As the cameras broadcast the final victory of the three competitors throughout the coliseum, a tremendous roar rose from the stands. The spectators cheered for the victors who had accomplished what very few fighters before them had managed to do: defeat Cerberus, the legendary Guardian of the Underworld.
In the middle of the arena, still scarred by the battle's aftermath, with craters and lingering infernal flames scattered across the ground, Hades slowly stepped forward. Despite the smile on his face, his mere presence was enough to make the three winners uncomfortable.
Galdino swallowed nervously.
The god had certainly been smiling for several minutes now, but that didn't change the fact that they had reduced his demonic dog to a pile of wax-covered defeat.
"Hehehe..." Galdino laughed nervously. "Please tell me His Divine Majesty isn't the grudge-holding type..."
Hades raised an eyebrow.
"A grudge?"
The poor man instinctively took a step back.
Beside him, Hina maintained her usual composure but couldn't help adding:
"Hina also believes that question deserves an answer."
The God of the Underworld suddenly burst out laughing.
"Don't worry, my dears. My dog can be resurrected as many times as I want. I am the God of the Underworld, after all."
He snapped his fingers.
A massive pillar of blue flames erupted behind him, briefly engulfing Cerberus' remains before vanishing almost immediately.
"At this very moment, Cerberus is probably eating something in his kennel to get the taste of wax out of his mouth."
Galdino released such a powerful sigh of relief that he nearly collapsed to his knees.
"Ah, thank the gods... well... thank you, specifically."
Hades shook his head in amusement before turning his gaze toward me in my Sora appearance.
"You were right about their potential. I was wise to prepare the rewards in advance."
Hina crossed her arms.
"Hina is actually going to receive a reward in addition to surviving?"
I smiled faintly.
"I have a pact with this dear God of the Underworld. I occasionally provide him with interesting competitors for his tournaments. However, it's still a competition where participants risk their lives. Rewards are therefore provided."
I gestured toward the three winners.
"Since you participated despite certain unusual circumstances, I asked Hades to customize your rewards."
Galdino's eyes immediately lit up.
"Customized?"
"However, this is an exception."
His smile vanished instantly.
"Oh..."
"Future participants will receive standard rewards. Good rewards, but standard ones. At least for the Phil Cup."
The three competitors froze.
Even Hina immediately understood the implication.
"Hina hears something extremely concerning in that sentence."
I simply smiled.
"Who said there was only one cup?"
Across the world, behind the screens broadcasting the tournament, pirates, bounty hunters, adventurers, and fighters began thinking seriously. Many were already imagining themselves entering such competitions to obtain divine rewards. Of course, most of them had no idea that the difficulty of this simple Phil Cup already exceeded the abilities of nearly seventy percent of the world's population. Only the true monsters of the New World seemed capable of surviving it without much trouble.
Hades then spoke again.
"Let's begin with the generic reward."
Three copper tokens appeared in his hand. Each one was engraved with a crowned skull surrounded by blue flames.
"These are the badges of the Phil Cup champions."
He tossed one token to each winner.
"They will allow you to contact Sora in order to obtain priority access to a future competition."
I immediately continued:
"You will also be allowed to register a group of your choice alongside you. But only once. So choose carefully when to use that privilege."
My gaze then shifted toward Hina.
My smile disappeared.
The atmosphere instantly turned cold.
"I would also like to add a clarification."
"Any attempt at an ambush or betrayal will result in direct retaliation against your beloved Celestial Dragons."
Silence immediately fell over the arena.
"I will hunt them like livestock the moment they leave Mary Geoise."
"And the Marines will be held entirely responsible."
Even Galdino paled at the sudden shift in personality.
Hina remained silent for several seconds before finally nodding.
"Hina understands the message perfectly."
The atmosphere became lighter again when Zeus finally arrived. The King of the Gods seemed to be discussing something with someone off-camera before returning to us.
Several objects floated behind him, surrounded by a faint divine glow.
"Good. Now let's move on to the interesting rewards."
The first object rose into the air.
It was a magnificent necklace forged from black and gold metal, covered in delicate red runes.
"For the woman capable of creating metal bars."
Zeus tossed the item toward Hina.
"The Necklace of a Thousand Forges. Personally crafted by Hephaestus."
Hina caught it.
The instant her fingers touched the metal, a gentle warmth flowed through her body.
Her eyes widened slightly.
She could feel her power reacting.
Brief visions appeared in her mind: gigantic chains, fortified walls, massive pillars, defensive towers, and even metal bridges.
"Your constructs will become far more durable. And your creation abilities will go far beyond simple iron bars."
Hina immediately put on the necklace, and a faint smile appeared on her face.
An event rare enough to attract many curious glances.
"Hina greatly appreciates this gift."
"One important detail."
Zeus raised a finger.
"Only you can remove this necklace."
"And when you eventually die, its power will disappear with you."
Hina simply nodded.
"Hina thinks that's much better that way."
Zeus then tossed a pair of winged sandals. Captain Gun caught them awkwardly.
"The first sandals ever forged by Hermes."
I raised an eyebrow.
"The first ones?"
Zeus shrugged.
"Well, he had to start somewhere. They're not nearly as powerful as the models he uses nowadays."
The Heartless examined them curiously before putting them on under Zeus' amused gaze.
"But they will increase his speed and allow him to perform true flight over short distances."
I looked at Gun.
"That'll be more than enough. With proper training and Haki later on, he'll become formidable."
The Heartless immediately nodded and began performing a few aerial flips while testing his new sandals.
Then came the final reward.
Zeus tossed a glowing ring that I immediately recognized as nothing more than a basic Fire Ring.
I frowned slightly.
But Galdino didn't notice anything unusual.
Before the item could reach him, however, blue flames suddenly erupted.
Hades intercepted the ring.
"I'm disappointed, brother."
His flames intensified—not turning red with anger, but becoming a deeper, darker shade of blue.
"This gift is far below the others for the MVP of this tournament."
The ring gradually shifted from red to orange and finally to white.
Strange infernal runes slowly appeared across its surface.
Even Zeus watched the scene with surprise.
Hades smiled.
"That's better."
He tossed the ring toward Galdino, who caught it reflexively.
"Huh?"
"I noticed that your wax is particularly vulnerable to heat."
Galdino immediately grimaced.
"Unfortunately, yes..."
"Not anymore."
The God's eyes gleamed with amusement.
"As long as you wear this ring, your wax's resistance to fire will be increased tremendously."
Galdino froze.
"Excuse me?"
"Ordinary flames will barely melt it anymore. Only certain special flames... or truly monstrous temperatures... will still be able to affect it."
Galdino slowly slipped the ring onto his finger.
For a few seconds, nothing happened.
Then an unusual warmth began spreading through his hand before traveling up his arm.
His eyes widened.
The warmth wasn't painful.
On the contrary, it felt surprisingly pleasant.
A feeling of strength and stability seemed to spread throughout his entire body while the white ring, covered in infernal runes, glowed faintly.
At the same moment, he felt his Devil Fruit react.
The wax he could naturally produce seemed denser.
As if a weakness that had followed him his entire life had suddenly disappeared.
"I..."
His voice trembled slightly.
He stared at his hand for several seconds.
"I think I just became terrifying."
Hades immediately burst out laughing.
"Exactly!"
The God of the Underworld placed his hands on his hips with a satisfied grin.
"I hope to see you grow stronger and return to challenge my coliseum someday."
His smile widened even further.
"Although the next cup will be far more difficult than this one."
Galdino instantly turned pale.
"Excuse me?"
"Don't worry."
Hades waved a hand dismissively.
"It won't be available for a long time. You still have plenty of time to prepare."
The poor man seemed to regain a little color.
"Ah... for a second there, I thought you were going to make me fight two Cerberuses..."
Hades' grin widened.
"You only fought the easiest final opponent. Sora had to battle a Titan that would have trampled Cerberus without much effort."
He pointed toward me.
"You should be grateful that dear Sora convinced me to lower the difficulty to a reasonable level."
Galdino turned almost as white as his wax, trembling like a leaf.
Meanwhile, Hina looked at me with significantly more fear—and respect—in her eyes.
Hundreds of kilometers away, on a sunlit beach, Marianne burst out laughing at the broadcast screen installed near her.
Krieg crossed his arms.
"Your companion is really incapable of staying serious for more than five minutes."
"That's what makes him fun," Marianne replied with a smile.
"Sometimes I like teasing him by stealing his cakes while he's making grand speeches."
Back in the coliseum arena, Hina was still staring thoughtfully at the ring.
Then she slowly turned her head toward Galdino, who was still trembling.
Her expression was surprisingly serious.
"Hina would like to offer you a position in the Marines."
Galdino straightened slightly and blinked several times.
"Huh?"
"You are intelligent. You know how to plan. You helped neutralize Cerberus despite having less combat power than many other fighters."
She crossed her arms.
"Hina believes the Marines lack people capable of using their brains properly."
Galdino opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again.
"I... uh..."
Before he could answer, I immediately cut in.
"I can't just stand by and do nothing while someone I find very likable gets stolen away."
Hina gave me a flat look.
"Hina is not stealing anyone."
"Of course. Of course."
I turned toward Galdino.
"Galdino."
His attention immediately shifted back to me.
"I'm offering you a position recruiting participants for the coliseum."
I raised one finger.
"First, I'll provide you with a ship specifically designed for this mission."
"Second, a squad of Heartless to protect you and assist you in your work."
"And third, Captain Gun himself can become your traveling partner after I give both of you some additional training to improve your fundamentals."
The Heartless immediately straightened up with pride.
Galdino looked at the projections, then at me.
"That's... surprisingly generous."
I simply nodded.
"In exchange, I only ask that you approach interesting fighters and invite them to participate in the coliseum. You don't have to force them. After this broadcast, I'm sure plenty of people will want to join on their own."
Then I smiled slightly.
"And I'm also willing to help you fulfill a wish, within the limits of my abilities."
Silence settled over the arena.
This time, Galdino seemed genuinely thoughtful.
Beside him, Hina immediately realized she had lost.
Even if Galdino chose to cooperate with the Marines, she simply didn't have the authority necessary to compete with an offer like that.
Across the world, countless viewers watching the broadcast reached the same conclusion.
Sora wasn't merely recruiting a versatile fighter.
He was building an entire organization around the coliseum's battles.
Finally, Galdino raised his eyes toward me, and an honest smile appeared on his face.
"You know..."
He scratched the back of his head.
"I've never dreamed of glory."
He glanced toward one of the coliseum's cameras for a few seconds.
"I never wanted to become incredibly rich either."
His smile turned almost embarrassed.
"To be honest, I've only ever wanted one thing."
He pointed at his own chest.
"Security. But this world hates weakness, so I became strong enough to stay safe."
Even Hina seemed surprised by such honesty.
"I'm a professional coward," Galdino admitted. "That's why I'm so good with my Devil Fruit. Blocking, restraining, and controlling are perfect for self-defense."
Zeus burst out laughing.
"At least he's honest."
"I only go after people I'm absolutely certain I can beat," Galdino declared without the slightest shame.
And honestly?
I couldn't even argue with that.
I thought it was smart.
"Hina confirms that this perfectly matches the psychological profile observed."
"Thanks, Hina... I think." Galdino let out a sigh before continuing.
"So, as long as you can provide me with a way to escape when things go wrong... and as long as I can continue spending time with Marianne from time to time..."
His gaze briefly shifted toward one of the cameras.
Marianne was currently watching the broadcast, blushing slightly.
Then he looked me straight in the eyes.
"I don't mind working for you, but you'll have to negotiate my termination contract with my former boss."
He said it with a smile.
A smile immediately appeared on my face.
"Deal."
I extended my hand.
Galdino hesitated for a second before shaking it.
Across the world, the screens broadcast the scene.
For most spectators, it was just a simple handshake.
But to the more observant viewers, it looked far more like the official birth of a new branch within Sora's mysterious organization.
Deep within the deserts of Alabasta
A heavy silence filled the main hall of Rain Dinners Casino.
Crocodile stared at the screen without saying a word.
The smoke from his cigar slowly drifted toward the ceiling while the final images of the broadcast continued to play.
Then came Galdino's statement.
"I don't mind working for you, but you'll have to negotiate my termination contract with my former boss."
The silence lasted several long seconds.
Miss All Sunday slowly raised her eyes toward her employer.
Crocodile continued staring at the screen.
His cigar cracked slightly beneath the pressure of his teeth.
"That idiot... He really said that in front of the entire world."
Robin struggled to hide a smile.
"Technically, he didn't mention you by name."
"That's not the point."
Crocodile's voice darkened.
"He just asked that Sora negotiate with me. And if he manages to find me, I don't know if I'm capable of dealing with a monster like that. For all I know, he's on the same level as an Emperor."
A small sandstorm began swirling around the Shichibukai's arm.
Crocodile had absolutely no idea how he should react if Sora suddenly decided to visit Alabasta.
Just watching Krieg and Captain Gun fight had already shown him that Sora's subordinates were far stronger than his own.
"Get me every piece of information you can find about that coliseum."
Robin raised an eyebrow.
"You're considering participating?"
"No."
Crocodile crushed his cigar.
"I'm considering keeping him busy enough that he won't bother me. And contact Galdino the moment he gets out. Tell him I accept both his resignation and Marianne's without conditions."
At Marine Headquarters, the atmosphere was completely different.
Akainu suddenly stood up.
The desk trembled beneath the force of his fist.
"This is unacceptable!"
His face was twisted with anger.
"That criminal is openly recruiting people in front of the entire world!"
Several Vice Admirals wisely remained silent.
Akainu pointed at the screen.
"We know where he is!"
Magma began dripping from his arm.
"Send a fleet immediately!"
"Sakazuki."
Sengoku's calm voice instantly cut off his outburst.
The future Admiral clenched his teeth.
"What?"
Sengoku remained seated behind his desk.
"No."
A single word.
But firm enough to end the discussion immediately.
"This is not a decision we can make on our own."
Akainu frowned.
"He just threatened the Celestial Dragons."
"I know."
"He commands an army capable of destroying islands."
"I know."
"He is collaborating with entities we know absolutely nothing about."
"I know that as well."
Sengoku crossed his arms.
"Which is precisely why we must report this to the Five Elders."
Silence fell over the room.
Even Akainu didn't respond immediately.
"We do not know what this coliseum truly is."
Sengoku looked at the screen.
"We do not know what Hades and Zeus truly are."
His expression hardened.
"And we still do not know the full extent of Sora's power."
Even Akainu was unable to argue with that point.
"We will first speak with the Five Elders after hearing Vice Admiral Hina's report."
The Buddha let out a sigh.
"Only then will we decide whether a war is worth starting."
In the New World.
On Onigashima.
A thunderous roar of laughter shook the entire fortress.
"Worororororo!"
Kaido held a massive sake jug in one hand while the giant screen continued broadcasting the final images of the tournament.
King watched silently.
Queen was eating.
Jack waited for orders.
"This coliseum is becoming interesting."
Kaido took a long drink.
"Very interesting."
His grin widened.
"Fights to the death."
He pointed at the screen.
"Divine rewards."
Another gulp.
"And survivors who come back stronger."
The Yonko's smile became monstrous.
"That's exactly how you create monsters."
Jack immediately straightened.
"Lord Kaido?"
"Take all the weakest recruits."
The mammoth blinked.
"All of them?"
"All of them."
Kaido burst into laughter.
"Send them to participate in this Philoctetes Cup as soon as it reopens."
King slightly turned his head.
"You think they'll survive?"
"I don't care."
The answer came instantly.
The Yonko emptied his jug in a single gulp.
"If they die, they were useless."
A heavy silence settled over the room.
Then Kaido smiled.
"And if they survive..."
An overwhelming aura filled the hall.
"Then they'll finally deserve to bear the name of the Beasts Pirates."
Jack immediately nodded.
"It will be done."
Kaido looked at the screen one last time.
"Wororororo!"
His laughter echoed throughout Onigashima.
"Keep entertaining me, Sora!"
(Author's Note: And that's it for this little reaction chapter, everyone ^^ In the next episode: the creation of the Martial Arts Tournament—oops, wrong story.)