Bang!
Crocodile was sent flying and slammed into the ground by a powerful punch from Luffy. Caught off guard, he gritted his teeth and snarled, "This—! How is this possible?! Straw Hat boy, you…"
Before he could finish, Luffy's soaked hands grabbed his shoulders again, spinning him around and smashing him hard into the palace wall.
"Water Gum-Gum Disk Saw!"
With a swift kick, Luffy launched Crocodile away, then flipped mid-air and landed squarely, shouting with fierce resolve, "Crocodile! This time, I'm not going to lose!"
Crocodile slid down the wall, eyes narrowed coldly.
"Damn Straw Hat, using water to mess with me!"
Only now did Crocodile notice something unusual strapped to Luffy's back—a strange, bucket-shaped armor emitting mist from pipes on either side.
"Heh… This is the special Water Luffy armor Shirogai made for me!" Luffy grinned. "It sprays water mist constantly on my arms and legs!"
His tone shifted serious as he stared Crocodile down. "Shirogai was right… Your Devil Fruit weakness is water! Once you're wet, you can't turn into sand!"
As he spoke, Luffy's fists blurred into afterimages, launching a storm of blows at Crocodile.
"Water : Gum-Gum Gatling!"
Crocodile's eyes narrowed.
This kid's punching speed… it's faster than before.
But still not fast enough!
Crocodile weaved between the mist-soaked punches with ease, scoffing, "Tricks like this won't help you! Even if your attacks can hit me, you'll never land a blow!"
"I will hit you!" Luffy shouted from above. "Shirogai trained me hard! I'm not the same as before! Water: Gum-Gum Shotgun Barrage!"
His fists became elastic blurs, expanding the attack range, unleashing chaotic flurries that forced Crocodile to actually defend.
"Damn it!"
Crocodile took a few hits—face, chest, arms—each soaked blow landing cleanly, sending him hurtling back.
Luffy clenched his soaked fists, eyes burning with fury. "I'm going to avenge Uncle Toto! You took Jordan's water! You made him dig for days just to survive!"
"Toto? What kind of insect is that? I don't remember the names of ants," Crocodile sneered, brushing dust from his clothes. "Straw Hat, you've pissed me off. I'm not listening to Null anymore. I'll kill you myself!"
He turned sharply toward Shirogai. "Null! I'm killing this brat. You going to stop me?"
Shirogai's relaxed voice echoed in Crocodile's mind.
[Heh… Crocodile, you want to kill my Captain? Be my guest. I won't avenge him.]
"Hmph. You think I can't?"
Crocodile's right hand turned to sand, forming a massive blade. "Desert Spada!"
Rumble!
A massive slash of compressed sand cut through the air, slicing through the stone ground like paper.
"That long-range slash again! I'll dodge!"
Luffy twisted his body mid-air, narrowly avoiding the sand blade.
Boom!
The slash tore through the palace wall, leaving a massive scar in the floor. Luffy glanced at it, cold sweat trailing down his brow.
"That was close… almost got me again!"
But suddenly—
Clang!
Crocodile appeared behind him, his left hook driving straight into the bucket-shaped armor.
Bang!
Whooosh…
The armor ruptured. Water began gushing out.
"Crap!"
Luffy stumbled backward, narrowly evading another slash. But without pressure, the mist sprayers attached to his limbs ceased functioning.
"Kuhahaha! You're done, Straw Hat!"
Crocodile watched as Luffy frantically tried covering the hole in the bucket. "Without that mist, you can't even touch me anymore!"
"Damn it… you actually broke the armor Shirogai made me…" Luffy groaned, clutching the leaking container. "At this rate, all the water's going to spill!"
In desperation, he had a sudden idea.
"Gulp… gulp…"
To Crocodile's stunned disbelief, Luffy began drinking the water from the bucket.
In seconds, his belly inflated like a balloon.
"Burp!"
Now round and sloshing, Luffy yelled with determination, "I'm getting serious now!"
"You drank the water? Are you serious?!"
Crocodile stared at him like he was insane. "You're turning this life-and-death fight into a joke. How did a fool like you make it to Alabasta?!"
This ridiculous, childish idiot… was the Captain of that monster?
Could it be this foolish attitude was what attracted him to the Straw Hats?
"I'm dead serious! Don't mock other people's fighting styles!"
Luffy spat out a large spray of water, drenching Crocodile on the spot.
"Water: Gum-Gum Rocket!"
Boom!
Crocodile was launched into the sky.
---
Elsewhere in the city, Robin and King Cobra had quietly slipped away through a secret route behind the palace.
Robin, guiding Cobra down an ancient stairwell, smiled to herself. "So the poneglyph was hidden beneath the royal chambers of the old kings…"
Meanwhile, in a secluded alley, a group of Marine soldiers stood frozen, sweat pouring down their faces.
They were paralyzed—frozen not by power, but by sheer presence.
Before them stood The Plunderer, Shirogai, calmly watching.
Robin and Cobra disappeared into the tomb.
Shirogai smiled faintly. "She finally got to see the poneglyph… but it's only going to disappoint her."
"Shirogai… why are you helping the enemy?!"
Marine Sergeant Tashigi stood rigid, sword drawn, glaring at him.
"Why do you keep opposing the Marines?! I won't let you go this time!"
"Oppose the Marines?" Shirogai tilted his head, eyeing her. "Is this girl Zoro's childhood friend?…"
With a snap of his fingers, he smirked. "Sorry. There's someone who really hates the sight of Marines. Can't risk upsetting her."
Suddenly—
"We can move!"
"Quick, aim at him!"
"He's a dangerous Devil Fruit user!"
"The bounty on him is 100 million Berries—stay alert!"
The Marines regained control of their bodies and aimed their rifles and swords at him.
"Don't move, Shirogai-san! You are under arrest!"
"Arrested?" Shirogai raised a brow and chuckled. "Alright. But maybe you've got more urgent problems…"
He turned toward them, calm and amused.
"There's a special bomb Crocodile planted in this city. It detonates in nine minutes."
The Marines froze.
Shirogai's voice dropped cold.
"It'll take out hundreds of thousands of people. You want to waste time on me… or save those innocent lives?"
"Tick....Tock...."
---
Vote w Power stones.