Victor used Geppo to charge into the sky.
His Geppo was incredibly fast. Every step carried him a full hundred meters.
After a few brief moments, Victor's figure came into view.
Tokikake and Gion, meanwhile, led the Special Operations Unit and quickly appeared on the beach.
"Only this few people, and you dare come to exterminate us!"
"Brothers, kill them all!"
"Kill!"
One cowardly soldier made for a cowardly army.
After being influenced by Gustav for so long, the pirates of the Giant Crocodile Pirates were extremely vicious. They were especially bloodthirsty in battle.
At that moment, encouraged by their officers, the pirates charged from the island's forest toward the beach.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The cannons aboard the warship began bombarding the forest.
The shells fell into the woods, setting them ablaze while blasting several unlucky men into the air.
"Charge over and get tangled up with the Marines!"
The pirates of the New World possessed rich combat experience.
They knew perfectly well that the Marines' firearms were more accurate and more powerful than theirs.
Therefore, only after closing into melee range could they display their strength and numerical advantage.
"Die!"
A Marine had just raised his rifle butt and knocked down a pirate underling. However, before he could strike again, a blade stabbed out from behind and pierced his chest.
"Gerard."
As the Marine fell, he could still hear his comrade calling out.
Thud. His eyes widened as he felt his life rapidly slipping away.
Hot blood flowed from his body, staining the beach red.
Pirates and Marines fell to the ground one after another.
This was the brutal warfare of the New World.
"Maintain formation! Don't let them surround or split us up!"
Eric, Kennard, and the others shouted reminders.
Dozens of pirates had already been cut down around them, and the blades in their hands were soaked in blood.
There was no justice or evil on the battlefield—only strength and weakness, life and death.
The pungent smell of gunpowder, the stench of blood, and the reek of sweat mingled together.
Their hearts pounded violently. At that moment, everything was exceptionally clear.
Gion and Tokikake were both swordsmen from Headquarters.
Gion wielded Kimpira and cut down dozens of people in succession while saving more than ten others.
Tokikake had slain even more pirates.
"Victor really knows how to pick his opponents!"
Tokikake muttered.
If this had been the first half of the Grand Line, those pirate underlings would have fled in panic long ago.
But the pirates of the New World were different.
The pirates of the New World were like bloodthirsty beasts.
Until their leader was defeated, they would not collapse!
"You seem pretty formidable."
At that moment, a swordsman wielding two blades charged at Tokikake.
Tokikake shot him a glance, then swiftly swung his sword at the newcomer.
Three blades slammed together.
A hint of disdain appeared on Tokikake's face. "A sneak attack?"
As a swordsman, Tokikake despised sneak attacks above all else.
He liked defeating his opponents openly and honorably.
"I only want to take your head. I don't care how I do it."
The man licked his lips and looked at Tokikake provocatively.
"There are far too many fools like you."
Tokikake might have seemed carefree and unserious, but his strength ranked among the notable younger generation at Headquarters.
He simply had little desire for promotion, and whenever he dealt with the higher-ups at Headquarters, he always caused trouble.
Otherwise, Tokikake would already have been a rear admiral.
"Oh? Then cut off my head."
The man swung his twin blades wildly. His speed grew faster and faster, and his movements were extremely exaggerated.
Mad Dog Johnson.
He held the fourth seat among the Giant Crocodile Pirates and had a bounty of 150 million berries.
Just then, a tremendous boom rang out.
Dozens of Marines were blasted into the air.
"Hahaha!"
A towering giant appeared, a dark-black cannon mounted on his left arm.
"It's Cannon Gordin!"
Gordin stood over sixteen meters tall. His left arm had been modified into a cannon, while his right hand held a gigantic sword.
Gordin held the fifth seat among the Giant Crocodile Pirates and had a bounty of 140 million berries.
"Their officers are here! Everyone, be careful!"
Gion warned the others.
"What a beauty."
At that moment, a man holding a trident leaped into the air.
The man's skin was dark blue, his face covered in brown markings, and his mouth filled with fangs.
He was Fishman Louri, the third seat of the Giant Crocodile Pirates, with a bounty of 190 million berries.
Louri stood around five meters tall, and the trident in his hands was nearly seven meters long.
Yet in Louri's hands, the seven-meter trident moved with remarkable agility.
He thrust repeatedly at Gion, who raised her sword to block.
Clang, clang, clang!!!
Every collision between trident and sword sent sparks flying.
Gion knew Louri was powerful, so she focused all her attention on him and dared not become distracted.
"Awooo!" "Awooo!"
At that moment, enormous wolf howls came from the bushes.
Two werewolves, one black and one white, leaped out of the forest. They stood around three meters tall, and a single swipe of their claws shattered a pirate's head.
"It's the Werewolf Brothers!"
Wright stared at the werewolves charging out and shouted.
The Giant Crocodile Pirates had five powerful officers.
The brothers who held the first and second seats were the Werewolf Brothers.
The elder brother was Bogda, and the younger brother was Zinor.
Bogda had eaten the Zoan Zoan Fruit: Coyote Form, while Zinor had eaten the Zoan Zoan Fruit: Maned Wolf Form.
At that moment, the black coyote and white maned wolf launched a surprise attack on the Marines' rear.
They had been lying in ambush in the forest, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
"Let me be your opponent!"
Eric swung his sword and charged at Bogda.
Kennard also charged at Zinor.
"You two think you can?"
In werewolf form, Bogda performed a spinning kick from where he stood and kicked at Eric.
Eric reacted quickly enough and immediately dodged.
But the next second, Bogda had already pounced.
He opened his jaws wide and bit toward Eric.
Eric swung his sword down.
To his surprise, the blade in Eric's hands was caught between Bogda's teeth.
Eric began pulling with all his strength, trying to wrench the sword free.
However, as Bogda shook his head, his right claw slashed viciously toward Eric.
Under Victor's guidance, Eric's strength had increased dramatically.
He swiftly abandoned the sword in his hand, adjusted his breathing, and controlled his body.
"Paper Drawing!"
Eric's body seemed to turn into a sheet of paper and drift backward, evading the deadly claw.
Not far away, Kennard's situation was even more dangerous.
Kennard knew his talent was only mediocre, so he focused his training on Tempest Kick and Iron Body.
His slash had missed Zinor.
Zinor ran circles around Kennard.
From within Kennard's blind spot, Zinor leaped above his head.
A shadow enveloped Kennard's body.
The claws came crashing down toward Kennard's head.
If they struck, Zinor would only need to apply force with his claws to crush Kennard's skull.
At the critical moment.
A sharp whoosh rang out.
A huge boulder flew over.
Before Zinor could react, the boulder struck him.
Rumble!
Zinor fell to the ground, covered in blood.
The stone had come from that direction...
It was Victor!
Tokikake's eyes widened. He had just been about to go provide support, but Victor had been faster.
He simply found it unbelievable.
Victor had actually provided support from more than a thousand kilometers away!