A surge of black smoke and flame rose from the hollow skull of the skeletal general.
The skull beneath the Black Tortoise's helmet quivered slightly, then a deep crack split open across the hardest part of the giant's head.
The fissure wasn't large, but compared to the giant's mountainous body, it was still a massive wound.
Fragments like pieces of stone fell away from the skull, tumbling down through its open jaw, and shattered against the ground below, crushing a smaller skeleton's head into dust.
A strange sound echoed through the air, sharp and low.
Sanji's heart suddenly clenched, an inexplicable pulse of fear rippled through him.
There was no time to think. His nerves reacted before his mind could.
In an instant, flames burst from beneath his feet, and his body vanished from where he stood,
BOOM!!!
The very moment Sanji escaped, a massive serpent appeared where he'd just been, its gaping mouth like an abyss.
The snake's jaws snapped shut with a thunderous crack, so loud the air itself seemed to shudder.
Realizing it had missed its prey, the serpent's slit pupils, each the height of a man, swiveled furiously toward Sanji's direction, its abyssal eyes full of unwilling rage and burning frustration.
But at last, the serpent hissed and withdrew, coiling itself back atop the bronze helmet, its iron shell reforming into the shape of the Black Tortoise once more.
"Damn… that was close! Almost got me there!"
Sanji wiped the sweat from his brow, relief flashing through his thoughts.
His agility was slightly higher than the skeletal general's, but that serpent's speed… was at least twice his own!
He glanced up at the bronze-colored helmet on the giant's head, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
That serpent's attack didn't feel like something controlled by Brook.
No, it felt alive.
The skeletal general might move with expression, but Sanji could tell that was because Brook's soul was merged with its body.
The general's expressions were simply Brook's expressions.
Everything the general did, was Brook's doing.
But that serpent…
That wasn't Brook.
That attack was something else entirely, and its sheer biting force was terrifying, even to Sanji's body enhanced by Gourmet Cells.
Because, just as Brook had warned him earlier…
One wrong move, and you die.
Sanji's eyes narrowed slightly. Just what kind of power is this?
Could Devil Fruit abilities really reach such heights?
Then, his gaze dropped to the flames beneath his feet.
His lips curved into a faint smirk as realization dawned.
Right, Devil Fruits couldn't do this.
But Luffy could.
If Luffy could grant Sanji such strength… then surely, he could do the same for Brook.
That meant… climbing higher within the Starry Sky Pirates might not be so easy after all.
========
Regaining focus, Sanji pushed stray thoughts aside and slipped back into battle mode.
The skeletal general, whose skull had just been struck, seemed momentarily stunned.
Its soul-link with Brook had clearly been disrupted by Sanji's powerful blow.
After all, that last kick wasn't something to be taken lightly.
Flames gathered once more at Sanji's feet, swirling hotter and hotter.
Then the general's eyes flashed open again, twin pits of shadow blazing with cyan fire.
It tried to turn toward Sanji, but its balance faltered, its massive frame staggered, nearly collapsing.
THUD!
The Azure Dragon Spear stabbed into the ground for support, its tail smashing deep into the earth, shattering several skeletons beneath it into powder.
Moments later, twin wisps of icy energy drifted from the general's cracked skull.
With a heavy exhale, it straightened its back once more, lifting its gaze toward Sanji hovering in the air above.
"Hm?"
Sanji frowned slightly.
He felt something, a strange pressure locking onto his body, freezing his movements just a little.
Then, before he could react,
The general bent its knees low.
Its massive frame tightened like a drawn bow, compressing tremendous power in its leg joints.
BOOM!
The ground exploded beneath it.
Shockwaves burst outward scattering the bones covering the land like a storm.
From the general's back, a pair of blazing crimson wings unfurled their flames so intense the air itself rippled and warped.
Empowered by the Vermilion Bird the skeletal general took flight in an instant, wings beating once as it shot straight toward Sanji.
The spear in its hands began to change, the tip morphing into a living dragon's head of blood and flesh!
The dragon's maw opened wide, gathering cold, deadly energy from the air around it.
A pulsating orb of power formed, unstable yet overwhelmingly strong and then burst forth toward Sanji's position!
A chilling wave of soul-deep terror slammed into his mind.
Everything happened too fast.
From the general's sudden rise to the unfolding of fiery wings, to the spear's dragon-head unleashing its beam of destruction, it all occurred in an instant.
Even Sanji's reflexes couldn't save him completely this time.
At the moment the energy beam struck,
Sanji channeled every ounce of power he had, forcing all his fire to one side, a torrent of flame exploding from his right arm as he twisted away!
A streak of fire tore through the sky, but it wasn't enough.
The edge of the beam still grazed him.
And even that was enough.
"Gah—!"
Blood burst from Sanji's mouth.
He fell from the air, stumbling on the trail of his own fire, crashing hard onto the ground below.
He landed on his knees, then collapsed face-first into the dust.
Blood trickled down his back, staining his suit pants red.
But Sanji didn't move.
He just stared blankly, at his right arm.
At the empty space where it used to be.
Only the smell remained, the familiar, sickening scent of burned flesh.
It filled his nose, forcing him to accept the grim reality, his arm was gone.
========
Thank goodness he knew that Luffy possessed a miraculous elixir capable of healing any wound.
Otherwise, for a chef to lose his cooking hand, that was worse than death itself.
A pain that could drive one mad.
High above, the skeletal general looked down at Sanji's fallen form.
The Azure Dragon shifted back into its spear form once more.
The giant curled its vast body midair then beat its fiery wings again,
WHOOSH!
A torrent of flame ripped through the sky sending waves of heat crashing downward.
BOOOOM!!!
The explosion shook the battlefield.
Under such force, Sanji could do nothing but run.
But the general wasn't about to let him escape.
When it landed, the impact formed a massive crater and from its boots, the White Tiger's roar thundered.
A surge of power flooded into the ground.
RUMBLE… RUMBLE…
The entire land began to quake the tremors growing stronger and stronger.
Then a deep fissure split open, leading straight into the abyss!
It started from beneath the White Tiger boots and raced across the ground, chasing after Sanji's fleeing form!
All the scattered bones on the battlefield fell into the chasm but no matter how many tumbled in it never filled.
And Sanji, still fleeing far ahead, remained unaware of the danger creeping just behind him…