Clang!
The sharp clash of metal reverberated painfully in his eardrums.
Shano's figure emerged mid-air, his right arm enveloped in a denser layer of Armament Haki, effortlessly blocking the lethal strike.
At that moment,
Their faces were inches apart.
After exchanging a glance, Crocodile exhaled a puff of smoke, just about to say something, when he heard a gust of wind by his ear.
And Shano before him, spoke in a low tone:
"Rankyaku: Meteor!"
Boom!
A powerful downward kick stirred up waves of air, crashing heavily onto Crocodile's shoulder with the clear sound of bones shattering.
Even though Crocodile reacted, trying his best to use the Golden Hook to block, he was still smashed into the ground like a meteor, raising a cloud of dust.
"Cough, cough…"
He struggled to get up, coughing up a mouthful of blood, and when he looked at Shano again, his eyes involuntarily showed a trace of fear.
Such a fast kick!
This time, even his Observation couldn't keep up, but more astonishing than that was the incredible strength displayed by this kick!
Where on earth did this monster come from!!!
He couldn't remember the last time someone had overpowered him like this, perhaps that damned Hanafuda? But that was at least five years ago...
No, I must use my trump card directly!
"Desert Greatsword!"
With this thought, Crocodile's right hand suddenly turned to sand, forming a huge sand blade entwined with Armament, slashing fiercely at Shano!
Whoosh!
This move was quick and ruthless, making an enormous impact, splitting the desert instantly, stirring up ghostly purple sparks along its path.
However,
What Crocodile didn't expect was,
The opponent didn't dodge or evade, instead looking at the rapidly approaching sand blade with interest, without even the idea of closing his eyes.
Idiot!
Crocodile sneered, this fool actually wanted to take it head-on. If it were an ordinary "Desert Treasure Saber," he could believe the other party could take it.
But this was an all-around enhanced version, a true ultimate technique he developed just months ago, yet he dared to rely on his body...
Hmm?
The next moment, his smile froze on his face.
The gigantic sand blade, powerful enough to cleave the entire desert, exploded into countless fine sand particles the instant it collided with Shano's chest, falling to the ground without even cutting open the outer skin.
And those grains of sand that fell into Shano's eyes bounced off as if they had hit a copper wall.
Some remnants lingered on his lower lashes, but Shano merely tilted his head slightly, letting them slide down his cheek...
"Gave you a chance, and it's still not enough, huh."
Shano flicked away the last grain of dust from his nose bridge with his index finger and looked up at the still wide-eyed Sand Crocodile across:
"Hey, snap out of it, because next, it's going to be all my turn."
What does that mean?
Before Crocodile could react, Shano had already Moonwalked into the air, his right index finger darting forward at a speed indiscernible to the naked eye.
Each attack utilized the technique of Overbearing Haki, precisely flying towards various parts of Crocodile's body!
"Flying Finger Gun: Pear Rain!"
Oh no! Crocodile's face changed dramatically, desperately using Observation to dodge.
Some areas elementalized in time, escaping unscathed.
But the speed of the Flying Finger Gun far exceeded Crocodile's expectations.
Accompanied by "thud thud" sounds, his knees and shoulders were pierced with several bloody holes, blood spurting out.
"Corrosion..."
Crocodile, gritting his teeth against the pain, slammed his right hand to the ground, activating another ultimate move, "Reincarnation!!!"
Rumble!
In an instant, the entire Whiskey Peak began to tremble violently, with huge cracks rapidly spreading from the harbor to the surrounding area.
What?
Shano raised an eyebrow slightly, does the Sand Crocodile have such a move? Using the sandy environment to quickly replenish his body's energy, healing wounds?
Logia-type abilities truly are bug-level in some aspects.
Unfortunately...
No way would the other side get such an opportunity when facing me!
With a grin reaching his ears, his figure flickered as he charged toward Crocodile on the ground!
"—You're not even fit to do a sit-up?!"
"Stop him!"
Crocodile screamed hysterically, swinging his Golden Hook violently!
If he could buy just a little more time to turn the entire island into sand, he wouldn't only fully recover his injuries but also unleash his Fruit Ability more recklessly!
Swish, swish!
As soon as he finished speaking, countless sandy hands densely emerged from the underground, grabbing for Shano's legs.
Quite a few of them were entwined with a faint Armament, and if ensnared, even Shano would need some time to break free.
However…
How could such speed possibly stop him!
A sandy hand, entwined with Armament, directly pierced through Shano's back, but the next second, the just-pierced "Shano" vanished in the air in a flash.
Moonwalk: Void Cicada!
In mid-air, he continuously tapped the air, allowing his figure to change positions bizarrely with a mere thought.
While evading all the sandy hands reaching out, his speed didn't slow in the slightest. Instead, the frequent change of position left a trail of afterimages, as though peeling off layers of a golden cicada shell!
—This is an advanced technique mastered only by honing Rokushiki to the pinnacle!
Most Moonwalk users who try this would only hamper their speed due to frequent changes, becoming live targets in the air.
In an instant, Shano reached Crocodile effortlessly.
Amidst Crocodile's hurried and terrified gaze upward, he laughed fiercely and uppercut him high into the air!
Shush!
With a muffled sound, Shano's figure flashed. Before the Sand Crocodile could land, he appeared again in mid-air alongside him, clenched his fist tightly, and smashed down fiercely!
This scene repeated rapidly, Shano's fists blasting out at supersonic speed, each punch either aimed at the chest or slammed on the neck, carrying overwhelming power.
Thud, thud, thud!
Crocodile's body twisted and deformed like a ragdoll in the air, with the sound of bones shattering continuously, like popcorn popping.
With the final punch, Shano's fists met, concentrating all power on the knuckle, the intense Armament Haki nearly materializing at this moment—
"Rokushiki Secret Technique: Mountain Breeze Ripple Dash!!!"
This was Shano's ultimate move, self-realized by combining Wave Fist Technique and Rokushiki Secret Technique after achieving Great Success in Wave Technique.
The power is so immense it could flatten a mountain peak!
Dong!!!
This punch landed solidly on Crocodile's chest, and time seemed to freeze at this moment, with Crocodile's expression frozen between panic and disbelief.
Immediately—
Boom!!!
A terrifying shockwave erupted from the center around the two of them.
Crocodile's body was blasted back like a cannonball, crashing through several sand dunes before finally halting.
"Ugh, ugh…"
He lay limply at the crater's edge in a Yamcha-like posture, his Golden Hook twisted and deformed, his magnificent coat tattered and torn.
His entire body trembled and struggled on the sand incessantly, but with all bones shattered, he couldn't even lift a finger.
Phew!
After unleashing a full set of fists, a thoroughly satisfied Shano landed beside Crocodile, nodded at him appreciatively:
"Though you're as easy to beat as Onigumo, I must admit, the feeling's pretty good; that's the beauty of Logia-type, resilient to a beating."
This bastard…!!!
Crocodile nearly spat out blood in anger.
Facing the approaching Shano, a glint of coldness passed through his eyes, but his face was full of regret and fear, his voice hoarse as he spoke:
"I… I shouldn't have messed with you, please, don't kill me…"
This reaction doesn't seem right, Shano squinted slightly, but remained expressionless and continued to stride closer.
"Saying this now is too late!"
Grabbing Crocodile by the hair, he lifted him like a dead dog, smiling pleasantly as he looked into his eyes:
"Originally, if you hadn't come after me, considering you hadn't yet executed that despicable plan of yours, I might have spared your life, just kicked you back to the New World."
"But you insisted on pursuing me for the Navy? Haha, it's laughable enough for the Navy to be the dogs of the Heavenly Celestial Dragons, yet here you are eager to be the Navy's dog?"
"…It was all acting for them."
Crocodile, appearing to have struggled with the decision for a long time, gasped hoarsely: "Cough… cough cough, hey, someone like you, a strong guy like you, shouldn't you be ambitious too!"
"How about this! Spare me, and I'll tell you an astonishing ancient secret, enough to help you dominate the entire sea, even challenge the World Government..."