Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression didn't change. With his powerful physique, he shifted direction midair,
his hair and beard bristling as he condensed Lightning Release Chakra into a tangible form!
"Heavy Thunderstorm!"
He struck from above, tangible lightning spreading across the sand and setting off a chain of explosions!
The sand burst apart, making it difficult to gather itself again!
"Some kind of technique that turns power into lightning?"
Crocodile wasn't surprised.
After all, this was a world where swordsmanship could slice petals into the air. All kinds of strange powers emerged one after another.
"But it's not real lightning..."
"And I really am sand!"
Crocodile spread his arms, and the sand around him instantly ran wild!
"Desert Spada!"
The next second, a fierce sandstorm sprang up without a hint of wind and swept across several thousand meters in an instant, forming a tangible tornado!
The violent wind made it difficult for Sarutobi Hiruzen to keep his footing,
and Crocodile followed up with another attack.
In the desert, Crocodile's stamina and abilities were at their absolute peak!
"Crescent Sand Dune: Infinite!"
Enormous crescent-shaped dunes swept outward again and again, surging like waves. They carried the Sand-Sand Fruit's power to drain the moisture from everything they touched!
Sarutobi Hiruzen furrowed his brow slightly. He used Lightning Release to continually stimulate his cells, unleashing bursts of speed to dodge the dunes that even he found dangerous.
If he came into contact with a force infused with a Devil Fruit ability like this, all the moisture in his body would be absorbed.
"Crocodile's Taijutsu is unimpressive, and his mastery of his Devil Fruit is only middling."
"The power he can bring to bear might not even be much greater than Gaara's later on."
Sarutobi Hiruzen thought to himself,
"I can only say that in a