"I told you, I'm Roman."
Even Roman found himself scratching his head at the situation in front of him. How do you prove that "you" are actually "yourself"? What kind of philosophical puzzle is this? Especially when Redfield's clones could perfectly copy not just appearances, but also thoughts and memories. The only way left was:
"Armament: Full Cover!"
A metallic sheen spread across his entire body as Roman knocked on his steel-like form.
"Is this proof enough?"
But Nami still didn't lower the book *Secrets of a Thief* in her hands.
"Your intel is completely off. That 'Arlong' just used Armament Haki in battle."
?
"That must be Redfield transferring his own Haki to the clone. It's essentially the same as my *White Knight* ability. But—"
There was one thing Roman had that Redfield didn't: his *observation Haki with X-ray vision*!
Squinting his eyes—
"You're wearing—"
?!
A swift dodge, a powerful punch, Haki-infused—perfect execution!!
*Boom!*
"Not bad, solid Armament Haki."
Roman nodded calmly. Even though Nami's sudden, Haki-infused punch caught him off guard, he was more impressed than hurt.
After all, didn't this just confirm they were both the real deal? As expected of Nami—she figured out a solution that benefited them both almost instantly.
Looking up at the sky, this time, the white doves Roman had sent out were no longer being destroyed by Redfield. Maybe he didn't think it was worth the effort? Either way, through the doves' eyes, what should have been a normal island was instead a chaotic mix of landscapes and buildings, stitched together like a bizarre patchwork. The area closest to *Arlong Park* was—
"Since someone went through all the trouble of setting up a 'stage' for us, wouldn't it be rude if we didn't put on a show?"
?
"Then let's go,"
Nami closed her book, and as soon as she did, Roman scooped her up, planted his foot firmly on the ground, and—
*Boom!*
They launched into the air, soaring into the distance!
The moment they left, *Arlong Park* rippled like a mirage, dissolving back into a stretch of farmland on the outskirts of town.
With Roman carrying Nami, they quickly crossed the farmland below and entered—
A vast desert of rolling dunes, dry and lifeless!
It stood out like a misplaced game texture.
"Wait, don't tell me this is—"
"That's right. This is Vivi's homeland."
Roman glanced ahead. Now that his doves weren't being blocked, he could already see the city in the desert, and on top of the kingdom, standing tall—
"Hahaha~~"
A confident, cruel laugh echoed through the air.
A man in a black coat spread his arms wide, welcoming Roman and Nami as they flew toward him at high speed.
"Long time no see, White Knight Roman."
"Yo Crocodile!"
"...Look at the ground beneath your feet. Our relationship isn't that friendly for you to be calling me nicknames, is it?"
"Alright then. Guess that means you're the 'boss fight' for this stage?"
"That's right! Defeating me is your only choice!"
Roman let go of Nami and stepped forward alone, while Nami used her "Float-Float" ability to hover in the air. It was clear that Roman intended to take on Crocodile by himself.
"This time, there's no 'Dance Powder' to make it rain."
In response to Crocodile's words, Roman extended his palm, and a longsword emerged from it.
"I don't need outside help to beat you now."
"Guhahaha! Then let's enjoy our rematch—"
Seeing Roman covered in Haki, Crocodile slammed his right hand onto the palace floor. Knowing how strong Roman was, he chose to go all out from the start.
"Corrosion Cycle!"
A dull yellow glow burst from his right hand. In an instant, the golden-brown light spread across the entire palace.
The sky filled with dust-like light, and everything—the ground, plants, and buildings—turned brownish-yellow. The ruthless glow drained all life, leaving a cold, dry stillness in the air! It was as if centuries had passed in an instant, with everything crumbling into sand.
"More More: 50x Shock Blade!"
A massive sword strike fell like a meteor, crashing down toward the collapsing palace! Roman was no longer the same as before when the Straw Hat Crew had to rely on artificial rain, psychological tricks, tag-team fights, and desperate bursts of power to take on Crocodile. Now, even head-on—
*Slash!*
"Golden Coffin!"
But the strike didn't finish Crocodile off. From the ruins of the palace, a towering golden sarcophagus rose from the ground! Though Roman's attack nearly split it in two, it successfully blocked the blow. The massive coffin gleamed with a metallic shine, covered in intricate desert-style carvings that made it look majestic under the sunlight.
"This is a powerful defense I created by gathering the 'metal' in the desert. Not even that old man's 'Quake-Quake' ability could break it in one hit! In fact, my sand is a natural counter to the Quake-Quake Fruit because—"
"Sand has no fixed shape."
The split-open coffin suddenly burst, releasing a massive surge of golden sand. It formed into a giant sword and shot toward Roman—not just stabbing, but ramming forward at high speed! Its sheer size alone could cause serious damage, and the billions of sand particles on its surface spun like countless high-speed chainsaws.
"Golden Greatsword!"
"More More: 10x Haki Compression Blade!"
Against the flowing sand, the Quake-Quake ability was somewhat limited. Roman simply reinforced his sword with a double layer of Haki and swung it downward with all his strength.
"Rip apart—!"
Sparks exploded in the air! Roman's sword clashed with Crocodile's golden weapon, grinding against the rapidly moving sand. With his entire body coated in Armament Haki, Roman ignored the flying sand and burning sparks as he slashed downward!
His sword cut through the towering sand construct, slicing the Golden Greatsword in half, then the Golden Coffin, and finally—Crocodile, who was hiding behind it.
*Slash!*
Crocodile was split in two without resistance, but—
"Useless."
His body wasn't made of flesh and blood. Instead, it was just sand! In the next moment, his split form turned into two golden sand lances and shot straight at Roman.
"Golden Sand Barrage!"
*Tch.* Roman spun his sword in a circular motion, creating a series of perfect arcs that blocked the incoming sand lances. Then, with a quick backward leap, two white wings sprouted from his back, allowing him to hover in the air.
He looked down at where he had just been standing—it was now covered in massive sand spears, rising from the ground like a forest of thorns!
"Seriously, Old Sand, isn't this a bit sneaky?"
"Guhahaha! Without Haki, you really think I'd fight you up close?"
"And don't forget how you dealt with me back then—"
A mere "copy" without Red the Aloof's enhancements had no Haki at all. But Crocodile could freely move through the desert, making it just as easy for him to dodge Roman's attacks. And when it came to Logia users, once their powers were developed enough, their destructive force was on another level.
For example—
Even under the blazing sun, a towering golden sandstorm suddenly shot into the sky! It stretched like a rainbow piercing through the sun, casting a vast golden shadow over the land. The sky turned into a hazy yellow, and the sun itself flickered like a fading sunset.
"Colossal Golden Sandstorm!"
The moment he finished speaking, the battlefield was swallowed by a raging sandstorm! A deafening roar filled the air, shaking the heavens. The golden tornado swept up the entire desert, turning the world into a storm of endless sand.
The sky and earth seemed to merge, as if it were the end of the world!
"Hey, old man Sand..."
Roman couldn't help but comment. He knew Crocodile was strong when he went all out, but—
"Are you picking a fight with Tesoro lately? Every one of your moves has 'golden' in its name. Anyone who doesn't know better might think you're the one with the Gold-Gold Fruit."
"......"
"If it were anyone else, they'd probably lose right here..."
Was Crocodile strong? No doubt about it. Back in the Summit War, he clashed with some of the biggest names on both the Marine and pirate sides. The title of "50-50 against any pirate" wasn't just talk.
But unlike when he lost his ambition after Whitebeard crushed him and he tried to rely on the ancient weapon Pluton, this was Crocodile at his peak—someone who could fight Barrett to a standstill.
Even without Haki, with the Sand-Sand Fruit boosted by the desert terrain and this kind of "shameless" mage-style fighting tactics, among the Straw Hat Crew, the only one who could confidently say they would win—
"That would be me!"
Within the massive, dragon-like sandstorm, countless grains of sand lashed out like blades, stripping flesh from bone, crushing metal and stone! But Roman, covered in Armament Haki, stood firm like a mountain. With his Observation Haki sweeping through the battlefield, he locked onto Crocodile, who suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
Before Crocodile could react, a figure wrapped in crackling lightning shot toward him like a bolt from the sky.
In midair, Roman had already drawn his sword.
"More More: Fiftyfold Electromagnetic Blade!"
Danger!
Even without Observation Haki, Crocodile's battle instincts screamed at him. His hands shot up instinctively—
"Golden—"
Zzzzzzt!
A blinding white light flashed, piercing straight through the massive sandstorm!
Where the light passed, the high temperatures instantly melted, solidified, and crystallized the sand, leaving behind a colorful, shimmering path.
Crocodile's "Golden Coffin," which he had just begun summoning, was shattered instantly. Fragments of sand and molten metal scattered through the air like splinters from a wooden board trying to stop a cannonball.
"What a beautiful attack..."
Without Armament Haki for defense, no matter how powerful an ability user was, they were still a "glass cannon."
As the sandstorm settled and sunlight returned to the battlefield, Crocodile wiped the gaping hole in his chest where Roman's sword had pierced through him.
"Ever since that old man died..."
"No matter how much I fight... no matter how much I struggle..."
"My heart remains dry..."
A puff of smoke exploded, and only a single leaf drifted down in the aftermath.
"Incredible."
"I can't believe we actually defeated someone like that back then."
Nami, who had been watching from a safe distance, flew over, her eyes scanning the battlefield in disbelief. If Crocodile hadn't been arrogant back then and had fought at this level from the start...
"People need something to fight for; that's what keeps them moving forward."
But Crocodile... after being defeated by Whitebeard, he had long since forgotten his past dreams. As for what he truly felt toward Whitebeard, maybe even he didn't know.
"Let's go. On to the next area."
Crocodile was alone here, but in other parts of the battlefield, the Straw Hat Crew were still fighting their own battles. To regroup, they had to cover every area.
(End of Chapter)
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