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"Whoosh~!!!"
A strong wind blew, carrying sand with it, turning the ground dry in an instant, creating a small desert around.
Even the few pirates trying to escape couldn't avoid it. Their bodies lost water rapidly, muscles shrinking and turning into mummies.
Crash—!!!
Yellow sand piled up, forming a human figure on the falling island, slowly shaping into a body.
"Desert la Spada (Desert Adamantine Treasure Sword)!!!"
Without fully forming hands, four sharp sand blades slashed out, heading towards Atlas in mid-air with unmatched sharpness.
"Crocodile?"
Atlas squinted slightly, his expression unchanged.
He hasn't changed a bit...
That sluggish demeanor, making others think he's the strongest man alive.
Clang—!!!
A bright flash of swordlight streaked through, the clash of metal resonating, and a massive blood-red slash erupted.
Ittoryu Raikiri !!!
Just drawing the sword and slashing, seeking nothing but the ultimate attack speed.
Swish—!!!
At the first contact, it crumbled, the sharp bloody slash instantly breaking the four desert diamond swords, reducing them to ordinary sand.
Bang—!!!
The slashing attack continued relentlessly, reaching Crocodile in an instant. The sword flashed, cutting through his body effortlessly.
An evident thin line appeared across his entire form from left shoulder to right abdomen. A sea breeze blew, causing it to split open on the spot!
"It seems there's been some improvement. You can actually use Observation Haki."
Atlas naturally didn't believe this guy could be dispatched so easily.
Sure enough, fine yellow sand particles scattered, the once smooth cuts slowly knitting back together, eventually reshaping into Crocodile's form.
"Long time no see, Canos Atlas..."
Before he could finish speaking, a large shadow suddenly loomed over him.
"Tekkai!"
A paw, hardened by armament haki, slammed forcefully into Crocodile's face.
Boom!!!
The island cracked, a large crater formed, piercing through the entire landmass, sending Crocodile tumbling downwards.
Tremendous force was exerted upon the island, causing it to accelerate even further as it descended rapidly.
The body plummeted towards the island below, propelled by Atlas's kick.
Snapped—!
But Crocodile remained composed, swiftly transforming his body into elements, morphing into a beach of sand dunes upon Delta Island.
"That damn Crocodile, why's he picking a fight with Hakuryu out of nowhere? Is he trying to get everyone killed?"
"Seriously, he's always itching for a showdown with opponents way out of his league. How reckless!"
"Idiot, didn't he learn anything from the lesson Whitebeard gave him?"
Though the transformation occurred in a mere instant, the pirates scurrying around the island quickly took notice, unable to contain their muttered curses.
"Ground Death (Erosion Cycle)!!"
Amidst the complaints, a cold voice cut in.
In an instant, the sky filled with wind and sand, and the surrounding desertification spread further. Flowers, grass, and scattered stones turned to dust in the blink of an eye.
"——?!!"
Before the surrounding pirates could plead for mercy, they fell to the ground one by one, transformed into mummies.
This is the pirate world—
The weak have no right to complain!!
"It seems you're not worthy of joining this battle, Crocodile..."
With his brows furrowed, Atlas hovered high above, looking down at Crocodile, who had returned from his elemental form, with a playful gaze.
Of course, his fame on the seas stemmed from his encounter with Bullet, a battle that ended in a stalemate.
Yet, Atlas truly didn't consider them equals.
You see, Bullet was once hailed as the Demon heir, a title earned from being evenly matched with Rayleigh.
Later, it became known that Roger, Bullet's mentor, had caused chaos on the seas, instilling a sense of his terrifying strength in the world.
However, Atlas suspects there's more to it. After all, he personally experienced Rayleigh's might.
He couldn't believe that a sixteen-year-old Bullet could match that level. Rayleigh must have been holding back.
Even Luffy, the chosen one, couldn't reach such heights at that age!
"You're a Marine..."
Bang—!!!
A massive mechanical arm slammed into Crocodile, cutting him off mid-sentence.
Whoosh—!!!
Wind and sand swirled, and Crocodile reappeared nearby with a grim expression.
These guys...
Can't they let him finish his sentence?!!
Luckily, after being captured and imprisoned by Atlas, he learned from the painful experience and resumed training in the two Haki's.
Thankfully, building upon his existing foundation, he swiftly honed his Haki skills to a high level.
Especially Observation Haki.
Logia users don't rely heavily on armament haki.
Isn't the wide-ranging effect of Logia's abilities better than armament haki?
With mastery of Observation Haki, most attacks can still be evaded by transforming into their elemental form, maximizing their defensive capabilities.
That's why Logia users naturally have a balanced strength.
"Bullet..."
Crocodile evaded the attack with a grim expression, coldly staring at the man before him.
"What's your intention?"
"Of course... I plan to finish what I started back then by taking you out together!"
Bullet brandished his massive mechanical arm, his expression ferocious as he gazed up at the approaching island.
"But let's dispose of this thing now!"
With those words, Bullet leaped fearlessly into action, lifting his arms towards the island as if he were a deity holding up the sky.
At least, that's how it appeared to the pirates.
"Who is that guy? Is he trying to lift the island with his bare hands?!!"
"I have no idea. I've never heard of someone like him on the seas!"
"What ignorance! That man is known as [Demon Heir]. The last time he went on a rampage, it caused tremors across the sea. Eventually, the Marines had to launch a Buster Call to barely capture him..."
"Hi—!! Is it that terrifying?!"
Buzz—!!!
Just as Bullet made contact with the island, the entire landmass seemed to transform into a jumble of characters, swiftly twisting and contorting as its internal structure shifted.
A massive fortress suddenly emerged, occupying the spot where the island once stood.
——? ! !
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