✣ Suna Suna no Mi: Ground Death ⭄ Erosion Cycle! ✣
Crocodile slammed his palm onto the ground, unleashing his Devil Fruit power at full force.
Crack, Crack, Crack...!
An invisible energy radiated outward in a circular pattern from his palm. Everything it touched had its moisture instantly drained, causing the ground to crack and dry.
Buildings, decorations, furnishings — everything became brittle as paper. Even solid stone crumbled into lifeless sand.
Rumble...
Under Crocodile's Suna Suna no Mi power, the destruction spread relentlessly, turning everything to sand in an ever-expanding circle!
Hyaku's eyes narrowed to slits. He recognized this technique.
This was the Suna Suna no Mi ability at its absolute limit — anything touched by Crocodile's energy crumbled instantly to dust, reduced to nothing but sand.
BOOM!
As the effect spread, the palace floor transformed into a vast desert. The sand shifted and sank, flowing like water.
The entire palace would soon collapse!
In one fluid motion, Hyaku gripped his great sword, spun around, and unleashed a slash behind him.
Whoosh!
A massive cutting wave shot from his blade, striking the giant door the Marines had struggled to breach.
BANG!!
The explosion thundered through the hall. His precise strike avoided the Marines and split the massive door wide open.
"Get out of here, now!" Hyaku shouted, having carved their escape route with a single slash.
"Yes, Commander! You be careful too!"
The Marine soldiers understood his intent immediately. Without hesitation, they fled through the gap with Vivi.
Everyone knew that staying would only burden their Commander unnecessarily.
After everyone had safely escaped, Hyaku turned to face Crocodile. The sand transformation continued its relentless spread.
The advancing sand crept toward his feet.
✣ Rokushiki: Geppo ⭄ Moonwalk! ✣
In response, Hyaku pushed off forcefully with his right foot. Using Geppo once more, he launched himself skyward.
While airborne, he focused inward. The ultimate sword intent began gathering within his body.
✣ Ken no Ito: Seiryū — Kesshō ⭄ Azure Dragon Sword Intent — Condense! ✣
Through sheer will, he compressed the gathered sword intent into his Tachi's blade. The steel took on a brilliant blue-green hue as powerful energy waves coalesced silently around it.
"Heaven and earth, nothing escapes my blade."
✣ Seiryū Ougi: Tenjō Kudari ⭄ Azure Dragon Ultimate: Heaven's Descent! ✣
With the sword intent fully merged into his blade, Hyaku spoke the words softly — a technique granted by mastery of the Azure Dragon Sword Intent.
Whoosh!
Gripping his sword with both hands, blade forward, Hyaku took a single step. His form became a streak of blue-green light as he charged at Crocodile with blinding speed.
ROAR!
The air itself seemed to carry the majestic roar of an azure dragon.
In a heartbeat, Hyaku materialized before Crocodile. Without hesitation, he brought his sword down in a devastating arc.
His form had transformed into what appeared to be a crystalline jade dragon as it passed through his opponent's body.
He came to a stop behind Crocodile, his body still held in the finishing position of his strike.
CLANG!
SLASH!!
In an instant, Crocodile's prized scorpion poison hook shattered completely.
A deep sword wound appeared across his chest, the cut tearing through flesh as blood gushed forth like a fountain.
Drip, Drip, Drip...
Blood spattered onto the ground in crimson pools, staining the sand with its deadly hue.
"Such... a fast blade..." Crocodile barely managed to utter.
THUD!
His eyes rolled back, and his body crumpled forward as consciousness fled him.
Without its master's control, the sand transformation ceased instantly. An eerie silence fell over the palace.
Phew...
Having felled Crocodile with a single strike, Hyaku flicked his blade clean before sheathing it at his waist.
His keen eyes swept the scene. Finding no other survivors among Crocodile's forces, he seized the unconscious man with one hand and strode toward the palace exit.
✣✣✣✣✣✣✣✣✣✣
Meanwhile, with Vivi and the Marines.
The group had retreated a hundred meters from the palace, holding their collective breath as they awaited the battle's outcome.
"Will he be all right?" Vivi asked the Master Chief Petty Officer beside her, her nails digging into her palms with worry.
"Of course he will! We believe in him!" the Marine declared with unwavering conviction.
Throughout their journey, Hyaku's extraordinary feats had left an indelible impression. The Marine soldiers had come to revere him completely.
To them, he was their unit's invincible war god! If even Hyaku were to fall, retreat would be their only recourse!
"Look! Someone's coming out!"
As they spoke, a sharp-eyed Marine soldier spotted movement. A figure emerged from the gap they had escaped through earlier.
"It's Crocodile!!"
"How is this possible?!"
"Where's Commander Hyaku?!"
The crowd gasped in shock as they recognized the figure.
Indeed, it was Crocodile who first appeared!
Everyone's faces drained of color.
"Wait! Something's not right with Crocodile!" The Master Chief Petty Officer, studying the emerging figure, noticed something peculiar.
Though Crocodile's body appeared solid, his feet dangled mysteriously above the ground.
It seemed as if an unseen force was carrying him.
One by one, the others began to notice these strange details.
Then the body shifted forward, revealing another figure behind it — Commander Hyaku, holding the Warlord with one hand.
"Hyaku!"
"It's Commander Hyaku!"
"He won!"
Upon seeing their commander, the Marines erupted in excitement.
Everyone began dancing and jumping with joy.
✣✣✣
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