Creed's gaze locked on Crocodile.
The Suna Suna no Mi (Sand-Sand Fruit) was an absolute king in the desert—this land itself gave him an innate advantage.
And his methods were endless.
No wonder he had held a seat among the Shichibukai for over a decade. His tactics were suffocating.
Crocodile knew close combat was his weakness, so he relied on ranged suppression—keeping Creed at bay under the blazing sun, grinding him down little by little.
If Creed had only his sword, today would've been his end. Truly, this was the man who had dared face Whitebeard and lived.
"Sabaku Giri!! (Desert Spada!!)"
The dunes split open, a massive blade of sand surging toward Creed.
Yet he stood motionless, making no effort to dodge.
Crocodile narrowed his eyes. Out of stamina already?
No… impossible. Someone this strong wouldn't collapse so easily. It had to be a trick.
But as the attack closed in, Creed still didn't move.
Crocodile froze. Was he really out of strength?
And then—
Creed vanished.
Crocodile's pupils shrank, his Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) instantly flaring.
"You… were you looking for me?"
The voice came from directly behind him, freezing his spine. The air itself turned frigid.
He spun violently, his body dissolving into sand and reappearing ten meters away.
Blood ran down his arm. The wound wasn't deep—but it wasn't the injury that terrified him.
It was how Creed had done it.
A gap of nearly twenty meters, and he hadn't even seen him move. It was as if he had teleported.
Only his constant vigilance and Observation Haki had kept him alive. Otherwise, he would've lost far more than a shallow cut.
"Soru!! (Shave!!)"
Creed stomped down and blurred forward, blade poised.
This time, Crocodile noted—the speed wasn't the same as before.
"Sabaku Ryū!! (Desert Dragon!!)"
He swept his arm, several sand-dragons rising from the ground to devour Creed.
"Break!!"
Creed's slash shredded them instantly, the explosion of sand scattering like a storm, obscuring sight.
And then—
Crocodile's eyes widened. Creed had vanished again.
His Haki flared—behind him! A powerful aura!
"You won't trick me with the same move twice!!"
He spun, golden hook lashing backward in a brutal strike.
But it hit nothing.
His pupils shrank to pinpricks. His Haki now screamed—Creed was in front of him!
Shards of terror cut through him as he raised his arm, coating it in sand like armor.
Slash!!
The black blade cleaved through the sand-armor like paper, carving another wound deep into his arm.
Crocodile staggered back, retreating in a flurry of sand.
His face twisted, eyes wide with disbelief.
Impossible! His Observation Haki had clearly sensed Creed behind him—how could he appear in front instead?
And when Creed had rushed earlier, he hadn't seen how he moved at all.
This was unnatural.
The Suna Suna no Mi had ensured he never sweated a drop during battle—yet now his back was drenched in cold sweat.
The unknown was the most terrifying enemy.
Just what was this man?
Calm down… calm down!
He forced his breathing steady, glaring at Creed standing calmly ten meters away. If speed was his enemy's weapon, then he'd bind that speed.
Slamming his palm to the ground, veins bulged across his forehead.
"Sabaku Dai Himawari!! (Desert Great Sunflower!!)"
Rumble!!
The sand for a hundred meters collapsed into a massive whirlpool, dragging everything toward its pit with a powerful suction.
A desert maelstrom—like the ocean's whirlpools, but of sand instead of water.
Here, movement was already sluggish—now, speed would be further crippled.
Creed smirked.
"Soru!!"
He shot forward, his steps indeed slowed by the shifting sands.
Two massive sand-blades swung at him.
Creed didn't flinch, charging head-on—until his body disappeared once more.
Crocodile's instincts screamed. Even before Creed vanished, he dissolved into sand and fled back.
And then—he saw him.
His eyes bulged in disbelief.
"You… you're a Devil Fruit user?!"
…
(End of Chapter)
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