Chapter 834: Let's Handle This Ourselves
Chapter 834: Let's Handle This Ourselves
"Crocodile, huh?"
Kuro sized him up from head to toe. "You're actually here to interfere, crocodile? You want to help me out?"
This one was an 800 million Belly bounty rookie who challenged Whitebeard in the New World before retreating back to Paradise, eventually becoming one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. His strength was nothing to scoff at – in his youth, he was a 50-50 match for Bartholomew. But even the young Bartholomew had already carved his reputation across the New World.
Huh?
You're calling yourself Pirate King?
Isn't that utterly ridiculous?
"I have no interest in your affairs", Crocodile coldly declared. "Since there's nothing I want here, I'll withdraw."
Whoosh!
Before he could finish speaking, the mechanical human's massive fist came crashing down, creating a whistling sound as it moved.
Boom!!
The huge fist radiated with blue-black Haki, punching straight through Crocodile's upper body. Sand scattered into the air as his lower half soon followed, turning into swirling sand that moved backward.
The scattered sand quickly reformed into Crocodile's shape.
Over these two years, he'd redeveloped his Haki. While he'd always possessed it, after becoming a Warlord he'd wandered Paradise chasing the mythical 'Pluton', gradually losing focus. Only after losing to Luffy did he regain his senses. After all, strength still mattered greatly in the Grand Line.
Pluton's city-destroying cannon was nothing unique – wasn't the Golden Lion capable of similar destruction?
Strength always mattered.
But Crocodile didn't need to specialize in Armament Haki. Logia users didn't require it as intensely – an average Logia's attack power already rivaled Advanced Observation Haki. As long as their Observation Haki was sufficient, Logia users became formidable fighters.
Haki wasn't all-powerful – there was no need to obsess over it.
Unarmed combat, swordsmanship, ability, and Haki – these four (or three) aspects each had their own domains of excellence.
Crocodile's Observation Haki had always been strong, and in recent times had become even more refined. He'd pre-emptively sensed Bartholomew's fist and dispersed into sand to avoid it.
His face darkened. "What are you trying to do, Bartholomew?"
"Obviously, finish you both off! Crocodile, you're a decent opponent."
The mechanical figure's voice carried Bartholomew's gruesome tone: "Defeating you both will make me the Strongest! Come on, let's go!!"
"You bastard!"
Crocodile extended his Palm, conjuring a small sandstorm tornado that he hurled forward.
"Sandstorm Slash!"
The sand tornado expanded rapidly, forming a massive vortex that engulfed the mechanical human.
"Worthless!"
The mechanical being burst from the tornado, both arms striking directly at Crocodile.
At this moment, the Navy initiated their operation.
Aokiji, cigar in mouth, commanded, "Move out!"
The gun-wielding commanders raised their firearms, unleashing Haki-infused bullets at the mechanical human. The thunderous booms echoed as bullets formed dense barrages, though they only left shallow marks on the steel-plated foe.
Other commanders charged forward, drawing their Haki-enhanced weapons to attack. One leapt high, axe flashing with black light, bringing it down on the mechanical human's head.
Clang!!
The heavy axe strike merely vibrated the machine, the massive recoil almost repelling the attacker himself.
"I'll handle this!"
From the remaining Navy forces, a figure wearing a face mask and wide-brimmed hat launched forward using 'Shave'. Approaching the mechanical human's side, he touched its metal arm.
"Shuei, huh?" Kuro's eyes widened. His ability, the Rust-Rust Devil Fruit, could corrode weapons or even human bodies. Although a person could recover if interrupted before full rusting occurred.
Yet when Shuei touched the mechanical giant, nothing happened. The entire machine radiated Haki.
Whoosh!
The mechanical human swept its arm wide. Shuei quickly retreated using 'Shave' to evade the swipe.
"Too weak."
Dalmatian cracked his knuckles, shifting into beast-human form with a spotted dog-like mask. "Let's handle this."
"Vice Admiral Kuro", Klah also looked eager to join.
Kuro nodded, eyeing the mechanical human while gripping Autumn Water. "Let's disable this thing first."
Klah transformed as well, joining Dalmatian. "Black Wolf Commander, I'll assist."
"Black Wolf Commander, huh?" Dalmatian smirked. "Show me your strength, fellow beast."
"Shine!!"
As the mechanical human roared, raising its massive palm to strike, Dalmatian and Klah simultaneously darted left and right, then leapt upward in a black-and-white cross, passing beneath the raised arm.
Hiss!!
Sparks flew as their claws slashed the arm, forcing it backward. The two commanders landed midair in striking poses.
Clang!!
Blades flashed as Togeko, Doflamingo, and Borsalino, three Vice Admirals, drew their swords to strike the mechanical human's shoulder. Three sword flashes ignited brilliant sparks across the machine's shoulder joint, making it stagger.
Simultaneously, Storbery dual-wielded blades from the right while Stress drew his katana from the left. Aokiji's hair danced as he manifested six additional arms, combining his dual blades into an eight-sword formation. Soaring into the sky, they targeted the mechanical human's head.
Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!
Three massive sparks erupted – left, right, and finally the head.
Boom!!
The staggering mechanical human collapsed heavily to the ground, raising a cloud of smoke and dust.
From the smoke, seven Vice Admirals plus Klah turned to face the fallen machine.
Aokiji casually slung a blade over his shoulder, exhaling smoke with arrogant pride.
After all, these elite Vice Admirals possessed Haki that dwarfed ordinary fighters.
Kuro had summoned all the Navy's veteran Vice Admirals for this mission – no room for failure.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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