Match #8 - Dante and Gale vs. Leonardo and Bruce

Under a cloudless sky, the sun is blisteringly hot with no sign of changing in the near future. Coarse yellow sand covers the land as far as the eye can see except for one area. A sizable oasis stands in the middle of the wasteland. There are a pair of palm trees surrounding a small lake, only a foot or two deep in the deepest parts. Aside from that the land is barren save for a few rocks and small, round and prickly cacti. A few lizards and scorpions scatter about in search of shade, while a few of the snakes are bathing in the sun. None of them are particularly poisonous to humans.

Match #8 - Dante and Gale vs. Leonardo and Bruce

Bruce was lying on his back with a groove dug into the muddy bottom of the lake bed. It was a lot easier to lay down using this method, otherwise Bruce normally slept on his stomach or side. It was a tough life being a humanoid being with a fin sticking out of its back. Bruce the solemn predator fishman was on the bottom of the small lake. His interests in fighting his foe or foes were far from his mind. He was certain as along as he was in the lake he'd have a bit of safety. At the very least it provided him with the peace of mind that he had the advantage.

Bruce could feel everything around him, the small creatures in the lake; they called it home. To Bruce the desert oasis was far from it, but for the time being it would make a fine substitute. There was food and water, enough for him to last for a long time. What Bruce couldn't feel, he could certainly smell. Bruce's sense of smell was amazing; it was powerful and would sense something coming from far away. There was little chance of anything surprising Bruce with his sensing prowess. The chance of surprising him in that kind of environment was even slimmer. Despite his laid back attitude and reluctance to get out of the water, Bruce was ready for whoever or whatever was coming him way. He knew that the end of the match only one pair could be left standing.

1/15

(Well I picked the right day to check on things)

Walking out in the middle of this vast desert Leo spotted where the fight was suppose to take place. Why the hell did they set the match way the hell out here he wonder to himself. From sweltering volcanoes to the blistering desert why was it that they kept putting him these types of environments. Pacing his goggles over his eyes their tents would help give him some relief against the sun. Waving to Bruce who wants again would be his partner he awaited the people they would be fighting. Once again he knew nothing about them. But with the prize on the line as well as his reputation Leonardo was sure to give it his all.

Dante walked around the desert looking for his opponents. He couldn't feel the heat from the sun, or care about the sand getting stuck inside his shoes. Dante wore a black robe of sorts to help ease the coldness of the desert. He had a turban around his head and a mask to hide his face, the robes had a coat over them made of the same material. It was genuinely desert clothes, and his shoes were the black pointy types in the front. It wasn't a weapon, but it looked fancy. Dante walked around with Gale beside him, his trusted companion in the middle of all this. Dante doesn't know where to begin looking.. he'd have to move where there is water, obviously, because the opponents will die if they don't have water (the majority of the time). Dante spotted a small oasis of sorts some distance away. It was the only source of water Dante could see in this desert so far.

"Well Gale, I'm going to show you something.. you'll have to manage without water for awhile, though, if it's anything like the last match it probably won't be long till we go somewhere else anyways." Suddenly a large gust-like wave moved through the field, but it stopped only a few feet from Dante. Suddenly the ground rose up and a sandstorm started to move itself at the opponents in very rapid speeds. The point of the sand was to absorb the water in the tiny lake so the opponents would find it with nothing. He didn't think the opponents would already be there. The storm went off like an unwanted canon ball (very fast) and it won't stop moving forward until the desert ends its sandy trail. Even after it moves through the opponents it will continue moving forward. After this technique hits the water it will absorb all of it and continue moving. Because this technique isn't thick anyone that gets in the water will not suffer from the devil fruits usual effects.

Dante then waited for something to pop out from the sands. The storm was definitely wide, and about fifty feet high well (so more then they can jump and react too in normal occasions.) Dante looked at Gale, "I'm a little stronger in a desert."

Gale strolled through the desert besides his partner, Dante. He knew that his powers would be much stronger in a desert, taking into account that he was a sand logia. Although this scenario seemed a little bit odd to him, starting with the far distance from any other kind of terrain, even further, it seemed to him like the desert itself could kill one of the parties if they managed to get complete control of the oasis and just defend it for long enough. Gale didn't like walking with shoes on sandy terrains... But well, in a desert like this one, the option of taking them off was completely out of consideration. A sandy beach would've been fine for that, but of course they weren't in a paradise-like island.

He turned to listen to Dante speak, he could manage himself without water for a while... Or at least that's what he thought basing himself on what he knew of his own body.

"Of course you are strong in the desert, it's your element." - Gale was pretty worried, cause he couldnt mix his clay with anything in a soil that was completely sand. The sandstorm that was whipped by Dante and hurled towards the oasis was terrible... Big, devastating. He hoped this battle finished fast.

Bruce leaped out of the mud pocket the second all of the water had vanished.  Two blades strong enough to cut throught steel flew towards Dante.  He wasn't sure if his partner was okay or not.  Bruce continued running towards the right side trying to flank the enemy in hopes he would be distracted by the blades.  The blades were moving fast, but they weren't unavoidable to those with good enough perception and speed.  
 
Since Bruce's sight wasn't that great out of the water he relied on his sense of smell more so than anything else.  He could feel the hot sand under his feet.  Bruce didn't like ti but he'd have to deal with it for now.  It was a vast change from the cool lake bed he had just been laying in. Juding from the previous attack, Bruce was fairly certain than even if just one of the man' attacks were to hit, he'd be done for the long term.

2/15

This battle would be different than the one I fought in before. Not only is it hot the battlefield favors the opponent.  Leonardo had read the devil fruit book he had pretty good memory of the fruits in that book. The sandstorm that approached him was obviously not naturally caused.  His opponents ability was with controlling the wind or the sand. Either way it was Logia and not an opponent Leonardo felt he could take on by himself.  But he didn't have to he had Bruce, now if only they could work together.  In the last match they were able to handle the opponents one on one but this time in needed to be different.

As the sand storm was about to hit Leonardo plunged his weapon as deep in the sand as he could manage trying to anchor himself to ground. No good its not deep enough. I'm going to have to use that right from the start. Knowing that the sand would be blown up he braced himself for impact. But he didn't fly away completely Leonardo had used his own fruits power to keep from being overtaken. As the sand storm began to die down Leo took this opportunity to run towards Dante. The strongest one needs to be taken out first. He didn't know the other mans ability but it was clear that Dante had the advantage.

What the enemy didn't know, will kill him. The sandstorm that passed through him didn't take effect instantly, or the opponent apparently didn't notice it. The sandstorm was the type to suck water, that included the water in the body. With Leo's stats the technique, after it hit, put him into a near-death state which he didn't notice until he started to move. Normally a person hit with this technique, at 20%, will be knocked out and in a zombie like state and in desperate need of water (preferably within 5 posts or the person will die). After getting hit by the sandstorm the opponent didn't look recognizable. His skin shriveled up and his body lost many pounds compared to before. The opponent was almost like a skeleton.

Dante watched the river near the opponent dry up completely while in the middle of the storm. There wasn't any water left in the area after that sandstorm. At least, not anywhere behind that little oasis. Dante, to make sure the opponent died, then watched a giant 100 foot tsunami appeared in front of him. The sheer amount of sand increased the weight of the sand by double its usual force; it was now 36 tons if the opponent was hit by the tsunami. The sand tsunami then went in the direction of the opponent. It continued to slam against the ground with a powerful force and have the wave behind it do the same continuously. It was like a never ending tsunami of sand. After 50 meters the sand will stop trying to crush the opponent. Once someone is buried with this technique there isn't much Dante can do about it.

To make sure the opponent was dead Dante summoned a sphere on his palm. Who knows the kind of opponent he just fought.

There was no way to block the sand as it passed through his body it felt like his body breaking down from the inside out.  Leonardo had been defeated with body that could no longer support him and no muscle less left to wield a weapon. He would now be another casualty of the desert. In his last moments he thought over his life having one regret not being able accomplish his dream.  He had barely started.  But he would died just like he lived. Smiling stood erect as body was stripped of moisture and blew away. He weapon falling wear his feet would have been.

But this wasn't the end Leonardo Mcalister would eventually wake from this nightmare and remember nothing but he would have a new chance at life. But no guarantees could be made about how long a life it would be.

12

(Well this match is yours. Even if I knew that you could do that, with the sandstorm The results would pretty much been the same)