Out on the restaurant, Crocodile followed silently.
"What do you want to say?" Rodin asked, his perceptive gaze picking up on the subtle tension radiating from her.
"Didn't you say that women in this world wear this style of socks all the time?" Crocodile's hands were clenched into fists under her fluffy cuffs, fingernails digging into her palms, leaving red crescent marks. "Then why did those fools laugh at me?"
If Rodin hadn't explicitly ordered her not to, she would have killed every single one of them.
"It was a place to eat. From now on, you can handle things as you see fit," Rodin shrugged. "Besides, they weren't laughing at you for wearing the stockings. They were laughing because they mistook you for the male Crocodile, so the contrast was jarring to them."
Crocodile let out a cold snort. "I'll take care of it myself." She would not allow a second, male version of herself to exist in this world. The thought of it sent a shiver down her spine.
"So, where are we going?"
Rodin paused, his eyes scanning the horizon. Two ships were moored not far from them—a Marine warship and a pirate ship. The pirate ship had a straw hat on its skull flag. Rodin ignored it and pointed to the warship.
"See that warship? Hijack it. We're heading to Loguetown!"
Loguetown, the place where the Pirate King was executed, was a place of immense historical significance. Rodin knew that if he could sign in there, the rewards would be monumental.
"Hijack it?" Crocodile didn't protest. She wrapped her arm around Rodin, her feet transforming into a whirlwind of sand as she flew toward the warship.
"Your chest is too big, you're crushing me," Rodin complained.
Crocodile, seeking a small bit of revenge, didn't ease up. Instead, she tightened her grip. Seeing Rodin struggle for breath brought a strange sense of satisfaction.
On the warship, two Marines on duty were chatting.
"Captain Fullbody sure is taking his time with dinner."
"Heh, if you have a lady with you, you've got to take your time. Can't compare to us low-level grunts."
Suddenly, a gust of wind and sand slammed into their faces. The two Marines immediately raised their weapons. "It's a Devil Fruit user! Stop right there!"
But it was too late. A sharp blade of sand sliced through them, and they fell to the deck, blood gushing from their waists.
Rodin landed, gratefully breathing in the fresh air. "Remember to leave the Marine at the helm."
Crocodile said nothing, kicking open a hatch and disappearing inside the warship.
Rodin's gaze drifted back to the restaurant ship, the Baratie. It was time. His own ship was finally about to set sail, even if it was a hijacked one.
"Hey! Rodin!" a voice called from the distance.
Rodin squinted and saw Sanji, running from the Baratie's back door. He was carrying a stack of bags, which he threw into the air before planting his hands on the deck and spinning his legs like propellers. The bags landed, and he used the momentum from his powerful spin to launch a kick, sending the bags flying with perfect accuracy to the warship.
Inside the bags were millions of berries, the wages Rodin had earned over the past three years. His eyes softened. Zeff had been saving it for him all this time.
The warship began to drift away from the Baratie.
"Old man Zeff told me to tell you something!" Sanji yelled, leaning against the railing. "It's been an honor for you to work here for three years!"
THWACK!
A large bump instantly appeared on Sanji's forehead. Zeff stood behind him, furious. "You idiot! When did I say that?!"
"It's the truth."
Rodin's clear voice carried across the water, reaching the two of them. "Don't worry, you'll be hearing about me soon."
With the wind at their backs, the warship picked up speed. Soon, they entered a foggy area and came upon a massive pirate ship with a black panther-shaped figurehead. The ship was more than three times the size of their warship and looked completely battered, as if it had just survived a fierce battle.
"That flag! That's… the Krieg Pirates, the overlords of the East Blue!" the Marine at the helm screamed in terror.
"You're a Marine. Show some backbone," Rodin said, lounging on a recliner.
The Marine kept swallowing hard. "But… they're a pirate crew of 5,000 men!"
"The East Blue is the weakest sea. Do you think numbers make up for that?" Crocodile scoffed, holding out her hand. A small whirlwind of sand and gravel formed in her palm, growing larger and larger. "Sand Wave!"