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"Hah!"
Crocodile exhaled a plume of white smoke as he stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Jason and the other two, quickly approaching the entrance.
"Let's make a scene. We'll start right here!"
"And we won't stop until we've fought our way out!"
His cold words rang like the opening bell of war.
"Collapsing Mountain!"
Jason clenched his fist and unleashed a devastating punch. With a thunderous boom, the wall shattered under the force of his strike.
A squad of black-clad guards standing just outside the entrance had no time to react before being struck by the flying debris. They coughed up blood as they were hurled backward, skidding across the ground before finally coming to a stop.
Immediately following, Crocodile extended his right hand, his palm facing the squad struggling to rise. The crocodile on his shoulder opened its massive jaws, roared, and transformed into a sky-obscuring cloud of yellow sand that surged forward.
Saaah!
The sandstorm swept through the area, and in the blink of an eye, the black-clad squad was reduced to desiccated corpses.
Simultaneously, the sudden explosion jolted the entire Ilinulay Estate awake, drawing guards from all directions.
"What was that?"
"The explosion came from Prince Yilu's palace!"
"Hurry, reinforce immediately! Something's happening!"
The Celestial Dragons' palace was heavily guarded, and the guards themselves were formidable warriors. They reacted instantly to the disturbance.
Within five breaths, black-clad guards materialized before Crocodile and his group.
The moment they saw the intruders, the guards sensed the danger and shouted in alarm.
"Enemy intrusion! Requesting immediate backup!"
In an instant, some of the black-clad guards drew longswords from their waists, while others raised their firearms.
Without the slightest hesitation, the guards launched a swift and decisive attack.
"We're done for! We're done for!"
The moment he saw the gun barrels pointed at him, Chaporos began trembling violently. Standing right beside Jason and his companions, he was the first target of the initial assault and instantly wet himself in terror.
Lordling, quick-thinking and agile, yanked Chaporos back to his side.
Though the boy was a bit dim-witted, he still had some use to them, so they couldn't afford to let anything happen to him.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A series of muffled gunshots rang out, filling the air with the acrid smell of gunpowder.
Before Jason and his companions, a dense curtain of bullets suddenly materialized, the fine sand particles forming an impenetrable barrier that blocked their advance by even a single inch.
Huff!
Exhaling a plume of smoke, Crocodile manipulated the sand particles and spoke calmly.
"Stand beside me. You don't need to worry about any attacks."
Within a thirty-meter radius, fine sand particles had long been suspended, constantly monitoring everything and ready to act as a defense in critical moments.
This was a newly developed skill by Crocodile, one that achieved the same effect as Kenbunshoku Haki even without it.
"Sandbind!"
With a sweeping gesture, Crocodile unleashed strands of sand that shot forward, instantly forming a dense web before them. The sand ropes surged toward the black-clad guards with incredible speed.
"Ah!"
"What is this?!"
"Oh God, help me!"
A chorus of screams erupted, merging into a single, desperate cry. Five breaths later, Crocodile and his group stood before the guards, stepping over their petrified forms.
The black-clad guards had been reduced to mummified corpses, standing frozen in terror like grotesque statues.
Chaporos, witnessing the carnage up close, gasped sharply, his fear of the ruthless figure deepening.
Three minutes later, Crocodile arrived at another estate.
"Power amplification! 500x!"
"Break through!"
Inside the estate, the Celestial Dragons of the Ilinulay Family were leisurely enjoying their rest when a thunderous roar suddenly erupted outside.
Before they could react, a violent gale swept through, carrying sand, stones, and debris that shattered everything in its path. The fragrant gardens, meticulously cultivated rare plants, and beautifully manicured landscapes were all pulverized by the overwhelming force.
The gale even reached their grand hall, instantly cracking the walls into countless hairline fractures and causing the entire structure to shake violently, threatening to collapse at any moment. Some Celestial Dragons were lifted by the wind and slammed against the rear walls, their faces contorted with terror and confusion.
The Celestial Dragons, who had long indulged in comfort and luxury, were utterly bewildered by the sudden chaos.
Even after the black-clad guards had reacted and charged out for five seconds, they still hadn't realized an enemy had arrived.
"Ahhhhh! An enemy invasion! Quick, quick, quick!"
"Protect me!"
"You useless fools! What are you waiting for? Protect me now!"
They screamed and cursed, descending into panic. The protective bubbles above their heads had long since shattered, their faces smeared with blood as they trembled in fear.
In the blink of an eye, a dense wave of black-clad guards surged forward, encircling the Celestial Dragons in a protective formation.
"What a chaotic mess!"
Dust billowed from the shattered main gate. The once-magnificent entrance was now a pile of rubble, stone fragments scattered everywhere. The Celestial Dragons' estate, once a place of unique beauty and charm, had been reduced to ruins.
Through the dust and smoke, a group of figures strode forward, led by a burly, cold-faced man.
Glancing at the Celestial Dragons, huddled behind layers of guards, the man sneered disdainfully.
"What a disappointment! I thought you'd have some real powerhouses, but all you've got is this bunch of weaklings?"
He took a few long strides forward, closing the distance.
"Since that's the case, let's teach you high-and-mighty Celestial Dragons a lesson. You'll learn that my comrades aren't so easily bullied!"
Jason's face was cold as he quickened his pace, instantly plunging into the crowd.
"Subduing Dragons 18 Palms!"
In an instant, eighteen golden dragons erupted, circling rapidly above everyone's heads before...
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
A series of explosions shook the ground, sending black-clad guards flying with agonized screams. When they crashed to the ground, they were already incapacitated.
Crocodile advanced steadily, each step turning everything around him into sand that flowed slowly behind him like a river.
The group hurried into the grand hall, their eyes immediately drawn to the trembling Celestial Dragons huddled at the far end.
"He's Ilinulay's eldest son, Saint Donglai!" Chaporos recognized the man.
"Chaporos, what are you doing here? Do you even know what you're doing?" Donglai shrieked in terror, recognizing Chaporos as well.
Chaporos's lips twitched, but he remained silent. He didn't want to be doing this either—he was being forced into it, after all.
"Donglai, you bastard! Tell me, where is that old geezer Ilinulay hiding?"
(End Of This Chapter)