Hearing Crocodile's words, Ian suddenly laughed.
Ah!
This guy really knew how to boast and sell dreams.
If he knew the Ancient Weapon he was planning for wasn't even in Alabasta, would he vomit blood on the spot?
But that faint smile instantly made the self-satisfied Crocodile's expression darken. "Are you mocking me? You ignorant kid, you have no idea what I'm after. Do you really think the West Blue—"
"Enough, stop talking!"
Ian interrupted Crocodile. "You're after the Ancient Weapon, right?"
Crocodile: "...?!"
His words instantly stunned Crocodile.
How did this guy know?
The Marine Headquarters higher-up... Could it be that the Marines already discovered his plan?!
"Relax, the Marine Headquarters hasn't discovered your plan."
Watching Crocodile's changing expression, Ian could easily guess his thoughts.
He raised the Divine Axe Rhitta and pointed it at Crocodile while speaking calmly: "There's something you're mistaken about. I'm only listening to you calmly because I appreciate you not disturbing my wife in the tavern. It's not because I'm afraid of anything, you know. You..."
As he said that, Ian's body, bathed in sunlight, bulged with muscle, ripping open his clothes, his expression turning ice cold.
"You're just a pirate who crawled back to Paradise from the New World with your tail between your legs."
"You bastard!!!"
Hearing his humiliation spoken aloud, Crocodile's ever-changing face instantly flushed with rage. His fear of the World Government and Marine Headquarters discovering his secret vanished.
That composed and cold demeanor evaporated.
"A kid who has been stuck in the West Blue, what would you know? Do you think the New World is as boring as the West Blue? It's a heaven for the strong!"
Cold killing intent mixed with fury filled his eyes. "I don't know why you know all this, but do you really think you can challenge me with your meager strength? I'll make you pay for your ignorance and beat you until you kneel at my feet and obey me!"
As Crocodile finished his words, a gust of wind suddenly swept up the sand towards Ian.
Crocodile moved at the same time, wind and sand swirling as he disappeared from his spot.
Facing the sudden movement, Ian remained indifferent, his face still cold as ice as he stared at the swirling sandstorm.
This guy got easily triggered by words.
In the blink of an eye, he twisted his body in an indescribable motion while swinging his axe backward.
Clang!
A harsh clash exploded.
Crocodile reappeared behind Ian, his golden hook clashing against Ian's golden axe.
A terrifying shockwave erupted between them and blasted outward, bending the nearby trees.
Seeing his attack blocked, Crocodile's eyes flashed with surprise, but only for an instant. He quickly launched a kick, aiming to send Ian flying.
But he failed!
Ian's twisted body returned to normal, and his right leg shot out as well.
Bang!
Another violent shockwave burst outward.
Ian's shirt was completely blown apart by his swelling muscles.
Crocodile's shock turned to horror.
He was a Logia-type Devil Fruit user!
Yet this kid, who hadn't even reached the New World, could hit him?
Armament Haki?!
But after just a moment, Crocodile recovered again, and he stared coldly at Ian.
"I didn't expect you to have mastered Armament Haki? Is that why you're confident? If you think you can act arrogantly in front of me simply by relying on Armament Haki, then that's truly foolish. Armament Haki, in the New World… is as common as sand in the desert!"
"Is that so?"
Facing Crocodile's mockery, Ian, bathing in sunlight, bare-chested, remained completely calm.
While blocking Crocodile's attacks, he felt the axe in his hand.
Come to think of it, ever since he obtained his new axe, this was his first real battle.
Having such a worthy opponent, what a rare thing!
His heart couldn't help but grow excited.
Especially when he felt how the Divine Axe Rhitta moved perfectly to his will, his blood started boiling.
As expected of a weapon forged by Vegapunk!
Heavy! Long! Hard!
It suited him perfectly, like it was tailor-made.
Ian raised Rhitta high and smashed it down.
"But your Armament Haki doesn't look very impressive either!"
"Scorching Sun: Guillotine!"
Boom!
At the moment the axe fell, Crocodile's expression changed, and he instantly turned into sand and disappeared from the spot.
The ground where the axe struck shattered violently, wind hurling stones and dust into the air.
This time, Ian didn't stay still.
Basking in the afternoon sun, making him look like a warrior clad in golden armor, he stomped off and charged forward.
"Shave!"
The moment he landed, his legs spread wide, and the divine axe, Rhitta, in his hand, was already swinging.
Clang!
The axe locked onto Crocodile, who had released his elemental form, forcing him to raise his golden hook to block the blow, only to be sent flying by the terrifying force, creating a massive crater in the ground.
After taking several hits, he discarded his initial arrogance.
This guy... Even in the New World, he could rule a whole sea area!
"Looks like your strength isn't as strong as your mouth."
Bare-chested, Ian lifted Rhitta onto his shoulder while staring expressionlessly at Crocodile as he climbed out of the rubble.
"Your Armament Haki isn't as tough as your mouth either. Much weaker than I expected. How disappointing. Could it be that after escaping from the New World, even your Armament Haki has weakened?"
"What do you know!!"
Standing in the crater, Crocodile suddenly snapped.
His cigar even fell from his mouth as his eyes reddened in fury.
"A kid from West Blue who knows nothing, dare to mock me?!"
He charged forward like an enraged beast, as if trying to unleash long-suppressed humiliation and fury.
A crescent-shaped sand blade formed as his arm expanded and swung toward Ian.
"Do you know who defeated me?! Do you?! It was—!"
But Ian didn't give him the chance to vent.
Clang!
He blocked the sand blade and spoke flatly: "Of course. Whitebeard, Edward Newgate. But so what?"
Crocodile's face flushed red with rage, as if the words he was about to roar were stuck in his throat.
This bastard!
"So after you were defeated, you fled from the New World and didn't dare to face your enemy again?"
Ian said expressionlessly.
"You lost the courage to stand back up, yet you dream of ruling the seas?"
"You... You know nothing! I'm—!"
"Looking for an Ancient Weapon, right?"
Ian continued coldly.
"Planning to return to the New World not by your own strength, but relying on an Ancient Weapon, to make the man who beat you pay?"
"You—!"
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