Rainbase
The doors of Rain Dinners opened slowly, creaking under the weight of the silence that dominated the city. The darkness inside swallowed the street light for a moment before allowing the figure to emerge.
Crocodile advanced, imposing. The fur coat hung over his shoulders like a mantle of authority. The cigar smoke danced around him, the bitter smell mixing with the dry desert air. His golden eyes, cold and calculating, scanned the scene.
The fallen bodies of the guards.
The Going Merry anchored right in the middle of the square.
Riser, standing in front of the ship, as if it were all a game where he held all the pieces.
Mr. 1, Mr. 2, Miss Doublefinger, Miss Merry Christmas, and Mr. 4 formed a line behind Crocodile, like predators waiting for the order to attack.
The silence cracked.
His voice tore through the air.
"Who dares to turn my casino into this circus?"
The deep tone carried disdain and fury.
Luffy stepped forward, eyes shining with determination.
"Me!"
His fists clenched.
"I am Monkey D. Luffy!"
His chest swelled with the certainty of a king.
"I will be the Pirate King!"
The world seemed to stop for a second.
Then—
Shishishishi!
Luffy's laughter echoed through the square.
Alvida tilted her head, a sharp smile.
"He doesn't waste time."
Zoro twirled the blade in his hand, assessing the enemies.
"This is going to be complicated."
Crocodile took a drag from his cigar, releasing the smoke slowly.
A lazy smile formed on his lips.
"Hmph. Insignificant pirates."
His sharp eyes turned to Riser.
"You. I've heard of you."
Riser remained still, hands in his pockets.
"I imagine so."
Crocodile's gaze narrowed.
"You should know that attacking Baroque Works is not a game."
Riser's low laughter cut through the silence.
"Then why does it seem so fun?"
The golden eyes gleamed with a touch of disinterest.
Crocodile didn't respond immediately. He just smiled, a cruel and sharp smile.
Then, he raised his hand.
Fwoosh!
The air around became dry. Sand rose from the ground, swirling in thin spirals.
The wind hissed.
Luffy leaned forward, excited.
"Hey, that's cool!"
Zoro drew a second sword.
Alvida gripped her club firmly.
Riser... remained still.
The dust slowly dissipated, revealing Crocodile again, now with a lethal look.
"I'll crush you and bury your carcasses in the desert."
Mr. 1 stepped forward, arms crossed.
Mr. 2 twirled in place, laughing.
"Ahhh, how exciting! I love a good fight!"
Miss Doublefinger cracked her knuckles, her nails extending like blades.
Miss Merry Christmas snorted.
"You've already lost, brats."
The ground creaked under the weight of tension.
Then—
BOOM!
Luffy advanced first.
"Gomu Gomu no Pistol!"
His fist stretched like lightning.
Crocodile didn't even blink.
Swoosh!
The attack passed through his body.
Luffy's eyes widened.
"What?!"
The sand accumulated where flesh should have been.
Crocodile laughed.
"Poor choice."
His hand rose.
The sand swirled.
Luffy was engulfed.
The square exploded in dust and wind.
Zoro jumped back.
Alvida shielded herself with the club.
Riser, however, didn't move.
The dust fog cleared.
Luffy was down, his body covered in sand.
He quickly got up, shaking his head.
"That was weird."
Crocodile twirled the cigar in his fingers.
"Idiot. You can't touch me."
Luffy's smile grew.
"Then I'll try again!"
---
Zoro drew the third sword.
"I'll cut this entire desert if I have to."
Mr. 1 smiled.
"If you can, swordsman."
The metallic gleam shone.
Clang!
The blades crossed in a deafening impact.
The ground cracked under the force of the blow.
Zoro pushed.
Mr. 1 didn't budge.
The clash of steel vibrated in the air.
---
Alvida cracked her neck.
"So this is the feared Crocodile?"
The club spun in the air.
"Let's see how much he can take."
She advanced.
Miss Doublefinger intercepted.
"If you think you can just walk through here, you're mistaken."
Her nails grew, turning into sharp blades.
Alvida smiled.
"Let's see who cuts who first."
Zas!
The steel cut through the air.
Alvida dodged, spinning her body.
The club came down.
Miss Doublefinger jumped back at the last moment.
The wood cracked the ground where she was a second before.
"Fast."
Alvida licked her lips.
"I'm faster."
---
Crocodile ignored everything.
The sand swirled in his palm.
"What's wrong, pirate? Tired?"
Luffy spat the sand from his mouth.
"I don't lose that easily!"
He jumped.
"Gomu Gomu no Gatling!"
Fists came down like a rain of meteors.
The sand swallowed everything.
Crocodile reappeared to the side, untouched.
Luffy fell, rolling on the ground.
"This doesn't make sense!"
Crocodile took a drag from his cigar.
"That's your problem."
His hand touched the ground.
The earth dried instantly.
The desert consumed the place where Luffy was.
He jumped at the last second.
"Whoa!"
Crocodile laughed low.
"Pathetic."
Luffy gritted his teeth.
"This isn't over!"
Riser sighed.
"Enough."
He snapped his fingers.
FWOOSH!
Flames emerged.
Miss Merry Christmas didn't even have time to scream.
The fire consumed her.
Mr. 4 turned, eyes wide.
The heat swallowed him.
Ashes.
Crocodile narrowed his eyes.
"What was that?"
Riser smiled.
"Just eliminating distractions."
The tension grew.
Crocodile extinguished the cigar against his glove.
"Interesting."
---
Zoro pressed the blades against Mr. 1.
"I'll cut you."
Mr. 1 pushed back.
"If you can."
The sword gleamed.
Zoro spun in the air.
"Rashomon!"
The blade came down.
Mr. 1's metal resisted.
"Good strike."
The steel fist shot out.
Zoro blocked at the last moment.
BANG!
The impact threw him back.
He landed on his feet.
Mr. 1 advanced.
"The next one will cut."
Zoro smiled.
"Then come."
---
Luffy wiped his face.
"I can still fight!"
Riser sighed.
"No."
The wind sliced through the square as Crocodile watched the clash with a lazy smile.
The desert was his domain.
Luffy growled, fists clenched.
"You don't boss me around, Riser!"
Anger vibrated in his voice.
"I'll defeat him with my own fists!"
Crocodile's hand rose slightly.
"You are irritating."
The ground cracked.
Fwoosh!
A sand gust rose around Luffy. He jumped, barely escaping.
"You're too slow."
Crocodile reappeared behind him.
The strike came like an invisible blade.
Luffy spun in the air.
"Uooooh!"
Riser didn't move.
Luffy landed hard, rolling across the ground. Frustration burned in his eyes.
Why can't I hit him?!
Crocodile took a slow drag from his cigar, exhaling the smoke.
"Pathetic."
Luffy got up again.
"I'm going to finish you off!"
Riser vanished.
Fwosh!
The air around distorted.
In an instant, he was there.
Right next to Crocodile.
Close enough that the cigar's scent mixed with the desert dust.
The Warlord blinked.
The fire?
No.
The punch.
BANG!
The impact was solid.
Crocodile's body folded in half.
Blood.
A scarlet splash flew from his mouth, mixing with the sand.
His body was sent backward, feet dragging across the ground.
The world froze.
His chest burned.
His eyes widened.
What…?
His mind twisted in confusion.
Luffy blinked.
"He hit him?"
Zoro narrowed his eyes.
"That shouldn't be possible."
Alvida let out a low chuckle.
"Ahahah! The big guy felt that one."
Mr. 1 stepped forward, expression rigid.
"That shouldn't have happened."
Crocodile spat blood.
Pain radiated through his abdomen.
His eyes trembled for a moment before returning to Riser.
The blond man smiled.
"Did you think you were untouchable?"
The wind cut through the square.
Crocodile ran his tongue over his teeth, tasting the metallic tang of his own blood.
Haki.
It had to be.
Riser tilted his head slightly, as if reading his thoughts.
"You thought you were invincible."
Luffy clenched his fists, still trying to understand.
"Hey, hey, hey! How did you hit him?! I tried so many times and didn't even get close!"
Riser turned to him, his eyes glowing with boredom.
"You're punching the wind."
Luffy blinked, confused.
"Huh?"
Zoro frowned.
"He's not wrong."
Crocodile wiped his mouth, standing up again.
"That was interesting, but it won't happen again."
The sand coiled around him.
Riser didn't look impressed.
"You think cheap tricks will change anything?"
Crocodile's smirk didn't falter.
"We'll see."
The sandstorm rose.
Luffy clapped his palms together, frustrated.
"I want to hit him too!"
Riser ignored him.
Zoro gritted his teeth.
"If he's made of sand, then why did Riser's punch work?"
Alvida rested her club on her shoulder, a predatory gleam in her eyes.
"Whatever it is, I want to learn it."
Crocodile lunged forward.
His arm morphed into a sand blade, ready to pierce.
Riser dodged effortlessly.
His fist glowed.
Another strike.
BANG!
Crocodile was sent flying again.
The sand tried to reform, but the damage was done.
The desert swallowed the blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.
His eyes darkened.
Luffy's eyes widened.
"That was amazing!"
Zoro watched intently.
He's using something beyond brute force.
Riser turned to them.
"If you want to survive in the New World, stop relying only on your bodies."
His fist glowed for a moment before the energy dissipated.
"This is called Haki."
Luffy tilted his head.
"Haki?"
Riser sighed.
"Forget it for now. Worry about not dying."
Crocodile clenched his fists.
"What are you?"
Riser's golden eyes gleamed.
"Your successor."
Crocodile's smirk disappeared.
The fight had changed.
Now he knew.
He could be touched.
And for the first time in a long time…
He was at a disadvantage.
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Also, don't forget to check out my other fanfic:
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A new life, a new Clark Kent — with all the memories of his past life intact.