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The golden giant palm was now even larger than before, at least 35 meters across. Just one strike from it could easily destroy half the ship if it landed.
Crocodile's face darkened. He suddenly pressed his right hand firmly against the intact deck beneath him.
The crew nearby looked on in horror.
"Quick, get back!"
"Captain's using his power! Run!"
Shouts erupted from all over the ship. In a panic, the pirates scrambled to escape, some even diving straight into the sea with a loud thump.
As Crocodile's hand touched the deck, sand and dust exploded into a frenzy around them. In mere moments, a swirling sandstorm curtain, roughly 30 meters wide, formed in midair, directly in the path of the descending golden palm.
With a thunderous crash, the golden palm smashed into the sandstorm, dirtying the night sky.
Grains of sand burst outward in all directions, but a thick wall of sand held firm over the ship, shielding it completely from Rojen's devastating strike.
Finally, Crocodile's ship began sailing away at full speed.
Rojen flickered several times in the air, using Shunpo to reappear just ahead of Crocodile's vessel.
Eyes narrowing, Crocodile raised his arm, causing suspended sand particles in the air to rapidly converge.
"Desert Spada!"
A massive sand blade, 4 to 5 meters long, took shape. With a sweeping motion, Crocodile launched it toward Rojen.
"Hmm?"
Just as Rojen was about to attack, the sand blade intercepted him head-on.
The immense Desert Spada looked just like the giant sword slashes Rojen had seen in his previous life. Familiar in shape, but he knew full well this one carried deadly power.
Boom!
A violent clash rang out. Rojen blocked the attack with his longsword, but the impact sent him flying.
The ship he had been standing on didn't fare any better, the sand blade sliced clean through two-thirds of its hull, sending debris splashing into the sea.
Rojen's figure blinked rapidly through the air, retreating back to The Logan.
"This guy's close-range combat is weak, but his Devil Fruit power is incredibly strong," Rojen said with a serious expression. He watched the damaged ship veer off its course and put more distance between them, but chose not to pursue.
"Yeah," Jason replied. "Up close, his fruit's weakness gives us a shot at finishing him instantly. But once he gains some distance, that sandstorm becomes a real problem. I never imagined he could turn solid matter into sand."
He glanced down at his bare feet, still shaken.
"If Captain hadn't pulled me away in time, I probably would've lost both my feet."
These Devil Fruit users really are a pain to deal with, one after another.
"In the beginning," Rojen continued, "he didn't understand our strength and foolishly got too close. That kept his own abilities in check. It was only when he pulled away that he could really show what he was capable of."
Rojen nodded slightly, then his eyes grew darker.
"And this probably isn't even the full extent of his power. On land, that guy could summon a sandstorm capable of burying an entire nation."
Jason's face paled in shock.
"He's that terrifying?"
Even though Crocodile had some tricky moves during the fight, Jason had felt confident once they figured out seawater worked well against him. But now... he wasn't so sure.
"Yes, the sea is his greatest nemesis. Unlike Kuzan last time, who can freeze seawater into ice with minimal impact on his combat ability, for Crocodile, being at sea brings his strength down to the lowest level."
Rojen nodded as he spoke.
"Looks like we'll have to be more cautious the next time we run into him," Jason said.
"No need to worry too much. At least for now, his power is still far below yours," Rojen said with a smile.
Jason nodded confidently. As long as he could get close, he was sure he could finish Crocodile off quickly.
The two of them watched the damaged ship fade into the distance, then turned their gazes away.
"By the way, Captain, did you really mean it when you said you wanted that guy to join us?" Jason asked, remembering what Rojen had said during the fight.
"Haha, if he wants to join, I'd welcome him!" Rojen laughed, completely unconcerned.
"That guy's got a rotten attitude and acts way too pretentious," Jason scoffed.
"Hahahaha!"
Rojen burst out laughing again. Jason was absolutely right, Crocodile was the king of pretentiousness.
That icy gaze, the ever-burning cigar, the black robe fluttering in the wind, and that scruffy stubble… everything about him screamed over-the-top dramatic flair, like he was trying to act profound enough to impress the heavens.
"Is the battle over?"
With a creak, the door opened and Rouge and Lordling stepped out.
"Yeah, we ran into a pretty tough opponent," Rojen replied with a nod.
"But it's taken care of now!" Jason chimed in with a cheerful grin.
"That's good to hear."
Rouge glanced around the ship and noticed scattered sand everywhere. His expression turned slightly curious, but he didn't ask further.
"Let's rest for the night. Tomorrow, we head for Alabasta," Rojen added.
"But Captain," Jason scratched his head, "I've got a strange feeling."
"What kind of feeling?" Rojen asked, intrigued.
"I think… we might run into that guy again in Alabasta."
"Why do you say that?"
Rojen looked puzzled.
"That guy's ship was wrecked, he turned like, two-fifths of its wood into sand. He'll definitely need to repair it."
Jason chuckled.
"Haha, didn't expect your secondary brain to work like that. Not bad, not bad!" Rojen laughed heartily.
And just as Jason predicted, aboard the pirate ship sailing hastily across the sea, the crew was in chaos.
"Hurry up, patch that hole!"
"There's more damage here, get the planks!"
"Shipwright! We need a shipwright over here!"
Shouts rang out from all directions as pirates rushed about, frantically trying to repair the ship.
Standing on one of the few intact parts of the deck, Crocodile puffed heavily on his cigar.
Thick smoke curled around him. His expression was grim, his eyes dark.
The ship was nearly destroyed after just one battle. He'd probably need to abandon it entirely.
"What's the nearest island from here?" he had asked earlier.
"Cap—Captain… It's Alabasta!" One crewman had answered fearfully.
"Then we go to Alabasta," he said in a low voice.
He had no other options. Without a ship, he couldn't sail the sea.
"Those two bastards…"
Images of Rojen and Jason flashed in his mind. Crocodile clenched his fist tightly.
"The next time we meet… I won't let you off!"
(End Of This Chapter)