Aokiji's offensive came like a blizzard, but each time, that blond figure would struggle to get back up.
"Cough… again!" Sanji spat out a mouthful of blood, the fire in his eyes never extinguishing.
Aokiji's expression gradually became solemn.
As an Admiral, he had seen countless tough individuals, but he had never seen anyone who grew stronger the more he was beaten.
Sanji's body had clearly reached its limit, yet he always miraculously stood up, and each time he rose, his resilience seemed to improve.
"These newcomers…" Aokiji exhaled a puff of cold air, "Are they all this desperate?"
*Thud!*
Another heavy punch sent Sanji's knees slamming hard onto the ground, but he used his last ounce of strength to keep himself from collapsing completely.
"I told you…" Sanji grinned, blood seeping from between his teeth, "I can take a beating…"
Sanji was covered in blood, his suit already in tatters, his exposed skin a canvas of bruises and gruesome wounds.
His blond hair was matted with blood, clinging to his pale cheeks, yet his eyes shone with an astonishing light. Staggering to his feet, he spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, and his right leg once again ignited with scorching flame.
"Come on then… Ice-Block Uncle…" Sanji bared his blood-stained teeth in a frenzied smile.
Aokiji's brow furrowed deeply. With a sharp sweep, an "Ice Saber" shot out, sending Sanji flying back dozens of meters.
Sanji's body tumbled across the ground, carving a long trail of blood through the sand. But just as Aokiji thought he wouldn't rise this time, those polished leather shoes stubbornly found their footing once more.
"Grahhh—!" Sanji roared in agony—though alive, the pain from each blow was undeniably real!
Yet again, he staggered upright and pressed forward, the system prompts echoing incessantly in his mind:
*Ding! Cyborg Gene Awakening progress +5%!*
*Ding! Cyborg Gene Awakening progress +7%!*
*Ding! Cyborg Gene Awakening progress +10%!*
...
Every heavy impact was like tempering a piece of fine steel.
Sanji could feel it clearly—the dormant Cyborg Gene within him was being activated, piece by piece. The scientific might of Germa 66 was awakening!
"Hahaha!" Sanji suddenly laughed wildly up at the sky, blood still streaming from the corner of his mouth. "Refreshing! Again!"
Aokiji's expression hardened completely. He had encountered countless pirates unafraid of death, but never a madman who laughed and begged for more punishment mid-beating.
This Admiral felt a vein throb at his temple, momentarily nonplussed.
"This guy… is he insane?" Aokiji muttered to himself, yet his hands didn't pause, unleashing another "Ice Age" that completely encased Sanji in ice.
However, mere seconds later, a sharp *crack* split the frozen block, and Sanji emerged wreathed in steam, the flames on his right leg having shifted into an eerie blue: "Thanks for the treat… your cold ice can't extinguish my burning heart! Now… it's my turn to return the favor!"
Aokiji's pupils constricted sharply—this madman's aura had more than doubled from before!
Blue flames erupted from Sanji's legs, the scorching temperature distorting the surrounding air. He stomped down hard, and the fire surged violently.
"Diable Jambe · Poêle à Frire Spectre!"
The azure blaze sliced through the sky, piercing straight through Aokiji's icy defenses to land a solid kick on his shoulder! Aokiji grunted, stumbling back two steps, a charred hole now seared into the Justice cloak on his shoulder.
"Interesting. Fire and ice—a natural counter…?" Aokiji narrowed his eyes, inspecting the smoldering wound. "He can make contact with a Logia user even without Haki."
But in the next instant, Aokiji's figure vanished, only to reappear and drive a Haki-imbued fist hard into Sanji's abdomen, sending him soaring through the air!
*BAM!*
Sanji crashed like a cannonball into a distant city wall; the stone structure crumbled with a thunderous roar. Yet, within the rising dust, that same blue flame ignited once more.
"Current Cyborg Gene Awakening progress: 90%!"
"Cough, cough… It's not over yet!"
Sanji spat out another mouthful of blood. His Cyborg Gene was now 90% awakened, his body visibly repairing itself at an accelerated rate. The blue flames on his legs intensified, the surrounding sand beginning to vitrify under the extreme heat.
Aokiji's assaults grew fiercer, each strike laden with biting cold and the dark glint of Busoshoku Haki. Though Sanji could now mount a feeble counterattack, the vast gulf in close-combat prowess kept him perpetually on the defensive, being sent flying again and again.
The battlefield was littered with craters from his impacts, the desert scarred with smoldering blue trails.
*Thud!*
*BOOM!*
*CRACK!*
Yet, bizarrely, no matter how devastating the blow, Sanji always managed to stagger back to his feet. His body seemed to have become a bottomless pit, transmuting all damage into fuel for his awakening.
Kizaru sat cross-legged on a platform of light mid-air, spectating with amusement. "Ohhh my~ Kuzan~" he drawled teasingly, "If you keep holding back like this, this whole desert will be flooded by your meltwater~"
Aokiji's face grew increasingly stern. He was clearly using a significant portion of his power, yet this unkillable cockroach only grew more tenacious, clinging to him like a remora—impossible to shake off!
"Ice Age!"
Finally ceasing to hold back, Aokiji pressed his palms to the ground. A terrifying wave of cold instantly transformed the surrounding hundred meters into an arctic hell. Sanji's body was completely frozen, becoming a lifelike ice statue.
But the moment Aokiji let out a sigh of relief—
*Crack!*
A fissure appeared on the statue's surface, then a second, a third… until eerie blue flames came gushing out from the fractures!
"Thanks for the final push…" Sanji's voice emerged from within the ice, carrying an unprecedented depth of power. "The Cyborg Gene… is now fully awakened!"
*BOOM!*
The ice exploded outwards. A figure wreathed in azure flames stepped forth steadily. Sanji's blond hair danced in the waves of heat, his eyes gleaming like two burning blue sapphires.
In this moment, the science of Germa 66 and Sanji's indomitable will had finally merged into perfect sync.
"Cyborg Gene — 100%!"
"Super Recovery — Unlocked!"
"Steel Body — Unlocked!"
"This… this feeling… The pain is gone!"
Without hesitation, Sanji charged at Aokiji. The delay time had long exceeded twenty minutes, but now he felt an inexhaustible well of power surging through him. All he wanted was to fight like a man possessed!
…
Kizaru, standing on his platform of light, adjusted his sunglasses. The lenses reflected the fierce battle below, a playful smirk gracing his lips. "My, my~ These rookies are truly something else~"
His gaze swept over Sanji, locked in combat with Aokiji, then drifted to Zoro, who was still fast asleep. "To hold out this long against an Admiral~ Tch, tch, tch."
....
The journey continues right now for our Jade Dragons! 🐉
For just $6/month, you can step into the advanced chapters and never face a cliffhanger again. Gain instant access to 50+ chapters immediately, support the story you love, and help decide its course.
🔗 Become a Jade Dragon:
https://patreon.com/J_Dragon