"Ah!"
"Ugh!"
"Eek!"
"Waaah!"
A series of screams echoed across Rainbase Plaza, the air was thick with tension and panic, as if each cry narrated pain and terror.
"Dammit, how…?"
The pirate captain stared in horror at Kuro before him, his lips trembling slightly, his voice barely audible, as if suppressed by something.
His heart pounded violently, disbelief flashing in his eyes.
This Marine before him—thin and looks like a nerd—had effortlessly defeated every single one of his crewmates.
Before the pirate captain could regain his composure, the surrounding screams erupted once more.
The pirates who had attempted to attack Rainbase stood no chance against Kuro.
Every assault was effortlessly deflected, and they were crushed like paper, all of them collapsing in defeat.
"Damn it!"
"Go to hell!"
The pirate captain gnashed his teeth, his eyes burning with furious rage.
He raised his heavy blade and swung it at Kuro with all his might.
"Hmph."
A cold smirk flashed in Kuro's eyes.
"Shadow Shave!"
In an instant, Kuro's figure vanished like a ghost, leaving only the sound of tearing air behind.
"What...?"
The pirate captain eyes widened in shock, but it was already too late to react.
"Thud—"
A dull impact echoed as Kuro's fist slammed mercilessly into the pirate captain stomach.
The punch carried overwhelming force, as if it could crush his internal organs, bending him over in agony as he coughed violently.
Kuro casually grabbed the pirate captain collar with one hand while leisurely adjusting his glasses with the other.
Sunlight streamed through the gaps above the plaza, reflecting off Kuro's lenses with a chilling glint.
That light was like a sharp blade—cold and piercing—stabbing straight into the pirate captain heart, sending an involuntary shiver down his spine as a wave of icy dread spread through him.
A satisfied smile curled at the corner of Kuro's lips.
'Is this who I am now?' He thought to himself.
Once, he had been nothing more than an unknown pirate on these seas, relying on schemes and wit to carve out a minor reputation in the East Blue.
Combat?
Back then, he hadn't been skilled in it.
But now, standing on the Grand Line, facing pirates who would have once been beyond his reach—
They were nothing more than prey to be slaughtered at his leisure.
"This... is growth."
Kuro closed his eyes briefly, reminiscing about the time he had spent under Captain Mike command, overwhelmed with emotion.
The improvement in his innate talent and combat skills were the reasons for this transformation.
And all of it stemmed from the captain's guidance and training.
Praise the captain!
He looked down at the pirate leader, who was nearly unconscious from terror, his voice was as cold as an ice.
"Farewell."
Then, with a swift motion, his finger traced a lightning-fast arc through the air.
"Panther Gun!"
All his strength concentrated into his index finger, the hardened tip carrying terrifying penetrative force as it shot forward like a bullet, piercing straight through the pirate captain body.
The sheer force of the blow sent the pirate flying, his body arcing through the air before crashing heavily to the ground with a dull thud.
"Remember this in your next life."
"Don't disturb the captain's peace."
Kuro calmly brushed the dust off his clothes, his movements graceful and unhurried.
He strode steadily behind Mike, standing tall and unwavering, his presence as immovable as a mountain.
Not far away, smoke and sand intertwined in the air, painting a chaotic yet awe-inspiring scene.
"BOOM—"
With a heavy impact, the battle finally came to a halt as Crocodile and Smoker each retreated, putting distance between them.
Crocodile's cold gaze swept across the scene, lingering briefly on the pirate captain who had fallen from the sky.
Half of the pirate body was buried in the sand, his blood seeping into the earth.
It was clear he had already departed for hell.
His gaze didn't linger for long, quickly scanning the entire plaza.
The surrounding pirates had all fallen—not a single one had escaped.
A hint of deeper meaning flashed in his eyes before his focus finally settled on Kuro behind Mike.
"This…"
"All the pirates were taken out by that Marine soldier."
Crocodile's eyes instantly narrowed, the chill in his eyes deepening.
That Marine soldier, dressed in an ordinary uniform and cap, appeared to be nothing more than a common grunt.
Yet he had effortlessly taken down those pirates one after another without breaking a sweat.
This level of strength was completely inconsistent with that of an average Marine.
As one of the Shichibukai, he was intimately familiar with the rank hierarchy of the World Government's direct military force, the Marines.
Marines below the rank of Petty Officer were required to wear the standard uniform—only those at the rank of Chief Petty Officer or higher had the privilege of choosing their attire.
Officers at the rank of Captain or above could drape themselves in the "Justice" coat, symbolizing their distinguished status.
To sow fear among the masses—and to better manipulate public sentiment when he made his heroic entrance—he had deliberately allowed these 'strong' pirates to infiltrate Alabasta, intending to stage a "shocking" spectacle.
Yet the result?
This seemingly unassuming Marine soldier had effortlessly dismantled those pirates, ruining his carefully laid "heroic entrance" plan!
What surprised him even more was that Smoker wasn't relying solely on the Smoke-Smoke Fruit's abilities, as he had previously understood.
His physical prowess and combat skills were extraordinary, clearly surpassing the level of most branch Marine officers.
This wasn't right—it was twelve times wrong!
Before Crocodile could dwell further on his thoughts, a taunting voice shattered his contemplation.
"Hey!"
Smoker stood nearby, his cold gaze locked onto Kuro as a challenging smirk playing on his lips.
As he clenched his fist, white smoke surged from his palm, spreading instantly.
A metallic black sheen flickered across his knuckles.
In their earlier clash, as fellow Logia-type Devil Fruit users, neither had been able to gain an advantage over the other with their abilities.
This had led to a peculiar stalemate between them.
But precisely because of this, their confrontation had devolved into a raw contest of physical strength and brute force.
Through their exchanges, Smoker had already begun to faintly grasp the threshold of Armament Haki.
Smoker stared intently at Crocodile, like an old chain-smoker spotting a rare, premium cigar.
This was—a Shichibukai-level sparring partner!
If he could fully grasp the most basic level of Armament Haki here…
'Crocodile, I'd be willing to call you—the Shichibukai Group's Gold-Class Training Partner!'
"Exhilarating!"
Unable to suppress his grin, his fighting spirit soared.
"Come on, Crocodile—let's keep going!"
'Come on, temper my limits further!'
'Come on, let's keep brawling!'
'Come on, let's keep refining my Armament Haki!'
"..."
Watching Smoker's undisguised battle lust and challenge, Crocodile felt an indescribable fury rise within him.
The original "Heroic Entrance plan" plan was ruined by that Marine soldier.
That was bad enough, but he could always plan another one.
After all, Marines killing pirates was only natural.
But!!!
Smoker actually wanted to use him as a whetstone now?
Unbearable! Unforgivable!
His hands twitched slightly, instantly coated in a metallic sheen of Armament Haki.
The sheer force of it solidified the surrounding air, as if an invisible pressure weighed down on everything.
"Smoker, Who the fuck do you think you are??!"