At the same time—
In the upper core region of Egghead Island, within the Seraphim storage and testing laboratory—
This vast space, large enough to house several warships, had already been reduced to a battlefield of pure carnage.
What had begun as a chaotic three-way melee—
Sanji and Jinbe of the Straw Hat crew, the remnants of CP0 seeking to seize control (Kaku and Stussy), and the Seraphim themselves—S-Hawk, S-Snake, S-Shark, S-Bear—who had gone berserk due to conflicting commands or interference with their core programming—
After a brutal and disorderly exchange of blows, the situation began to shift in subtle but critical ways.
Sanji. Jinbe.
Kaku. Stussy.
All of them realized the same harsh truth almost simultaneously—
The Seraphim's defensive capabilities were nothing short of despair-inducing.
Conventional attacks barely left a mark.
Yet their own attacks were sharp, lethal, and relentless.
If this three-sided battle continued…
They would all be worn down and killed by these tireless, near-indestructible war machines.
"Tch! These damn metal freaks!" Kaku wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
His awakened hybrid form granted immense strength and wide-range attacks—but under the Seraphim's lasers and slashes, he had taken more than his share of damage.
He pulled back slightly, casting a glance toward Sanji and Jinbe in the distance—then at the Seraphim regrouping, their eyes glowing red.
His gaze flickered.
Stussy, weaving through S-Snake's Mero Mero beams and Captivation Arrows with fluid precision, her composure finally cracking, spoke in a low, urgent tone:
"Kaku—we have to deal with these out-of-control weapons first!"
"Otherwise none of us are getting near the control console!"
"…Forget that—we might actually die here!"
On the other side, Jinbe absorbed a heavy punch from S-Bear head-on. The ground beneath his feet fractured into spiderweb cracks.
He turned to Sanji, voice steady but grave.
"Sanji! Their defenses are abnormal! Ordinary attacks won't work—we must restrain them first!"
Sanji kicked S-Hawk away as it attempted to entangle him, his brow tightly furrowed.
"I know that! But these things are ridiculously hard! Even my bones are starting to feel it!"
For a brief moment, their eyes met.
And in that instant, they all saw the same thing in each other—
Wariness.
Frustration.
And the undeniable threat the Seraphim posed.
Survival instinct—
Overrode factional hostility.
"Temporary alliance!" Kaku decided instantly, his voice sharp. "We take out the Seraphim first—then settle things ourselves!"
"Agreed," Jinbe answered without hesitation.
Sanji let out a short huff.
But he didn't object.
The fragile alliance was formed.
—
The battle shifted in an instant.
"Fish-Man Karate—Karakusa Tile True Punch!"
Jinbe moved first.
He planted his stance firmly, drawing his right fist back to his waist, gathering immense power—
Then drove it forward in what appeared to be a simple, straightforward punch.
The moment his fist struck the air—
A full 360-degree shockwave erupted outward.
Invisible ripples expanded violently in all directions, centered on Jinbe, spreading with explosive force.
This was no single-target attack.
It was a technique that disrupted the medium itself—air and moisture alike.
The specialized alloy flooring beneath them shattered piece by piece.
"Grrr—!"
S-Shark, which had been lurking underground and striking unpredictably using its Swim-Swim Fruit abilities—
Was forcibly blasted out of hiding by the shockwave that disrupted the subterranean currents and moisture flow.
Its Jinbe-like body lost balance midair—
A perfect opening.
"Now!" Jinbe's eyes flashed.
Despite his massive frame, he moved with astonishing speed, closing the distance in an instant.
"Fish-Man Jujutsu—!"
His hands shot forward like lightning, gripping S-Shark's arm and waist with precision.
Then, twisting his hips and legs in perfect coordination, he used tidal force principles to hoist the Seraphim into the air—
"Sea Current… SHOULDER THROW!!"
"BOOM!!!"
S-Shark was slammed violently into a massive energy conversion device in the distance.
A deafening crash echoed as sparks and metal fragments exploded outward.
Though its Lunarian-enhanced body prevented serious damage, the impact still left it temporarily incapacitated.
—
At the same time—
Sanji unleashed his full power.
He inhaled sharply.
His right foot scraped against the ground at high speed—
Igniting into blazing flames in an instant.
Planting one hand against the floor, his body spun like a high-speed top.
His flaming legs became a blur of afterimages—
Like a master chef delivering an entire banquet in a single motion—
Striking from impossible angles at terrifying speed.
Targeting S-Hawk and S-Bear's heads, joints, and critical points—
"Diable Jambe—Banquet Course!!"
"BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG!!!"
Explosive impacts rang out like a torrential storm hammering metal.
Each kick forced the Seraphim's heads to snap back, their movements momentarily suppressed.
—
"Rankyaku—Zhou Dan!"
Seizing the opening created by Sanji, Kaku moved.
In his awakened hybrid form, he planted one arm against the ground as a pivot—
His long neck, hardened with Armament Haki, began spinning at extreme speed.
Faster.
Faster.
Until his entire body blurred into motion.
"SHHHK—!"
At the peak of rotation, his leg muscles tensed, and both legs lashed out—
Not a single slash—
But a barrage of expanding, circular Rankyaku shockwaves unleashed through centrifugal force.
"SHRRRRK!!"
The razor-sharp air blades tore through the air, striking S-Hawk and S-Bear—already destabilized by Sanji's assault.
Deep white slash marks carved across their flame-covered bodies and limbs.
Though their defenses still held—
The sheer impact blasted them backward, sending them crashing through rows of control consoles.
—
The cooperation worked.
For the moment, the Seraphim's assault was repelled.
But none of the four showed even a hint of relief.
Kaku stared at the Seraphim as they rose again—
The white slash marks and dents from Sanji's kicks visibly healing as the flames on their backs burned brightly.
His brow furrowed deeply.
"What the hell are these things made of…?"
"Even Rankyaku with Armament Haki only leaves marks? They're practically untouchable!"
Sanji landed lightly, but his right leg trembled faintly.
His expression was grim.
"Not just tough… their recovery is insane too."
Jinbe, who had been closely observing S-Shark—the one modeled after himself—spoke at last, his expression heavier than ever.
Memories of a past battle surfaced in his mind.
"Everyone," he said, drawing their attention. "I believe I understand the problem."
"If I am not mistaken… these 'Seraphim' have been implanted with the lineage factors of the Lunarian race."
"Lunarians?" Kaku and Stussy both recognized the name from scattered rumors.
Jinbe nodded.
"Yes. The race that once lived atop the Red Line… known as a 'people of the gods.'"
"One of their defining traits is their ability to naturally generate flames."
"When those flames burn on their backs… they gain near-invincible defensive power."
His voice deepened.
"On Onigashima, Kaido's 'Wildfire'—King—was a Lunarian survivor."
"Even Luffy's Fourth Gear struggled to deal effective damage while those flames were active."
He looked toward the Seraphim, now standing once more, flames blazing behind them.
"According to Zoro's conclusion after that battle…"
"The moment the flames on their backs extinguish—even briefly—"
"Their defense drops significantly."
"That is the only window to deal real damage."
Sanji's eyes widened in realization.
"So that's why I couldn't break through…!"
Then his expression twisted in frustration.
"But how the hell are we supposed to put out those flames?!"
"…It won't be easy," Kaku said grimly. "That's probably some kind of passive ability—or something triggered under specific conditions."
Jinbe's gaze returned to S-Shark, his expression complex.
"But what concerns me even more…"
"Is that Dr. Vegapunk's technology has truly elevated these 'Seraphim' to a level… approaching the Seven Warlords themselves."
He paused, disbelief evident even in his steady voice.
"Especially that 'S-Shark' modeled after me."
"The Fish-Man Karate it uses. Its control over water. The way it applies strength…"
"That is not simple mimicry."
"Those techniques require a deep understanding of one's body… and decades of training to master."
"And yet…"
"It can use them."
His words caused Sanji, Kaku, and Stussy's expressions to darken further.
Near-invincible defense.
Attacks carrying the essence of real masters.
These Seraphim—
Were nothing less than perfect war machines.
..
Want to unlock up to 60+ early-access chapters with NFSW Content and exclusive novels ?! Join my Patreon today and dive deeper into the adventure!
patreon.com/denji21