"No, no, no, Crocus—you're a doctor. Your duty isn't to fight. Let the professionals handle the professional work," said Rayleigh as he reached out to block the red-eyed Crocus, who looked like he was ready to risk his life.
"Heehee, old man, leave the fighting to us!" Buggy grinned confidently.
"Mhm, as long as the captain can be cured, we'll take care of everything else," Shanks said seriously, his young, cold face solemn as he gripped the blade in his hand tightly.
"Pirates, huh? I wonder how strong they are..." Leo muttered to himself, his gaze deep as he looked into the distance.
"Y'all, make it quick!"
The warm, united atmosphere was suddenly broken. Roger looked slightly irritated, instantly drawing his saber and pointing it forward.
"Understood, Captain!"
The moment Roger swung his weapon, the crew of the Roger Pirates instantly assumed battle stances. At the same time, Leo waved his hand, forming a tall wooden wall in front of Laboon, wrapping it securely and completely blocking all the cannonballs raining down from the sky.
Feeling the impact force transmitted through the Wood Style wall, Leo curled his lips in boredom. This force was nothing compared to Garp's barehanded throws.
The Jackson quickly closed in on the nearby pirate ship. Standing at the bow of the enemy vessel was a burly, muscular man with golden-yellow hair. A deep scar ran across his rough face, giving him a fierce and intimidating appearance.
"30 million Beli bounty—Captain of the Mocha Pirates, the Evil Wolf Moira!"
Crocus frowned deeply, gripping his weapon tightly with both hands, his face tense. The Mocha Pirates' infamy was well-known throughout the East Blue.
Don't underestimate that 30 million Beli. In this era, bounty amounts hadn't yet inflated to the astronomical figures seen twenty years later. A bounty of this level was equivalent to a 100 million Beli pirate in the future.
But... it still wasn't enough. Roger had already experienced the battle at God Valley and now stood at the pinnacle of the world's power. A mere small-time pirate crew wasn't worth his attention.
Just before the Jackson reached the Mocha Pirates' ship, Leo slightly lowered his body, then sprang out like a compressed spring, landing directly on the enemy ship.
A fierce battle was about to erupt!
"Wood Style: Cutting Sprigs Jutsu!"
Leo lightly raised his arm, and a barrage of sharp wooden spikes shot out rapidly. The Mocha Pirates at the front were instantly pierced through, the sheer force blasting them backward and nailing them straight into the deck. Blood sprayed everywhere, dyeing the deck crimson as screams echoed.
In just one move, the Mocha Pirates were overwhelmed by fear toward this child before them. The terrifying power he displayed was beyond imagination—it wasn't something a human should be able to wield.
"A Devil Fruit user?!"
[+10 Dimensional Points from Evil Wolf Moira]
[+1 Dimensional Point from each Mocha Pirate crew member] ×108
[+5 Dimensional Points from Buggy]
[+3 Dimensional Points from Shanks]
Evil Wolf Moira's heart trembled. His gaze toward Leo turned incredibly serious. He then looked toward the rapidly approaching Jackson and locked eyes with Roger's domineering and majestic stare.
A mysterious fear seemed to rise straight from his soul.
Run! Run now!
If I don't run, I'll die!
The first reaction that sprang to Evil Wolf Moira's mind was to turn the ship around and flee. If even a mere ten-something-year-old brat was this powerful, then how terrifying must the core members of that ship be?
"Turn around! Retreat immediately—"
Before Evil Wolf Moira could even finish his sentence, Roger on the Jackson had already drawn his sword and unleashed a terrifying wave of sword energy.
"Divine Departure!"
Slash—"Aahh!"
The sword aura sliced through the air. Moira didn't even have time to dodge before the strike hit him, instantly cutting him down. As for the supposed high durability of Zoan-type Devil Fruit users?
What's that supposed to mean? Against Roger's technique, he didn't even have a chance to resist.
After all, it's Divine Departure—even the gods must retreat, let alone a measly little wolf.
"Divine Departure…"
Leo turned to look at Roger, eyes filled with longing. He wondered whether he could someday learn such a powerful technique himself. He imagined a scene where he wielded the Fangtian Halberd and unleashed Divine Departure—just the thought was enough to send a thrill down his spine.
Crocus looked on with a relieved and joyful smile as the once-feared Mocha Pirates—who had terrorized these seas—were effortlessly annihilated by the Roger Pirates. With their threat removed, Laboon was finally safe, and Crocus could now peacefully follow Roger's crew into the Grand Line to search for the Rumbar Pirates.
"Leo, you're seriously strong!"
The battle over, Buggy ran over with a wide grin. He looked Leo up and down, hugging his arm and examining him closely. At this point in his life, Buggy still craved power quite intensely.
In such a dangerous sea, hunting treasure required strength to protect yourself—otherwise, all your treasures would just end up enriching someone else.
"What do you think, Buggy? Want me to find you a Devil Fruit too?"
Leo grinned slightly as he looked at Buggy.
"Nah! I don't want to become a landlubber!"
Buggy shook his head firmly. To him, endless treasure took priority over quick power gains.
"You sure? Some things are destined in dreams, you know… Buggy."
Leo pouted slightly. He wasn't sure whether his arrival in this world would alter Buggy's fate of accidentally eating a Devil Fruit.
"Ha?!? 🤨"
Buggy scratched his head, baffled by Leo's cryptic remark.
"Hahaha! Not bad, not bad at all, Leo! I didn't think you'd be able to develop a Devil Fruit ability to this level."
At that moment, Roger walked over, laughing heartily as he gave Leo a hard pat on the back—almost knocking his small frame apart.
"Hehe, not bad, I guess. I've only developed a tiny bit so far," Leo chuckled awkwardly. In his mind, he was hoping the system would reward him with a few more Wood Style enhancement cards—his power would skyrocket in no time.
With the Mocha Pirates wiped out, Crocus began preparations to depart. First, he treated Laboon's injuries and gave him strict instructions—not to ram into Reverse Mountain while he was away. Soon enough, the clever Laboon understood what Crocus meant.
Happily, the giant whale leapt from the sea, his mountain-sized body sending waves dozens of meters high crashing down. Everyone aboard the Jackson rocked with the motion like they were riding a wave pool.