"It's quite surprising. Looks like your Devil Fruit powers have awakened."
Atlas didn't dodge, just stared at the dark barrel. The bright flames gathered swiftly, brewing terrifying energy.
"I'll be the strongest in the world once I kill you all. Even if Roger couldn't do it, I'll do it myself!"
With a ferocious grin, veins bulged on Bullet's neck, and a thunderous roar echoed. The intense recoil pushed the cannon several meters back, slamming hard into Bullet before halting.
"Rokushiki Rokuogan!"
With a soft shout, Atlas' body spun rapidly, flames erupting vigorously as the space around them slightly distorted.
Boom!
Like a collision between planets, a massive explosion erupted where they clashed. Invisible shockwaves rippled in every direction, dispersing the once-white clouds and revealing a clear blue sky.
"Hey, what happened to that island?!"
Thrown off their feet by the rolling shockwaves, the pirates tumbled to the ground.
As they rose, an unforgettable sight unfolded before them.
Crash!
With a gentle breeze, the island, now transformed into a colossal fortress, crumbled suddenly. It seemed as if ancient relics, long buried and forgotten, had reappeared in the sky, crumbling into purple debris that scattered across the surroundings.
The cannonball fired had nearly drained the entire island of its energy.
Energy is always conserved, and power doesn't just appear out of nowhere.
The Clank-Clank Fruit isn't some deity capable of conjuring such a mighty fortress from thin air.
"A chance..."
Crocodile opened his palm, swirling a small storm of sand and dust. With a flick of his hand, he directed it towards Bullet's face.
"Sables (Sandstorm)!"
The surrounding land, already showing signs of desertification, quickly gathered together. What was once a small sandstorm rapidly expanded into a massive tornado.
In the blink of an eye, Bullet was engulfed!
"Seems like you haven't improved over the years..."
"Crocodile!"
Within the swirling tornado, a purple-black hand burst forth, followed by another!
Tear!
Like crumpling paper, five thick fingers clenched tightly, pulling in opposite directions!
A ferocious giant face emerged, its eyes akin to malevolent spirits glaring at Crocodile.
Boom!
The ground trembled once more as the entire sandstorm was ripped apart. A towering figure materialized before Crocodile in an instant.
With long blonde hair cascading down his back and his black military uniform accentuating his muscular physique, he bore a large scar running from his left trapezius muscle down towards his clothing. Exuding an overwhelmingly oppressive aura, he pinned Crocodile with his presence.
Same fiery spirit as twenty years ago...
Like a sinister specter!
Crocodile's pupils contracted as memories from over a decade ago flooded his mind.
Back then, they were both young and full of vigor. One wielded brutal combat skills honed in the military, striking to kill with every move. The other consumed the rare Logia Devil Fruit, harnessing elemental powers to traverse the seas.
When these two clashed, it always resulted in a fierce battle.
In the end, Bullet, still unfamiliar with haki, relied solely on his incredible physical prowess to match Crocodile blow for blow!
Boom!
The reminiscence was abruptly interrupted as a jet-black fist crashed into Crocodile's head.
"It's his elementalization trick again..."
Kahaha!
With a furrowed brow, Bullet watched as Crocodile once again transformed into a pool of yellow sand, rolling away in the distance carried by the gusty wind.
Clearly, Crocodile had once more relied on his sharp Observation Haki to evade Bullet's attack.
Meanwhile, Atlas's eagerly awaited Buster Call fleet had surrounded the entire island.
Five Vice Admirals from the Marine Headquarters, including Onigumo, Yamakaji, Doberman, Momonga, and Strawberry, led squads of elite Marines to land on the island for cleanup!
"It's the Marines!! And aren't those guys Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals? Why are so many of them showing up all at once?!"
Some pirates who had managed to escape the battlefield and reached the coast halted abruptly, their faces filled with despair as they watched the Marine Vice Admirals rapidly closing in.
"It's a Buster Call!! I know it!! It's a Buster Call!!"
Frightened screams echoed, and the already despairing pirates sank deeper into hopelessness.
Buster Call!
Just the mention of those three words was enough to crush their spirits.
Now, they were about to face this formidable war machine, leaving them with little chance of survival.
But...
In desperate times, there were always brave souls, especially among pirates known for their daring nature.
There was no shortage of ruthless characters.
"Fight back!! I didn't come this far to chicken out now!!"
Someone was the first to slash at him with a long knife in hand, and others quickly followed suit.
"Kill these Marine scum! Kill one and you'll be rewarded handsomely, kill two and you'll be swimming in riches!"
"If you want my life, you'll have to pry it from my cold, dead hands!"
Many pirates didn't hesitate and charged straight towards the Marines.
Onigumo bit down on his cigar, his expression unchanged but a slight smirk gracing his lips. He raised one hand high before sharply bringing it down.
"Fire!"
At his command, a group of Marines formed up in a neat line, armed with loaded firearms, and unleashed a volley of shots at the oncoming pirates.
Pfft, pfft!
Dangdangdang!
The jet-black projectiles formed a dense barrage, intertwining like a net and engulfing the pirates.
The dull thud of projectiles piercing flesh and the crisp clang of hitting armor echoed through the chaos.
Even in the New World, pirates came in all varieties, good and bad. There were bottom-feeders everywhere, and the New World was no exception.
Some pirates hadn't yet mastered Armament Haki, leaving their bodies vulnerable. Ordinary firearms proved devastating against them.
"Keep pushing forward, everyone!"
Observing the chaos unfolding, Onigumo remained unfazed. After exchanging nods with the officers behind him, he took the lead, drawing his sword. Haki enveloped him as he charged forward, slicing through formidable pirates with the whistle of the wind.
"Belch!"
Vasco Shot, with a sleepy-eyed demeanor and a pair of puffy cheeks, watched Onigumo's advance with a smirk.
"Do you believe me if I say I'm just passing through?"
"..."
Without a moment's hesitation, Onigumo swung his blade directly at him.
As expected, a dark layer of Armament Haki shielded Vasco Shot under his clothing, thwarting Onigumo's efforts to penetrate further.
"It's Vasco Shot!! Yamakaji, Doberman, lend a hand!"
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Throw some stones will you
Read 35 chapters in advance in Patr*on: patr*on.com/Cosmic_Kaminari