Domain Expansion, Unlimited Void

"Bang!"

Satoru Gojo slapped the sand spear with his hand. The powerful impact left it unable to hold its shape, and the entire spear burst apart with a bang, scattering into countless grains of sand that drifted through the air.

Amid the drifting sand, Satoru Gojo stepped against the air, becoming a blur as he shot toward Crocodile, his right hand clenched into a fist as he threw a punch.

"The Navy's Geppo?!"

Crocodile was somewhat surprised, thinking Satoru Gojo's steps through the air were the Navy's Geppo.

But he was a veteran of countless battles. Despite his surprise, his hands never stopped attacking.

He opened his right hand, about to catch Satoru Gojo's fist.

"Boom!"

Fist and palm suddenly collided. A cold glint flashed in Crocodile's eyes as he activated the Sand-Sand Fruit's power, intending to drain the moisture from Satoru Gojo's body and turn him into a dried corpse.

But no matter how he pushed his ability, Satoru Gojo remained unharmed, as though something was blocking his power from entering Satoru Gojo's body.

The Cursed Energy within Satoru Gojo's body rapidly gathered in his fist, and tremendous power poured out of it.

Under the explosive burst of Cursed Energy, Satoru Gojo's fist instantly blasted one of Crocodile's arms into yellow sand that sprayed in every direction.

The fist finally landed on Crocodile's chest, sending him flying backward.

"You're pretty capable. How about joining my Baroque Works?"

Crocodile landed on the ground. As yellow sand continually gathered, his blasted arm and caved-in chest returned to normal, and he made Satoru Gojo an offer.

Watching from a short distance away, Esdeath narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Oh, is this the Elementalization Gojo mentioned? He can recover quickly even after his body is punched through. It really is troublesome."

"I think you'd be better off joining my pirate crew!"

Satoru Gojo replied.

"Hahaha, do you actually think you can win?"

Crocodile found it somewhat amusing. Even after witnessing his Elementalization, Satoru Gojo was still this confident. He certainly did not think Satoru Gojo knew Armament Haki.

"Then do you think you can win?"

Satoru Gojo grinned.

"Hahaha, what an arrogant brat!"

"Why don't we make a bet? Whoever loses does what the winner says. How about it?"

Satoru Gojo baited Crocodile with those words.

Heh, what nonsense. He actually dares to make a bet like that with me. Still, this suits me just fine. This brat is strong enough to join my Baroque Works!

"I'll take that bet. Don't go back on your word when you lose!"

Heh, the fish took the bait! Satoru Gojo secretly rejoiced.

"Ah, of course I won't. You're the one who'd better not back out!"

"Smack!"

Crocodile said no more. He raised his hand and pressed it against the ground, unleashing the Sand-Sand Fruit's power.

"Erosion Cycle!"

The power of erosion once again spread across the surrounding ground with him at its center. Whether earth and stone, bricks, or houses, everything dried, cracked, and crumbled under the Sand-Sand Fruit's erosive power, finally turning into yellow sand.

Watching the yellow sand spread toward her, Esdeath kicked Koratt backward.

"Aaah!"

Once again, Koratt traced a graceful arc through the air.

Esdeath also leaped backward, reaching a spot that had not been eroded and watching from afar.

Although Crocodile's Erosion Cycle posed little threat to Satoru Gojo, it further expanded the sandy terrain, making the battlefield more favorable.

Still, Satoru Gojo did not stop him. Only after Crocodile finished did he step forward and charge at him.

Facing the charging Satoru Gojo, Crocodile snorted coldly and raised his right hand. Yellow sand instantly spun wildly in his palm, forming a miniature tornado.

"Sables!"

The miniature tornado flew from Crocodile's hand, turning straight into a sandstorm capable of swallowing everything.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Satoru Gojo was engulfed by the vast sandstorm Crocodile unleashed, but he was not swept away. Not even the hem of his clothes stirred.

He used Teleportation to appear straight in front of Crocodile and threw a punch at him.

"What!?"

Crocodile was startled by Satoru Gojo's sudden appearance before him, and his expression darkened slightly. After their brief exchange,

he now deeply understood why the Navy was so wary of him.

He had also learned some of Satoru Gojo's abilities. He must have eaten a space-related Devil Fruit; his earlier steps through the air and his current teleportation were probably fruit abilities.

Spatial abilities, huh? A little troublesome!

Even for him, defeating Satoru Gojo would not be easy.

These thoughts flashed through his mind. Facing Satoru Gojo's incoming punch, Crocodile covered his fist in sand and slammed it forward.

As their fists collided violently, Crocodile's upper body was instantly blasted into loose sand.

To put some distance between himself and Satoru Gojo, Crocodile took the opportunity to turn his lower body into sand as well, reforming several dozen meters away.

"Damn it! He's strong!"

Crocodile had not expected Satoru Gojo to be so physically strong. With physical techniques alone, he could blast his body apart!

"If you had Armament Haki, I might already have lost. Too bad you don't!"

Against an enemy without Armament Haki, his Elementalization was enough to keep him undefeated.

Now, all he needed to do was abandon defense, focus on attacking, and wear down Satoru Gojo's stamina. He would definitely be the final victor.

"The Sand-Sand Fruit really is powerful! Looks like I'll have to take off my blindfold!"

Crocodile did not know what removing his blindfold would accomplish, but he did not need to know.

"Desert Spada!"

Crocodile roared furiously, enlarging his arm and bringing it down hard against the ground. The entire ground instantly split down the middle, and the slash headed straight toward Satoru Gojo.

"That was dangerous!"

Satoru Gojo dodged the strike to one side and countered with a punch, once again sending Crocodile flying backward.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

After getting back up, Crocodile repeatedly unleashed Desert Spada, giving Satoru Gojo no chance to catch his breath. Rift after rift split the sandy ground beneath them as the sandstorm raged.

"What's happening over there?"

"Is a sandstorm coming?"

As they looked at the distant area shrouded in yellow sand, astonishment appeared on their faces.

"Someone's fighting!"

"Boom!"

A deafening crash rang out, and yellow sand erupted like spring water in that area, reaching dozens of meters into the air, visible even from here.

Someone fighting over there was actually causing all this commotion!

Many people gazed toward the surging waves of sand, their hearts pounding with apprehension and a measure of awe showing in their eyes.

"Boom!"

Another roar rang out, and another fountain of sand surged from the sandy ground.

Satoru Gojo broke straight through Crocodile's Desert Spada and slammed a fist into his chest.

"Bang!"

Crocodile's body turned into a mass of yellow sand. After reforming into human shape, he did not continue attacking.

It looks like this guy's strength is the real deal, too. If he knew Haki, I might already have lost!

Too bad there are no ifs. There'll only be one winner today, and that's me!

"As expected of a Logia. Without Armament Haki, this Elementalization really is a pain!"

"Then why don't you just surrender? Elementalization is enough to keep me undefeated. You can't win no matter how long we keep fighting!"

"Undefeated? Can you really manage that? Let me see for myself! I'm taking off my blindfold!"

Satoru Gojo gripped his blindfold and pulled it down. His silver lashes trembled slightly, revealing his Blue eyes.

Resting his middle finger over his index finger to form a strange hand sign, he spoke in a low voice:

"Domain Expansion!"

"Unlimited Void!"