Chapter 55: Alubarna – Vivi's Command & Sanji vs. Bon Kurei
On the towering walls of Alubarna, Sol waited with Vivi and Karoo. The kingdom guard vice-captain, Jaka, hurried forward. This sturdy warrior dropped to one knee, his voice trembling slightly with emotion: "Princess Vivi! It's wonderful that you've returned safely! Please hurry into the city—the rebel army will soon arrive at the gates, but we will defend the capital to the death!"
"Jaka, listen to me!" Vivi grabbed Jaka's arm tightly, her blue hair whipping in the hot wind. "I have a way to stop the rebel army—you must not attack first!"
Jaka's brows furrowed tightly, worry written all over his bronzed face: "Princess… the rebel army numbers over six hundred thousand. If we let them into the city, Alabasta will…"
"With my father absent, I order you as the heir of the Alabasta royal family!" Vivi suddenly raised her voice, exuding royal authority. "Without my command, no one is to open fire!"
Jaka's powerful frame shuddered. After a moment of silence, he thumped his chest heavily in salute: "…Understood, Princess!" He turned and shouted to the guards: "All troops, listen! Maintain alert status—no one is to attack first!"
The sound of clashing armor rang across the wall. Though confused, the soldiers faithfully obeyed.
"Sol…" Vivi turned to her companion beside her, eyes filled with tension and anticipation.
"Don't worry." Sol gave her a thumbs-up. "Leave it to me."
——————
"Sorry, you've got the wrong person." Sanji flipped back his cloak, the cigarette at his lips sparking in the sunlight.
"Damn it! How dare you trick this lady~" Bon Kurei stomped furiously. "Die!"
Bang!
Sanji raised his leg and caught the blow steadily. His dress shoe collided with the ballet shoe, producing a crisp sound: "Dead okama, don't underestimate people!"
Bon Kurei stepped back and spun in an elegant ballet pirouette: "What's your name, you bastard?"
"Sanji, the sea's number-one cook." Sanji blew out a smoke ring while looking at Bon Kurei.
"Hm? A cook?" Bon Kurei struck the starting pose of Okama Kenpo. "Isn't that just logistics? This lady is a first-class okama, you know~"
"I'm a cook and a pirate. I have two identities, just like you." Sanji slowly raised his right leg, his trouser leg flapping in the wind.
"You mean we're two of a kind?" Bon Kurei's eyes suddenly turned dangerous.
"Exactly." Sanji's gaze sharpened. "But I will never let you lay a hand on this country!"
Before the words finished, both exploded into motion!
Smack! Smack! Smack!
Kicks and Okama Kenpo clashed fiercely in midair, moving so fast they were almost invisible. In the end, both landed simultaneous blows on each other's cheeks.
Boom!
Both crashed into the walls of nearby buildings, sending rubble flying.
"Hey, dead okama…" Sanji climbed out of the debris, wiping blood from his lip. "How did my kicks taste? Sorry if it hurt~ I'll try to knock you out quickly."
"This guy's kicks…" Bon Kurei was shocked to discover his own cheek already swollen. Hearing Sanji's taunt made him even angrier. "Then come at me!"
"Okama Kenpo – Falling Queen Swan Waltz!"
Bon Kurei's hands turned into two elegant swan phantoms, his attack trajectory erratic and unpredictable.
Sanji narrowed his eyes. While defending, he called out his kicks like menu items: "Shoulder meat!"
"Back meat!"
"Saddle meat!"
Each kick precisely intercepted Bon Kurei's attacks. The two fought fiercely, their figures tangling again amid swirling sand and dust. The sound of kicks and fists echoed through the street. Bon Kurei's skirt fluttered wildly in the wind of Sanji's legs, while Sanji's suit gradually tore under Okama Kenpo.
"You cook… you can actually fight pretty well!" Bon Kurei panted.
"Likewise…" Sanji adjusted his breathing, suddenly flashing a dangerous smile. "But warm-up time is over."
"Hehehe~" Bon Kurei suddenly laughed. "That's right—time to show you this lady's real power!" He waved his hands dramatically in front of his face. "You haven't seen my imitation ability yet, have you? With this move 'Composite Face,' I guarantee you'll laugh until your stomach hurts and leave yourself wide open!"
Bon Kurei's hands twisted into exaggerated poses: "First the world's strangest head then the eyes nose mouth" Finally he made a heart shape with his hands: "First public reveal today—Imitate Imitate · Composite Face!"
The air suddenly fell into an eerie silence.
Sanji, cigarette still in mouth, stared at him like he was looking at an idiot: "90%… no, it's literally just your own face, isn't it?"
"Ugh…" Bon Kurei instantly petrified. He squatted on the ground, pulled out a small mirror, and looked left and right. Black resentment seemed to swirl behind him. "How could this be…"
"Opening!" Sanji seized the chance and landed a spinning kick straight into his stomach.
Pfft! Bon Kurei flew backward like a broken kite. When he recovered, he pounded the ground: "You heartless, tearless, humorless steel straight man!"
"Hah?" Sanji tilted his head and blew out a smoke ring. "It's because your performance was too boring, isn't it?"
"What?!" Bon Kurei jumped up, his manicured fingers trembling with rage. "You dare say this lady's performance is boring?! My art has been honed through thousands of trials!"
He stomped his high heels furiously, his makeup warping from anger.
Sanji had already assumed a new stance: "If you want to fight, just fight. Stop with all this flashy nonsense."
"Hmph! Watch closely~" Bon Kurei twisted his waist, hands dancing in front of his face. "This lady will turn into a man you can't bear to hit because of friendship!"
Sanji, cigarette still in mouth, suddenly sharpened his gaze: "I see… I think I know what trick you're trying to pull."
Bon Kurei's facial muscles twisted strangely. In an instant, his face became Usopp's: "Hahaha Try hitting this lady now Pfft!"
Before he finished, Sanji's shoe slammed hard into his face: "You're the one who's always messing up the kitchen, aren't you!"
Bang! Fake Usopp hit the ground.
"Damn it!" Bon Kurei crawled up unwillingly. His face twisted again—this time into Luffy's.
Before he could steady himself, Sanji's rising kick sent him flying into the air: "You're the one who ate the reserve food in the hold, aren't you!"
"What the hell is wrong with this guy… what on earth did his crewmates do to make him so angry?" Bon Kurei, tumbling through the air, gritted his teeth and transformed again—this time into Zoro's face.
The instant that transformation happened, it was as if a switch flipped. Sanji's eyes flashed with cold light. He vanished from his spot. Just as Bon Kurei was about to land, he was met with a flowing series of chain kicks:
"Head meat!"
"Shoulder loin!"
"Rib meat!"
"Thigh meat!"
Each kick struck vital points precisely, keeping "Zoro" suspended in midair for over ten seconds before he crashed heavily to the ground.
"Phew~" Sanji elegantly retracted his leg, relit his cigarette, and showed a refreshed expression. "That felt good."
"You… bastard…" Bon Kurei, bruised and swollen, crawled up, still wearing Zoro's face, and roared: "This is your crewmate's face! What do you treat your friends as!"
Sanji took a deep drag of his cigarette. His gaze suddenly became profound: "Idiot… no matter whose face you copy, the essence is still you. I won't be fooled by such illusions." He jabbed a finger hard against his own chest. "The most important thing in a person… is this heart!"
Bon Kurei's pupils shrank sharply. The disguise on his face gradually faded: "A person's 'heart'… this guy!"
--------------------------
Support us on patreon (+Gain access to 100 chapters in advance)
patreon.com/inkshield