One Piece: The Cryo Doctor on the Straw Hat Ship

The lion unleashed its full power of the Float-Float Fruit, attempting to repair the damage to the lion's head while simultaneously allowing the giant jaws to snap down even faster.

"Tear them to pieces for me!!"

The lion's jaws snapped shut with a sudden increase in speed, the resulting pressure causing the sea below to sag even deeper.

Sanji and Zoro both looked up at the same time.

The shadow of the gigantic maw had already loomed over the sky above them, and sharp rocky fangs pressed down like mountains.

There is no way to avoid it.

Then...

"Green algae head!"

"Sexy cook!"

The two spoke almost simultaneously, and at the same time understood each other's meaning.

Sanji's legs burst into flames, and his body soared into the sky, heading straight for the upper jaw of the giant mouth.

Zoro then unleashed his demonic aura, his body plummeting downwards, heading straight for the jaws of the giant maw.

"Flame Demon Wind Kick - Ultimate -"

"Nine-Sword Style of Demonic Aura - Finale"

The two passed each other in the air, their voices echoing across the sky at the same time.

"—Heavenly Fire Meteorite Fried Chicken Leg!!!"

"—Asura: Hell Gate Beast Slash!!!"

The flames on Sanji's legs changed from bright white to dark gold.

He transformed into a burning meteor, kicking upwards towards the upper jaw of the giant mouth.

Zoro's three swords, with their demonic aura, beastly shadow, and Asura phantom fully integrated, revealed pitch-black patterns on their blades, resembling the gates of hell.

He slashed downwards at the lower jaw of the giant mouth, cutting into the rock layer.

A pincer attack from both above and below.

This is their combined technique!

boom!!!!!!!!!

Time seemed to stand still at that moment.

Chapter 183 Peninsula-level Powerhouse

next moment--

An indescribable explosion erupted inside the lion's gaping maw.

The golden flames and the pitch-black slashes were like two destructive torrents, colliding, erupting, and sweeping away from within the moment the giant jaws snapped shut.

Click... click click...

A dense, cracking sound came from every corner of the lion's head.

The golden lion's expression changed drastically.

He sensed that his control over the matter of those three islands was rapidly slipping away!

"No...impossible!!"

Boom-! ! ! !

The lion's head exploded from the inside, a complete and shattering explosion.

Hundreds of millions of tons of rocks, soil, and vegetation were shattered into countless fragments in the aftershocks of the collision between flames and slashes, falling towards the sea like a meteor shower.

At the epicenter of the explosion, two figures were sent flying backward.

Zoro and Sanji both coughed up blood, their clothes were torn, and their skin was covered with fine wounds.

But their eyes were frighteningly bright.

They hovered in mid-air, looking ahead—

Golden Lion Stokes stood still, his expression shifting between light and dark.

If he were to realize something was wrong at this point in the battle, he would be rather... too slow-witted.

"What's going on with this pirate crew!?"

The golden lion's heart was churning.

Zoro and Sanji, two relatively unknown guys, were able to unleash such terrifying combat power, even teaming up to break his awakened technique.

And that V from earlier, a casual strike was a fusion of thunder and fire, with an absurdly high energy level.

According to the information he had, the captain of this ship... should be that kid in the straw hat.

In other words... this pirate crew actually possesses four exceptionally powerful fighters!?

The golden lion's breathing faltered slightly.

Even at the peak of his Flying Pirates crew, this configuration was no better than this.

Even among the current Four Emperors' crews, they would be considered top-tier!

When... did such a monstrous group appear on the high seas?

In a flash, the golden lion suddenly grinned, revealing a slightly stiff smile, and deliberately softened his voice:

"Hey... is it possible to reconcile?"

As he finished speaking, Zoro slowly bit back the Wado Ichimonji into his mouth, gripped the hilts of the other two swords tightly with both hands, and his eyes were like knives:

"What do you think?"

The golden lion's facial muscles twitched slightly, but he quickly forced an even more "kind" expression:

"I think... there might be some misunderstanding here."

He spread his hands, making a "pause" gesture:

"I was just routinely retrieving the experimental island. It was your ship that followed us without permission and triggered the defense mechanism."

"The attack just now... was merely my normal reaction to an intruder."

As he spoke, he stepped onto the famous sword, slightly lowering his altitude, his tone even carrying a hint of the tolerance of a "senior":

"It's quite remarkable that you possess such strength at such a young age. Why don't we call it quits? I can pretend nothing happened, and perhaps... I'll even invite you to visit my Sky Island."

"A guest?"

Sanji chuckled, lit another cigarette, and took a deep drag.

"You weren't this hospitable when those dozens of stone dragons and that island came crashing down on us."

A fierce glint flashed in the golden lion's eyes, but he quickly suppressed it and continued to laugh:

"That was just a test. After all, no outsider has set foot in this Sky Realm for twenty years."

He looked at V on the Going Merry, his tone becoming meaningful: "If I'm not mistaken, you should be the Straw Hat crew of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, right?"

"You probably don't want to make enemies with major powers outside the World Government, right? Although I've lived in seclusion for many years, I still have some say in this sky."

He was implying, and he was threatening.

however--

"Misunderstand?"

V's voice came from the Going Merry, calm but with a hint of mockery.

He pushed up his glasses, the lenses reflecting the cold, high-altitude sunlight:

"You think it's a misunderstanding just because you say so?"

"not to mention……"

"You're not in a position to negotiate with us right now!"

"Zoro, Sanji, it's done!"

V raised his hand and gave the command directly.

The golden lion's face suddenly turned ashen, and the last shred of feigned "harmony" completely crumbled.

"Kid...don't push your luck!" he roared, the arrogance and violence of a legendary pirate surging forth like a beast breaking free of its shackles.

The famous swords "Kumo" and "Sakura-ju" in his hands shone brightly, and the remaining fragments of the island that had not yet fallen trembled and floated up again.

"So what if you are indeed quite powerful? In this sky, I am the ruler!"

"Do you really think you can escape unscathed if we fight to the death?! When I roamed the seas twenty years ago, you were probably nowhere to be found!"

berserk Conqueror's Haki

It erupted again, even more fiercely than before, stirring up the clouds in the sky and producing a rumbling sound.

"Then let's give it a try."

Zoro and Sanji took a step forward almost simultaneously. Despite their injuries, their momentum surged again, like two unsheathed swords pointing directly at Shiki.

The battle has begun once again!

Zoro and Sanji's teamwork became increasingly seamless, and their attacks surged like a tidal wave.

Zoro's Nine-Sword Style tore through the sky, and Sanji's Flame Demon Kazekage burned away the clouds. Despite being injured, the two fought with increasing ferocity, their stamina seemingly bottomless.

On the other hand, the Golden Lion had already exhausted himself maintaining the levitation of several islands, and the intense battles with his awakened skills made him increasingly fatigued.

His aging body could not withstand the passage of time. His breathing became heavy and his movements slowed down. Under the fierce attack of the two young and powerful men, he gradually fell into a disadvantageous position.

V stood on the deck of the Merry, gazing up at the battle in the sky, a satisfied smile on his face.

He mentally assessed the growth of his companions:

"If the threshold for becoming a Marine Admiral or one of the Four Emperors is 'island-destroying' combat power..."

"So Zoro and Sanji have now firmly entered the ranks of 'Peninsula-level' powerhouses."