Thwack!
The sound of the blade entering flesh echoed through the air, causing everyone present, except Crocodile, to widen their eyes in shock.
"Boss?!"
Crocodile's Boss, upon awakening, had immediately severed his own neck with a blade, committing suicide?
"Aaaaaaah!"
Some let out terrified screams.
This terrifying man, who had fought the World's Strongest Man to a draw, had taken his own life right before their eyes!
'Why?'
Confusion, terror, and disbelief flashed through their minds. The subordinates felt as if they were being electrocuted; they were utterly unable to comprehend the scene unfolding before them.
However, something even more unbelievable was about to happen.
The blade was undoubtedly razor-sharp. As it sliced across Kojin's neck, it effortlessly severed the flesh, tendons, and tissues connecting his head to his torso.
Immediately afterwards, Kojin's head soared into the air.
For anyone else, such a sight would have meant certain death. But just a second later, the airborne head suddenly vanished.
Then, a new head grew back on Kojin's neck.
Simultaneously, his previously bruised and battered face returned to normal, and the terrifying wounds that had threatened his life vanished completely.
In the blink of an eye, Kojin stood before them, completely unharmed.
"What?!"
"Boss is alright!"
His subordinates' faces grew even more terrified.
This was far more terrifying than recovering from severe injuries after a prolonged battle!
"Hey, hey, hey! This guy's a monster, pure and simple!"
"This was an interesting battle!" Kojin chuckled softly, his eyes gleaming.
His stamina and energy were completely exhausted, yet there was still no victor. In terms of raw power, he seemed to be on a par with Whitebeard.
Of course, this was based on the assumption that he hadn't resorted to his 'cheat-like' abilities.
Suddenly, a soft sigh escaped Kojin's lips.
"When we meet again, it'll probably be at Marineford!"
"When that time comes, I'll see you off personally!"
Muttering to himself, Kojin slowly closed his eyes.
It was the mental exhaustion, rather than the physical wounds and drained stamina, that rendered him utterly incapable of any further action.
Crocodile blinked, watching his Vice Admiral fall asleep the moment his head hit the pillow. A faint curve tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Just as I thought! You're still the stronger one, after all!"
Turning sharply, Crocodile fixed his icy gaze on his assembled subordinates.
"You'd better forget everything you've witnessed here... Or else!"
…
[Moby Dick]
Marco and the others, their faces etched with tension and worry, clustered around the massive bed. The ship's doctor, drenched in sweat, bustled around tending to the injured.
"This is the first time I've ever seen the Old Man this badly injured!"
"Is that Kojin really this strong?"
The crew remained silent, for they knew the man's terrifying strength firsthand.
"Evading him rather than confronting him head-on..." The ship doctor scoffed. "How could you let the Old Man make such a foolish decision?"
After working tirelessly for hours, the doctor finally sighed with relief. Fortunately, the Old Man was still in his prime and strong enough to survive. However, such severe injuries would inevitably cause lasting complications.
A while later, Whitebeard slowly opened his eyes. He looked at the drip beside him, then at his worried sons, and let out a loud laugh.
"Gulalala! What's with these worried faces? I'm not dead yet!"
He paused, his gaze sharpening slightly.
"I am just a bit tired. I took a little nap!"
However, Marco and the others remained worried, as most of Whitebeard's injuries were concentrated on his face.
"Old Man, you...!"
Whitebeard shook his head and chuckled. "Don't worry about me. If I were to fall in a battle like this, then I... I wouldn't deserve to be called Whitebeard!"
He sighed softly, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"What a truly exhilarating battle! Not since Roger's death have I experienced such a grand clash, and to think a Marine could be this powerful!"
Whitebeard burst into laughter again.
"My blood is still boiling with excitement!"
The crew members surrounding him exchanged uneasy glances, but, seeing the old man's invigorated state, they breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Afterwards, the ship's doctor meticulously tended to Whitebeard's wounds. Whitebeard remained utterly calm and composed, casually ordering Jozu to prepare food and Marco to bring wine.
"Old Man, your body is still seriously injured!" Marco protested helplessly.
"Piss off! These little scratches won't slow me down one bit!"
"Every battle I fought against Roger left me with wounds no less severe than these!" Whitebeard roared, his eyes blazing.
He then winced and sucked in a sharp breath in pain.
"Next time, I'll crush him for sure!"
"This time, I just drank too much before the fight!"
Muttering to himself, Whitebeard grinned, baring his teeth.
The pain was excruciating, as every inch of his body throbbed, yet his heart swelled with exhilaration.
Unlike Kojin, after a brief rest, his spirit remained vibrant and boundless, as if he could throw himself into another fierce battle immediately.
Such an indomitable spirit was truly astonishing.
Time slipped by steadily. In the blink of an eye, seven days had passed.
The earth-shattering clash, which could have shaken the world to its core, was known only to a select few. However, the true outcome of the battle finally began to spread today.
...
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
"A draw?"
"Did Kojin actually fight Whitebeard to a draw?"
Sengoku froze when he heard the news. But he soon let out a long breath of relief.
"That's already remarkable!"
"After all, that was Whitebeard we're talking about!"
Sengoku exclaimed, his face flushed with excitement and exhilaration.
Kojin's combat prowess undoubtedly stood at the pinnacle of the Marines. More importantly, he was still young.
As their generation of Marines gradually aged, Kojin would soon become the Marines' strongest force.
"It's a pity his relationship with Headquarters is what it is," Sengoku sighed, his expression turning regretful once more.
If Kojin could obey Headquarters' orders, the Marines could easily suppress the burgeoning Great Age of Piracy. They might even launch a counterattack on the Second Half of the Grand Line, aiming to crush the Whitebeard Pirates.
"We can only rely on time to slowly repair and reconcile things," Sengoku murmured, his eyes gleaming with resolve.
He still held onto hope. After all, strictly speaking, Kojin's faction within the Marines naturally aligned with his own.
'I will strive to uphold the justice you speak of after I take office,' Sengoku thought to himself.
After the Ohara Incident, many in the Marines had begun to re-evaluate their beliefs.
Morally, most Marines supported Kojin's actions, but they couldn't publicly defy the World Government and had to maintain appearances of respect between the two sides.
After all, hadn't all the Marines once been filled with ambition, their hearts burning with justice and ideals? But, as time passed, harsh reality had mercilessly extinguished those youthful dreams.
...
Meanwhile, at Mary Geoise...
"This battle remained confined to a small area, without alarming the world."
"Kojin's combat prowess cannot be ignored. He even managed to fight that man to a standstill."
"Rumor has it that he has forged West Blue into an impenetrable fortress and treats the West Blue Marine Branch like his personal army!"
"What a brazen fellow!"
"So, how do you plan to handle him?"
Five ancient voices echoed through the vast, empty palace one after the other.
"The quadrennial Levely will convene next year. Perhaps we should meet him in person!" The Legal Martial God, Topman Warcury, declared gravely.
"Do you want to probe his motives?" The Warrior God of Environment, Marcus Mars, asked mildly.
"It's a sound strategy. Levely provides a perfect pretext. If we lure him to Mary Geoise, we can react immediately based on his actions."
"Recruitment or destruction, it will all be decided here!" the Scientific Defense Martial God, Jaygarcia Saturn, proclaimed.
"Then proceed accordingly. Send a conference invitation to Alabasta's Cobra and instruct him to bring Kojin!"
"At that time, we can finally get a good look at this Marine who has been causing such a stir in recent years," The Financial Martial God, Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro, coldly said.
The five quickly reached a consensus and began discussing the details of their plan.
They gradually realized that Kojin had become an unavoidable problem that needed to be resolved swiftly.
…
"Well, farewell for now, Crocodile!" Kojin stretched languidly.
"Thank you for forgiving my foolish mistakes. I assure you, there won't be a next time!" Crocodile replied solemnly.
"Just focus on fulfilling your duties," Kojin replied. "Who doesn't have ambitions when they're young?"
"But..." Kojin grinned, gazing forward. "Now that you've realized the gap between us, you must work even harder to become stronger! In this world, only the strong have a voice!"
Crocodile stiffened, then nodded sharply. "Yes!"
"Our future enemies might be far more formidable than you can imagine," Kojin remarked casually.
The next instant, he flashed and shot into the sky, transforming into a bolt of lightning that vanished in the distance.
Crocodile stood motionless for a long moment before finally exhaling slowly.
"An even stronger enemy, huh?" He murmured, his eyes filled with grave concern.
Just then, one of his subordinates behind him asked curiously, "Boss, where are we headed next?"
Hearing this, a cold glint flashed in Crocodile's eyes as he whirled around.
"To Hell!"
Sand erupted, instantly engulfing every pirate before him.
In a mere two or three breaths, all the pirates were reduced to mummified corpses, collapsing with heavy thuds.
"I despise chatterboxes," Crocodile said calmly, lighting a cigar.
If it hadn't been for that day's blabbering, his superiors would never have personally rushed all the way from West Blue to clean up his mess after that massive battle.
"Baroque Works HQ. I will rebuild it without fail."
(End Of This Chapter)
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