, half of his body turned to sand, flew off into the distance, completely ignoring the surrounding Marines.

All that was left was the ruins left behind by the sandstorm and Sig standing amidst the debris.

This scene clearly showed that despite the overwhelming attack, Crocodile had been unable to harm Sig and had ultimately given up, retreating on his own.

"Is the gap between Sig and Crocodile really that big?"

Momousagi's expression shifted repeatedly. She no longer had the energy to hold Crocodile accountable for the destruction he had caused to the town.

The strength Sig had displayed left Momousagi feeling extremely troubled.

While the duel with Hawkeye had been shocking, most of the Marines hadn't been able to fully grasp what had happened.

But against Crocodile, Sig had demonstrated an astonishing ability to dodge... something every Marine could clearly see.

Thump thump thump thump...

The familiar, rhythmic thumping of the Emperor's Engine grew louder once again.

The Marines watching from a distance broke out in a cold sweat, instinctively taking a step back.

They watched as Sig walked out of the dissipating sandstorm as if nothing had happened, not even glancing at them as he left.

This time, the fear in the Marines' hearts had grown so heavy that it completely overshadowed their earlier anger.

"Vice Admiral Momousagi, what should we do? Do we keep chasing?"

Momousagi forced Stussy back with another sword strike, her eyes flickering as she glanced at Stussy.

If they continued to provoke Sig and forced him to fight back, the consequences could be dire...

The risk of continuing to pursue Sig was immense, and Momousagi had already gathered some intelligence from Stussy.

"Continue the pursuit, but... prioritize your own safety. Avoid unnecessary sacrifices."

Momousagi said meaningfully.

When these words reached the ears of the Marines in Loguetown, they finally understood after a moment of thought, and their hearts eased.

"East Blue's Mountain Bandit King, you won't get away so easily!"

"We won't let you reach the Grand Line!"

The Marines continued to shout angrily, but this time they only followed Sig and his group from a distance, occasionally firing a few shots.

Most of the Marines were just going through the motions, putting on a show of force without truly engaging.

However, whether the Marines were genuinely pursuing or just pretending, there were no more onlookers.

Crocodile's repeated attacks, along with the massive sandstorm that had engulfed nearly half the town, had already driven away all the spectators. They had long since fled, leaving no one behind.

..........

Loguetown Port.

Finally boarding the pirate ship, Sig looked out at the distant Marines on the shore and let out a sigh of relief.

The 100% Dodge ability, which lasted five minutes, had nearly run out by the time his conversation with Crocodile ended.

When the sandstorm dissipated, Sig had already lost his ability to dodge.

Fortunately, the Marines hadn't continued their pursuit, or Sig would have had to... use another precious charge of the ability.

The Iruma card had a total of five uses, and one had already been spent here, successfully saving the day.

But the side effects left Sig with a headache.

"Boss Sig, everyone is here except for Miss Stussy. What should we do now...?"

The bald man reported.

At the edge of the port area, Stussy could still be seen locked in a fierce battle with Momousagi, clearly fulfilling her role as the rearguard.

Huh? Stussy hasn't come back yet?

Sig decisively ordered:

"Set sail! Head for the Grand Line! Stussy's strength is nothing to worry about!"

As soon as the order was given, the pirate ship raised its anchor, but Sig's expression wasn't great.

He saw Stussy break away from the Marines at that very moment, using Geppo to rapidly close the distance and catch up.