One Piece: Transmigrated as Crocodile-Chapter 268 - CHAPTER 268 - Intimidation and Rage

"What bad luck. Struggle less, and I'll make it quick." A pirate with a vicious face edged cautiously toward Rosen.
He circled Rosen, looking for the right angle, not wanting to suffer an unexpected defeat. From his sleeve, he slid out a pair of iron claws and strapped them onto both hands.
The other three attackers were more straightforward, confident their blades alone could handle this bodyguard, who did not appear particularly large.
Bodyguards carrying weapons was entirely normal. At this banquet, no one trusted anyone completely—every guest's guards were armed.
"Go!" The clawed pirate lunged for Rosen's throat. He knew well enough that his master wanted death, not unmasking. The mask was only an excuse.
Kit watched intently, lips curling in a cold smile. His plan was to cut down Xia's strength, leave her defenseless, and plunge her into despair. Among wolves, without power, she would be nothing more than a sheep.
"Unlucky indeed—but not for me." Rosen raised a single finger. Without even using Haki, he blocked the iron claws with the sheer hardness of his Shigan. Before the others could strike, he flicked his finger again.
A sharp blast pierced straight through the pirate's chest, leaving a gaping hole. The man stood frozen in disbelief before looking down at himself. Impossible! His attack had been stopped and countered in an instant.
"Tekkai." Rosen braced himself as blades came crashing down. His body stiffened slightly, and when the swords struck—
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Steel shattered.
The attackers stared wide-eyed. Was this still human flesh?
Some of the stronger figures present grew solemn. A few recognized the techniques. "That's Rokushiki… but used with terrifying mastery."
"No…"
With booming kicks, Rosen sent each assailant flying. None of them got back up.
Rosen frowned slightly. He had intended to display his power slowly, to make things easier for Xia later. But his opponents had fallen too quickly, without even withstanding a single move.
Too fast, too overwhelming. People would be unable to gauge his true strength. Worse, opportunists might still test him later—what a waste of time.
"That bodyguard… wasn't the one just killed Blood-Arm Claw? Where did Xia find someone this strong?!"
The man was a notorious pirate in these waters. When Kit recruited him, it had caused a stir. Yet he hadn't even survived one strike.
Bang!
A gunshot rang out, jolting the hall. Guards from the upper floors leapt down to shield their masters.
Kit himself had fired, reacting decisively. The moment his men fell, he had drawn a pistol and shot at Rosen.
"Seastone bullets?" Rosen caught the slug between his fingers, smiling faintly at Kit, who froze in shock. Nothing?
He had prepared carefully, wary that Rosen might be a Devil Fruit user. For a clean kill, he hadn't used an ordinary round.
"So wild…" Some noblewomen gazed at Rosen with fascination. In this world, overwhelming strength inspired blind admiration.
"Colson, don't let Kit die. Constantly changing presidents will damage profits. One already died recently—another so soon would be disastrous." Remont gave a measured reminder.
"No problem," Colson replied lazily.
"I'll twist your head off myself!" Kit roared. Seeing Rosen's eyes on him, he grew angrier, not afraid. His shirt tore apart as his refined image collapsed—he transformed into a toad-man.
His back bulged with warts, his mouth gaped wider, and sticky fluid oozed from his skin—poisonous to the touch.
The ability was grotesque, so Kit had rarely trained it. He had only gambled on the unknown Devil Fruit. But its ugliness was so extreme, he only used it in desperation or fury.
"How disgusting… President Kit's ability is revolting. To think I was with him last night—ugh!"
"An animal-type, huh? But so hideous… truly rare."
Kit's transformation drew scorn. Even Rosen frowned, unwilling to make direct contact. The brothers, it seemed, were disgusting in both appearance and ability.
Boom!
The ground cracked as Kit launched upward with startling strength, leaping above Rosen.
From midair, his venom-coated tongue lashed downward. Rosen sidestepped, then countered: "Shigan Barrage!"
Bang bang bang! Blasts of compressed air fired upward, striking Kit mid-leap.
The impacts drove him into the ceiling with a thunderous crash.
Rosen kicked up a sword, crushed it in his hand, and prepared to finish the toad-man off. For ordinary people, Kit was formidable—but to Rosen, he was nothing.
"That's enough." Colson suddenly stepped forward, blocking Rosen's path.
"A familiar voice… a captain, right? But once the arrow leaves the bow, it doesn't return." Rosen smiled coldly, his Haki-wreathed leg sweeping sideways at Colson.
Colson braced, but the blow still forced him back. Rosen then flicked his hand, scattering sword shards like bullets.
Kit, still airborne, had no chance to dodge. Blades tore through him with wet, slicing sounds. Blood poured as he screamed, crashing down in a shredded, human form.
The hall fell silent.
The nobles, who had expected entertainment, stared in shock. The president of the Tolom Chamber—felled so easily? No, it wasn't weakness. This bodyguard was simply too terrifying, too unrestrained, ignoring even the mediation of the central chamber.
Arrogant beyond measure.
"My man told you to stop." Remont rose slowly, face dark. If Kit truly died, Felomont Chamber's business and profits would suffer greatly.
After all, he was still the backbone of the four chambers. If a president was killed under his watch and he did nothing, he would lose credibility—and perhaps invite rebellion.
Aberdeen, watching from not far away, also grew wary. His own forces were far stronger than Kit's, but Xia's bodyguard was proving exceptional.
"I can't trust your words. For all I know, you've already killed my family and friends. Unless I see them alive, I will not transfer the contract. If it comes to it, we'll die together." Xia's eyes stayed fixed on Aberdeen.
Others might not know, but she did—this so-called bodyguard wasn't truly hers. He was a wanted man with a nine-hundred-million bounty. Yet his ruthless dismantling of Kit still left her shaken.
Just how strong was he? A bottomless abyss?
(End of Chapter)