Today, even the sun seemed brighter than usual, and the sea breeze carried a strange element, frenzy.
The massive G-5 fortress had transformed into an unparalleled arena upon the sea.
Tens of thousands of spectators packed the stands, colorful banners covering the sky.
Directly opposite the fortress, a gigantic holographic screen, large enough to rival dozens of cinema screens, displayed in real time the distant, fog-shrouded island: Island of the End
"If you desire wealth, there are hundreds of billions of Beli here!"
"If you desire power, there are Marine officer capes waiting!"
"If you desire strength, there is the most vicious Logia Devil Fruit in history!"
"Now!! Tell me!! Are you ready to welcome a slaughter feast worthy of history?!!"
On the commentary stage, Rehn wore a crimson tailcoat woven with gold threads and embedded with diamonds, shining like a living flare.
His roaring voice blasted through the entire island via speaker snails.
"OOOOOOOOOOH!!"
The crowd answered like a tsunami.
VIP Viewing Area, Sky Garden
Only true powerhouses could enter here.
Donquixote Doflamingo sat cross-legged, swirling wine in a glass.
"Fufufufu… what a grand spectacle."
"Turning a selection test into something bigger than the World Council… Renzo really knows how to manipulate people, and wallets."
Behind him, Trebol sniffled.
"Doffy… the odds for that 'Silver Light' kid are high. Should we-"
"Idiot. He's Renzo's man, of course the odds are high."
Doflamingo smirked.
"But I'm more curious who ends up with that Dark-Dark Fruit…"
Nearby, Stussy sipped tea gracefully.
"More than the match… I'm curious how that Admiral will appear."
"Since everyone is so impatient…"
Rehn turned dramatically toward the empty golden throne.
"First, let us welcome our most honored guest! The Marine's highest authority! The light of justice! The Fleet Admiral-"
"KIZARU!!!"
Before he finished, a blinding cross-shaped light erupted in the sky.
Golden particles rained down like meteors!
"Yasakani… fireworks!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The light exploded into dazzling golden fireworks.
From within, Borsalino descended lazily, hands in pockets, wearing his justice coat.
"Hello everyone~."
"The sun today is quite dazzling~."
"Just like… your enthusiasm."
"FLEET ADMIRAL!! FLEET ADMIRAL!! FLEET ADMIRAL!!"
The Marines below were in tears.
"But~" Borsalino smiled, stepping aside.
"I'm just a spectator today~."
"The real star… is someone even lazier than me~."
Lights went out.
A single soft spotlight illuminated the sky.
No one walked out.
Instead, a floating bed made of clouds and silk drifted forward.
On it, Renzo layed sideways, drinking juice through a straw.
Monet fanned him. Uta fed him grapes.
The crowd froze.
Other strong figures make grand entrances.
This man… brought his bedroom.
"Too noisy…"
Renzo's voice echoed lazily.
"Rehn… wasn't this supposed to be simple?"
"Lord! This is your moment!"
Rehn shouted, "Please declare the start!"
Renzo sighed, as if even moving was tiring.
Then he slowly sat up.
The entire arena… went silent.
A strange pressure spread.
Not Haki, something heavier.
The air itself felt thick and sluggish.
Renzo removed his sunglasses his gray eyes swept the crowd, then fixed on the distant island.
"Since you're here…"
"Let's play a game."
He raised one hand toward the island.
"I hate trouble."
"So to speed things up… and quiet things down…"
His lips moved, "Slothful Haven, God's Sigh."
BZZZZZZ
For a moment, the world lost color.
Then, a visible gray substance surged from his palm.
Not smoke. Not light.
Something… conceptual.
Heavy. Liquid. Oppressive.
It crossed dozens of miles instantly, and descended upon the Island of the End.
No explosion but, everything… slowed.
Leaves stopped moving, waves thickened like, and birds froze mid-air.
The gray spread, forming a massive translucent dome over the island.
Even through the screen, people felt it.
Their eyelids grew heavy.
Their bodies weak, carrying a suffocating urge to sleep.
"…That's…!"
Doflamingo crushed his glass.
"Turning laziness into reality… even rewriting an island's rules?!"
"…So this is his true power?!"
"So scary~…"
Borsalino muttered, eyes serious.
"In that density… even thinking would slow down~."
"Renzo-kun… truly is a monster~."
Renzo lay back down.
"That's the 'zone.'"
"If you don't resist, you fall asleep."
"And if you sleep…"
He smirked, "You're out."
"The zone is only at the edges for now. It will shrink."
"Try not to fall asleep~."
He waved lazily.
"Rehn… drop them in."
"YES, MY LORD!!!"
Rehn slammed a red button.
At the harbor, 66 launch pods ignited.
Inside them, the contestants.
"FIRE!!"
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
The capsules shot into the sky like meteors, crashing into the gray domain.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Capsules landed.
Doors burst open.
Fire, blades, poison, gravity,
Power erupted instantly.
Shelby stepped out, flames flickering, but weakened.
Sleep crept in.
"So this is… his power?"
He bit his tongue to stay awake.
"…This is exhilarating!!"
Nearby, Issho landed calmly.
"…Such heavy pressure… even my gravity feels light compared to this."
Blake, Galorn, Balger,
All realized the same thing: This lazy admiral… was crushing them effortlessly.
Rehn's voice echoed through the fog, "Welcome… to the Island of the End!"
"Above you, God's Sigh!"
"Below you, a battlefield!"
"For money! For power! For the Dark-Dark Fruit!"
"RUN! FIGHT!!"
"THE GAME… BEGINS!!!"
The gray island exploded with power.
Flames. Sword strikes. Poison clouds. Gravity fields.
A brutal battle royale erupted.
On his floating throne, Renzo lay with eyes closed.
Listening to distant explosions.
A faint smile formed.
"…Now this is interesting."
"Monet… I want ice cream."
"Yes, my lord."
...
30 Chapters in [email protected]/DaoistJinzu