"It doesn't matter."
The man seated calmly in the chair spoke faintly.
He had a burly physique, around three meters tall, the standard height of a Marines Admiral.
His body was composed of perfectly rounded, powerful muscles, woven together in smooth and solid lines.
Dark skin, flowing purple hair, and a weathered face carved by years of hardship.
On the bridge of his nose rested a pair of glasses.
Despite such a fierce and intimidating appearance, he radiated no pressure at all
Instead, he resembled a kindly elder filled with wisdom.
"Before sin is committed, justice cannot punish them. Otherwise, the Marines's authority will be shaken."
"And even if we scare them into abandoning their ambitions for a moment, once they escape our watch, their greed will still swell. That is human desire."
Zephyr looked at the hot-blooded young marine, and couldn't help but recall his own younger self.
While comforting the soldier, he was also finding an excuse for his own heart.
"B-but…!"
The young marine wanted to argue further.
"Enough! Drag him out! Let this reckless brat clean toilets for a week!"
The Major immediately barked, cutting him off.
Bang! The young soldier was hauled away by his comrades. Now only Zephyr and the Major remained in the room.
Zephyr rose to his feet and walked to the window.
He gazed at the sky blue and clear not long ago, now dark clouds were gathering.
"A storm is coming."
Zephyr spoke softly. The Major lowered his head, not daring to interpret the deeper meaning of his words.
"I will stay in the East Blue for a while, to knock some sense into these wayward youths."
"The people of the East Blue will be grateful to you."
…
Loguetown was shrouded in heavy clouds.
Meanwhile, Reverse Mountain
Already raged with storm and fury!
"Oi oi! What the hell is with this weather?! With weather like this, there's no way we can climb Reverse Mountain!"
The pirate captain shouted from his ship.
"A mere storm and you shrink back? Trash like you dare call yourselves pirates?! Keep going!"
On the deck, a man in a black fur coat, orange checkered shirt beneath, with a sharp slicked-back hairstyle.
A cigar hung from his mouth, his head tilted in disdain as he scolded them.
It was none other than Crocodile!
At this moment, he was hitching a ride on this pirate ship, intending to return to the Grand Line.
"Damn bastard! If he wants to die, why drag us with him? If only we could beat him… sigh…"
The captain struggled internally, but he had no choice.
This man's power had already surpassed their imagination.
Back near Loguetown, this man had suddenly appeared on their ship.
His crew rushed forward, only for a swirl of dust to rise
When they opened their eyes again, everyone who had charged was sliced cleanly in half, the cuts unnaturally smooth.
The rest, trembling in terror, opened fire, but the bullets passed through without harm.
After a few more corpses dried into husks on the deck, the captain surrendered.
To hell with the Pirate King staying alive was more important.
So, they abandoned their plan to raid the East Blue, changed course, and sailed toward the Grand Line, reaching Reverse Mountain.
…
"This damn weather is disgusting."
Crocodile glanced at the storming sky. Gusts carried raindrops into the cabin, splattering his body.
It annoyed him deeply. Sand was weakest against water.
"Hm?"
He suddenly sensed a strong, unabashed gaze upon him. Crocodile turned his head toward the opposite sky.
Therea massive warship, flying through the storm clouds, closing in rapidly?!
"What the hell?!"
Even Crocodile's eyes widened in shock.
"A… flying ship?! And it's a Marines warship!! It's over! My dream is finished! The new era holds no ship for me!"
The pirate captain collapsed in despair.
…
"Crocodile!!!"
A thunderous roar exploded across the heavens, like rolling thunder!
"Hmph!"
Hearing that voice, how could Crocodile not know it was directed at him.
Rain poured in torrents. If they fought now, his Devil Fruit ability would be heavily restrained, his power weakened.
But who the hell did they think he was?! He wasn't afraid!
"Take one move from me! Then I'll recognize you! You can board my ship!"
The thunderous roar boomed again from the sky!
Captain Rosen didn't want to shout like thunder, but with this storm and the distance, he had no choice, or they wouldn't hear.
"Ha??!!!"
"You think I'm some kind of test subject?!"
Already itching for a reckless fight, Crocodile's fury ignited.
Before the opponent could act, he erupted forward!
Boom!
A shadow shot from the cabin like a bullet. Black afterimages streaked with golden light—
Under the eyes of crashing waves, within the howling storm,
Crocodile coated his golden hook with Armament Haki!
Even with just Haki, he could smash through!
Sensing the killing intent bearing down
Captain Rosen moved. For the first time since setting sail, he was going to fight.
And this was the perfect test of his true strength.
After all, this opponent was said to be a "fifty-fifty monster" of the seas!
He had fought Bullet to a standstill! And Bullet himself was said to rival the Dark King Rayleigh!
Black and red lightning ripped through the air. The storm clouds that had been ready to release thunder were smothered by this overwhelming aura.
Armament Haki flowed over twin blades.
The storm clouds themselves split open under the pressure!
Boom!
Black-red lightning split the heavens!
A figure flashed into midair.
The twin blades swung down
Conqueror's Haki coiled around the steel!
The leaking aura suffocated the entire sea!
"DIVINE DEPARTURE!!!"
When true monsters meet, their first clash must always be an overwhelming head-on blow.
It was both a test to see if the opponent had the right to converse with them
And also the release of the loneliness that came with invincibility, too long without a worthy foe.
Captain Rosen had reached this realm.
As for Crocodile…
Black-red lightning flooded the sky.
As the slash descended, the sea itself roiled like boiling water, raging uncontrollably.
The Conqueror's Haki rampaged across both ocean and sky without mercy.
With the combined aura of both Golden Lion and Roger, the quality and sheer volume of his Conqueror's Haki were beyond belief.
After unleashing the slash, Rosen no longer pressed his attack. Though he believed Crocodile was close to Roger's level
If he really trusted that entirely, then Crocodile below would already be a corpse.
--------------
T/N:
Access 30 chapters in advance on my P@treon: [email protected]/FicTale