"General Moratos!"
"You've got to be kidding! The Quartermaster actually lost to a Marine brat?"
"Even General Moratos's weapon, the 'Snake Fang,' was cut down, it's terrifying!"
"Ahhh—I recognize him! He's the Marine who killed the great pirate Gecko Moria!"
"..."
The pirates of the Roberts Legion were utterly panicked at Moratos's defeat. Coupled with recognizing Cross's identity, their already low morale completely plummeted.
Moratos collapsed powerlessly onto the ground, his eyes filled with despair as he looked at Cross, who was now close by. He quickly reverted from his half-snake, half-human form to his human form. The wound on his chest was still bleeding profusely, staining his clothes red.
At the same time, his subordinates could no longer hold their ground and began to scatter and flee.
The Enlivened creatures, as if knowing to strike a fallen dog, relentlessly pursued the fleeing pirates. It seemed their goal was to drive the Roberts Legion out of Oneway Port.
In an instant, various thrown spears and flying axes whizzed through the air. In a flash, many fleeing pirates were struck down, leaving the ruined streets littered with discarded weapons, corpses in various states of death, and wailing wounded.
"I thought it would be a tough fight, but I didn't expect to capture this port so easily!" Cross muttered to himself, then commanded, "Seize him and keep a close watch, don't let him escape!"
"Understood!" Several stone knights nearby responded in deep voices, advancing with heavy steps. Wielding stone swords, shields, and spears, they surrounded Moratos.
"Don't get cocky too soon! Commander Roberts will crush you Marines!" Moratos gritted his teeth, glaring fiercely at Cross.
"The wails of a defeated dog are always so pleasant to hear!" Cross casually glanced at Moratos, his eyes filled with disdain.
"You... cough, cough, cough..." Moratos choked with anger, unable to stop himself from coughing up blood.
Boom—
Suddenly, an explosive roar came from ahead. Many Enlivened creatures shattered into pieces, turning into a shower of debris. A powerful gust of wind kicked up dust from the ground, forming a thick cloud of smoke.
"There's a powerful presence... Who's here...?" Cross snapped his head up, his Observation Haki already detecting the appearance of a powerful, unfamiliar presence.
"Oonk-oonk-oonk~"
Just then, a massive figure appeared from the swirling dust ahead. It charged forward like a tank, letting out a pig-like roar.
The colossal figure burst out of the dust: it was a giant boar, at least two stories tall, covered in dark brown fur, with a long snout and two thick, outward-curving tusks. Its four hooves pounded the ground as it ran, its power even cracking the earth.
At this moment, a strong, foul stench assailed Cross's nose, making his eyes widen. He exclaimed, "This is truly... a massive boar!"
When this sudden giant boar saw Cross, its brown eyes revealed intense malice. It charged forward, howling, like a heavy tank speeding at high velocity, utterly ferocious, emitting rumbling sounds as it ran.
Even the Enlivened creatures that tried to block its path were, without exception, smashed into pieces, stone shards flying everywhere. Not even Enlivened creatures with metal bodies could hinder it for a moment; they were still sent flying.
"Hey~ You bastard, are you a bowling ball?!" Cross watched, his heart aching, and immediately cursed angrily. His gaze, sharp as a sword, glared at the creature. A terrifying aura erupted from his body, almost tangible, making the air hum.
Conqueror's Haki: Gaze of the Sword!!!
In an instant, the giant boar met Cross's gaze. It felt an incredibly sharp sensation刺 pierce its eyes, making them ache, and a terrifying, almost solid aura pressed down on its mind. It felt an invisible hand gripping its heart, causing its breathing to stop abruptly and its charging steps to suddenly halt, braking right in front of Cross.
To the side, Moratos, already heavily wounded, was swept by the powerful gust of wind generated by the Conqueror's Haki. His mind instantly became muddled, his eyes unfocused, and he nearly fainted.
"To be able to withstand my Conqueror's Haki, you're indeed no ordinary boar!" Cross's lips curved into a slight smile, mockingly.
The giant boar, two stories tall, then regained consciousness. Its brown eyes rotated, a flicker of fear flashing through them. It panted heavily, "Hoo-hoo-hoo," two white streams of hot air spewing from its nostrils.
"Conqueror's Haki... Who are you, brat?" The giant boar spoke, its voice deep like muffled thunder.
"You don't know me, but I know you. One of the three generals of the Roberts Legion, with a bounty of 270,000,000 Berries, a Zoan-type Pig-Pig Fruit, Boar Model user, Reepel the 'Raging Boar'!" Cross's expression remained unchanged as he calmly stated the opponent's identity.
"Hmph, hurr-hurr... I never expected there'd be a little guy like you in the Marines. Why don't you join our Roberts Legion?" Reepel wiggled his pig snout, shaking his large head, and surprisingly tried to recruit Cross.
"Hehehe~" Hearing this, Cross let out an amused chuckle, then suddenly raised his hand, directly Enlivening the ground.
Rumble rumble—
The ground suddenly shook. Large amounts of dark brown mud, mixed with shattered bluestone, surged up, forming a lifelike giant arm that slapped fiercely onto Reepel's body.
With a boom, the unsuspecting Reepel was instantly dazed. His massive, two-story-tall body was sent flying, crashing heavily onto the other side of the street, crushing two houses and raising a towering cloud of dust.
"You're like a stupid pig, trying to recruit others! You came, now don't leave!" Cross's tone was full of disdain.
"Oonk-oonk-oonk-oonk—"
However, Cross's response was met with the angry roars of the boar. Reepel scrambled to his feet, shaking his massive head. His huge body trembled, shaking off the bricks, tiles, and dust. Then, he put power into all four hooves, thundering as he ran, charging ferociously towards Cross.
Cross manipulated the mud and stone arm that had risen from the ground, extending its fingers towards Reepel. However, Reepel didn't dodge or evade. With a boom, he smashed the Enlivened mud and stone arm into smithereens, turning it into a shower of mud and stone.
"Perfect! I was just looking to test my strength!" Cross let out a long howl, his expression excited. He then sheathed Shusui at his waist, extended both hands directly towards Reepel in his boar form, and grabbed onto his two tusks.
At this moment, Cross felt a powerful force wash over him, making him instantly crush the bluestone paving beneath his feet. Then, Reepel, in his boar form, pushed him backward, his feet plowing two deep trenches in the ground.
"Stop... right... there!!!" Cross's expression was grim as he roared intensely.
Immediately, he gripped Reepel's two tusks tightly, his muscles bulging, veins protruding like coiled snakes. A strange airflow surrounded his body, and he managed to halt the giant boar's furious charge.
"Oonk-oonk-oonk~" Reepel roared with all his might, constantly pushing forward, but he couldn't advance another inch.
"Fall!!!"
The next moment, Cross roared, his face flushed. Then, with a sudden surge of power, he slammed the two-story-tall giant boar onto the ground.
Boom—
With a loud crash, Reepel's heavy body directly created a circular crater with spiderweb cracks in the ground, causing most of the street to violently shake. Visible shockwaves spread outwards, forming a violent wind that dispersed in all directions.
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