Boom!
Suddenly, a roofless house nearby collapsed, and the resulting air current, like a strong gust of wind, stirred up widespread dust, sending it scattering in all directions.
Amidst the swirling dust, Gemodo's monstrous figure emerged, running swiftly on all fours. His massive body generated powerful gales, charging forward like a ferocious beast.
"Kid, your head is definitely going to be tough to squeeze!"
"Oni Hand!"
A beast-like roar shook the soul, and a large, black hand emerged from the thick dust, as if parting clouds, reaching directly for Cross's head, encircling it with a chilling wind.
"Ha~ My bad, I have a thick skull!"
Cross chuckled lightly, his movements not slowing down in the slightest. Kagehide, gripped in his hand, suddenly transformed into a cold gleam, piercing through the black hand like an arrow shot from a bowstring.
"Aieeee—!"
Gemodo's face twisted in agony, unable to suppress a pained shriek. His right hand remained suspended in mid-air, crimson blood flowing down the black blade and gleaming edge.
Cross picked at his ear with his left pinky, playfully remarking, "That scream was truly pathetic, wasn't it?"
"Bastard!"
Gemodo roared, defiantly raising his thick left arm, and swung a vicious palm at Cross. The immense power contained within it even generated whistling winds.
In an instant, Cross moved a step ahead, suddenly kicking Gemodo in the abdomen.
With a dull "thud," a visible shockwave spread, and before Gemodo could react, he was sent flying over ten meters.
"Wahahaha—!"
At this moment, Gemodo lay sprawled in the middle of the street, a large mouthful of blood splattered on the ground. He felt intense pain in his abdomen, as if his intestines had snapped.
"Now then, Gemodo the Oni, by the name of justice, I declare you apprehended!" Cross said casually, strolling forward with a relaxed gait, muttering to himself, "You have the right to remain silent, but anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law!"
"Shut up, you bastard!"
Gemodo gnashed his teeth, letting out a low growl, "I'll kill you!"
With that, he pushed himself up with both hands, forcing himself to stand. Without even wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, he once again took large strides, charging violently towards Cross.
"Soru!"
Cross grinned indifferently, his feet stomping the ground more than twenty times in an instant. He vanished from Gemodo's sight with a speed akin to teleportation.
"Where is he?"
Gemodo suddenly skidded to a halt, looking around in surprise, searching everywhere. But behind him, where he couldn't see, Cross's figure materialized as if a ghost.
Cross stood behind Gemodo, slowly raising his right leg, then sweeping it across Gemodo's waist like a steel whip, moving so fast it became a mere afterimage.
Thud—!
Rumble—!
Before Gemodo could react, he was struck hard, his body practically folding in half. He was sent spinning horizontally through the air on the spot, almost instantaneously crashing through three houses in succession, kicking up a sky-high cloud of earthy dust and powerful shockwaves.
"He should stay down this time, right?"
Cross pouted, muttering plainly to himself.
Pere pere pere... pere pere pere...
Suddenly, the sound of a Den Den Mushi chirping came from Cross's pocket.
Cross paused slightly, then pulled out a Den Den Mushi with yellow and white stripes from his pocket. He saw the Den Den Mushi pouting and chirping non-stop.
Click.
Cross picked up the receiver on the Den Den Mushi's back and said, "This is Cross!"
"Ne~ This is Borsalino. Is the attack going smoothly? Rear Admiral Kadar's Den Den Mushi isn't connecting, but I see you've already entered the West Port." The Den Den Mushi pouted, vividly mimicking the tone and expression of Borsalino, who was far away on the battleship.
"The attack is going quite smoothly. I just dealt with Gemodo the Mountain Demon, who had a bounty of 94,000,000 Berries." Cross glanced at the ruins where Rear Admiral Kadar was, stating truthfully, "It's just that Rear Admiral Kadar isn't doing too well; he seems to have sustained serious injuries."
"How terrifying~ those guys on the island!"
Borsalino routinely made his 'how terrifying' remark, then continued, "Since that's the case, Cross-kun, the landing soldiers will temporarily be under your command. Once Rear Admiral Comil comes ashore, he'll take over."
"Ha— Is that appropriate?" Cross frowned, hesitantly saying, "Vice Admiral Borsalino, I'm just a rookie without even a military rank!"
"In terms of strength, there's no one more suitable than you. Besides, Zephyr-sensei praised you endlessly, saying you're a monster," Borsalino said slowly.
"Being praised like that by you guys puts a lot of pressure on me… Alright, then I hope Rear Admiral Comil arrives quickly." Cross shrugged, having no choice but to agree.
"I'm very confident leaving it to you!"
Click.
With that, Borsalino hung up the Den Den Mushi.
At this moment, Cross looked at the Den Den Mushi in his hand and suddenly understood why Borsalino had invited them to Gurri Island for this operation.
In fact, with the strength of G-2 Branch, coupled with Borsalino himself overseeing it, dealing with a pirate gathering point in the first half of the Grand Line was more than enough.
They certainly didn't lack the combat power of a few hundred Marine trainees; on the contrary, their participation would even dilute the achievements of G-2 Branch and the Neutral Faction.
However, students from the Marine Academy represented the future of the Marines. Borsalino's invitation was a gesture of goodwill, containing a certain sense of enticement.
"Tsk, tsk, no one's a fool, are they?"
Cross shook his head, clicked his tongue, and leisurely put the Den Den Mushi back into his pocket.
But just as Cross was about to leave, a house ruin in the distance suddenly exploded with a boom, sending shattered bricks, broken wood, and other debris flying everywhere, kicking up another thick cloud of dust.
"Marine brat, don't think I've lost!"
"Quooooo—!"
Gemodo, in his Oni-Baboon form, roared almost hysterically, his colossal voice akin to a shockwave rolling forth, causing the ground and houses to tremble slightly. His already imposing nearly four-meter tall body seemed to surge to five meters high.
As he charged, there was a rumbling sound, even louder than three hundred animals stampeding.
"He can still move?!"
Cross's face showed surprise, and he grumbled unhappily, "Tch~ Did I underestimate the physique of a Zoan user? Never mind, I'll finish you off in one go!"
With that, Cross's expression turned cold. He slowly slid Kagehide back into the sheath at his waist.
"Iaido: Morozan!"
The long sword suddenly shot out of its sheath. The high-speed friction between the blade and the scabbard produced a loud clang, like a dazzling flash of lightning appearing out of nowhere, imbued with a sharp intensity that made the skin tingle.
Splat—!
In an instant, Cross and Gemodo flashed past each other, accompanied by a soft, tearing sound as of flesh being ripped. A gush of hot, crimson blood splattered into the air.
"Ugh… ugh…"
Gemodo lowered his head in disbelief, seeing a long, grotesque wound on his chest, stretching from his right shoulder to his left abdomen, deep enough to expose bone. Large gushes of blood erupted like a fountain, making his body sway precariously.
"Seriously, wouldn't it be better to just lie down?" Cross muttered, twisting his right wrist that held Kagehide, shaking the blood from the blade.
Rumble—!
The next second, the ground in front suddenly split open, forming an astonishing fissure over a hundred meters long, almost bottomless.
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