Chapter 48 - CHAPTER 48 - Reinforcements Arrive, Another Strike

"Oh my, it sounds like you're getting a little impatient." Robin covered her mouth with a soft chuckle. Her mood lightened slightly. Maris' sudden appearance tonight had dragged her back to her darkest memories—times even worse than her days under Crocodile. Flashes of the past resurfaced, leaving her mentally drained. "Six Fleur: Slap Barrage!" Smack! Smack! Smack! Several attackers were sent reeling, their heads spinning from the flurry of blows. "I saved you so you could pull your weight—not so you could sit around waiting to die." Daz Bones' voice was cold. "I'll do my best..." Robin's reply was vague. Was she referring to helping Crocodile? Or simply to surviving? Daz didn't know, nor did it matter. What mattered was that she proved useful. Robin was a strong woman—not in combat, but in intelligence, strategy, and knowledge. A crew couldn't be made up entirely of brute fighters. They needed a tactician. If not, Daz Bones wouldn't have bothered speaking so much. — "Mr. 1, we're here! Where's the boss?" A group of a dozen fighters charged in from behind Maris. Leading them were Mr. 5, the Explosive Man, and Miss Valentine. With the scale of the battle and the radio silence from their crew, they had grown concerned and rushed to join. "Perfect timing. Mr. 5, Valentine—stall those two in suits. Don't overdo it—just keep them occupied. I'll finish things quickly." Daz's eyes lit up. A chance to turn the tide had finally arrived. Earlier, he had been pinned down by overwhelming firepower and sheer numbers. Never underestimate mass attacks—unless you're a Logia user who can completely negate them. For a Paramecia like him, the enemy's numbers had been a serious problem. MR. 5 and Valentine likely weren't strong enough to defeat the two bodyguards, but as long as they could keep them busy, he wouldn't be pressured from all sides. Even an iron-bodied man like him wouldn't survive endless barrages of explosives and skilled opponents. "Damn it! More of the Shichibukai's subordinates?!" Maris cursed. Victory had been within reach, but now this unexpected twist threw everything into uncertainty. His side had superior numbers and firepower. Given time, they would have inevitably won. But now... that was no longer a guarantee. "Understood." At Daz's command, Mr. 5 and Valentine dove into the fray, clashing with Maris' suited bodyguards. — "Explosion Barrage!" Mr. 5 unleashed a flurry of explosive punches. One of the suited men held his ground, but his hands were now scorched and reddened. "A Devil Fruit user?" The man's expression tensed. Fighting a Devil Fruit user—even a weaker one—was always tricky. And this one was no pushover. "Zero Kilograms." Valentine floated lightly into the air with her umbrella. "Another one?!" Maris frowned but remained composed. His bodyguards were no ordinary men. They were elite mercenaries from the underworld, trained in war and assassination. He paid a hefty price for their services, and they had survived countless battlefields. — "Ten Thousand Kilograms—Guillotine!" Valentine suddenly plummeted from above, aiming directly at the other suited man. Boom! Her target raised his arms to block, taking the full brunt of the impact. And yet... Nothing. He remained standing. "Damn it!" She had expected him to at least stagger, but he remained firm. Before she could react, he grabbed her ankle and spun her like a windmill. Boom! She crashed hard against a wall. "Hmph. Foolish." Maris smirked. He had regained his confidence—until he noticed Daz Bones, blade in hand, completely focused. "A weakness." Daz struck. "Godspeed Quick Slash!" Under the flickering firelight, a faint glimmer of steel cut through the air. Shhk— Maris froze. A rounded object soared through the air. His own head. Confusion filled his final moments. Was that his body? Why did his vision look so strange? "The boss is dead!" One of his men gasped. It was almost laughable. Wasn't the boss supposed to be well-protected? "Wait, if the boss is dead... what about all the money on his ship...?" The realization dawned quickly. Even the two suited bodyguards hesitated. They had been alert for potential attacks. They had even seen the flash of Daz's blade. But it was too fast. They were strong—perhaps around 60 to 70 million bounty level. Skoda had been worth over 100 million. But this strike... even their former captain might have struggled to block it. "Retreat." One of the bodyguards made the call. Fighting further was pointless. And their true employer—the one backing Maris—wouldn't let them simply walk free. They weren't free men. They were assets. "Should we pursue?" Mr. 5 turned to Daz. "No need. We need to regroup with the boss and see how we can assist him." — "They're still fighting?!" Captain Luka gritted his teeth, watching the ongoing battle. He had been waiting for the right moment to strike—but there was no moment. Their fight was relentless. Neither Crocodile nor Bam had given him an opening. "At this rate, I might as well wait until they finish each other off." Their power was too evenly matched. But whoever won would be heavily wounded. If Bam survived, Luka could take him down effortlessly. If the Shichibukai survived, he could feign loyalty—then strike when the time was right. And if the Shichibukai refused to cooperate... Then he would simply eliminate him, too. It was a win-win. For now, he merely had to wait. The longer he waited, the greater his reward. And with two Shichibukai fighting each other, it was the perfect opportunity to avoid suspicion. "This will be remembered as a legendary Shichibukai battle." And he would slip away cleanly, free of blame. — "I had a backup plan for the Marines, but it seems your bad luck is to blame, Crocodile." Bam coughed up blood. A few of his ribs had been broken, but he had also landed a solid hit on Crocodile's shoulder, leaving a nasty red bruise. Both fighters were battered. But Crocodile seemed... Excited. As if he was reveling in the pure, brutal exchange of power. Something within him was awakening. A sensation he had not felt in years—something that only surfaced when he pushed himself to his absolute limit. Bam's eyes darkened. He reached into his coat, pulling out a vial of blood-red liquid. "I've gauged your strength well enough. But if I become even stronger—tonight will be your end." He sneered wickedly. "I've been waiting for this moment. Sand Shadow Stealth." Crocodile's body exploded into sand. Only golden grains drifted to the ground. Bam's sneer faltered. "Gone?" A chill ran down his spine. A sudden sense of danger engulfed him. (End of Chapter)