Alabasta, a hundred meters beneath Rainbase.
The instant Zhou Yu's Ho-Oh power, Ma Chao's Zekrom power, and Crocodile's Sand-Sand power-three terrifying forces powerful enough to shake heaven and earth-collided in that enclosed space-
Time seemed to freeze.
The first to meet were the golden radiance, warm as the morning sun, and the desert surge that destroyed everything.
There was no earth-shattering explosion, no wildly spreading impact. When the golden radiance touched the flowing sand imbued with Crocodile's will, something incredible happened.
Those sharp grains, capable of grinding steel to powder and crushing rock to dust, actually turned into glittering crystals under the burning golden flames.
Zhou Yu was releasing his full power, using Heaven-Burning Flames at its maximum range. Within that warm yet scorching golden radiance lay the primal power to soothe every wound, cure every illness, and revive all vitality.
Sand itself had no life, but Crocodile's Sand-Sand Fruit ability drove natural elements through his will. Those grains carried his killing intent, madness, and desire for destruction-the instant these negative intentions touched Ho-Oh's life-giving radiance, they began to melt, crumble, and be purified, like snow beneath a blazing sun.
Ssssss-!
Amid a teeth-grating hiss of friction, the leading tide of sand abruptly slowed. Its sharp edges rapidly crystallized, smoothed, and dulled within the golden radiance, finally turning into ordinary, harmless fine sand that fell feebly to the ground.
"What?!" Crocodile's pupils contracted. He could feel his connection to that portion of sand being forcibly severed, purified! His opponent's ability could directly interfere with the very nature of an awakened Logia's power?!
But this was only the beginning.
At the very moment Ho-Oh's flames purified and slowed the raging sandstorm, Ma Chao's Ideal Thunder arrived.
The blue-black pillar of lightning carried Zekrom's ultimate will to "transform the world through ideals."