Zoro and Sanji's Battle
The pressure they faced was no less than Luffy's—perhaps even greater. But backing down wasn't an option.
Despite the searing pain across his body, Zoro gritted his teeth and swung his three swords with everything he had, clashing against the Ghost Spider's eight-bladed assault.
This was when he had to thank his brutal training.
If this had been the old Zoro, he would have collapsed long ago. But now—he could still fight. His endurance was at its peak.
The Ghost Spider was getting frustrated.
Three of my eight swords… blocked?!
It was humiliating. Worse, Roronoa Zoro was too tough. Even when he failed to block, letting a blade slice into his flesh, he didn't fall. He didn't even scream. It was as if he wasn't human.
And then there was him.
Black Leg Sanji.
His relentless kicks weren't just fast and unpredictable—they hurt. Every strike had immense power behind it, forcing the Ghost Spider to divert his attention constantly.
Sanji, too, was silently grateful.
Carl's training, though brief, had been brutal. Every day, Sanji had practiced kicking steel plates while wearing heavy ankle weights.
Now, without those weights, his legs felt weightless—free. His attacks were faster, stronger, sharper.
And the Ghost Spider? He wasn't a steel plate. Every kick sent pain jolting through his body.
"Damn you both!" the Ghost Spider snarled. "Why won't you just stay down?! If you want to die so badly—then I'll grant your wish!"
With a roar, he unleashed a flurry of slashes, each one faster and heavier than before.
Zoro was barely holding on.
Sanji moved to intercept—but the Ghost Spider had baited him.
Shave!
In an instant, he vanished—reappearing right in front of Sanji.
Before Sanji could react—
Tempest Kick!
A razor-sharp air blade slashed into him, sending him flying.
"Damn it—Cook!" Zoro shouted, his voice strained.
"Still worrying about others?!"
The Ghost Spider appeared right in front of him—his eight blades raised high.
"Die!"
All eight swords came crashing down, aimed to take Zoro's head.
Carl's Intervention
Carl, who had been casually watching from a distance, narrowed his eyes.
It was time to step in.
But before he could move—
SWOOSH!
Huoshaoshan lunged in, blocking Carl's path.
Carl sighed. Really?
Without hesitation, he swung his sword—
BOOM!
A single slash sent Huoshaoshan flying.
That's when Huoshaoshan realized the truth.
"Wait… he was toying with me this whole time?!"
A chill ran down his spine.
"Quasi-Admiral…? No—he's at Admiral level!"
Huoshaoshan wasn't the only one shaken.
The Straw Hats hadn't even entered the Grand Line yet—
And they already had two Admiral-tier fighters in their crew.
If they made it to the New World…
Forget the Four Emperors.
The world might soon have to deal with a Fifth.
Zoro's Awakening
Carl didn't care what Huoshaoshan was thinking—he was about to rush in to save Zoro.
But then—he froze.
Zoro's state had changed.
A strange aura surrounded him, as if, in the face of death, he had suddenly realized something.
His body swayed on the brink of collapse, yet his presence grew sharper.
"Death… to me, is not something to fear… but a guiding force."
His voice was deep, steady—filled with unshakable resolve.
At that moment, under the oppressive weight of impending death, Zoro's figure seemed to multiply—as if three warriors stood in his place.
A suffocating pressure spread through the battlefield, sending a shiver down the Ghost Spider's spine.
And if Carl wasn't mistaken—
Haki.
A faint trace of Armament Haki now coated Zoro's blades.
"Ghost Qi… Nine-Sword Style—Asura!"
Swish!
Nine blades cut forward in unison, colliding with the Ghost Spider's eight swords.
The force of death itself seemed to fuel the attack.
CRACK!
A sharp snap echoed through the air—
The six swords controlled by the Ghost Spider's hair—shattered.
Not only that—his hair was in ruins, a complete mess.
Only the two swords in his hands remained intact.
For the first time in years—Vice Admiral Ghost Spider's face twisted in shock.
This kid… broke my Eight-Sword Style…?!
This was unheard of.
For years, he had hunted down and eliminated countless pirates. Most rookies weren't even worth his time.
But now—some swordsman from East Blue had just humiliated him?
His hands trembled slightly.
No wonder Hawkeye had taken an interest in this kid.
He's the real deal.
A genius who could awaken new sword techniques in the face of death.
A swordsman who had just unlocked Armament Haki.
Was this the new generation?
Even so—it doesn't matter.
The Ghost Spider's eyes darkened.
Zoro had spent everything on that attack.
The Asura form had faded. His strength was gone.
Even a common foot soldier could kill him now.
Pity.
"You're strong, Roronoa. But this is where it ends!"
With both blades raised, the Ghost Spider slashed down—
Directly at Zoro's head.
Sanji's Counterattack
Carl moved—but before he could act, Huoshaoshan threw himself forward once again, blocking his path.
Carl clicked his tongue in irritation.
Again?
But just as he was about to force his way through—
His Observation Haki flashed.
He sensed something.
Carl's lips curled into a smirk.
He didn't need to interfere.
Because Sanji was already there.
A blur of motion—
A sudden gust of wind—
And then—Sanji vanished.
In an instant, he appeared right beside the Ghost Spider.
His black dress shoes—
Now red-hot like burning iron.
"Diable Jambe—"
With a fierce twist of his body, Sanji drove his flaming heel directly into the Ghost Spider's armpit!
"Flambage Shot!"
The Ghost Spider's eyes widened—
He had no choice.
Zoro was no longer the priority.
With a sharp breath, he twisted his body mid-air, retracting his blades to block.
Sanji's Aerial Assault
Just as the Ghost Spider braced himself for impact—
Sanji suddenly withdrew his kick.
What—?!
With a swift motion, he flipped mid-air and launched himself upward.
Bang!
His foot struck the air—
Then again—
And again—
A rapid burst of movement sent him rocketing forward like a human bullet.
"Shaving and Moonwalk…?!"
The Ghost Spider's eyes widened in shock.
"They actually learned it… during battle?!"
Before he could process it—
Sanji was already upon him.
"Devil Wind Kick!"
The red-hot tin-plated shoe slammed into his face.
Then another.
Then another.
A relentless flurry of burning kicks pounded the Ghost Spider's face out of shape.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
In just a few seconds, his features were distorted beyond recognition.
With a final explosive kick—
Sanji sent him soaring through the air.
The Vice Admiral's body crashed into the ground, rolling several times before coming to a stop.
The Aftermath
Sanji landed on the ground, panting heavily.
His body trembled—exhausted.
Yet, despite his near-collapse, he stubbornly straightened himself.
With shaking hands, he pulled out a cigarette, lighting it with a flick of his lighter.
Taking a deep drag, he exhaled slowly and smirked.
"Oi, moss-head… you still alive?"
Zoro, lying battered on the ground, gritted his teeth.
His body was barely responding—
But his grip on his swords remained unbroken.
"If you're still standing, I sure as hell won't be dying!"
Carl, who was still exchanging blows with Huoshaoshan, suddenly let out a grin.
These two…
They had exceeded his expectations.
In the middle of battle, they had awakened new techniques, strengthened their combat instincts, and even adapted to fighting elite Marines.
Carl chuckled.
"Zoro, Sanji—congratulations. Make sure to thank your teacher, Ghost Spider."
Sanji and Zoro both cracked their knuckles.
"Oh yeah," Zoro muttered. "We should really thank Teacher Ghost Spider."
Sanji exhaled another puff of smoke, nodding solemnly.
"We couldn't have done it without him."
Their serious tone made Ghost Spider, who had just managed to pull himself up, nearly cough up blood.
You mean to tell me…
I was just… sparring practice for these two brats?!
His rage was reaching a boiling point.
Meanwhile, Huoshaoshan, watching from the sidelines, was left completely speechless.
He's not wrong, he thought.
The Ghost Spider really did end up as their training dummy.
And worst of all—
It worked.
The growth they had shown in such a short amount of time was terrifying.
Huoshaoshan could confidently say—
At their current strength, these two could dominate the first half of the Grand Line.
The Ghost Spider's Wrath
"You damn pirates…!"
The Ghost Spider's furious voice echoed across the battlefield.
"You dare to play with me?!"
His bloodshot eyes glared at the two.
"I don't care how much progress you've made—"
"You're still going to die here!"
"All of that so-called growth—"
"Will mean NOTHING once I KILL YOU!"
He raised his remaining swords, his fury exploding into raw killing intent.
But before he could make a move—
Carl laughed.
"Oh, that won't do, Teacher Ghost Spider."
He cracked his knuckles, stepping forward.
"These two are my important students."
"And I can't just let you take their lives."
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