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Chapter 424: Myriad Heavens Battle Royale
Marco shook out his slightly aching wrist as the blue Flames of Regeneration gradually extinguished. The deep, bone-exposing wound on Garp's left shoulder had already formed a layer of fresh, pink flesh. With the foundation of the Six Paths: Yang Power still present, combined with the Phoenix's flames, his life was completely secured.
"Alright," Marco said, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Don't punch with full force for half a month. The bone hasn't fully set yet."
The moment the words left his mouth, Garp swung his left arm through the air in two forceful circles, generating a gust of wind that knocked over empty bottles on the adjacent table.
"Doesn't hurt anymore!" Garp split into a wide grin. "That roast bird's fire is pretty handy!"
Marco rolled his eyes and walked back to Whitebeard's side. This old man is simply a monster.
Sengoku sat at a round table in the corner, pinching a crumpled military expense report. His golden Buddha hair looked significantly dimmer. The three hundred million Beri he had just paid out felt like a piece of flesh carved straight from his heart. Coupled with the five hundred million spent on the High-Tier Dungeon for the five of them, the Marine Headquarters' vault was already half empty.
"I need to figure out how to get some cash," Sengoku muttered, rubbing his temples.
Sitting across from him, Akainu crossed his legs. The Mangekyo Sharingan in his right eye spun slowly, radiating an unconcealable hostility.
"That's hardly a challenge," Akainu sneered, blowing out a cloud of cigar smoke. "Head straight into the New World and wipe out a few pirate strongholds. Those great pirates in the New World are all swimming in wealth. Confiscate everything, and our military budget is solved."
Akainu didn't bother lowering his voice. His words echoed crystal clear throughout the entire tavern.
Shanks' hand froze mid-air while holding his glass. Benn Beckman pulled out his flintlock and cocked it with a sharp click. Whitebeard placed his massive wine bowl down, slamming the butt of his Murakumogiri heavily against the wooden floorboards.
"Gurararara." Whitebeard stared at Akainu. "Magma brat, whose stronghold were you planning on wiping out?"
Doflamingo, meanwhile, was shaking with laughter, casually playing with a few transparent strings around his fingers.
The atmosphere in the tavern was on the verge of turning hostile once more. This group had just gained monumental benefits from the dungeons. With their strength skyrocketing, they were all itching for a fight.
Akainu stood up, magma and the black flames of Amaterasu weaving together down his right arm. The temperature rose so fast the air itself began to distort. "What, you have a problem with that?" Akainu sneered.
Just then, the crisp sound of shattering glass came from behind the bar. Blake, holding a cleaning rag, stared expressionlessly at Akainu.
"That was the last crystal goblet in the shop," Blake said, pointing at the puddle of glass shards on the floor. "It exploded from your heat."
The violent aura surrounding Akainu instantly fizzled out. He coughed awkwardly and silently sat back down in his chair. "Put it on the Fleet Admiral's tab," Akainu muttered, turning his head away.
Sengoku nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood.
Blake noted the charge in his ledger, then knocked on the wooden bar. "Alright, stop glaring at each other. Since you're all so interested in High-Tier Dungeons, let me say a few words."
Everyone in the tavern instantly perked up their ears. Even Kaido, who was outside cleaning the windows, paused his scrubbing.
"That gal with the lump who was just here said she wanted to book the next High-Tier Dungeon, and she already paid for it." Blake patted the sack of premium Seastone Ore on the counter. "Therefore, High-Tier Dungeons will be closed to the public for the next month."
Upon hearing this, Shanks' face fell entirely. He had finally stepped out from the shadow of One Punch Man and was just about to scrape enough money together to wash away his humiliation.
"Boss Blake!" Shanks exclaimed frantically. "I already have the check ready!"
"I can't break the rules," Blake waved his hand. "First come, first served. However..." Blake dragged out the syllable, hooking everyone's appetite once more. "Just because the High-Tier Dungeons are closed doesn't mean there aren't other ways to play."
Blake snapped his fingers. The massive black screen on the tavern wall flickered to life, displaying a line of blood-red text.
[Indiscriminate Brawl: Myriad Heavens Battle Royale]
"What's this?" Sengoku adjusted his reading glasses.
"A 100-Player Arena," Blake said, taking a sip of his coffee. "You can think of it as a massive amalgamation of Low-Tier Dungeons. Tickets are only ten million Beri per person."
"Everyone—whether you're the Marine Fleet Admiral or an Emperor of the Sea—once you enter, all Devil Fruit abilities, Haki, and previous dungeon rewards will be completely sealed. You will be dropped onto a massive island. You will have to rely entirely on scavenging otherworldly weapons and skill books scattered across the island to fight."
"The sole victor who survives to the very end will not only regain their original power, but they will also receive a God-Tier reward from a power system of their choosing."
The tavern was terrifyingly silent. The only sound was Doflamingo gulping loudly.
"Everything sealed?" Aokiji scratched his curly hair. "Arara... You mean once we go in, we'll all just be normal people?"
"Exactly," Blake nodded.
"Fighting by scavenging for gear?" Kizaru stroked his chin. "How terrifying... that sounds quite interesting."
Shanks flexed his right hand, and his eyes lit up. He didn't rely on Devil Fruits; his style was built entirely on physical prowess and swordsmanship. Even with his Haki sealed, his battle instincts alone made this an absolute perfect opportunity to prove himself.
"I'm signing up!" Shanks slapped a hundred-million-Beri check onto the table. "Count our whole crew in!"
"Count this old man in!" Garp raised his right arm, which was still wrapped in bandages.
Akainu and Sengoku exchanged a look. A perfectly legitimate opportunity to eliminate the Emperors without having to worry about their freakish abilities? They absolutely could not pass this up. The five powerhouse of the Marines raised their hands in unison.
Whitebeard stroked his crescent-moon mustache. "Interesting." He chuckled. "Marco, go get the money."
"Oh, right." Blake tapped the blackboard. "This brawl uses a four-person squad format. You'll have to find your own teammates to party up. The squad that survives to the end will all receive the clear reward."
As soon as that rule was announced, factions immediately began to form inside the tavern. The Marines happened to have five people. Sengoku glanced at his empty wallet.
"This old man will sit this one out," Sengoku sighed. "Someone has to stay out here and keep an eye on you troublemakers."
Garp, Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji formed a team. On paper, this was undoubtedly the most terrifying lineup in the entire room.
Shanks immediately called out Benn Beckman, Yasopp, and Lucky Roux.
Whitebeard picked Marco, Jozu, and Vista.
Kaido dropped his mop and charged over. "Worororo! I'm going too!" he roared. "I've been sick of mopping this damn floor anyway!" He snatched a ticket, looking around. None of the Lead Performers of the Beast Pirates were in Foosha Village right now; King and Queen were still back in the New World guarding their territory.
Doflamingo strutted over with his arrogant swagger. "Fufufufu, Boss Kaido, care to team up?" He pushed up his pink feather coat. He had his eyes on Kaido's freakish Oni physique, which would still be formidable even without his Devil Fruit. In the early game, before they found gear, Kaido would serve as an excellent meat shield. More importantly, Doflamingo could scavenge some top-tier equipment inside to smuggle out and sell.
Kaido threw him a sideways glance. "Just don't drag me down." He grunted his acceptance.
Just as everyone was arguing until they were red in the face over the remaining spots for the battle royale, an incredibly arrogant burst of laughter echoed from the street outside.
"Hahaha! So this is the famous Foosha Village of the East Blue!?" A gruff voice drifted into the tavern on the sea breeze. "I heard there's some kind of treasure here that can make people stronger! Where's the mayor of this village!? Get out here and hand it over to me!"
Accompanied by the shouting was the distinct clatter of drawn swords. The previously rowdy crowd inside the tavern abruptly fell silent. Everyone turned their heads in unison, staring at the half-open wooden door of the bar.
Doflamingo adjusted his sunglasses, a grin stretching from ear to ear. "Fufufufu... I wonder which ignorant rookie it is, daring to speak so loudly in Foosha Village."
Outside, a heavily built man standing nearly three meters tall was carrying a massive battleaxe. He violently kicked over a fruit stand on the side of the road.
His name was "Mad Axe" Doug, a pirate with a bounty of 280 million Beri who had just escaped from the first half of the Grand Line. He had absolutely no idea what kind of monsters were currently sitting inside this little village.
Doug looked at the wooden sign nailed near the tavern's entrance. On it were the words: 『 NO WEAPONS 』
"Pah!" Doug spat a thick glob of phlegm right onto the sign. He swung his massive battleaxe, cleaving the wooden board cleanly in two.
Crack. The sound of splintering wood was exceptionally loud in the quiet street.
"To hell with 『 NO WEAPONS 』!" Doug laughed maniacally. "In front of this axe that's chopped down thirty Marine Commodores, rules are nothing but bullshit!"
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