247 Chapter 247

247

Their attacks created huge explosions that rang off around them, creating a spectacle of epic proportions. It was as if two forces of nature were fighting amongst each other for superiority.

But even with that Kuina knew she was on the back foot, so when Crocodile sent out another wave of attack, the ice user didn't defend against it.

Kuina disappeared from her spot, using Geppo to jump away from the attack and using Soru to speed up on the warlord.

With her incredible speed, she ran. Her form ran down the vines that targeted her, as she skipped from one spot to another, gracefully avoiding the attacks, as she made her way towards Crocodile.

Corocdile honed in on his observation haki as he tried to predict Kuina's next move. While he might not have be able to react in time, he could counter her attack in other ways.

He had realized something while it was a bit stupid on his part, he didn't want to use this method. But then again he was a pirate.

The Warlord smiled, as suddenly his body turned to full sand merging with the sand around.

Kuina, who was making her way towards him, was surprised as she looked around for her opponent. Unlike him, she didn't have observation haki.

The sand around her erupted creating a small sand cloud that hindered her vision.

She was about to use her sword to clear her view but it was too late. A hook made out of gold suddenly shot out from the sand behind her as it dug into her side.

The poisoned hook dug into her skin breaking the second layer of ice skin. She grunted but before she could do anything, the hook pulled her…

"You are dead now!" she heard the warlord's voice. With that, multiple sand spikes rushed towards Kuina who was getting pulled by the hook that still dug into her stomach.

"Shit," Kuina cursed, "Ice Sword Style: Crystal Coffin!"

Before the spikes could hit her, Kuina's form was suddenly encased in a block of crystallized ice.

It protected her from the attacks also freezing Crocodile's hook that was on Kuina. When the attacks died down Kuina grabbed the hook and slamed her hand into it breaking the hook.

"You are full of surprises, woman." Crocodile said, "A bit unfortunate that I had to sacrifice my hook for that attack."

He now had no hook but a stump where his hand should have been. Though the warlord quickly made a new hand made out of sand. "But make no mistake… your tricks won't work on me anymore." He said, "And you are also running on the clock, the poison the hooks is quite strong you know…" he gave a grin that promised pain. "But don't worry, I can end this quick… just don't resist it."

"Shut up," Kuina said, wiping off the blood from her mouth as she stood up. The wound on her stomach was critical she had frozen the wound and was using life return to keep it in bay.

But with all the things going on, she had little time to worry about her wound. She needed to end the match fast. Wado Ichimonji pointed at the Warlord. "Ready for another round, New World reject…?"

Crocodile growled as he could feel his anger boiling inside of him. "You will regret this… all of you!"

"Yes, like you regretted going after Whitebeard," Kuina smiled, she usually wasn't the one to taunt her opponents. But all the fights with her captain, made her pick up a few tricks or two.

Crocodile growled before the sand started getting pulled into his body. The Warlord didn't grow in size, yet the density of his body increased quite a lot, his skin took a bronze shine to it, after he was done.

"I haven't used this in years… be grateful that you will die like this." Crocodile hands moved in swiping motions as the sand around Kuina turned into spikes, hooks, vines, and other shapes as they started to attack her.

The woman took to the sky, and yet the Warlord sent multiple giant-sized orbs of sand that followed her and attacked.

"Ice Sword Style: Howling Crystal Serpent!" Kuina attacked as she froze two of the giant orbs, before moving away from another. She moved, cutting up the giant orbs one by one, yet it seemed like they were endless. "Ice Sword Style: Bleeding Crystal Serpent!"

The swordswoman looked down. It appeared that whatever move Crocodile used made him a bit slow, as he wasn't chasing her down anymore.

She also had used a few flying sword slashes that the Warlord tanked using his body, taking seemingly no damage. It seemed rather than turning his body to sand he opted to increase his durability. But that shouldn't be a problem, she was able to cut steel.

Or thats what it would usually mean.

'My attacks don't cut deep enough as it is… now with that transformation I don't know if I can harm her or not.' She thoguht, as if hearing her thoughts her sword vibrated. As if telling her that she would be able to to do so.

'I need to at least weaken his defense in a certain area if I want to cut him.' She thought. The Swordswoman stepped forward, her form into a blur as she used her maximum speed with Soru. Appearing right in front of the Warlord. "Ice Sword Style: Sub-Zero Vipershot!"

Her blade hummed as the frost energy gathered at the tip of Wado Ichimonji. Kuina thrust her blade forward, like a sniper shot it connected right into Crocodile's chest, trying to stab his heart.

Her sword was able to penetrate his skin, but the wound was too shallow. Going only one inch deep. And yet the surrounding area at the point of impact had turned into ice immediately due to it.

Crocodile coughed blood as he took several steps, quickly grabbing the blade as Wado Ichimonji still connected to his chest. She wanted to do a follow up attack, but Crocodile didn't give her the chance.

Kuina tried to yank the blade out, and yet the Warlord didn't let her. "Desert Girasole!"

Kuina was wide-eyed as a large slash came up from below, the sand nearly ripping into Kuina as it tore through her shirt and broke her ice skin as it blew her back across the ground.

Kuina's form skipped across the ground a few times due to the sudden attack, before she was able to steady herself and stand back up. Her clothes were ripped and a large shallow wound appared on her midsection.

The previous attack would have gutted her if she didn't have her ice skin. While her inisdes remained intact, it didn't make the experience any less painful.

Her insides hurt, it was getting hard to breathe, and she was even seeing spots in her vision. No doubt the poison that had slipped into her system. Though she did take the antidote Nico Robin provided, so maybe it was just fatigue and pain that was dragging her down.

But the swordswoman was determined, though she was horrified when she noticed what Crocodile was doing.

Crocodile grabbed the blade and yanked it out, "I will destroy this first!" He announced his intent, trying to crush the blade, but he was in for a surprise when suddenly the flower on the guard of her blade exploded into ice. Freezing his arm solid and encasing it in ice.

Not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, Kuina cashed in.

"No Sword Style: Clawing Serpent!" Kuina took the chance and appeared right in front of the pirate without any swords as she clawed through Crocodile's frozen chest, and took her blade away from his hand.

The sandman took several steps back, grunting in pain due to the claw-like wound on his chest. Even though the wound wasn't deep due to his body being denser.

But the Warlord didn't appreciate acquiring another wound. The sand user growled as he didn't back down and attacked Kuina before she could get away too far.

Kuina also retaliated with her own strikes. As both pirates battled each other. Sand and Ice, Warlord against the White Lady.

Each of their blows carried massive power in them, as they ripped into each other.

Large amounts of sand and ice petals crashed into each other, vying for dominance.