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Rien Island was a small island with a perpetually cold climate. Its limited land area usually served as a transit stop for passing merchants and pirates.
Because of this, conflicts often broke out on the island.
By the time Kojin and his group arrived, it was already afternoon. The dazzling sunlight collided with the vast expanse of snow-covered ground, reflecting a blindingly white world.
A piercing, icy wind swept over them, causing Rosinante to shrink his neck and repeatedly rub his hands. Beside him, Evans and the others were busy distributing padded coats.
None of them had expected Rien Island to be this cold.
The battleship docked casually along the shore. There were no other pirate ships in sight, leading Kojin to guess that Crocodile and his crew had landed from another direction.
T Penn draped a thick coat over Kojin's shoulders, and Kojin nodded in thanks.
Afterward, the entire group changed into padded coats and boots. They jumped down from the battleship and stepped onto the island, crunching through the thick snow.
"Sand Crocodile... Bounty: 81 Million berries."
"According to intelligence provided by the Marines who failed previously, he is a Logia-type Devil Fruit user. Last year, he fought Douglas Bullet, and the battle ended in a draw, making his name known. The bounty set by the World Government is clearly far lower than what his actual strength warrants." Evans repeated the information sent by Headquarters and sighed.
Everyone's faces showed grave, serious expressions.
Logia-type Devil Fruit users were almost universally acknowledged as top-tier powerhouses. The abilities granted by their fruits alone secured them a place in this world.
They were immune to physical attacks and had the terrifying power to control natural elements, both nearly unimaginable abilities.
Kojin merely let out a soft chuckle while listening to this information.
After passing through a snow-covered forest, the group finally saw the lively little town ahead.
"They've already occupied the town, but the villagers are still alive. It seems they haven't harmed the civilians here," Evans said in a low voice.
At the same time, he noticed a small harbor to the east of the town where a pirate ship with a skull-and-crossbones flag was docked. Clearly, they had chosen the wrong place to berth, but fortunately, it didn't affect the outcome.
"Target sighted."
Inside the scope, a young man with slicked-back hair and a cigar clenched between his teeth quickly came into view.
It was their target for this mission... Sand Crocodile.
"Do we attack?" Evans took a deep breath and asked quietly.
Kojin casually waved his hand, issuing the combat order.
In recent battles, his subordinates, the trainee Marines, had handled most of the fighting. He usually stayed hands-off, only intervening when Evans and the others were outmatched.
Understanding his intent, Evans nodded to Rosinante, Kaien Jūbei, and the others.
The six of them moved out immediately, advancing carefully across the snowy ground.
When they were about fifteen hundred meters from the town, Evans raised his hand, and the six instantly took cover.
"At this distance, I can easily hit that guy."
Evans adjusted his rifle's position, and the scope quickly centered on the man with the cigar.
"He's a Logia user. Will gunfire even work?" Rosinante asked curiously.
"Who knows? This is my first time seeing a Logia user. I've never fought one before," Evans replied solemnly.
He soon held his breath and locked onto the target's brow.
Kaien Jūbei held binoculars and observed the surroundings. He discovered that the entire town was occupied by the pirate crew, yet the civilians were still safe.
This group seemed to have some sense of restraint. They had taken over the town but hadn't harmed the civilians. On the contrary, they appeared to be getting along peacefully with the locals. The townspeople even looked relaxed as they went about their daily business.
"Hoo…" Evans exhaled slowly, his eyes suddenly sharpening.
The next second, he pulled the trigger hard.
Bang!
A dull gunshot rang out. Absorbed by the snow, the sound quickly faded. At the same time, Evans stared unblinking through the scope at the slick-haired man.
Almost instantly, Crocodile's head jerked. A hole appeared squarely in the center of his forehead, with shock and astonishment flashing in his eyes.
Then, slowly, Crocodile turned his head and locked his gaze on Evans.
Grains of sand drifted out of the hole and rapidly filled it in. Crocodile's wound healed completely, leaving no trace behind.
The cigar in his mouth still flickered with embers, and a hint of mockery appeared on his face.
"It's the Marines!"
"Kill them!"
Shouts rang out one after another as large numbers of pirates poured out of the town and charged in this direction, yelling.
"So bullets really are completely ineffective," Evans said gravely as he put away his rifle.
At that moment, Kojin walked up behind him.
"To deal with Logia-type ability users, you need to switch to Seastone bullets or coat your shots with Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki)," He said.
Evans was taken aback, then let out a bitter smile.
Seastone is one of the rarest resources in the world and is mostly controlled by the World Government and the Marines. As for Busoshoku Haki, Evans was still far from being able to use it.
"If you can't manage either of those methods, there's another way to deal with Crocodile."
"Coat your bullets with seawater, or blood. You'll then be able to use the gun in your hands to kill that guy quite easily."
Kojin's next words struck Evans like a bolt of lightning, filling him with shock and delight.
So as long as you found the right method, even a Logia-type ability user could be taken down with ease!
"Move out, Penn! We're on a tight schedule!" With a shout, Kojin strode forward toward the oncoming pirates.
T. Penn, Evans, and the others immediately broke into a run and followed.
"It's those annoying bastards again."
Crocodile revealed a cold smile as his legs turned into grains of sand, propelling him rapidly to the front of the pirate charge. The cigar was clenched between his teeth.
There was no way he was going to pretend he hadn't seen the guy who had dared to shoot at him.
Since obtaining the Sand-Sand Fruit, he had rarely encountered a worthy opponent. From the moment he set sail, he had been at the top. The only person who had ever truly caught his eye was Bullet.
He even planned to challenge Whitebeard in the future to see just how far he was from becoming the world's strongest. If he could kill Whitebeard, he himself would become the new legend.
As for Roger?
He became the Pirate King, disbanded his crew, and vanished without a trace. There was no way to find him.
"Let's deal with these Marine lackeys first! Just eight people, and they dare come after me?"
Crocodile felt nothing but disdain.
He was young and at the height of his confidence, having yet to experience a single setback.
"That young officer must be their leader, right?"
"Kill him first!"
With a wave of his right hand, a dragon-shaped sandstorm formed and spun violently. In the blink of an eye, the distance between the two sides closed to just fifty meters.
Suddenly, he saw the young officer's eyes widen and even the void itself seemed to tremble.
(End of chapter)