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Rien Island was a small, perpetually cold island, usually serving as a stopover for merchants or pirates.
Because of that, it was no stranger to skirmishes and conflicts.
By the time Kyle and the others arrived, it was already afternoon.
The bright sun reflected off the thick layer of snow covering the ground, turning everything into a dazzling white landscape.
A bitter wind cut through the air, making Rosinante shrink his neck into his coat and rub his hands together. Beside him, Evans and the others were busy distributing thick winter coats.
None of them had expected Rien Island to be so cold.
The Navy ship was anchored casually along the coast. Kyle didn't see any other pirate ships and guessed that Crocodile's crew must have landed from another direction.
T-Bone draped a thick coat over Kyle's shoulders. Kyle nodded in thanks.
After that, the group put on their coats and boots, jumped off the ship, and trudged through the thick snow toward the island.
"Sir Crocodile… Bounty: 810 million Berries."
"According to reports from the Navy's previous failed encounters, he's a Logia-type Devil Fruit user."
"Last year, he clashed with Douglas Bullet. Neither side won, which is how he made his name."
"The bounty set by the World Government is clearly far below his true strength."
Evans repeated the information from headquarters, letting out a sigh.
Everyone else's faces hardened.
Logia users were practically guaranteed to be formidable opponents. The powers granted by their Devil Fruits allowed them to command elements, often making them nearly untouchable in battle.
Immunity to physical attacks and control over natural elements were not things most could imagine countering.
Kyle simply let out a quiet chuckle as he listened.
After passing through snow-covered forests, the group finally spotted a bustling town ahead.
"They've taken over the town, but the villagers are still alive," Evans said.
"They haven't harmed the civilians," he added grimly.
Evans noticed a makeshift harbor to the town's east, where pirate ships flew the skull-and-crossbones flag. They were clearly docked in the wrong spot, but it didn't affect the mission.
"Target acquired."
Through the sniper scope, a young man with slicked-back hair and a cigar between his teeth came into view.
It was their target: Sir Crocodile.
"Shall we attack?" Evans asked, taking a deep breath.
Kyle waved his hand lazily, giving the silent order.
Recent operations had mostly been handled by junior Navy officers. Kyle only intervened if Evans or the others were in trouble.
Evans understood immediately and nodded to Rosinante, Smoker, and the others.
The six of them moved carefully through the snow, approaching the town.
When they were about 1,500 meters away, Evans raised a hand, and the group immediately took cover.
"At this range, I can hit him easily," Evans murmured, adjusting his rifle. The scope locked onto the cigar-smoking man.
"Will bullets even work on a Logia user?" Rosinante asked, curious.
"Who knows? I've never faced a Logia myself," Evans admitted solemnly.
He held his breath and aimed at the center of Crocodile's forehead.
Smoker surveyed the surroundings with binoculars. The town was fully occupied by Crocodile's pirates, yet the civilians were unharmed.
They seemed disciplined, occupying the town without hurting the residents. In fact, the villagers went about their business without fear, as if life continued normally under the pirates' rule.
Evans exhaled sharply, his eyes suddenly sharpening.
Then, he squeezed the trigger.
Bang!
The shot sounded muted, muffled by the snow. He kept his gaze locked on Crocodile through the scope.
Almost instantly, the man's head jerked, a hole appearing in his forehead. His eyes widened in shock and disbelief.
But just as quickly, he turned his head toward Evans' position. Sand drifted from the hole in his head, then quickly filled it back in. Crocodile's wound vanished completely.
The cigar in his mouth still glowed, and a mocking smile curved his lips.
"It's the Navy! Kill them!"
The town erupted with pirate shouts as they charged forward.
"The bullets didn't work at all," Evans muttered, lowering his rifle.
By then, Kyle had reached his side.
"To deal with a Logia like him, you either need bullets made of Kairouseki or imbued with Busoshoku Haki," Kyle explained.
Evans froze for a moment, then forced a wry smile. Kairouseki was an incredibly rare resource, mostly in the hands of the World Government. As for Haki… he was far from mastering it.
"If neither of those are an option, there's one more way to take down Crocodile," Kyle continued. "Coat your bullets in seawater or fresh blood."
Evans' eyes widened. A method existed—even against a Logia! Victory wasn't impossible.
"Move, T-Bone," Kyle called out. "We're running out of time!"
He stepped forward, charging at the oncoming pirates.
T-Bone, Evans, and the others followed immediately.
"Again with these annoying guys," Crocodile muttered, a cold smile forming under his cigar. His legs turned into sand as he surged ahead, leading his crew.
He couldn't ignore the one who had tried to shoot him.
Ever since gaining the Suna Suna fruit, he had faced almost no challenges. At sea, he was at the top. Bullet was the only rival he had truly acknowledged.
In the future, he planned to challenge Whitebeard to see how far he had to go to become a world-class legend. If he could defeat him, he would be the next living legend.
As for Roger? Once the Pirate King dissolved his crew, he disappeared, leaving Crocodile unable to find him.
"First, take care of these lowly Navy grunts!"
Eight mere opponents dared challenge him? Crocodile sneered.
The young officers had yet to face any setbacks.
"That young officer must be their leader," Crocodile noted. "Take him down first!"
With a flick of his hand, sand twisted into a spinning tornado.
In the blink of an eye, the distance between them shrank to just fifty meters.
Suddenly, the young officer's eyes flared, and even the air itself seemed to shiver.
"..."
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