The very next second—
Blood erupted into the sky like a crimson waterfall.
Beginning at his enormous open mouth, Laboon's massive body was cleaved cleanly in two by the Demon Eagle Slash Wave.
Rumble!!
A thunderous roar echoed across the sea.
As the whale's gigantic body split apart into two halves, towering waves surged outward in every direction. The tremendous impact was so powerful that even Reverse Mountain trembled faintly.
At the same time, the divided corpse created a canyon-like opening directly beyond the exit of Reverse Mountain, allowing the flagship and the ships behind it to pass safely through the blood-soaked sea.
Stepping through the air, Kaito descended powerfully back toward the flagship below.
He landed smoothly on the deck of Ship No. 1.
"Haa... haa..."
Heavy breathing echoed throughout the deck.
Only after the ship safely entered the Grand Line did everyone finally realize they had escaped death.
Cold sweat covered nearly every face.
"That was way too close..."
"We were almost finished just now."
"Thank goodness the captain acted in time."
"Otherwise we'd all have been swallowed by that whale."
"What the hell was that thing doing there?"
"So this is the Grand Line..."
"It sure gave us one hell of a welcome."
Looking at the two gigantic whale carcasses floating beside the fleet while torrents of blood continued pouring into the sea, every member of the War Pirates was both shocked and furious.
"Captain!"
Sandy pointed angrily at one half of the whale's corpse.
"That whale almost killed us."
"Let's butcher it and eat it!"
"That's right!"
"It wanted to eat us first!"
"Now we'll eat it instead!"
Sandy's suggestion immediately won unanimous approval.
The entire crew shouted their agreement.
Kaito glanced at the furious crowd and nodded.
"Very well."
"We'll do exactly that."
"Consider it tonight's main course."
He wasn't in a good mood either.
Naturally, he had recognized the giant whale as Laboon.
So what?
If he hadn't reacted as quickly as he did...
The War Pirates might have suffered catastrophic losses.
Anyone who threatened his crew—
Even Laboon—
Would be killed without hesitation.
"Huh?"
"Look over there!"
"Someone just came out of the whale!"
"What?!"
"How can there be a door inside a whale?"
"Is it some kind of Devil Fruit ability?"
...
Just as Sandy prepared to send people to recover Laboon's body...
Someone suddenly pointed toward one half of the whale.
Everyone immediately turned to look.
Expressions of astonishment appeared across the fleet.
An iron door hidden within the whale's body slowly opened.
A figure crawled out from inside.
"You bastards!"
"You killed Laboon!"
"I'll make you pay with your lives!"
The man who emerged was an elderly gentleman wearing glasses, a brightly colored short-sleeved shirt, and sporting his distinctive flower-shaped hairstyle.
He was none other than Crocus—
Former ship's doctor of the Roger Pirates.
Standing atop one half of Laboon's corpse, Crocus stared at the whale that had accompanied him for so many years.
His eyes instantly turned bloodshot.
He slowly raised his head and fixed a furious glare on Kaito aboard the flagship.
Without another word—
He bent his knees.
Boom!
His body shot toward the flagship like a cannonball.
Whoosh!
Although Crocus had served as a ship's doctor, he had also been a member of the Roger Pirates.
He was by no means weak.
His speed was astonishing.
His body became nothing more than an afterimage as he crossed the distance.
"Ten-Round Flower: Twisting Waist Dance!"
Just as Crocus reached the halfway point...
Ten arms suddenly sprouted from his body, twisting violently around his waist in an attempt to immobilize him.
On the flagship, Robin stood with her arms crossed before her chest.
Her sharp eyes remained fixed upon Crocus.
The extra limbs growing from his body were naturally created by the power of the Flower-Flower Fruit.
Boom!!
An invisible burst of force exploded outward.
Crocus reacted instantly.
Armament Haki erupted from his body, shattering every arm wrapped around him into countless drifting flower petals.
"Paper Screw Gun!"
Robin's attack had only just failed when another assault followed immediately.
Lafayette.
He had also locked onto Crocus using Observation Haki.
Leaping into the air, he condensed two spiraling paper spears in his hands before hurling them forward.
Whoosh!
The rapidly spinning spears pierced through the air.
Visible whirlwinds formed behind them as they shot toward Crocus with incredible speed, arriving almost instantly.
A flash of red crossed Crocus's eyes.
Using Observation Haki, he slightly twisted his body.
His movements were so graceful they resembled dancing on the edge of a blade.
Both spiral spears missed him by mere inches.
"ROOM... Cut!"
At almost the exact same moment Lafayette attacked...
Law activated the power of the Op-Op Fruit.
A spherical energy field expanded rapidly, instantly enveloping Crocus.
Law immediately drew his sword and slashed.
Unfortunately—
The attack failed.
Crocus's Armament Haki was simply too powerful.
It exceeded the current limits of Law's Devil Fruit.
The invisible cutting wave struck Crocus—
Only to be completely neutralized by his Armament Haki.
"Haah!"
A powerful shout rang through the air.
Robin's restraint...
Lafayette's attack...
Law's ability...
None of them managed to stop Crocus.
He continued his charge uninterrupted until he reached the flagship.
Just as Crocus prepared to land—
A gigantic figure suddenly leaped upward from the deck like a charging Tyrannosaurus.
It was Mangu.
"Muscle Hell Crusher!"
His already enormous muscles swelled even further.
Holding his massive spiked club with both hands, Mangu swung it downward toward Crocus's head with overwhelming force.
Rather than retreat...
Crocus simply threw a punch.
His fist collided directly with the descending club.
Boom!!
An explosive shockwave erupted.
The instant fist and club met, a deafening roar spread across the sea.
Violent air currents exploded in every direction.
With the Muscle Fruit enhancing his already tremendous physical strength, Mangu possessed terrifying raw power.
Although his Armament Haki was still inferior to Crocus's...
His sheer physical strength was enough to halt the old pirate's advance.
The violent collision forced Crocus backward, sending him flying away from the flagship.
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