Hearing these words, Crocodile immediately realized that things wouldn’t end well today.
This guy seemed to be with that damned pest.
Was he here for revenge?
Damn it! Does he really think I’m that easy to bully?!
On the other side, Robin, who had fallen to the ground, stared blankly at Vir’s back.
She had never seen this person before.
But why… why did he save me?
“Trying to run? Is that all a Shichibukai is capable of?”
Vir spoke again.
He had no particular reason for saving Robin.
It was just on a whim.
This woman had endured far more than she should have.
As for her abilities, he’d have plenty of opportunities to acquire them later.
For now, saving her was just something he did in passing.
But the moment he finished speaking, Crocodile could no longer hold back.
With a furious expression, he transformed into a whirlwind of sand and charged towards them!
Before he even arrived, a massive sand blade had already slashed through the air.
His right hand had also formed a sand blade, compensating for the loss of his golden hook.
Two sand blades, one large and one small, struck at Vir from both front and back.
Yet, Vir neither dodged nor flinched.
Just as the massive sand blade was about to cleave into him, Vir finally moved!
He simply raised his right hand and blocked the enormous blade in front of him.
In the instant they made contact, the giant sand blade inexplicably transformed into solid steel.
Crocodile, who had been charging forward, was completely dumbfounded!
What the hell kind of ability was this?!
He had lost control over the sand blade instantly.
After all, it wasn’t sand anymore.
But even if the sand had turned into steel, the impact should still carry force.
However, to his horror, he saw the steel blade suddenly shift in shape!
A hole formed in the middle, allowing the attack to completely bypass Vir and Robin!
Crocodile was left utterly speechless!
What kind of ability combination was this?!
This was beyond ridiculous!
His grip tightened as his frustration grew.
There was no way Vir could change something that was already in his hands, right?!
Robin, too, stared blankly at the massive steel chunk that had landed beside her.
She was completely bewildered by Vir’s bizarre abilities.
Just as Crocodile reached Vir, Vir made his move again.
But this time, he wasn’t just defending.
Crocodile only saw a blur in front of him before Vir suddenly vanished!
His eyes widened in shock as a terrible premonition welled up inside him!
At the same time, a figure appeared at his side.
“Leg Reinforcement!”
A low murmur echoed, and the next thing Crocodile felt was like he had been hit by a speeding train.
His head snapped sideways as his entire body was sent flying!
The powerful shockwave even caused Robin’s clothes to flutter violently.
For the first time, her eyes reflected true astonishment.
This man… was incredible…
The Shichibukai, whom she had viewed as nearly invincible, was being toyed with in Vir’s hands.
Crocodile hadn’t even been able to react before getting kicked away.
Just how strong was this guy?!
On the other side, Crocodile crashed violently into the Poneglyph.
Vir had intentionally chosen that direction.
Otherwise, Crocodile would have likely blasted a hole through the steel chamber he had set up.
If that allowed him to escape, things would become troublesome…
Crocodile lay on the ground, blood gushing from his nose and mouth.
That kick had left his mind hazy, his vision spinning.
Shaking his head vigorously, he tried to clear his thoughts, but the searing pain in his skull was still intense.
Just as he struggled to get up, an immense force suddenly struck from behind.
*BOOM!*
*CRACK!*
Two sounds echoed simultaneously.
Crocodile, who had barely managed to push himself up, was instantly slammed back down.
His ribs… were completely shattered.
A mouthful of blood spewed from his lips as unbearable pain twisted his face into an agonized grimace.
The ground beneath him caved in, forming a massive crater.
The calm and composed expression he had earlier was gone.
Now, there was only fear and pain.
His body was screaming in agony, but he no longer cared about dignity.
He slammed his palm against the ground.
Instantly, the floor and walls began turning into sand.
In the blink of an eye, all the steel vanished, replaced by a vast sea of golden sand.
Even the rocky ceiling above disintegrated into dust, letting sunlight pour in.
“Sables!”
With a flick of his hand, Crocodile unleashed a massive sandstorm.
At the same time, Vir felt the ground beneath him disappear as Crocodile’s sand-formed body shot into the sky at high speed.
However, Vir simply smirked.
As the raging sandstorm rushed toward him, he reached out and touched it.
In an instant, the violent tempest transformed into a massive steel cone.
Seeing this, Crocodile’s eyes widened in disbelief.
He was now certain—his Devil Fruit powers were completely ineffective against this man.
Who the hell was this guy?!
Not only is he incredibly strong, but he’s also targeting me!
Having relied too much on his Devil Fruit, Crocodile now realized he had no means to counter Vir.
Only one thought remained in his mind—
Run!
Judging by that earlier exchange, he’d be completely overpowered in a physical fight.
There was no other option.
He had to retreat. As long as he was alive, there was still hope.
Once they left, he could still make a comeback!
Seeing the sky so close, a smile finally appeared on Crocodile’s face.
But just as he was about to escape, he saw Vir leap into the air.
For a brief moment, panic flashed across Crocodile’s face, but he quickly calmed himself.
That guy’s jumping ability clearly wouldn’t be enough to reach him.
A victorious smirk returned to his lips.
Robin, however, looked grim.
Vir had reached his peak height, but there were still over ten meters between him and Crocodile.
Was he really going to let him escape…?
If Crocodile got away, his revenge would be even more ruthless.
This country would still be doomed.
But there was nothing she could do…
Suddenly, her eyes widened in shock.
She stared at the figure above.
Just as Vir was about to descend, a black substance appeared beneath his feet.
“It’s steel!”
Robin couldn’t hold back her astonishment.
Crocodile’s face twisted in terror.
Vir was now right in front of him.
His expression remained calm, completely unshaken…
—–
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