While Zoro was busy with Diamante, Sanji was locked in a fierce battle with Lao G. The old man, still striking his signature G-Palm pose, was launching a flurry of attacks. His movements were incredibly fast and aggressive. If Sanji wasn't a Logia user, he would have been knocked out long ago.
"Gah! Not good! My back hurts!" Lao G suddenly groaned, his body seizing up from the pain.
"That's what you get for constantly hunching over!" Sanji yelled back, frustrated.
Just then, Lao G's speed exploded. In an instant, he was right in front of Sanji, his G-Palms hitting him in the eyes and temporarily blinding him.
"Low Back Pain Pose: Sudden Dry Eyes!"
Lao G's movements were too quick for Sanji to react in time. However, Sanji's mind was sharp. He instantly turned into a thunderbolt and vanished, reappearing some distance away. But Lao G quickly locked onto his position, slamming his G-Palms into Sanji's shoulders.
"Low Back Pain Pose: Shoulder Soldier!"
This move was designed to paralyze the opponent's shoulders, making it impossible for them to use their arms. Sanji grimaced in pain but refused to cry out.
"You old geezer, you're a lot tougher than you look!" Sanji cursed.
His vision finally returned, and he instantly became a thunderbolt, flashing behind Lao G. Sanji then unleashed a torrent of powerful kicks, each one crackling with electricity. The attacks caused Lao G's body to smoke.
"Young man, you've hurt me so bad, G!"
"G your head! All those 'G's are driving me crazy!" Sanji retorted.
He spun and delivered a massive kick that sent a pillar of lightning straight at Lao G. However, the old man was wily. He dropped to the ground, narrowly dodging the attack, and then used his fast footwork to quickly close the distance again.
"Low Back Pain Pose: Undying Warrior's Pain!"
Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!
Lao G struck every one of Sanji's joints, the pain causing Sanji's face to contort in agony.
"You old man! That hurts like hell!" Sanji said, turning into lightning and firing a barrage of lightning bolts from the air that struck Lao G repeatedly.
"Yeah! Sanji won!" Chopper, Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin cheered.
"Haha! That G-Palm Fist was no match for a Logia fruit!"
"Sanji is amazing!"
Sanji silently rubbed away the pain before lighting a cigarette with his fingertips. He looked incredibly cool.
Suddenly, a powerful aura erupted from Lao G, who was now charred on the outside. Everyone watched in shock as the frail old man's body rapidly grew taller and more muscular, transforming him into a strong middle-aged man who looked about twenty years younger.
"The G-Palm Fist's Ultimate Secret: Fighting and Keeping the Fist!" Lao G declared.
"To fight even when sick, injured, or old and weak, I save the strength from my youth and keep it stored in my body!"
Everyone's eyes widened at his explanation. They had heard of techniques like life return, but this was a completely different form of body control. It seemed Lao G really was adding his youthful strength to his current body.
Zoro, who had already defeated Diamante, stared at the transformed Lao G. He could immediately tell that this new Lao G was far stronger than Diamante.
"You okay, cook?" Zoro asked.
Sanji was irritated. He didn't expect Lao G to have a hidden trump card. This ultimate technique was clearly his last resort, and Sanji wasn't going to underestimate it. Though he was still smoking casually, he was already secretly preparing for the final clash.
"Seal of the G!" Lao G roared, charging at Sanji.
His speed was more than twice as fast as before. He was in front of Sanji in an instant, pushing both of his G-Palms at Sanji's abdomen with a force that made the air crackle.
Boom!
The G-Palms connected with Sanji's body. But Lao G's expression changed. He realized he had hit nothing but air. The force of his attack, the "Seal of the G," created a massive crater in the ground behind Sanji, but Lao G ignored it, trying to retreat.
"You're too fast... or so I'd say, but no human can be faster than a thunderbolt."
Sanji's voice came from above Lao G's head. His black leather shoe was glowing red, and arcs of electricity were dancing around his foot.
"Secret Technique! Lightning Flame Kick!"
Sanji's foot struck Lao G's chest. The lightning and fiery kick pierced straight through him, and the ground behind Lao G was instantly obliterated.
Lao G froze. His burly body rapidly shrank, returning to his old, frail form before he collapsed. He wasn't breathing.
"You're powerful," Sanji said, taking a deep breath. "You almost got me in the end. But I'm a thunderbolt. I can turn into lightning, and I'm faster than you. After all the times you've hit me, how could I not be prepared for your last move? You should have retired a long time ago. The sea isn't for old men like you."
With that, Sanji turned and walked away toward the Going Merry, looking impossibly cool.
"Hey, perverted cook," Zoro suddenly called out. "Why are you acting so cool? You were the last one to finish your fight. Little 3 and Zhan Gao were faster than you!"
Little 3 and Zhan Gao both nodded. "Yeah, Sanji, you were pretty slow."
"What are you talking about!" Sanji roared, baring his teeth. "That old man was no ordinary opponent! He was definitely the strongest guy here. Didn't you see how much trouble I, a Logia user, had with him?!"
"That's just because you're bad at using your Devil Fruit," Zoro said matter-of-factly. "Besides, Trafalgar told me that out of the top three cadres—Pica, Diamante, and Trebol—Diamante was the most powerful, and the rest were just mediocre."
"No way, Lao G was a hidden powerhouse! He was stronger than Pica and Diamante!"
"That's just what Trafalgar told you to trick you. Lao G was definitely the strongest cadre, and I defeated him!"
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