Sanji, the Dragon King Returns! Ochoku Lures the Snake from Its Hole

Ian once asked Judge why there was such a deep-seated conflict between him and Uncle Queen.

Judge simply replied casually, "The difference in talent probably fueled his jealousy and hatred."

Ian couldn't really comment on this answer.

What? Mr. Judge, are you more talented than Vegapunk?

Why does Uncle Queen hate you alone, without hating Vegapunk or Caesar? It takes two to tango, so is there something wrong with you?

Of course, now is not the time to talk about such nonsense.

Ian stepped forward, blocking Uncle Queen's path.

"Stop, Uncle Queen."

Ian said seriously, "Judge is a guest I brought back, so don't do anything reckless."

"...!"

The massive yellow Brachiosaurus stopped abruptly, and Uncle Queen glared at Ian with gritted teeth.

It's just that times have changed, and the kid in front of him is no longer the little brat he could easily manipulate back then!

Or perhaps, this brat has never had a moment where he could be manipulated at will since he was a child.

Now, this brat's strength far surpasses his own.

Although I desperately don't want to admit it, that's the truth.

My family is in dire straits!

Uncle Queen looked at the calm Ian and had no doubt that if he disobeyed and continued to Judge, the brat would throw him into the sea without hesitation.

Judge had initially been somewhat intimidated by Uncle Queen's thunderous charge, instantly revealed a cold, sneer, as if he were intimidated by someone else's power.

Actually, Queen has been doing much better than him after all these years; he's a high-ranking officer in the Beasts Pirates, the World's Strongest pirate crew.

He is far more powerful than the King of the Germa Kingdom.

Around the time of my reunion with classmates I hadn't seen for many years, I found myself to be the owner of a small business, while my old classmate, with whom I had a strained relationship during our student days, had become a senior executive at a multinational corporation.

This multinational corporation is even somewhat exaggerated in scale, basically the kind of superhuman enterprise in a cyberpunk world that far surpasses the level of nations and directly challenges the world.

This is not on the same level.

However, Lao Tzu's partner is the second-in-command of this company, the crown prince!

"Queen, it seems you haven't improved much over the years."

Judge laughed and said, "Are those planes on Ian's ship your most remarkable research achievements over the years? That's pretty ordinary. Even Caesar could easily create much more advanced ones."

Very good, Mr. Judge, I completely understand why Uncle Queen hates you so much.

Ian's lips twitched slightly.

"Judge!!"

Uncle Queen was so angry at Judge's words that he was practically glaring at him, wishing he could immediately use a few lasers to open Judge's eyes—in a physical sense.

"Alright, both of you, let's say less."

Ian quickly stopped their confrontation and said to Queen, "Uncle Queen, we're going to find Teacher Kai to demonstrate the Artificial Devil Fruit Judge created. Uncle Queen, why don't you come along too?"

"OK!"

Uncle Queen glared fiercely at Judge, "I'll see just how amazing this bastard's creation is! If it can't satisfy Boss Kaido, hey, you'll be in for a world of hurt!"

Judge felt a sudden pang of fear, but he immediately straightened his back.

Ian was extremely satisfied, Kaido possibly be any more picky?

"My skills are beyond your imagination, Queen."

That's what he said.

Ian's lips twitched. "Seriously, Mr. Judge, with that mouth of yours, you wouldn't mind being beaten to death by Uncle Queen."

Let's go.

Ian said that Teacher Kai must be getting impatient, so let's go see him first.

The group walked into the Onigashima.

Besides Ian and his friends, Judge also had his four children with him.

It must have been ordered beforehand. Apart from the usually quiet Reiju, the other three boys were all quiet, except for a few pairs of shifty eyes that were restlessly looking around.

Then, as we approached the main building...

"Brother Ian! It's time to take us out to sea!"

Several little ones ran out of the building, with Ulti leading the way, shouting, "We're ready to fight already!"

She is already nine years old this year. Although she is still young, her outstanding talent and years of rigorous training have made her quite strong. After all, she is also an Ancient Zoan user and even has Generation 2 Battle Suit specially made by Judge.

"Let's wait until you're a little older."

Ian pressed the little girl's head down to stop her from lunging at him.

because.

"Ian made it very clear: it's because you guys are still too weak."

Hancock said with a smile, "Unlike me, I can fight alongside Ian."

"You bastard!"

Ulti instantly flew into a rage, "I'm going to beat you to a pulp!"

"Elder sister!"

Page One quickly grabbed her.

He knew Hancock's strength; if it really came down to a fight, his sister wouldn't even be able to withstand a single blow.

Meanwhile.

"Oh! Isn't that Sanji?!"

The three Vinsmoke brothers, who had been silent until now, noticed Sanji following behind the two siblings.

Sanji's initially excited expression upon seeing his respected Brother Ian instantly turned cold.

In particular, he also saw Judge, who was watching him at that moment.

"Sanji,"

Judge looked down at him, just like before, but this time there was a hint of appreciation in his eyes. "I heard from Ian that you Awakening the power of your Lineage Factor. Very good, this proves that my technique is indeed perfect!"

Sanji clenched his fists immediately after hearing this.

Ian suddenly smirked, "Sanji, why don't you take your sister and brothers for a stroll around Onigashima?"

Sanji was taken aback, then nodded heavily.

So Yamato and the others scattered like birds and beasts, each going off to play. Sanji took his sister and brothers to explore Onigashima, while Ian, Judge, and Queen went to see Teacher Kai.

"You've kept me waiting."

Teacher Kai, unusually, didn't drink today. After the three of them entered, his eyes were fixed on Judge. "Show me!"

More than two years have passed, Teacher Kai has hardly changed, except that Ian thinks his legs have gotten a little shorter.

It must be said that Teacher Kai's intensely intimidating gaze made Judge uneasy.

However, he had seen his share of big events, and he took out a box he always carried with him, which contained those few mature Artificial Devil Fruit.

"Kaido, please find a few people who can cooperate with the experiment."

Judge.

Soon enough, several pirates were found.

Judge didn't say much and simply distributed the Devil Fruit to them.

The pirates were somewhat surprised, never expecting that low-level pirates like themselves could also eat Devil Fruit.

After receiving Teacher Kai's approval, they swallowed the fruit in their hands without hesitation.

The disgusting smell made them gag repeatedly, but that's when things changed.

Animal features such as fur, claws, teeth, ears, tails, and horns began to appear on them.

"Oh?"

Teacher Kai leaned forward, clearly very interested.

The pirates were confused by their own transformation; was this what Zoan Devil Fruit were like?

But before they could even voice their doubts, Ian spoke up, "Let's test their current strength."

So, the test began.

The test was actually quite simple; they just had to fight each other.

The final results showed that their abilities in all aspects had been greatly improved, and they had completely surpassed the level of mere fodder.

"Hehehehe!"

Teacher Kai was exceptionally happy. "Good! Well done Vinsmoke Judge!"

His praise made Judge a little proud, but thankfully, he didn't get carried away and remained very respectful. "This is our agreement."

Uncle Queen was itching to see this.

However, there's nothing he can do about it; he's really not good at things related to Lineage Factor.

"When can we begin mass production?"

Teacher Kai asked the question that was of most concern to her.

"Anytime is fine,"

Ian replied, "But these fruits can become even stronger."

He told Teacher Kai that they could use the Lineage Factor of those ferocious beasts as material.

"Hehehe! So that's how it is. You had people collect the blood of those wild beasts just for this?"

Teacher Kai was even more excited. Artificial Devil Fruit that could rival a real Zoan Devil Fruit? That was so thrilling!

Ian chuckled, "I wanted to give you a surprise."

Back when they were returning from the North Blue, he had already ordered his pirate crew to collect the blood of the giant beasts in the Beast Legion.

Otherwise, it would be quite troublesome to collect them one by one after we get back.

After all, the Beasts Pirates now possessed more than two hundred beasts, most of which were scattered throughout factories in Wano Country and numerous overseas bases.

"So, with this blood, we can manufacture it, right?"

Teacher Kai looked at Judge.

Judge without hesitation, "I will leave the machine that creates 'seeds' in Wano Country. Through that machine, we can directly extract Lineage Factor from the blood, then Polymerization with the seeds of any plant, ultimately obtaining seeds that can be used to cultivate Artificial Devil Fruit."

"Then plant the seeds in the ground, and the fruit will ripen in about six months."

"Excellent!"

Teacher Kai burst into laughter, his eyes full of admiration as he looked at Judge. "Judge, you're a friend of the Beasts Pirates! You did a great job!"

Judge puffed out his chest and gave Queen a defiant look.

Uncle Queen almost ground his teeth to powder.

The meeting is about to end.

Teacher Kai was quite impatient, so Ian and Judge decided to go and move that crucial machine down first.

But there's another problem: where should the machine be placed?

Ian has already seen the machine.

It's incredibly large, practically the size of a building.

There's definitely no place to put Onigashima.

Ian plans to put it in the forest of Kuri.

Build a farm centered around that machine.

The Tontatta Tribe happened to be there, so they could participate in the cultivation of Artificial Devil Fruit.

However, as they stepped out of Onigashima's gates to head to the Germa Kingdom to retrieve their belongings, Ian suddenly smirked, "Judge, wanna go see a show first?"

Judge paused for a moment.

The location is on the coast Onigashima, and the characters are the Vinsmoke siblings.

Reiju, the older sister, stood helplessly to the side, hands on her hips, and admonished, "Don't forget what Father told you when he came!"

The three brothers, in red, blue, and green, are arranged in a triangle, surrounding Sanji.

Red-Haired Ichiji chuckled maliciously, "Father just told us not to cause trouble on Onigashima. We're just saying hello to our brothers we haven't seen in ages."

"Yeah, hehe, Sanji,"

Niji, with his blue hair, shoved Sanji. "It's been over two years, hasn't it? You've even forgotten what to do when you see us?"

"That's right, Sanji, quickly crouch down!"

Yonji, with his green hair, laughed heartily, "We haven't played football in ages!"

Sanji remained expressionless and silent.

Reiju simply watched quietly, but her brows were slightly furrowed.

"Hey! Sanji! Didn't you hear what your brothers were saying?"

Ichiji suddenly grabbed Sanji's shoulder with such force that it felt like Sanji's clothes were about to be torn apart. "Do you think that just because you 'Awakening your Lineage Factor, you can be compared to us?"

"Garbage is always garbage!"

Niji rubbed his hands together, eager to get started. "Let us remind you of your past!"

Yonji touched his face. "I haven't forgotten that slap from over two years ago!"

"Hey, you guys,"

Reiju couldn't help but speak up, "That's enough, Sanji is a Beasts Pirates!"

"Hahaha, what are you saying Reiju! Sanji is Sanji!"

Ichiji lacked human emotions, so he didn't understand awe or fear; he just laughed, "Still that piece of trash—"

But then, a hand grabbed his hand.

Sanji raised his right hand and grabbed Ichiji's wrist, which was gripping his shoulder. The blond boy finally looked up. "Shut up! You bunch of idiots!"

He grabbed Ichiji's hand and flung Ichiji into the air, then slammed him down hard, smashing the annoying guy into the ground.

Reiju was taken aback.

Such incredible power!

"Sanji!!"

The remaining two brothers screamed.

They never expected that the cowardly Sanji would dare to defy them, and they immediately Sanji on him in anger.

Sanji merely sneered dismissively, "Shave!"

He vanished from the two brothers' sight in an instant.

Before the two brothers could react, Sanji appeared between them, grabbed one of their heads with one hand, and slammed them together, causing their skulls to collide.

Wow!

Both of them screamed in agony at the same time.

Sanji's strength was so great that it deformed both of their heads.

"Sanji!"

By this time, Ichiji had already gotten up from underground.

He possesses a powerful exoskeleton; the attack just now wasn't enough to defeat him.

However, what awaited him was a vacuum blade.

"Storm Kick!"

The azure vacuum blade struck Ichiji squarely in the body, sending him flying. He crashed into the mountain wall of Onigashima behind him, leaving a deep mark on the wall.

Ichiji slid to the ground, leaving a deep gash in the center of his body.

"Sanji!!"

The other two brothers also rallied at the same time, swinging their fists and charging towards Sanji.

only.

"Kami-e!"

Sanji, whose stature was not particularly tall for his age, moved like a phantom, easily dodging the brothers' punches and kicks.

Then.

"Shigan - Storm!"

His hands transformed into a storm, his incredibly hard fingers stabbing wildly at the two brothers.

Sanji poked the two brothers' still-developing exoskeletons, leaving them with dents that looked like a beehive, making them look extremely creepy.

The two brothers were also thrown out, crashing into the mountainside along with Ichiji.

Reiju's small mouth opened slightly.

Is this Sanji?

The three brothers stared blankly at Sanji.

They simply couldn't understand how Sanji, whom they used to bully at will, could become so strong.

"Where do you think you are acting so recklessly?"

Sanji looked down at the three brothers from his high vantage point, feeling not only a sense of satisfaction but also a strange feeling: Was he the one who used to be bullied by these good-for-nothings?

In any case, that won't happen now.

"Don't ever show your face in front of me again, or I'll teach you a lesson every time I see you!"

Not far away, Ian and Judge were also quietly watching all of this.

Ian's expression remained quite calm.

Judge, however, was somewhat unable to accept it. He stammered, "How... how is this possible! Sanji, how could he be so strong!"

There's absolutely no reason for this!

Sanji's Lineage Factor Awakening several years later than his brothers'! Their development levels were not even in the same league!

But now, it seems like it's the other way around, not a different level at all.

Ian smiled. "Judge, is it possible that Sanji is your most outstanding creation?"

Judge was speechless. "But... it's impossible—"

"Feelings, Judge,"

Ian said slowly, "Emotions are what drive people forward. Cold weapons cannot break through the limits set by their designers, but emotions can break through the limits of humanity."

emotion?

Judge looked somewhat bewildered.

That doesn't make sense.

The battle between Sanji and his brothers was just a minor incident. Ian immediately left Onigashima and went to Kuri with Judge to move the machine there.

Along this route, Fish-Man and mermaids swam around the sea, all casting curious glances at the giant snail that was running across the surface.

Judge was also surprised. Although he already knew that Wano Country was recruiting immigrants from Fish-Man Island, wasn't this number a bit exaggerated?

After more than two years of migration, the number of Fish-Man and mermaids who have settled in Wano Country has indeed reached a considerable number, exceeding 100,000, which is equivalent to one-fiftieth of the total population of Fish-Man Island, not including the Fish-Man Unit.

In Wano Country today, it's safe to say that it's Fish-Man Island.

Upon arriving in Kuri, just as they had unloaded the machinery and were preparing to recruit workers to manually build the farm, a message suddenly arrived.

"The Wang Zhi Pirates are back?"

Ian raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, Lord Ian! Ochoku has redeployed the Second Fleet, which was originally expanding towards the North Blue, and launched another attack along the original expansion route of the Third Fleet. This time, the commander is one of Ochoku's top officers, Cloud Man Claude!"

"Oh?"

Ian was somewhat surprised.

Ochoku is really stubborn.

Aren't you going to admit defeat yet?

Cloud Man Claude is his top Admiral, so sending him out means Ochoku is serious.

There's nothing we can do about that.

Since he doesn't want to be dignified, let's help him be dignified.

"Have the troops stationed along the way retreat temporarily; they can't handle this. I'm coming right away."

"Yes!"

At the same moment, in a certain sea area of New World.

Wang Zhi Pirates's second fleet sailed through the waves.

The man known as Cloud Man Claude was a burly fellow with a sullen voice. He asked with some doubt, "Boss Wang Zhi, Ian really coming?"

"Do you really think you can lure Kaido here?"

Ochoku said irritably, "This battlefield is Ian's responsibility. He just came back from the last victory not long ago, and now we're coming back again. What do you think he'll do?"

"As expected of Boss Wang Zhi!"

Claude said respectfully.

But isn't it a bit too shameful for a senior to secretly undermine a junior like this?

Ochoku had no idea what his subordinates were thinking. He just sneered, "Just you wait, you brat! I'll show you what it's really like to be arrogant!"

Even if I can't kill that kid, teaching him a lesson shouldn't be a problem, right?

Come on, kid!

A big surprise is waiting for you!