Fated Showdown (4)

Crocodile asked coldly.

It refers to Enel.

"Um."

"Where did you find such an idiot?"

"The Crocodile scoffed."

"You have to grow up eventually... Didn't you start as a small- One Piece? If you hadn't fought Douglas Bare to a draw, you wouldn't have caught the attention of the Five Elders and become a Shichibukai, would you?" Oboro smiled.

The air fell silent for a moment.

Crescent-shaped dunes.

Suddenly, without any warning, Crocodile's arm turned to sand and grew larger.

It formed an astonishing sand-like slash, cutting towards Oboro's waist.

Bang! Long simply raised an arm to block in front of him, and the thick, sharp sand slashed at him and then exploded.

It was blocked by Haki.

No harm was caused.

Crocodile then flicked the golden hook, which was the Scorpion Venom Needle... but Oboro's body had already become a vanishing phantom.

It solidified again, and its main body stood several meters away.

"I haven't forgotten...you killed my partner." Crocodile's eyes were sinister.

"Come on... if you really cared about that, we wouldn't have only just met now."

Oboro smiled faintly, not retaliating. "Or do you want to fight me here like Doflamingo? Are you confident you can beat me?"

Given Crocodile's abilities, the fact that Oboro fought Doflamingo was no secret.

Judging from Crocodile's words, this guy has already keenly realized that there is something fishy going on between him and Doflamingo.

When it comes to understanding Doflamingo, Crocodile is second to none.

Joker would naturally not reveal his collaboration with Dover to outsiders... but there are probably a few people who have noticed something amiss with him.

Crane is one, Crocodile is another.

In particular, the changes in the situation in the North Blue, if observed carefully, reveal some problems.

"I told you... don't lump me in with that trash Doflamingo ... if you want to die, I can grant your wish."

Crocodile showed no fear.

As someone who once dared to challenge Whitebeard, he didn't even consider a mere God Slayer a threat.

Both he and Dover were cunning and confident madmen.

They have all weathered many storms.

"You just want to confirm whether my arrival has uncovered your secret... right?"

"Or rather, it will affect your plans."

His expression was ambiguous, a smile that wasn't quite a smile.

"..."

Upon hearing these two sentences, a murderous glint appeared in the eyes of the Crocodile.

"Don't be nervous, I'm not interested in your ambitions."

Long waved his hand.

"I know where Pluton is."

The next second, Oboro uttered something astonishing.

"Snort."

Crocodile's eyelids twitched, and he let out a cold snort.

"Want to join my One Piece crew?"

You don't deserve it.

The Crocodile replied with a very sophisticated three words.

"Besides the World Government, those two guys are also after you... There are quite a few people in the New World who are eyeing you covetously. You should think about how to lead these useless people to survive."

"Pity."

Long didn't take it to heart.

He said goodbye, "Well... I'll be going now."

He originally had no intention of cooperating with the Crocodile.

Although they are of the same ilk as Doflamingo, their styles and mannerisms are still somewhat different.

Simply put, from a certain perspective, Joker is more reliable.

"Oh... right, don't even think about getting away with this. I know you came here not only to test me, but also to kill Straw Hat... with me here, that's impossible."

Before leaving, Oboro seemed to remember something and suddenly said something.

"Stop pretending. How could someone like you possibly protect a hothead like him? You orchestrated this whole thing, and then you came to see me... which means you also want to kill him, doesn't it?"

"Hmm... I do have that idea."

Long nodded slightly.

"You're just like Doflamingo, not easy to fool... You have such a sharp eye."

"No wonder he's been a veteran sailing the seas for so many years, haha..."

Oboro changed the subject, "Besides, although I'm not interested in your ambitions, if the World Government finds out, or... if the news gets into the hands of some bad people, like Doflamingo... then..."

Desert Saber!

Boom! The echo of Long's voice still lingered in the air when the sand dune he stood on suddenly trembled violently. It was cleaved in two by a terrifying sandstorm, and the huge ground was instantly split in two.

Crocodile's eyes were dark as he scanned his surroundings.

"Don't get excited... Even if I don't tell you, you won't succeed."

"We'll see each other again soon... and then... you might even thank me."

The Crocodile suddenly looked up at the God Slayer was hovering in the air, and its face darkened.

"Thank u?"

Crocodile scoffed.

Without offering any explanation, Long vanished in an instant.

God Slayer ...

Crocodile sensed Oboro's presence disappear and was deeply moved.

This guy... really knows about Utopia.

During the previous meeting of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Doflamingo intentionally spoke a few words to him.

The God Slayer is no ordinary person... The reason why the World Government is wary of him is not just because he killed Celestial Dragons.

It also involves some 'secrets'.

This alludes to the powerful intelligence network of the God Slayer.

Moreover, he came here with warning... prepared to fight the God Slayer.

However, the other party clearly had no intention of 'getting entangled' with him.

Judging from these two probing attacks, his opponent was far stronger than he had imagined.

This stirred up a storm within Crocodile.

Even the Shiki was defeated by this man.

As my thoughts were turning, a blinding light suddenly appeared behind me, followed by a wave of intense heat.

The Crocodile turned to look.

Then, on the battlefield, a terrifying Thunder God rose from the ground, and his violent aura seemed to change the color of heaven and earth.

His pupils contracted, and he calmed himself down slightly.

A top-tier Logia-type Devil Fruit user! Although he called the other person an idiot... it was actually just to mock the God Slayer.

Crocodile could tell that the guy who fought the Straw Hat... was terrifying, especially in terms of the development and use of his Devil Fruit abilities.

"My plan is going to fail? What does he know?"

What was he referring to in his last sentence...?

"Could it be... that he really knows the whereabouts of Pluton?"

"Tsk."

The more Crocodile thought about it, the more restless he became.

This brief encounter, though he seemed to have gained the upper hand verbally, revealed in the God Slayer's every action and demeanor that he was not taking him seriously.

He had assumed that, given the Hell Pirates' current precarious and passive position, God Slayer really came to see him, he would propose cooperation or make some demands.

Perhaps it has already happened once before with Doflamingo.

But to his surprise, Oboro had no intention of cooperating with him at all... It seemed that he was not qualified enough to be compared to the Joker.

Inviting himself to join the Hell Pirates was clearly a joke.

"Hell Pirates..."