Chapter 53: The End
Ripples spread across the sandy ground as the Blue and Red Ogres at the center stared intently at Crocodile before them, their empty eye sockets fixed.
Reiner prepared to seize the opportunity, charging up a powerful ultimate attack to end the battle directly. Despite Crocodile having a Seastone bullet embedded in him, Reiner couldn't help but worry; a bad feeling arose spontaneously.
What if?
Crocodile's smile was already twisted like that; he couldn't afford not to be cautious.
The next moment, something completely unexpected happened.
"Ahhh!!!" A piercing roar echoed.
Crocodile, pinned to the stone pillar, hardened his eyes. He directly raised his left hand, plunged the poison-coated hook into his right wrist, and tore downwards forcefully as blood gushed out. Purple poison visibly began to spread.
Yet, he showed no hesitation, gritting his teeth, veins bulging,
"He actually!"
"Tore off his own hand!"
Nami and Vivi's eyes widened as they covered their mouths. The gruesome scene of flesh tearing like lotus root threads was utterly shocking.
The very instant the wrist embedded with the Seastone bullet separated, Crocodile transformed into flowing sand, slipped free from the impaling spears, and dove straight down.
"Straw Hat Kid! Nico Robin!"
"I don't want anything anymore!"
Crocodile's face was incomparably ferocious as he flew explosively close to the ground, sweeping up several sand blades that formed in his wake, roaring hoarsely:
"All of you die! Just die!!!"
The Blue and Red Ogres were still charging their attack. Luffy stared intently at Sand Crocodile, bent his knees into a crouch, white steam erupting from his body as he suddenly pushed off the ground with immense force.
Bang!
The ground instantly fractured like a spiderweb. The next moment, Luffy suddenly appeared at Sand Crocodile's left side, a Jet Pistol already aimed to strike down.
However, Crocodile, as if sensing it, had preemptively swung a sand blade towards his left just before Luffy appeared. Shockingly, the blade was coated in a flowing, dark sheen of black!
Luffy's face showed fear. How could he suddenly keep up with his speed, especially after being so heavily injured?
Caught off guard, Luffy gritted his teeth. Utilizing his powerful core strength, he pushed his agility to the absolute limit at that moment, forcefully twisting his body in mid-air!
"Gum-Gum Jet Pistol!"
Dodging the incoming sand blade, the now upside-down Luffy continued his attack, his fist smashing heavily into Crocodile's chest.
However, Crocodile made no attempt to dodge, letting the heavy punch land. A clump of sand dispersed from the impact point, while Crocodile himself continued flying straight forward.
"Damn it! The water dried up!"
Luffy's expression turned grave. Seeing his attack ineffective, he immediately realized the intense heat of Gear Second had evaporated the water he'd doused himself with earlier.
He even busted out Haki?!!
"This is way too idealistic!!" Reiner couldn't help but yell. Willpower making you stronger? What kind of bullshit is that! Do you have D. in your name too!?
Trouble! Hakoku isn't charged yet! Seeing Crocodile flying straight past the Blue and Red Ogres directly towards him, Reiner frowned. However, another unexpected scene unfolded.
Crocodile casually swung two sand blades towards the Blue and Red Ogres, then bypassed them entirely, flying straight towards Reiner!
???
He's coming for me?!
Reiner panicked, fumbling for his pistol and the White Bone Chain Sword. He raised his arm towards the incoming Crocodile and fired twice.
Bang! Bang!
Crocodile, seeing him raise his hand, was wary. Having just been hit by the opponent's Seastone bullet, how could he possibly fall for it again?
His elemental sand body flowed and opened up, letting the Seastone bullets pass straight through without contact.
"Desert Spada!" A reddish-yellow sand blade shot out, heading straight for Reiner.
The White Bone Chain Sword spiraled, contracting into a large round shield, the ferocious skull positioned at its center.
Screeech—!
This was an undead weapon forged from parts comparable to Arlong's steel-hard body. The high-speed vibrating sand blade impacted it, scattering sand, but left a deep gash.
"Shoot him!!"
The skull with the serrated tip, spinning in the shield's center, shot out in response to Reiner's command.
Crocodile initially intended to tank it with his elemental form but suddenly felt an ominous premonition.
Flying low to the ground, he plunged his sand-transformed hands into the earth below, roaring ferociously:
"Desert Grande Espada: Centena!!" (Hundred Kill)
Zing! Zing! Zing!
Numerous giant double-edged swords erupted from the ground, instantly filling the space between him and Reiner, all without exception coated in glossy, pitch-black Armament Haki!
CLANG—!
The twin sand swords madly sliced at the Bone Chain Sword, striking numerous sparks. The bone, hard as steel, actually shattered into pieces.
Reiner's special pistol bore the brunt of the attack and was instantly sliced in two, the Seastone bullets scattering across the ground.
His Haki proficiency is even greater than Blue Ogre and Red Ogre's!
"Desert Girasole!" Crocodile roared again immediately after. The ground beneath Reiner instantly turned to sand, collapsing into a circular giant pit. Quicksand rapidly began pulling him down.
Reiner completely ignored being half-sunk in the quicksand, whipping the Bone Chain Sword out like a whip.
CRACK!!
The air cracked as the chain sword lashed fiercely against Crocodile's body. The countless barbs sliced at him but failed to cause any damage, merely dislodging a cloud of sand.
"Useless! Die!" Crocodile's face twisted with savagery. His left arm elongated into sand, the hook filled with deadly poison flying towards Reiner.
Just then, the skull head of the chain sword behind Crocodile abruptly turned back, stabbing towards his back.
However, Crocodile's reawakened Observation Haki was entirely focused on Reiner; all his moves were read in Crocodile's mind.
Several small sand pythons shot out directly from the sandy ground, forcefully biting onto the ferocious skull and the serrated sword tip, then continuously coiled around, tightly binding the White Bone Chain Sword.
"Reiner!!!"
Luffy exploded forward at his top speed, rushing back. Everyone held their breath, staring intently.
The poisonous hook stabbed towards Reiner's body. At the last possible second, Crocodile's expression suddenly turned to one of astonishment.
The golden-haired man before him, whose face had been filled with panic, suddenly showed a smirk, looking coldly back at him.
He's smiling?
That sinister expression instantly shocked Crocodile. A chill shot up his spine to the top of his head.
Crocodile whipped his head around, only to see two void rifts inexplicably open right behind him.
The Blue and Red Ogres he had thrown off earlier were now emerging halfway from the rifts, hands raised holding spears coated in bright black Haki.
They were already right upon him!
When!? Crocodile's pupils instantly contracted.
Regrettably, my undead cannot be simply bypassed, Reiner smirked internally.
The instant Sand Crocodile got close, he had directly interrupted the Blue and Red Ogres' Hakoku charge.
After recalling them, he resummoned them right behind Crocodile – a direct zero-frame startup!
BOOM!!!
The Armament-coated spears plunged into the opponent's body without resistance, viciously nailing him to the ground.
"AHHH!!!" Crocodile roared hoarsely...
His eyes bloodshot, nearly splitting with rage, he raised his remaining arm, instantly squeezing out the last dregs of his stamina.
From the sandy ground, a ferocious giant crocodile erupted, opening its bloody maw wide and lunging down towards Reiner to bite him.
Trying to take someone down with him? Reiner thought dismissively. Just as he prepared to transform and tank the hit...
BANG—!
Another gunshot rang out!
A Seastone bullet embedded itself directly into Crocodile's body, burying his last shred of hope.
There was another ambush!!!
Crocodile's face filled with despair. Another wave of powerlessness washed over his entire body. The crocodile made of sand, driven by his ability, directly disintegrated.
He laboriously turned his head towards the source of the gunshot. Hiding in the far distance was a long-nosed man with an afro.
His hands trembled as he held a pistol, his face clearly showing panic, but the wisp of blue smoke still drifting from the muzzle proved he was the one who fired.
Another small fry from nowhere!?
A surge of rage instantly flooded Crocodile's mind, battering against his last shred of sanity. His face filled with unwillingness.
Already exhausted, under the dual assault of intense physical pain and overwhelming anger, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted dead away.
Awesome, Usopp! Reiner thought, pleasantly surprised. Hitting from that far? You're truly godly!
Looking at Usopp in the distance, it seemed even he hadn't quite recovered from the shock yet.
Reiner pulled himself out of the quicksand, then looked down again at Crocodile on the ground.
He had completely lost consciousness. Large amounts of blood flowed out, pooling beneath him. Only the faintest breath escaped his nose.
(End of this chapter)
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