Kaelus sneered as he stood before the group, his towering form blocking their path. His dark armor gleamed menacingly in the dim light of the control tower, and his eyes were filled with a mixture of malice and confidence.
"So, you think you can just waltz in here and disrupt Lord Rimuru's reign?" Kaelus taunted, his voice laced with amusement. "You're foolish if you think you'll get past me."
Sanji, Brook, Nami, and Bepo braced themselves, each one preparing for battle. Kaelus launched forward with a speed that belied his massive frame, aiming a powerful punch toward Sanji. Sanji barely sidestepped in time, feeling the gust of Kaelus' blow as it sliced through the air beside him.
Brook unsheathed his sword and dashed to Kaelus' left, slashing with swift, precise strikes. "Yohoho! You'll find us quite difficult to stop!"
Kaelus deflected the strike effortlessly, smirking. "Skeletons and weaklings won't stand a chance against me."
Nami, standing at a safe distance, called out, "Don't underestimate us! We're not here to play games, either!" She raised her Clima-Tact, creating a powerful gust of wind to throw Kaelus off balance.
Kaelus braced himself against the wind, his grin unfaltering. "Pathetic attempts from pathetic fighters."
Just as he spoke, Bepo roared, charging in with claws extended. "Don't talk down to my captain's allies!" He leaped, slashing at Kaelus with his powerful claws, but Kaelus twisted aside, landing a brutal punch on Bepo that sent him skidding back.
Sanji's brow furrowed as he watched the exchange. "Guys, hold on a sec!"
The others paused, glancing back at him with questioning looks.
"Listen," Sanji continued, his gaze sharp and focused, "we're wasting time here. If we all try to take this guy down together, we're just gonna get in each other's way."
Nami frowned, worry flashing across her face. "What are you saying, Sanji?"
Sanji gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm saying... you three go on ahead. Take down that tower like we planned. I'll handle this guy."
Brook's eyes widened in surprise. "Sanji, you're gonna fight him alone?"
"Are you sure?" Bepo added, wiping the blood from his mouth. "This guy's no joke."
Sanji took a deep drag on his cigarette, exhaling slowly as he faced Kaelus. "Yeah, I'm sure. He's just another overconfident big shot." He glanced over his shoulder, his voice low and steady. "Go. I'll catch up once I've dealt with him."
Nami hesitated, clearly uneasy. "Sanji..."
"Trust me," he replied with a grin. "I've got this."
Kaelus chuckled darkly, crossing his arms. "So, the little cook thinks he can take me on alone. How brave... or perhaps, how foolish."
Sanji turned to face him fully, his cigarette still smoldering between his lips. "Guess you'll find out soon enough."
With a final nod, Nami, Brook, and Bepo reluctantly headed toward the tower, leaving Sanji and Kaelus alone in the vast hall. As soon as they were out of earshot, Kaelus' smirk widened.
"You've made a big mistake, pretty boy," he said, his voice dripping with mockery. "You may be fast, but that's not enough to take me down."
Sanji raised an eyebrow, his expression calm. "If I were you, I'd be more worried about what's coming next."
In an instant, Sanji launched forward, his leg blazing with Diable Jambe. He aimed a swift, powerful kick at Kaelus' midsection, the heat from his flames illuminating the room. Kaelus managed to block, but the force of the kick pushed him back, and he could feel the heat searing even through his armor.
Kaelus staggered for a moment, then steadied himself, eyes narrowing. "Not bad... for a chef."
Sanji chuckled, spinning back into his stance. "Good thing I'm more than just a chef."
They clashed again, Kaelus swinging heavy punches while Sanji dodged and weaved, landing precise kicks in between Kaelus' attacks. Kaelus was fast and strong, and each of his punches had enough force to shake the ground. But Sanji's agility and speed allowed him to evade with ease, frustrating Kaelus with every missed strike.
After a particularly powerful dodge, Sanji landed another flaming kick on Kaelus' side, sending him stumbling. Kaelus wiped a trickle of blood from his mouth, his expression darkening.
"You're stronger than I thought, Straw Hat's cook," he admitted, his tone begrudging. "But don't think for a second that you're on my level."
Kaelus attacked again, his blows coming faster and more forceful than before. Sanji dodged and blocked, each clash of their attacks echoing through the hall. But Kaelus' strength was undeniable, and his relentless assault forced Sanji to stay on the defensive, giving him little room to counterattack.
Kaelus sneered, his confidence growing as he pressed his advantage. "What's the matter, cook? Having trouble keeping up?"
Sanji smirked, his eyes glinting with determination. "Not at all. Just thought I'd let you wear yourself out a little first."
With that, Sanji flipped back, creating some distance between them. He steadied his breathing, his gaze never leaving Kaelus as he prepared his next move.
Kaelus let out a low growl, his pride clearly bruised. "Arrogant little—"
Before he could finish, Sanji launched himself forward with a burst of speed, his leg igniting once more. He spun in mid-air, delivering a powerful Diable Jambe kick directly to Kaelus' chest. Kaelus staggered back, gasping as the force of the attack sent pain radiating through his body.
Sanji landed gracefully, his gaze fierce. "What's the matter, tough guy? Having trouble keeping up?"
Kaelus snarled, regaining his footing as he charged forward, his fists crackling with energy. He swung wildly, his rage fueling his attacks, but Sanji ducked and sidestepped each blow, his movements as fluid as water.
But just as Sanji was about to counter, Kaelus' eyes widened, his expression momentarily distracted. He hesitated, sensing something in the air—a faint but unmistakable shift in the battle across the tower. Sylphira's Haki had faded.
"No..." Kaelus murmured, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. "Sylphira... lost?"
Sanji seized the opportunity, delivering a powerful kick to Kaelus' midsection while he was distracted. The impact sent Kaelus flying back, and he coughed, spitting up blood as he hit the ground.
"Looks like your friend's having a rough day," Sanji said, his tone mocking. "And you're about to join her."
Kaelus staggered to his feet, his gaze hardening as he wiped the blood from his lips. "You... you'll pay for that, cook."
Sanji chuckled, his foot igniting once more. "Then bring it."
With a furious roar, Kaelus charged at Sanji, his fists glowing with energy as he unleashed a flurry of punches. Sanji matched him blow for blow, each clash sending shockwaves through the hall as their Haki-infused attacks collided.
For every hit Kaelus managed to land, Sanji retaliated with a strike of his own. They were evenly matched, each one pushing the other to their limits. The intensity of the battle began to wear on both fighters, but neither showed any signs of backing down.
Finally, Kaelus managed to land a powerful punch on Sanji's shoulder, sending him stumbling back. Sanji grunted in pain, but quickly regained his footing, his eyes blazing with determination.
"You're tough, I'll give you that," Kaelus admitted, his tone grudgingly respectful. "But this ends here."
He gathered his energy, his Haki flaring as he prepared a final, powerful strike. Sanji braced himself, his leg igniting with an even brighter flame as he prepared to counter.
They charged at each other one last time, their attacks colliding in a burst of energy that sent shockwaves through the entire tower. For a moment, they were locked in a stalemate, their wills clashing as fiercely as their fists.
But in the end, it was Sanji who came out on top. With a final, powerful kick, he broke through Kaelus' defenses, landing a direct hit to his chest. Kaelus let out a strangled gasp, his body shuddering as he crumpled to the ground, defeated.
Sanji took a deep breath, steadying himself as he watched Kaelus struggle to move. "I told you... I'd take you down."
Kaelus glared up at him, his expression a mixture of anger and disbelief. "You... you'll regret this... My king... my queen... will not forgive..."
Sanji shrugged, lighting another cigarette as he turned away. "Yeah, yeah. Tell them I said hi."
With that, he walked away, leaving Kaelus beaten and broken on the ground. He hurried to catch up with his crew, knowing that the battle was far from over.
But for now, he'd won his fight.
