Golden Short Hair
The woman was tall and slender, like a graceful daffodil. Her short, sun-kissed golden hair gently brushed against her fair neck, radiating a captivating glow. She wore a bright yellow hat with a slightly downturned brim that perfectly concealed her forehead, making her appear even more playful and adorable. A pair of lemon-slice-shaped earrings dangled from her ears, swaying gently with her movements and shimmering with a crystalline light.
She wore a bright and beautiful yellow short dress, printed with lemon slice patterns, as if she were wearing the whole summer. On her feet were a pair of flawless white high heels, the slender and high heels making her already long legs appear even straighter. On her hands were a pair of snow-white gloves, and she elegantly held a yellow and blue striped umbrella, like a colorful painting.
This woman had a beautiful face, her features as exquisite as a masterpiece sculpted by a master. Beneath her arched eyebrows, her large eyes shone like clear lake water; below her high, straight nose, her cherry-like lips were slightly upturned, always carrying a sweet smile that was unforgettable. Judging from her appearance alone, she was undoubtedly a classic sweet girl, charming and lovable.
However, don't be fooled by her sweet and lovely appearance. When she gets going, she reveals an incredibly ruthless and vicious side that chills the heart. Just then, Moke took a closer look and instantly recognized the man and woman before him—it was none other than Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine, high-ranking agents from Baroque Works!
Behind them followed closely a few others. Leading the way was Mr. 7, a short man with a sleazy face and shifty eyes. Close behind was Miss Fatheru0027s Day, dressed in a pink dress, her figure graceful, but a sly smile playing on her lips. Next was Mr. 8, tall and muscular, like a moving hill. Miss Monday, a robust woman, stood with her arms crossed, staring menacingly ahead.
Of course, the most eye-catching figure was Mr. 11, wielding a long sword. His steps were steady and powerful, each one seemingly capable of shattering the ground. The long sword gleamed coldly in the sunlight, its blade incredibly sharp, inspiring awe. Moke's gaze was instantly drawn to the sword in Mr. 11's hand. If nothing unexpected happened, this sword was very likely the legendary "Kashu"! This sword was renowned far and wide, said to have slain countless powerful enemies, its power not to be underestimated.
However, facing such a large and menacing group of enemies, Moke's eyes showed no fear whatsoever. On the contrary, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, revealing a disdainful expression. He didn't take these people seriously at all, and had already prepared a foolproof plan. Not to mention these lackeys in front of him, even if the more powerful Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine came, he wouldn't feel the slightest fear.
Speaking of Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine, although they possess the Paramecia Bomb-Bomb Fruit and the Paramecia Kilo-Kilo Fruit respectively, both quite impressive Devil Fruit abilities, in Moke's eyes, they are simply two insignificant characters, a complete waste of their talents and a squandering of such good Devil Fruit. With Moke's confidence in his own strength, defeating them would be a piece of cake.
The Vulture's face was full of contempt, a slight smirk playing on its lips as it said, "You two are nothing but small fry, one with a mere 10 million Beli bounty, and the other a paltry 7.5 million Beli. How dare you be so arrogant in front of a powerhouse like me? Who gave you such audacity? Could it be that obscure Baroque Works?"
Just then, Moke's figure flashed, transforming into a dazzling beam of light like Inazuma. His speed was astonishing, so much so that the surrounding crowd didn't even have time to react. In the blink of an eye, Moke had already appeared beside Mr. 11.
In the blink of an eye, Moke reached out and snatched the Kashu from Mr. 11's hand with lightning speed. Then, he began to examine the Kashu carefully as if no one else was around, seemingly disregarding everyone else.
"Ah..." Mr. 11 was clearly startled by this sudden turn of events, involuntarily taking seven or eight steps back before regaining his balance. Once he recovered, he was instantly enraged and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Damn it! Give me back my Kashu right now..."
Meanwhile, Mr. 7, Miss Fatheru0027s Day, Mr. 8, and Miss Monday, who were standing to the side, exchanged bewildered glances. Their eyes met, each revealing deep terror. Then, as if by telepathy, the four of them simultaneously took several steps back, maintaining a safe distance from Moke and Mr. 11.
"Utterly despicable! That bastard..." Mr. 5 Gem and Miss Mikita were furious, their anger seemingly about to erupt. In their eyes, Moke's complete disregard for their existence was undoubtedly a blatant insult. Especially Gem, whose vicious gaze was fixed on Moke; if his eyes could turn into blades, Moke would probably already be riddled with holes and dead without a burial place.
"Hmph, how dare you underestimate me! Behold my power— the Booger Mirage Cannon!" Gem's face contorted with rage as he unhesitatingly plunged his right hand into his nostril and began picking at it. With each effort, a massive booger was plucked from his nasal cavity. Then, using the special power of his Bomb-Bomb Fruit, Gem launched the enormous booger like a cannonball. The booger hurtled towards Moke with Inazuma speed.
This attack is not to be underestimated; once it hits, it will instantly trigger an extremely violent explosion. The destructive power of the explosion is astonishing, enough to turn everything around into ashes. However, it must be said that this method of attack is simply disgusting. The originally incredibly powerful Devil Fruit ability has been used by Gem in such a pathetic way that it is unbearable to watch, dragging down the overall quality by several levels.
He couldn't even muster the desire to swing his sword to defend against the attack; everything before him seemed to fill him with utter disgust and exhaustion. With a swift movement, he transformed into a dazzling beam of light once more, deftly dodging the repulsive blow with astonishing speed. At the same time, he appeared before Gem like a ghost.
He slowly extended his right index finger and lightly touched Gem's forehead... In an instant, a powerful light element, like a surging tide, rapidly gathered on his index finger. The light grew brighter and brighter, as if it would illuminate the entire space.
"Oh no!" Gem was filled with horror at the sight before him, as if the world had ended. His eyes widened to the size of saucers, almost popping out of their sockets, his face contorted with terror. His mouth gaped open, as if it could fit an egg, and a low gasp escaped his throat.
He instinctively tried to dodge, but when he attempted to move his feet, he was shocked to find that his body had become stiff as if under a spell, unable to move even the slightest bit. At that moment, the deadly finger was falling straight down on him with Inazuma speed, about to touch his vital parts.
Gem felt his heart leap into his throat, pounding so hard it felt like it was about to burst out of his chest. At the same time, tiny beads of sweat began to uncontrollably appear on his forehead, sliding down his cheeks and dripping onto the ground, forming small watermarks.
However, as the saying goes, there's always a way out. At this critical moment of life and death, Moke, who was focused on dealing with the crisis, suddenly sensed an extremely sharp gust of wind sweeping in from the side. This gust of wind came fiercely, carrying a heart-palpitating sense of oppression, which made Moke's heart tremble.
His expression subtly changed in an instant, his already tense face now showing even more solemnity. Faced with such a sudden turn of events, Moke knew that the slightest carelessness would lead to utter ruin, so he reacted decisively without hesitation. He suddenly exerted force with his legs, unleashing tremendous power, and his entire body shot backward like an arrow released from a bow.
In the blink of an eye, Moke had retreated seven or eight meters. And where he had just stood, a tall, imposing figure, as strong as a mountain, suddenly appeared. This man was well over two meters tall, with clearly defined muscles, as if meticulously sculpted by a master sculptor. Every muscle was full of explosive power, giving people an unparalleled sense of awe. In particular, his thick, powerful arms and broad, thick chest further highlighted his powerful physique and imposing aura.
Looking at the man's head, it was shaved clean and shiny, like a smooth and round monk's head, reflecting a dazzling light under the sunlight. He was dressed in a unique martial monk's outfit, the robes fluttering in the wind, which made him look even more majestic, like a war god descended from the sky.
"Mr. 1 Daz Bones?!?" When Moke finally saw the familiar yet terrifying face of the newcomer, he could no longer suppress his shock and fear, and involuntarily exclaimed in surprise. His eyes widened, and his mouth gaped open as if it could fit an egg. At the same time, an expression of utter astonishment involuntarily appeared on his face, and he thought to himself: I really didn't expect that ruthless Crocodile would actually send out his top henchman—Daz Bones— on this mission.
You must understand, this Daz Bones is no ordinary person; he is one of Crocodile's most capable and powerful henchmen! Moke knew his opponent's strength all too well, so facing this formidable foe, his mood grew increasingly heavy.
Just then, Daz Bones's sharp, hawk-like eyes locked onto Moke, his face cold and scrutinizing as he slowly spoke, "Hmph, I originally thought you only managed to eat that powerful Devil Fruit by luck. But now it seems you do possess some real strength... to be able to so skillfully evade my 'Dust Speed Slash' attack."
As Daz Bones finished speaking, the crisp sound of high heels rang out, followed by a tall woman with an exaggerated, frizzy hairstyle gracefully emerging from behind. She swayed her slender waist, each step exuding an aura of captivating allure yet deadly danger. Reaching him, she stopped, her beautiful eyes scanning Moke from head to toe. Then, a knowing smile played on her lips as she softly said, "Heh heh heh, it seems the Navy's high bounty on you wasn't entirely unfounded... You certainly have some skill!"
Just as tensions were running high, a dark shadow suddenly descended from the sky. It was the Vulture that had arrived at the scene first. Spreading its enormous wings, it leaped down and landed steadily between Moke, Daz Bones, and the others, separating the two groups. Then, the Vulture opened its sharp beak and cried out, "Hey... I have to say, you Baroque Works people are really going too far! Can't you just talk things out? Do you have to resort to violence like this?"
The man's face was filled with arrogance, a disdainful smile playing on his lips, as if everyone present was an ant, not worthy of his attention. The one called Daz Bones didn't even glance at the others; his gaze was fixed on Moke the entire time, like a Sanjuan Wolf eyeing its prey.
"Gem, Mikita, you two are in charge of dealing with this guy..." Daz Bones said in an almost commanding tone, his words revealing his contempt and disdain for Moke.
Moke stared intently at the group of men before him, inwardly groaning. Their expressions and postures revealed that each of them seemed confident they could easily capture him. At that moment, Moke instantly understood the crux of the matter—despite his high bounty, his failure to consistently demonstrate convincing strength and impressive achievements meant that even those with far lower bounties were completely disregarding him.
Thinking of this, Moke secretly resolved to shock everyone in the upcoming battle and establish his reputation. Otherwise, he feared that all sorts of Gyūki would come to provoke him in the future. Only at this moment did he truly feel the immense pressure and harm brought about by the so-called "praise to death".
Just then, a loud shout rang out, "Spiral Hollow Daisy Cutter..." It turned out that Daz Bones had launched his attack. He instantly transformed his palms and fingers into incredibly sharp blades, and quickly placed his hands between his wrists. Then, like an arrow released from a bow, he pounced towards Moke.
Faced with such a fierce and overwhelming attack, Moke felt a chill run down his spine and straight to his head. His heart trembled involuntarily, and even his eyelids began to twitch uncontrollably, as if struck by lightning. Only then did his previously muddled mind finally awaken and realize that Daz Bones had not yet Awakening Armament Haki! In that case, no matter how powerful he was, he could not possibly cause even the slightest real damage to him, who possessed the ability to Elementalization being.
But... a question arises: if Daz Bones is so easily defeated, why would Crocodile send such a character? This isn't some nobody or ordinary henchman who can be easily dismissed! Thinking this, a bold hypothesis suddenly flashed through Moke's mind like Inazuma —could it be that Crocodile himself has secretly arrived here? If not, it's hard to explain this illogical situation! After all, as a powerful individual who also possesses Logia Devil Fruit ability, no one understands and appreciates the near-invincible, terrifying advantage of natural power more profoundly than Moke.
Therefore, Moke showed no intention of dodging. Instead, he stood firmly in place, watching Daz Bones's frenzied attacks rain down upon him, ultimately striking him squarely. However, everything unfolded as he had anticipated. Protected by his Elementalization abilities, all of Daz Bones's attacks seemed to hit thin air, failing to inflict any effective damage on Moke.
Daz Bones's already sharp, hawk-like pupils contracted sharply as he stared intently at the person before him, saying in a deep voice, "You really are a Natural Ability User."
However, before the other party could respond, the Vulture, who had been unable to contain himself any longer, let out an angry roar, "Hey... do you all think I don't exist?" With this roar, a pair of broad and sturdy wings suddenly stretched out from his back. The wings shimmered with a metallic luster, and each feather was as sharp as if it had been meticulously polished. Without a doubt, this guy was an extremely rare flying-type Zoan Devil Fruit user.
At this moment, the Vulture exuded a powerful aura, clearly ready to make his move. After all, a powerful being like him would never allow his prey to be stolen by others. But just as he was about to strike, he caught a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of his eye. That fleeting glance struck him like a thunderbolt, freezing him in place. Then, as if he had seen something extremely terrifying, he quickly turned his head away.
When he finally saw clearly who the newcomer was, his eyes immediately revealed an undisguised look of terror. The fear surged into his heart like a tidal wave, and before he could even think, he instinctively flapped his wings and shot into the sky like an arrow. Clearly, he couldn't muster even the slightest courage to resist this mysterious visitor and only wanted to escape from this place as quickly as possible.
Unfortunately, despite his speed, he couldn't outrun another figure that was hot on his heels. With a whoosh, the figure arrived like Inazuma, catching up to the Vulture in the blink of an eye. Then, a gleaming iron hook plunged into the Vulture's abdomen with lightning speed. The Vulture let out a shrill scream, its body trembling violently in the air.
"Run? Hmph, do you think you can escape? Where did your arrogant, disdainful attitude towards the Baroque Works go? How come you're now fleeing in such a pathetic state?" The pursuer grinned maliciously, increasing the pressure on his hand as he drove the incredibly sharp iron hook even deeper. Instantly, a gush of crimson blood gushed from the wound like a burst dam, flowing like a red stream, quickly staining the air below. The air was thick with a pungent, nauseating stench of blood.
"Pfft..." With this dull sound, the Vulture that had been running away with all its might suddenly trembled violently! As if it had been hit hard, its steps faltered instantly. Then, a stream of scarlet liquid gushed from its mouth, drawing a shocking line of blood in the air before splashing heavily on the ground.
Looking at the Vulture's face now, it was ashen white, devoid of any color. Its once sharp and fierce gaze was now replaced by deep despair and fear, as if it were witnessing the end of the world. Every muscle was limp from extreme exhaustion, and its once strong and powerful wings drooped as if they had lost their support, completely losing the ability to continue flying.
Clearly, after a long escape, the Vulture was utterly exhausted. Its rapid breathing was exceptionally clear in the silent air, each breath seemingly requiring the utmost effort. Yet, even so, the relentless pursuer behind it continued to close in, giving it no chance to catch its breath. As its hope of escape dwindled, the Vulture was filled with helplessness and resentment, but its utter exhaustion left it powerless to escape the shadow of death.
"So... it was you! I never imagined that the real master behind Baroque Works would be you— Shichibukai Crocodile!" Vulture stared wide-eyed at the approaching figure, his voice trembling as he exclaimed.
Upon hearing this, Crocodile's lips curled into a cold and contemptuous smile. "Oh? You actually managed to guess my identity? Not bad, but too bad, you know far too much... In that case, obediently prepare to die!" With that, he quickened his pace, rushing towards the Vulture like a ghost, creating a Gale sound.