This question was one that no one could possibly answer for Luffy.
Sanji, who had just gained immense power, was still lost in the wild joy of his newfound strength.
To be fair, even though Luffy hadn't figured out what the power of this "bloodline" truly represented, or what it meant, the boost it gave Sanji was nothing short of terrifying.
In just the blink of an eye, the once weakest member aboard the ship, Sanji, had risen to a level just below Robin and Brook.
Though his mental power attribute remained low, that didn't matter much.
After all, in the world of Gourmet Hunters, battles were fought and decided through sheer physical might. A weaker spirit didn't hinder much at all.
It was worth noting that Robin and Brook had been with Luffy the longest.
Over the years, like Luffy himself, they'd grown somewhat complacent in their training, but that was only because they had long since reached a level of strength where nothing around them posed a threat.
With such power, it was natural for their attention to drift elsewhere.
That alone showed how terrifying the D bloodline truly was.
No wonder there wasn't a single person bearing the initial D who could be called "normal."
Perhaps, once you inherited that bloodline, even if you wanted to live an ordinary life the blood flowing in your veins would never allow it.
"Sanji!"
"Wanna test out that new strength of yours?"
Luffy turned toward Sanji, whose face was still glowing with delight, and suddenly asked.
"Wh-what?"
Sanji blinked, clearly not following what Luffy meant.
Beside him, Zoro spoke up in his usual calm tone.
"That's not a bad idea. Power like that's hard to control right away."
"A bit of exercise might help him get used to it."
As he spoke, Zoro rolled his neck twice,
crack, crack, the sharp sound echoing as his fighting spirit began to rise.
After all, everyone could feel how much Sanji's strength had grown.
Luffy and the two women rarely took part in combat practice.
Brook was obsessed with his music.
Koby and Usopp weren't qualified yet.
At this moment, Zoro seemed like the most suitable one to help Sanji test his new abilities.
========
But before Zoro could take a step forward, a calm yet humorous voice suddenly broke the silence.
"Yohohoho~ Mr. Zoro…"
"How about this time… you let me help Mr. Sanji instead?"
Zoro turned, eyes narrowing in surprise at the speaker, Brook.
Brook volunteering for a spar caught everyone off guard.
Normally, the skeletal musician spent all his time composing and playing music, his every word and gesture marked by grace and politeness a perfect gentleman through and through.
He had never shown any interest in battle, nor participated in a single training session.
Luffy had never minded that, of course.
After all, his own strength was enough to shelter his crew under a vast, blue sky.
Every crewmate had their own interests and pursuits.
As long as they were happy, that was all that mattered to him.
But it seemed… not everyone on this ship shared Luffy's relaxed outlook.
========
During their nearly three years of peaceful life in the Goa Kingdom,Brook, Robin, and Nami had grown used to leisure and comfort days without danger, without pressure.
Since Luffy himself was a carefree soul, everyone's happiness came first.
But after Zoro awakened… things began to change.
Zoro was the kind of man who never stopped moving forward.
He had his own path, his own ambition, unlike Brook, who had fulfilled his dream, or Robin and Nami, who simply wanted to stay by Luffy's side.
This difference had made Zoro a bit distant from those three.
Especially after Koby joined the crew, he and Zoro formed what everyone jokingly called the "Suicide Squad."
Every day, they pushed themselves to their physical limits.
Everyone noticed this, but no one felt the need to intervene.
Then came Usopp, the glue binding these two contrasting groups together.
Despite his boasting, deep down he always placed himself below everyone else.
His silly antics and jokes often drew genuine laughter from the entire crew keeping the atmosphere lighthearted and warm.
And so, even though everyone aboard the Starry Sky Pirates had their own goals and routines the crew remained harmonious and tightly knit.
========
That was, until today.
To everyone's surprise, even the playful Usopp had been training through the night in the practice room.
Sanji, the newest member, had exploded with terrifying power
And with Zoro and Koby improving by the day,
Brook, Robin, and Nami finally began to feel a subtle pressure rising within them.
It was the same feeling Luffy had the night before the urge to grow stronger.
But unlike Luffy, whose curiosity had been sparked by the mysteries hidden deep within the world,
Brook and the others were motivated by something else entirely the younger generation of the Starry Sky Pirates had completely reignited their competitive fire.
They suddenly realized just how long it had been since they'd trained seriously.
How long they had simply drifted, content with the present.
As the oldest among them, Brook was the first to truly wake up to this truth.
If this continues… this ship may no longer need me.
That realization struck deep.
And so, for this battle, Brook decided he had to step up.
========
The hall fell silent for a brief moment.
Usopp and Koby, who hadn't yet grasped what was going on, simply stared at each other, wide-eyed, too nervous to speak, unsure why the atmosphere had suddenly turned so tense.
"Alright then!"
After exchanging a quick look with Robin and Nami, Luffy suddenly grinned.
He never wanted to force his friends into doing anything but a little friendly competition that drove everyone to become stronger together… wasn't that a great thing?
Zoro smirked faintly, understanding Brook's intent.
He slowly stepped back, giving the opportunity to his old comrade.
Their personalities were wildly different but they were still family.
Seeing Brook finally take the initiative to pursue strength again filled Zoro, as vice-captain, with quiet satisfaction.
Once Luffy gave his approval, Brook stepped forward, smiling politely at Sanji.
"Well then, Mr. Sanji, shall we?"
"That's… more than fine by me!"
The sudden surge of power had filled Sanji with renewed confidence.
He didn't know exactly where he now stood among the Starry Sky Pirates, but if he ever met that East Blue warlord, Don Krieg, again, he'd proudly raise a finger and say:
"I'll take on ten of you!"
========
The training room's interior was vast, expanded by mysterious spatial technology, almost as large as a small island.
Every wall was incredibly durable, reinforced by what seemed like the power of laws themselves.
Even Zoro's strongest attacks had yet to leave so much as a scratch.
Rows of training equipment lined the walls, comprehensive, well-crafted, and endlessly varied.
It truly deserved the name Training Room.
After a relaxed breakfast, everyone gathered there, spirits high.
After all, while battle was important, three meals a day were non-negotiable.
Luffy and the others stood near the door, watching from the edge of the room.
Sanji and Brook walked slowly to the center.
Even though there was some distance between them for people of their level, it was negligible.
========
"Well then, Mr. Sanji…"
As Brook took his position, his aura suddenly changed.
The friendly musician vanished, replaced by a cold, grim presence that seemed to seep up from the depths of the underworld itself.
"Shall we begin?"
Though his tone hadn't changed,
Sanji felt an inexplicable chill crawl up his spine.
It was as if…he was staring into the face of a reaper, a guide from the underworld come to lead his soul into the endless abyss.
"Y-yes… we can start…"
Sanji stammered, a drop of cold sweat sliding down his temple.
His earlier confidence evaporated in an instant.
The overwhelming power of the old guard pressed down on him like a mountain.
The fight hadn't even begun, and yet, Brook's very presence was already suffocating.
At that moment, Sanji realized he had seriously underestimated the Starry Sky Pirates.
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