With a single downward slash, the air itself trembled violently—as if an explosion had just gone off.
Bzzz—
The surrounding space let out a faint, grating hum under Kenpachi Zaraki's Reiatsu, like a distorted wail on the verge of collapse.
The ceiling split open.
Blinding sunlight poured through the cracks, illuminating the interior.
Where Crocodile had stood just moments ago was now nothing but ruins. The overwhelming sword pressure spread outward in waves, rippling through everything in its path.
With just one strike—
the entire tavern was reduced to rubble.
Crocodile was on the verge of death.
Kneeling on the ground, only a faint trace of consciousness remained in his eyes. Even as a Logia user, he had been cut down in a single blow by that tangible, overwhelming Reiatsu.
"…What kind of power is this…"
His gaze was empty.
"His slash… it's no weaker than Whitebeard's quake."
Only after facing it firsthand could he truly understand the insurmountable gap between them.
What frightened him even more—
was that within that attack, he could sense something even more savage, as if an even greater power was still being restrained.
In other words—
what looked like Kenpachi's full strength… wasn't even close to his true limit.
"Where did these monsters come from…? And what are those numbers tied to them…?"
Crocodile's mind was shaken to its core.
He had once believed Whitebeard to be an existence beyond defeat.
But after this battle—
that belief had shattered.
The man before him…
was no weaker than Whitebeard.
"…Shinigami Pirates…"
"I'll remember you…"
After forcing out those last words, his vision went black.
Crocodile collapsed completely.
His will had been utterly crushed.
"That's it? Already down?" Kenpachi flicked his blade, scattering blood across the ground. The metallic scent quickly filled the air.
"No blood, no killing intent… how boring."
He hadn't even removed his eyepatch yet.
For Kenpachi—
this fight hadn't been satisfying in the slightest.
"Captain Kenpachi, you went a bit too far, didn't you?" Gin Ichimaru walked over, glancing down at Crocodile. "The captain did say to leave him alive."
Then he added with a faint smile,
"Though compared to other Logia users… he seems a bit weak."
"No," Ren Kuro shook his head. "Crocodile isn't weak. He just underestimated Kenpachi."
"If they fought again, it wouldn't end this quickly."
He looked down at Crocodile with a hint of pity.
Among the three captains, Kenpachi's Reiatsu was the most overwhelming. A direct clash like that was bound to end this way.
After all—
even Nnoitra, after releasing his full power, had been cut down in a single strike by a serious Kenpachi.
Let alone a shaken Crocodile.
"Ren Kuro… what should we do with him?" Gin asked quietly.
If ordered, he wouldn't hesitate to finish Crocodile off.
"Leave him." Ren Kuro answered coldly. "My only goal is the Devil Fruits."
He had no intention of saving Crocodile.
If Crocodile survived, it meant he had the strength to keep sailing.
If not—
then he was nothing more than another grain of sand swallowed by the tides of history.
This was the sea.
A ruthless era where countless lives would be discarded.
Click.
Ren Kuro picked up the black box beside Crocodile and opened it.
A satisfied smile appeared on his face.
Inside—
were indeed two Devil Fruits.
Adding them to the three they already had, Ren Kuro now possessed five Devil Fruits.
While it wasn't enough to summon another captain—
it was enough to meet a different condition.
"System," Ren Kuro asked, "what's required to summon vice-captains or lower-ranked members?"
"Summoning characters below captain level requires five Devil Fruits per summon."
The answer came instantly.
"So I've already met the requirement."
Ren Kuro let out a breath.
One of his biggest problems was about to be solved.
He glanced at the three people beside him.
A stoic noble.
A battle-crazed maniac.
A smiling schemer.
Ren Kuro's lips twitched.
Life at sea was already dull enough—
and he had to spend every day with these three?
He was reaching his limit.
"…Life needs a bit of color."
He made up his mind.
"I need a girl."
"Hmm?" Gin narrowed his eyes with a knowing smile. "Ren Kuro… you're planning to summon a new companion again, aren't you?"
"As expected of you." Ren Kuro didn't hide it. "I can't summon a captain this time, but I can summon other members."
Images flashed through his mind—
Momo Hinamori.
Rangiku Matsumoto.
Rukia Kuchiki.
Yachiru…
In the end—
he made his choice.
"I'll unlock… Vice-Captain of Squad Eleven—Yachiru Kusajishi."
The moment the words fell—
the Devil Fruits in his hand vanished.
"Energy absorbed. Initiating summon."
A radiant blue light erupted before him.
Within the glow—
a small figure gradually took shape.
A cute face.
Short pink hair.
Dark, lively eyes.
A faint blush always lingering on her cheeks.
Yachiru Kusajishi—Vice-Captain of Squad Eleven.
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