One Piece: Transmigrated as Crocodile

"No, I actually don't want to leave yet," Natalie replied to Rosen, which was somewhat unexpected for him. Based on his interactions with Natalie, she seemed eager to explore the outside world. But now she had outright refused.

Though surprised, Rosen quickly realized the reason—this naive little girl clearly felt that Ming City still needed her abilities, which was why she chose to stay. If it were just her, she wouldn't hesitate, but her innate Observation Haki was incredibly powerful and often played a crucial role in critical moments.

"This is my Den Den Mushi number. If you ever set sail, you can contact me anytime," Rosen wrote a string of numbers on the ground using sand.

Since Natalie was unwilling, he couldn't force her. It seemed like every time he invited someone, he got rejected. Trading was still the easier way to succeed, Rosen thought, glancing at Law. Well, at least it wasn't a total loss.

"Mhm, maybe we'll get to go outside soon. The Marines seem willing to give us a new place to live," Natalie said with a hint of longing. Though no one liked the Marines, the idea of a life free from confinement was tempting.

"Don't speak carelessly," Alice snapped coldly. While everyone knew about this news, it wasn't confirmed yet, so they couldn't let their guard down.

"Got it," Natalie nodded obediently. She usually wouldn't say such things, but she couldn't help herself when thinking about the outside world.

Rosen smiled, unfazed. He had heard about this too. If it were true, it would indeed be great.

"Something wrong?" Law noticed Rosen's gaze and frowned slightly. He didn't like being scrutinized, as he always had a strong sense of danger.

"Let's go. Is there a way to leave Lantis without alerting the Marines?" Rosen opened a cloth bag handed to him by Alice, filled with golden sand copper, gathered from the Ninth Garden. It was nearly all of Lantis's golden sand copper.

The first team sent by the Queen had already established defensive structures near the demonic land, and Rosen had been waiting here for a while. Now that everything was done, there was no reason to stay any longer.

With a wave of his hand, Rosen turned the bag of golden sand copper into metallic dust, which fused with his sandy body. This increased his area of effect and formed a thin layer over his body, like a translucent armor.

"It's difficult. If we hijack a Marine ship, it could help us cross part of the sea, but we'll still encounter patrol fleets near the Eight Islands.

Conflict with the Marines is unavoidable," Law analyzed. If it weren't for this, he would have taken his crew on a submarine to land directly. But the Marine's sea blockade was too strong, monitoring almost every part of the ocean with no blind spots.

"What about at night?" Rosen wasn't familiar with the specifics of the Marine blockade.

"It's even harder. To prevent monsters and Lantis people from sneaking out at night, patrols are stricter. There's also a troublesome ability user with exploration powers. But if we force our way through, it should be manageable.

I don't mind a little trouble, but if your identity clashes with the Marines, it could get complicated," Law said with a smile. With his abilities, he could escape Marine pursuit, though a more stable method, like using Bront's merchant ship, would be preferable.

Lisa patted Natalie's head as Natalie memorized the numbers on the ground. Alice opened her mouth but couldn't bring herself to say anything. Was he really leaving? Couldn't he stay a bit longer? Even one more night would help their plans.

Rosen took out his Den Den Mushi. At this point, he'd have to pay a price to see if Bront could send a ship. He dialed, and Robin answered, "Robin, are you with Bront?"

"Yes, Boss. I just got two Devil Fruits. What's up?" Robin's gentle voice came through.

"Ask Bront if he can arrange a ship to Lantis Island for me to leave this afternoon," Rosen requested. If they could leave peacefully, that would be best. If not, they'd figure something else out.

"Alright, I'll ask. Hold on," Robin said. A moment later, she responded, "It's possible, but given the Marine blockade and timing, Bront is asking for 100 million Berries. What do you think, Boss?"

"Agreed," Rosen said. Though a billion Berries was steep, money wasn't an issue for him now. There were plenty of pirates at sea, and he was wealthy. Money was meant to be spent.

"Alright, the ship will arrive at Lantis Island in two hours…"

"Done," Rosen hung up. Robin never disappointed him, and they even managed to get Devil Fruits. A great haul.

"There are many zombies in that area. We'll escort you," Alice said, recalling the address Robin mentioned. To get there, they'd need to pass through a fissure, so it was best to take the underground tunnels, which they knew well.

"Thanks," Rosen didn't refuse. After all, the locals knew Lantis Island better.

"Let's prepare to leave. Lisa, coordinate with the Queen's warrior leader and keep an eye on the demonic land. I'll handle the rest when I get back," Alice instructed.

"Understood," Lisa nodded.

"I'll lead the way," Natalie volunteered. Though parting was near, she didn't feel sad, just a bit reluctant. In a few years, if she set sail, she'd find him again. She'd talk his ear off for three days and nights, annoying him to no end.

So, Alice, Pitas, Law, Natalie, and Rosen formed a team and entered the underground world, moving forward.

"Where are the Lantis people?" In a temporary Marine base, Bartholomew Kuma confronted Eric. He had just returned from a personal errand and found the Lantis people gone.

"Handed over to Commander Lesser for arrangements," Eric replied calmly, looking up at Kuma. Though he didn't know how Kuma had convinced a group of Lantis people so quickly, it was undoubtedly a significant achievement.

Eric's attitude toward Kuma was decent, given his strength. Even Eric felt a strong sense of pressure facing him, and a fight would be unpredictable.

"The ships aren't ready yet, are they?" Kuma pressed, feeling the Marine's relocation capabilities weren't that fast. He had checked the temporary port and saw no ships preparing to depart.

"Are you doubting me?" Eric frowned.

"I'm just ensuring my mission proceeds smoothly," Kuma remained cold, like a machine.

"Is this a Marine mission or a World Government order?" Eric didn't want complications. Considering Kuma's infamous reputation as a tyrant, perhaps he could be swayed to the World Government's side with benefits. Would he choose the Marines or the World Government?

"I responded to the World Government's summons, but this is also a task from Fleet Admiral Sengoku," Kuma lowered his head, not giving a direct answer. He glanced at Eric, sensing something ominous.

"Since you're so insistent, I'll show you. But I hope you prioritize the bigger picture," Eric said, seeing Kuma's determination and his reference to Sengoku's authority. Without transparency, Kuma might keep pestering him. As a pirate, Kuma likely didn't care much for civilians' lives, but perhaps dragging him into their plans wasn't a bad idea. After all, immortality was tempting, wasn't it?

"Report! Squad F and the special operations team have lost contact!" A Marine rushed in to deliver the news.

(End of Chapter)

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