Unlike other scientists, whether it's Judge, Clown, or even the world's top genius Vegapunk, whom they have to admire even if they're only competing for second place, they're all individuals lacking in combat strength.
Rumor has it that Clown was even executed by Sage.
But Queen is different from them. He's someone focused on his own strength. Besides scientific power, his mastery of Haki and the physique brought by the Zoan-type Fruit make him an unshakeable high-ranking member of the Beast Pirates.
"The truly powerful scientists are those who can utilize all sciences!"
As the voice emerged from behind Renedia, Sanji's Observation Haki finally detected it.
"Watch out!"
Sanji instinctively shouted, creating a smoke ring at his feet, and shot straight towards that position.
"Gotcha!"
The invisible Queen twisted open his mechanical arm, firing a winch chain, while his right hand clenched into a fist. During the impact, his fist rapidly contracted and expanded, forming a unique vibration, aiming straight down.
"Rolling Queen! Wind Cannon Fist!!"
Take out this annoying foul-mouthed girl first!
Boom!
However, these power-filled hands suddenly stopped just before descending, halting in the floating exoskeleton, with all the force absorbed by this peculiar exoskeleton!
Nothing disappeared, it wasn't offset; it was entirely absorbed.
No matter how much force Queen used, it was like a mud ox entering the sea, completely ineffective.
Renedia suddenly turned her head, the red dots in her eyes almost forming beams of light.
"My Observation Haki isn't weak at all, I noticed you a long time ago!" Renedia exclaimed.
"Impossible!"
Queen revealed his form, incredulously shouting, "Why doesn't Haki work!"
To land a hit, he had indeed used Haki.
"Haki..."
Renedia boasted, "Using Haki only increases power, but if there's no power to increase, how can it work? Even if it's external, you need to hit first. Do you think you're Sage, capable of using a Haki Bullet?"
Reaching the pinnacle of body techniques, or summoning storms, or even utilizing Homiez, none of these are Sage's true signature.
His true signature is his ability to release Haki from his body, turning willpower into the strongest shockwave, a concept even Garp's Galaxy Impact cannot achieve.
For this kind of close-range attack like Queen's, without the force, even if wrapped in Haki, losing its inherent offensive momentum is still useless.
And this part of the power...
"Give it back to you! Power Fluctuations!!"
Renedia moved her small hand, releasing a strong force from the exoskeleton, striking Queen's entire body like a heavy cannon, sending him flying.
Her newly developed ability, accomplished through the properties of Mother Steel, charges power reversely in these floating exoskeletons through the force of dynamics. In her Power Fluctuation Zone, anyone approaching will have their power absorbed, converted into energy she can use.
Being a child, Renedia's physique naturally is weak, easily prompted out of battle by any hit, but she ventures alone, relying on this newly developed ability.
No matter if it's a swung slash or a punched fist, or heavy cannon bullets, under her power can all be offset, controlled, absorbed.
To surpass her, one must either have stronger power development levels or rely purely on willpower like Sage's Haki Bullet.
Queen's Armament Haki was indeed quite good, but Renedia's power development was also strong; otherwise, she wouldn't be considered an 'Inner Three Phases' internally. Moreover, he seems to have exhausted a lot, causing his Haki to lose intensity, effortlessly absorbed by Renedia.
"Ifrit Jambe!"
Meanwhile, Sanji, rushing at high speed, ignited blue flames on both legs and feet.
With the awakening of scientific power, enduring higher temperatures under the influence of Haki allows the exterior skeleton and strength to generate even higher heat, turning the flames into blue.
He almost flashed before the retreating Queen, unleashing a series of strikes with his kicking legs, hitting various parts of Queen's body.
"Neck meat! Shoulder meat! Rib meat! Abdominal meat! Thigh meat! Calf meat!"
During the kicking, aside from the firelight, faint electrical currents flowed until a powerful explosive impact landed on Queen's chest.
"Beef Burst!!"
Boom!!
In one stroke, Queen spewed a large mouthful of blood, shooting into the distant keep building like a cannonball, crashing through a huge hole, falling far and losing consciousness with rolled-back eyes.
Sanji landed on the ground, caught a few breaths, pulled out a cigarette and lit it, exhaling the smoke without looking back, "No matter how strong a lady is, she's still a lady. I'm a man of chivalry; leave the fighting to men!"
With that, he continued walking forward.
Renedia extended the floating cannon platform around her, all aimed at Sanji. Seeing him gradually depart, she clicked her tongue without attacking.
The Haki power diminished considerably with this strike; attacking now would certainly deal a heavy blow to him, but...
"I am not one to stab from behind; such people have no willpower at all."
Renedia grinned and said, "But don't think it was you who spared me..."
With that, she pulled out a button and pressed it directly.
Boom!
From the distance came the unmistakable sound of something breaking through the air, like a giant cannonball exploding into the ground, creating a huge smoke cloud behind Renedia.
"Big Sis, did you call me?"
From the smoke behind, Weevil's mighty figure holding a naginata appeared.
Renedia is a child, and her strength lies in her abilities; her physical body definitely isn't strong, but correspondingly... Weevil is her shield.
She could come alone because, aside from being confident in her abilities, in a pinch, she also has the Summoning Technique, meaning Weevil can come over at any time.
Besides...
Renedia looked to the other side, and under Observation, she sensed a more powerful and sharp presence.
The three of them came together.
If things go south, none of them can escape.
...
Inside the Tenshu Pavilion, first basement level.
"Ni-ya, we must go to the weapons cache!"
A white-haired person whose hair gradually turned green at the ends, holding a round and raised wolf fang club, advanced swiftly beside a nearly forty-meter tall yellow centaur giant with huge horns on its head.
"Otherwise, if Ghost Island falls, the explosion could kill many innocent people."
Along the way, there were no obstacles, and it was smooth sailing. Once through the front gate, they would reach the weapons cache.
As for the guards, it was one of the Six Devils among the Barbarian Tyrants. With Ni-ya, they could easily win.
The person raised the wolf fang club, "Ni-ya, get ready to smash that gate along with it..."
Before the words fell, the person suddenly paused, seeing a giant with a green body, rivaling Ni-ya in size, lying in front of the weapons cache's gate, eyes rolled back in a faint.
Six Devils!
In front of this giant, a black-haired woman withdrew her fist, turned, and said with a sweet smile, "Oh my, another Giant. How curious, much taller than the giants we have, with a different physique and appearance."
She looked at the woman in a white sleeveless fitted kimono beneath the giant and said with a smile:
"Miss, could you solve my curiosity, are these guys from the Giant Race?"
"I am a man!"
The woman slammed her wolf fang club into the ground, solemnly stating, "I am Kozuki Oden!"
"Kozuki Oden?"
The black-haired woman tilted her head in confusion, eyeing the curvaceous figure bouncing with her movement and the beautiful yet heroic face of the woman.
"A girl, why call yourself a man? As for Kozuki Oden... I know of him, a daimyo of Wano Country, right? He died a long time ago. Did an Ability User usurp your body?"
"That's not it, I am Yamato, and I aspire to become a great man like Kozuki Oden!"
Yamato said, "I am grateful you defeated Six Devils; inside is the weapons cache. I must enter first, or if Ghost Island falls, the place will explode!"
"I see, I was just about to take a look myself. Since it's the weapons cache, what do you plan to do?" asked the black-haired woman.
"Of course, freeze the gunpowder; there's too much of it. If it explodes, it could blow up half of the Flower Capital."
"So, there's a lot..."
The black-haired woman shook her head, "I'm afraid not. With this many weapons, Sage probably wants them, and Wano Country's Wine Iron Ore is also renowned. So I can't let you in, besides, you seem like an ally of Kaido, with horns on your head. You also look very strong..."
She spread her gloved hands and smiled, "If you don't leave, then we'll need to have a fight."
"Are you an enemy? One of Kurozumi Orochi's men? I haven't seen anyone like you before!" Yamato asked in a firm voice.
Those who intruded here were either Samurai or the Straw Hat Alliance. She knew all of her father's subordinates, none seemed as strong as this one, so it must be Kurozumi Orochi's man.
"Oh my, how impolite..."
She chuckled, "My name is Marika, chef of the Disaster Pirates, Minister of Logistics from O'hara, and one of the personnel for the operation against Kaido this time."
"Against Kaido?"
Yamato's eyes lit up, and she said excitedly:
"If you're against Kaido, then we're not enemies. I am also fighting against Kaido, I want to save this nation, liberate the Samurai from Kaido's oppression, and bring Wano Country back under Kozuki rule!"
"Also overthrow Wano Country."
Marika's gentle words left Yamato stunned on the spot.
"Wano Country won't fall back under Kozuki, only under the Disaster Pirates..."
Marika smiled, "Do you want to join us? Someone as strong as you, Sage will certainly accept."
"You really are an enemy!"
Yamato's expression hardened, lifting her wolf fang club, "I will open Wano Country and restore order, no one can stop me!"
"Oh my, we can't reach an agreement, so..."
Boom!!
Beside her, Ni-ya's abdomen suddenly concaved, and the gigantic body flew backward, landing heavily on the ground, eyes rolling back in unconsciousness.
Marika maintained her clapping gesture and smiled, "Let's have a fight then."