The underground chamber trembled with every breath they took.
Cracked pillars stood half-buried in sand. A dry wind howled through the ruins, carrying the smell of blood and dust.
Crocodile stood tall, his coat torn, his golden hook glinting under the dim light.
His eyes were cold. Calm. Arrogant.
He didn't even look tired.
Across from him, Luffy wiped the blood from his mouth. His chest rose and fell fast, but his grin never faded.
"Round three," Luffy said. "This time, I'm not losing."
Crocodile chuckled, low and cruel. "You really don't know when to give up, do you?"
"I told you already," Luffy said, taking a step forward. "I'll beat you and save Vivi's country."
"Bold words for a dying man."
Crocodile raised his hand — the sand on the floor stirred, forming a massive spear that shot toward Luffy.
"Desert Spada!"
The sand blade sliced through stone like paper, cutting deep into the ground.
Luffy jumped aside, barely dodging it. The shockwave sent rubble flying.
Before Luffy could recover, Crocodile appeared behind him — his body dissolving into sand and reforming instantly.
The golden hook flashed.
"Sables!" A sandstorm exploded outward.
Luffy covered his face, but the storm hit like knives. He dug his feet into the floor and pushed forward through the roaring wind.
"Gum Gum Pistol!"
His fist stretched and slammed into Crocodile's face — but it passed straight through him. Crocodile's body turned to sand once again.
Luffy's eyes widened. "Tch!"
"Still haven't learned?" Crocodile sneered. "You can't hit me."
He swung his hook down, and the curved blade grazed Luffy's shoulder. Blood sprayed out.
Luffy stumbled back, clutching his arm.
Crocodile smirked. "You see, Straw Hat. The weak will always be swallowed by the desert."
Sand gathered around him like a living creature. He raised his arm, and the sand took shape into a giant claw.
"Desert la Spada!"
He slashed again — the sand claw cut deep across the floor, missing Luffy by inches.
Luffy coughed, gasping for breath. His mouth was dry. His skin burned.
But his eyes—his eyes were still sharp.
"Then I'll just hit you… with water," Luffy muttered.
Crocodile frowned. "Water?"
Luffy reached for the small barrel tied to his back — he popped the cork and took a huge gulp.
Then, before Crocodile could react, he sprayed the water from his mouth right into his opponent's face.
Crocodile's sand instantly hardened.
Luffy grinned. "Got you."
"Gum Gum Bazooka!"
His hands smashed into Crocodile's chest, hurling him backward through a stone wall.
The entire chamber shook as Crocodile hit the ground hard, coughing up sand and dust.
For the first time, Crocodile looked surprised. "You—!"
But Luffy didn't stop. He ran forward, swinging wildly.
"Gum Gum.Stamp!"
"Gum Gum Gatling!"
Punch after punch rained down, shaking the room like thunder.
Crocodile blocked with his hook, sand scattering everywhere, but Luffy's blows kept coming, faster and harder, until even the Warlord stumbled.
Then Crocodile smiled.
"You think a little trick like that will save you?"
His hook glowed dark purple — poison dripping from its tip.
"Die."
He stabbed forward, straight into Luffy's chest.
The sound echoed like a bell.
Luffy's body stiffened. His eyes widened. The hook had pierced right through him.
Crocodile leaned close, his grin twisted. "Game over."
He ripped the hook out, and Luffy dropped to his knees, coughing blood.
Crocodile turned away. "Pathetic."
But before he could walk off, Luffy's voice rasped out — weak.
"I'm… not done yet."
He forced himself to stand, blood dripping down his shirt.
Crocodile stopped and glanced back, annoyed. "You don't know when to quit."
Luffy grinned weakly. "You hurt my friends… made Vivi cry… I'll never forgive you."
He reached for the ground and poured the last of the water from the barrel onto his hands.
His fists shimmered, glistening wet.
Crocodile frowned. "You think that will make a difference?"
Luffy's eyes hardened. "Let's find out!"
The two clashed again.
Luffy's wet fists slammed into Crocodile's sand body — and this time, they connected.
Crocodile's head snapped back from the impact. He tried to counter with his hook, but Luffy grabbed it mid-swing and yanked him forward.
"Gum Gum Bullet!"
The punch hit like a cannon blast, sending Crocodile crashing into the wall.
Dust filled the air.
Luffy's breathing grew heavier. His wounds bled freely, but he didn't stop.
Crocodile wiped the blood from his mouth. His face twisted with rage. "You insolent brat!"
The floor began to split apart. Sand rose into the air, forming a huge swirling tornado.
"Ground Death!" Crocodile shouted.
Everything around them started turning to sand — even the stone pillars began to crumble into dust.
Luffy jumped from rock to rock, dodging the whirlpool of destruction.
"Quit hiding!" Crocodile roared.
"Gladly!" Luffy yelled back. He flung his arm forward. "Gomu Gomu no Rifle!"
The twisting punch smashed through the storm, cutting right through Crocodile's sand.
The impact sent him flying again, blood spraying from his mouth. His golden hook shattered on the floor.
Luffy landed hard, knees shaking. He was almost out of strength, but his spirit burned brighter than ever.
Crocodile pushed himself up, glaring with pure hatred. His sand began to swirl around him again, faster, darker — like a living storm.
"You think you've won?!" he shouted. "This country belongs to me!"
"Not anymore," Luffy said. "It belongs to Vivi!"
He lunged forward, fists pulled back.
Crocodile swung his sand arm in rage — "Desert Grande Espada!"
The sand blades shot toward Luffy like lightning — but Luffy jumped straight through them, ignoring the cuts, the pain, everything.
"Gum Gum…STORM!"
He twisted his arms in a circle, faster and faster until his entire body became a spinning force of destruction.
Then he launched upward, fists raining down in a hurricane of blows.
Each hit crashed into Crocodile — one after another — breaking through the floor, the ceiling, the walls.
The air itself screamed from the impact.
Crocodile's body was flung upward, smashing through the roof, through layers of stone, through the entire palace.
"GET OUT OF ALUBARNA!!!" Luffy roared as his final punch sent Crocodile flying into the sunlight above.
For a long moment, everything went silent.
Dust rained down from the broken ceiling. The sandstorm faded.
Luffy dropped to his knees, panting.
He looked up through the hole in the roof — sunlight poured through.
Crocodile's body fell back down somewhere above, crashing into the streets of Alubarna.
Luffy smiled faintly. "I told you… I'd beat you."
Then his body finally gave out, and he collapsed onto the cracked stone floor.