Boom!
Flames filled the sky, transforming into meteoric missiles that hurtled toward a slender figure with destructive force.
Little Eevee gazed at the fiery onslaught with a delighted gleam in its eyes and let out a loud cry.
Boom!
Suddenly, terrifying energy gathered before it, condensing into regular golden stars, one after another.
Boom!
With Eevee's loud command, countless stars launched instantly, like precision missiles, colliding with the flaming meteors in the sky one by one!
Under the high-speed impact of the stars, the flaming meteors shattered like glass, scattering into countless sparks. As the last ember faded, they slowly disappeared into the void.
Tread!
Sanji and the Blaziken landed on the ground simultaneously.
But their expressions were grave.
Thirteen days! No one knew what they had endured during these thirteen days.
Ever since Sanji and the evolved Blaziken bonded and together defeated the level 62 Gyarados, they had been plunged into a grueling existence.
Sanji had a clearer understanding than most about the little Eevee before him.
Because he had witnessed this cute little creature, wielding unfathomable power, utterly defeat and render unconscious the world's top fighter, Admiral Akainu.
It was on that day he received the blessing of the dimensional merchant and became a trainer.
But after nearly being beaten to death, Sanji never imagined he would one day face an attack from Sir Leo's Eevee!
Even though the Eevee in front of him was just a clone.
But the strength of the original is undeniable. Even as a clone, it still wielded power far beyond Sanji's reach!
For thirteen days, Sanji pushed himself to the limit to pass the test.
In the beginning, he couldn't even last two minutes against Eevee's clone, let alone thirty.
But as the days passed, his bond with Blaziken deepened. The Pokémon's energy intertwined with the blood factor in his body, unlocking hidden potential and granting him terrifying power.
It was with this power that he finally gained the strength to survive the clone's attacks and mount a counteroffensive.
But...
The situation still looked bleak.
Sanji focused his gaze, his legs enveloped in a flame that coiled like a dragon, radiating a fierce heat.
"Ee-vee~"
The Eevee clone landed on the ground, and seeing Sanji's attempt to fight back, the little Pokémon seemed to light up with excitement. It dug its front paws into the ground, poised to spring.
"Heh... such overwhelming power."
Sanji's lips curled into a bitter smile, but his expression grew resolute.
And beside him...
The appearance of Blaziken had changed dramatically after their bond evolved.
Perhaps influenced by the bloodline factor in Sanji's body, Blaziken now seemed wrapped in a layer of flame armor. The intense heat it emitted turned its previously red body to a dark hue, perfectly complementing Sanji's suit.
Its once flowing hair now formed into thick curls that hung like elephant ears on either side of its head.
"Cha!"
Sensing the fighting spirit in Sanji's heart, Blaziken let out a battle cry. Its powerful legs surged with energy, turning it into a red lightning bolt that struck toward Eevee.
At the same time, Sanji leaped into the air, becoming a dark silhouette.
Since elemental attacks were ineffective, they would rely on the fighting techniques that he and Blaziken excelled at!
"Cha! (Blaze Kick!)"
"Diable Jambe... Premiere Haché!!!"
The two attacks, one from above and one from below, pierced the void like fiery spears, targeting Eevee.
The intense heat spread in all directions, scorching the air.
From above, one could clearly see the forest ablaze, a testament to the sheer power of Sanji and Blaziken's assault!
Bang! Bang!
Two deafening explosions echoed through the forest.
The shockwaves rippled outward like a tsunami, toppling trees and creating a vast clearing.
Then, a pillar of fire shot skyward, piercing the dome above!
The flames seemed intent on consuming everything, their searing heat spreading far and wide.
However...
At the very center of the battlefield, Sanji and Blaziken's expressions shifted.
Because what they had struck with all their might was a lavender energy barrier.
The unstoppable flames crashed into the barrier, but it was like sinking into the sea—without a trace of response.
Sanji and Blaziken were powerless against Eevee's defensive barrier.
Swish!
The flames dispersed into the night.
Sanji and Blaziken, now in sync, retreated, their faces showing signs of disappointment.
"As expected... it still didn't work."
From their experience, they knew what would come next—an overwhelming barrage of shadow balls from Eevee's clone.
That attack could shatter rocks and tear through the ground, leaving no escape...
Even with a healing Pokémon to treat them afterward, no one wanted to be injured for no reason.
"I..."
Sanji raised his hand.
Just as he was about to concede defeat and prepare for the next attempt...
A burst of rhythmic applause came from behind him.
Clap... Clap... Clap...
"Sir Leo!?"
Sanji turned in surprise and saw Leo already standing behind him.
Recalling his poor performance just now, Sanji's face flushed with embarrassment. He quickly said:
"I'm so sorry, Sir Leo. We haven't completed the second test yet and have let you down."
At that moment...
Sanji was deeply worried.
In their previous battle, he had been the last one standing, but he had chosen to forfeit rather than fight Nami.
He feared this might have affected Leo's expectations of him.
But there was nothing he could do.
He held a deep sense of chivalry in his heart. Even if it meant his death, he would never harm a woman.
This was a promise he made to his mother. To break it would be to deny his very existence.
However...
In response to Sanji's apology, Leo simply smiled.
He had foreseen this outcome and had planned accordingly. There was no reason to blame Sanji.
Leo smiled and said:
"No need to apologize, Mr. Sanji."
"The fact that you hold true to your beliefs is, in my view, something to be admired."
"Although this may add some obstacles to your future path, it is precisely because of your convictions that you are as strong as you are, isn't it?"
"Sir Leo!"
Sanji looked up, his eyes shining with emotion, as if he had found a kindred spirit.
But Leo nodded and didn't dwell on the matter for long. Instead, he spoke in a congratulatory tone:
"Mr. Sanji, I'm pleased to inform you that you've successfully passed Eevee's test…"
"From now on, you can return to the gym and receive more structured and advanced training."
"What!? Really?"
Sanji was overjoyed but hesitated for a moment:
"But Sir Leo, we can't withstand Eevee's attacks for 30 minutes."
"It doesn't matter," Leo shook his head.
"The purpose of the test is to make you stronger quickly through this method, not necessarily to achieve a specific goal."
"Moreover, everyone has a different fighting style. Your current mastery of flame energy and your combat skills with Blaziken are sufficient for you to move on to the next stage of training…"
"However, the conference is only a few days away. I hope you're prepared in advance!"
"I won't disappoint you!"
After hearing Leo's explanation, Sanji's face lit up with excitement, and he responded with determination.
"Haha, I'm sure you won't," Leo chuckled.
Suddenly, Sanji heard a sharp snap near his ear.
The next moment, when he regained his senses, he found himself in a technologically advanced room.
"Sanji, right?"
A voice called out to him.
Sanji looked up and saw a tall man holding a mysterious device, scanning him.
It was Enel, an assistant to a dimensional merchant.
"Sir Enel!" Sanji greeted immediately.
"Hmm…" Enel replied in a deep voice, nodding coldly before saying, "Don't move. I'm going to perform a full-body scan on you, and then I'll arrange a training plan."
"Yes!" Sanji straightened up immediately.
A quarter of an hour later…
Sanji, now dressed in a light training suit, was led to a special room.
As soon as he entered, a suffocating sensation overwhelmed his mind.
In front of him, he saw a small chamber ablaze with intense flames.
What was even more terrifying was that as soon as Sanji took a half-step inside, he froze mid-step.
A familiar feeling struck his heart, making it race.
At this moment, Enel's voice echoed again:
"Your next task, along with Blaziken, is to train in this gravity room filled with fire…"
"The temperature of the flames in this room will gradually increase, and the gravity will also intensify, pushing you beyond your limits…"
"Every day, food and water will be delivered through that port over there. To prevent the food from burning and the water from evaporating, you'll need to time your energy intake precisely."
"Alright then, do your best!"
"Do my best!? What?! Wait a minute—"
Before Sanji could finish, a size 44 foot suddenly kicked him on the rear, sending him straight into the training room.
"Ah!!!"
The terrifying heat instantly enveloped Sanji's body.
Thankfully, he hadn't exited his bonded evolution state yet; otherwise, the flames alone would have turned him to ash.
Even so, with gravity beyond his limits, Sanji's ordeal was far from easy.
A pained cry echoed from the training room.
But Enel, unfazed, pressed his ears in annoyance. He had heard too many similar cries in the past half month.
Standing outside Sanji's training room, Enel surveyed the area, observing the rows of specialized training chambers.
Each room had its unique adjustments, tailored to the needs of different trainers—some were icy glacial worlds, others were filled with raging thunderstorms, and some were engulfed in toxic gases…
After bonding evolution, even ordinary people could gain a certain level of strength, and after enduring a month of this hellish training, even a dog should have the power to defeat the King of Bandits with ease.
Leo had sent Sanji back early because he had noticed…
After the eruption of Sanji's bloodline factor and Blaziken's evolution, the pressure exerted by Eevee's clone on Sanji was significantly less than before.
Moreover, Leo had sent him to the forest hoping the Pokémon there would push his Combusken to evolve during battle.l
Now that his goal was achieved, he couldn't afford to relax.
So, Leo sent him back for even more rigorous training.
After all, Sanji, who possessed the bloodline factor, thrived under pressure.
The greater the pressure, the more powerful the latent strength in his bloodline would become.
Although, after bonding evolution, Sanji and Blaziken's combined strength surpassed many of the great pirates in the New World with bounties over 500 million beli…
Without the bonded evolution, Sanji's strength was comparable to pirates with bounties of tens of millions, nearing 100 million beli. But there was still a long way to go to reach the full potential of the bloodline factor.
So far, among the original protagonists who joined the Celestial Gym together, only Usopp remained in the forest, gathering special plant seeds to fight Eevee.
His fighting style was unique.
To enhance Usopp's power quickly, Leo had even exchanged and collected special seeds, scattering them around Usopp to help refine his combat techniques.
...
...
Time passed slowly.
In the blink of an eye, it was just three days before the Pokémon League Tournament.
During this time, the buzz about the Pokémon League Conference grew louder across the seas.
Near the area where the Baratie Restaurant once floated, dozens of sea hotels had sprung up!
Though there was no official word that the Pokémon League Conference would be free to watch, tourists continued to flock there, eagerly awaiting the event.
Various newspapers and media outlets had prepared in advance.
Even before the conference began, they conducted numerous special reports on it.
A conference that could potentially change the world was about to start.
Because of this, more attention was drawn to this place.
The Five Elders, the Navy, the Revolutionary Army, the Yonkos, the Shichibukai, major pirates, and mafia families...
The elite of the pirate world were either curious or concerned…
Waiting for the dawn of a new era!!!
(End of this chapter)