By the following morning, the Battle Royale Tournament officially commenced.
Compared to the original count of 556 participants, the number of entrants had exploded to 1,134. To expedite the selection of finalists, the rules were brutally simple.
The participants would be divided into six blocks: A, B, C, D, E, and F. Each block, consisting of 189 fighters, would engage in a massive free-for-all. In this first elimination round, the warriors would slaughter one another on the stage with no rules holding them back. Only the last person standing in each block would secure a ticket to the finals.
This meant that after the first round, only six out of the 1,134 entrants would move forward. In the final stage, they would be joined by five Diamante Army officers of the Donquixote Family, bringing the total to eleven combatants vying for the ultimate prize.
If a Donquixote officer emerged victorious, the Flame-Flame Fruit would remain with the family. But if a contestant won, they would claim the Devil Fruit, a treasure coveted by countless souls.
Naturally, to add to the chaos, both Vito and Cavendish had signed up for the fray.
Inside the Corrida Colosseum, led by a long-legged female staff member, an elderly man wearing a black hat, dark glasses, and a fluffy white beard entered the contestants' preparation room.
The sight of such an old man entering the room left many participants stunned. Since when did grandpas become so ambitious?
Some mocked him under their breath, while others ignored him entirely. Most, however, were busy sizing up the true powerhouses in the room, as famous names were appearing one after another.
"Damn it... so many monsters have shown up. Even an executive from the Chris Pirates is here!"
Dagama, a bald, obese man clutching twin swords, surveyed the room, cold sweat dripping down his face.
"This is unexpected! Dagama, your schemes might not work here. In the face of certain monsters, numbers mean nothing!" Elizabello II muttered, his expression grim as he adjusted the golden crown adorned with crosses on his short blond hair.
His red and blue cape fluttered slightly as he rhythmically threw punches into the air, warming up. He was already focusing his spirit, preparing to charge his world-renowned King Punch!
"Look! It's the Pirate Prince, 'White Horse' Cavendish! I heard he's the secret 'Kamaitachi of Rommel' that haunted the Rommel Kingdom!"
"And there's the Captain of the Triangle Pirates, 'Fanged Devil' Vito! That man is a Mythical Zoan user. He was the one behind the Meska Port Massacre three months ago! Rumor has it he was hunting a rookie crew and ended up leveling half the port during the fight, leaving over a thousand dead!"
Dagama watched Cavendish and Vito from the corner, fearfully recounting their deeds.
"That man is Sleiman the Executioner, a Class-A war criminal from the Battle of Dias!"
"Those are the Funk Brothers, notorious assassins from a neighboring kingdom! Even they came!"
"And the former bounty hunters, the masterminds behind the government facility bombings—Abdullah and Jeet!"
"The Admiral of the Yonta Maria Grand Fleet, the cunning 'Massacre Ruler,' Orlumbus!"
"The strongest of the Donquixote Family's recommended entrants, the brutal pirate with a bounty over a hundred million—'Hyena' Bellamy!"
"And look! The Swordmaster of the Aubrey Kingdom, the 11th-generation successor of the Cran Estoc Style, 'Flash Blade' Gergiel Haunger. That old man must be over sixty!"
"The lunatic rookie from a year ago, 'Cannibal' Bartolomeo! He's famous for his arrogant, unbridled personality. He's currently No. 1 on the 'Pirate We Most Wish Would Disappear' real-time rankings!"
"The Chinjao Family's Sai and Boo from the Kano Country! Ever since the former leader, Don Chinjao, died at the hands of 'Golden Ring' Aeridar during the Paramount War, the Happo Navy hasn't ventured much into the Grand Line. I didn't expect them to show up!"
"Wait... that outfit... he's from the Church of the Night. Could that man be the 'Night Werewolf,' Horkheimer Max? He's one of the three Obsidian Archbishops! To dare appear here while being hunted by the Chris Pirates... the allure of the Flame-Flame Fruit is truly terrifying!"
High-level experts were identified one by one, their backgrounds sending ripples of awe through the room.
For instance, Gergiel Haunger was known as the Aubrey Kingdom's finest swordsman. A man of rigid integrity and old-fashioned character, his disciples were scattered across the world. Even Marine Admiral Borsalino (Kizaru), Vice Admiral Gion (Momousagi), Onigumo, and Momonga had sought him out to hone their swordsmanship.
There were even rumors that long ago, the future Pirate King Roger and his first mate Rayleigh had visited him. Instead of hosting them, Gergiel reported them to the Marines, leading to a massive battle between the Roger Pirates and Garp's fleet within the Aubrey Kingdom.
As for Horkheimer Max, the Battle of the Bivins Kingdom had revealed the Church of the Night's hidden strength to the world. Combined with the relentless pursuit by the Chris Pirates, the Obsidian Archbishop's name had become legendary. This fame was bolstered by the 600-million-berry bounty the Chris Pirates had placed on his head within the Underworld.
"Just how many legends have gathered here from across the nations?"
"This isn't just a tournament; it's a full-scale war for a Devil Fruit!"
"The attraction is too strong. After all, it's the power of 'Fire Fist' Ace, a man with a 500-million-berry bounty!"
"And look at all those guys hiding their identities. I bet there are plenty of hidden masters among them!"
The low murmurs of the contestants turned the preparation room into a buzzing hive of tension.
In a quiet corner.
Vito and Cavendish sat on a bench near the weapon racks, scanning the room.
"Interesting, interesting... I see some 'old friends' are here too!" Vito grinned, a savage look in his eyes as he lingered on Horkheimer Max, Sai, and Boo for a few seconds.
The presence of familiar foes in such a massive tournament clearly thrilled him.
"This competition has drawn quite the crowd. I hope the Straw Hat boy and Roronoa really showed up. I intend to slaughter them this time and wash away my previous shame!" Cavendish hissed, crushing a rose in his hand with vengeful grip.
"Hahaha! We'll see who's faster then!" Vito laughed boisterously.
"Tch. Just make sure you don't get counter-killed by Straw Hat!" Cavendish sneered dismissively.
He then gracefully plucked the petals from a fresh rose and ate them one by one.
"Ah... he's so handsome!"
"Cavendish-sama... he's just too dreamyyy..."
"No... I can't... swoon..."
In the background, several female staff members were so overwhelmed by Cavendish's elegant movements that they actually fainted on the spot.
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