Chapter 76 The Vanished Oasis
Zoro patted his sword hilt, his gaze calm: "Don't panic, this is just the wind blowing through the ruins, hitting the broken buildings, causing that hollow sound."
Vivi stood in the wind, looking at the distant ruins, her expression sorrowful: "There's no mistake... this city is crying."
As soon as she finished speaking, a small whirlwind suddenly swept up yellow sand and quickly enveloped everyone. The strong wind howled, making it impossible to open one's eyes.
"Woo woo—"
In the hazy sandstorm, Luffy seemed to see a blurry figure.
But the whirlwind was fleeting, the yellow sand quickly settled, and the shadow disappeared with it.
Usopp patted his chest, letting out a sigh of relief: "Damn it... what kind of wind was that?"
Nami frowned, then her eyes suddenly narrowed, pointing not far away: "Wait, there... it looks like there's something?"
Luffy followed her gaze, his expression immediately changing: "It's a person!"
He rushed over without hesitation.
Vivi also followed in surprise: "There's actually still someone in this city?"
Everyone quickly gathered around. However, as they got closer, they saw clearly the "person" in front of them—it was a mummified corpse.
It had been blown out of the sand by the recent whirlwind. The corpse was in rags, already shriveled into a skeletal form, seemingly having slept in the yellow sand for many years.
Vivi looked at the corpse, her eyes filled with pain, and she murmured softly: "Father... and the people of Alabasta... what did they do wrong?"
Her fists clenched tightly, her voice trembling with anger:
"We were born in the desert, fighting against the harsh environment, struggling with all our might to live... But those who desperately survived are forced to endure such pain... By what right does that guy do this?!"
She suddenly looked up, her eyes burning with fury:
"Crocodile! That guy, under the guise of being a 'Shichibukai,' calls himself a hero of the people, but in reality, he's manipulating everything behind the scenes, deceiving the entire country!
Yet, not a single person could see through his scheme...!"
She bit her lip hard, tears welling in her eyes: "I will never forgive that man!"
"Bang—!!"
A loud bang startled everyone, and they all turned to look.
Luffy stood to the side, his face full of anger, his fist smashed into an abandoned stone tower.
That single punch had directly shattered the stone tower, sending dust flying.
Luffy turned his head, looking at Vivi with a determined gaze, and shouted: "Vivi, let's go quickly!"
The anger on his face burned even more fiercely: "I can't take it anymore! I'm going to crush that Crocodile!!"
Nami also stepped forward, gently taking Vivi's hand, and said softly: "Vivi, let's go."
Vivi nodded, taking a deep breath: "We need to find the rebel army, find their leader, and persuade them to stop the rebellion within the country."
Lin Ning said in a deep voice: "Persuade?"
Vivi looked at him, her gaze firm:
"The disaster in Alabasta was all caused by Crocodile! I must reveal the truth; I can't let people sacrifice themselves needlessly anymore!"
Zoro nodded: "Understood."
The scorching sun hung high, and the hot wind, laden with yellow sand, howled past Yuba—this once prosperous oasis city.
It was also the location of the rebel army, according to Vivi, but now it was just a silent ruin.
Houses had collapsed, and streets were covered in thick dust.
Occasionally, strong winds would sweep through, stirring up sand everywhere.
Vivi stood outside the city, looking at the scene of destruction caused by the sandstorm, her eyes filled with disbelieving shock.
Her voice trembled as she murmured: "How could this be... here... this was clearly an oasis..."
Zoro looked around, glancing at the collapsed houses and sand-filled streets, and said calmly:
"It's too terrible here; there's no difference from that ruined city we just saw."
Sanji, with a cigarette in his mouth, frowned, his tone carrying a hint of disbelief: "Young Miss Vivi, isn't this an oasis? How did it turn into this?"
Vivi lowered her head, sadness flashing in her eyes, her voice filled with helplessness: "The sandstorms caused the sand to accumulate, raising the ground level... the oasis was swallowed up like this..."
Everyone fell silent for a moment; they could feel the city's past glory and imagine the despair as it was gradually swallowed by the desert.
Just then, a figure appeared among the ruins.
It was an old man with white hair, laboriously wielding an old shovel, clearing the ruins in front of him.
The sunlight shone on his face, revealing deep wrinkles, his face weathered, but his eyes were still resolute.
Hearing footsteps, the old man stopped shoveling, slowly turned his head, revealing a weathered face, and smiled faintly, saying hoarsely:
"Are you travelers? The journey in the desert must be very tiring..."
His voice was gentle, as if he didn't consider the ruins before him to be anything out of the ordinary.
"I'm sorry, this city... it's a bit desolate now, but if you want to rest, you still can."
His tone was calm, even with a hint of humor, as if the dilapidated ruins before him were still the oasis city it once was.
Vivi stepped forward, looking at the old man with a complicated expression, her tone slightly urgent: "Excuse me... I heard that the rebel army is stationed here."
When the old man heard the words "rebel army," his expression immediately changed, his eyes instantly becoming wary, and he frowned: "What do you want with the rebel army?"
He scanned everyone, his expression vigilant, and said in a low voice: "You... you're not planning to join the rebel army, are you?"
He suddenly snorted coldly, shook his head, his tone full of dissatisfaction and anger: "Those fools left this city a long time ago."
"What?!"
Everyone exclaimed in unison, their faces full of shock.
The old man stood in the sandstorm and sighed, his voice old and helpless: "For three years, the sun has scorched the desert; the sand is terribly dry.
Sandstorms followed one after another, and the entire city was continuously buried. The former oasis... no longer exists."
He paused, then reached out and patted a half-buried broken wall next to him, his tone tinged with bitterness:
"Supplies couldn't get in, and merchant caravans detoured, making Yuba a dead place.
Of course, the rebel army couldn't fight a prolonged war either; a few months ago, they moved their base to Katorea."
"Katorea?" Vivi froze, frowning, clearly surprised by this news.
Luffy, next to her, tilted his head and asked directly: "Vivi, where's that? Is it far from here?"
Vivi snapped out of it, glanced at Luffy, and explained: "Katorea is an oasis near Lohara."
Hearing this, the old man suddenly paused, his gaze sweeping across everyone, seemingly processing some information he had just heard.
He frowned and slowly spoke: "Just now... what did you call her?"
His gaze locked onto Luffy, a hint of shock in his eyes: "You just... called her Vivi?"
The old man's face suddenly changed, and he hurried forward a few steps, staring at Vivi, his eyes showing an unbelievable light, his voice trembling:
"You are... Vivi? Right?"
Vivi was stunned for a moment, her gaze meeting the old man's, feeling an inexplicable sense of familiarity in her heart.
The old man looked at her excitedly, the wrinkles on his face trembling slightly due to his emotions, and he couldn't help but laugh: "That's great! You're still alive! That's great!"
He looked at Vivi, his eyes filled with unspeakable joy and excitement, and said with a smile:
"What? Don't recognize me? That's understandable, after all... I've lost a lot of weight compared to before."
Vivi stared blankly at the old man, then suddenly seemed to remember something, her eyes widened slightly, her mouth slightly agape, revealing a look of disbelief:
"You are... Uncle Toto!"Chapter 77 Heading to the Capital
Doto grinned, his smile full of excitement and relief. His face was thinner than before, but his eyes were still as warm.
Doto was excited for a while, then sighed again, the wrinkles on his face seeming to deepen.
He looked at the distant desert, a heavy look in his eyes, and his voice was low and firm:
"So what if it hasn't rained for three years? I still believe in the King! Most of the citizens are like me!"
He gripped the shovel handle tightly, the veins on the back of his hands bulging:
"I've tried to persuade them several, several times! But no matter what I said, it was useless... They still chose to rebel!"
His voice began to tremble, and tears welled up in his eyes:
"But they've been pushed to a dead end, their strength is exhausted, and they... they've decided to end it in the next wave of attacks!"
When he said this, tears finally streamed down his aged cheeks, and he choked out a low roar: "They've long been determined to die!"
When Vivi heard this, her heart clenched, her pupils contracted violently, and her face instantly turned pale.
"Uncle Doto..." Her lips trembled slightly, she clenched her fists, her eyes full of pain and unwillingness.
Doto grabbed Vivi's hand, his eyes full of pleading: "Please, Vivi! Go stop those idiots!"
Vivi took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. She looked up, her eyes firmly on Doto, and said solemnly:
"Uncle Doto, don't worry! I will definitely stop the rebellion!"
Her voice was resolute, without a trace of wavering.
At this moment, Lin Ning, who was standing by with his arms crossed, frowned and said calmly:
"Running back and forth like this is too much of a waste of time... Instead of trying to stop the rebel army, it's better to go directly to the capital and adapt to circumstances."
His gaze slightly darkened, his tone resolute: "As long as Crocodile is dealt with, the rebellion will naturally resolve itself."
Everyone was stunned.
The next second, Luffy clenched his fist fiercely, anger appearing on his face, and he grinned:
"Right! Lin Ning is right! Go directly to the capital, I'm going to beat Crocodile hard!"
Zoro, holding his sword, nodded: "...Indeed, this is the fastest way."
Sanji exhaled a puff of smoke, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned: "Sounds like... a straightforward plan."
Usopp, though a little hesitant, saw that everyone had already made a decision, so he gritted his teeth and nodded.
Vivi pursed her lips, then finally took a deep breath, her eyes firm as she said: "Okay! We'll go directly to the capital Alubarna!"
Doto looked at the young people in front of him, his eyes sparkling with hope.
He knew that Vivi had grown up and was no longer a princess who needed protection; she was now capable of fighting for her country.
"Go, Vivi." He gave a relieved smile, his voice hoarse but firm: "The future of Alabasta... is in your hands."
The strong wind once again stirred up yellow sand, blowing at the corners of everyone's clothes.
The Straw Hat packed their bags, waved goodbye to Doto, and embarked on their journey to the capital Alubarna.
The capital Alubarna.
The towering palace cast a large shadow under the scorching sun, and an uneasy atmosphere permeated the air.
The man standing at the highest point of the palace, wearing a heavy fur coat, looked down coldly at the city below.
It was none other than the Seven Warlords of the Sea—Crocodile.
At this moment, he was quietly listening to the latest intelligence brought by his subordinate, Mr.3.
"...The Straw Hat Pirates... are about to arrive at the capital..."
Crocodile slowly raised his head, a cold sneer on his lips.
"Hmph... a bounty of 200 million Berries?"
His eyes darkened a few shades.
As a Shichibukai, he had seen countless rookies, but he had never seen a pirate crew that had just entered the Grand Line with a bounty of 200 million!
More importantly, all of his Advanced agents had been defeated by them!
One after another, they were defeated by these brats from the weakest sea, East Blue, and even Mr.3, an old-hand agent, fled back in embarrassment.
Crocodile narrowed his eyes slightly, his fingers gently tapping the armrest of the throne.
These guys, their combat power is much stronger than expected... What are they really after?
Crocodile didn't believe they were here to save Alabasta.
Pirates are pirates; no matter what they say, their nature won't change.
Their target is probably him.
Do they want to make a name for themselves by defeating him?
Crocodile sneered, a hint of disdain in his eyes.
"Truly ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth..."
His voice was low and full of oppressive power, like a sandstorm about to erupt in the desert.
He slowly rose, his cloak flapping in the wind, his eyes filled with intense killing intent:
"A bunch of brats from the weakest sea, East Blue, with some strength... dare to scheme against me?"
He put his hands in his pockets, took a step forward, his eyes chilling: "Who do you think I am? I am the Seven Warlords of the Sea—Crocodile!"
His tone was domineering, full of undeniable arrogance!
Despite his disdainful words, Crocodile was always cautious; he wouldn't make the mistake of underestimating his opponents.
Although the Straw Hat Pirates were inexperienced rookies, being able to consecutively defeat his elite agents meant they possessed genuine combat power.
He couldn't let these guys ruin his plan!
The smile on Crocodile's face gradually faded. He turned and looked behind him, his gaze sharp.
"Send word down, have all the Advanced agents return."
Nico Robin was startled; she rarely saw Crocodile so serious.
It seems the Straw Hat Pirates' strength is even greater than she expected. Is even Crocodile afraid? "Everyone?" Nico Robin asked hesitantly.
"Hmph..." Crocodile snorted coldly, his gaze hardening, his voice carrying a suffocating killing intent:
"Whether it's Mr.1 or Mr.2... everyone, return to the capital immediately and prepare to welcome our 'distinguished guests'."
"I'll make them realize that challenging a Shichibukai is the decision they'll regret the most in their lives!"
He slowly raised his hands, grains of sand silently scattering into the air from his fingertips.
"This time..."
Crocodile showed a sinister grin: "I'll handle it personally!"
Meanwhile, on the other side.
The strong wind swept up yellow sand, and the Straw Hat Pirates were rapidly approaching the capital Alubarna!
Luffy clenched his fist, his eyes burning with rage: "Crocodile...!"
Zoro, with his three swords, a battle-hungry smile on the corner of his mouth: "Looks like this fight will be interesting..."
Sanji exhaled a smoke ring, a cruel smile on his face: "I hope that guy doesn't disappoint me..."
Nami, Usopp, Chopper, and Lin Ning were all ready for battle as well.Chapter 78 The Sniper from Crocodile
The sky was dim, the scorching sun obscured by endless yellow sand.
The wild wind howled, kicking up sand and dust, leaving only a chaotic world of golden and dark intertwined between heaven and earth.
The air was filled with a hot and dry scent, and the wind on one's face felt like countless blades slicing through the skin.
The distant land trembled slightly, and sand dunes rolled uncontrollably in the strong wind.
Lin Ning and his group, guided by Vivi, were rushing towards Alabasta.
The royal capital was almost in sight.
However, at this moment—
Lin Ning, Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji all stopped simultaneously!
Luffy stood at the very front, a slow smile spreading across his lips, revealing an excited grin, his fists clenched, Battle Intent burning fiercely.
Zoro tilted his head slightly, a cold sneer also gracing his lips, his gaze as sharp as a blade.
Nami, Vivi, Usopp, and Chopper were stunned; they looked at the group who had stopped, then exchanged puzzled glances.
Usopp cautiously asked, "Hey... what's wrong? Why aren't we moving?"
Lin Ning smiled faintly, his tone calm and confident: "The person we're looking for has already come to us."
...!!!
Usopp and Vivi's faces changed, and they immediately exclaimed, "Cro-Crocodile!?"
No sooner had the words fallen than Zoro had already walked to the very front of the group, slowly reaching out and gripping the hilt of the sword at his waist.
"Clang—" Accompanied by the crisp sound of metal friction, wado ichimonji was drawn!
Just as Nami and Chopper hadn't yet reacted—
Boom!!
From deep within the desert ahead, a deafening roar suddenly erupted!
Immediately after, the entire earth seemed to shake, and a terrifying Aura swept over!
Whoosh—!!
In the distant desert, an impossibly massive sandstorm tornado suddenly rose!
The tornado was hundreds of meters high, soaring into the clouds, sweeping across the land with a violent whirlwind!
Countless grains of sand were carried by the strong wind, turning into sharp blades, spinning wildly within the storm.
The gale raged, engulfing everything it could devour.
Wherever it passed, the sand on the ground was directly stripped away, revealing cracked yellow earth; this land was being torn apart bit by bit!
That wasn't just a storm! That was destruction! A natural disaster that destroyed everything!
"Wh-what kind of monstrous sandstorm is this?!" Usopp's legs were trembling with fear, his eyes nearly popping out.
Nami's face was pale, her voice trembling: "This isn't an ordinary sandstorm... This is entirely man-made..."
Vivi's eyes widened, filled with shock and terror, her voice trembling slightly from fright:
"It's... it's the Shichibukai... Crocodile... He's here!"
However—
Lin Ning, Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji remained calm, not even showing a hint of surprise.
Because, even before the massive sandstorm tornado appeared, their Observation Haki had already detected the approaching destructive Aura!
"Whoosh—!"
The sandstorm drew closer and closer, the gale howling as if it could tear the sky, leaving only the roar of the wind between heaven and earth!
Just then—
An arrogant voice came from afar, piercing through the storm, resounding throughout the world!
"Brats from the East Blue!"
"This is my greeting to you—"
"Sandstorm Funeral!!!"
Boom—!!
The massive sandstorm violently slammed towards the Straw Hat, like a giant beast opening its bloody maw, intending to completely engulf them!!!
The violent sandstorm swept across the land, the tornado raging across the earth, like a giant beast devouring everything; wherever it went, there were collapsing sand dunes and torn air.
Within the storm, the sky was dim, sand and dust rolled, and in Vivi and Nami's eyes, the entire world was plunged into Chaos and destruction.
However—
Just as Vivi thought this disaster was unstoppable, Zoro slowly took a step forward.
He firmly planted his feet on the ground, his Aura suddenly changing, like a majestic mountain, standing unmoving in the midst of a violent storm!
The next second—
"Clang—!"
wado ichimonji was slowly raised by him, and an extremely dense Armament Haki appeared on the blade.
The blade instantly became incredibly deep, as black as ink, like a black hole devouring everything!
The surrounding air began to vibrate violently, an indescribable Sword Qi swept in all directions, as if everything between heaven and earth was about to shatter under this Aura!
"—One Sword Style: Myriad Phenomena Void Cleave!"
Zoro's arms swung violently, and a terrifying sword momentum tore through the sky!
At this moment, heaven and earth seemed to stand still, the air suddenly solidified!
Boom!!
The next second, a destructive blade light erupted!
A black blade flash, carrying deep red lightning, burst forth from Zoro's hand!
The blade light cut through the Void Realm; wherever it passed, space seemed to be torn apart, and the violent Sword Qi seemed capable of splitting heaven and earth in two!
The air collapsed in that instant!
The world seemed to be twisted by this one slash; the violent blade flash exploded within the storm, transforming into a destructive torrent that tore through all things, slamming towards the raging sandstorm!
"Hiss—!!!"
The blade flash instantly pierced through the tornado, black and red lightning exploded within the storm, and the terrifying slash directly cut the hundreds of meters tall sandstorm tornado in half!!!
Rumble—!!
The entire sandstorm, under this one slash, completely collapsed!!!
The sky-high yellow sand lost the support of the strong wind and fell with a roar, the air filled with the lingering aftershocks of Saber Qi.
Black and red electric light moved through the dissipating dust, and the violent aftershocks swept across the desert, tearing the earth and leaving an unfathomably deep crack!
In an instant, the natural disaster was ended!
After the storm, heaven and earth were silent.
Only Zoro slowly retracted his long sword, his gaze as cold as a blade.
—This one slash was enough to shatter heaven and earth!
At this time, Zoro had perfected his new Move, and after performing it, he was not exhausted, only slightly out of breath.
In the distance, Crocodile was originally watching his sandstorm sweep away with great satisfaction.
In his opinion, this Move, even if it couldn't wipe out the Straw Hat Pirates, was enough to severely wound them, or even make them completely lose their combat capability!
But he never expected... a nameless swordsman from the Straw Hat Pirates, with just one slash, destroyed his proud "Sandstorm Funeral"!
How could this be?!
Crocodile's eyes suddenly narrowed, the sneer on his face freezing.
He looked at the remnants of the sandstorm that had turned into ruins, his fingers trembling slightly, his face extremely grim.
...What a joke...
His gaze slowly fell on Zoro, and a stormy wave rose in his heart.
A... swordsman with no bounty? He actually... shattered his sandstorm with one slash?
This was not an ordinary sandstorm, but a natural disaster unleashed to the limit by his Devil Fruit ability!
However, this swordsman shattered his attack as if he had casually cut down a dead tree!
Crocodile's pupils contracted slightly, and his heart seemed to skip a beat.
Originally, his Pay attention to for the Straw Hat Pirates was only focused on Luffy and Lin Ning, those two guys with a bounty of 100 million Berries, but now—
He suddenly realized that the terror of this pirate crew far exceeded his imagination!
Not just the Captain, but even the members without bounties... were unbelievably strong!
He bit his teeth hard, his eyes becoming incredibly gloomy.
"It seems... I must re-evaluate you all."
At this moment, for the first time, a true apprehension rose in Crocodile's heart!Chapter 79 Baroque Works VS Straw Hat Pirates
The desert storm had subsided, but the killing intent in the air was heavier than the recent gale.
Zoro's single slash that tore through the natural disaster completely shocked the entire Baroque Works!
The two thousand ordinary members of Baroque Works had pale faces, trembling bodies, and eyes filled with terror.
They had never imagined that human power could tear apart a natural disaster!
A swordsman, with just one slash, had cleaved Crocodile's "Sandstorm Funeral" into nothingness!
Could this... could this really be an enemy they could fight against?
The breathing of countless ordinary agents became rapid, cold sweat continuously dripped, their legs were trembling, and some even could no longer hold their weapons steadily.
They were wondering if they were dreaming... However, the Advanced cadres of Baroque Works standing at the forefront, despite a momentary look of horror on their faces, still had not lost their Battle Intent.
Especially Mr. 1, Daz Bonez, the Chop-Chop Devil Fruit User, his eyes gleamed with excitement.
His palm gently clenched, his knuckles making a "crack, crack" sound.
He slowly took a step, a cold smile playing on his lips, and whispered, "...Interesting."
He was already eager to fight this swordsman!
"Heh... heh heh..."
A low, cold laugh echoed in the air.
Everyone looked up, only to see—
Crocodile floated in mid-air, his body partially turned to sand, like a king presiding over the desert, looking down at the Straw Hat Pirates!
His cloak flapped in the wind, a disdainful smile on his face, and yellow sand slowly swirled around him.
His very existence was like a sandstorm that could devour everything at any moment!
The air seemed to solidify, a suffocating Aura swept across the battlefield, as if a king of the sea had descended.
The might of one of the Shichibukai, superior to ordinary pirates, was fully unleashed!
This Aura was chilling!
Below, the Advanced agents led by Mr. 1 stood in a line, each with a cold Battle Intent on their face.
They were the ace of Baroque Works, Devil Fruit Users, Crocodile's most trusted combatants!
Behind them, two thousand Baroque members stood in formation, even though they had been terrified by Zoro's blade light.
But under the oppressive feeling of the Shichibukai, they barely managed to maintain their formation.
Their numbers were two hundred times that of the Straw Hat Pirates!
Facing this overwhelming enemy formation, the Straw Hat Pirates did not back down in the slightest!
They stood in a line, with Luffy at the center, Zoro and Lin Ning on his left and right, and Sanji, Nami, Vivi, Usopp, and Chopper arranged in order.
Luffy stood at the very front, his fists clenched, his eyes burning, his face full of high Battle Intent!
His gaze was directly fixed on Crocodile in mid-air, a grin stretching to his ears on his lips.
"Heh heh... Crocodile."
"I've been waiting for this moment for a long time!"
Zoro held his sword with one hand, the tip slightly lowered, but his entire being had completely entered combat mode, his muscles taut, his eyes flashing with a cold sharpness.
"A bunch of small fry... can't stop us at all."
Sanji had one hand in his pocket, a cigarette in his mouth, gently exhaling a puff of smoke, a hint of cool Battle Intent in his eyes: "Hmm... Young Miss Vivi, please watch me perform!"
Although Nami's face was a little tense, her hand was already gripping an iron staff tightly, with determination in her eyes.
Cold sweat seeped from Usopp's forehead, but he gritted his teeth and quickly pulled back his custom slingshot, ready to provide support at any moment.
Chopper swallowed, and despite being a little scared, he let out a low growl and entered Heavy Point form, ready for battle.
Vivi stood in the team, clenching her fists tightly. She knew that this battle concerned the fate of the entire Alabasta!
The battle was about to erupt!
Crocodile stood in mid-air, looking down at the young pirates before him, his eyes cold, a mocking smile on his lips.
He slowly extended the golden hook on his left hand and lightly tapped his palm, making a crisp "ding" sound.
"...Since you don't know your place, then don't blame me for being impolite."
He said in a low voice, with killing intent: "Kill them!"
—Boom!!!
At Crocodile's command, two thousand Baroque members roared and charged towards the Straw Hat Pirates!
The wind howled, and yellow sand swirled.
Two thousand members of Baroque Works, under Crocodile's command, surged like a tide towards the Straw Hat Pirates.
The shouts of battle on the field were deafening, countless dust clouds rose in the desert, and dense figures formed a black tide under the scorching sun.
The Aura was surging, seemingly wanting to completely engulf this group of pirates before them.
Facing this overwhelming numerical advantage, Luffy stood still, unmoving.
He slowly looked up, his wide grin receding, replaced by a rare murderous Aura on his face.
His eyes became sharp and cold, like a fierce beast about to tear its prey apart.
He stared at Crocodile in mid-air in the distance, took a deep breath, and then—
"Weak small fry... there's no need for you to be on the field!!!"
Boom!!!
With Luffy's roar, an invisible yet destructive Aura suddenly burst from his body, sweeping across the entire field like a hurricane!
Conqueror's Haki—Unleashed!!!
At this moment, the heavens and earth changed color!
The yellow sand seemed to be forcibly pushed away by an invisible force, spreading out a terrifying shockwave in all directions.
The desert ground even cracked into tiny fissures, and the air was filled with a terrifying oppressive feeling!
"Ugh ah—!"
The ferocious Battle Intent on the faces of the ordinary members of Baroque Works charging at the very front instantly froze.
Their pupils contracted violently, as if they had seen something terrifying and incomprehensible!
The next second—
Bang bang bang bang bang!!!
Two thousand Baroque members, as if swept by the Grim Reaper's scythe, instantly rolled their eyes, their bodies stiffened, and they fell to the ground with a crash!
The entire battlefield was deathly silent!
Amidst the vast yellow sand, only the fallen bodies, like fields of wheat, were swept by an invisible storm, instantly turning into a silent wreckage on the ground!
And Crocodile and his Advanced agents, standing at the very front, remained conscious, but their expressions had changed!
In the sky, Crocodile had been watching Luffy with a cold smile, anticipating his subordinates testing the strength of these kids from the East Blue.
But the next moment—
When he saw two thousand subordinates instantly collapse, and felt that suffocating Aura, his expression finally changed completely!
His pupils suddenly contracted, the disdain and indifference on his face instantly replaced by shock, and his eyes revealed an unbelievable astonishment!
He stared at Luffy standing amidst the yellow sand, his lips trembling slightly, an unbelievable light flashing in his eyes.
"It's actually... Conqueror's Haki?!"
Crocodile's heart pounded wildly for a moment, his breathing becoming slightly rapid.
Conqueror's Haki... this is Haki that only a very few true kings can Awaken!Chapter 80 Luffy VS Crocodile
Crocodile, in the air, watched Luffy release his Conqueror's Haki with a somber expression.
In his long seafaring career, he had met only a handful of people who could master this Haki, and among them, the one who left the deepest impression was that man —
"Whitebeard" Edward Newgate!!!
In an instant, past images flashed through Crocodile's mind, of the man he hated to his core.
That weathered yet incomparably domineering face, that unmatched Conqueror's Haki!
Rage instantly surged into his heart!
"Heh... heh heh..."
Crocodile gritted his teeth, his mouth twitching slightly, as he stared intently at Luffy below.
His eyes had become completely dark, and the shock on his face gradually turned into ferocious anger!
"So what if it's Conqueror's Haki?!"
He sneered, an immense killing intent in his eyes, his tone as cold as ice: "No matter how amazing a Genius... they still need to grow up first!"
He suddenly extended his left hand, his golden hook glinting with a cold light, and sand began to spin wildly in his hand!
"Straw Hat Luffy..."
"Your fate was sealed the moment you decided to challenge me!"
"Your head, today, must be mine!!!"
The moment Crocodile roared, the sky-high yellow sand was swept up by the power of the Sand-Sand Fruit, and the violent sand flow, like a roaring Dragon, churned endlessly in the sky!
The air on the battlefield was filled with an indescribable tension!
And Luffy, upon hearing Crocodile's words, slowly raised his head, revealing a wild and unrestrained smile!
"Heh heh... Crocodile."
He clenched his fists, his bones making a crisp sound, and his entire body's Battle Intent burned like flames, his eyes filled with excitement and Battle Intent!
"Try it!"
"Can you take my head!!!"
Boom!!!
Luffy stomped his feet violently, and the entire ground cracked open!
He transformed into a lightning-like afterimage, charging straight at Crocodile!
Boom!!
Yellow sand churned, and strong winds howled!
Luffy suddenly shot up from the ground, soaring into the sky!
He clenched his fists tightly, intense Armament Haki covering them, and black-red lightning crackled on his dark fists, emanating a suffocating pressure!
At this moment, his gaze was locked onto Crocodile!
Without any wasted words, he unleashed a full-power strike!
"Rubber-Rubber — Rocket!!!"
"Buzz —!!!"
The air vibrated in that instant!
Luffy's arms suddenly stretched backward, and under the elasticity of the Rubber-Rubber Fruit, two black shadows, like rockets poised for launch, were pulled to their limit!
"Bang!!!"
The next second, his arms shot out!
With an astonishing explosive force that could destroy everything, two fists covered in Armament Haki, like two whistling rockets.
They tore through the air, trailing black-red lightning, and slammed towards Crocodile in the sky!
High above, Crocodile's eyes suddenly narrowed, and his heart pounded wildly in an instant!
This attack... he couldn't dodge it!
Luffy's Observation Haki had completely locked onto his aura, making it impossible for him to escape using his sandification ability!
"Damn monster!!!"
Crocodile's face was ferocious, cursing in his heart!
He never expected that a brat from the weakest sea, the East Blue, would be this powerful!
If it wasn't Conqueror's Haki, it was Armament Haki, and now even Observation Haki was this outrageous?!
A surge of anger ignited in his heart!
"Bastard...! I'll show you, the King of the Desert!!!"
"Desert — Spada!!!"
Crocodile roared, unleashing his full power!
Boom!!!
The desert's fierce winds swirled madly around him, and he violently swung his right hand forward, a terrifying sand blade condensing out of thin air!
That was no ordinary sand, but a blade of sand compressed to high intensity and rotating at ultra-high speed!
At this moment, the entire sky seemed to be torn apart by this giant sand blade, the air being cut, emitting sharp hissing sounds and terrifying whooshes!
This was a storm blade that could easily cut through boulders and tear through steel!
This single strike could even cleave the earth!
Boom!!!
Two destructive forces collided head-on in mid-air!!!
Luffy's Armament Rocket vs. Crocodile's Desert Spada!
"Boom — — — —!!!"
In an instant, the sky seemed to split open, and a shockwave, centered on the two of them, swept across the entire battlefield!
Countless black-red lightning bolts exploded madly at the collision point!
Yellow sand was blasted away, and the violent aftermath directly tore apart the sand dunes on the battlefield below, forming bottomless ravines!
The Advanced Agents of Baroque Works standing below, who had initially looked indifferent, now had their eyes wide open, their bodies trembling uncontrollably!
At this moment, they deeply realized that they could not intervene in this battle at all!
That world-shattering power was completely beyond their comprehension!
"Ho- ... how is this possible..."
Mr.1's pupils contracted, he clenched his fists, his palms trembling slightly.
"Boom —!!!"
The next second, a horrifying scene occurred!
Crocodile's "Desert Spada" was instantly shattered the moment it touched Luffy's fists!
"Wh- ... what?!"
Crocodile's pupils constricted sharply, his face changing drastically!
However, before he could even react —
Luffy's fists directly pierced through the sand, broke through the defense, and slammed hard into Crocodile's chest!
"Bang!!!"
"Ugh ah ah ah —!!!"
Crocodile's eyes widened, and he violently spat out a large mouthful of blood!
Crack —!!
Who knows how many ribs were broken, and he was sent flying backward, his body arching in the air, all arrogance and Haoshoku gone from his face!
"Damn... monster...!!!"
He cursed, and his entire body, as if hit by a cannonball, plummeted from high in the sky towards the earth!!
"Boom!!! —"
Crocodile crashed heavily, yellow sand rolling, kicking up a terrifying shockwave of dust!
At this moment, the once high and mighty Shichibukai, Crocodile... was finally blasted out of the sky!!!
The battlefield was silent!
Amidst the sky-high dust, the entire battlefield was completely silent!
The Advanced Agents of Baroque Works, one by one, had blank stares, even forgetting to breathe!
They looked at the figure that had fallen from the sky, landing miserably in the desert, their eyes filled with disbelief!
Crocodile... was actually defeated head-on?!
Their leader... their King... was actually defeated by a single blow from a newcomer!
This is impossible!!!
However, Luffy, standing at the front line of the battlefield, merely shook his fists lightly, exhaled, his gaze incredibly calm.
He looked down at Crocodile lying on the ground, his eyes firm, his Haki awe-inspiring!
"Crocodile..."
"You're not dead yet, are you?"
"Get up! I'm not done fighting yet!"