Whoosh—
The dry wind carried sand as it swirled across the open ground.
Five Marine vice admirals faced Crocodile from dozens of meters away.
Though neither side had made a move, Roy and Spandam could smell the gunpowder-thick tension from far away.
"Hey, Roy, do you think Doberman and the others can take Crocodile? Why do I have this nagging feeling that something's wrong?"
Spandam's heart raced, his face filled with nervousness.
"Mm, I can't say for sure either, but I'd say the odds aren't good. Crocodile is a Sand-Sand Fruit user, a Logia. In this desert, he has a natural advantage."
The dry desert was Crocodile's home turf.
Though Marine vice admirals like Doberman were powerful, Logia Devil Fruit abilities were nothing to scoff at.
Roy turned to glance toward the great clock tower.
Besides, Crocodile had wanted to destroy all of Alubarna from the very beginning.
"Momonga, Onigumo, Vice Admiral Gion, Strawberry, let's go."
Whoosh!
Doberman charged ahead.
His saber, coated in Armament Haki, shot straight for Crocodile's head.
Clang!
The Golden Hook collided with the saber.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The four vice admirals instantly appeared around Crocodile, swinging their blades at his vital points.
Sshk!
The blades sliced through sand.
Just as they were about to strike Crocodile, the surrounded man instantly turned into a cloud of loose sand.
"Elementalization? What a troublesome ability."
Seeing their attack fail, Momonga and the other four vice admirals immediately stood back-to-back and used Observation Haki to stay alert for danger around them.
"On the left!"
In an instant, Onigumo sent a slash toward a pillar on the left.
Crack!
The thick yellow stone pillar was cut apart crosswise as easily as tofu.
"No, he's gone ahead!"
The five Marine vice admirals focused their minds as a mass of sand gathered into