Perfect Coordinated Combat

"One."

Victor watched Mohji hold up one finger with that smug look on his face, and the vein on his forehead twitched.

He even found it a little funny, the corner of his mouth curling into a mocking smile. "Fuck, since when did riding a lion make someone think they could act this cocky?"

Before his words had even faded, chakra surged beneath Victor's feet.

He shot forward like an arrow loosed from its bow, turning into a black blur as he charged at the man and lion.

"Hey! Don't hog all the glory for yourself, Vice Captain."

Seeing that, Zoro raised Wado Ichimonji, a battle-hungry gleam flashing in his eyes as he charged after him.

"Looking to die! Richie, eat them!" Mohji roared.

"Roar—!!"

Richie let out a roar and raised his enormous lion paw, bringing it down at Victor, the closest target, with monstrous strength capable of shattering stone.

Faced with that mountain-crushing blow, Victor not only failed to slow down, but even sneered.

His black eyes instantly turned red, a single tomoe slowly rotating within his pupils.

The world slowed down.

Under the Sharingan's perception, every twitch of Richie's muscles during that swift strike became perfectly clear.

"Too slow."

Victor shifted slightly to the side and easily dodged the first swipe.

Then, seizing the moment, he stepped off the back of Richie's still-withdrawn paw.

His body soared lightly into the air like an agile black cat, landing steadily atop the giant lion's head!

"W-What?!"

Mohji stared at those scarlet eyes that had suddenly appeared before him, scared out of his wits as all his previous arrogance vanished without a trace.

"Richie! Get him off!" Mohji shrieked in terror.

Richie understood the command.

It roared and lifted its other paw, about to smack its own forehead in an attempt to crush this "flea."

But Victor was clearly faster.

The instant Mohji gave the order.

Chakra adhered beneath Victor's feet as he took one step forward, instantly closing in on Mohji's side.

"Get the hell down!"

Mohji fearfully swung the long whip in his hand, trying to fight back.

Victor did not even look at it. With one hand, he precisely caught the tip of the whip in midair, sharply twisted his wrist, and then yanked it hard toward himself!

A tremendous force pulled Mohji off balance, dragging him stumbling toward Victor.

What greeted him was Victor's long-prepared front kick!

"Bang!"

The kick landed squarely in Mohji's abdomen.

"Puh—Aah—!!"

Mohji's eyes bulged as stomach acid mixed with his breakfast burst from his mouth.

He was kicked off the lion's back like a rag sack, slamming heavily onto the hard street and rolling several times before coming to a stop.

Standing atop the lion's head, Victor looked down and held up one finger. "One."

At that moment, Richie's somewhat clumsy paw also came whistling toward its own forehead.

Victor merely glanced at it from the corner of his eye.

Then he pulled out a paper strip covered in runes and slapped it onto the thick fur at the back of Richie's neck.

Afterward, he nimbly leaped backward, flipped through the air, and landed steadily on the ground.

"Smack!"

As expected, Richie's powerful paw struck its own forehead hard.

"Awoo..."

That slap left it seeing stars.

Richie shook its massive head and staggered on its feet, its fierce momentum instantly cut in half.

"Not bad, Vice Captain!"

Zoro, who had witnessed the scene ahead, curled his lips into a smile.

Taking advantage of the opening left by Richie's dizziness and pain, Zoro gripped two swords in his hands, Wado Ichimonji clenched between his teeth, and slipped into the battlefield like a ghost.

"Three-Sword Style—"

Zoro crossed his arms, his blades flashing like ghostfire.

"—Oni Giri!!"

"Slash!"

Three sharp slashes instantly tore through the air and struck Richie's thick hind-leg joints.

The lion's legs were severed! Blood sprayed everywhere!

"Roar—!!"

Richie let out a miserable howl.

With its supporting legs cut off, its enormous body instantly lost balance and crashed onto its side, twitching in agony.

Zoro smoothly sheathed his swords and glanced at the big cat writhing on the ground.

Though he often called Victor a bastard, he had to admit that fighting alongside this guy felt almost absurdly comfortable.

Victor could always use those flashy tricks to precisely create openings in the enemy's defenses.

All Zoro had to do was seize the opportunity and deliver the final killing blow.

"It's not over yet."

Victor looked at the howling lion without the slightest hint of pity in his eyes.

He had never shown mercy toward beasts that aided evildoers.

He formed a hand seal with one hand and shouted in a low voice:

"Explode."

"Boom—!!"

The Explosive Tag stuck to the back of the lion's neck detonated instantly!

Flames burst forth, and Richie's back was blown into a bloody mess.

The massive impact did not even give it time for one last cry. Its eyes rolled back, and it passed out completely.

"R-Richie!!"

Mohji lay on the ground clutching his stomach. Seeing his beloved lion beaten so badly, tears immediately streamed down his face.

"You... you demons! I never should have provoked you..."

Victor walked toward him expressionlessly, a kunai spinning in his hand and glinting coldly.

"N-No! Please..."

Mohji looked at the red-eyed youth and desperately scooted backward. "Don't kill me..."

"You're not scared." Victor's voice was as cold as ice. "You just know you're about to die."

Before Victor could make a move.

"Woof!!"

Chouchou, who had been guarding the shop entrance, suddenly rushed over. Its tiny body erupted with enormous fury as it sank its teeth into Mohji's arm.

"Aah!! It hurts like hell! You stupid dog! Let go!"

Mohji screamed and violently flung his arm, sending the tiny Chouchou flying away.

"Hmph."

Victor reacted quickly and caught Chouchou in midair.

Then, turning with the motion, he delivered a vicious roundhouse kick straight into Mohji's chin.

"Bang!"

Mohji flew away like a soccer ball, landing right beside the unconscious Richie and going completely still.

"It's over."

[ Ding! Defeated Mohji and Richie together with Zoro. ]

[ Battle Rating: S (Perfect Coordinated Combat). ]

[ Obtained Ninja Path Points: 250. ]

Victor stroked Chouchou's head, just about to say something cocky.

Then—

Zoro, who had been standing nearby with his arms crossed and watching, suddenly had his pupils contract. Every hair on his body stood on end in an instant!

Looking at the rapidly approaching red point of light in the distance, he screamed at the top of his lungs:

"Victor!! Move!!!"

Victor heard Zoro's warning and instinctively sensed the threat of death as well.

It was a pressure a hundred times more terrifying than facing a wild beast.

He had no time to turn around. All the chakra beneath his feet erupted to its limit.

"Move!"

Victor held Chouchou in his arms while grabbing Zoro's arm with his other hand.

He suddenly leaped hard to the side and rear, dragging Zoro with him as they dove into an alley behind them.

The instant they fell.

"Rumbleeeee—!!!"

It was as though a meteor had fallen.

The entire street was instantly swallowed by terrifying red light!

A massive shockwave mixed with shattered stone and scorching heat swept through everything!

Mohji and the giant lion Richie did not even have time to scream before they were instantly engulfed by the fiery blast.

The once-flat street became a massive crater in the blink of an eye.

Ash drifted down from the sky like black snow.

After a long while.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Victor pushed away the rubble pinning him down and barely managed to stand.

Several parts of his clothes had been burned black, leaving him looking rather disheveled.

Zoro was clearly badly hurt as well. He took Victor's outstretched hand and stood up. "Damn it, that was Buggy."

"Victor! Zoro!"

At that moment, Luffy, who had just gotten free, arrived with Nami and Mayor Boodle.

Everyone was stunned by the hellish sight before them.

"Victor! Are you okay?!" Luffy shouted anxiously.

Victor waved his hand and wiped the ash from the corner of his mouth. "Cough... I'm fine. I almost turned into grilled meat."

At that moment, Chouchou suddenly began struggling fiercely in his arms. It leaped from his grasp and charged toward the center of the explosion without hesitation.

"Chouchou!" Nami cried out.

At the edge of the blast, the pet food store had its windows shattered by the shockwave, and cracks had appeared in its walls.

Yet it still stood there miraculously, its main structure remaining intact.

Chouchou lay at the entrance of the shop and let out an angry roar toward the distance.

"Woof! Woof woof!!"

Everyone followed Chouchou's gaze.

On a hill several hundred meters away.

Buggy stood beside a cannon still smoking faintly, squinting at the scene.

"Tch, missed?"

Buggy's face darkened frighteningly as he roared through gritted teeth at his men:

"You damn bugs! You're really lucky! Load another one—Special Buggy Ball!!"

"This time, I'm going to blow up the whole town in style!!"