One Piece: Transmigrated as Crocodile

Chapter 344 - CHAPTER 344 - Kid’s Challenge

"Who's there?" Valentine immediately stood up. How dare someone show such disrespect to their BOSS? Since arriving at the Sabaody Archipelago, the number of brazen fools had only grown.

In reality, those unwilling to cause trouble still kept their distance.

But at Sabaody, both the pirate and bounty hunter populations were immense. Even if only one percent sought to make a name for themselves, that still amounted to a significant number.

"Does the former Shichibukai really need a woman to lead the charge? Pathetic. Have you lost your courage along with your title?" Kid, flanked by Killer and other crew members, entered through the gate, taunting Rosen without restraint.

"Looking for trouble." Valentine bristled, ready to act. But Rosen stopped her. From his perspective, Valentine probably couldn't defeat Kid alone.

Since Kid had come directly to challenge them, there was no reason to dodge. This would also be an opportunity to show Sabaody the true strength behind the rumors and prevent further trouble in the coming days.

"Go ahead," Rosen said, glancing at Kid. Though his aura was strong, Kid had yet to be tempered in the New World and likely hadn't mastered Haki—hardly a threat in Rosen's eyes.

"Sit and let me act?! Ah!" Kid's face flushed with humiliation, frustration and anger written all over it—a raw display of contempt.

"That's Eustass Kid, a 315 million Berry super rookie! And he's challenging… my goodness, the former Shichibukai Crocodile, bounty 900 million Berries," someone realized inside the inn. "I just went to the restroom, and now this fearsome figure shows up?"

"This will be entertaining." Guests near Rosen stood, keeping their distance to watch the spectacle.

Pirates were particularly keen—battling a 315 million Berry rookie against a 900 million Berry Shichibukai? Sabaody hadn't seen such excitement in a long time.

"Is there really anything to compare? One's 900 million, the other 315 million. The gap is obvious." Many trusted the Marine bounty system.

"Not quite. Crocodile has long been famous, a former Shichibukai; a high bounty is natural. But Kid is a rookie; a bounty this high isn't for the faint-hearted."

"I read about him—he massacred civilians."

"Stop stalling and fight," Rosen said again, instantly infuriating Kid.

"Killer," Kid muttered, slightly worried. He had been targeting Crocodile, but hadn't expected to encounter him casually, without any plan, and yet he charged forward recklessly.

"Then die. Old man should retire quietly." Kid activated his ability. Anyone wielding a weapon nearby felt it tremble.

"What's happening?!"

"My blade…"

"A Devil Fruit user?"

Swish swish swish… In an instant, metal weapons from all directions, even those carried by passersby, were drawn toward Kid.

"Reflect!" When the heap of weapons amassed before him, they suddenly shot toward Rosen.

"Not bad." Rosen extended a finger. Sand coiled around it, transforming into countless particles that struck each incoming weapon, destroying them one by one.

Dense sand met dense weapons; the numbers were equal, and every weapon was neutralized without penetration.

"Enough chatter. Try this." Kid condensed the absorbed weapons into a massive steel arm.

"Impressive!"

Boom!

The steel arm slammed down.

"Weight and impact? Not enough." Rosen rose, punching forward. The air roared as if a dragon's roar had been unleashed, breaking the weaponized assault.

Boom!

Rosen's fist collided with the steel arm. His punch was harder, shattering Kid's carefully assembled weapon arm.

"Impossible!" Kid froze. Even Killer sensed the danger and drew two blades. The steel arm, though not fully fused, wasn't something ordinary humans could pierce.

Swish!

"It's gone." Kid instinctively tried to retreat—but it was too late.

Rosen appeared before him like lightning, striking his abdomen. The shockwave blasted all incoming weapons away.

"Ugh…" Kid spat blood uncontrollably. The sound of bones breaking and muscles tearing was painfully clear.

Swish! His body flew through a wall, continued through ten buildings, and skidded over a thousand meters down the street before stopping against a stone monument.

"Kid!" Killer and the others rushed after the trajectory, but Rosen had no interest in pursuit. Life and death would decide themselves.

"I-I…" Kid's body was lodged in the stone monument. He tried to rise but pain struck, his mind went blank, and he lost consciousness.

"What happened?" Urogue, strolling nearby, was shocked. Someone flew past—wasn't that Eustass Kid, a highly active rookie? Known for extreme, impulsive, and hot-headed actions, his strength was supposed to be considerable—so why such a fate?

"Killer," he arrived, seeing the unconscious Kid. Despite earlier warnings against challenging Crocodile directly without a plan, Kid had acted recklessly, confident in his power.

Yet a single punch had brought him down.

"Take Kid. Let's leave," Killer ordered, wary of Crocodile. Recklessness like this wasn't new, but being felled by one punch was a shock.

"Did an Admiral arrive on the island?" Drake, dining nearby, wondered as he witnessed Kid's plight.

"So strong!"

"Where were we?" Rosen sat, looking at Saraco.

"You told me to leave."

"This is my Den Den Mushi number. Let's go."

"Understood, immediately." Better to report the matter to the young master—whether one or two hundred million Berries, the business couldn't be handled privately.

Rosen thought Kid's incident ended here, but it was only the beginning.

(End of Chapter)