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!"