"Damn kid, he learned Haki!"
Crocodile frowned, a rare look of doubt on his face. He couldn't believe it and muttered, "Why does a newcomer know how to use Armament Haki?"
"Alright, good. This is getting more and more interested."
"Bastards, dance to your heart's content, but don't die too fast! Kuahahahaha…"
With a swishing sound, half of Crocodile's body turned into fine sand. He flew quickly into the air, completely ignoring the attacks from Cavendish and Burgess.
Staring viciously at Lafitte, Crocodile said coldly, "I hate people who act superior. You've successfully pissed me off, Brat!"
Seeing Crocodile fly into the air, Cavendish cursed angrily, "Bastard, don't dodge!"
His sword was drawn, moving like a dragon, wrapped in a mighty sword energy. The air churned uncontrollably; it could only move forward…
With a bang, the yellow sand shattered and dispersed in all directions. Smoke and dust filled the air, completely covering the area.
The people outside couldn't see what was happening inside. They were entirely cut off.
"Damn it! The majestic Shichibukai dares not fight Me head-on!" Burgess stomped on the ground hard, creating a hole in the sand as he struggled to stabilize himself.
He was the most violent of all, always advocating for direct combat, so when Crocodile dodged his blows, letting his iron fist miss, Burgess became furious. Very, very angry.
"Now's the time, let's begin." Kuro looked at Van Augur, pushed his glasses up ha, as he spoke "With all this smoke and dust, Crocodile must not have noticed you."
"Next, make sure to seize the opportunity, but don't rush. Once you launch an attack, Crocodile will be on guard, and it will be difficult to strike again."
Law nodded, his voice as cold as always. "You're a surprise soldier, so don't act until the critical moment."
Bartolomeo, showing an ugly smile, laughed, "Crocodile will definitely be surprised when the time comes. Fuhaha~!"
"There's only one chance to shoot. I understand that well." Van Augur tapped his shoulder with his gun, speaking expressionlessly. "The rest is up to you. I won't take the lead so soon."
After speaking, his body sank slowly into the sand, as if falling into water, disappearing entirely. Soon, Van Augur had completely submerged in the desert, and everything returned to normal, as if nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, Lafitte flapped his white wings, smiling slightly. "Crocodile, although you can fly, your speed is too slow."
"It's unwise to fight me in the air, Crocodile."
As soon as the words left his mouth, there was a swoosh. Lafitte, like lightning, drew a straight line in the air, swooping down rapidly.
At that moment, Lafitte's body emitted a majestic aura, exuding a chilling killing intent, extreme madness, and shock.
…
Lafitte approached Crocodile, gripping his sword handle with his right hand, sending it out in an instant.
With a loud clang, a snow-white long sword appeared, extremely sharp and emanating a frightening cold light.
Suddenly, the sword's color changed. Starting from the hilt, it turned jet black, spreading quickly until the entire blade was covered in a dark, metallic hue.
It was wrapped in a layer of armor—the best way to deal with Logia users: Armament Haki!
Given that Lafitte had boarded the ship from West Blue and followed Ethan all the way, it was no surprise he had learned Armament Haki.
Moreover, as the vice-captain, if he hadn't mastered at least two forms of Haki, his position would be in jeopardy.
"Damn it! Another kid who knows Haki!" Crocodile was livid. He couldn't comprehend how all these newcomers had mastered powers usually reserved for those in the New World. It baffled him, leaving him utterly clueless.
"Look at you. You've only practiced Armament Haki for a short time. You're just a novice, barely getting started."
Crocodile smoked his cigar, an arrogant expression on his face. With disdain, he continued, "I will show you what real Armament Haki is."
He observed Lafitte's sword, now wrapped in the color of Armament Haki, and remained calm. His golden hook began to change.
The once-golden hook turned jet black, gleaming with a metallic sheen that was impossible to ignore.
"Fly for Me, Damn brat!" Crocodile roared, pulling his left hand back in a vertical arc, preparing himself. His eyes grew cold as he launched a fierce strike against Lafitte's sharp sword.
The sharp sword pierced the golden hook, producing an incredibly crisp sound, so sharp that it felt like it could make one's teeth fall out from the sheer acidity of the noise.
The collision between the sharp sword and the golden hook not only caused an explosion, but also scattered sparks at the point of impact, which leaped and fell downward.
The air between the two trembled, with faint ripples spreading outward, revealing the immense power of this blow.
A powerful force surged, sending Lafitte flying backward. He flapped his white wings, creating a gust of wind that eventually allowed him to stop.
"As expected of a Shichibukai, you really aren't easy to deal with," Lafitte said with a gentle smile, flapping his wings lightly. "My Armament Haki…It's true, I haven't practiced for long, and I can't compare to you, Crocodile."
The effects of the force were mutual. Although Crocodile had repulsed Lafitte, he also felt the reaction force, causing his own body to drop slightly.
Glancing coldly at Lafitte, Crocodile said arrogantly, "Your strength is impressive. You've successfully caught my interest, brat."
"I will deal with the others first. As for you, I'll clean you up last."
After saying this, Crocodile traced a curve in the air, the fine sand on his body continually falling as he descended toward the ground.
By this time, all the yellow sand in the sky had already settled, revealing all the captains.
Burgess looked at Crocodile, laughing loudly and mocking, "Sure enough, he's just as arrogant as the captain said!"
"Obviously, he couldn't stay in the air for that long, nor could he kill Lafitte, so he made up an excuse, claiming you caught his interest."
"Fuck, what kind of Shichibukai is this? Absolute rubbish!" Doc Q had a fierce look in his eyes, smiling strangely. "Seems like this Shichibukai is quite something. I wonder if his Armament Haki can withstand my miasma, Cof..hahaha~~"
Akin clenched his strangely shaped weapons, frowning as he spoke indifferently, "Sure enough, to be a Shichibukai, you've got to have some skills."
"I remember the captain said this guy once fought the Four Emperors, Whitebeard. So it's normal for him to know two-colored Haki."
Bartolomeo touched his nose ring, looking at Lafitte teasingly, "Vice-captain, fighting a Shichibukai on your own. Are you injured?"
"You're so fierce! Without our help, you're strong enough to take him on directly. Hahaha…"
Cavendish, visibly angry, cursed, "D**n it! Another Logia, and now two-colored Haki as well. It's just too much!"
"Master, I don't believe it. With so many of us, we can't defeat a Shichibukai at the bottom of the rankings? What a joke!"
Law frowned, speaking coldly, "He's been famous for years. If he didn't have skills, he'd be dead by now. There's no way it would've fallen to us."
"His two-colored Haki may be stronger than ours, but so what? We've got numbers on our side. I don't believe we can't take him down!"
Hawkins, still looking like a dead man, muttered, "If we want to win, we'll need to use some unconventional tactics. Otherwise, it will be impossible."
Crowe adjusted his glasses, expressionless, and said, "Praying for your opponent to be weak is pointless."
"Crocodile has been in the New World and a Shichibukai for over 20 years. No matter how much he's neglected his training, no matter how his strength has deteriorated, or how much he's lost the ambition of his youth, he's still an experienced and powerful fighter."
"Even with all of that, he's still an old-timer with a long-standing reputation. We, as newcomers, cannot match him yet. That's undeniable."
"So, if we engage in a Haki duel with him, we'll definitely lose. This is inevitable."
Crocodile, staring at Lafitte in the sky, muttered, "At first, I thought the gap between the vice-captain and me wasn't that significant…"
"But now I see Crocodile's strength is much greater than I imagined. He won't be easy to deal with."
By now, Crocodile had landed on the desert, the fine sand on half his body continuously receding, returning him to his original appearance.
"Yes, your little devils are really good."
Crocodile, puffing on his cigar with the air of a crime boss, coldly said, "Laozi hasn't done anything in a long time, so today is definitely a good day for you."
"Being killed by a Shichibukai… Even in h**l, you'll be able to die happy. Hahahaha…"
On the outskirts of the battle…
Hearing Crocodile's arrogant voice, Nami frowned and said with disgust on her beautiful face, "Why is this guy so annoying? He's really irritating."
Alvida stood her large black iron rod in front of her, sneering with disdain. "This kind of person deserves to die. He shouldn't be allowed to exist in this world."
Desire, brushing his red and yellow hair, looked serious. "Speaking of which, these big shots are quite terrifying."
"He's one of the weaker Shichibukai, yet his strength is already impressive. At least he can use two-colored Haki, and proficiently at that."
"If someone of his caliber is at the bottom of the Shichibukai, you can only imagine how terrifying the strongest ones must be."
Queen Sweetheart looked at her, frowning, and then smiled. "Didn't Ethan already answer your question about that?"
"Hawkeye, the strongest Shichibukai, is Admiral-level. There's no doubt about it."
"After all, the title of the world's number one swordsman isn't just for show."
Betty took a drag of her cigarette and spoke calmly, as usual, "You need to remember how many years Crocodile has been practicing."
"He's in his 40s now, and has been training for more than 20 years, longer than Ethan. But look at his strength—it's pathetic."
"Honestly, he's lived his life like a dog. He's a trash."
At this moment, Carina touched her chin, her white jade-like skin gleaming. Her beautiful eyes sparkled slyly, and she laughed softly to herself, her voice like a crisp silver bell.
Perona, having the best relationship with her, floated over and inspected her with curiosity. Her pretty face full of doubt, she asked, "Hey, what's wrong with you?"
"You're just standing there giggling to yourself. Are you going crazy?"
Carina shot her an annoyed look, "Shut up!"
"What do you mean giggling? Don't talk nonsense. Be careful, or I'll hit you."
"Hmph. You haven't noticed it yet, but this girl here has already seen through everything."
Makino glanced at her, frowning slightly, and smiled sweetly. "What did you figure out? Can you tell us quietly?"
Kaya nodded, smiling brightly, "That's right, Sister Carina. Can you tell us? Xiaoya wants to know, too."
Moodie looked from the captains to Carina, smiling. "What did you discover? Stop messing around and tell us quickly."
The others didn't speak, but all their eyes were on Carina, their pretty faces full of curiosity, eager to know what she had figured out.
Surrounded by all the girls, and seeing their curious expressions, Carina felt immensely proud.
No one had realized it yet, but she alone had seen through everything.
"I knew it. You definitely didn't catch it."
Carina blinked her beautiful eyes and smiled. "After all, I'm the only one with piercing vision. Hehehe~~"
At that moment, Robin, arms crossed, glanced in the direction of Division Captains, her expression thoughtful.
With a slight smile, Robin spoke intellectually and elegantly: "I also discovered something different after your reminder. It's amazing how none of us noticed, and you alone found the issue. You really have a keen eye."
Vivi frowned, her eyebrows filled with doubt, and hurriedly asked, "What are you two talking about? Why can't I understand it at all? It's so complicated."
Carmen blinked, looking puzzled. "I looked around but didn't find anything wrong. I really don't know what secret you two have uncovered."
Reiju brushed her pink hair, smiling gently. "Didn't you notice that one person is missing?"
Baccarat nodded slightly and, with a sweet smile, said, "What Carina was referring to must be Van Augur. Just now, he took advantage of the smoke and dust, and while no one could see inside, he secretly hid in the desert, preparing to deliver a fatal blow to Crocodile."
Upon hearing Baccarat's words, the girls' eyes lit up, and a look of realization appeared on their faces. They finally understood what was happening. Nami scanned the captains seriously, searching for a while, and then said with a broad grin, "It's true, there's no trace of Van Augur. Okay, he's a sniper, hiding in the desert for a sneak attack. So, Crocodile might be in trouble now!"
Carina's eyes sparkled. She covered her mouth, laughing lightly with an extremely proud expression. "You all are so slow. You've only just realized this? None of you have a sharp eye, hehehe…"
Perona floated in the air, bringing her small hands in front of her, gesturing for silence, and whispered, "Shhh..Everyone, don't speak too loudly. Don't let Crocodile hear you. This must be done stealthily. If it's publicized, the sneak attack won't work. You all should understand that."
Vivi face showing a look of surprise, nodded in sudden understanding. "So, it's true that Van Augur has disappeared. Since we've discovered this secret, we mustn't say more, or someone who matters may overhear and spoil the captains' plan. That would be bad."
Alvida glanced at Ethan with a smile and asked, "Ethan, you must know Van Augur's location. Can you quietly tell us? I really want to know where he's hiding."
Desire's eyes lit up as she quickly added, "Yes, that's a good question. I really want to know, too."
The others didn't speak but looked at Ethan, their eyes wide with curiosity, all eager to know Van Augur's exact location.
Ethan, arms crossed, stood calmly and looked ahead. "He's lurking just under Burgess, about three meters above the sand surface."
Hearing this, the girls hurriedly looked towards Burgess. They saw him standing behind Crocodile, clenching his huge fists as if ready to launch a violent attack at any moment. The desert beneath him appeared unremarkable, without any visible movement—just an ordinary patch of sand.
"No wonder Crocodile couldn't detect him. That's why," Honey Queen said with a wry smile, stroking her pale golden hair. "If Ethan hadn't pointed it out, who would have guessed someone was hiding there? It's impossible!"
Moodie smiled, nodding lightly. "It's exactly the same as the surrounding sand. It's really not obvious at all. Without Observation, Haki, it's impossible to spot Van Augur by just looking."
Makino, her gentle smile radiant on her refined face, spoke. "Speaking of which, Van Augur's Devil Fruit ability is really special. Not only can he drill underground, but even in the desert, he's unaffected."
"This Paramecia-type ability, the Trought Trought Fruit, is perfect for sneak attacks," she added.
Robin, with a classic intellectual poise, glanced at Ethan and smiled faintly. "Ethan, do you think Van Augur's sneak attack will succeed? Among us, you have the deepest knowledge and the richest combat experience. You're an absolute expert, so I really want to hear your opinion. I believe your answer will be right."
Turning to face the group, Robin continued with a slight smile, "I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way. Everyone here must want to hear your thoughts, correct?"
Vivi nodded enthusiastically. "I really want to know the answer. It's more than just a passing curiosity."
The others didn't speak but nodded in agreement, all eager for Ethan' analysis. After all, of everyone present, he was the most capable in combat, and his opinion was the most trusted. Whatever Ethan said, they believed implicitly.