Sailing: I Open Treasure Chests in the Pirate World

It's just speculation based on the intelligence information we already have.

no doubt.

Crocodile's rampage is related to Buckingham Stussy and the Rocks Pirates.

To be more precise, it should be called the "Rocks Pirates"!

Very little is known about what the Rocks Pirates did in the past.

Even Ian only knew that the Rocks Pirates had been involved in the God Valley Incident, and then it became history...

Considering Crocodile's age and his intense reaction to the Rocks Pirates...

There's also a little secret between Ivankov, the transvestite king, and Crocodile...

And the active role played by Ivankov, the transvestite king, in the God Valley Incident...

Ian concluded that—

Crocodile was also involved in the God Valley Incident!

As for Crocodile's true identity...

Several possibilities flashed through Ian's mind, but he said nothing.

"Perhaps it's because... Crocodile once had some 'interaction' with the Rocks Pirates?"

After throwing that question at Hawkeye Mihawk, Ian didn't offer any further explanation, simply turning his attention to the field.

Crocodile continues to unleash the "Erosion Cycle".

The effects of "erosion cycle" extend far beyond just the surrounding environment.

(bjff) Even living organisms will have their body water directly deprived when they come into contact with the "erosion cycle".

Buckingham Stussy had only stood in the desert area shaped by the "cycle of erosion" for a short while when her leather boots were immediately turned to sand and disintegrated, and the moisture on her feet was quickly drawn away.

Edward Weebull, on the other side, encountered the same situation, but because he was physically stronger, he didn't experience any problems for the time being.

"Weevil! Take me away from here!"

Having already sensed something was wrong, Buckingham Stussy immediately had Edward Weevil take her away from there.

Having received his mother's order, Edward Weebull, disregarding the search for the inexplicably lost boots, bent down, picked up Buckingham Stussy, and tried to run away.

But how could Crocodile let the mother and child leave so easily?

"Erosion Cycle" has another advantage: it creates deserts, forcibly transforming an entire surrounding area into Crocodile's home ground.

In this desert region, Crocodile's Sand-Sand Fruit power can be maximized.

The world is a desert!

"Desert sunflower!"

Crocodile manipulated the completely sandy ground, creating a huge quicksand pit that resembled a blooming sunflower.

Edward Weebull and Buckingham Stussy, who were just about to escape, were right in the center of this quicksand area.

The tall and heavy Edward Weebull's feet quickly sank into the quicksand.

"Mommy mommy!"

Edward Weebull was disoriented. He only felt that the more he struggled in the desert, the faster he sank. He could only follow his instincts and keep calling out for his mother, hoping she could help him get out of trouble.

"Shut up! You idiot! Don't move!"

Buckingham Stussy instantly realized that he couldn't let Edward Weevil continue to struggle.

If they were to sink deeper into this deadly quicksand, there would be only one fate awaiting them—to be buried alive!

The situation was critical.

Buckingham Stussy could no longer afford to hide his strength.

A pair of enormous, bat-like black membranous wings grew out from Buckingham Stussy's back, and a layer of dark, fine down appeared on her face, making her look like an oversized bat spirit.

[Zoan-type Bat Fruit]!

This is Buckingham Stussy's special ability!

Having entered her half-human, half-beast state, Buckingham Stussy suddenly unleashed an astonishing power. Her two claws firmly gripped the chains binding Edward Weevil, forcibly pulling him out of the quicksand.

Buckingham Stussy, along with Edward Weevil, wanted to fly high into the sky to escape these three plague-like Shichibukai.

However, Crocodile was unwilling to release them.

He raised his right hand, forming a continuously spinning sand scroll in his palm.

Unlike the previous "Sandstorm", this time the Sandstorm roll presents a heavy black color.

This is an enhanced version of "Sandstorm"!

"Heavy Shalan!"

Crocodile threw the Salon Scroll at Buckingham Stussy and Edward Weevil.

As the sand tornado flew into the air, it was affected by Crocodile and exploded, releasing a powerful shockwave.

boom!

After a deafening roar, a powerful sandstorm swept in, engulfing Buckingham Stussy and Edward Weeble in a vast, sweeping mass of yellow sand.

In the super sandstorm that resembled a natural disaster, Buckingham Stussy, dragging Edward Weebull along, was unable to fly at all, and her flight path became erratic.

Just as it was about to be blown down by the sandstorm.

Whether Buckingham Stussy did it intentionally, accidentally, or intentionally accidentally, is unclear.

Her claws, which were tightly gripping the chains binding Edward Weevil's body, suddenly loosened.

“Weebull—”

Watching Edward Weevil plummet downwards, Buckingham Stussy let out a piercing wail that sounded like the mournful cry of a cuckoo.

But whether it's Ian or Hawkeye Mihawk.

The two Shichibukai standing aside, observing coldly, could clearly see Buckingham Stussy frantically flapping her bat-like membranous wings, clearly wanting to leave as soon as possible.

The pitiful howls contrasted sharply with the frantic flapping of wings.

"Is this woman really the mother of 'Whitebeard III'?"

Hawkeye Mihawk's brow furrowed deeply, clearly seeing through Buckingham Stussy's sinister intentions.

"To abandon their own child in such a critical moment! They're worse than animals!"

"Who knows?"

Ian looked up at the sky.

Buckingham Stussy, now transformed into a bat, flew faster and higher, soon to be out of the Gold Island's range.

But just then, a blue-eyed white dragon suddenly appeared in the sky.

Ian's mind stirred slightly.

The blue-eyed white dragon opened its blood-red maw and roared at the old bat that was about to fly away.

[Dragon Roar]!

"Roar--"

A dragon's roar that pierced through the clouds and split rocks, carrying an incredibly powerful explosive wave, descended from the sky at supersonic speed and crashed directly into Buckingham Stussy.

boom!

A dazzling "firework" immediately burst forth in the sky.

Buckingham Stussy, who was hit squarely by the Blue-Eyes White Dragon's [Dragon Roar], fell straight down from the sky like a bat with broken wings.

An ordinary-looking [Golden Treasure Chest] appeared before Ian's eyes.

[Golden Chest: Buckingham Stussy]

【Treasure Chest Rating: ★★★★】

'This old Buckingham Stussy still retains supernova-level strength...tsk!'

'The Rocks Pirates back then were truly a hidden force of geniuses!'

Ian calmly put away the [Golden Treasure Chest].

the other side.

Edward Weevil, who was directly abandoned by Buckingham Stussy, has also fallen into the "desert sunflower" that Crocodile prepared especially for him.

This time.

Without Buckingham Stussy's help.

Edward Webull was like a hyperactive child, constantly struggling in the "desert sunflower".

And then... no more.

Edward Weebull was swallowed up directly into the quicksand.

Crocodile simultaneously unleashed the drying power of the Sand-Sand Fruit, forcibly absorbing the moisture from Edward Weevil's body.

From beneath the quicksand came the sound of struggling.

As time continues to pass.

Edward Weevil, who had been drained of his life force by Crocodile, also lost the power to resist.

Crocodile manipulated the surrounding yellow sand to release the mummy-like, withered Edward Weevil from the desert sunflowers.

Meanwhile, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon also flew back here, carrying the completely defenseless Buckingham Stussy.

The Blue-Eyes White Dragon released its grip, and Buckingham Stussy fell from the sky, landing precisely next to Edward Weevil.

Edward Weebull, looking like a dried-up corpse, murmured something under his breath and finally stopped struggling.

"Mother……".

Chapter 174 Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war; Crocodile, please start over!

Edward Weebull's physical abilities were indeed extremely strong.

However, Crocodile's Sand-Sand Fruit is precisely what counters this kind of physically strong but simple-minded "physical-based opponent".

Edward Weebull's body was completely drained of moisture by the sand, leaving him as withered as a wisp of straw, seemingly blown away by a gust of wind, and utterly incapacitated.

in a sense.

The Sand-Sand Fruit does indeed possess the special effect of "one-hit kill".

After all, not everyone has mastered the special ability of "sit-ups." Even after being completely drained of water several times, they can still get up again and throw themselves into a new battle full of energy...

Crocodile defeated Edward Weevil.

Buckingham Stussy, who tried to escape, was caught and brought back by the Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

The battle is completely over.

Crocodile then deactivated his Sand-Sand Fruit ability, no longer allowing "Erosion Reincarnation" to spread its influence unchecked.

Even so, this area on Golden Island was still turned into a desert!

Logia-type Devil Fruits are just that powerful and special.

When a Logia-type Devil Fruit is developed to a certain extent, its power, when released, is very likely to cause irreversible changes to the surrounding natural environment, thus having a permanent impact on the surrounding natural environment.

For example, the Magma-Magma Fruit or the Ice-Ice Fruit, these two Logia-type Devil Fruits, can permanently alter the climate of an island...

Crocodile's Sand-Sand Fruit has not yet been developed to the point where it can permanently change the surrounding environment, but the "Erosion Cycle" he just released did indeed cause irreversible changes to the surrounding environment.

With Crocodile releasing the power of the Sand-Sand Fruit, Ian no longer maintained that small area of ​​clay ground.

"Old Sha."

Ian walked over to Crocodile's side and looked curiously at Edward Weevil, who was lying motionless beside him.

"Can your [Sand-Sand Fruit] help people lose weight?"

Crocodile was still basking in the joy of defeating "Whitebeard".