Three Great Logias
"Success! But this guy is really as strong as a monster!" Ace, covered in wounds, couldn't help but smile bitterly. In terms of absolute strength, he was far from being a match for Crocodile the Sand. If Crocodile the Sand had paid a little more attention to him, the outcome would have been completely different.
Fortunately, battles are inherently unpredictable, and victory is not guaranteed by whoever is stronger. Only those who can perfectly control the battle can achieve ultimate victory.
"No, no, no, you're celebrating too soon. Crocodile the Sand may not be that strong, but he's not so easily defeated. You're underestimating the power of an Awakening Devil Fruit User." A very flippant voice appeared behind Ace, making his nerves tense up again after he had just breathed a sigh of relief.
Ace turned around as if facing a formidable enemy, looking at the masochist less than three meters away from him with utter horror. The enemy had already "touched" behind him, yet he hadn't noticed at all.
Although this guy doesn't seem to have any aura of a strong person, and is a perverted masochist who sticks circles on his back, he doesn't think that someone who can completely hide from his senses is weak. Even if he is a pervert, he is a very strong pervert.
"Could you be Nightmare Roy?" Ace was secretly shocked. There was probably no one else who would dare to comment on Crocodile the Sand in such a tone. However, he quickly shook his head and denied it. "No, I saw Nightmare Roy in the newspaper two years ago. You can't be him."
"Tsk tsk, it seems the captain is quite a famous figure on the high seas." Enel remarked twice before continuing, "As for me? You can call me Thunder God Enel."
Ace's lips twitched. What was this? This guy didn't seem like a normal person at all. Could he really be a psychopathic masochist?
"What exactly did you mean by what you just said? Crocodile the Sand was hit by my Armament Haki. Even if he doesn't die, he shouldn't be able to fight anymore. Also, what does 'Awakening' mean?" Ace asked calmly, while also recovering from his injuries. Although he didn't know how strong this guy was, judging from his previous methods of infiltration and his tone towards Crocodile the Sand, he was definitely not someone to be trifled with.
"Even if you don't die, you still won't be able to fight? Kid, you really know how to talk big. With your half-baked Armament Haki, you think you can defeat an Awakening Logia Fruit user? You're dreaming." At some point, the burning sea had calmed down, Crocodile the Sand's figure reappeared in Ace's eyes.
However, compared to his previous composure, Crocodile the Sand now looked disheveled, with burn marks all over his body. Clearly, he was not unscathed from that terrifying attack.
Ace's heart sank to the bottom. Putting aside this newly appeared powerful enemy, just looking at Crocodile the Sand's appearance, he knew that although he had suffered some injuries, he was by no means without the ability to fight.
"Tsk tsk, what a sorry sight, unable to even defeat a greenhorn." Enel gloated, taking pleasure in Crocodile the Sand's setback.
"Idiot, how could you have seen me lose? I was just careless for a moment. If I had taken it seriously, this kid wouldn't have been a match for me." Crocodile the Sand also a little embarrassed. He had only wanted to vent his frustration, which was why he volunteered to deal with these lackeys. However, he was caught off guard and tricked by a newcomer. To make matters worse, Enel saw it all.
The thought of being constantly mocked by Enel over this incident made Crocodile the Sand's face contort with rage.
Ace didn't refute it. He knew that Crocodile the Sand's strength was indeed far above his own, just from the fact that Crocodile the Sand had taken his strongest attack and was still full of energy.
Enel, however, had no intention of provoking Crocodile the Sand any further. He turned to Ace and said, "Kid, that Conqueror's Haki you just used was it, wasn't it? I'm quite interested in that power."
"What do you mean?" Ace instinctively didn't want to communicate with this arrogant masochist; he always felt that the man wasn't a normal person.
"Release it again, let me feel this power up close." Enel, who considered himself a god, was extremely envious of this skill that was full of bragging rights, but unfortunately Roy's Conqueror's Haki was too strong, and he couldn't comprehend it at all.
Ace's lips twitched. This guy really is sick, and seriously so.
Not to mention that he has no way of mastering that power, even if he did, he wouldn't agree to it just because of this guy's words. It's like making a fool of him.
"I refuse." Ace's face was gloomy. If he weren't thinking about recovering as much strength as possible, he wouldn't have been able to suppress his anger.
"Haha, this is God's command, you have no choice but to accept it."
The purple-black lightning exploded and instantly pounced on Ace.
Ace was startled. Just as his arm was about to turn into flames, he saw a sandstorm blocking his way, stopping all the lightning.
"Crocodile the Sand, do you want to stop me?" Enel's tone was icy. Although he had a certain relationship with Crocodile the Sand, he only obeyed Roy's orders. Apart from that, he would never show mercy to anyone who stood in his way.
"Hmph, this guy is my prey, and my battle with him is not over yet." Crocodile the Sand wanted to regain face from Ace, so he wouldn't let Enel interfere.
"You've already forgotten the scars after I taught you a lesson? Looks like I need to make a deeper impression on you." Enel's Golden Staff had transformed into a trident.
"Idiot, you're only slightly stronger than me. Do you really think you can defeat me?" The poisonous hook in the Crocodile the Sand's hand was removed from its body and hidden in the quicksand.
"Then let's give it a try!"
The thunder and sandstorm bombarded them fiercely. They had clashed countless times and were extremely familiar with each other. Without any probing, they immediately unleashed their ultimate moves.
Ace, standing dumbfounded to the side, was completely bewildered. What kind of bizarre turn of events was this? How did these two guys suddenly start fighting? They really didn't take him seriously at all.
"Wait, this guy is also Logia, and he has the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, which is considered invincible among Logia!" Ace finally realized what was happening and couldn't help but gasp. Logia are synonymous with power on the sea and are extremely rare. In all the time he had been at sea, he had only ever seen himself as a Logia.
But today, three Logia Fruit users have appeared on this sea, making him feel as if he were in a dream.
In an instant, the weather on the sea changed completely. On one side were dark thunderclouds, as if there were thunderbolts all over the sky, and on the other side was howling yellow sand, like a sandstorm sweeping across the sea.
"Is this his true strength? Is this the power of the Devil Fruit Awakening they were talking about?" Ace looked at the scene with a wry smile. "It seems that Crocodile the Sand wasn't exaggerating after all. He really didn't use his true strength before."
"However, the most terrifying person hasn't appeared yet, someone who can suppress these two monsters, even win their sincere respect." Ace thought of the unspoken awe in both men when they mentioned Roy, and a shadow fell over his heart. "Just how strong is that man known as Nightmare!"