The Might of Nature, the Horn of Counterattack

"Another idiot bound by emotions."

Of course, his fists alone couldn't hurt Crocodile in the slightest. He didn't even need to use Observation Haki; he could just stand there and let Luffy hit him without a care.

"Kuhahaha, once you meet someone, you're willing to die for them."

Whether it's the Straw Hat Kid in front of me, or that guy named 'Roman'...

"I've seen plenty of idiots like you!"

"So···"

Luffy, having loosened his fists, asked in return.

"Aren't you an idiot too?"

!

'Let's go, hurry up, leave this to—'

Puff,

'You?'

'I'm sorry... Captain... we just want to live...'

In an instant, memories he had sworn to forget flooded back, causing the man named Crocodile's face to darken! Who wasn't a fool when they were young?

Hehehe...

The elegant and beautiful Robin beside him chuckled, which only made Crocodile even more embarrassed and angry!

"Do you want to die too, Nico Robin?!"

"If you want to kill me,"

Robin, wearing a white cowboy hat, waved dismissively.

"Please go ahead."

!

After saying that, Robin turned around and spread his hands.

"Also, didn't we agree beforehand that you wouldn't call me by that name, boss?"

"Miss, where are you going all Sunday?"

Robin didn't even turn her head when faced with Crocodile's question.

"Alubarna, I'm going now."

Seeing Nico Robin leave so cleanly and decisively, Crocodile shook his head. —You can never do anything to someone who isn't afraid of death and has nothing.

"This woman is really..."

But now is not the time to think about these things. As Crocodile opened his palm, the swirling sand condensed, compressed, and deformed in his hand, and then:

Puff,

An hourglass was created and thrown at Luffy's feet.

The fine sand flowing continuously in the hourglass represents the passage of time.

"You have three minutes."

Crocodile flicked his cigarette ash with his middle finger and pointed his index finger at the Luffy's feet.

"Once the time is up, I will not be able to continue."

"Any objections?"

Faced with Crocodile's Haki and confident words, Luffy stretched his arms.

"No."

"Rubber-"

During the charge, Luffy launched the first attack.

"Gun!"

With a flash of his fist, it hurtled towards Crocodile with a wild whooshing sound! But Crocodile could easily dodge this straightforward attack by simply tilting his head slightly.

At the same time, he charged towards Luffy, his body turning into Elementalization sand during the charge! The next instant, he appeared in front of Luffy, his huge Golden Hook on his left hand mercilessly sweeping towards Luffy.

"Wow!"

With a sudden backward twist of his upper body, Luffy narrowly dodged Crocodile's attack, eliciting an unexpected "Yo!" from the Shichibukai.

Not bad, you've actually mastered 'Observation Haki' to a basic level.

"Rubber-"

Luffy, having dodged Crocodile's "Lightning Blade," immediately Luffy backward and launched a flying kick!

"Whip!"

Puff,

This mid-air flip and back kick instantly created a huge hole in Crocodile's back as he brushed past! But the flying sand clearly showed:

"The ugly truth is right in front of you, Straw Hat Kid."

"An attack like yours will never succeed..."

"Rubber-machine gun!"

Puff puff puff,

A dense barrage of punches rained down on Crocodile like cannonballs, the terrifying speed of dozens of punches per second instantly turning the towering Crocodile into a pincushion! However:

"It's no use, no matter how many times we try..."

"Rocket launcher!"

Before Crocodile could finish speaking, Luffy's hands struck him hard in the chest, causing it to explode and scatter sand everywhere!

On his back, a hole the size of a washbasin exploded with force, instantly splitting him in two!

"It's useless—"

"Rubber-Tomahawk!"

His leg, suddenly stretched towards the sky, crashed down with the force of splitting mountains and shattering peaks, instantly obliterating Crocodile into dust! Then:

Bang bang bang!

"I stomp, stomp, stomp!"

"Did you crush it? You sand crocodile—"

"I told you," Luffy said, as he stomped wildly on the sand beneath his feet. Behind Luffy, the sand silently formed Crocodile's silhouette. It didn't harm him in the slightest, and even the cigar in his mouth was exactly the same as before the fight.

Logia users are born with the ability to Elementalization their clothes, weapons, and even cigarettes...

"A low-level Gum-Gum Devil Fruit user like you has absolutely no chance of winning, ugh—"

Bang!

However, Luffy had already turned around and delivered a punch in the Inazuma, preventing Crocodile from finishing a single sentence since the start of the battle.

"'Yingwu'? What exactly are you trying to say?"

Seeing Luffy's blank Luffy, Crocodile's veins bulged on his forehead, and he felt his blood pressure rise for the first time in a long time!

"Go to hell!"

He finally gave up on trash talk and went straight for the kill!

"At that time, I stood in front of that 'Island Eater,' pointing at that terrifying creature that was as large as a continent, and said, 'You cannot stop the footsteps of the men of the sea...'"

"1003"

"1004"

With one hand gripping the hilt of his sword, and a camel perched on the scabbard, Zoro continued his weightlifting exercises.

"Hey, you guys..."

"Ignore them, Nami."

Sanji took out another cigarette, lit it, and waved his hand.

"They just need to distract themselves, what idiots! This time they're facing someone on par with a 'Shichibukai'..."

"Hey, you bastard, just say what you want to say!"

Facing Zoro's gloomy face, Sanji simply stated the facts calmly.

"Fine, I'll say it: You're afraid Luffy will lose, aren't you?"

"... Me, I'm afraid?"

"Your curly eyebrows!"

"You Green Algae Head!"

Thump, thump,

"Alright, what time is it? Stop fighting amongst yourselves."

With a single punch, Nami knocked down the two overly nervous idiots, rubbing her forehead in exasperation. —The dense pile of cigarette butts beside Sanji didn't reflect his outward calm.

"Everyone, don't, don't worry."

Vivi smiled and stopped the others, "Lulu- Luffy made a promise to meet us in Alubarna."

Hey, hey, hey, looking at Vivi who was covered in sweat and could barely speak, the others couldn't help but complain.

You must be the most nervous, right?

"Speaking of which, Roman."

Sanji lit another cigarette and looked at Roman lying to the side, asking casually.

Do you think... Luffy can win?

--Quiet.

Although everyone knows Crocodile is incredibly powerful, the only person who has actually fought him is Roman Reigns. Therefore:

"Luffy is very strong in close combat, stronger than me."

Roman, observing the battlefield through the Scouting Paper Crane, closed his eyes. Luffy's talent is truly terrifying! He fought back and forth against Crocodile's 'Desert Treasure Saber - Release', which can extend hundreds of meters in a single strike, and 'Desert Sunflower', which can instantly bury an army.

Relying on his newly learned 'Observation Haki,' he managed to dodge the entire attack, utterly embarrassing Roman, the transmigrator. However:

"Luffy can't win."

"You,"

If it weren't for Roman's serious injuries, Sanji and Zoro would have almost lost their temper and wanted to punch him! However, at this moment:

Boom boom boom—

A massive sandstorm tornado, stretching from the sky to the earth, rose from the distant horizon! Carrying thunderous roars and the mournful cries of a thousand souls, it hurtled towards the heavens, tearing apart the sky, the earth, and everything in its path.

"Hey, hey, hey, are you kidding me?"

Unaware that the cigarette had fallen from his mouth, Sanji stared intently at the distant, endless, brownish-yellow sandstorm! Like a ferocious dragon baring its fangs, it defied everything. Faced with such natural power, his prized kicking skills...

Hehehe!

Zoro, his jaw clenched, gripped his katana tightly, for the first time wavering on his path. —Could a mere sword cut through such a natural disaster?

No!

It definitely can!

A blade that can cut through everything, a blade that can cut through the raging wind, must exist!!

"Luffy..."

Two lines of tears slid down Vivi's cheeks. Even though she wanted to believe in Luffy, faced with such a horrific natural disaster...

"Chopper, stop!"

Upon hearing Roman's words as he lay on the shell of the giant crab beneath them, Chopper hurriedly looked around. Finding everyone engrossed in their own worlds, he tapped the crab beneath him and began to communicate with it, causing it to slowly come to a stop.

(Chopper is able to communicate with most animals across species)

"Roman, you..."

"Don't misunderstand," Roman waved his hand, still lying in a corpse-like position.

"Crocodile is gone, which means—we don't need to run anymore."

"We also want to send Vivi..."

Zoro clenched his teeth tightly, uttering each word slowly and deliberately, his muscles taut and veins bulging!

"Luffy is not dead yet."

????

"What!"

"Real?"

"Explain yourself clearly..."

One sentence caused the entire Straw Hat crew, who had been overjoyed at the same time, to instinctively rush over, instantly causing Roman in the crowd to cry out in pain.

My wound!!

If you want me dead, just say so...

Bang! X4

Nami breathed a sigh of relief after knocking a group of people to the ground, including Vivi, and had Chopper check Roman's wounds before asking questions.

"Roman, how come Luffy isn't dead?"

"Um·····"

It can only be said that Crocodile used the sandstorm torrent to disrupt Luffy's mind, greatly weakening his Observation Haki. Then, relying on his superior Observation Haki, Crocodile overwhelmed Luffy. Crocodile underestimated his opponent, throwing the barely alive Luffy into the quicksand to die before turning and leaving. And not long after:

Robin rescued Luffy with an injured birdman, making Roman lament that different people have different fates.

Have a look,

He'd been lying there like a corpse for a whole day before being rescued. Luffy, on the other hand, suddenly had a benefactor helping him, even providing him with transportation...

Chaka: Thank you, I was offended.

"Anyway, let's wait a little while."

Soon, a giant eagle Luffy on its back appeared before everyone's eyes. Roman's paper crane guided the way in front of him, successfully allowing the two to reunite with the Straw Hat crew.

"Princess Vivi!"

"Bell!"

The giant eagle that released Luffy transformed into a samurai dressed in white desert attire, kneeling on one knee before Vivi.

"This paper crane is telling the truth, Princess, you are really safe and sound, that's... that's wonderful."

Chaka, the vice-commander of the Alabasta Kingdom's guard, is a Zoan user with the "Bird-Bird Fruit - Falcon Type". He is Vivi's staunch supporter, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he is like family to her.

On one side, master and servant meet; on the other side:

"Doctor! Call a doctor!... Ahhh, I'm the doctor?"

In the ensuing chaos, Luffy piercing his chest, received the same fate as Roman, lying lifeless on a crab. But regardless, at least no one died, which is the greatest fortune!

"Roman... Roman..."

Despite having his chest pierced, Luffy's rubber body, granted by the Rubber-Rubber Fruit, made his internal organs as tough as rubber, allowing him to Guotou and look at his fellow sufferers.

"I have to apologize to you, that Crocodile was too powerful! I couldn't even leave a scratch on him,"

"I'm sorry I haven't listened to you—"

Upon hearing this, the crowd, who had just been overjoyed, fell silent. Two of their Admiral had challenged Crocodile in succession, resulting in one having a hole in his stomach and the other a gaping wound in his chest. Even if they managed to escape now, what about the future?

"Roman, I'm going to beat that damn crocodile to a pulp!"

While Chopper kept saying "Don't talk, don't talk," Luffy looked seriously at Roman next to him.

"I need to think of a way to beat him up!"

········

"Luffy, you're being way too reckless. I'm already lying here myself..."

"I don't care, I'm going to beat up the flying crocodile! You have to come up with this plan!"

"Hey, hey, hey, what do you take me for?"

"Doraemon the All-Powerful!" X5

????

"You·······"

Is this some kind of sarcastic remark, leaving me speechless? Faced with the expectant expressions around him, Roman covered his face with one hand, but the corners of his mouth were increasingly unable to contain his emotions.

Hahahaha~~~

"Mr. Roman, you're crying—"

You're so honest!

"No, it's just... it's just... it's just that sand got into my eyes."

"But,"

Roman slowly sat up, and Nami quickly helped him up. He grinned confidently.

"Okay, I'll think of a way for Luffy."

"A way to get him to beat up the Crocodile!"

I'll stake my reputation as a time traveler... no, I'll stake my reputation as a 'partner'!

Just you wait, Crocodile.

P. S.: That's right, Roman has only now officially joined the Straw Hat crew, and his role is strategist. Didn't expect that, did you? Everything before was just the prologue! Hehehe, and by the way, please vote for me!

Each of my chapters is way over the word limit; I'm afraid I'll have 300,000 words before it's published by the time the editor gets back...