"Ha!?"
Crocodile hovered in the air, his expression exaggerated, cruelly mocking:
"What kind of joke are you trying to tell?"
Apparently insulted by Smoker's dismissive attitude, Crocodile circled above, scattering a massive storm of sand and gravel.
His vicious gaze locked on the Marine below, he shouted:
"Don't tell me… you're treating me like some rookie who just entered the Grand Line, representing justice as the Marine?"
The storm of sand and stone suddenly moved with an almost magnetic order, swirling through the sky like a living weapon.
Crocodile, still arrogantly taunting, continued:
"Just a Logia user of the Sand-Sand Fruit, that's all.
Don't forget who you're talking to!!!"
"Hmm!?"
With Crocodile's final roar, the sand and gravel in the sky whirled violently.
A dark, menacing tornado blocked out the sun entirely, plunging the Rain Dinners into night.
Crocodile raised both hands skyward, as if trying to hold up the heavens themselves.
Looking down at the tiny marine and Smoker below, he sneered:
"Or maybe… you've been playing house too long and forgot that you're an adult!?"
The whirling sand surged violently, gathering above Crocodile's head like a living tidal wave.
A colossal spear of sand suddenly formed above him, the tip pointed directly at Smoker, its power radiating as if ready to strike at any moment.
The spear, though made of ordinary sand, shimmered with a metallic white glint that betrayed its lethal intent.
Thick white smoke rolled across the ground like waves, completely blocking the ruined walls and Crocodile's line of sight.
Smoker suddenly looked up. His white hair steamed into the air, rising along with the smoke from his cigar.
He exhaled slowly, the smoke lingering, as he spoke:
"Crocodile, I now have irrefutable evidence that you've been secretly plotting to seize the throne of Arabasta!
Threatening the stability and unity of the allied kingdoms!
For the peace of the seas…
I will arrest you, here and now!!!"
BOOM!!!
As his words fell, a surge of white smoke burst from beneath Smoker's feet.
Propelled by this enormous force, Smoker shot into the sky.
Drawing his Nanashaku Jitte from behind, he rocketed upward like a missile, smoke trailing behind him.
He swung the Jitte rapidly in midair, aiming at the Logia user Crocodile.
The sand spear collided with Smoker's Seastone weapon, sending sparks flying in all directions.
Though the spear was made of sand, Smoker's strength far exceeded Crocodile's in sheer power.
Even this simple test caused the two to lock in midair, neither yielding an inch.
But sand and smoke… are fundamentally different.
Slash!!!
Smoker's waist transformed into smoke just as a sharp sand spear pierced through where his body had been!
Even with his Smoke-Smoke Fruit, Smoker couldn't solidify his smoke into a form capable of attacking.
Crocodile, with years of experience in the New World, had no such limitation.
The sand he controlled was tangible and precise, far more versatile than most Logia powers.
Luckily, Smoker had been rigorously trained by the Marine, giving him stamina beyond ordinary seafarers.
Even a Warlord might not surpass him in endurance.
Reacting instinctively, Smoker transformed his body into smoke, evading the spear entirely.
The sand attack caused him no harm.
"Crocodile! Don't you understand, "
Midair, Smoker used his Jitte to deflect the sand spear, while his other hand whipped up thick, swirling smoke, empowering his fist.
His serious gaze fixed on Crocodile:
"The royal family of Arabasta is one of the First Twenty!!!
And you're here, acting like this, planning to betray the World Government?!"
BOOOOM!
A massive white fist surged forward like layered ocean waves, each layer adding power to the strike, aimed squarely at Crocodile, sealing off all escape routes.
Ssshhh…
The intense white fist swept through the airborne sand, forcing Crocodile's control to falter.
Sand and debris began to fall back toward the ground.
After a long moment…
The world revealed itself once more.
High above, the white smoke dissipated.
A colossal golden sphere floated in the sky.
A crack appeared along its surface, sand trickling down to reveal a hollow darkness inside.
From the shadows, Crocodile's cunning, sinister face emerged.
"Betrayal!?"
"Pathetic!"
Sand continued to fall, exposing his entire face, a villainous strategist's visage, his menacing grin even more terrifying than before.
"When did pirates ever betray the Marine?"
"Foolish Marines… you need to abandon those childish notions!"
"But…"
"Because of your stupidity, I could accomplish all of this so easily today!!! Hahaha!!"
Crocodile laughed madly, his ambition no longer hidden. His eyes gleamed like one who can see the future, wielding the world like a tyrant:
"Today… all of you… will die!!!"
"Sandfall Execution!!!"
Sand swirled around him, loyal as vassals guarding their lord.
Crocodile unleashed the full power of his Sand-Sand Fruit.
A massive wave of destructive sand enveloped the sky!
Exposed by the Marine, he knew he could no longer scheme in secret.
If so—!!!
Then he would absolutely decide everything!
Kill everyone here, and he would have all the time he needed to claim what he desired!!!
The terrifying yellow sands surged from the outer city toward Crocodile, like an apocalyptic tsunami, crossing the high walls.
At this moment, humans felt so small, and life itself so fragile.