Beating Up Sanji

"You won't get away with this."

Seeing Ace charging at incredible speed, Smoker and Sadi were shocked and immediately assumed combat stances. Major General Wilton was fighting fearlessly ahead, and they would stop the opponent even if it cost them their lives.

"Get lost, Heat Haze."

Ace's eyes widened slightly, his domineering will radiating outward. This caused Smoker and Sadi to falter for a moment before being hit by flames, crying out in pain and flying into the distance.

At the same time, the flames transformed into a fiery serpent, swiftly coiling around Luffy and Nami, who had regained consciousness, and the others.

The great explosion behind them gradually subsided.

Wilton leaped out, surrounded by a shower of green light. His body temperature soared like a furnace, and his previous injuries and condition were rapidly recovering.

He's going all out.

He had no choice, or he wouldn't be able to hold on.

The opponent's ultimate attack had exceeded his Tekkai and Armament Haki defenses; surviving the first one was already his limit.

From now on, he would have to rely on Recovery, Heal, and Justice Potential.

However, the opponent wasn't unscathed either. Besides injuries, their stamina must have been significantly depleted.

It was impossible to rescue the Straw Hat Pirates from him. At least a few of them had to be left behind.

"Stay here."

Wilton leaned forward, his feet exploding as he transformed into a streak of light. The sonic boom generated by his excessive speed was a testament to his acceleration, which increased by thirty percent when he activated his ultimate move.

He arrived like an arrow loosed from a bow.

"Not good."

Sensing the danger rapidly approaching from behind, Ace turned his head, his expression changing drastically. But just as he was about to act, a figure broke free from the fiery serpent.

"I'll leave them to you, Luffy's brother."

Sanji, his head bleeding, looked back with a pale face full of smiles. Amidst Luffy, Nami, and the others' frantic headshakes, he resolutely charged towards Wilton.

He intended to hold him back and buy them time.

Otherwise, if they were all held up, they might all be captured.

"Sanji."

Time seemed to freeze.

Sanji blocked the path and kicked out with all his might, but he was met with an overwhelming force. Wilton showed no intention of stopping, clenching his right fist around the Dumbbell and swinging it with immense power.

Crack--

A sharp bone-cracking sound echoed, followed by flesh exploding. Sanji's entire right leg disintegrated into a mist of blood, and the Dumbbell continued its unstoppable trajectory, pushing forward.

Scalding blood mixed with fragments of internal organs, and a head with dim eyes flew high into the air. More than half of Sanji's body turned into minced meat, scattering all around.

"No."

Luffy's face contorted in a ferocious, hysterical roar. Zoro gritted his teeth tightly. Nami covered her face, completely stunned. Chopper and Usopp simply stared blankly at the scattered pieces of flesh.

He was dead.

Sanji was dead, leaving behind no intact corpse.

"Let me go, let me go, I'm going to kill him, kill him!"

Luffy's eyes turned blood red, his chest feeling as if it would explode. His mind went blank, and then an incredibly domineering will spread out in all directions.

Nami, Usopp, Chopper, and Zoro immediately fell unconscious.

Even Ace was taken aback. He had awakened Conqueror's Haki at this moment. Gritting his teeth, he delivered a heavy chop to the back of Luffy's neck, causing Luffy to fall unconscious as well.

The priority now was to rescue Luffy and the others as quickly as possible.

They couldn't let Luffy's companions sacrifice themselves in vain.

It had to be said that Sanji's sacrifice, his body being shattered, had bought just enough time. Wilton stopped, covered in blood, with some of Sanji's internal organs and bone fragments still on his shoulder.

Through his Observation Haki, he sensed the opponent's aura growing weaker.

"Devil Fruit."

Wilton's face darkened as he clenched his fists. He had to eat a Devil Fruit as soon as possible.

This was the second time the Straw Hat Pirates had been rescued by someone else.

They clearly didn't respect him at all.

"Lord Wilton, are you alright!"

Just as Wilton was contemplating, Sadi, along with four Jailer Beasts, rushed over with concern. Looking at Wilton, who was covered in blood, his clothes tattered, and his appearance gruesome, they all gasped and were deeply moved.

They had personally witnessed Wilton being knocked down again and again, only to get back up each time.

That kind of self-sacrificing will both inspired them and pained them.

Smoker remained silent, but the admiration in his eyes was even deeper than when they were in Loguetown.

It seemed that no matter how strong the enemy, this man was fearless. Could he truly abandon his own life for Justice, unafraid of death?

Smoker had his own pride. The reason he didn't follow orders was that, in his opinion, many of the Marines' generals were incompetent.

The so-called justice was even more disgusting.

But now, this man left him speechless.

"I won't die."

Wilton shook his head. After activating his ultimate ability, his condition would recover by half. He only looked terrifying on the surface; in reality, there was no danger.

What's more, most of the blood and torn flesh on his body belonged to Sanji.

He turned his head to look.

Not far away, Sanji's unseeing eyes were staring at him.

"Major General Wilton, the Straw Hat Pirates were rescued by Fire Fist. Should we continue the pursuit?"

Smoker blew a smoke ring and asked.

"They escaped from Loguetown once, and now they've escaped again. There absolutely won't be a third time."

"Head to Alabasta Capital."

"The Capital?"

"The Straw Hat Pirates will go to the Capital."

Wilton knew the Straw Hat Pirates' ultimate destination very well. He only needed to go to the Capital to wait for them, and he could capture Crocodile and the Straw Hat Pirates in one fell swoop.

"Yes!"

Soon.

After a brief rest, the team began to advance towards Alabasta Capital. This time, Smoker accompanied them.

They also rendezvoused with Tashigi in other cities along the way.

Half an hour later.

A group of people arrived at Naha, which had almost become a ruin. Everyone's expression was solemn, filled with disbelief.

"What kind of battle could destroy an entire town?"

"Didn't the President say it was just a Marine Rear Admiral?"

"It must be another strong individual. Immediately inform the President of this news."

"These tracks lead to the Capital."

Upon closer inspection.

These were clearly the core members of Baroque Works, sent by Crocodile to deal with Wilton and his group, but they were a step too late.

The scene shifted.

In a desolate, rocky desert, the atmosphere was incredibly oppressive and suffocating.

Luffy couldn't stop the tears streaming down his face. Nami, Chopper, and Usopp also looked like their souls had been drained, leaning against a shady spot in a daze.

Sanji was dead.

He died right in front of them, leaving no remains.

Zoro lowered his head, silent and withdrawn. At this moment, the entire group truly realized the cruelty of the sea.

The dangers they had encountered before were just repeated strokes of luck. When facing an absolute powerful enemy, they were as powerless as ants.

In comparison, Ace was already accustomed to such scenes. He had seen many people die by his hand, or pirates affiliated with the Whitebeard Pirates die by others' hands.

He was long used to life and death.

Besides, Sanji didn't have any particular feelings for him. If it weren't for Luffy, they might never have met in their lives.

But he couldn't deny that Ace admired Sanji. It seemed Luffy had found a group of very reliable companions, which put his mind at ease.

Reaching out to wipe the almost dried blood from the corner of his mouth, Ace frowned and looked up in the direction of Naha. He suspected the Marine Tough Guy was a Devil Fruit User.

It should be a Paramecia.

Perhaps it was a Recovery type, or a Defense type. Otherwise, how could he be so durable and possess such immense strength, yet only be a mere Rear Admiral?

This left him utterly perplexed.

Fortunately, it was him.

If it were any other pirate, even one with a bounty of three to four hundred million, they could have easily fallen prey to this Rear Admiral who was playing weak.