One Piece: Transmigrated as Crocodile

"What?! Over 80% of the sentries have been wiped out?! What the hell have you all been doing? Useless fools!" Erik's face darkened as he listened to the communications officer report the latest figures. His fury was unprecedented. 

Since when had the Navy become so incompetent? Even if Lantis had launched a sudden assault, each sentry post had been well-manned, with skilled fighters stationed there. Some locations even had rear admirals overseeing them. 

Now he was being told they had all been overrun. Just moments ago, Erik hadn't fully grasped what an all-out war with Lantis meant, but now he did. This was the largest counterattack he had ever faced since he took charge of Lantis's blockade. 

Even when the disaster first began, Lantis had been a scattered, leaderless mess. 

But now, the Navy had suffered a catastrophic loss, and it was all because his fight with Crocodile had cost him too much valuable time. If not for that, with his command, there was no way the Navy would have been taken out so easily. 

His plans had completely fallen apart, and the damage was severe. If he failed to capture the Immortal One this time, this mission would end in utter failure. 

"Throw all the captured Lantis prisoners into the chasm. Ganos, didn't you bring some scientific creations? Keep an eye on the chasm. The moment the Immortal One appears, report to me immediately. Also, deploy some of your creations onto the battlefield—wipe out the Lantis forces as quickly as possible." 

Erik watched as the Marines regrouped into battle formations, ready for combat. The few cannons they had were already being aimed outward. 

With both sides organized and heavily armed, the approaching undead were easily cleared. Even the horned demons couldn't make much of an impact. 

"But..." Ganos hesitated. The Pacifistas he had brought still had some flaws. Their targeting systems weren't perfect, and they might accidentally harm their own troops. They were mainly designed to hunt the Immortal One. 

"No buts. Even if some of our own get caught in the crossfire, we have no choice." Erik understood Ganos' concerns. 

"Understood." Ganos was more worried about the Pacifistas being damaged, as that would hinder his chances of capturing the Immortal One. 

But looking at the Lantis warriors approaching, their eyes fierce like wolves, he knew that driving them back was the priority now. 

"Kill!" 

A hysterical roar. 

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" Gunfire erupted. 

"Boom! Boom! Boom!" Cannons roared. 

As soon as the two forces came within striking distance, the battlefield exploded into chaos. Over 4,000 Marines had gathered in this area, while another 4,000 were stationed at sentry posts and naval docks. The latter group was likely already in dire straits or locked in battle. 

Meanwhile, Queen Hathaway had dispatched some troops to support Hodman's attack on Zone E, but she still had over 7,000 warriors by her side. 

In terms of numbers and individual strength, Lantis had the advantage—they were fighting on home ground. 

"Send an urgent order to the Frans Eight Islands. Deploy six troop transport ships immediately. If they refuse to surrender, kill them all—leave no survivors," Erik ordered coldly, calculating Lantis' troop strength. 

"Commander Erik, if we do that, the defenses of the Eight Islands will be significantly weakened," the communications officer hesitated. Six transport ships meant nearly 8,000 troops, leaving only about 4,000 behind to hold the islands. If any monsters escaped or Lantis forces broke through at key points, they would struggle to contain the threat. 

"No excuses. Most of Lantis' warriors are here. The remaining forces aren't strong enough to break through our defenses. Once we annihilate Lantis' main army, this island will no longer be a threat. Send the order immediately." 

Erik's expression grew more serious as he watched Queen Hathaway cutting through the Marine ranks like a crimson storm. 

"Understood." 

A strong army could decide the outcome of a war. Even the weakest soldiers could wear down powerful foes, and in some cases, even ambush them. History was filled with such examples. 

In war, numbers always mattered. Even in the Summit War, it wasn't just about individual powerhouses fighting each other. 

With proper troop placement and firepower, even the strongest fighters could be suppressed. If the Marines didn't have sufficient forces—if it were just Erik and Kuma—then the Lantis forces could easily bombard them from a distance, launching a full-scale attack. 

Even Logia users wouldn't be able to dodge every strike, especially if some contained Seastone. 

As for non-Logia fighters, being pinned down while under constant fire was a death sentence. 

As a commander, Erik deeply understood the power of numbers. That's why he gave the order without hesitation. Besides, both the Marines and Lantis had plenty of elite warriors—this wasn't just a fight between foot soldiers. 

"Kuma, we're taking down the Queen of Lantis today. If she dies, they will no longer be a threat to us." 

Erik was well aware of this. 

So when Hathaway, exuding an aura of pure slaughter, began advancing toward him, he turned to Kuma, signaling for them to fight together. 

Kuma remained silent, his expression unreadable. 

"Move! Push these savages into the chasm!" Ganos led a squad through the Marines, barking orders as he moved toward a stockpile of inactive Pacifistas, still lying in their containers. 

"Damn it… What a waste." Law, standing on higher ground with Natalie and Pitas, looked down at the deep pit below. A glimmer of hope had just appeared—only to be extinguished again. 

"He's not dead! He's still breathing! Let go of me!" Natalie kicked free from Law's grip and sprinted toward the pit. 

"What's your plan?" Law asked Pitas. 

Pitas hesitated, then cursed under his breath. "Damn it! That bastard Shichibukai! If he's dead, I came all this way for nothing. But… is he really dead? That girl has some kind of special ability." 

"Hmm?" Law frowned. Was survival even possible? 

"Not a chance!" 

Queen Hathaway saw the Marines pushing the caged prisoners and raised her sword high. A crimson killing intent, fused with Conqueror's Haki, rippled through the battlefield. Many Marines collapsed instantly. 

With a furious roar, she stomped the ground, shattering it beneath her. With a single slash from a distance, the skies turned crimson, the battlefield engulfed in a red glow. 

A blinding, blood-red sword wave, laced with black energy, erupted from her blade. The sheer force compressed the air, making it difficult for over ten thousand warriors to breathe. 

"Crimson Light! Infernal Slash!" 

As her voice fell, the devastating crescent-shaped energy wave cut through the Marines surrounding the cages. 

Over 80% of them instantly vaporized into clouds of blood mist. 

If she hadn't held back to avoid hitting the cages, every Marine there—except for the strongest among them—would have perished. 

The remaining Marines, witnessing their comrades being instantly obliterated, were paralyzed with fear. 

Only those who barely dodged the attack could comprehend the terrifying power of Hathaway's strike. The sheer madness and bloodlust embedded in her attack were enough to drive any Marine officer to despair. 

"Advance!" Hathaway commanded. 

A fearless force of several hundred elite warriors, led by a middle-aged man, charged toward the open ground near the chasm like a blade piercing through the enemy lines. 

"Finger Gun: Airburst!" 

Erik's face darkened. He dashed forward, unleashing a concentrated air-pressure projectile aimed at Hathaway's head. 

"Impact!" 

Kuma followed up, striking the air with his palm. The compressed force formed a massive, transparent bear paw-shaped shockwave, tearing through everything in its path toward Hathaway. 

The battlefield was about to be engulfed in chaos once more.

(End of Chapter)

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