"Candy Waves!" Perospero shouted as he released a massive flood of syrup. The liquid quickly hardened into a sticky swamp, trapping many fighters instantly. Blue Gilly, Ideo, Sai, and Baby 5 were startled and scrambled to find higher ground. Sanji simply transformed into a bolt of lightning, flickering through the air to find an opening.
"Candy Shower!" Perospero created a bow made of hardened sugar and fired a rapid succession of arrows. Sanji danced through the air, dodging the projectiles with ease. Since the arrows were coated in Armament Haki, he knew better than to let them touch him. When the rain of arrows finally stopped, Sanji landed calmly and lit a fresh cigarette with a playful smirk.
"Logia users are truly annoying," Perospero muttered. He hated fighting Logia types because they were difficult to hit and could cause massive destruction. However, he had a mission to capture a rare Devil Fruit and could not afford to lose. He already assumed his brother Katakuri had no chance of winning Group C because Luffy was in that bracket. The victory rested solely on his shoulders.
Perospero began firing arrows again, trying to pin Sanji down. He did not care that his stray shots were eliminating the weaker contestants. Soon, only the strongest fighters remained on the stage.
"I will take him!" Blue Gilly shouted, charging at Perospero with a long-legged kick. Perospero did not even turn to look. He manifested a large manatee made of solid candy to block the attack. Blue Gilly was shocked that his powerful kick was stopped by a sugar sculpture. He launched a flurry of kicks, eventually cracking the manatee's surface, but the effort left his feet throbbing in pain. The candy manatee lunged forward, slamming into Blue Gilly and sending him flying.
"Let me try! Destruction Cannon!" Ideo yelled, throwing a punch that shattered a candy manatee into pieces. Before he could celebrate, several more manatees rose from the syrup and surrounded him. Ideo fought desperately, but the constant use of his explosive punches exhausted him. He realized with despair that he could not keep up with a top commander of a Yonko.
Haku the Fish-Man and the masked swordsman joined the fray next. Haku used Fish-Man Karate to smash a manatee, but the impact broke the bones in his fingers. The swordsman's blade bounced harmlessly off the hardened sugar. Within moments, the candy manatees threw Haku, the swordsman, and Ideo into the water.
"They are out of the ring!" Gatz screamed as the audience watched in disbelief. "The Candy Minister's power is extraordinary!". Now, only King Elizabello II, Dagama, Sai, Baby 5, and Sanji remained.
"Baby 5, let's go!" Sai ordered. The two used their Hasshoken martial arts to shatter two more manatees. Perospero was slightly surprised by their power but remained focused on Sanji. He continued his relentless arrow fire, forcing Sanji to stay on the defensive.
Sanji was frustrated. Perospero's attacks were so dense that he could not get close enough to use his signature kicks. He decided to rely on his fruit powers.
"Raigo!" Sanji shouted, calling down a massive cloud of lightning. Perospero simply reinforced his candy armor. Because sugar does not conduct electricity, the lightning failed to shock him; it only slightly melted the surface of the candy, which Perospero repaired instantly.
Sanji tried more focused attacks, using moves like "Thunder Beast" and "Thunder Bird". Although these techniques were originally used by Enel, Sanji found they were the best way to focus his power. Still, the candy armor held firm against the heat.
Just as the battle seemed to reach a stalemate, King Elizabello II finally stopped gathering his strength.
"It is ready!" the King announced. Dagama immediately scrambled for cover behind his ruler. Sai and Baby 5 sensed the shift in the air and braced themselves. A terrifying pressure filled the arena as the King pulled back his right fist.
"What is happening?" Luffy asked from the stands, sensing the change with his Observation Haki.
"They say that King's punch can destroy a fortress in a single hit," Marco explained gravely. "It is called the King's Punch, and its power is said to rival that of the Four Emperors".
------------------------
For Advance chapters visit : patreon.com/Mythic_Muse