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There was no need to fight over the place Marco fell. The area belonged to the 'Stone Mountain' forest on the island, where rocky hills, resembling bamboo shoots, stretched as far as the eye could see.
Originally, fierce beasts roamed this area, taking shelter in the stone mountains, but by now, they had all fled.
Not long after Marco fell, several notorious pirates descended from their respective stone peaks, approaching him.
"The pirate with a bounty of 800 million Berries, the Deep-Sea Crocodile!"
"The world's most infamous cannibal pirate, Lester S. K!"
"And another... the most feared pirate hunter of the Snake Head Clan, Black Snake Venom!"
These names echoed from the distance.
These three were all notorious figures in the New World, responsible for countless deaths. They were killers who didn't bat an eye at taking a life.
"You all... want my head?"
Facing the trio, Marco's words were calm but carried a chilling killing intent. His eyes grew colder by the second.
"Of course," responded the Deep-Sea Crocodile, his voice filled with unveiled excitement. He wore a crocodile headdress as he spoke. "Before, I wouldn't have dared attack you so rashly, but now? You've exhausted your strength taking down Drought Jack, so... you're weak, aren't you?"
"If you want it, come and take it," Marco replied coldly. "No need for so much talk."
His gaze swept over the group. "If you're coming for me, do it together. Don't waste my time."
Hiss!
Hearing Marco's defiant words, the pirates watching from a distance gasped.
But the three pirates blocking Marco's path reacted differently. They wouldn't have stepped forward unless they were confident.
"I don't like working in teams. You two go first," said Black Snake Venom, his voice hoarse like a snake's hiss, almost unbearable to hear. "If you manage to take Marco's head, I won't interfere."
With that, he retreated into the shadows.
"I'm not in a hurry," Lester S. K said, showing no intention of retreating but clearly waiting for something.
"Then I'll be the one to claim the Blood Bounty Order and the 1.5 billion Berries reward!" the Deep-Sea Crocodile declared eagerly. He had witnessed Marco's entire battle and was convinced this was Marco's weakest moment.
Strike when your enemy is down—that was his motto.
The pirate, whose bounty had reached 800 million five years ago, had since grown even stronger. His current power was unknown, as none who had seen him in action lived to tell the tale.
Without hesitation, the Deep-Sea Crocodile transformed into a massive crocodile, several dozen meters long, fierce and terrifying.
Whoosh!
A strong layer of Armament Haki instantly coated his head. His gaping mouth, lined with rows of sharp, menacing teeth, gleamed with an eerie light.
Roar!
The enormous crocodile lunged at Marco, jaws wide, ready to swallow him whole in one bite.
Clang!
Just as the attack descended, two powerful slashes cut through the air with overwhelming force, cleaving through the crocodile's massive jaws above Marco's head!
"Wraaah!"
The Deep-Sea Crocodile let out a scream and retreated, his eyes narrowing in fury. "Foil Vista!" he snarled.
"How could I miss such an interesting battle?"
A man with a kind smile stepped forward—it was Foil Vista!
"The fifth division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates is here!" gasped many onlookers.
The once strongest crew in the New World, the Whitebeard Pirates… Were they making a comeback?
"Marco, take a moment to recover. I'll handle these guys!" Vista called out to Marco, standing protectively in front of him.
Marco glanced at Vista, feeling an unexpected wave of emotion. It was like the feeling of a stranger offering a helping hand when you're weary, thirsty, and starving.
Having spent so much energy defeating Drought Jack, Marco's stamina was severely depleted. Even with his incredible regenerative abilities, he needed a moment to recover.
And there were even stronger enemies yet to come.
Looking at Vista, Marco simply said, "Just hold them off for a while."
Vista didn't turn around, placing his complete trust in Marco as he exposed his back to him. "Don't worry, leave it to me!"
"Aren't you going to act?" the Deep-Sea Crocodile asked Lester S. K, irritation creeping into his voice.
Would they join forces?
Many pirates turned to look at Lester S. K, wondering what he would do.
To their surprise, Lester S. K retreated hundreds of meters without a word. "I'm not in a hurry," he said calmly.
"!!"
The Deep-Sea Crocodile was furious, but with his attack already in motion, there was no turning back.
"I heard that you were seriously injured in the battle with the Blackbeard Pirates... Unexpectedly, now I have to deal with you. Since you want to sacrifice yourself for Marco, I'll grant your wish…!"
The Deep-Sea Crocodile's voice had barely finished echoing when he lunged forward again. The ground shook violently as if an earthquake had struck.
The massive mouth of the crocodile opened wide, aiming straight for Foil Vista!
At the very moment the enemy moved, Foil Vista had already drawn his sword.
His sword was as swift as lightning, and his movement was even more determined as he charged directly towards the gaping maw of the enormous crocodile.
"Seeking death!"
The Deep-Sea Crocodile's heart leapt with joy as he saw Foil Vista deliberately rushing into his attack. He bit down fiercely!
The crocodile's fearsome bite could shred any foe into pieces in an instant.
Foil Vista pressed forward, and as the swordlight flashed like lightning, he hurled himself directly into the mouth of the colossal crocodile!
At this moment,
Everyone was stunned,
What kind of reckless move was this?!
Such a brazen act in the face of death?!
Even Marco, witnessing this scene, was momentarily shocked. The danger of the crocodile's jaws was immense, and this was a ferocious and haki Zoan-type Devil Fruit user!
This was not at all how he remembered the calm and composed Vista.
Just as Marco was processing this,
His expression
Suddenly froze…
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If you enjoy please support me on my patreon Future 80+ chapters at patreon.com/Darkphoenix11
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