The sky was no longer blue.
It had been squeezed into a narrow sliver of light by the despair-inducing gray curtain.
Two-thirds of the once-vast island had already been swallowed whole.
The dense jungles and towering mountains that touched the gray mist instantly fell into deathlike silence.
Trees stopped growing.
Beasts stopped running.
Even the wind itself became lazy after entering the area, no longer flowing.
And within the remaining one-third safe zone, the very center of the island, the atmosphere was stretched taut like a string ready to snap.
This was the final living space.
The area had been silently divided into four sectors, each guarded by a terrifying monster waiting for prey to walk right into their hands.
These four individuals held over half of all the golden tokens in the arena.
Like four guardian deities, they completely blocked the path into the final circle.
Meanwhile, outside their territory, squeezed between the sloth zone and the safe area, more than twenty ragged, wounded contestants gathered inside a narrow canyon.
Each of them had eyes as vicious as starving wolves.
Every one of these people was a notorious New World powerhouse worth over a hundred million berries or a former regional tyrant.
Now they shared a new identity, newly promoted G-5 Commanders.
But at this moment, these commanders felt nothing but frustration and fury.
"Damn it… how are we supposed to play this?!"
A muscular man with a centipede-shaped scar across his face spat violently onto the ground while glaring at the advancing gray curtain behind them.
"In two more hours the zone will shrink into this canyon! Either we charge out, or we fall asleep and die here!"
"Charge? Charge where?"
A sinister-looking swordsman beside him slowly wiped down his blade and sneered.
"To the east? That tree-growing bastard's a Logia monster who can suck the life out of people. How much blood do you think you've got for him to drain?"
"To the west? That swordsman? 'Iron Hands' Baron tried sneaking through earlier and nearly got chopped into minced meat."
"And south? Hah. Anyone curious what getting a meteor smashed into your face feels like can go ahead."
Everyone fell silent.
Those three directions were basically death sentences.
"Then… what about the north?"
The centipede-scarred man narrowed his eyes and looked toward the sea of flames in the north.
"That pretty boy Shelby?"
"Sure, he's a Logia too… but didn't he only eat his Devil Fruit a few days ago?"
The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere inside the canyon shifted subtly.
Everyone's eyes flickered.
Like starving sharks finally smelling blood.
"That's right…"
A bounty hunter known as "Thousand Hands" Rog stepped out from the shadows.
He once carried a bounty of 400 million and had originally been considered a top contender in this tournament.
"That Shelby guy was only a Rear Admiral who relied on decent swordsmanship before."
Rog licked his lips greedily.
"Compared to the other three monsters who've been famous for years, this brat who just obtained power and is still drunk on it…"
"He's absolutely the weakest link."
"And I've been observing him."
Rog pointed toward the distant inferno.
"His flames are huge, but his control is sloppy. Most of the heat is being wasted for no reason."
"That means… he still hasn't fully adapted to the power."
"This is our chance!"
The centipede-scarred brute slapped his thigh and stood up, releasing a powerful burst of Armament Haki.
"Brothers! If we fight individually, we're finished!"
"But now we're all G-5 Commanders! We're all on the same ship!"
"If we work together…"
He swept his gaze across the crowd, his voice growing increasingly persuasive.
"Twenty-plus New World veterans skilled in Haki…"
"Against one rookie who just gained a Logia ability…"
"Even a Logia user will get beaten into shitting himself!!"
"As long as we take him down, steal his tokens, and occupy the northern territory, we'll make it into the finals!"
"And we'll get that five-billion-berry prize!!"
"So?! Are we doing this or not?!"
After a brief silence they steeled their resolve, "DO IT!!"
"Damn it, let's gamble everything!"
"I've hated that flashy pretty boy for ages!"
"Take all his tokens! Make him cry and run home to his mommy!"
Driven into a corner by survival pressure and enormous temptation, the desperate criminals instantly formed a sinister alliance.
A terrifying killing intent gathered inside the canyon.
All pointed north.
…..
"Oho?!"
Watching over twenty red dots suddenly gather and move north at high speed, Rehn immediately grabbed the microphone in excitement.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Sudden development! Sudden development!"
"At this critical moment as the sloth zone closes in, the surviving contestants who were previously fighting individually have chosen to band together!"
"And their target is crystal clear!"
Rehn switched the screen to the northern battlefield, zooming in on Shelby, who was currently floating in the air while fixing his hairstyle in a mirror.
"They've chosen our handsome newly crowned 'Flame Emperor', Rear Admiral Shelby, as their breakthrough point!!"
"What is this?! They're treating our Rear Admiral Shelby like the weakest soft target!"
"Twenty-three battle-hardened New World commanders are joining forces to hunt down a newly awakened Logia user!"
"This is going to be a collision worthy of his title!!"
The noblewomen in the audience screamed anxiously.
"No! How can they bully Lord Shelby like this?!"
"That's shameless! So many people against one!"
"Lord Shelby, run!!"
Meanwhile, the male audience pumped their fists excitedly.
"Beat him! Beat the hell out of him!"
"I've hated that smug poser! Smash his handsome face in!"
"Righteous group violence! This is the true charm of battle royales!"
…...
Shelby was still intoxicated by his newfound power.
With a casual wave, he turned a massive boulder into molten lava and nodded in satisfaction.
"This power… is truly magnificent."
"Once I fully master it, I'll become a monster like Aramaki."
Just then, RUMBLE RUMBLE!!
The ground suddenly began shaking violently.
Shelby frowned and turned around.
In the distance, clouds of dust surged skyward as more than twenty powerful figures charged toward him like a herd of maddened bulls.
"Hm? Those are…"
Shelby froze briefly before recognizing their faces.
"Thousand Hands" Rog.
"Backbreaker" Bart.
The "Poison Scorpion" sisters.
All elite contestants from the tournament, each possessing Haki and deadly special techniques.
"What are these guys trying to do?"
Before he could fully react, a murderous roar already echoed across the battlefield.
"You fire-playing pretty boy!! Hand over your golden tokens!!"
"Brothers! Attack together! Don't give him a chance to elementalize!!"
"Haki coverage! Prepare ranged attacks!!"
"TAKE HIM DOWN!!!!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Before even getting close, countless ranged attacks rained down,
Flying slashes, Haki bullets, even roaring shockwaves from transformed Zoan users, like a torrential storm crashing toward Shelby.
"What?!"
Shelby's face changed drastically.
He was arrogant, but not stupid.
Three or four opponents meant nothing.
But twenty-three?!
These were twenty-three hardened New World veterans!
"Flame Barrier!!"
Shelby reacted quickly, thrusting both hands forward as a gigantic wall of fire erupted upward.
BOOM!
The attacks exploded against the flames, scattering sparks everywhere.
But the wall lasted less than two seconds before being torn apart by the overwhelming barrage.
"Don't let him breathe! Charge in!!"
The centipede-scarred brute took the lead, his entire body coated in black Armament Haki as he smashed through the remaining flames like a tank.
"Armament: Centipede Charge!!"
"Damn it!"
Shelby had no choice but to draw Moonlit Beauty, coating it in both Haki and flames as he slashed forward.
"Pillar of Fire!!"
BANG!!
Sword and body collided with a metallic roar.
Though Shelby blocked the attack, the enormous impact still forced him backward over ten meters, leaving his arms numb.
"What monstrous strength…"
Before he could steady himself, a sinister wind struck from the side.
"Thousand Hands Dance!!"
The bounty hunter Rog had somehow already circled around his flank.
Dozens of Haki-coated throwing knives sealed every possible escape route.
"Damn it… there are too many!"
Shelby could only elementalize again, dispersing into flames to avoid the blades.
But the instant he reformed, a sharp sound split the air above him.
"We were waiting for exactly this moment!!"
Three martial arts experts descended simultaneously from above, six fists coated in advanced Armament Haki smashing directly into Shelby's newly reformed body.
BANG! BANG! BANG!!
"PUAH!!"
Shelby felt as if a giant hammer had smashed into his chest.
Blood sprayed from his mouth as he was sent flying like a kite with cut strings, crashing violently into a pile of rocks.
"Now!! Don't let him stand back up!!"
"Surround him! Chop him to death!!"
More than twenty people instantly swarmed forward, unleashing weapons and attacks into the crater without restraint.
The battlefield immediately turned into a one-sided beating.
…..
The audience in the broadcast plaza stared in shock.
"This is way too brutal…"
"He's getting completely beaten into the ground…"
"That Shelby guy… he's not actually going to die, is he?"
Even Rehn twitched awkwardly while commentating.
"Tsk tsk tsk… this is what they mean by 'two fists can't beat four hands.'"
"Although Rear Admiral Shelby gained a powerful Devil Fruit, he still hasn't mastered it. Against so many experienced veterans working together…"
"He's definitely struggling."
"But…"
Rehn glanced toward Renzo on the high platform.
Renzo remained expressionless.
He was even casually drinking juice.
"Looks like… Lord Renzo has no intention of intervening."
…
At the center of the battlefield.
"Cough… cough cough…"
Shelby lay at the bottom of the crater.
His white suit had become shredded rags.
His handsome face was bruised purple and blue, blood staining the corner of his mouth.
He looked utterly miserable.
Around him, twenty-three powerful fighters approached with savage grins.
"Hehehe… pretty boy, weren't you acting all arrogant earlier?"
The centipede-scarred brute stood atop a rock, looking down at Shelby.
"What happened to your poses now? Your elegance? Your 'Flame Emperor' title?"
"Hand over your tokens and maybe we'll leave you your underwear so you can exit with some dignity."
"Hahahahaha!"
The pirates burst into laughter.
Shelby wiped the blood from his lips and slowly stood up using his sword for support.
Looking at the wolf-like enemies surrounding him, a trace of unwillingness flashed in his eyes.
But more than anything, clarity.
Yes. Clarity.
After getting thoroughly beaten down, the arrogance caused by his newfound power had finally cooled completely.
"Twenty-three people… Haki, martial arts, coordination… all excellent."
Shelby rapidly analyzed the situation in his mind.
"If I ignite every flame in my body and unleash a suicidal 'Great Flame Emperor,' I might be able to drag them down with me."
"But…"
Shelby looked toward the distant highest Throne of God.
"That would be stupid."
"I'm going to become Lord Renzo's right-hand man."
"I'm someone destined to stand at the summit."
"How could I die here alongside a bunch of mad dogs risking their lives for fifty million berries?"
"Preserving my strength… is the optimal decision."
After reaching that conclusion, Shelby took a deep breath.
Then suddenly, he extinguished all the flames around him.
He even sheathed his sword and from his torn pocket, he pulled out…
A small white flag from who-knows-where.
"STOP!"
Shelby raised the white flag and shouted.
The crowd preparing their final attack froze in confusion.
"What? Begging for mercy?" Rog sneered.
Ignoring the mockery, Shelby straightened his nearly-falling bowtie.
Though battered and bruised, he still desperately maintained that damned elegance.
"Gentlemen."
His voice was weak, yet calm.
"You win."
"In this battle, my skills were inferior and my caution insufficient."
"This territory… belongs to you now."
As he spoke, Shelby decisively pulled three golden tokens from his coat and tossed them onto the ground.
"Toll fee."
"I won't fight you for this territory."
"And I won't risk my life here."
"I'm retreating."
"I'll leave this area to you as your safe zone."
The pirates stared at the tokens, then at Shelby, who had willingly lowered himself.
For a moment, they hesitated.
"Boss, he definitely still has more!" one subordinate greedily whispered.
"Idiot!"
The centipede-scarred brute slapped him across the head.
He was greedy but not stupid.
"If we truly corner him, a desperate Logia counterattack will kill at least half of us!"
"And…"
He looked into Shelby's eyes.
Though battered, they remained clear and focused.
"This guy… is preserving his strength."
"Since he's willing to step aside and even paid us…"
"Let him go!"
The brute made his decision.
Their goal was survival and advancement not mutual destruction with a Logia user.
"Fine! At least you know what's good for you!"
He picked up the tokens and waved his hand.
"Move aside!"
The encirclement opened.
Shelby didn't hesitate.
Nor did he say any dramatic nonsense about revenge.
He simply memorized all their faces.
Then transformed into a streak of flame and shot out of the encirclement without wasting a second, heading toward the edge of the battlefield,
The border between the sloth zone and the safe zone.
Dangerous, harsh, but empty.
…..
Several kilometers away, Shelby landed atop a scorching boulder, breathing heavily.
Looking at the celebrating crowd in the distance, a cold smile appeared on his lips.
"Laugh… go ahead and laugh."
"You think controlling the center makes you winners?"
"In this 'battle royale' game…"
"The last one standing… is the true winner."
"This retreat is for the sake of the final… winning blow."
He sat cross-legged and slowly began using the Flame-Flame Fruit to heal his body and accumulate strength.
Waiting for, the moment of the final battle.
…
Renzo watched Shelby's retreating figure on the screen.
Though battered and humiliated, Shelby's eyes were now brighter than before.
Renzo's hand paused briefly.
Then he nodded lightly.
"He knows when to advance and when to retreat."
"He wasn't blinded by anger."
"And he wasn't shackled by pointless pride."
"This kid…"
Renzo took a sip of juice.
"He's finally starting to show a bit of an Admiral's bearing."
"Looks like this beating…"
"Wasn't wasted after all."