Chapitre 110: Chapter 110 Second Gear
Author: Xiao Yifeng
Translator: PapaSmurf0700
"Finally, I found you!" Luffy declared, his gaze fixed on Crocodile. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he boldly announced, "Crocodile, I'm going to blow you away!!" Wasting no time, Luffy launched into his attack,
Gomu Gomu no Pistol, his right fist enveloped in the Armament Haki.
As Luffy's fist, coiled like a spring, shot towards Crocodile, there was only a soft thud. His arm passed right through Crocodile's body, which had transformed into sand, rendering the attack ineffective. Surprised by this, Luffy retracted his arm, his eyes narrowing as he reassessed Crocodile.
Crocodile, now in his sand form, effortlessly evaded the punch, creating a gap in his body where Luffy's fist had aimed. His voice, laced with disdain and sarcasm, taunted Luffy, "Brat, do you think you can do whatever you want if you learn Haki?"
Releasing the quicksand grip on Robin, Crocodile's right hand transformed again, this time into a sharp blade. "You are way out of my league!!" he proclaimed as he unleashed Desert Sword. The quicksand coalesced into a massive blade, slashing ferociously towards Luffy.
Luffy, with quick reflexes, pressed down on his straw hat and leaped up, dodging the slicing attack. Boom! The blade, sharp as ever, cleaved the stone floor of the ancient royal tomb, leaving a deep divide in its wake.
Undeterred, Luffy prepared another attack, covering his right foot in Haki and aiming for Crocodile's waist.
Gomu Gomu no Whip!!
However, his strike was still unable to land. As Luffy's leg swept towards him, Crocodile transformed into sand once again, creating a hole in his form to dodge the attack.
Crocodile swiftly launched a counterattack, using his quicksand powers. "Quicksand binding!" he shouted. Boom! Suddenly, the quicksand beneath Luffy's feet lifted the stone floor, swiftly gathering the tiles into a huge circular cage that threatened to entrap Luffy like an urn.
However, Luffy reacted with incredible speed. Pushing off the ground with great force, he managed to burst out of the enclosing trap at the very last moment before it closed. He looked at Crocodile, his determination unwavering, yet he was thinking strategically about his next move. Realizing that his singular punches were ineffective, Luffy decided to switch tactics.
He used his agility to evade Crocodile's subsequent attacks, and was stretching his arms back for his next move, Gomu Gomu no Shotgun. His arms, extended by their elasticity, shot forward, and he began to rapidly shake his shoulders. This caused his outstretched arms to undulate wildly, making his fists' trajectory unpredictable.
Crocodile, unimpressed, decided to confront the attack head-on. As expected, Luffy's Haki-covered fist passed through Crocodile's chest without causing harm, as if he was hitting thin air. Prepared for this outcome, Luffy quickly withdrew his arms and launched into another attack, Gomu Gomu no Gatling. This technique involved a rapid barrage of powerful punches that gave the illusion of multiple arms. It was faster and packed a harder punch, allowing Luffy to focus on strength rather than direction.
Despite the increased intensity of Luffy's attacks, the outcome remained the same. Time and again, his fists would pass through Crocodile's sand form, unable to land a solid hit. The battle continued, with Luffy striving to find a way to break through Crocodile's elusive defenses.
Crocodile, kneeling on one knee and pressing his right palm against the ground, spoke with a tone of finality, "Don't you understand yet?" He then unleashed his attack, Desert Great Sword. From the ground behind Luffy, a hilt of quicksand shot up unexpectedly. Luffy, despite his awakened Observation Haki, was unable to fully dodge in time. The blade sliced across his right shoulder, leaving a deep wound from which blood started to flow. This injury only served to strengthen Luffy's resolve.
Crocodile rose, lifted by a swirl of quicksand, and hovered above Luffy. Looking down, he declared, "As long as I can see your attack, it can be 'nullified', after all." There was a hint of relief in Crocodile's voice as he added, "Your Haki, it's still very weak! Hahahaha!!"
Without pausing, Crocodile prepared for his next move. He extended his right hand, palm facing up, and quicksand began to gather and swirl into a small dust tornado. He hurled this growing tornado towards Luffy. As it advanced, it expanded into a towering sandstorm, filling the tomb and turning it into a hazardous whirlwind of sand and gravel.
Luffy, realizing there was no escape in the confined space, retreated while covering his arms with Haki in a defensive posture. Despite his efforts, the sheer force of the natural disaster-like sandstorm was overwhelming. Gravel within the storm inflicted numerous cuts on Luffy, causing blood to spatter repeatedly. By the time the sandstorm subsided, Luffy's appearance was battered and bloody.
However, thanks to Luffy's unique physique and the enhancement from Bai Ye's Marrow Cleansing Pill, his injuries were mostly superficial. Although he was drenched in blood, the damage was primarily to the skin, sparing him from more serious harm.
Luffy, standing amidst the aftermath of Crocodile's sandstorm, slowly raised his head to face his adversary. With a determined look in his eyes, he stated confidently, "Then, as long as you have only this trick, that's fine." Crocodile, hearing this, furrowed his brows, puzzled by the implication of Luffy's words.
Before Crocodile could grasp the meaning, Luffy's body began to undergo a startling transformation. He crouched down, one hand on his knee, the other pressed to the ground. His feet began to pump up and down, as if operating like a water pump. Following this action, a remarkable change occurred – Luffy's skin turned a shade of red, and steam started to emit from his body.
Crocodile, even from a distance, could sense the shift in energy. He muttered to himself, feeling a surge of unease, "This kid..." He wondered what kind of hidden power Luffy possessed, feeling a sense of alarm for the first time.
In response, Crocodile launched another attack, Desert Sword, with a blade of quicksand slashing down from his right hand. Boom! But in the next moment, his eyes widened in disbelief. Luffy had vanished from his sight, leaving no trace behind. Crocodile realized there were only two possibilities – either Luffy had some form of teleportation or invisibility, which seemed unlikely, or Luffy's speed had become so fast that he was rendered invisible.
Instinctively, Crocodile whirled around and saw Luffy standing behind him, his body flushed and steaming. Luffy looked directly at Crocodile and exhaled a breath of hot air. Then, with a calm yet intense demeanor, he declared, "Second gear!"
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone