Pirate: My Piltover technology is far ahead!

Chapter 404 Times Have Changed, the ill-fated relationship between the green-haired man and the lecherous chef

How did you get here?

"Just walk down the corridor, how else would you get here?"

"No, I mean... it's incredible that you didn't get lost."

Barati is known as a fighting restaurant, and many people come here to watch the excitement. So when they see people fighting, many people's first reaction is to stay and watch the show.

Because of his biological clock, Zoro usually takes naps during the day, and Kuina noticed the commotion earlier than him and arrived earlier as well.

Although the journey was short, Zoro didn't get lost, which still puzzled Kuina.

"I already said, the previous times were due to road conditions. I wouldn't get lost under normal circumstances."

Zoro has his own beliefs about getting lost; he never thinks he will get lost.

There are too many winding paths in the woods, and the houses are built like mazes; he can always find similar reasons.

Over the years, Kuina had gotten used to it and didn't dwell on the issue with Zoro. Instead, she looked at the group that was fighting.

In the minds of the Germa members, Sanji was still that coward, so they didn't rush at him.

Apart from Ichiji, who was fighting Sanji, the others were watching from the sidelines.

"Sanji, it seems you've learned a lot over the years... you even have the ability to fight back now."

"Thanks to you all, I have indeed found a good place, a place that feels more like home."

"Hahaha, you're really talking nonsense, but do you think that's enough? Germa's foundation is based on much more than what you see."

I originally just wanted to teach you a small lesson, but now it seems I can get serious.

Ichi pulled a red, can-like object from his waist. In the very center of the can was a bright number 1. But before he could do anything, a noise suddenly came from Baratie's ship.

As the machines began to run, two huge wooden planks were suddenly placed outside Barati, forming a battle platform.

"If you want to fight, please go outside. I still need to run my business here. The waiters have already been scared away. If you demolish the restaurant, I'll go out of business."

Zeff leaned against the wall and shooed the group away in an unfriendly tone.

"Ah, sorry, I'll have someone compensate you for the broken things. Ichi, there's not enough room to maneuver here, so come outside with me if you dare."

Sanji thought Zeff's words made a lot of sense, and he didn't want anyone to fight in his kitchen, so he took the initiative to go outside.

Ichi glanced at Zeff but didn't say anything. He was more concerned about Sanji now, so he followed closely behind.

During this process, he also dropped the can he was holding on the ground.

As a cloud of smoke appeared, Ichiji's attire changed. He now wore a red bodysuit, a white cape with the number one on it, and his boots and gloves were also redesigned.

"He...he transformed?!"

"Wow, this is so cool! Isn't this something you only see in picture books?! It's actually real!"

Ichi's use of the battle suit drew cheers from those around him. Many people in the East Blue had never seen anything like this before, and the feeling of this manga coming to life greatly refreshed their understanding.

This is Germa's battle suit, an excellent invention in Judge's eyes, and indeed it is; the battle suit he invented is of high quality.

The thin fabric is actually a special type of armor, which is lightweight yet has superb defensive capabilities, including immunity to burning and resistance to slashing attacks.

The cape on his back can serve as a shield, and the combat boots on his feet enable him to move across all terrains, including water and air.

"This is Father's creation, and it has abilities that you, a failure, cannot possess. With the enhancement of the suit, our abilities can be fully utilized."

Just experience for yourself the product of the fusion of technology and force! Spark Spin!

With the aid of the combat suit, Ichiji's movements became several levels faster, and as he threw a punch, a burst of flames erupted from his wrist.

Bloodline Factor: Spark Red. Relying on the abilities of this model, Ichiji possesses the special ability to utilize fire.

However, his confident attack had the same result as before; Sanji simply raised his weapon and used the blade to block Ichiji's fist.

"Is this all the power you speak of?"

"Don't get too cocky, this is just a warm-up! Spark, Double, Whirlwind!"

Flames erupted from both of Ichi's wrists simultaneously. As his hands collided, the battle platform was instantly covered in smoke, and a large section of the simple wooden platform was blown away.

Thanks to the protection provided by his battle suit, Ichiji was not greatly affected. He was floating in mid-air using the ability of his combat boots, his eyes fixed on the center of the explosion, seemingly searching for Sanji's whereabouts.

"I said...where are you looking?!"

Suddenly, a furious shout came from above Ichi's head, and Sanji slammed down with two sharp blades at the same time, slamming Ichi, who was in mid-air, into the sea.

Thanks to his combat suit, Ichi didn't get soaked; instead, he used his combat boots to steady himself on the sea.

A gift! A gift!

A screeching sound came from mid-air. Sanji did not rush to pursue, but instead rubbed his twin swords together in mid-air. As the weapons rubbed together, sparks occasionally flew downwards, and Sanji's twin swords turned into two crimson blades.

By fusing the Sky Island's Flame Shell with Blitz Steel, Blitz created this new heat-absorbing material. Utilizing the properties of this material, he crafted a pair of Crimson Blades.

"Lion's Might - Flame Wave!"

Two fiery slashes flew from Sanji's hand, heading straight towards Ichiji on the sea surface. Without a doubt, this was Sanji's Flying Slash.

For a swordsman, being able to unleash a flying slash signifies a qualitative change.

Like cutting through iron, these are proof of a swordsman's progress. Being able to do these two things gives one the qualification to advance towards the peak.

The same person can have different lives in different environments.

The nature of the Four Seas and the Grand Line is different; people with the same talent will become stronger more easily on the Grand Line.

Zeff only sailed the Grand Line for a year, and he withdrew from the Grand Line out of fear of danger. Later, he lost a leg. There is a limit to how much he can teach Sanji.

The timeline has changed drastically, and the training intensity on the Grand Line has also increased significantly.

Most importantly, there are better teachers there.

Physical fitness, swordsmanship, and domineering aura are all systematically taught.

As for the concept of domineering aura, it has very low recognition throughout the world. Apart from a very few experts and reclusive old monsters, most people have never heard of what it is.

Although domineering aura is a power generated by the body and mind, even without being taught, as long as one has enough talent, this power will naturally awaken after experiencing enough battles or facing life-or-death crises.

However, a qualified and charismatic teacher can directly point out the difficulties in training, making it easier for students to achieve twice the results with half the effort. Sanji is currently in such a situation.

Project Shiki wasn't just beating him up; he was feeding him new moves. Although he was still getting beaten up, Sanji had successfully completed his training.

Sanji is seen as a "failure" by Judge, but in fact, his lower limit and upper limit are far greater than his brothers. Without enough room for growth, he is indeed not as good as people like Ichiji who are born superhuman.

But given enough time, Sanji could easily leave them behind.

Two slashing waves cleaved Ichiji into the sea. When he surfaced, Sanji stood not far above the surface, using a technique similar to Moonwalk, with his crimson blade hovering just above Ichiji's head.

"Now, is there anything else you'd like to say?"

"Ha, the fool from back then has actually turned out like this. It seems Father misjudged him."

Ichi did not feel fear, after all, they had had most of their emotions erased by Judge, and neither death nor other threats could shake their hearts.

These people are nothing but emotionless fighting machines; pity and sorrow are not things that exist in them.

Moreover, as the eldest son, Ichiji was more calm and cautious. They bullied Sanji because he was weak.

Now that he sees Sanji has become stronger, Ichiji says something that Sanji never expected.

"Sanji, although it's only on the surface, we are truly brothers. Now, Father might accept you back to Germa and make you a member of the Vinsmoke again."

"Idiot, who wants to be one of you? Besides, that's just your father. Between him and me..."

We have no connection anymore.

That said, it seems there are still some people who aren't entirely convinced.

Sanji looked to his sides and saw Niji and Yonji flying over in their Raid Suit. Their Bloodline Factors were Electric Blue and Winch Green, respectively. One could use electricity, while the other possessed mechanical strength.

They weren't following any moral code that required a one-on-one fight; they just felt that Ichiji alone could defeat Sanji, so they hadn't made a move.

Seeing that Ichi had failed, they surrounded him, but before they could do anything, another white figure pounced from the side and pulled Nichi into a water battle.

"Bepo? Didn't I say this is my business, and you don't need to interfere?"

"No, you're my friend, I can't just watch them bully you."

"You rascal, it's not certain who's bullying whom yet. Fine, I have some scores to settle with them anyway, so let's continue!"

An unequal 2v3 battle unfolds on the high seas. As a warrior race, even without Bepo controlling the Sulong, Niji finds the battles under normal circumstances incredibly troublesome.

Blue's electric shock ability had little effect on Bepo, but the two of them managed to electrocute quite a few sea fish. The reason the battle ended in the end was because of Reiju.

From the beginning, Reiju had no intention of participating in the war, but only stepped forward after her younger brother was taught a lesson.

"Sanji, you've changed. You've become stronger and more decisive."

"People always change. They shouldn't die from these injuries. You can take them back in a bit."

"If you do this, the mission will probably fail."

"Then there's nothing I can do. Just tell that guy what happened truthfully."

Sanji's attitude towards Reiju softened considerably. After all, it was Reiju who helped him leave Germa back then, and as someone who still retained her emotions, the relationship between Reiju and Sanji wasn't so strained.

After a few more casual words, Reiju dragged the three unconscious men away. Before that, Sanji rummaged through his spoils and took the money from Yonji and the others to pay for repairing the Baratie's ship.

"Old man, this money should be enough for you to repair the boat. Your skill level here is quite good. Hope to meet again sometime."

After saying that, Sanji wanted to take Bepo away by boat, but before he could get back to his own ship, a shout came from the side.

"Wait, please wait a moment!"

Inside Baratie's restaurant, Kuina and Zoro arrived. Normally, Sanji wouldn't pay attention to what strangers were saying.

If the other person is a woman, Sanji is willing to say a few more words; if the woman is young and beautiful, Sanji's attitude will be even more friendly.

After all, lust was something that Judge couldn't eradicate even after erasing many of his emotions; it was something deeply rooted in the Vinsmoke family.

"Miss, is there anything I can help you with?"

Although Kuina and Zoro came looking for him, Sanji had already selectively ignored Zoro.

"We all saw your battle just now. You're a swordsman, right? We want to challenge you. If you have time, we hope you can give us some pointers. There aren't many famous swordsmen in the East Blue. Kuina and Zoro have encountered them over the years, but their skill level is generally not as good as Koushirou's, and they can't meet our needs at all."

It was a rare sight to see a swordsman capable of unleashing a flying slash, so they certainly didn't want to miss out on this opportunity.

"Of course, I have plenty of time. Miss, you can ask me for advice however you like... Who are you? Where did you come from?"

Sanji lowered his head to tidy his hair, but when he looked up again, the person in front of him had become Zoro.

"Roronoa Zoro, didn't you just accept our challenge? Then I'll go first."

"Us? There were two of you just now? Sorry, I'm not interested in wasting my time with you."

Upon seeing that the challenger had become a man, Sanji immediately lost interest and dismissed what he had just said.

"Sanji, she definitely said 'we' just now."

Bepo's words successfully undermined Sanji's confidence, even making Sanji begin to doubt the brotherhood they had just shared.

"Never mind, but I'm in a hurry now. If you have enough time, you can take our boat to the next island. I'll wait for you on the deck when we rest tonight."

In just a few seconds, Sanji went from someone with plenty of time to someone in a hurry.

Zoro and Kuina were already planning to take a boat, and after asking Sanji and the others about their destination, they boarded this stranger's ship.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly, and Sanji arrived on the deck that evening as promised, but he waited and waited, and Zoro was nowhere to be seen.