CLANG!
The clash of metal rang through the air, sharp enough to rattle eardrums.
Shanu's figure appeared midair — his right arm wrapped in thick Armament Haki, casually blocking Crocodile's deadly strike.
At that instant—Their faces were only inches apart.
They locked eyes for a moment. Crocodile exhaled a puff of smoke, about to speak—
But a sudden gust of wind roared past his ear.
Shanu's voice followed, low and steady:
"Rankyaku — Meteor Drop!"
BOOM!
His leg came crashing down with monstrous force, slamming into Crocodile's shoulder.
The sound of bone cracking echoed loud and clear.
Even though Crocodile reacted and brought up his golden hook to block, he was still smashed into the ground like a meteor, sand erupting in all directions.
"Kh—! Cough, cough…"
He staggered to his feet, coughing up blood. His eyes trembled with a rare hint of fear.
That speed…!
Even his Observation Haki hadn't picked it up in time.
And that power—What kind of monster was this guy?!
He couldn't even remember the last time someone had overpowered him like this.
Maybe that damned card user years ago… five years back, at least.
No time to think — he'd have to go all out.
"Desert Spada!"
His right arm dissolved into sand, shaping into a massive, Haki-coated sand blade, which sliced toward Shanu with terrifying speed.
SHHH!
The slash tore through the desert, splitting the ground apart as purple lightning crackled along its path.
But then—To Crocodile's surprise—Shanu didn't dodge. He just watched the incoming blade with a calm, curious look, not even blinking.
Idiot! Crocodile sneered. If it were a normal Desert Spada, maybe he could take it. But this was the enhanced version — a true secret technique he'd developed months ago. And this fool thought he could take it with his body—
Wait.
The smirk froze on Crocodile's face.
The massive sand blade — powerful enough to cleave the desert itself — shattered upon impact with Shanu's chest, scattering into harmless grains of dust.
Not even a scratch.
Even the grains that hit his eyes bounced off as if they'd struck steel. A few specks lingered on his lashes until Shanu tilted his head slightly, and they slid down his cheek.
"Not bad," Shanu said, brushing a grain of sand off his nose.
"But you're still not quite there."
He raised his gaze and grinned.
"Wake up, Crocodile. From here on out— it's my turn."
Crocodile's pupils shrank.
Before he could react, Shanu had already stepped onto the air — Geppo — and vanished upward.
Then—His right hand blurred, index finger thrusting faster than sight.
Each strike pulsed with projected Haki, stabbing toward Crocodile from every direction!
"Shigan Barrage — Pear Blossom Rain!"
Crocodile's eyes went wide. "Tch—!"
He poured every ounce of focus into dodging with Observation Haki, shifting his body into sand where he could.
But Shanu's attack was too fast.
Each thup-thup landed like a gunshot — puncturing his shoulder, his knee, his side.
Blood sprayed across the sand.
"Erosion…"
Crocodile gritted his teeth, slammed his hand to the ground, and unleashed his counterattack.
"Desert Requiem!!!"
RUMBLE!!!
The entire Whiskey Peak trembled. Cracks split through the earth, racing outward from the harbor as sand began to surge.
"Huh?"
Shanu arched a brow. He's using the environment to heal himself — absorbing moisture through the desert… natural-type regeneration, huh?
Logia users really are busted sometimes.
But then Shanu grinned.
"Too bad for you… I'm not giving you the chance!"
He kicked off the air — faster than the eye could track — and dove toward Crocodile.
"You think you can get up on my watch?!"
"Stop him!" Crocodile roared.
His golden hook slashed wildly as countless hands of sand erupted from the ground, all lunging for Shanu's legs.
Each hand was infused with Armament Haki — if they caught him, even he'd have trouble breaking free quickly.
But—
That speed? No chance.
One of the sand hands pierced straight through Shanu's back — only for the body to blur and vanish like mist.
"Geppo — Cicada Step!"
In the next instant, Shanu appeared elsewhere in midair, kicking off invisible platforms, his movement erratic, impossible to predict.
Each shift left a faint mirage behind —like a cicada shedding shells mid-flight.
A mastery of the Six Powers that only true masters could achieve.
Most users would lose speed trying to copy this technique — but Shanu's momentum only grew.
In a flash, he was right in front of Crocodile again.
The warlord's eyes widened — and Shanu's grin widened right back.
A savage uppercut sent Crocodile soaring skyward.
WHAM!
Before he could fall, Shanu flashed again — right beside him — and hammered him back down.
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
Each punch hit harder than the last — striking his chest, his neck, his ribs — a relentless storm of sound-breaking strikes.
Crocodile's body twisted and convulsed midair like a rag doll, each impact shattering bone.
And then—Shanu brought both fists together, all energy surging into his knuckles.
The black Armament Haki gleamed gold at its edge.
"Rokushiki Secret Art — Amber Ripple Impact!"
A flash—A boom that shook the desert—
And time seemed to stop.
Crocodile's face froze in shock and disbelief—Then came the explosion.
KRAKOOOOOOM!!!
The impact wave tore through the dunes, flattening everything around them. Crocodile's body shot through the air like a cannonball, smashing through sand dunes one after another before finally skidding to a halt.
He collapsed face-first, half-buried, his golden hook twisted, his coat in tatters. His body convulsed weakly, but his bones were shattered — he couldn't even raise a finger.
Shanu landed beside him, exhaling a satisfied breath.
"Whew… that hit the spot."
He grinned down at Crocodile.
"Gotta admit, you tanked better than that freak Onigumo."
Crocodile nearly spat blood again.
As Shanu stepped closer, his expression darkened.
Crocodile's eyes flickered coldly, but his face twisted into a mask of fear.
"H-Hey, I… I shouldn't have crossed you! Don't— don't kill me…"
Shanu narrowed his eyes. Something felt off. But he kept walking.
"Now you say that? Too late for mercy."
He grabbed Crocodile by the hair and lifted him like a rag doll, smiling coldly.
"If you hadn't tried your little scheme, maybe I would've let you crawl back to the New World alive."
"But you just had to work for the Marines, huh?!"
He laughed.
"The Marines licking the Celestial Dragons' boots is pathetic enough — but you? Running errands for them? That's a new low."
Crocodile coughed and wheezed, his voice strained.
"Th-this was all just… a show for them."
He stared up with trembling eyes, forcing a smile.
"You… you're strong — too strong. You must have ambition, right?"
"I can tell you something," he rasped, "a secret — one that could help you conquer the entire sea… even defy the World Government itself."