"Ptu! You brainless brute... the Flame-Flame Fruit is as good as mine!"
Kohl Goff spat out a glob of bloody phlegm as he struggled to his feet. Wiping the gore from the corner of his mouth, he glared ferociously at Burgess.
Ever since the death of Whitebeard, Edward Newgate's former territories had become a feeding ground for countless pirates. Goff had naturally stepped in to claim his share of the spoils. However, once the Blackbeard Pirates entered the New World and decisively crushed the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates, they began a ruthless campaign against any pirate crews occupying those lands.
After several brutal skirmishes, Goff's Totem Pirates were defeated and forced to flee, yet the Blackbeard Pirates remained relentless in their pursuit.
Four months ago, on a desolate island, Goff's crew had a chance encounter with Burgess's First Ship fleet, leading to a localized war. Goff and Burgess had fought for a full day and night without a clear victor; eventually, both sides suffered heavy casualties and were forced to retreat.
"In your dreams! The Flame-Flame Fruit belongs to me, and this time, I'm definitely taking your head!" Burgess shouted, brandishing his massive, muscular arms.
"Try it if you can! That fruit is my only way out!" Goff growled, leaning forward into a low, aggressive stance.
He knew that if he could obtain the power of the Flame-Flame Fruit, his strength would skyrocket, and he would no longer have to live in fear of Blackbeard's pursuit.
"Let me send you flying! Shockwave Elbow!!!" Burgess roared. His arm vibrated at high frequency as he drove his elbow forward like a heavy lance. At the same time, a jet-black sheen coated his steel elbow pad.
Goff's expression turned grim. He gripped his spear with both hands and let out a low shout: "I'm not afraid of you! Armament: Hardening!!!"
An invisible flow of Haki instantly encased the entire steel spear, giving it a dark, metallic luster. Goff lunged forward, thrusting the weapon with everything he had. The air shrieked and then detonated in a ring of white vapor as the tip broke the sound barrier.
Great Bird: Onslaught!!!
In the blink of an eye, the sharp spear-tip slammed into the blackened steel elbow pad with a thunderous CLANG.
RUMBLE... RUMBLE...
The shockwave from the collision erupted instantly. Ripples of distorted air spiraled outward from the pair, causing the entire Colosseum to sway violently. A fierce gale swept through the arena, forcing spectators to cling to their stone seats to avoid being blown away.
"W-What incredible power...! The two contestants are locked in a desperate struggle...!" Gatz shouted, his knuckles white as he gripped his announcer's desk.
At this point, however, no one was listening to the commentary.
In the VIP section, Dimitri sat tall, shielding his eyes from the swirling dust. His face was set in a serious line as he muttered to himself, "Jesus Burgess of the Blackbeard Pirates... and now Kohl Goff. I wonder how many more monsters are hiding among these 'anonymous' participants?"
Meanwhile, in the general stands, two figures cloaked in black robes sat side-by-side. Beneath the hoods, one was a large dog wearing sunglasses, and the other was a strange cat with a thick golden mane. They were Minks.
"Just the first round and a fighter of this caliber appears," the dog in sunglasses remarked. "It seems Shishilian and Pedro might not even make it to the finals at this rate."
This was Duke Inuarashi, one of the two rulers of the Mokomo Dukedom, Duke of the Duchy, and the Ruler of Day!
"If I'd known it would be this fun, I should have entered myself, nya!" The cat grinned, puffing on a long pipe and revealing a mouth full of fangs.
This was Master Nekomamushi, the other ruler of the Mokomo Dukedom, Guardian of the Whale Forest, and the Ruler of Night!
"Stop talking nonsense. Our goal isn't the Flame-Flame Fruit, you old monster cat," Inuarashi said sternly.
"I know, I know. Besides, the Chris Pirates have executives participating too, don't they?" Nekomamushi said with a predatory glint in his eyes. "Vito, and that Cavendish fellow... if I were out there, I'd love to take a bite out of them on that stage!"
Back on the ring, Burgess and Goff reached a stalemate. Realizing neither could overpower the other in a test of pure strength, they simultaneously broke off and leaped backward. The ground where they had just stood was a spiderweb of cracks, looking like a shattered porcelain tile.
But they didn't stay apart for long. Within seconds, they lunged at each other again, clashing in a blur of violence. Both were power-type fighters; every move was laden with immense force. Shockwaves rippled through the air with every collision, and the stage was rapidly being reduced to rubble.
"Galleon Lariat!!!"
Burgess charged, swinging his elbow in a horizontal arc. The sheer force compressed the air into a crescent-shaped shockwave that sliced forward like a scimitar.
Goff reacted instantly, leaping high into the air to narrowly avoid the strike.
BOOM!
The crescent shockwave slammed into the base of the spectator stands. With a thunderous roar, a massive, fifty-meter-long gouge was carved into the thick stone wall, exposing the interior infrastructure of the Colosseum.
The audience screamed in terror as the arena shook. Those sitting directly above the new chasm were nearly frightened out of their wits.
"Hey! Watch where you're aiming, you bastard!"
"Goff-sama, take this jerk down!"
"Kill him!"
The crowd's cheers turned into curses.
"Wiiihahaha!" Burgess laughed, arms raised, completely indifferent to the collateral damage.
High in the air, Goff adjusted his stance, gripping his spear with both hands in a diving thrust. He plummeted toward Burgess like a falling star, the friction of his descent creating a visible, glowing gale.
Great Bird: King Bird!!!
Burgess stopped laughing. His eyes widened as he scrambled to dodge to the side.
CRASH!
Goff slammed into the stage. His steel spear, propelled by the force of the fall and his own monstrous strength, pierced the stone as if it were soft tofu, burying more than half its length into the ground.
Seizing the opening, Burgess planted his feet. His right arm began to hum and vibrate once more, steam rising as ripples of air distorted around him.
"Shockwave Elbow!!!"
With a roar of fury, Burgess lunged.
"Damn!" Goff gasped. The spear was stuck, and the concussive wind of the incoming strike was already lashing his face.
WHAM!
Burgess's elbow slammed flush into Goff's chest. The air vibrated violently as the impact detonated, sending Goff hurtling backward like a cannonball.
BOOM!
A black blur streaked across the arena and smashed into the spectator wall, kicking up a massive cloud of debris and dust.
On the stage, only Burgess remained standing next to a lone spear embedded in the cracked stone. When the dust finally settled, a ten-meter-wide crater was visible in the stands, with Kohl Goff buried deep within the rubble, unconscious.
"Kohl Goff is out!" Gatz screamed into the microphone, his voice reaching a crescendo. "The victor of Block A has been decided! He is—JESUS BURGESS!!!"