Chapter 878: Chapter 534: Burst Mode! The Artificial Human’s Transformation! (Part 2)
"Moon Step? Sanji, you’ve gotten stronger too, as expected from my benefactor. That’s good, because if you aren’t strong enough, you can’t survive in the New World."
"Step aside, Gin."
Sanji said, "I need to go somewhere else, I don’t have time to fight you here. I can’t deal with women, but as a man, I won’t show mercy!"
Gin shook his head, "Based on my personal feelings, I’d like to let you go, but based on my current duty, I can’t do that."
"Whatever you’re planning, our set plan is to defeat Kaido and Wano Country, and no one can destroy it. Allowing you powerful fighters to leave would cause unwelcome changes to the plan."
He stepped aside two steps, stood at the entrance, and tore open the upper half of his clothing, revealing his muscles like brown steel.
"If you want to leave, you must defeat me!"
"It seems we can’t reach an agreement."
Sanji clicked his tongue, one foot slowly rising, "Just right, we didn’t have enough fight in Alabasta two years ago, last time you also blew up our ship in Punk Hazard, let’s settle it together this time!"
Gin said no more, his muscles bulged, and they began to show a steel-like color, flowing into a crimson hue.
"Cheek Shoot!"
Sanji advanced at high speed, thrusting his foot out, accompanied by flames, kicking directly at Gin’s face.
Clang!
With a sound of metal clashing, Gin’s head tilted back slightly, his eyes shifted down, praising, "As expected of Sanji, very fast and powerful, but..."
He reached out and grabbed Sanji’s ankle, his eyes widened, inhaled deeply, and with force, smashed Sanji into the ground, sending wood chips flying and creating a dent.
"That force isn’t enough!"
Sanji coughed sharply, gritted his teeth, his other foot swiftly kicked at Gin’s wrist, releasing the grip, hands quickly supporting the ground, pulling himself into a big spin, the flames on his feet almost turning into a spiral, under the forceful spin, hitting Gin’s ribs.
"Banquet Table Spin Kick!!"
Bang!!
The tremendous force, even Gin with his Steel Body had wide-open eyes, his body unconsciously shifted sideways from the kick.
Just then, Gin’s elbow struck Sanji’s ankle, causing Sanji’s leg to lower, taking the opportunity to press down his leg, body exerting force, closing in on Sanji’s upper body, fist flowing with crimson, in Sanji’s shocked gaze, a fierce punch landed.
Boom!
Sanji was hit directly by the punch, his face caved in, his head slammed into the floor dent, smoke puffed out.
"With just this, you can’t win against me!"
Gin raised his crimson fist, without hesitation, continued to slam towards his chest.
"Ice Soul!"
Just as his fist neared Sanji’s chest, a ghostly wisp suddenly passed through his body, covering his burning body with a layer of frost, temporarily freezing the heat.
"Hundred Flowers Riot!"
Without the heat, cherry blossoms immediately floated out from Gin’s arm, blossoms transformed into countless arms, forming ten or so arms locking his joints, trying to forcefully pull him back.
Robin crossed her hands, activated her powers, a few more arms stretched from the ground, lifted Sanji out of the dent, his face burned from the punch, neck twisted oddly back.
At this moment, the frost that should have been on Gin’s body was gradually melting away.
"Song of Plunder: Blizzard Slash!"
Seeing this, Brook drew his Staff Sword, a thinner sword than Lily’s, covered with Netherworld Cold Qi, ice crystals forming on the blade, quickly and precisely slashing towards Gin’s chest.
"Thousand Blossoms: Butterfly Orchid!"
Cherry blossoms drifted through the air, transforming into numerous arms appearing in the air, with the unique striking posture of Fishman Karate, hitting all of Gin’s vital points.
Whush!
Suddenly, scorching steam burst out around Gin, instantly melting the already melting frost, Robin instinctively retracted the arms growing on his back.
Bang!
A scorching fist directly struck the incoming swift sword, the wave of steam blew Brook away, sending him rolling on the ground.
"Yohoho! Yohoho! It’s so hot, I’m going to become a steamed bone, yohoho! Though I’m a skeleton, I can’t feel any heat... Yohohohoho!"
Whoosh!!
Steam surged again, rushing out around them, instantly extinguishing the hands appearing in the air.
Robin groaned softly, stepping back two paces, and looked at her hands, which now bore burn marks.
The parts of the body she conjures with her ability are connected to her, so if those parts get injured, her actual body is affected too.
But what is the deal with this scorching steam?
"Not bad..."
The steam dispersed to reveal Gin’s face, expressionless, and his unharmed body. He twisted his neck and raised his fists, speaking in a deep voice:
"This strange cold almost penetrates the marrow, but since it manifests as a substance, it can be thawed. This level of freezing is not comparable to Aokiji’s."
He glanced at Robin again, "Lady Robin is indeed Master Sage’s blood relative; even her moves target vital points. But as relatives, there’s a vast difference in strength. My body is steel; ordinary critical hits are ineffective against me. The gap is too wide!"
Swoosh!
Steam shot out from beneath his feet, visibly accelerating his speed. In the blink of an eye, he reached Robin, and as he swung a punch, steam erupted from his elbow, generating greater propulsion and a scorching wave that overwhelmed her upper body with a single punch.
"Burst Air Bullet!!"
Boom!!
Robin’s body flew out from the steam, crashing onto the ground, her arms clearly wrapped in Haki. However, the Haki could not defend against the steam; despite the hardening manifestation, it couldn’t withstand the intense heat, resulting in larger burn areas.
"Robin!"
Brook immediately scrambled up, his sword blade glowing, sending streams of icy crystals cunningly toward Gin.
Gin turned his head with the momentum and unleashed another punch, the heat wave almost forming a pillar that blasted into Brook, melting the ice crystals under the relentless high temperature, blowing open the skeleton’s body, and causing it to fall smoking to the ground.
"This is my ’Burst Mode’."
Gin said, "Operating steel at high temperatures produces ’steam,’ granting me tremendous propulsion and elevating my power by a level. Growth isn’t exclusive to you all."
Having consumed the fruit for so long, he couldn’t solely melt steel and metal forever. Abilities are abilities, but the self is the self; relying on abilities alone would eventually lead to being restrained. Only by combining abilities with oneself can one steadily grow.
Fortunately, he had also developed this ability.
"Steel Body, Melting Power, and steam propulsion combined, it won’t be pleasant for anyone hit by me."
Flames, or rather fire abilities, are all fearsomely powerful offensively.
From Akainu at the top to the Revolutionary Army’s second-in-command in the middle, down to him and Charlotte Oven, the high temperatures they generate are enough to leave most enemies helpless.
Looking at the three fallen on the ground, Gin shook his head, "At this level, don’t talk about subjugating Kaido; you can’t even defeat me, let alone compete with Master Sage for prey."
"Don’t speak so soon, Gin..."
The fallen Sanji slowly got up, and under Gin’s gaze, forcibly twisted his neck back to normal.
He cast a glance at Robin’s burned hands, his eyes almost firing up, "Striking a lady is not the behavior of a gentleman!"
"Enemies have nothing to do with being gentlemanly or ungentlemanly."
Gin’s lips curled, "Mr. Sanji, even if you stand up again, it changes nothing."
Crackly...
Sanji’s body emitted a clear sound, reminiscent of bones, yet somewhat different.
"In any case, I’m angry, Gin!"
Sanji inhaled deeply, continued to lift his leg, igniting flames, "Even if you step aside, I will not hold back!"
Although by normal standards those were human legs, at least, that’s how Gin perceived them.
But aside from the strange flames, Gin noticed something else; it looked like steel, but seemed even harder, and the strength was clearly several magnitudes higher than before...
It wasn’t just his legs, it encompassed his whole body, even the burn marks on his face, and scars were fading away. His neck, which was still somewhat twisted, seemed not to affect his movements at all.
It’s bizarre...
But also very strong.
Gin slightly lowered his posture, "I told you, to leave, you must defeat me!"
No matter what kind of thing it is, you’ve got to fight first!
