[Bang!!!]
The surrounding army soldiers could hardly see Bullet's clapping motion.
All they felt was a burst of white mist exploding in front of him.
In the next moment.
The special Kabane, which had two Kabane stuck to its body and was still holding two more in its hands, began to cave in its head slowly yet quickly under some invisible pressure, until it slammed down hard onto the ground.
This impact not only created a large pit in the ground beneath it but also sent shockwaves radiating outward in all directions.
Dense cracks spread out continuously, and thick smoke suddenly billowed up.
This was still the result of Bullet deliberately holding back a significant amount of his strength.
As the smoke was blown away by the wild wind he casually waved, there was nothing left in the pit but a puddle of viscous, bloody, and mangled matter.
"Ha~ is that all?"
Bullet disdainfully glanced at the 'finished product.'
He turned and walked slowly toward his heavy motorcycle, occasionally swatting away the approaching Kabane, turning them into meat paste.
"Pick up the pace!"
"In two hours, I want to rest in the city!!"
As mentioned before, the main purpose of this military operation, for him, was actually to train the troops.
As for how much intelligence was in that city, that was not his concern at the Star Gate Base.
Senior Director Addison had just hung up the call on the Den Den Mushi at his desk.
Yet the look of astonishment on his face lingered for a long time.
He held the receiver without thinking of putting it down, instead rubbing it in his hand while lost in thought.
"It's not surprising that Crocodile agreed to join the army, although it was much earlier than the days we anticipated."
"But he actually discovered an intact human city, one with a large iron mine and complete facilities, and he wants to capture the core Kabane of 'Black Smoke' and that city's chief steward."
Any one of these three would hold immense value for the World Government at this moment.
Especially that chief steward, who clearly sounded like a high-ranking official of this country, surely possessing a wealth of intelligence.
Thinking of this, Addison quickly turned the dial on the Den Den Mushi to contact the local base on the other side of the Stargate.
"Here's the situation."
He recounted Crocodile's matter and then made a request, saying:
"We need an expert in interrogation and torture over here."
"Understood, thank you."
Next, he called Dr. Fritz from the Bioengineering Research Institute.
He informed the other party that a special Kabane emitting blue light would soon be delivered.
At the same time, he briefly mentioned the intelligence regarding 'Black Smoke' that Crocodile had provided.
"What are we waiting for! Hurry and send it over!!"
Indeed, Dr. Fritz was very excited after hearing this.
But this also made Senior Director Addison helplessly repeat what he had just said.
"This needs to wait for Crocodile to return; just be prepared." With that, he hung up, no longer wanting to waste more words.
Then he had to arrange for a team to send gasoline and personnel responsible for gathering intelligence over to Bullet.
To be honest, it was very busy.
"Ah, I really envy that guy Coulson, traveling around every day, delivering documents and whatnot, so leisurely."
At this point, Addison no longer felt the excitement of arriving in this New World; all that remained was a sense of fatigue.
Little did he expect.
Crocodile not only agreed to join the army earlier than he anticipated but also returned sooner than he expected!
The next day, in the afternoon, at dusk.
The gates of the Stargate Base were fully opened.
Armed army soldiers stood in long lines on both sides of the avenue.
A group of government officials in suits, led by Senior Director Addison, gathered at the gate, waiting for someone's return.
Among them was also an elderly man in a white lab coat, looking anxious, and an army officer dressed in a black Justice Coat.
[Whoosh——————]
However, that person did not keep them waiting long.
As a whirlwind of yellowish sand suddenly formed outside the gate.
Soon.
Crocodile emerged slowly from the wind and sand, one hand gripping the blue-light Kabane and the other holding Chief Steward Tian Jiang by the back.
At this moment.
The former was still struggling wildly without fatigue, while the latter had completely lost consciousness.
After all, high-speed flight in the air was something most people simply could not endure.
[Bang!]
Crocodile casually tossed Chief Steward Tian Jiang over, allowing a black-clad man who stepped forward to catch him, grinning as he said, "This person is the chief steward of Yatsushiro Station; you can interrogate him yourselves. As for this..."
But just as he raised his left hand with the blue-hearted Kabane.
He suddenly noticed the elderly man in the white lab coat among the crowd.
Before he could finish speaking, the man dashed toward him at an astonishing speed.
Pushing up his glasses on his nose, he began examining the Kabane in Crocodile's hand.
"Indeed, it's blue light. Can it really absorb other Kabane?"
"Who are you?"
Crocodile asked, looking displeased.
"This is Dr. Fritz, the director of the Bioengineering Research Institute, personally responsible for the research on Kabane," Addison said, walking over with a smile.
"Alright, I'll leave this to you."
Crocodile nodded indifferently.
He casually tossed the Kabane he held onto a nearby open space, completely unconcerned about whether it would hurt anyone.
Because only the 'core' that controlled and replenished a large number of Kabane was dangerous.
But a 'core' with nothing in it.
Even if its heart, blood vessels, and pupils were blue, it could only be considered a 'Glint' Kabane.
As for that mental fluctuation, it clearly posed no danger.
Besides, even if it did, he wouldn't care.
If it could harm someone in this base.
Then Crocodile would really have to reconsider joining the army.
After all, that would be too pathetic!
Sure enough, a random black-clad person easily subdued it, skillfully stuffing a metal ball into its mouth.
Then they tied the straps around its head.
Next, they handcuffed its hands behind its back tightly.
Finally, they grabbed it by the back of its neck and swiftly carried it away, the entire process taking no more than ten seconds.
Seeing the special Kabane being taken away, Dr. Fritz lost all interest in this place and turned to leave.
At this moment.
The army major general in the black Justice Coat stepped forward, holding a neatly folded black military uniform in both hands, and shouted with vigor:
"Welcome Major General Crocodile to the army; please don the uniform!"
"Oh?"
Crocodile raised an eyebrow.
He scanned the gazes of everyone present, shrugged off the fur coat on his shoulders.
Then he picked up the top black Justice Coat and draped it over his back.
In that instant.
The pirate Crocodile was dead.
The army's Crocodile was reborn.
Behind him, the sky was ablaze with the fiery hues of sunset, the sun setting low, but the bright moon hung high.
Suddenly!
The army major general and Senior Director Addison, among others, keenly noticed a change in Crocodile's demeanor.
Or rather, the aura around him had shifted, becoming much more imposing.
They felt as if a sand-yellow imperial crocodile was roaring behind him, "Got a cigar?"
"Major General, please!"
The army major general seemed to have been prepared for this, quickly producing a cigar, lighting it, and handing it over.
Crocodile took it, placed it in his mouth, and took a deep puff.
As he exhaled the smoke, fingers pinching the cigar.
He suddenly broke into a wide grin, laughing heartily with mixed emotions.
"Ha—ha—ha—ha————"
Army Major General 'Sand Crocodile' was born in the New World!