Author: Xiao Yifeng
Translator: PapaSmurf0700
The moment Luffy announced "Second gear!", a dramatic shift in the battle ensued. With a swift motion, he vanished from Crocodile's line of sight, reappearing behind him in an instant. Luffy's blood was surging with energy, his eyes blazing with intensity.
He launched an attack, Gomu Gomu no Jet Pistol, which, despite appearing as a simple straight punch, generated a sound akin to a sonic boom. BOOM! The punch landed squarely on Crocodile, its potent force and unexpected speed sending him crashing to the ground.
Crocodile had no time to react. His face met the ground with a harsh impact. BANG! BANG! BANG! He bounced several times due to the immense inertia before finally coming to a stop, half-kneeling and wiping blood from his nose. For the first time in their fight, Crocodile had been genuinely hurt by Luffy, a fact that left him in a state of shock.
Crocodile contemplated the nature of Luffy's transformation. 'Did he enhance his physical strength by accelerating his blood flow?' he wondered, having felt the power of Luffy's punch. Despite his shock, Crocodile couldn't help but feel a hint of admiration for Luffy's tactics. He understood that such drastic bodily changes likely came at a significant cost, potentially even affecting Luffy's lifespan.
Standing back up, Crocodile fixed his gaze on Luffy, reassessing his opponent who had just demonstrated a remarkable and unexpected increase in power.
As Luffy engaged Crocodile with his newly activated Second Gear, the wounds on his body, which had previously healed, reopened, and blood began to flow out. The sight was undeniably grim. However, the reality of Luffy's condition was not as dire as Crocodile might have imagined.
In the original story, when Luffy used Second Gear two years later, it was evident that the physical toll on his body was significantly less, and there were no life-shortening side effects. This suggested that as long as one's physical condition was sufficiently robust, using Second Gear wouldn't necessarily reduce lifespan. Thanks to the Marrow Cleansing Pill he consumed, Luffy's physical strength was considerably enhanced, making the use of Second Gear more about physical strain than life consumption.
This improvement wasn't solely due to the pill's effects. Part of the reason lay in Luffy's inherent abilities, including the power of his fruit and his extraordinary resilience and physical strength. While his fruit hadn't fully awakened yet, the pill seemed to have activated some aspects of Luffy's physical potential. Unbeknownst to both Luffy and Crocodile, these factors played a significant role in Luffy's current performance.
In the heat of battle, Luffy focused on one objective: to strike the opponent before him. Swish! Once again, Luffy's figure vanished. Crocodile, reacting instinctively, used his Desert Sword behind him in defense. But Luffy's battle intuition was remarkable. This time, he descended from above Crocodile.
Gomu Gomu no Jet Whip! Luffy's leg, extended and powerful sweep, came crashing down on Crocodile's sword. Boom! The force of the impact was so great that it shattered Crocodile's sword and struck him in the waist with such intensity that the lower part of his body was destroyed. The sheer power of the attack even caused some of Crocodile's teeth to break. Crocodile spat out blood mixed with the fragments of his broken teeth, a testament to the devastating force of Luffy's strike.
As Crocodile pressed his hands against the ground, preparing to transform into quicksand again to evade another attack, Luffy swiftly intervened. Disappearing and reappearing with remarkable speed, Luffy positioned himself strategically near Crocodile.
Gomu Gomu no Bazooka! With a fierce swing of his fists, Luffy focused his attack on a single point, striking Crocodile's chest with precision. The impact was so powerful that it sent Crocodile flying through the air, crashing through the wall of the royal tomb. A gush of blood spilled from Crocodile's mouth as a result of the blow.
Luffy's relentless assault in his second gear had inflicted severe injuries on Crocodile with just three consecutive hits.
In a fit of rage, Crocodile's voice echoed throughout the tomb. "Asshole!!" he roared, transforming into a gigantic form made of quicksand. The air vibrated with the force of his anger, and his voice thundered, "What the hell are you trying to do?" Crocodile, teetering on the edge of madness, shouted at Luffy, questioning his motives in pursuing him so doggedly. "Why do you always have trouble with me? Why do you come after me here? What do you want to do to give up?!!"
Overcome with emotion, Crocodile's quicksand form began to show signs of instability. Faced with Luffy's unyielding expression, Crocodile's fury escalated. "Money?! Status?! Fame?!" he exclaimed, offering Luffy whatever he desired in a desperate attempt to persuade him. "Whatever you want, I can give it to you! As long as you say it. Say what you want, Straw Hat Boy! ! "
In the midst of his impassioned speech, Crocodile's control over his quicksand form began to falter comically. With each word he uttered, small bursts of sand accompanied his words. This created an unintentional and funny spectacle, as if his sandy form was spitting out his frustration. The grains of sand escaping with every syllable added a touch of dramatic irony to the situation, forming a stark contrast with the seriousness of his words.
Luffy wiped the sand off his face, his determination unwavering. He held his straw hat tightly and looked straight at Crocodile. With a determined tone, he slowly declared, "I want... to give this country back to its people!" The simplicity and sincerity in Luffy's voice left Crocodile momentarily stunned.
"Are you kidding me!!" Crocodile exclaimed, his figure in the air warping as if in response to the perceived absurdity of Luffy's statement. "I haven't got this country yet!!" Crocodile's frustration was palpable. His grand Operation Utopia had crumbled before it even had a chance to take hold. And now, this young pirate was talking about returning the country? The very notion seemed to mock him.
With a roar, Crocodile summoned a vast amount of quicksand from the ground, gathering it in a swirling mass above him. His form disintegrated into countless grains of sand, creating a sweeping sandstorm that enveloped Luffy.
Unfazed, Luffy stepped forward into the heart of the storm, letting the quicksand lash against him. He reflected on the faces of those he'd encountered in Alabasta - Vivi's tearful plea, the restaurant owner's desperate request. These memories fueled his determination. "When you came to this island and implemented your plan, this country was lost," Luffy said, his voice resolute amidst the storm.
His eyes blazing, Luffy envisioned the people of Alabasta, their joy overshadowed by fear and uncertainty. "If this is still their country, they should be smiling more happily!" he declared. Mustering all his strength, Luffy launched into action.
Gomu Gomu no Jet Gatling! Luffy's fists, wrapped in Haki, struck the swirling quicksand with unrelenting force. The rapid succession of punches echoed through the tomb. Unable to withstand the barrage, Crocodile's true form reemerged, marked by the impact of Luffy's fierce onslaught. Coughing up blood, Crocodile was sent flying backward, his body bearing the evidence of Luffy's unwavering determination to protect the people of Alabasta.