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A subtle sea breeze whispered across the East Blue, carrying the scent of salt and iron. High above, a heavy, dark cloud drifted into place, swallowing the sun's scorching rays. Rather than bringing relief, the atmosphere turned stifling and humid, as if the air itself were holding its breath in anticipation of the coming storm.
Outside the Baratie, the defensive systems were fully engaged. Two massive floating platforms, shaped like the fins of a great fish, had risen from the sea to provide a stable battlefield. At the center of one platform, Sanji stood opposite the hulking pirate Carne, the air between them thick with tension. Behind them, the chefs of the restaurant and the cutthroats of the Blood Demon Pirates formed a rowdy gallery.
"Sanji! Don't you dare lose to that walking mountain of blubber!" Patty roared from the sidelines.
"Yeah! Win this, and I might actually call you 'Sous-chef' for once!" another chef added with a grin.
Sanji didn't bother turning around. He simply raised a hand, flashing a confident 'OK' sign. "Don't worry. Since when have I ever lost to a guy like this?".
"Hmph! Big words, little man," Carne growled, his face twisting into a mask of rage. "I was just being careless inside. Now, I'll show you the true power of the Blood Demon Pirates!".
Inside the restaurant, Nami and Satori leaned against the windowsill, watching the spectacle unfold. "Hey, Satori, who's your money on?" Nami asked, her eyes fixed on the duel.
"Hmm... I'm betting on Sanji," Satori replied calmly, his eyes tracking the fighters' movements.
The battle erupted in a blur of motion. Carne swung his massive hammer with bone-crushing force, the heavy head whistling through the air in a deadly arc. Sanji, hands tucked nonchalantly in his pockets and a cigarette dangling from his lips, leaned back like a drawn bowstring just as the gust of the hammer's passage brushed his face.
Missing his target, Carne let the momentum carry the hammer into a wide overhead arc, bringing it crashing down to flatten Sanji like a meat patty. But Sanji had already read the rhythm. He slid back a single, precise step, letting the hammer strike the reinforced platform with a deafening thud.
Before Carne could recover, Sanji leaped into the air with the grace of a swallow. His right leg lashed out, gathering immense power for a signature strike.
"Neck Shoot!".
Bang!.
The impact was thunderous. Carne's massive frame was sent hurtling backward, crashing into the group of pirates behind him. Several subordinates, unable to dodge the mountain of flesh, were flattened instantly and knocked unconscious. Carne groaned, his eyes rolling back as he lost consciousness, collapsing into a heap.
A moment of stunned silence was broken by the raucous cheers of the Baratie chefs. "Hahaha! That's our Sanji! Put him in his place!".
"I acknowledge you, Sous-chef!" Patty yelled, waving his arms.
Sanji took a long drag from his cigarette and exhaled a slow, deliberate puff of smoke. "Phew... anyone else want to give it a go?". His gaze drifted past the fallen pirates, settling coldly on Kennard.
To Sanji's surprise, Kennard didn't look angry. Instead, a predatory interest gleamed in his eyes. "Hahahahaha! I didn't expect a mere cook to have such refined skill," Kennard laughed. "Your name is Sanji, right? I'm going to offer you a deal I don't give to just anyone".
"Join the Blood Demon Pirates," Kennard continued, his voice full of arrogance. "I'll make you my second-in-command. You'll have power, wealth, and endless fun. What do you say?". He was convinced the offer was too good to refuse; a strong fighter who was also a world-class chef was a rare prize.
Sanji didn't hesitate for a second. "The Blood Demon Pirates? Never heard of 'em. I only have one job: I'm a chef of the Baratie".
Kennard's face darkened instantly. "So many people beg to join my crew and are turned away. You're truly ungrateful, boy". He took two heavy, polished metal gauntlets from a subordinate and strapped them onto his hands. "It seems I need to teach you exactly how wide the gap is between us". He flexed his wrists and cracked his neck, a cruel smile spreading across his face.
Before Sanji could move, Patty and the other chefs rushed forward, brandishing their cooking implements like weapons. "The next round is ours, Sanji! We can't let you do all the work while we just watch!". Without waiting for an answer, they charged Kennard with a unified roar.
"Hmph. Fools who don't know their place," Kennard sneered. He didn't even bother to dodge or block. He simply spread his arms wide and took their blows head-on.
Clang! Crash!.
The chefs stared in horror as their swords, spears, and spiked clubs bounced harmlessly off Kennard's specialized armor. He didn't even sway; it was like watching ants trying to topple a mountain.
"Don't panic! He's not wearing armor on his legs—attack the lower body!" Carne shouted, regrouping as he swung a large saber at Kennard's knees.
"You think I'd give you the chance?" Kennard reached out, caught the saber with a gauntleted hand, and crushed the steel into fragments. With a violent sweep of his armored arm, he sent Carne and several other chefs flying. In a blur of motion, his fists struck like dragons, blasting Patty and the rest away. In heartbeats, the brave chefs were scattered across the platform, bruised and broken.
Fury erupted in Sanji's eyes. He launched a flying kick toward Kennard's head, but the pirate captain anticipated the move, raising an armored forearm to intercept the blow.
"Good strength, but you're still a child compared to me," Kennard mocked.
"Then try this on for size! Rib Shoot!" Sanji pivoted mid-air, his back heel slamming into Kennard's chest with a sickening thud.
Kennard staggered back two steps, his breath hitching as a sharp pain bloomed in his chest. He looked down at his chest plate; the armor was intact, but the force of the kick had penetrated deep into his body. Without the steel, that single strike would have broken him.
"Interesting..." Kennard patted his chest, his grin widening. "I'm becoming more and more interested in you!". He lunged forward, throwing a massive, pot-sized fist at Sanji's face.
Sanji met the attack head-on, using an upward kick to deflect the punch. He followed up with a Leg Meat strike to break Kennard's balance before leaping high for another Neck Shoot.
Bang!.
Kennard was sent skidding across the platform. When his subordinates rushed to help him, he glared them back. "Get back! Do you think I'd lose to a small fry like this?".
He walked back toward Sanji and threw a sudden punch—but the strike was aimed well wide of Sanji's body. Sanji hesitated, confused by the blatant miss. Then, Kennard's sinister smile returned. From the gauntlet passing in front of Sanji's face, a thick cloud of red smoke erupted.
"Cough! Cough!" Sanji was instantly blinded, his lungs burning as his eyes and nose began to water uncontrollably.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Kennard stepped inside Sanji's guard. His left fist, carrying the weight of a falling star, smashed directly into Sanji's lower abdomen.
BANG!.
Sanji was sent hurtling through the air like a broken kite, crashing into the Baratie's outer wall. As he slumped to the ground, a trail of crimson blood leaked from the corner of his mouth.