Thinking of this, Sanji looked toward the corridor outside and immediately sprang into action.
"Don't even think about running!"
Seeing him suddenly move, Jozu's eyes darkened as he immediately gave chase.
"Brilliant・Crash!!"
Jozu's entire right arm and shoulder transformed into sparkling diamond. His burly body rapidly charged forward like a human cannonball!
Sanji quickly looked back. Facing this fast and powerful attack, he raised his leg and met it with a spinning back kick!
*Bang!!*
A heavy force crashed into him like a mountain. Sanji didn't try to forcefully resist it; instead, he used the opponent's momentum to fly backward, accelerating his dash deep into the corridor.
When he had charged in earlier, he had seen the place where the samurai and guards grabbed their weapons. There was definitely leftover Seastone in the armory.
"Where is this guy going?"
Jozu frowned. Just as he was about to turn his head and ask if they should pursue, he saw Marco's hands transform into wings of blue flame, sweeping past him at an extreme speed.
"He's probably going to look for Seastone. Hurry and chase him!"
"Got it!"
Jozu shouted in response and quickly gave chase.
"Phoenix Brand!!"
Marco's body moved so fast he turned into a beam of light. Arriving beside Sanji, he delivered a heavy flying kick with his talons, trailing blue flames!
*Bang!!*
Sanji hastily raised his knee to block, but was sent flying directly by the kick. His body crashed through several wooden sliding doors in succession, smashing into a room.
Marco's blue flames seemed to be used for healing, but in reality, they also possessed concussive force and could control temperature.
Although their destructive power was far less violent than Ace's Flame-Flame Fruit, they could still be combined with Emission Haki to enhance both attack and defense.
However, even so, an attack of this level was still hard-pressed to penetrate Sanji's dragon scales, which possessed formidable defensive power.
Sanji planted his feet against the wall, bent his knees, and pushed off with a burst of power. His entire body shot forward like a crimson-gold arrow!
"Demon Dragon Jambe: Veau Hachis!!"
*Bang!!*
With scorching flames wrapping around his leg, Sanji rushed right in front of Marco. Letting out a loud shout, he executed an overhead kick, viciously slamming his leg down!
Marco raised his blue flame wings to block. Taking the full force of this heavy kick, his entire arm twisted instantly, and he was knocked straight down, crashing through the floor to the level below.
*Boom!!*
Wood splinters flew everywhere, kicking up a massive cloud of dust. Marco flapped his wings to scatter the smoke. Blue flames clung to his twisted arm, and in the blink of an eye, it was completely healed.
Even though they were both Mythical Zoan users, the various stat boosts of the Phoenix fruit paled in comparison to Sanji's. Its only advantage was the immortal body's infinite regeneration; in a head-on fight, he would inevitably be suppressed.
Upstairs.
Thanks to Marco stalling him, Jozu had successfully caught up to Sanji. Leaping high into the air, his entire arm turned into diamond.
"Diamond Heavy Punch!!"
The massive diamond fist smashed down with the force of a thunderbolt. Sanji's gaze focused as he spun and delivered a high sweeping kick from the side, striking the opponent's fist.
*Bang!!*
Jozu's punch missed its mark and smashed into the floor, blasting a giant crater. Sanji quickly jumped back. Upon landing, he opened his mouth and roared out a Blast Breath intertwined with lightning and flames!
*Boom!!!*
Jozu hastily activated his ability, turning his entire body into diamond. The thick Blast Breath, containing terrifying energy, completely engulfed him, its powerful impact forcing Jozu to continuously slide backward.
When the Blast Breath ended, Sanji took the opportunity to turn around and continued rushing deep into the corridor.
Jozu's back slammed heavily against a wall. The diamond surface covering his entire body slowly receded, and wisps of white smoke rose from his skin.
Although he possessed nearly invincible defense and terrifying monstrous strength, his combat methods were relatively one-dimensional, relying almost entirely on close-quarters brawling.
Facing Sanji—whose defense and strength were no inferior to his own, and who also possessed a much more diverse arsenal of combat techniques—he couldn't gain the slightest advantage in a one-on-one fight.
Soon, Sanji arrived in front of a room from his memory. Above it hung a plaque that read [Armory].
"This should be the place."
*Bang!!*
Sanji kicked the door open, revealing a wide variety of swords, spears, halberds, and various firearms inside.
His gaze swept across the room, finally landing on a wall hung with various shackles.
He immediately rushed over and fumbled around on it. When he touched one of the handcuffs, a wave of weakness suddenly transmitted from his hand to his entire body.
"This is it!"
Sanji decisively took off his jacket, wrapping it around his hand to take down the entire set of Seastone handcuffs in front of him.
Right at this moment.
Marco and Jozu had also caught up.
"Blue Flame Goose!!"
Marco shouted and waved his hand. A streak of blue flame flew from his palm, transforming into a goose with spread wings that charged into the armory!
*Boom!!*
The Blue Flame Goose detonated explosively, filling the armory with a massive amount of fire.
Marco and Jozu stared solemnly at the raging blue flames. However, the only response they received was a flurry of wind scythes tearing out!
"Demolition Gust: Chaos!!"
*Clang!! Clang!! Clang!!*
A dense barrage of wind scythes flew out, tearing through the floor and walls as they slashed forward at breakneck speed.
"Immortal Thistle!!"
Marco's arms transformed into wings of blue flame, forming a circular shield to block in front of the two of them!
*Boom!! Boom!! Boom!!*
The wind scythes crashed against the shield, sending ripples through the blue flames. After the attack passed, Marco flapped his wings to disperse the flames, only to see Sanji's figure sprinting toward them!
"Finally stopped running? Come on, let's have a fair fight!"
Seeing Sanji uncharacteristically take the initiative to attack, Jozu immediately formed diamond armor over his body and shouted as he charged head-on!
Realizing something was wrong with Sanji's unusual behavior, Marco hastily yelled to stop him:
"Be careful, Jozu! He might have gotten the Seastone!"
"What?!"
Hearing this, Jozu's expression changed in shock. His body paused, but it was already too late to stop.
Sanji tapped his toes against the ground, using a technique to erupt with exaggerated speed. His figure flashed and vanished from his spot!
Jozu's charge hit nothing but air. His Observation Haki sensed the presence behind him, and he hurriedly turned around, instinctively throwing a punch!
*Boom!!*
Sanji's figure flickered and disappeared again. Jozu's punch smashed a crater into the ground. Before he could retract his fist, a shackle was swiftly swung over!
*Click!*
"Oh no!"
The Seastone handcuff locked onto his wrist. Jozu's face changed as a wave of weakness spread from his hand to his entire body, and the diamond armor on his skin rapidly receded!
"You're too impulsive, big guy. Brute force alone is far from enough in a battle."
A smug smirk curled on Sanji's lips. He tapped his toes on the ground, leaping high into the air, and swiftly whipped out his right leg, which was coated in flames and lightning!
"Ifrit Jambe: Collier!!"
*Bang!!*
This kick whipped across Jozu's face. The scorching heat penetrated his body, burning his bones as he was viciously sent flying!
*Boom!!*
His massive body crashed heavily into the armory, which had been turned into a sea of blue flames.
Sanji's feet landed back on the ground. He turned his head to look at Marco, tossing the Seastone handcuffs wrapped in his jacket up and down in his hand, and smiled faintly:
"There's still one pair of handcuffs left. I'll just give it to you."
"It really is Seastone..."
Marco looked at the jacket wrapped in Sanji's hand, his gaze inevitably turning solemn.