Before everyone, Ryuya unleashed Armament Haki, a thick, dark aura enveloping his arm.
The next moment, he grabbed Crocodile's poisoned hook. Googlᴇ search NovᴇlFirᴇ.ɴet
The hook exploded on impact. The sheer force startled everyone present.
Crocodile's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Impossible!" he exclaimed.
"Nothing's impossible. It merely highlights the weakness of you Shichibukai," Ryuya retorted.
Crocodile scoffed. "Even if you destroyed my hook, so what? Poison isn't my specialty; sand is!"
He bellowed, "Baroque Works!"
Over a dozen figures burst from the crowd—Daz Bones, leading the charge, followed by Mr. 3, Mr. 4, Miss Merry Christmas, Mr. 5, Valentine, and others.
These were Crocodile's hidden operatives, concealed amongst the rebels.
Bon Kurei, disguised as Cobra, also dropped his disguise and attacked.
Crocodile's strategy was simple: wear down Ryuya, then strike.
However, this proved to be a fatal miscalculation.
Faced with their onslaught, Ryuya calmly formed hand seals.
"Wood Release: Forest Creation Technique!"
He slammed his hands onto the ground.
Roots and vines erupted from the palace, growing wildly. The ground cracked as the immense life force fueled their growth, clinging to the walls.
Within moments, the desert palace was enveloped in a vibrant green canopy, the attackers ensnared and immobilized.
The onlookers—residents, rebels, and bystanders—were stunned into silence.
"Wasn't there a battle?"
"How did all those plants appear?"
Their astonishment was mixed with a hint of joy.
Desert dwellers rarely saw greenery beyond cacti.
The sudden flourishing vegetation sparked a hopeful thought: if these plants grew so rapidly, could they be cultivated in the desert?
This could transform the environment and bring much-needed rain—the very cause of this war.
Crocodile watched in stunned disbelief. This overwhelming power was unlike anything he'd ever encountered.
"Let's not waste time," Ryuya said.
He murmured, "Reduce All Creation to Ash, Ryūjin Jakka!"
Flames erupted, distorting the air, creating an almost ethereal effect.
The flames coalesced into an ancient-looking katana—Ryūjin Jakka.
Feeling the immense pressure, Crocodile's heart sank.
Without hesitation, he turned to sand and fled outside, seeking the desert—his element.
This wasn't fear; Crocodile intended to fight in the desert, his true domain.
Ryuya didn't interfere; Crocodile posed no significant threat.
Using his magic, Ryuya followed.
Everyone else, except Vivi and Cobra, remained completely immobilized by the jutsu.
Having transformed into sand, Crocodile felt his confidence rise in the familiar desert landscape.
"Zero! I'll give you one last chance.
Together, we can rule the Grand Line!"
Ryuya responded calmly, "The Grand Line will be mine alone.
You, however, will watch from below."
"What if I told you Pluton is here?" Crocodile played his final card.
"Pluton? Do you think I need that? If I wanted Pluton, I'd simply obtain the blueprints from Water 7. Why bother with you?"
"What?! Water 7 has Pluton's blueprints?!"
Crocodile was frozen in shock.
He'd never known the blueprints existed in Water 7.
Why had he wasted so much time scheming in Arabasta?
Rage consumed him. He raised his arm, creating a miniature sandstorm in his palm.
This was a devastating Logia-type attack.
His hand touching the ground, the power of his fruit activated.
The already arid desert became even more cracked, the cacti losing their moisture as the sand spread.
It was a terrifying power, capable of turning rock to sand.
Buildings near the epicenter would collapse as the ground liquefied.
Ryuya, using his magic, remained completely unaffected, floating serenely in the air.
But at that very moment, Crocodile shifted his tactics…
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