Chapter 49: Fierce Battle with Crocodile
Reiner knew Crocodile wouldn't fall so easily. Even if they couldn't kill the Crocodile, they had to at least protect Robin first.
Reiner's prediction was correct. Before the test tube even reached Crocodile, he had already transformed into his element in advance. His body dissolved into sand, opening two voids to evade the water and dagger, while simultaneously forming one hand into a reddish-yellow sand blade.
"You dare betray me!"
Sand Crocodile's face twisted ferociously. The crimson sand blade in his hand vibrated at high speed, clearly possessing immense cutting power – a move capable of easily slicing through rock.
However, just then, the test tube and dagger that passed through Crocodile were caught by a pair of delicate hands that sprouted behind him. With a firm squeeze, the test tube shattered, and the water splashed directly onto Crocodile's body.
Robin had used her Devil Fruit ability to grow hands right behind Sand Crocodile!
Doused with water, Crocodile was forced out of his elemental form. He stumbled, then forcefully stabilized himself, whipping his head around to look behind him.
A slender hand gripped the dagger, its cold glint stabbing directly towards a part of his body that couldn't turn into sand!
"Useless trick!"
Clang—!
Crocodile had long figured out the abilities of the Flower-Flower Fruit. His hook parried the dagger, while simultaneously activating his own power. Rapidly swirling grains of sand continuously sliced at the arms sprouted behind him.
"Ngh!"
Robin, despite not being directly attacked, suddenly let out a muffled groan. Several bloody scratches instantly appeared on her arms crossed before her chest.
When parts grown by the Flower-Flower Fruit are damaged, the injury transfers to the main body – this is the ability's fatal flaw.
"Die! Desert Spada!"
Sand Crocodile roared, a long, thin blade of flying sand shooting towards Robin's shoulder – a non-fatal area – at extreme speed.
Even now, Crocodile hadn't given up on the idea of using her to obtain information about the Ancient Weapon.
Seeing the incoming sand blade, Robin's pupils dilated. Knowing she couldn't dodge, a trace of unwillingness appeared on her face. However, a tall silhouette suddenly appeared before her eyes.
The Blue Ogre held its round shield horizontally. The moment the sand blade made contact, it tilted the shield slightly, deflecting the force. The impacting sand blade disintegrated into grains, scattering to the side.
Simultaneously, the lagging Red Ogre had finished charging power into the spear in its hand. Gripping it tightly with five fingers, it twisted forcefully and launched the spear explosively.
Then, without pausing, it drew the greatsword from its waist and followed up, charging forward.
The spear arrived in the blink of an eye, fast as lightning. Crocodile raised his hand abruptly, intending to block it with his golden hook, but the next moment, his hook was violently knocked aside. The spear's momentum undiminished, it continued stabbing towards him.
The thrown spear is spinning at high speed!
Zing—!
In desperation, Crocodile quickly retracted the hand that had attacked Robin, forming a Desert Adamant Spada, and slashed fiercely at the spear, managing to deflect its trajectory slightly.
Swoosh—!
The spear grazed past him and slammed into the area behind, causing a massive explosion. Even three tall stone pillars were snapped in half.
Feeling the sound of displaced air rush past his ear, Crocodile was secretly alarmed. Seeing the Red Ogre charging straight at him, he didn't have time for detailed thought and instantly dissolved into flying sand, retreating rapidly.
"How troublesome!"
Crocodile frowned deeply, landing atop a broken pillar and looking down at the figures below.
There are actually two Haki users here! Their speed and strength are likely superior to mine.
Moreover, judging by their deflection technique just now, and that spinning spear throw, their combat skills are clearly extremely high.
Crocodile crouched down, placing one hand on the ground. The next moment, the pillar he stood on, along with the surrounding ground, began to crumble into sand.
"Ground Death Cycle!" (Ground Secco)
Facing such formidable enemies, he needed to forcibly create a desert environment more conducive to his abilities, especially since their captain hadn't even made a move yet.
The ability's effect rapidly spread outwards, continuously sucking the moisture out of everything it touched. The surrounding structures withered and turned to sand, assimilated into the transforming ground.
"Father!!"
Vivi cried out anxiously as she saw the spreading wasteland about to engulf Cobra.
The Blue and Red Ogres scooped him up and leaped backward. Robin didn't dare enter the range of Sand Crocodile's ability either, fleeing towards Luffy's direction.
The enemy of her enemy was her friend, plus they had just saved her.
At least for now, they could stand on a united front and cooperate to defeat Crocodile first.
"Luffy! Water!"
Reiner tossed a small barrel of water to Luffy. Having prepared so much to counter Crocodile, how could he possibly overlook this weakness? He had explained it to Luffy earlier.
"Thanks, Reiner!"
Luffy caught the small barrel, immediately lifted it overhead, and doused himself completely. His eyes hardened as he charged towards Crocodile.
The Blue and Red Ogres placed Cobra down safely and followed close behind Luffy.
Soon, the Ground Secco transformation stopped. Nearly half the underground tomb had been turned into a desert by Sand Crocodile, thick layers of sand covering the ground, with only short stumps of pillars remaining visible.
"Sables!"
Sand swirled and flew from Crocodile's right palm. The small vortex instantly grew into a sandstorm, sweeping towards Luffy and the Ogres.
The powerful wind pressure not only slowed their advance but also continuously cut at their bodies. The half-pillars in its path shattered instantly upon contact.
Due to the sandstorm's large area of effect and the lack of cover in the tomb, the three simply powered through it, relying on their powerful and resilient bodies.
However, what greeted them on the other side was a giant pillar of sand, nearly ten meters in diameter, smashing down with immense force.
BOOM!!!
The trio, having just emerged from the sandstorm, were caught off guard and blasted back over ten meters, right back into the swirling sand.
"Ground Death!" ( Sand Python Banquet)
Before the three could react, Crocodile waved his hand grandly. Several more giant sand pillars erupted from the ground, attacking Luffy like giant pythons pouncing on prey, radiating terrifying power as they danced wildly.
"Damn it!"
Luffy flipped back onto his feet, shielding his eyes with one hand. Bending his legs, he pushed off forcefully, launching himself explosively towards Crocodile again, his fists trailing behind him before snapping forward.
"Gum-Gum... Storm!"
With Luffy's roar, his fists rained down like a pear blossom storm, crazily pounding the heads of the innumerable giant pythons, continuously smashing them apart.
However, the pythons, generated from the sand, constantly replenished their damaged forms with more sand.
Luffy's barrage only managed to slow them down.
Logia types are this broken?
Reiner watched the grand scene, secretly amazed. The power of these techniques was far more exaggerated than he had imagined.
Just these sand pythons alone, their sheer weight was far beyond what ordinary people could withstand.
Seems there really was some truth to those 'shames of the Logia' being teased.
BOOM!!
The Blue and Red Ogres shot forward, slamming their shields hard against the oncoming giant pythons.
After breaking through the initial wave of sand pythons, Luffy leaped through the opening. His hands, left behind, snapped back like palms, then shot forward towards Crocodile.
"Gum-Gum Bazooka!"
"Cinco Puerta!" ( Five Layer Sand Gate)
Sand Crocodile raised his hand, and five thick sand walls erupted from the ground. Each was several meters thick, the sand on their surfaces flowing rapidly.
Bang!
Bang!
The thunderous force of the Bazooka smashed through three sand walls like splitting bamboo, but its power gradually diminished, getting bogged down in the flowing sand of the fourth wall.
With a thought from Sand Crocodile, the remaining two sand walls instantly transformed into crocodile heads, opening their ferocious maws to bite down hard on Luffy.
Swoosh!
Swoosh! Two whistling sounds echoed almost simultaneously. The Red Ogre somehow had another white bone spear in hand. Together with the Blue Ogre, they hurled their spears with force.
BOOM!
The spears streaked through the air like meteors. In a flash, they pierced into the mouths of the two crocodile heads, blowing them apart with a bang, then continued flying towards Crocodile.
"Desert Adamant Spada!"
Crocodile transformed both hands into giant sand blades and slashed at the spears, deflecting them.
Then, bracing one hand on the ground, with another thought, dozens, even hundreds, of person-sized sand crocodiles materialized and charged forward wildly.
Reiner frowned deeply. The opponent seemed far stronger than he had imagined. Blue Ogre and Red Ogre were still struggling to get close, let alone himself.
At this distance, his marksmanship and the Bone Chain Sword were unlikely to hit.
Hakoku required charging time, and if it failed once, the opponent would be wary, making it difficult to use again.
"Usopp! Find a good position! See if you can find an opportunity!"
Reiner had already given Usopp one of the special guns capable of firing Seastone bullets.
His sniping talent wasn't just for firing slingshots.
"Got it, Reiner!"
Usopp's expression was resolute. He nodded firmly and slipped away into the shadows.
Meanwhile, Luffy and the Ogres were busy dealing with the surging horde of crocodiles. Watching Crocodile continuously unleashing abilities from the rear, a determined glint flashed in Luffy's eyes.
"Without using that move, I probably can't get close to him."
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