The sequence of moves Wood executed earlier all happened in the blink of an eye.
Jinbei was still in shock at Wood's incredible speed, which allowed him to appear right in front of him in an instant.
While Jinbei was dazed, Wood and the CP0 officer had already engaged in a rapid exchange of attacks, with Wood displaying even greater strength, successfully overpowering the CP0 commander.
When they were being pursued earlier, Jinbei and the others had fought against that man in the white suit.
However, neither he nor Arlong and the others were a match for the CP0 officer; only Tiger could barely fight him to a standstill.
But because the enemy had superior numbers, Tiger couldn't gain the upper hand, and in fact, most of the injuries on Tiger's body were inflicted by that man.
Yet, this formidable opponent was now being suppressed by Wood in battle. Did this mean that this unfamiliar ally was even stronger than their leader, Tiger?
Seeing their commander being overpowered, the other CP agents naturally decided to swarm Wood again. In response, Wood kicked Jinbei's large body out of the fray and then re-engaged all the incoming enemies.
Wood was now fighting at full strength. Before arriving here, he had already removed all his weights.
That was why, even without using Soru (Shave), he could still display such astonishing speed.
Facing the overwhelming numbers, Wood fully unleashed his Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki), but even so, he couldn't avoid taking some hits due to the sheer number of attacks.
Wood had faced similar outnumbered situations before, but those encounters were against either weaklings, animals, or prisoners who didn't dare harbor killing intent under Sadie-chan's watchful eyes.
Combat truly strengthens a person; this isn't just a saying. No matter how much training one undergoes, without experiencing real life-and-death situations, they remain as fragile as flowers in a greenhouse.
Now, the enemies surrounding Wood were all out for blood, each one a formidable opponent in their own right.
Countless attacks were directed at Wood simultaneously, and despite his Kenbunshoku Haki being pushed to its limits, he couldn't avoid every strike.
After several fierce battles, Wood could feel his stamina rapidly depleting. His condition worsened due to the multiple injuries he had sustained.
Just as Wood felt he was reaching his limit and had bought enough time for Tiger and the others, he was about to break through the encirclement when another CP0 officer, also dressed in a white suit, arrived with a new squad.
The newly arrived CP0 officer glanced at the numerous dead and wounded CP members around him, then at his battered colleague, and immediately frowned in displeasure. "Where are the other Fish-Men? Why is there only this one?"
The CP0 officer who had been battling Wood looked at his newly arrived colleague with a slightly guilty expression. But since they were on the same level, and the newcomer wasn't his superior, he responded with some irritation, "The other Fish-Men just left. If we take this guy down, we can easily catch up with them.
But what are you doing here? I thought your job was to protect the Celestial Dragons. We're the ones responsible for the pursuit."
Even though most of their forces were being held back by Wood, some of them had already gone after Tiger and the others.
The pursuing CP0 officer was confident that as long as they eliminated Wood, the remaining injured Fish-Men and slaves wouldn't escape.
"As a member of the World Government's elite intelligence organization, especially as a CP0 officer, you've been driven to this state by a mere Fish-Man swordsman.
And you still boast about taking him down? If I had arrived a little later, it looks like he would have gotten away," the newly arrived CP0 officer mocked, sneering at the sight of the many dead and injured CP agents.
"Cut the crap! What are you doing here?" the CP0 officer who had been fighting Wood snapped back, annoyed by the newcomer's arrogance.
As a top intelligence agent of the World Government, he knew full well that even as CP0 officers, they couldn't leave their posts without orders.
The fact that the newcomer was here meant something had happened with the Celestial Dragons.
"Celestial Dragons Charlos and Charlmos have been killed. According to the two CP3 guards who protected Charlmos, the killer identified himself as 'Yasuo, the Fish-Man Swordmaster.'
The method used to kill Charlos was different from how Charlmos was killed, but there's no doubt that this Fish-Man is connected to both deaths.
The deaths of these two Celestial Dragons have enraged the entire Holy Land. The Five Elders have ordered us not to let a single Fish-Man leave Mariejois!"
The news delivered by the new CP0 officer shocked all the CP agents present, including the one who had been fighting Wood.
Soon, everyone's gaze focused on Wood.
According to this new CP0 officer, the one who killed the Celestial Dragons was a powerful Fish-Man swordmaster.
And standing before them was a Fish-Man who perfectly matched that description!
Swordmasters were already rare, and Fish-Man swordmasters were even rarer. The odds of more than one being in Mariejois at the same time were virtually impossible...
"This is really bad. I always knew being a hero wasn't for me. Staying low was the way to go..."
Seeing all the eyes fixed on him, Wood knew he was in deep trouble.
He hadn't expected news of Charlmos and Charlos's deaths to spread so quickly.
Now, facing two CP0 officers and a large number of other CP agents, Wood wasn't sure if he could escape.
"You go after the other Fish-Men. This Fish-Man swordmaster is ours to deal with," the newly arrived CP0 officer ordered.
He understood that the situation had completely changed now that two Celestial Dragons were dead.
If any Fish-Man, especially the one who killed the Celestial Dragons, managed to escape Mariejois, none of them would be spared from punishment.
So, he didn't waste any more time mocking his colleague and instead turned his focus on Wood, readying himself for battle.
"Rankyaku: Renka!"
Despite his earlier mockery, when it came time to fight Wood, the new CP0 officer opted for a cautious ranged attack instead of recklessly closing the distance.
Wood's ability to hold off one CP0 officer and numerous other CP agents, even managing to kill several of them, was proof enough of his strength.
Though Wood was now covered in wounds, this new CP0 officer was clearly a more cautious type compared to the last one.
Note: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 165 at patreon.com/Betek