One Piece: Gambling to The Top
Chapter 43 - 43

Taking four quick steps to the side, Josh thanked God secretly in his heart as some sharp sands blades appeared from the ground and almost cut him in half.

Josh didn't dare to stop and quickly used Shave to move behind Crocodile, appearing 40 meters behind him. ​​

To Josh, it was stupid to attack the warlord, a loggia devil fruit user, directly.

All of the physical attacks are useless since Crocodile can turn into sand.

Smirking at Josh, who had been dodging his attacks, Crocodile turned to face Josh and opened his palm.

"What? Aren't you going to call for your Mama? You may need someone's tears?"

Crocodile mocked as he slowly turned and looked at Josh, who was so careful to approach him, even after all of that big talk.

"I'm an orphan. Better luck next time."

Josh raised his middle finger at Crocodile, making veins appear on Crocodile's face.

"Darn Brat!"

In the palm of Crocodile, a small tornado of sand danced there.

Throwing it, the sand whirlpool became big, and it flew toward Josh, generating a very strong wind that lifted the sand around it.

Josh quickly used Shave and turned in another direction, only for Crocodile to send another Sand Storm at him.

Crocodile smirked. He was smarted than Josh and lived for a long time. Shave… what's that technique.

Crocodile has lived the time of the Pirate King himself. He is smart enough to take such opponents with ease.

Josh has nothing on him.

Opening his palm another time, Crocodile sent another sand storm, which Josh dodged.

Josh found himself dancing between two sand whirlwinds, big ones.

Crocodile didn't stop and unleashed the third one.

Josh, replaceing that he would be in a hard situation if these Sand Storms kept unleashing at him, had a crazy idea as he crossed his arms and looked at the smirking face of Crocodile.

'I thought of this, and I'm putting my life on it.'

'I'll bet on my bluff, and healing factor'

Although a rock hit his face and body and they made a wound, Josh screamed and jumped toward the tornado.

The wind lifted his body, and Josh was dancing along with the storm, rocks hitting his face along with any sharp object that could have been buried in the sand.

Crocodile shook his head.

"I've met a lot of stupid people like you, thinking that they can take my attack head-on and damage me." Crocodile reached his pocket, knowing it's useless to talk with Josh, and took a cigar, before lit it up.

Crocodile was aware that the sky was black. That's why he had wanted to end Josh before the first drop of rain fall on this desert.

*Rumble*

The crocodile could hear thunder as he put the cigar in his mouth and he made a smoke cloud leave his mouth.

A wet drop fell on his face.

Crocodile looked at the dark sky and put his hand on the cigar's head, protecting from the water.

"It's over."

The sand storms stopped.

Crocodile thought it's time to leave and go back to his base after he had dealt with the betrayer.

After giving his back, waiting for Josh's corpse to fall on the ground, so that he can drain it, Crocodile was surprised to hear these words after hearing someone lands on the ground.

"Where are you going?" Came Josh's voice

"You stay alive, even after falling from such a distance and hitting rocks!"

Crocodile turned.

Josh was lying on the ground, many spots in his body were injured, and his mouth was bleeding.

Because he had fallen from a high, Josh was bleeding from his mouth, indicating that there was some internal bleeding.

"Yes…" Josh put his hands on the ground and stood up. "That was a tough one, you know. Rolling and rolling…" with each word, Josh's weak voice was getting stronger. "I felt dizzy, especially with all these rocks falling on me.

The raindrops falling rate increased, soaking the two of them wet.

*Rumble*

A big lightning bolt flashed in the dark sky, making it light up as it would in the morning from the power of the flash.

"Wait… You are!" Crocodile, who was now covered in the rain, opened his eyes widely upon realising one thing.

Josh gave him a wide grin as he wiped the blood from his face.

Because it was raining, the blood was washed out of his face with ease. But no wound was there.

"Sorry, I had to let you leave your guard down," smirking, Josh said.

Thanks to the healing factor he had, he was able to heal from the wounds he was getting in the sky.

Although some of them were critical, he protected his head, and Josh resisted the pain till the end, only for Crocodile to be assured that he can have the victory when the rain descends.

Luckily, he had increased his Healing Factor when he had to choose from his abilities.

"You…"

Smelling something fishy, Crocodile lifted his head and bit on his cigar, breaking it.

Feeling the raindrops on his face, he knew it. Josh must have planned for this in advance.

"And here I thought that you are stupid to throw yourself to the storm."

Crocodile reached his hook and took it off, replacing it with a poisonous blade, squatting slightly, and saying. "Although I'm touchable when there is water, I can use my ability, my attacks, and I'm enough alone for killing people like you."

All Crocodile needed is not to let his guard down. Just one touch and Josh would be dried up from all of his body's liquids.

When Crocodile was preparing to attack, he felt something was missing. Josh wasn't in front of him when Crocodile was done from his monologue.

Standing behind Crocodile and taking the 50 cm long dagger from his back, Josh quickly flipped in the air and waved the dagger quickly, on the arm that had a hook.

Crocodile, who was caught off guard because of Josh's speed, watched as his hook slid and fell to the ground. Crocodile lost more of his arm again.

Josh, who was in the air, didn't stop.

On the last day, although Josh didn't reach Master level in swordsmanship, he was skilled enough now to have cutting skills that allow him to cut hard things with ease — such as wood and flesh.

Swiftly turning, his other hand turning into a wet sand sword, Crocodile slashed up.

Josh, almost getting caught by it, dodged in the last second by moving his head to the side.

Flipping the dagger in his hand again, Josh quickly gave a sidekick to Crocodile's knee, making him bend down a bit before he raised his dagger and stabbed Crocodile on the shoulder, letting the dagger reach deep from the shoulder to the chest.

Bending down and bleeding from his mouth, Crocodile lifted his face, his lips shaking as he extended his hand, trying to hold Josh.

'Just one touch.' Crocodile thought. That is what he needs for victory.

Josh, however, vanished and appeared ten meters back, the dagger in his hand. The crocodile was bleeding in a huge amount from his shoulder and hand, and the internal bleeding was severe.

The damage and the bleeding rate was deadly.

Crocodile was on his knees, his only hand on the wet ground, and the rain was making him weaker.

Josh smiled and said. "Thank you for taking care of me, boss."

He then half-closed his eyes, the smile vanishing and getting replaced by a serious expression.

"However, you are disgusting, asking me to do your dirty job to the rebels and be a part of killing people who has done nothing to me."

Although Josh barely cares about the people he doesn't know, the missions he had back then would bother his conscience. Baroque Works wasn't always shiny.

"You bastard!" Crocodile growled as he stood up, his willpower making an appearance. "You think I care if you feel disgusted. I don't regret anything. I did whatever I can do."

Crocodile took a deep breath and screamed. "I will become the Pirate King."

"You… a pirate king." Josh looked at Crocodile from toe to head. He threw the dagger up slightly and held it from the tip of the blade. Crocodile observed Josh, curious about what he has to say.

"Here's your crown."

Taking a step forward and throwing stance, Josh threw the dagger with all of his might, sending it with a speed that can rival a real bullet.

Crocodile looked at his chest, to his supposed crown. Quickly, he fell on his knees, his eyelids going back.

Josh appeared above the body, put his hand next to the nose, and muttered. "Still alive. People in this world barely are able to breathe after that!"

Josh thought about killing Crocodile. However, he didn't know what may happen if he ever killed a Warlord. Not to mention, he has yet to take over his wealth.

Not to mention, would he face a setback if he killed him since the World Government is behind Crocodile.

Moreover, is Crocodile pretending to be dead?

Josh knew that he took Crocodile down since he heard the notification.

[Ding, the Gamble is completed]

[the rewards are in the storage.]

Feeling good mood, Josh reached Crocodile's coat and grabbed a snail from there, which looked to be dressed like Robin, and called it.

"Boss…" came Robin's voice, drawing a smile on Josh's face.

"Ane (Sis)," Josh said with a teasing tone.

"Hey… wait! Josh."

"Who else would call you that."

"You are calling from Mr.0's snail?" Robin asked with a confused tone.

"What do you think it means?" Josh lied down on the ground next to Crocodile's body. "By the way, can you send me a ride, and call the king of Alabasta, but not now…

Josh thought about the Golden Crocodile above the casino. Crocodile' casino and greed took over Josh's heart. That's going to be the biggest step for him in his career.

' I need to melt that Golden Crocodile.'

"For now what?" Robin asked when Josh took his time being silent.

Shaking his head, Josh took a deep breath. "Just send me a ride. I'm next to the casino, 600 meters, east."