Seeing the towering beast that Bolly had become, even Rosinante couldn't help but raise a brow in astonishment.
The Ancient Zoan: Emperor Crocodile Fruit—and not just any crocodile, but a behemoth of the ancient era. In this world, the Emperor Crocodile's size was monstrous—tens of meters long, armed with fangs and claws like blades, scales as thick as armor, and a tail that could shatter stone with a single swing.
Fortunately, the Flying Sky Pirates' grand hall was massive. If Bolly's transformation had increased his height instead of just his length, the creature would've burst straight through the roof.
"Damn you! I'll kill you! Tear you apart!" roared the colossal beast as its enormous jaws lunged toward Rosinante.
The creature's sheer mass—well over twenty tons—made the entire palace quake with every thunderous step.
"Damn it! I told him not to transform so casually! Now the palace'll have to be rebuilt again!" Shiki the Golden Lion growled irritably from the main seat, his voice carrying both annoyance and reluctant amusement.
The floor cracked and walls trembled as the Emperor Crocodile charged. Its gaping maw opened wide, rows of razor-sharp fangs glinting as it struck at Rosinante with the power to crush even steel.
In ancient times, a crocodile like this could bite through dinosaurs—and this was no mere animal, but a creature empowered by a Devil Fruit and sharpened by battle experience. One bite could pulverize metal like paper.
But no matter how deadly a bite might be… it still had to land first.
Just as the massive jaws were about to snap shut around him, Rosinante vanished—his body dissolving into a streak of light.
A heartbeat later, he reappeared beside the Emperor Crocodile, blade flashing.
CLANG!
His purple-bladed sword struck the creature's side—and sparks flew. The blade that had sliced through steel met impenetrable scales, leaving not even a scratch.
Rosinante's brows furrowed. That defense… it was beyond his expectations.
But before he could analyze it further, the crocodile's massive tail swung toward him like a battering ram.
Even a casual swipe stirred violent gusts through the hall, and this one—fueled by fury—was strong enough to crush bones with its wind pressure alone.
Rosinante's expression didn't change. His body flickered again and vanished.
"Heaven-Shattering Slash!"
He reappeared in midair, blade raised high, and brought it down in a brilliant arc.
The slash cleaved through the air and struck the Emperor Crocodile squarely, erupting into a storm of explosive energy.
"ROAR!!!"
The beast howled in agony as the shockwave tore across its massive frame. But when the light faded, the only mark left was a shallow gash—one that was already beginning to close before their eyes.
Rosinante sighed lightly. "Thick skin and heavy flesh… this might be troublesome."
But while he found it mildly inconvenient, the Flying Sky Pirates were stunned.
"He actually wounded Bolly?!"
Even the Golden Lion himself raised a brow in intrigue.
To break through Bolly's defense while he was in full beast form—his scales said to rival the strength of steel—was no small feat. Even Shiki himself had to focus to pierce those defenses. Yet this young man had done it with a single strike.
"Jihahahaha! Not bad! That technique's got some bite to it!" Shiki said with a grin.
"ROAR!!"
Furious beyond reason, the Emperor Crocodile went berserk, hurling its massive body at Rosinante. Each movement sent shockwaves through the hall.
Its claws tore at the air, its tail whipped like a hammer, and its jaws snapped with thunderous force. Each blow could shatter boulders, and the wind from its swings alone would crush an ordinary person to dust.
But Rosinante was no ordinary man.
With his advanced Observation Haki reading every move before it came, and his body flickering with light-speed motion, the monster's attacks could never catch him.
The result? Bolly's rampage destroyed everything except its target.
The grand hall of the Flying Sky Pirates turned into a demolition site. Walls cracked, pillars collapsed, and the floor caved in beneath the beast's fury.
Rosinante's cloak fluttered lightly amid the chaos, his eyes calm and precise. "You've got power," he murmured, "but you can't hit what you can't catch."
Then, with a faint smirk, he raised his blade again. "Heaven-Shattering Slash – Modified."
This slash was different.
Unlike his previous attacks, which swung like a traditional sword strike, this one was launched from the very tip of his blade—a piercing thrust of pure energy. The slash shot forth like a spear of light, fast and precise, not unlike the giants' legendary Hakoku Sovereignty, yet sharper and infinitely quicker.
"ROARRR!!!"
The Emperor Crocodile screamed, the sound echoing with agony as the blade of light drilled into its scales.
Rosinante's attack pierced through the armor, the concentrated energy detonating inside. The blade tore through flesh and muscle, carving deep into the beast's body. Blood erupted in crimson sprays.
Had its body not been so massive, the attack might have gone straight through.
Even so, the damage was substantial—a deep, gaping wound searing across its flank.
But for a creature of its size, the wound was still too small.
The Emperor Crocodile's body shuddered, cold sweat beading across its massive frame as pain rippled through it.
"DAMN YOU! I'LL KILL YOU! I SWEAR I'LL KILL YOU!" Bolly roared, his tail whipping wildly again.
Rosinante dodged, his figure flickering out of sight.
"Tch… even that didn't do it. Looks like I'll have to get serious," he muttered, his tone growing focused. "Can't waste any more time. The attack starts in half an hour."
He had promised Jack that in thirty minutes, the Grey Nation would launch their full-scale assault. His mission was to draw the Golden Lion away before then. If Shiki got involved in the battle, the Grey Nation would suffer catastrophic losses.
Rosinante steadied his breathing. "Time to end this—"
"Enough."
The single, cold word cut through the chaos like a blade.
From above came the distinct metallic clink-clink-clink of boots on stone.
Rosinante looked up—and saw Shiki the Golden Lion descending the stairs, twin swords gleaming at his sides.
"Boss Shiki!" Kaen and the others gasped in unison.
"Jihahahaha…" The Golden Lion's laughter echoed through the ruined hall. "Stand down, all of you. Bolly, you've done enough. Any more and you'll just tear down what's left of my palace."
His golden mane swayed as he landed, sharp eyes locking onto Rosinante.
"More importantly," Shiki said with a grin, "even if you destroyed every wall here, you still wouldn't beat him. He's no longer someone you lot can handle."