Chapter 341: One-Tenth
The moment Crocodile transformed into wind and sand, Ian was already on alert.
Although the thunderfire from the Flame Descending had injured Crocodile's true body, Ian knew that given Crocodile's personality, he wouldn't let things slide—he would definitely find a way to retaliate.
With countless swirling sands interfering all around, Ian couldn't precisely track Crocodile's movements. But as his Psychic Power surged, he immediately expanded the perception range of his Psychic Field.
He still didn't know that Crocodile was trying to get close to him, but he had already focused his attention and began to prepare defenses.
Suddenly, Ian sensed something unusual in the wind behind him. He spun around instantly, thrusting his palm forward. A ring of black light shot straight ahead.
However, that attack only struck a swirling mass of yellow sand!
At that very moment, Crocodile, who had been using the wind and sand to feint in one direction while striking from another, reappeared behind Ian. He lunged forward like a pouncing tiger, arms outstretched to grab him.
The moment Crocodile materialized, Ian sensed him again. His reaction was swift—as he turned, his finger pointed directly in front of himself.
"Manifestation: Mirror Shield!"
With a sound like shattering glass, a dim halo appeared where Ian's finger touched. A circular space collapsed abruptly with that light, shattering into countless fragments!
Crocodile hadn't expected that charging in like this would make him crash headlong into Ian's attack. Though it was only a momentary spatial collapse, the immense energy explosion it unleashed struck Crocodile directly.
*Pfft!* Crocodile spat a mouthful of blood into the air. Ian's spatial collapse technique was incredibly effective for close-quarters defense, and Crocodile's rushing momentum was immediately halted.
Crocodile felt an intense, tearing pain all over his body. He even wondered if his body was about to split apart. The agony nearly made him pass out.
But Crocodile was a man of iron will. Gritting his teeth against the urge to faint, he extended his right arm, which had turned into wind and sand, and grabbed Ian's outstretched wrist.
"Heh... heheh! Got... got you!"
Blood still dripped from the corner of Crocodile's mouth, his forehead covered in sweat, his hair disheveled. Yet he still grinned viciously.
The moment Crocodile's hand seized his wrist, Ian realized something was wrong. He hadn't expected Crocodile to be so ruthless—willing to endure severe injury just to grab him at all costs.
Ian jerked his arm, trying to shake off Crocodile's grip, but he forgot that Crocodile's arm was now made of wind and sand, able to stretch freely. It couldn't be shaken off.
The next moment, Crocodile's desiccation ability activated. The moisture in Ian's arm was rapidly drained away. His entire arm began to dry up, the once firm muscles shrinking and becoming like a mummy's.
The sight was terrifying. Ian knew that right now it was just his arm, but soon it might spread to his entire body.
The desiccation ability of the Sand-Sand Fruit was absolutely lethal. Ian understood this well. Coming back to his senses, he let out a loud roar, and black flames erupted from his left arm.
The third time! This was the third Black Dragon Wave Ian had summoned. Even with his surging Psychic Power, he couldn't withstand such massive consumption. He had not only used the Black Dragon Wave but also the Great Serpent's skills—all of them were energy hogs. Fortunately, this time Ian didn't intend to fully manifest the Black Dragon Wave; he only used the black demon realm flames to drive Crocodile back.
So when the black flames flared up again, Crocodile sensed the danger and quickly released Ian's wrist.
He had already achieved his goal. Ian's right arm had shrunk significantly, looking completely disproportionate to his left arm.
Ian was also drenched in sweat. The transformation of his right arm had drained a huge amount of his stamina in an instant.
"Hahahaha!" Though injured, Crocodile laughed heartily, pointing his hook hand at Ian. "How does it feel to lose an arm!?"
Ian looked at his right arm. The withered limb was disgusting even to himself.
"Kid, hand over Nico Robin and get out of this country!" Crocodile sneered. "If you do, your arm might still be saved. Otherwise, your nickname might become 'One-Armed Ian'!"
Ian glanced at him without a word, descended from the air, and landed on the sand. He turned to Robin and said, "I need to let you go for a moment. Stay back."
Robin didn't know what he was planning. Her heart sank, but she nodded. Once on the ground, she quickly distanced herself from the battlefield.
Ian released her, looked up at Crocodile hovering in midair, and suddenly a strange smile appeared on his face. "Not sucking me dry was your biggest mistake!"
Crocodile was stunned. He couldn't understand why Ian could still smile.
But at that moment, Ian extended his left arm and placed it over his withered right arm, softly uttering, "Twin Heaven: Return Shield!"
An elliptical halo appeared around Ian's withered right arm, enveloping the entire shriveled limb.
To Crocodile's horrified gaze, Ian's dried-up right arm began to swell bit by bit.
The healing took a little time, but the bizarre sight left Crocodile completely at a loss. He could only watch as Ian's right arm gradually expanded from its withered state, eventually fully restored to its original form.
Seeing his right arm fine again, Ian breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness for Orihime Inoue's card. Otherwise, he wouldn't have known what to do with his desiccated arm—he doubted just pouring water on it would restore it.
Hidden behind a still-intact building in the distance, Nico Robin was astonished to see Ian's wrist recover. She had witnessed Crocodile's desiccation power before and had always thought it was an unstoppable ability. Now, she finally saw someone who could counter it.
Waving his right arm to confirm it was still as flexible as before, Ian looked at the utterly shocked Crocodile and said, "Now, it's my turn."
By this point, Ian's Psychic Power was nearly depleted from continuously using high-consumption skills. So he opened his left hand, and a full handful of Ice Tear Stones appeared in his palm. These were stones Ian had slowly accumulated over time, saved for moments like this. Crocodile couldn't see the Ice Tear Stones, so he only saw Ian open his left hand and then suddenly clench it.
The next moment, Ian crossed his arms above his head, then swung them left and right, puffing out his chest.
Whether it was an illusion or not, Crocodile felt that when Ian made this move, time seemed to slow for an instant. Then, he realized something was wrong!
A tremendous gravitational force began to emanate from Ian's body, centered on him. The swirling wind and sand that had been flying everywhere were suddenly drawn toward Ian like a vortex, caught in this unexpected pull.
The suction was so powerful that Crocodile, still in midair, felt his body being dragged down.
He struggled desperately to escape the pull, but as wind and sand, he had no foothold in the air.
"D... damn it!" Crocodile found he couldn't escape the gravitational force. As he was pulled down, his sand-like body unconsciously re-solidified.
The process was brief. After Ian activated the only Great Serpent's ultimate skill he could currently use, he directly drew Crocodile's true body right in front of him.
In Crocodile's stunned gaze, Ian's right hand suddenly plunged into Crocodile's chest.
His hand disappeared, but it didn't cause any injury to Crocodile's body. It was like plunging into a rippling pool of water. Crocodile felt no pain.
But when Ian withdrew his hand, clutched in his palm was a mass of blue, shimmering light.
This light pulsed gently, expanding and contracting as if it were beating...