"Beat me? Heh heh… Still putting on a brave face, Straw Hat?"
Crocodile's hair clung to his blood-streaked face as he let out a menacing chuckle. His voice was mocking, but his heavy breathing betrayed his condition. Across from him, Luffy knelt on one knee, gasping, sweat mixing with dirt and blood.
"Stabbed, buried alive, and poisoned with scorpion venom… Honestly, surviving this long is impressive. But your luck's run dry."
Luffy's breath was ragged, his fingers twitching slightly. Despite the venom surging through his body, he clenched his fists tighter.
"I'm not… losing to a pirate like you!"
His eyes flickered— pupils expanding and contracting erratically— a clear sign the venom was reaching his heart.
Crocodile scoffed, stepping closer with a twisted grin. "A pirate like me? I've conquered more than you can dream of. On the Grand Line, I'm elite. You? Just another corpse in waiting."
"It's over."
But Luffy rose. His fists trembled, blood seeping from reopened wounds. He planted his feet firmly and glared at Crocodile.
"You never fight head-on. That's not strength— that's fear."
He crouched, veins bulging at his ankles. Heat waves shimmered around him.
"A true fighter doesn't hide behind tricks. He faces opponents directly."
Crocodile frowned. "Direct confrontation is for fools."
"You'll see…" Luffy growled. "I'm going to beat you down. Right now!"
His body glowed faintly red, steam rising as his blood pumped faster.
Crocodile sneered. "Bluff all you want, you're dying either way."
Luffy's eyes sharpened. "I'm the man who'll become King of the Pirates!"
A red blur flashed. Crocodile barely had time to react before a rubber leg slammed into his jaw.
"Second Form: Gum-Gum Jet Whip!"
The force launched Crocodile backward into the air.
The crowd watching from the plaza erupted.
"Straw Hat's incredible!"
"He might really win!"
The civilians, huddled against the incoming sandstorm, clung to this final hope. Vivi's words echoed in their minds:
"If Luffy defeats Crocodile, the storm will end."
Crocodile's airborne body disintegrated into sand midair.
"Ridiculous. A rookie is pushing me this far?"
Then a voice rang in his head.
[Heh, Old Sand. Forced to use Armament Haki now? Don't disappoint me.]
It was Shirogai's voice. Calm, mocking.
"Tch… That brat," Crocodile snarled. "Fine. If that's how it is—Armament Haki: Hardening!"
The yellow sand swirled, gathering into his reformed figure. Luffy appeared again, blazing red.
"Gum-Gum Jet Bullet!"
His fist struck Crocodile's abdomen, but this time, Crocodile barely flinched.
"You can't break through Haki, Straw Hat. You're not ready."
Luffy didn't respond. He disappeared again and attacked with a barrage.
"Gum-Gum Jet Gatling!"
Dozens of fists rained down, but Crocodile stood firm, encased in blackened Haki.
"It's useless!" Crocodile barked. "You're wasting your strength!"
Then came Luffy's booming voice:
"Gum-Gum Jet Bazooka!"
The blast hit Crocodile square in the chest. He staggered— but remained standing.
"You really think this matters?!" Crocodile roared, leaping into the air and conjuring a swirling sandstorm.
"Heavy Sandstorm!"
"Ah! Watch out!" gasped the crowd.
Luffy evaded, landing safely as the vortex exploded behind him.
"Do you finally get it?" Crocodile yelled. "This is power! My Haki outclasses you completely!"
Luffy laughed. "That's where you're wrong. I've already won."
"Fool!"
Crocodile's sand arm lashed out, slashing at Luffy, who dodged effortlessly.
"Shirogai said the moment you use Armament Haki instead of your Devil Fruit, you've lost."
Crocodile froze.
"He said what?"
Luffy's voice echoed through the chaos. "You believe my Rubber Fruit is stronger than your Sand-Sand Fruit. That's why you switched."
Crocodile roared in fury. "Shirogai Yamikuro! You dare look down on me?!"
He soared into the air, sand swirling around him like a storm god.
"I'll show you the true difference between us!"
Luffy inhaled deeply, his body ballooning before launching himself into the sky.
"I'm ending this now!"
"Die, Straw Hat!" Crocodile's arm fused with sand, forming four colossal blades.
"Desert Spada!"
The sand blades screeched downward.
"Gum-Gum Jet… Storm! Rain!"
Luffy's fists became a hurricane of motion. The first sand blade sliced into his hand—blood spattered. The second cracked from impact. The third shattered outright.
One by one, the sand blades crumbled under the sheer pressure of Luffy's blows.
Then—
Luffy's fists struck Crocodile directly.
Face. Stomach. Shoulders. Over and over.
Fists pummeled him from every angle, sending his body ricocheting through the sky.
The crowd watched, wide-eyed and speechless.
And then—
Crash!
Crocodile slammed into the plaza, unmoving.
Vivi's tearful voice boomed from the loudspeakers.
"Luffy won!!"
The people shouted in joy— until they noticed something terrifying.
The sandstorm hadn't stopped.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
It surged toward the city with renewed force.
Though Crocodile had fallen, the storm still raged.
The danger wasn't over.
__
Send Power stones (◕દ◕)
My patreon link : patreon.com/Zphyr_