Dawn's lips curled upward. Rather than face either attack, he burst into motion and vanished, leaving an afterimage that slowly faded.
The darkness crushing Crocodile slipped out of control and gradually receded, revealing a figure almost completely covered in blood.
Slice!
Hanafuda's scythe bit deep into Crocodile's left shoulder just as he broke free, nearly severing his entire arm.
Crocodile let out an inhuman howl of pain and was sent flying by the force of the blow.
Boom!
The missile struck its target. Flames swallowed Hanafuda, and the shock wave hurled him into the cabin wall. Weblike cracks spread across his helmet.
Clap, clap, clap.
Crisp applause came from above. Dawn stood on the mainmast's crossbeam, looking down at the carnage with a faint, mocking smile as he clapped hard.
"Your teamwork was truly eye-opening."
Guernica was about to speak when Crocodile shoved him aside. Crocodile struggled to his feet. Bone showed through the wound in his left shoulder, and blood soaked his expensive coat.
He looked long and hard at Dawn. There was anger and humiliation in his eyes, but more than anything, there was fear.
At this point, his title as a Shichibukai no longer mattered.
Staying alive did.
Crocodile turned his entire body into sand and let the sea breeze carry him toward the distant horizon.
Hanafuda climbed out of the wreckage and had the same idea. His feet stamped through the air in rapid succession. Using Geppo, he shot away from the ship.
He had specifically learned the move to improve his mobility. Now it had come in handy.
"Black Hole."
Dawn reached toward Hanafuda with his right hand. A vortex of darkness spun in his palm, and a terrifying gravitational field sprang into being.
Already airborne, Hanafuda felt his body grow heavy. It was as