Sea King
Seeing that the distance was about right, Crocodile no longer cared about the subtle glances and transformed into a whirlwind of flying sand, heading towards the warship that was still some distance away!
Crocodile's Devil Fruit is supposedly Logia Sand-Sand Fruit, which doesn't possess the ability of "wind".
Furthermore, unlike the "Lightning-Lightning Fruit," which can spread within an electric field, it doesn't possess the ability to briefly remain airborne after Elementalization.
However, Crocodile's development of his Devil Fruit ability is exceptionally advanced and profound. He has Devil Fruit Development, allowing him to manipulate air humidity to create pressure differences and thus generate wind...
Although this gust of wind has little direct offensive power, it can carry his "sand" along with it, making the effect much stronger. Furthermore, when fully Elementalization, it can create a temporary effect of hovering and flying.
When the sandstorm whirlwind swept right towards him, Thompson was also startled...
"Crocodile? What? As Shichibukai, you're also responsible for protecting the kings of Affiliated Nation?" Tumble said, half mocking and half feigning weakness.
Crocodile is somewhat cowardly; if the other party gave him a way out, he might back down. At the same time, he can't help but be sarcastic and mock the "Shichibukai."
"Crocodile! These people..." Dalmatian was tied up, was about to speak when Thompson punched him in the stomach.
Originally, Tompus was going to kill the rear Rear Admiral, but Cobra saved him and even offered to pay a ransom.
Crocodile remained unmoved by the Navy's beating. "No, I was merely exercising the authority of a lower- Shichibukai... Old Man, aren't you his prisoner now? If I were to take you from him..."
"Crocodile ... he is the leader of the Affiliated Nation ..." Dalmatian had just begun to speak when he was struck again and lost consciousness completely.
"Enough with the nonsense. It's legal for the Shichibukai to rob pirates. If you don't understand, go and read the regulations carefully," Crocodile said dismissively.
The play must be performed completely.
If he had acted all loyal to the monarch and the country from the start, Cobra would have been suspicious. So, he pretended to be acting out of self-interest, then released Cobra to attend a meeting, making him verbally agree to the "ransom." Once in Alabasta, when Cobra was in a difficult position, he would tell him that the ransom would be exchanged for a piece of land he could use to run a casino...
[This is truly a remote and impoverished place, but at least the sand is decent. Forget the ransom; this place will be transformed into the biggest casino, which I'll manage. I'll also keep an eye on those pirates. You'd better be grateful!]
Crocodile has already come up with these cool lines.
But right now, the more important thing is to take the "prisoners" back!
"Two hundred and ninety million Beli... I'll accept it for now." Crocodile glanced at the pirates on the ship, then stretched his shoulders.
Two hundred and ninety million, the total bounty of the Tumbler Pirate Crew.
Thompson was very familiar with this number, and seeing that Crocodile had pushed him to this point, he no longer hesitated and made a bold decision...
"Just a dog of the Navy... Don't be so arrogant!" Tumbler swayed strangely, almost leaving afterimages, and appeared directly in front of Crocodile.
Tumbler Body Techniques: Pre-swing Tremor Fist!
However, just as he unleashed a powerful taijutsu punch, the force missed its mark. Crocodile's chest turned to sand, completely deflecting the attack. Although his body appeared to be spraying sand, he was actually unharmed.
"What!" Thompson's pupils contracted.
It's not that I'm confused about the sand-like appearance; after all, I've been around for so long, I've heard of Logia Devil Fruit and even seen other users of them, but...
I know Armament Haki!
It should be able to attack an Elementalization body!
In other words, Crocodile's Elementalization is voluntary— Armament Haki can reach the Elementalization entity and cause physical damage, but... if it doesn't reach it, then it's all for nothing.
Crocodile belongs to the type who completely abandons the training of Armament Haki and physical strength, focusing entirely on the development of his Devil Fruit ability.
Although Thompson's shock punch was fast and its angle was unpredictable, it was not as fast as Crocodile's reaction time.
Crocodile transformed the target's body part into Elementalization, still sporting his usual stern face and the same cigar, looking at Thompson with disdain...
Then Crocodile raised his left arm, transforming it into a sand blade that slashed at Thompole in front of him. Although the latter tried his best to dodge, and his physical skills were also suitable for dodging, he couldn't withstand the overwhelming attack range of Crocodile's Elementalization arm.
Despite retreating repeatedly, he was still caught in the throes. Even though he tried his best to break free, Thompson felt a sudden lightness in his body, as if he had lost most of his strength.
He had clearly lost weight!
The Sand-Sand Fruit had indeed removed some of the water – in a way, it was the opposite of the Juicing Princess's method, weakening the opponent's stamina by reducing the water content in their body...
Immediately afterward, Crocodile swung his left hand, and his left arm instantly turned into fine sand, with a solid Golden Hook attached to the long, snake-like sand!
The Golden Hook was poisonous, and Crocodile was confident he could pierce his heart with a single hook.
However, at that moment, Sig also probed the magnetic field over—this was not an island, and the magnetic field strength was limited; Sig could cover his own electromagnetic field.
Not only does it incorporate Sig's Observation Haki, but... once Observation Haki locks on, it can be used to move with "Flash of Lightning"!
Crocodile instantly sensed something, but given the circumstances, he naturally continued attacking Thompole first. However, just then...
A bolt of lightning struck the deck.
It struck right between Crocodile and the retreating Tonple, and even right in the path of Crocodile's Golden Hook attack!
As the lightning subsided, a figure even taller than Crocodile appeared, blocking the path of the Golden Hook. One foot was slightly raised, its sole bracing against the still-moving Golden Hook...
Crocodile's expression turned serious, realizing that the newcomer was no pushover.
"Sea King ... Siegfried?" Crocodile uttered the title Sig had already earned.
The moment this seemingly magical name was uttered, both Tompus's crew and Alabasta's guards became even more tense!
He razed Enies Lobby, with a bounty of 1.8 billion... He's not only riding high, but he's also a true Great Pirate!
Whether he's a pirate overlord or Marine Admiral, Sig will not be ignored by anyone.
Even if Sig can't beat them right now, at least... he dares to say he won't be instantly killed by anyone, and he can put up a few moves against anyone...