Ah Hua and the other two stared at their respective prey, their eyes filled with mockery.
Seeing Bora and his companions frozen in place, they made no move either, simply watching them silently.
They weren't in a hurry to finish Bora and the other two off quickly.
After all…
They were playing! What was the rush?
At the edge of the battlefield, Huo Niao raised his camera and began snapping photos of Gu Yina, his excitement evident.
"Cool, so cool."
"Yeah! Big sister Gu Yina is truly worthy of being the second-in-command of the Silver Hair Pirates, so strong!"
Even though they couldn't see the speed of Gu Yina's sword strikes, it didn't stop them from admiring her swift and decisive manner as she defeated Daz Bones.
Huo Niao panned his camera, capturing the equally dashing A Luo and A Tao, but deliberately excluded Ah Hua.
He was, besides the World Government and the Marines, the only one who knew of Ah Hua's ability, and thus understood Ah Hua's situation.
If not for the World Government suddenly issuing a bounty on Ah Hua four months ago, the Silver Hair crew wouldn't have disappeared for four months.
The fewer people who knew Ah Hua's true strength, the safer he would be; Huo Niao had that much common sense.
Therefore, he could photograph anyone in the Silver Hair crew, just not Ah Hua.
After all, with Ah Hua's current strength, a bounty of 500 million Berry was indeed too high.
Although his actions might be unnecessary, the reappearance of the Silver Hair crew indicated that they were prepared for anything.
But who could guarantee that Ah Hua truly wanted his true strength to be exposed to the outside world?
So, it was better to photograph others. It wasn't like adding Ah Hua or not would make a difference. It was better to maintain a certain sense of mystery for a bounty of 500 million Berry.
Kong Tai looked at Gu Yina, sensing her heightened combat spirit, and shrugged.
If Gu Yina wanted to fight, then let her fight!
It was also a good opportunity to test Crocodile's mettle.
After all, this guy, in his youth, was able to fight Barrett to a standstill. Even if he hadn't focused on Armament Haki, his Devil Fruit abilities should have been developed to an extremely high level. Otherwise, any Vice Admiral could easily defeat him. What would be the point of him being a Shichibukai then?
"Yo!"
Kong Tai turned his head, fixing his gaze on Crocodile, and smiled, "Shichibukai, Crocodile, you play with Gu Yina! Don't die, alright!"
"Play?"
Crocodile looked at the two halves of Daz Bones lying on the ground, devoid of any life signs, behind Gu Yina, and his body trembled.
Not from fear, but from rage.
He turned his head, his eyes locked onto Kong Tai, then spread his arms wide, a ferocious aura emanating from him.
"Play? Gu·hahahahaha!! Play?"
"Who do you think I am, you brat? Do you really think you came here for a tour? To have me play with you?"
Woooosh!
In his palms, two small swirling sandstorms began to grow, and he glared at Kong Tai, his blood-red pupils filled with killing intent.
Did this brat really think he was just an ordinary pirate?
"Die!"
"Sandstorm!"
Crocodile roared at Kong Tai, flinging the now enlarged sandstorm vortex towards him.
Kong Tai ignored Crocodile's roar. He bent his knees and sank down as if sitting on a sofa, into the empty space behind him.
He then pulled out the gourd hanging from his waist, leaned back against the void, raised the gourd, and took a swig of sake. He then narrowed his eyes, not even glancing at the approaching sandstorm.
His entire demeanor exuded extreme arrogance towards Crocodile.
Before meeting Crocodile, he had some interest in him.
This guy had been active in the New World for a long time and had a considerable reputation. It was impossible that he wouldn't know about Haki.
But after meeting him, he was utterly disappointed.
This guy actually didn't have Haki.
Who the hell did you think you were, a Marine Admiral?
Even at the Admiral level, at least one of their forms of Haki was top-tier!
At least one.
He hadn't seen Akainu and Aokiji, so he could only use Kizaru as a benchmark.
Kizaru, while mostly relying on his Devil Fruit abilities, had at least trained his Observation Haki to the highest level. His Armament Haki, while not the strongest, was not far from it.
That guy had trained his Armament Haki to that extent without even using it to fight.
Who did you think you were? Knowing about Haki and not developing it?
If this guy truly had the fatal weakness of "water," then any Vice Admiral could easily defeat him.
Judging by his appearance, his physical fitness probably wasn't even as good as Smoker's.
Smoker, after being defeated, at least knew to train properly.
And in less than two years, he had awakened Observation Haki, and his Armament Haki had also improved considerably.
In contrast, Crocodile had been active in the New World over twenty years ago.
To be active in the New World, his strength couldn't be low, and the fact that he could escape from the peak Whitebeard proved that his strength had already been very high many years ago.
Yet now, after so many years, there wasn't much improvement.
If no one knew his fatal weakness, this guy would probably have met the god of death long ago!
Was the Grand Line's first half too low-level, making this guy naively believe he was invincible?
Or was it like Moria, his spirit shattered by Whitebeard?
That was unknown to outsiders.
Whoosh—!
The sound of friction against the air.
Gu Yina, at a speed completely invisible to the naked eye, instantly appeared in front of Kong Tai.
She looked up, her deep blue ponytail whipping around in the strong wind stirred up by the sandstorm.
Through the gaps in the sand, she stared at Crocodile opposite her, her eyes turning cold.
"I'm your opponent now!"
As she spoke, she raised her left hand holding her sword, her right hand on the hilt of Wado Ichimonji, and leaned forward in a drawing stance.
Clang—!
"One Sword Style: Iaido: Wave Slash!"
The sound of the sword echoed across the battlefield.
In front of Gu Yina, a massive, crescent-shaped silver-white slash rapidly shot towards the two sandstorms.
Puff! Puff!!
The clash between the blade and the sandstorm was like a knife meeting jelly.
The silver-white slash easily shattered the sandstorms, its speed undiminished as it headed towards Crocodile behind them.
Puff—!
The slash easily cut through Crocodile's body, passing through him and leaving a long, bottomless fissure in the sandy ground behind him.
Crocodile looked down at his severed chest, then looked up, spread his arms, and laughed madly at Gu Yina.
"Brat, who do you think I am? I'm a pirate different from ordinary pirates! The development of Devil Fruits also has levels! With your weak Armament Haki, you're still far from being able to harm me!"
"Hahaha!! What are you going to fight me with!"
"In this desert, what are you going to fight me with!"
"Gu, hahahahaha!!"
"You ask me what I'll use to fight you?"
Gu Yina was unfazed by Crocodile's words. She stared at him, her eyes narrowing, then stomped on the ground.
Bang—!
The ground beneath her instantly caved in.
Whoosh—!
Gu Yina vanished from her spot and appeared before Crocodile.
She turned her body to the right, raised her sword to shoulder height, placed her left hand on the hilt, gripped the sword with both hands, and pointed the tip at Crocodile.
She tilted her head, staring at Crocodile up close, her eyes cold as she said, "You ask me what I'll use to fight you, right!"
As she spoke, she put force into her hands, and a pitch-black Armament Haki instantly wrapped around Wado Ichimonji, making its white blade look like it was coated in black paint, turning it into a black sword.
Without hesitation, she spun her body, her hands gripping Wado Ichimonji, slashing downwards diagonally at Crocodile with all her might.
"One Sword Style: Swallow Return!"