One Piece: I Can Repel Anything

But the sound lasted less than a second before vanishing completely. Not another peep came from inside.

A rapid rustling filled the air as the sand sphere broke apart, cracks spreading across its surface.

Then fine sand began to fall away, revealing what lay within.

Crocodile stood with his head lowered. Blood covered his scalp, ran down his face, and dripped onto the desert floor.

He looked so wretched it was hard to watch.

Suddenly, Crocodile swayed and pitched forward.

He hit the ground with a thud, kicking up dust. There he lay in the sand, utterly unconscious.

By then, all the sand from the sphere had fallen to the desert floor. The sphere was gone without a trace.

Only two people remained in that patch of desert: Chris standing, and Crocodile lying on the ground.

In the battle for the Shichibukai title, Chris had faced Crocodile.

And the sand crocodile had been utterly crushed. The battle ended in his complete defeat...

Shock.

Utter shock.

At the sight, the Baroque Works officers stared in horror. One by one, they froze as if struck by lightning.

"How is this possible...?"

Mikita lost her grip on her little parasol, and it fell onto the sand. "The boss was beaten? How could that happen? It can't be true!"

Fear spread across Marianne's small face. She shrank back and said in a trembling voice:

"It's over. We're all finished."

"No! I don't want to die! Waaah..."

Sally shook her head and rubbed her eyes. Only after checking several times did she finally accept what she saw.

Crocodile, the leader of Baroque Works, really had been defeated.

"Why did this happen?"

"The boss is a Shichibukai, one of the strongest pirates on the seas! How could he lose?"

"Tell me! Can someone tell me why?"