Following Diamante's command, the regular soldiers charged ashore first. A group of them howled with excitement, their knives and guns raised, but for Zoro and the others, two hundred soldiers were no threat.
"Ah-ha! Ho!"
Chopper and Bepo were the first to engage, performing a synchronized kung fu routine that took down over 30 soldiers in less than ten seconds. Shachi and Penguin followed right behind, punching with their left hands and slashing with their right, darting through the crowd and effortlessly dispatching one soldier after another.
Even though only four people were fighting, they completely overwhelmed the opposing force of over two hundred. Shachi and Penguin were particularly skilled at using the Sky Island's "shell" technology. They simply pointed their palms at the soldiers, and with minimal effort, they were taken care of.
Loo watched his two crewmates and shook his head with a helpless laugh. It was clear that they hadn't just been playing with the shells in their free time; they had mastered them.
While they were also capable of using the Six Powers, it was a high-energy technique. It would have been a waste of energy to use the Six Powers against regular soldiers, so using the shells was a smarter, more efficient choice.
"Oh, look at that. Shachi and Penguin have learned how to fight with Sky Island's gear," Zoro commented, a hint of excitement in his voice.
"You're right," Sanji agreed. "Using that equipment really saves a lot of stamina."
Loo, though his face remained neutral, felt a flicker of pride in his eyes. While his crew might not have the raw combat power of the Straw Hat Pirates, they were incredibly smart. Making good use of their equipment was a testament to their intelligence.
The impact and slash shells might not have had immense power, but they were perfect for clearing out large numbers of soldiers. In a massive battle, this kind of equipment was as crucial as having guns.
Seeing their soldiers being so easily defeated, Diamante and the other cadres looked displeased.
"Those two guys have strange gloves," Buffalo said, pointing at Shachi and Penguin. "They can punch and slash without putting in much effort."
"Hmph! They're only good for fighting foot soldiers at best!" Diamante scoffed, a look of disdain on his face. However, despite his words, as he watched his men fall one by one, he grew curious about Shachi and Penguin's equipment. Unfortunately, his pride prevented him from asking what it was.
"Let's move out," he said. "We can't let the Straw Hat Pirates and Law cause any more trouble!" With that, he drew his western sword and leaped from the ship.
Seeing that his opponent was a swordsman, Zoro immediately moved to intercept Diamante, with Law appearing right beside him.
"Hey, Tra-guy! Leave this one to me!" Zoro declared confidently.
"Zoro, I'll back you up," Law replied. "Diamante is one of Doflamingo's top officers. He has the power of the Flutter-Flutter Fruit, which lets him make anything he touches as light and wavy as a flag. Be careful."
"A Devil Fruit user, then!" Zoro's eyes narrowed. He had a deep-seated dislike for swordsmen who relied on Devil Fruits rather than pure skill. He often struggled against Law's and Kin'emon's abilities during their training, so he generally disliked swordsmen with Devil Fruit powers. But that wouldn't stop him from defeating his opponent.
"One-Sword Style: Thirty-Six Pound Cannon!"
Zoro swung his blade, and a flying slash shot out like a cannonball straight for Diamante. However, Diamante calmly brought the robe from his back to the front of his body. The attack hit the robe with a loud clang, as if it had struck sheet metal.
"So that's it! He's using his Devil Fruit power to make iron plates flutter like a cloak!"
Zoro immediately saw through the trick and remained unfazed. It was just iron, and he had already mastered cutting steel. Cutting a few iron sheets was nothing.
"Serpentine Sword!"
Diamante's western sword suddenly became as soft and flexible as silk. He swung it, and it moved like a snake, coiling and striking toward Zoro. Zoro blocked the tip of the sword with his own, only to find that the western sword had become hard again.
"Huh? That kind of attack looks familiar," Zoro said, taking a step back to look at Law. "What do you think, Tra-guy?"
"That's right," Law replied, a bit taken aback. "The Iron Cloud Blade from Sky Island. I should have realized it sooner."
He felt a pang of disappointment. Law remembered Diamante as being a powerful opponent, but now he seemed predictable, his fighting style a mere imitation of a Sky Island priest's.
"No, Diamante is still powerful," Law quickly corrected himself. "Zoro and I have just gotten stronger!"
He realized that if this had happened before they graduated from the Boeing Islands, they would have struggled even against a Sky Island priest. But after their rigorous training, they had been reborn, so Diamante's fighting style now seemed uninspired. This was a good thing; it meant Doflamingo's officers were not as tough as they had seemed.
Meanwhile, Buffalo, Baby 5, and Jango also began their fight.
Buffalo's neck and ankles started to spin, lifting him into the air like a helicopter. Baby 5 stood on his back, smoking a cigarette as she surveyed the battlefield.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Four razor-sharp discs flew through the air, aimed directly at Baby 5. However, Buffalo spun his arms so fast that the chain he held became a whirling shield, deflecting the discs and sending them flying back. It seemed Buffalo was aware of Jango's hypnosis ability and wasn't going to let him get a chance to use it.
"Weapon Transformation: Pistol Girl!"
Baby 5's upper body transformed into a series of gun barrels, and she fired several shots in rapid succession. But Mr. 3 easily blocked them with a wall of wax. Neither side was able to gain an advantage.
"Jango, be careful," Mr. 3 said, adjusting his glasses. "Those two are Devil Fruit users. One can spin, and the other can turn into a weapon."
Jango looked unimpressed. "Aren't we Devil Fruit users too? What's there to be afraid of?"
Mr. 3 just shrugged. After fighting Marine Admirals and Four Emperors, they no longer viewed a Warlord's crew as a serious threat. Of course, this didn't include monsters like Hawkeye Mihawk, but the rest of the Warlords were nothing to be worried about.
"In that case, it's two-on-two. Let's team up."
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