Considering that pirate crews frequently made landfall at the Nanohana port, there was a high probability of spontaneous skirmishes breaking out between the port authority and aggressive pirates. To avoid the White Dragon being damaged by stray cannonballs, Bardock didn't linger. After briefly exploring the market to purchase an Eternal Pose for Alabasta and restocking their essential supplies, he navigated the ship up the Sandora River, eventually anchoring at the oasis city of Erumalu.
Many years from now, this vibrant city located along the lower reaches of the Sandora River would be reduced to a desolate, abandoned ruin due to the catastrophic droughts engineered by Crocodile. But right now, it was still a bustling, thriving metropolis.
Shortly after disembarking and leaving the ship, the crew's path was blocked by a large group of uninvited guests. Bardock scanned the mob and immediately recognized them: Kung-Fu Dugongs, the adorable, martial arts-obsessed sea creatures capable of learning Haki.
"Captain! They said they want to challenge us to a fight!" Chopper announced, fulfilling his role as the ship's official animal translator.
"What? They want to fight us? But they're basically manatees! Why would they challenge humans?" Perona asked, genuinely baffled. Did these animals have a death wish?
Chopper engaged in a rapid series of squeaks and grunts with the dugongs before turning back to the crew. "They're Kung-Fu Dugongs! They live by a strict code of honor. They love challenging strong opponents, and if they lose, they immediately swear allegiance and become the winner's disciples! They're just really enthusiastic martial artists!"
"Oh? Martial arts enthusiasts?" Sai chuckled, stepping forward with intense interest. He had no idea there were animals out there with such a refined taste for combat. "Captain, may I test their skills?"
"Go ahead," Bardock grinned. "And once you beat them, teach them how to awaken Armament Haki!"
The thought of an army of Kung-Fu Dugongs running around punching people with Haki-coated fists in the future was absolutely hilarious to Bardock.
"Armament Haki?! Are you serious?! Can animals actually learn Haki?!" Robin stared at him in utter disbelief. She knew animals were intelligent, but Haki was a completely different concept.
"Absolutely," Bardock nodded. "Any highly intelligent creature capable of comprehending concepts like killing intent, willpower, and physical intimidation can awaken Haki. The only reason it's so incredibly rare is that most animals aren't quite smart enough to grasp the abstract concepts, and the few that are... well, nobody ever bothers to sit down and teach them."
According to the original timeline, these very same Kung-Fu Dugongs would eventually awaken Armament Haki after joining the Straw Hat Grand Fleet.
Sai's sparring match with the dugongs was completely one-sided. As the old saying goes: Never confuse your hobby with someone else's profession.
However, the dugongs didn't mind losing at all. True to their code, they immediately bowed down and declared Sai their master. With Chopper translating, Sai spent the next few hours patiently explaining the fundamental concepts of Armament Haki and teaching them the basic stances of the Hasshoken. The dugongs had officially graduated from passionate amateurs to formal martial arts apprentices.
Leaving the dugongs behind to practice their new moves, Bardock and his crew finally entered the city of Erumalu.
However, their path was once again blocked. This time, it wasn't a cute animal, but a rough-looking man dressed like a typical bounty hunter. The man pulled out a Den Den Mushi and held it out. "Our Boss has a few words for you."
Without another word, the man shoved the snail into Bardock's hands and immediately melted back into the bustling crowd, disappearing completely.
Ring... Ring...
The Den Den Mushi immediately began ringing. Bardock led the crew into a quiet, secluded alleyway before picking up the receiver.
"Nico Robin. To think you'd actually have the guts to show your face in the Grand Line."
A deep, gravelly voice echoed from the snail. Robin's heart instantly clenched in her chest. Her identity had been exposed?! Had the World Government finally tracked her down?
Meanwhile, deep within the VIP basement of the Rain Dinners casino in Rainbase, Crocodile sat in his opulent office. Spread out on his desk next to his Den Den Mushi was a series of recently taken photographs of Bardock's crew. He had no idea when or where his Millions agents had snapped the photos, but he was incredibly glad they had.
When his subordinates had initially reported discovering 'a crew of highly promising talents' at Whisky Peak, Crocodile hadn't paid much attention. What did lower-level grunts know about 'talent'?
But when he casually glanced at the photos, his blood ran cold, then hot with sheer excitement. The woman wearing the sunglasses was undeniably Nico Robin—the sole survivor of Ohara and the only person left in the world capable of translating the Poneglyphs! She was the absolute key to acquiring the Ancient Weapon Pluton! If he hadn't spent years meticulously obsessing over her wanted poster, he might not have recognized the grown-up version of the eight-year-old girl.
"Hey, Desert Croc. You're scaring my crewmate," Bardock's voice suddenly echoed from Crocodile's snail.
Crocodile frowned deeply. This must be the young captain of the crew. But how the hell did the kid know who he was? Was he just guessing, or did he actually possess high-level intelligence networks?
"Why the silence, Crocodile? Or should I call you Mr. 0, President of Baroque Works?"
That sentence instantly confirmed it. The kid wasn't guessing; he had hard intel.
"Brat. Where exactly did you get that information?" Crocodile demanded, his voice dropping to a dangerous, lethal growl.
"I don't just know your identity, Crocodile. I know your entire master plan. I know exactly what you're looking for in this desert," Bardock replied cheerfully. "Do you want to know where it is? Come find me in the capital, Alubarna!"
Kacha.
Bardock hung up.
In his office, Crocodile's rage finally boiled over. He unconsciously activated his Devil Fruit power. The massive, solid mahogany desk in front of him instantly dehydrated, turning into brittle, petrified wood before completely disintegrating into a pile of fine sand on the carpet.
"Alubarna... Do you really think I'll let you reach the capital on your terms?!"
Crocodile's body dissolved into a swirling vortex of sand, instantly rocketing out the window and disappearing into the desert horizon, leaving behind a completely trashed office.
Back in the alleyway of Erumalu.
"Bardock... is Crocodile really going to meet us in Alubarna?" Robin asked, her voice tight with anxiety. Her true identity being exposed to a Warlord was virtually identical to it being exposed to the World Government. Her days of peaceful, carefree adventuring were officially over.
Bardock immediately realized the source of her panic. Robin still didn't fully understand the true nature of the Seven Warlords. They weren't loyal government dogs; they were ambitious warlords who operated entirely for their own benefit. Crocodile would never turn her in to the Marines; she was far too valuable to him.
"Crocodile is ruthless and incredibly paranoid. There is absolutely no way he'll follow our schedule or meet us in a populated capital city where he can't control the environment," Bardock grinned. "I guarantee he's going to intercept us halfway through the desert. When he shows up, I want to test out my new Jingu Bang in actual combat."
Bardock twirled the golden-capped staff in his hand. Using a Warlord of the Sea as a test dummy for his new weapon was a fitting debut.
"Boss, isn't fighting Crocodile in the middle of a desert a massive tactical disadvantage?" Daz Bonez pointed out calmly. He knew exactly how terrifying Logia users were when fighting in their natural element. In a desert, the Sand-Sand Fruit user was practically a god.
"Exactly! We should definitely jump him together!" Perona suggested eagerly, already summoning her ghosts. "I'll hit him with a Negative Hollow to paralyze him, and then the rest of you can beat him up!"
"Relax, guys," Bardock laughed, waving them off. "Ever since his crushing defeat at the hands of Whitebeard years ago, Crocodile's spirit has been completely broken. He abandoned Haki to rely entirely on his Devil Fruit. His current combat power isn't even close to what it was in his prime. Even in the middle of a desert, I can handle him."
Bardock wasn't joking. If the entire crew jumped Crocodile right now, the Warlord would be completely annihilated in thirty seconds flat. Bardock actually wanted Crocodile to survive this encounter so the Warlord could eventually go to the New World and cause endless headaches for Kaido. With Moria and Crocodile both out there nursing grudges, Kaido was going to have a very bad time in the future.
While Bardock had perfectly predicted that Crocodile would intercept them, he severely underestimated the Warlord's sheer desperation.
Less than half a day after Bardock's crew left Erumalu and ventured into the open dunes, a massive, unnatural sandstorm violently swept toward them.
The swirling sands rapidly coalesced directly in their path, forming the imposing figure of Crocodile. His hair was slicked back, a thick cigar hung from his lips, and a massive, gleaming golden hook replaced his left hand. He looked every bit the terrifying, untouchable mafia boss.
There was only one thing Bardock genuinely didn't understand.
Since he didn't understand it, he decided to just ask.
"Hey, Croc. It's the middle of the day in a scorching desert. Aren't you dying of heatstroke wearing that massive, thick fur coat?"