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worm novel 200 . xyz '
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A deafening boom rang out as a heavy blow slammed into Crocodile's abdomen. His body arched violently before shooting backward, shattering one tombstone after another.
He skidded for over a hundred meters before finally coming to a halt.
He had been careless!
Still reeling in shock, the Warlord did not even have the time to turn into his elemental form. That fist coated in Armament Haki had already struck his body.
"Cough, cough...!"
Spitting out a mouthful of blood on the ground, he gritted his teeth and pushed himself up.
A look of immense dread filled his eyes as he stared at Lius.
That previous punch was clearly wrapped in Armament Haki!
"No, he even used Observation Haki while dodging just a moment ago!"
His pupils shrank rapidly at this realization.
Haki was a concept that existed exclusively in the New World!
Very few individuals possessed Haki in the first half of the Grand Line, let alone rookie pirates.
To think that...
"Considering this monster was trained by the Golden Lion, it shouldn't be surprising that he knows Haki!"
A wave of clarity washed over the old pirate shortly after.
While Haki users were exceedingly rare in the first half of the Grand Line, they were not completely nonexistent. Having built his reputation as a great pirate in the New World, he had certainly clashed with Haki experts before.
However!
Just as Lius had pointed out, his pride had been utterly crushed ever since his disastrous defeat against Whitebeard.
He had cowered in Paradise ever since. He spent his days secretly searching for external power in a delusional attempt to conquer the seas.
"Lius, was it? I acknowledge you...!"
The man slowly raised his head. His tone remained just as arrogant as before.
But before he could finish his sentence.
His vision blurred. Lius materialized right in front of him, unleashing another devastating punch wrapped in Armament Haki.
Boom!
A tremendous force akin to a cannonball blasted Crocodile away. He crashed viciously just outside the royal tombs.
"I have no need for acknowledgment from a weakling like you!"
Lius stated flatly.
He sprang into action the moment those words left his mouth.
His figure vanished from his spot as if he had teleported. When he reappeared, he was already hovering directly above his opponent.
"Tempest Kick!"
He lashed out with both legs while suspended in midair. Two half-moon air blades shot downward, tearing fiercely toward the Warlord.
Rumble!
The attack carved a massive trench over a hundred meters long into the ground.
Thick dust billowed up to blot out the sky!
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Swirling sand suddenly gathered from the billowing dust clouds in the distance. The grains swiftly condensed back into Crocodile's physical form.
He stared at Lius with lingering apprehension.
Despite his fear, his mind remained frighteningly calm.
"I must admit, your strength completely exceeds my expectations!"
The sand manipulator glared coldly at the youth. "But this is a desert kingdom! As long as I stand in this desert, I am practically invincible!"
He slammed his right hand heavily against the ground.
"Ground Death!"
His voice echoed across the battlefield.
All moisture seemed to vanish from the streets, buildings, and ground outside the royal tomb park. Solid rocks crumbled into fine dust, acting as if they had weathered centuries of erosion in mere seconds.
In less than ten seconds.
The once heavily constructed street transformed into a miniature desert.
"You were right. Spending so much time in Paradise nearly made me lose my way. I should thank you for showing up. You helped me remember the thrill of conquering the New World!"
A wide grin split across his face.
Boiling blood coursed through his veins, fueling an endless surge of fighting intent.
The massive commotion startled Ace and Nami in the distance. The duo stopped beating up Bonez and Bon Clay to retreat toward the sacrificial hall.
It was completely obvious to them now. This was the true, terrifying presence befitting one of the Seven Warlords.
"Haha, now this is more like it!"
Lius nodded in satisfaction.
He was the first genuine supervillain to confront the Straw Hat crew in the anime.
His true strength had always been severely underestimated.
Even during his complete mental breakdown back at the royal plateau, he had completely crushed Luffy in pure physical combat after getting doused in water.
His eventual brutal defeat was entirely thanks to the protagonist's plot armor.
Yet, after the Navy imprisoned him in Impel Down for a mere few months, he managed to shine brilliantly during the Paramount War.
That was a world-class battlefield absolutely swarming with top-tier powerhouses.
The sand manipulator navigated that chaotic war zone with absolute ease. He clashed with almost everyone he crossed paths with, displaying a charismatic presence that rivaled even the main character.
Of course, he still fell short of the outrageously lucky Buggy the Clown.
He had spent years in the first half of the Grand Line desperately searching for the ancient weapon Pluton. His relentless pursuit had simply caused him to neglect his own personal growth.
To put it bluntly, he had spent so much time crushing weaklings that he failed to notice his own stagnation.
It was just like a chess grandmaster playing against novices. Over a long period of time, the master would slowly and silently regress rather than improve.
Crocodile was the perfect example of this.
Lius's sudden appearance had successfully reawakened the man's dormant battle instincts. It felt as though he had returned to those glorious years of conquering the New World.
"Of course, I need to take this a bit more seriously now!"
Lius tightly gripped the sword hilts at his waist. He slowly drew out Yubashiri and Kitetsu, a solemn look replacing the casual amusement in his eyes.
"You remind me of a very annoying person!"
The Warlord raised his right hand. A miniature sandstorm materialized in his palm before he hurled it straight at Lius.
"Sandstorm!"
The miniature tempest struck the ground and rapidly expanded across the desert terrain. The sheer rotational force of the swirling sands was powerful enough to shred solid rock.
Meanwhile, its creator transformed into his elemental state to merge seamlessly with the raging storm.
"I consider it an honor to be hated by my enemies!"
A wide grin stretched across Lius's face. Instead of retreating from the shredding winds, he charged straight forward.
He brandished his dual blades and unleashed a savage slash into the heart of the storm.
Swish! Swish!
Two brilliant sword auras erupted upward with enough force to cleave the desert itself. The blinding light illuminated the dark night sky as brightly as day.
The devastating attack completely shredded the violent air currents in the blink of an eye.
Whoosh!
The shattered elemental sands were forcefully condensed a short distance away. The Warlord reformed his physical body with an incredibly grim expression on his face.
"This guy!" he hissed, staring intently in Lius's direction.
His pupils shrank rapidly a moment later. A look of absolute, soul-tearing horror overtook his eyes.
The spot where Lius had been standing just seconds ago was completely empty.
The swordsman had vanished from his line of sight without making a single sound!
"It's far too late to realize it now, Croc!"
Those calm words echoed from directly behind him in a flash.
The cigar fell freely from his trembling lips. Cold sweat drenched his forehead as an overwhelming sense of dread paralyzed his entire body.
The next moment.
A radiant sword aura erupted into the sky. It shot upward like a magnificent pillar of light to instantly illuminate the entire royal burial grounds.