"Without Toy Soldier's help, I would not have been here now. He saved me back then, and I still feel like we inherited his spirit, those whom he helped still recall what he did for them."
Viola remembered the past. She remembered falling to the ground, trying to hide. She hid from Diamante. They didn't recognize it was she who'd done the crime. However, even so, they'd seen the outline of the culprit running away in the rain. And the one who arrived to defend her was a tin toy. The arrival was a Toy Soldier. Viola remembered this toy had helped her constantly in the past. However, she had no memories of why he was so attentive towards her. This toy went missing for long periods, usually just appearing a few times a year in her presence to help her with something or just to discuss. Viola felt his presence to be calming, almost reminding her of the warmth of her late sister.
It was a mistake that he witnessed her running away from her crime, trying to poison Doffy. It was for that reason Diamante found Toy Soldier instead of her. The vile Diamante was one leader of Doffy's army. A man Viola hated since the very beginning because he killed her older sister.
"I later discovered that he was taking care of my niece. Rebecca, it's still locked within the corrida Colosseum, she's treated as a slave by the Kingdom, and she has no choice but to fight the Colosseum matches till she dies. Out of those who survived from the Royal family, they dealt my niece Rebecca the worst fate of all. I just had to sleep with a man and fight for him. They gave me all the riches and all the comfort while my niece Rebecca needed to fight on tile floors, wore degrading armor, and they forced her to fight and sleep with men who didn't like her one bit. So, if I am looking to kill Doflamingo and get my revenge, then those feelings must be even stronger within my niece."
Rebecca did not know of her family's circumstances until it was too late. Viola's older sister Scarlet did not want her connection to the Royal family to be known after she married an unknown man. So, Rebecca did not know of the Royal family and the old dynasty as she was growing up. Regardless of Rebecca's innocence, they treated her as the one whom everyone should hate. She was the old symbol of the previous dynasty, an object to be hated and spit upon. Today, people build fabric dolls of the old king and throw stones or hit them with a hammer or something similar on the day of that tragedy ten years ago. It is a new tradition that was propagated and done on the anniversary of that disaster. Rebecca had dolls made of her as well, and the citizens of Dressrosa thrashed them in the holiday of remembrance for the tragedy ten years ago.
Viola was pale as she told them this. Baby 5 identified with Viola and Rebecca. She never knew how hard these two princesses lived. The princesses of the old dynasty faced grief. It made Baby 5 realize that sometimes, a Kingdom like Dressrosa drew in eyes that thought this land was a tropical paradise. But it was sometimes hell for those near her. Not to mention the toys, forgotten adults, children, and even animals being forced into labor by a terrifying power that made everyone forget who they were. The population of toys that worked on Dressrosa like slaves was immense. They worked like slaves because they were toys, and nobody recognized them as humans even though they could talk and have feelings and attachments. Nobody cared about the toys of Dressrosa. The toys were just scenery, something cool to look at and interact with, even to the citizens. Nothing more, nothing else.
"So, you suffer through all that? Makes my suffering seem light." Baby 5 commented as she lit up a cigarette in her mouth.
"No, just because I'm speaking like this doesn't mean that you or anyone else need to pity me. I suffered as much as the next person. However, I can see that his policies have made this country a better place for the few."
"However, you don't agree with the forgotten toys. And you don't agree that Dressrosa has become a factory for weapons in the new world?" Baby 5 took a few puffs of her cigarette as she talked with Viola.
"Exactly, but those are superficial reasons. I intend to destroy Doflamingo because I want to. He ruined my family, and I'll ruin his."
"Now that's a reason I can get behind."
Zoro smirked. He wasn't paying much attention before. Viola's fierce motives made his blood boil in anticipation. Luffy and Viola both nodded at Zoro with their smiles. Zoro's bloodthirst was beastly and infectious as Viola and the others kept their discussion. Luffy smiled. Something was running around in his pocket. It was a little being he caught along the way. Zoro and Sora distracted themselves earlier with the fairy thief stealing their belongings. They did not discover that tiny being left the scene earlier on. However, the little fairy didn't easily fool Luffy's eyes. Luffy caught the little being, and now she was also hearing this discussion and pounding on his thigh, not out of anger, but out of similar bloodthirsty excitement.
X❖X
Franky was in Block A when he entered the ring. They made this arena with reinforced concrete and then covered with ceramic tiles, just like the landscape of Dressrosa. They loved their ceramic. However, fighters could easily break this ceramic and use it as a sharp weapon. There were many pirates worth over 50 million here. Franky wasn't the top dog. No, right now, he was right in the middle of the pack. However, Franky had to win. He needed to get Luffy that fruit. Franky was wearing a blazer that hid his mechanical arms. So, he was hiding the fact he was a robot. He took on the name Francis for this tournament. He was playing with his name.
Two people immediately struck Franky as being highly dangerous. Miku Miku was one of them. He was tough and used two hatchets as weapons. The thing of note was that he was worth 100 million. Miku was not the top dog here, as Franky analyzed. There was another one.
The warrior's name was Mr. Store, and just like Franky, he was hiding his identity with a paper bag over his head. He had a paper bag that was given at any pastry store. Mr. Store was a giant of a man. He was reaching 20 feet over everyone else. And his body was riddled with muscles. A warrior like him was intimidating. He had a grey-haired ponytail. And there was something else that intimidated Franky. There was a metal thing on one of the man's elbows. There were tiny holes in the metal where vibrations could be burst from it.
Mr. Store had a hell of a weapon on his elbow. One blow could kill a man with just the vibrations. Not to mention the strength and power he was excusing. Nothing like Luffy's bestial and godlike physical strength. Not an opponent Franky could take lightly.
Miku, Franky, and Mr. Store.
Miku was staring at both of them. However, Mr. Store ignored everyone, almost as if there was nothing here that could even challenge him. However, once the match started, Franky again was surprised. Because before Miku Miku could wield the hatchets that were so intimidating, a body blow from Mr. Store wrecked immediately him. It was from the moment the announcer had started the battle royale. It broke the 100 million man in less than a second.
Franky clenched his jaw.
Luffy, at one time, was worth 100 million. And a man of that caliber, that man was defeated instantaneously.
The body blow continued as the elbow vibrated in a cone and pushed everyone in that cone of attack to the water.
"Mr. Store..."
Mr. Store pronounced his own name, and he looked around. There was nobody here that could offer resistance anymore. All the pirates here were less than 70 million in bounty, and there were only a few above that value. Mr. Store was the top dog, and Franky, belonging to the Straw Hat crew, was alone. Franky needed to defeat such an opponent.
X❖X
When they found out that the infiltration of the castle went sideways, Luffy smiled. There was something that he needed Zoro to do—cause massive trouble at the Palace, right as the Warlord and Admiral retreated. Luffy tasked Zoro with raising as much hell as possible, no holding back, being a spear that destroyed the core of the enemy key positions. Luffy was hoping a family member would be dumb enough to go against Zoro. However, Zoro alone would be lost, so he sent Viola with him. She knew the intricacies of the Palace on the back of her hand.
Luffy was quite proud of Robin and Usopp's work. Regardless of the Admiral's arrival, they had thinned out the numbers considerably with Law's help. And Usopp's traps were already enough of sabotage. And also, an attractant of Doflamingo's mercenaries. Luffy only hoped one of the family members would take the bait. If not, then that position would be eternally lost.
While Luffy would love to kill Doflamingo, that one wasn't his life to take. Law was the one who roped the Straw Hat into this. Law was the one that was emotionally invested in this revenge out of all of them. Luffy had no obligation or desire to even face Doflamingo. This was a problem that needed to be resolved by Law and Mingo alone.
If Law wasn't able to beat Doflamingo, then great job!
Luffy wasn't guaranteeing Law's survival either. He was just giving him a chance to act on his revenge. The Admiral's arrival was quite the interesting bait for Luffy. However, he had to put his faith in his crew members.
X❖X
Franky was being cornered by Mr. Store. The man was so strong it was like he was facing some kind of battleship by himself. Franky really hoped to have his General Franky here. With that weapon of mass destruction, he could have won. Now not only people were actually praising the man with the bag on his head. They were also jeering at Franky. For the audience, Franky was a robot fighting in a tournament. Robots had to place in the physical competitions of humans. If a robot beat a human, it would shame everyone. The colosseum was a place for humans' highest physical feats of living things to be displayed. A robot had no business there, so by default, everyone started cheering for one person there.
Even though they had been cheering for both, once Franky was outed as an augmented human after his sleeves were ripped. Weapons revealed, he was less of a competitor than Mr. Store in their eyes, who was naturally strong and only wore a metal brace on his elbow. While Franky wasn't disqualified, nor were there rules against augmented humans competing. Even the commentator was jeering Franky.
His arms were already feeling the damage from the elbows of this massive human in front of him. Everyone was against him. However, Franky was here to win. He wasn't here to please the masses. He promised Luffy that he would get the fruit. Luffy was relying on him to complete this simple tournament. Franky couldn't lose in the first round, right?
There was no way to say this, but the opponent before him was powerful. His explosions and weapons worked. However, the opponent was a juggernaut that hit even harder. And a tank that could take a lot of bruises and not fall down. Franky was not confident about how to win. However, there was a specific thing that Franky wanted to do.
That paper bag on the man's head was in the way. It was still intact. Franky couldn't have that. It was time to reveal the identity of the mystery man. Franky wasn't about to fight a guy seriously without the man's name. And while Mr. Store was quite the cool pseudonym. Franky really was mad at that intact paper bag for some reason. Franky entered the tournament, not knowing there would be so many strong opponents. Opponents that people like Luffy, Zoro, and Sora could have quickly dispatched, he was sure. However, the person standing right here wasn't any of those three.
Franky was here, and he was going to wreck the house.
It was during the scuffle. Franky took a heavy blow to his shoulder, almost tearing his mechanical arms. Even though they were supposedly built with the most robust metal, he could meld. Franky, however, pressed the other arm towards Mr. Store's face. And just like that, a gust of wind so powerful it blew two teeth from the man, it shredded the man's paper bag and made cuts through another mask underneath. Franky smiled. The identity was finally revealed.
He was a man with grey hair and an intense grin on his face. The mask underneath was still holding up, despite deep cuts on his cheeks and jaw.
"That could have shredded my real mask. That's not nice, is it? They'd said not to kill people. But we can do this, right? Little robot from the Straw Hats?"
"...Huh? How do you know that?"
While Franky was still disguised, he knew his disguise wasn't the best. Even so, he was one of the lesser-known Straw Hats. The really infamous ones are Luffy, Zoro, and Robin. Franky never really thought he'd be recognized by any other than some zealous marines.
Nevertheless, the opponent knew. And it made things quite complicated. In fact, Franky had no idea who his opponent was either, for a brief moment, before the commentator Gatz screamed the name, after a moment of shock. In fact, as Franky looked around, all of the audience was in a state of shock before regaining themselves.
"Th—The commander of the first fleet of Blackbeard. The Champion Jesus Burgess. He was Mr. Store. What is this infamous, and frankly, dislikable man is doing here?"
Then the audience started jeering at both of them.
They weren't rooting for anyone anymore. Franky smirked at that irony.
"I guess their beloved A block battle wasn't to their liking."
"You could say that, little robot. Now, I think the organizers and audience won't be mad if you become scrap metal. After all, you're not a human to them. You're just a machine that can break down. The unwritten rule about no killing is out when it concerns you, right?"
"You always say dangerous stuff. You know that you could be the one lying down after this fight is over, right?"
"Oh, I'm not worried about myself. An opponent that cannot use Haki is just another piece of fodder."
Burgess raised his speed and struck against Franky's unprotected back. Then as Franky flew, Burgess appeared again, hitting him on the side. Franky saw the metal of his body give way. And Franky looked shocked. There was even blood running down his face.
Franky tried to block an elbow bash but only got buried in the ground instead after a moment of struggle. Franky was being pushed around.
And this made him remind himself of something.
Franky couldn't have stopped the sea train back there.
He built a body for combat and was quite confident he could have stopped that train back when he was the Franky family's boss. However, now, as he was being pinballed around. Raising his fists and trying to bruise the opponent. He thought to himself.
Could the me, right now. Could I have stopped that sea train right now?
The answer seemed to be a fat no. Franky was losing to a guy that loved his own elbows too much. What hope did Franky have of stopping that train?
As the jeering kept at an all-time high. The audience said this competition was for the human pinnacle of strength and skill. However, engineering had also brought humanity to the pinnacle. Ingenuity has led to this. The way that Franky went about things wasn't wrong by any means. He just lacked some will, that was all.
He already had all the tools to stop the train right here.
He was meeting Burgess blow for blow, and he was losing.
However, for that brief moment, something happened. Some form of rage or emotion brought forth a change in Franky. Franky raised himself, with his red eye exposed and part of his face made of metal.
And then he struck against the armor on the elbow. And from that point, the armor crumbled. And then he hit the elbow and dislocated it completely.
Burgess flinched with pain. The previously blue-green arm of Franky was coated in metallic black!
Metallic black... Haki!
Burgess realized it in his mind. Regardless, that realization came too late as missiles poured into his body and made him stumble. He crouched and then saw a hail of bullets through the smoke. He avoided it only to be hit in the face by a black metallic arm. The strongest of metals being reinforced with Haki, and the anger and will of Franky, who was on his last legs, made a miracle.
Blood pooled in Burgess's mouth. And yet, he wouldn't fall. However, the hail of black strikes kept coming. The previous metallic arms that were boring before now were weighty. A human arm with Haki might have been superior. But now, that black metallic arm made of the most robust metal was pushing Burgess back. Burgess roared and met each metallic strike with his own metallic Haki. However, Franky's arms were not for merely punching. No, firstly, they opened, and from there, a hail of bullets was directed at Burgess's face as Franky kept the hails of punches. Burgess had to divert his own Haki towards his face and eat the shells directly as he met Franky blow for blow. And yet, it was his arms that were bleeding, and the dislocated arm could barely hit well.
He didn't have time to think as the rockets kept pouring out of Franky's shoulders. The arms had pistons behind them, and they were now punching more fiercely than Burgess could bear.
"ARRRRRRHGHHHHHHH"
Franky pushed the juggernaut Burgess to the edge. And then linked his arms together. And from there, a beam more potent than any pacifists could produce was unleashed. Burgess met the beam head- on, enveloping his entire body, as he covered himself in Haki. Burgess walked two steps in the beam but tripped and was pushed back. Hitting his jaw on the floor and being made until he met the wall outside the ring. The beam kept going, pushing, and breaking the wall.
Melting it.
Franky relaxed and ended the strike.
Burgess was still conscious. However, he was dropped to the pool of water, outside the ring. However, he then lost conscience. And fell as the fighting fish kept bashing his body, to no avail or apparent injury.
"Wi—Winner, Francis, the third."
Franky hit his knees on the floor as blood flowed through his face. Nevertheless, he was tired, he was so tired, Franky's intense usage of Haki was the culprit. His body was hurting and wrecked. And then, he looked at his massive metal hands. They were metallic black. And just as if the ink was running off it. The black substance eventually dissipated to reveal the blue arms and red palms of his metal hands.
He was cheered only subduedly. And yet, Franky couldn't care less. People did not consider him worthy of a place like this, where only the pinnacle of humans competed for glory.
Franky did not care about their opinions. On this day, he swears. That he would reach the pinnacle, only by his methods instead. Others might study the sword. Others might train their bodies. However, he would reach it with his power of ingenuity and his will to do so.
Franky couldn't stop the train back there. Regardless of his regrets back then. Now he swore to be a man who could stop any train. And for his friends, he would destroy a thousand trains with his bare hands.
This was his promise and his will.
Franky walked off. Not noticing, his whole body became metallic black as he made the declaration.
X❖X
"… That cyborg man is quite strong."
There was a pretty gorgeous man sitting on the balcony. With him was a rose. And by his side were many colosseum attendants fallen to the floor. They couldn't control themselves around him and fell with blushes and heart on their eyes. He was a man by the name of Cavendish. He was a notorious rookie who just barely missed being in the Worst Generation by only one year. He was looking for ways to fame and power, and the fruit of flames would complement his abilities nicely and prettily. And that was why he found himself in this tournament. It could be said he was envious of men like Law, Kid, and Luffy, who were infamous, and dominated the news. He also knows that Luffy would be coming here if what was said on the report was accurate. While everyone in this kingdom was walking their day-to-day life like it was normal.
Some smarter ones knew intimately that something was wrong. In the news, there was a damning story of a conspiracy in Punk Hazard, notices of their king building chemical weapons and abusing children for scientific progress. Or what was related there, sexual abuses, physical abuse, and scientific torture. Doflamingo, or at least his subordinate, knew that the so-called experiments would kill the children there. And it actually happened. The batch of survivors who were saved by Vice-Admiral Smoker was the latest. Some of the parents near this sea would never see their missing children again. Parents were waiting, and they would have to wait forever because they didn't find any reports of the other batches of children's names. They did not find the names, so they couldn't correlate with the missing children. But most probably, the ones waiting for their children to return would never have their wish granted.
And it was the murderous Straw Hats that had ended the vile man named Caesar. That news... people around these parts did not know how to take it. Early in the morning, the King pronounced his speech, saying that his involvement in the Punk Hazard fiasco was fake news. And that the news themselves were trying to pin the blame on a Warlord again, to diminish their power to do good. And the citizens were placed in a difficult position. Would they believe the news and doubt the king who gave them incredible prosperity over the last 10 years? Or consider Doflamingo's words and go about their day.
It is regrettable. However, they are forced to make hard choices. However, regardless of their feelings, there could only be one white truth. The Straw Hats and Doflamingo's war is being built. It will happen here. And I intend to be part of it.
Cavendish frowned and scoffed at the actions of the foolish citizens.
There is clearly something immediately frightening about this island. After all, Doflamingo is a crazed madman killer, almost worse than the damnable Straw Hat. And now, there is a subordinate of Black Beard involved here. I heard they were fruit hunters, which turned out to be correct. That vile crew was not worthy of honor. At least, while the Straw Hats are violent, they have their sense of honor, even if it's drowning in pools of blood.
Cavendish sipped his expensive wine.
He wasn't about to win favors in either camp.
He was just here for fame and glory.
There was a gathering of over 100 million. And every little chump down there and here that was hunted by the Government had a bounty of over 20 million. While they were chumps, there was no doubt they were here to be part of the coming conflict. They had to know. It was explicitly said on the news. While some kingdoms and warriors were indeed here to only get the fruit of flames. Most here had other reasons—fame for being part of this conflict. And more, Cavendish wouldn't be surprised if the Navy had already arrived on the island itself.
This island was a keg ready to blow.
"Could that be who I think it is?"
There was a man with green hair and very sharp teeth. He had a ring on his nose and had bullish features. He wore a red furry coat over his tattooed chest. And diamond pattern pants. His name was Bartolomeo, and he was quite the hated pirate. However, he had a secret. He was quite a fan of Straw Hat Luffy and his gang. And seeing someone who resembled the so-called Cyborg Franky here was something he never imagined would happen. Barto was smiling from ear to ear, and there was saliva running down as he was so excited to see one of his heroes up close. Their recent saga against the government made juicy news. While some citizens were scared out of their minds, here was the New World, genocide happened often. Those that took time to be sacred of a little and of pirates lived in far-off peaceful countries. Here in the New World, a little killing never bothered anyone. Barto had killed many in his youth as a gangster. There was nothing much towards the Straw Hat's action. In fact, he even supported it.
"My my, Luffy's comrades are quite something."
A woman with lilac hair spoke. She stood proud and tall with an outrageous chest. She had gorgeous features hidden beneath a serial-killer fabric mask. There was a familiar smirk beneath her mask as she watched the previous fight. She loved to see one of Blackbeard's subordinates get destroyed. It was more of a personal vendetta for her, so it interfered with her real job. Hack and Koala were here on the island already, waiting on the street for the chance to invade the Underground port. However, she couldn't let the fruit of flames go to anyone, not even dear Luffy. Acer's fruit was her responsibility to bear. She was a woman with steampunk clothes, frills, and dresses, pipes, and flintlocks. Shanks and bayonets were on her belt. There was an old top Hat and a cane over a gangster's coat over her dress to top it off. Blending masculine clothing with feminine dresses immaculately. Annabelle smiled. The presence of that cyborg meant her little brother was here on the island. How she wanted to meet him.
"…For Toy Soldier, I can't possibly lose. I won't lose until I… Until I face Diamante."
Rebecca looked forward to beating and killing Diamante. She was wearing bikini armor that almost showed her private parts. There was a big reason why she wore these clothes. It was to shame and embarrass her. Yes, she was obligated to wear this type of clothing to entertain the audience. The bikini armor would never protect her from anything, so this was just showmanship. Rebecca had no choice. She was locked inside of the Colosseum. Her home was here, and her suffering was also here. For 5 whole years. She was kidnapped and thrown in here as a slave to fight. Thankfully, she made a few friends here and there, and she was already strong enough due to the Toy's Soldier's teachings. However, when she started growing more feminine, the rags were exchanged for bikini armor. And the only thing she could do was to comply and use a helmet to hide her features. It was here she learned Haki, and it was here where she learned precisely how to kill a human. Rebecca would not lose to anyone, not even to an augmented cyborg, if it meant facing Diamante and cutting off his head. Rebecca never fought Diamante directly, even though they were mainstays in the Corrida Colosseum.
Diamante was the face, and Rebecca was the heel. Despite that, they never fought each other even once. A storyline that has been going on for 5 whole years. With Rebecca being the granddaughter of the previous Dynasty. A hated Dynasty and which hatred was focused solely on her. Diamante was the warrior of the new Dynasty who improved life on Dressrosa. Rebecca did not care at all about complicated politics. All she cared about was killing the people who murdered her mom and the same ones who killed Toy Soldier.
In the highest position in the Colosseum, Diamante laughed at the entertaining final fight of Block A. It was surprising that Blackbeard's officer was here at all. But then again, they should have known that the group was famous for hunting down devil fruits to augment themselves. The fruit of flames was quite powerful and was desired by many because of its attractiveness as a power. Diamante smiled in glee that Burgess lost. They caught a big fish in Burgess. Sugar would be highly delighted, significantly so, to quell the anger generated from her sister's death. However, the surprising one was the augmented human that had won. The robot looked familiar. Diamante narrowed his eyes.
That man defeated a Blackbeard's underling. Could he be with the Straw Hats?
So, the man himself did not take the bait?
I can stay safe in the fact that the other commanders are protecting the underground port. However, I cannot leave here until we can be sure all four blocks are over and done. And I cannot lose the fruit of flames.
X❖X
Burgess looked at the metal walls. And then launched himself, literally dive-bombing into a metal wall. However, that did nothing to it.
"Don't do it. This is an underground pit. If you carelessly break the metal walls, the landslide might finish us off instead."
The one responding was a damn toy.
"Shut up!" Burgess slapped the toy, and it's broken parts flew out.
Why am I here?
The last thing I remember was falling unconscious in the water. Where am I?
Did I lose to a damn Straw Hat?
No, that's not possible. I am strong, stronger than any of these chumps.
I am on the winner's ship. The Straw Hats are nothing to Blackbeard.
This must have been a mistake, a fluke.
He sifted himself, trying to look for the transponder snail he had with him. He needed to be rescued, as harsh as that was to admit.
Burgess did not find it, however. There was no Transponder Snail with him. In fact, all of his belongings had been stolen. Burgess grit his teeth. There was no way this was happening to him. Burgess would kill the one responsible for throwing him down here. Regardless of the threat Burgess posed, someone put him down here. It must have been someone related to the Donquixote Family. The damn Warlord was way past his expiration date. Maybe the Blackbeard fleet should just invade this place and rob this Kingdom of everything while killing Doflamingo for the hell of it. Of course, Burgess could not forget the Straw hats as well. That damn cyborg and Straw Hat himself would be next, break all their bones, and then crush their spirit.
Burgess would never let this slide.
However, a sticky-clear substance stuck behind him. He was using his observation and never noticed it. It was like honey, spreading through the surface of his skin. He used his Haki to cut it with an open palm strike. However, the sticky substance just bent itself to the shape of his hand without being cut. Actually, spreading like honey or a thick sticky liquid.
What is this?
Burgess looked at the holes in the distant roof. The roof was so tall and distant that it could fit three giants stacked on top of each other in this pit of rubble, toys, and trash. Then, the sticky substance hardened, and then Burgess was pulled up with the speed of a rocket.
WHAT IS HAPPENING?
The pile of rubble was ever distant, but he could not take off the sticky substance, no matter how hard he tried. He was the toughest man on earth. The strongest man on earth, he could lift mountains. Yet this sticky substance locked his arms entirely. Of course, he was not the strongest or toughest man, but Jesus Burgess was too egotistical for words. What pitiable man.
He was completely locked into a mold of that hardened clear substance. No matter how he moved, he was locked. Above him was a huge and disgusting man. Burgess vaguely knew who the man was. Trebol or something, from Doflamingo's damn family. So, this was their ploy all along.
"Behe... To think we would get rid of one of Blackbeard's officers this way, how hilarious."
"I don't care about that hairy creep's crew. They are always disgusting, and they are so arrogant. I'm furious right now, so getting rid of you is going to be sooo~ rewarding."
The one who arrived was a cute child with bluish-green hair. She was eating some grapes from a basket. Bruges felt she would fit so well with Big Mom's crew, not with the Doflamingo Family.
"Behehehe, Sugar, what do you—"
"Shut up, go die."
"Behe… I'm not going to die."
Their antics continued, making Burgess even madder. This time he tried his hardest, building all of his muscles. Then he saw the mold that was holding him in this medical bed, breaking. Burgess smiled as Haki filled his body. As he flexed more and more, only a bit more, and he would be free to murder these two. The Doflamingo Family was going to suffer. And then, once he was done with them, the Straw Hats were going to suffer even more.
Burgess's rage had reached its limits.
"Behehehehehehehehehehe..."
The vile sticky man still kept laughing as Burgess got ever free.
"Shut up, die, both of you. Burgess from the Blackbeard pirates, huh? You're quite weak. Are you really an officer from an Emperor? How hilarious."
Alright, I'm going to squish her to the ground until her head pops open. Burgess was not above killing children, no matter who they were. Even a baby ought to show respect and survival instincts when needed—those who couldn't offer a modicum of that evolutionary fear needed to be killed.
The tiny child approached with her palms open with a smug look on her face.
What can a child with those weak noodle arms do to me?
What a laugh.
Burgess smiled.
That palm approached, and everything was over.
X❖X
"Hahahaha. Go to HELL!"
Bartolomeo gave the middle finger to everyone. He was here just so he could get the fruit to Luffy. However, now that he knew that one of the Straw Hats was here, he was elated. Franky, the fantastic and frankly strong cyborg, had already won Block A by defeating the top dog of this tournament in one of the officers from Blackbeard. Their fight was a struggle to see. Many of the people who watched it were amazed at the incredible beatdown that both combatants delivered to each other. The fight of endurance lasted for over twenty whole minutes without any side backing down.
And for that, Bartolomeo was quite amazed that one of his idols gave such a showing. Since one of the Straw Hats might have been watching the match, Bartolomeo needed to give it his all and then aid the Straw Hats in the second part of the tournament. Therefore, he could care less about the opinions of people. And saying things like that had earned the ire of the combatants and those in the stands. The audience was quite riled up, almost as much as when Mr. Store was revealed to be Burgess.
On the other side of the ring, watching over all the warriors and smirking with bloodlust, was a person named Bellamy the Hyena. He was a man worth 200 million right now. He was in this tournament as an extension of the Doflamingo Family. And if he won, he could take part in the family he so adored. However, there were thoughts swirling around. The news painted a gruesome picture of a situation that would happen soon on this island. The Straw Hats were coming in full force to kill the Doflamingo Family. There were complicated feelings about that. Since Bellamy did not have any anger towards the Straw Hat anymore, that beatdown made him enter a new stage of his life. Where he was much more mature and powerful than before.
So, while he did not have bad feelings towards Luffy. He still would defend Doflamingo until the end of this was the only choice. However, right now, he had to focus on the match. And he was the favorite, considering how much the announcer praised him. His legs became spring as he saw gladiators, pirates, and warriors slicing and dicing each other with swords. Bellamy rushed forward and delivered a black metallic strike that destroyed 10 combatants all at once. Their bodies crashed on the barrier and fell into the water.
However, Bellamy avoided a strike from a chain and spike. The spike ball crashed onto the ground. And was pushed, with the unconscious bodies of many pirates. It was an unwritten rule to not kill people in the Colosseum. However, nothing was limiting them from giving a critical strike to someone m and letting them die of injuries after a few days. In fact, that's how many heels did in this Colosseum to people they didn't like.
Bellamy looked at the owner of the chain and ball. The leader of the old army of Dressrosa, Tank Lepanto, was there. He was a big man swinging a chain and spike. As people looked to kill him. He turned again, their bodies struck by the chain and going towards the water. And then he swung again, vertically, right at Bellamy.
"... That's not nice."
Bellamy's legs became springs, and then he swiftly moved towards the Tank's side, and then his elbow became a spring. He moved his transformed elbow to the ground, and the tension sprung. Making an upward slug towards Tank. However, the man blocked the strike with his brown. Causing a bruise on the man's forearms. The Tank was also surprised his body was launched ten meters off the ground.
However, Tank attacked again—this time with full-blown Haki. The warriors next to the fight were trembling because of the vibrations and noise from that incredible fight.
Ricky was a gladiator. He was an unknown, entering this time with a helmet that blocked everything and a blue cape. He slashed his bastard sword while bashing the blunt side on the combatants' ears. Pirates with 50 million or more bounties all tried their best to murder him. However, his quick strikes destroyed all of them. Causing a severe concussion and loss of hearing and sense of balance. While he was not cutting them, the fact he was bashing their ears and temple with force did not seem like a more humane choice. Those people would be crippled for life all the same. But this was the corrida colosseum. Losers were almost always crippled in some way. Ricky knew that. And yet, he still had no mercy for the pirates coming here for such a disgusting prize.
"Hehehe... What is a woman like you doing in this place? All you see here are warriors, the best of the best. We don't need a pair of lovely tits like you here. Don't worry. I'll just bash your head very nicely. It won't be painful."
The man approaching her was a notorious murderer, running away from the Government. He was suspected of murdering many women. So, his vendetta was the female sex. He had killed over 13 women in his homeland and had terrorized the seas ever since. The bodies weren't sexually assaulted, so it was suspected the man only had an immense hatred for the other sex and used that to kill. But it didn't seem so. Ann felt a bit languid. This should have been a job for the shitty Government instead, and yet they were weak, corrupt, and how did she want to break their rule.
"So, you love to kill women, don't you, Libra? Do you hate women or something?"
"No... It's just they are so squishy, and they cry beautifully as I smash their heads. It's just fun, I guess. Your name's Anna? That's a beautiful name, it's going to be a beautiful grave indeed."
Annabelle sighed. While she was short on sanity and her hands were stained with more blood than even Libra, she hated people that had lost all their marbles.
Libra winded up his hammer and then swung down. Haki infused, and then the wind blew from the hammer, making it a double impact. This man was worthy of the 100 million bounty. Though his usage of Haki was unfocused. Almost like he learned Haki by accident and hadn't noticed that he was using it. For Libra, he did not need to be strong. He just needed to be strong enough to evade his pursuers and the strong bounty hunters in the New World.
Ann blocked his hammer with her finger. Breaking the metal and then breaking the man's arm. Her fingers grabbed the man's ears and then pulled them out. A knee arrived and dislocated the jaw upwards, making the teeth fall from the man's gums. And then she claw-swiped his eyes out and then pushed him over the water.
"I was just resting a bit and watching the fights. Why do these people feel the need to interfere?"
There was another fight happening. A man by the name of Tank Lepanto was strong and hardy. He was fighting off the droves of a man named Elizabello the second. Even Dagama was fighting, which was surprising. Dagama had bought off twenty or so mercenaries to protect the King. Simultaneously, the King being protected wound up the strongest punch that Tank Lepanto had ever seen. While doing that, Tank Lepanto came across Bellamy and fought him for a while. But now, he was alone again. He prepared his ball and chain, which had blown small craters on the ground, and was about to return to the fighting.
He was a royal guard for the Dynasty of this Kingdom. Forced to faithfully serve the new King and while seeing mercenaries for foreign lands become the new soldiers. At the same time, the old were removed from their positions. Tank remained because he was so strong. And he vowed to make princess Viola safe in any incident. Which was why today was so important. Princess Rebecca would compete in the finals, so he had to last until then. Either him or Dagama and Elizabelo. They were here because they also wanted to eliminate the Doflamingo family. Or at least smuggle out the two princesses should things go sideways. It was why he was so intending on hunting down Bellamy in this battle royale and finishing the spring-man off. If things came to a clash, then removing the loyal fanboy and strong warrior would be best.
Tank Lepanto had no feelings of hatred for Bellamy. Still, he just couldn't understand why Bellamy was so fixated on Doflamingo as an idol. The man didn't treat any other than his family well. And even towards his own family, his twisted feelings of loyalty to them had caused significant issues over the years.
At this time, Tank Lepanto's way was blocked by a large man with a cone head. He had glasses and was wielding two tridents. The man was Abdullah. He was a supposed warrior from an authoritarian land. His crimes were that he murdered the families of the soldiers who supported the cruel regime.
Tank Lepanto was also a soldier for his Kingdom, so he was faced with his worst enemy. A man that would target the families of guys just doing their jobs.
"You know what we hate the most. Soldiers who said they were just following orders. We kill their wives and children to send a message. And our tactic was working. However, we discovered even our little ragtag group of terrorists had an insidious authoritarian leader."
"And you know what we did? We killed all our comrades for supporting that man and his crazy religious message. We then went to kill his seven wives then and there. Sorry, but we don't follow cult leaders."
"We were eventually able to destroy that nation's military by ourselves. Just sneaking into the night, if the soldier was in his home, all the better. Soon all the soldiers were too disheartened and realized if they just left the army, their families wouldn't be targeted."
Tank had Haki, but so did Abdullah, pressed against another batch of fighters as Abdullah attacked Tank relentlessly. Tank wielded a potent weapon. However, it was heavy. Abdullah was definitely in a better position with his double weapons. However, there was something that could be done. Tank was individually stronger than Abdullah. However, his observation picked up a signal that shouldn't have been there. In the dust of one grunt combatant who fell behind Tank, another thing surged: A sword that pierced his back.
"You?"
"We're used to fighting stronger opponents. You know that we were hated and persecuted by everyone? Our bounties are so high, and we can't really do anything about that, so we had to learn how to defend ourselves, or else we would have fallen a long time ago."
It was Jeet, Abdullah's brother and definitely leader of the two, A smaller man with a curved sword as a weapon. There was nothing that Tank could have done any more. That strike made a weak point, and Abdullah took advantage of that to strike him with both tridents. Making six red tears upon his front. Then Jeet kicked his back, and he fell. His arms couldn't raise themselves due to the pain of losing so much blood.
Jeet and Abdullah were not worthy of their bounties. Each being 200 million. These guys were not worthy of that if you considered how weak they were. They were assigned this because of their unusual and insidious method of doing things. Targeting families during the night and murdering them. Doing this repeatedly, and you get them today. Even though they overthrew the cruel regime that killed old women and young girls and boys for staying on the roads for too long at night. That regime that tortured dissenters. The World Government thought their crime of murdering soldier's families to be even worse than the regime. Some of their country citizens even felt bad for some of those soldiers who lost their families. Jeet could never understand. Why feel bad for those who opressed them?
Those same soldiers went on the roads and loved to commit genocide on smaller villages with different faiths. To Jeet, it was just fair to kill those soldiers in turn.
Nevertheless, high bounties were laced on them, a bounty that did not reflect their strength. So, in the wake of their exit from their country, they were relentlessly persecuted by strong bounty hunters and marines. They had to become firm. They had to earn the strength to defend themselves. And that was where they currently stood today, a duo worth 400 million, yet never having that kind of strength. It was all they could do to survive, to be honest. The World Government just wanted them removed.
Jeet licked his curved sword, taking Tank's blood, and spoke to the fallen and pale Tank Lepanto.
"We were heroes, but our countrymen don't see it that way. We were branded as revolutionaries, even if we never interacted with said group. So, we left our country. It was saved and all."
The two terrorists were branded as such and then persecuted, with high bounties. And ever since then, they've taken their time to explore the world. A dream they had since young. They had saved their Kingdom from that regime, killed any wannabe dictator or cult leader, and fled. They did more than their fair share, and whatever happened after that, they did not care. Right now, they were just enjoying life. Their big dream was for one day to take on the biggest authoritarian power this world had to offer. To kill the World Government itself. However, that was a lofty dream. They hadn't taken any steps in that direction.
Right now, the two brother terrorists were just cruising around from island to island, enjoying life after their earlier dream had been concluded. If it meant destroying another soldier's life, then all the more fun it was. Their entry in this tournament was to get the fruit, so they could become stronger and protect themselves even more with that power. That power would bring more safety. A Logia is amazing at bringing ease of mind to someone. In the end, the duo was just another pair of murderers in the wide world, a never-ending stream of them nowadays.
And was the strongest category of all the fruits. Right?
If she were here, would she laugh at Jeet's thoughts? Probably. That little lady was strongly opinionated, the elder sister of that 'family.'
Blue Gilly was a martial artist from the long-legged tribe. He was here to get the fruit, of course. There was nothing else to this, to just get stronger and stronger. He worked for no one, instead preferring to travel alone. Challenge the biggest warriors of the land and go on with his life. He was a confident fighter with faith in his skills as a martial artist. He heard that Ideo had been here as well, so Blue Gilly wanted to challenge him, but they were on different Blocks, so if he wanted to face Ideo, then he would need to win this block. It would be easy for him. Blue Gilly was prideful and kind to everyone, however, once in the face of a battle, he became confident and merciless. His long-legged tribe had a very ugly history with the long-armed tribe.
Blue Gilly was an extremely tall man. He was very well built with a thicker neck than most and a more rounded jaw. He had hairy legs that had powerful muscles all over, the pride and joy of his fighting style. He had medium messy indigo hair. Nevertheless, of usual clothing, he wore just a swimming speedo and a Hawaiian shirt, with two furry wrappings on his ankles.
He was merciless in combat, and there was always a challenging smirk on his face. So, most people thought he was very arrogant, but he was methodical in his approach to disabling an opponent in the ring. It was that methodical nature that made him extremely well-regarded, not the most popular person on the ring, but well-regarded, nonetheless. And that was why he struck at a gladiator that was destroying so many warriors. He faced a man named Ricky. A man with a blue coat and a silver gladiator's outfit.
Ricky avoided the kids as they came. They were like snakes thrusting over and over. Just one strike would send him to a world of hurt. And every time he kicked, Blue Gilly made a high-pitch sound that was annoying to his opponents, just to make them lose their cool. Ricky went under one of the man's strikes with his foot, then went behind him, with both hands on his bastard sword. It was over.
"The final strike!"
"What are you doing in a place like this old man?" Blue Gilly was not amused. A roundhouse kick destroyed both his bastard sword and then cracked his silver helmet. "We stand here, proudly risking our lives. My kicks can kill someone. Why are you going around with a blunt sword?"
"Gaarh," Ricky huffed on the ground, but that strike with the left foot almost made him have a concussion. That was dangerous at this age. But that meant that Blue Gilly was so methodical that he knew how to disable someone without making them have problems later on. However, Blue Gilly wasn't very thrilled about facing a gladiator with a blunt sword. It was almost an insult to him.
"Are you perhaps taking this too lightly? Go rest somewhere and drink some tea."
While Blue Gilly was a bit condescending, he fought more than 5000 matches in the league, testing his life against his opponents. It was just insulting to have an old man that took their lifestyle like a joke.
Blue Gilly was also kind, so he left it like that.
"The competition grows even fiercer as fan favorites are dropping left and right. The charismatic unknown gladiator Ricky was just felled by the great martial artist Blue Gilly. What a show of speed! Blue Gilly is so strong!"
Dagama had hired many soldiers to protect his own King as they wanted the fruit for their own Kingdom. Fighting King Elizabelo had an extremely strong trump card. The punch that could annihilate a whole fortress. And he was preparing to unleash it here. If there was a time where he could unleash it, then Dagama would strategize everything for that result to happen. So Dagama was a sacrificial piece, as well as tactician for his lord to win this for their Kingdom. However, underneath, there was a reason they were here. They were also there to see if there was some way to kill Doflamingo. This new Dynasty was getting on Prodence's nerves. Providence was fighting wars in other countries that were started with weapons coming from Dressrosa. There was a huge industry underneath this paradisiacal place, where weapons were mass-produced. Ending that trade and ending that Dynasty that caused unneeded wars was a priority. The Warlord system was deeply flawed, and that couldn't be more stated when concerning the actions of Donquixote Doflamingo.
Bellamy was completely irritated with this fight. He was fighting the two terrorists Abdullah and Jeet since they were not liked by the crowd, and he wanted some more brownie points since he was the favorite to win this. However, these two parasites, while extremely weak, were incredibly resourceful and tenacious.
"Pieces of garbage don't know when to give up." While he dealt with one, the other came from a blind spot to try and pierce him with their sharp weapons. Bellamy would usually escape that trap with his spring legs. However, that again just made the two criminals regroup and taunt him. Bellamy was already tired of dealing with parasites that didn't know when they died, but he couldn't give a decisive blow to these two, no matter how fast he went. Tenacious and vicious was the middle name of both Abdul and Jeet. The duo's whole motto was to survive on the harsh sea where they are persecuted by everyone and their mother. Hit and run tactics were in their blood. And also, how to make opponents lose their cool.
Bellamy clenched his teeth.
Bartolomeo smiled. Previously he was peeing on the pool outside, to the anger of the audience, some contestants, and the fighting fish. Nevertheless, these people could never hurt him with their words or their actions. He was a man of barriers. There was no way he could lose here. So, he was just walking as normal when he saw Bellamy, the favorite to win. In the middle of the dust cloud, there the favorite was, being slowly ground by two resilient foes. What a pity, the swirling emotions of frustrations were very clear to Barto.
"Ahhh... I remember this rumor from two years ago. Bellamy angered the Straw hats and got defeated. Hehehehe"
Barto laughed loudly, so much that Bellamy heard it. Bellamy had one weakness in his psyche. He couldn't handle someone else laughing at him. It was a psychological trigger that invoked such anger that he was furious.
"You, what did you just say?"
Barto was just walking by, unconcerned, he didn't wish to anger the guy, but that old story made him laugh out loud. That was what probably triggered Bellamy, the hyena.
Barto sighed and walked by.
"You! You, you, you, you, you! You bastard!"
Unconcerned with his earlier opponents, who were just happy to get by and leave, Bellamy prepared his springs. He lunged towards Barto, who had both his hands in his pockets. Bellamy smirked.
"H—Hey, are you really going to attack an unarmed guy?"
"Die!" Bellamy coated his arm spring with Haki.
His punch was hard enough and loud enough that it shook the center of the ring. Chunks of cement flew out, hitting other opponents. And thus, the favorite face of this block had defeated the terrible heel. Bellamy should have ended Bartolomeo's smug superiority there and then, but that wasn't to be.
Because the one who was hurt was Bellamy. There was a black bruise and detached knuckles from his hand. The same fist that had struck Barto was now destroyed. And Barto was completely unharmed.
"How annoying... I didn't want to fight ya, my guy."
"Arrgh..."
Bellamy was not on the ground. He was still on guard, but there was no way he couldn't let that groan of pain. The pain was so much that it almost reminded him of that night.
"See? You don't listen. Sorry, hot shit."
Barto said as Bellamy was crushed to the ground by an invisible force. At first, there was no serious concussion. However, he was hit again by an invisible mirror and bashed to the floor. The second concussion finished off Bellamy.
"ARRRRGH NO WAY. Bellamy was defeated by Bartolomeo. I was cheering for him, you bastard."
The annoying announcer screamed in everyone's ears. Then the jeers from the audience started. Barto stuck a finger on his own ear and took out some gross ear wax and blew on his finger to get the wax off his fingers. Then his hands returned to his pocket, and he walked about in the center. Unconcerned with anything. His gaze passed by the group of loyal soldiers to that King or whatever his name was. On the other side was a beautiful woman just sitting there. There was someone even more unconcerned than him. Then there was a bundle of goons just fighting in the middle along with those two terrorists or whatever. However, something interesting caught his attention. The long-legged guy was now fighting the King's group or whatever. It was fun seeing a martial artist crumble a defense made of chumps. Barto again laughed loudly.
"Your machinations end here. You got your group of assorted warriors ready to protect your King or whatever. However, that's hardly fair to others."
"Gahamaha. Brat, you don't know what you're dealing with." Dagama approached him with sickles. An explosive was fired within Blue Gilly's foot. However, Blue Gilly used Haki and kicked that explosive towards the King's face. However, Dagama hanged one of his men and threw him in the direction of the explosive. Blowing the strongman out of the ring.
"So that's how it is."
The men who protected the King all scattered. However, Dagama struck all of them.
"Gahamaha. You fool, your job wasn't over."
"You're disgusting."
The rotund man just laughed. However, Blue Gilly struck him again. Dagama used his sickles to target the blood vessels of the thighs. However, the metal just broke upon contact with the strong wind of the kick.
"I hoped you were paying more attention. You'd realize flimsy blades without any will cannot hurt me."
Blue Gilly rooted his long legs and struck Dagama on the chest and head. And immediately went on the offensive for the King. Blue Gilly had heard the rumors, and since he was so methodical, there was no way he would let the King unleash the punch here.
However, the King just laughed. The King's boxing gloves became pure black and struck Gilly. Blue Gilly blocked it with his knees. However, another punch came at his face so fast he couldn't see.
"Son, you thought this would be easy?" Elizabelo's deep voice made Blue Gilly think more.
Wasn't the King always weak? That he had to be protected until he unleashed the trump card at the end? Did he, Blue Gilly, miscalculate something?
However, Blue Gilly couldn't hear his thoughts as his massive body was dragged along with the direction of the fist. His body hit the barrier outside the ring, and he fell in the water. The crater on the barrier shook the whole audience.
"Don't you realize it? A king that can punch an entire fortress with his straight—"
His skin turned red as, after that small punch, his exercises were making him ready to unleash it. However, he wasn't so defenseless as others would perceive him.
"—Also has light jabs that can crumble the most robust iron wall."
Elizabelo finished his speech. Then the crowd of the rest of those measly goons all charged him. Thirty, forty warriors were still alive in the ring. Elizabelo's grin never felt more murderous. A red aura appeared behind him as his face was made to be terrifying. And then, a sliding ring in everyone's ears as the King's punch was unleashed. There was no more ring. The situation was dire for the ones who sat across from Elizabelo in the stands above. Elizabelo relaxed. All the bodies were carried by the wind to the water. Many of them would be bullied by the fighting fish, that thought made Elizabelo smirk. With this, he was a cinch for the finals.
"He really had the strength to blow out a fort! Is the audience on the other side okay, or are they flattened like pancakes?! I don't think anyone in the ring could survive such a blow! Elizabelo II wiped out all his enemies. Oh?"
The audience cheered for him as it was released and the people on the other side were still okay.
However, …
As the dust settled, Elizabelo's body started to cool down by producing copious amounts of sweat. He and the announcer, as well as the audience, were forced to recognize two shadows still standing there in the dust cloud.
"Hahaha. Barrier. Well, well, do you know that once you enlace your fingers, a barrier is formed? That's just something we learn while young."
Barto laughed at the King.
"…ah…"
Elizabelo was surprised, but there was one more person here.
"So, this is the power I was warned about? That was very weak…"
There was a woman wearing a dress and coat out of some steampunk country, along with a top Hat and frills. Annabelle took off the mask from her face. Revealing those lilac features that made the audience silent. Because this woman was very known to the world. The name Anna was just a shortened name to hide her identity, though frankly, she did not put so much stock into her disguise. Dressrosa wouldn't be the same after today, anyhow.
"A—A—A—Anabelle!"
Gatz and all others just dropped to the floor. Some of the audience fainted from pure fear. Bartolomeo and the King Elizabelo paled. All others watching in the gladiator's spaces were all laughing sadly as the resulkt of the entire tournament was made clear. The citizens all then realized, Dressrosa was over as a monarchy. This woman was here, the woman from the revolutionaries. The number two of the revolutionary army. The most dangerous group in the world. This woman had fought in countless wars. Her rage and anger were legendary. Her mercilessness was well known. Very few men survived an encounter with her. She made sure to kill all her enemies, so what was she doing in a tournament that no killing was a rule?
"W—W—With a bounty of 3.45 billion berries. The number two of the revolutionaries. The Bloody Regicide Annabelle."
All Gatz could do was pronounce her name and her bounty. He could not lift himself up. His body lost all strength due to fear alone. The woman there was one of the worst terrorists to ever live in the entire world.
Annabelle smiled.
"What? What is this? Is the little King Elizabelo scared of me?"
Elizabelo was sweating so hard he almost passed out. The Bloody Regicide was here, and she was notorious for murdering kings and queens.
She walked out of the King's punch unharmed. However, she did not have a fancy fruit like the fruit of barriers to protect her. All she had was her own hands. And they were pure white. No, not pale white skin color. Real pure white.
Her Haki was not metallic black. Instead, it was blinding white with black veins.
Barto was incognizant. This was the first time he ever met someone like this. It could be counted in his fingers how many people in the world had a bounty of over 1 billion. And this woman was worth 3 billion. It was in the realm of those Emperors for just the number two of the revolutionary army. And the worst part was that she was 22 years old. And she was just growing stronger and stronger without stopping. Three years ago, her bounty was just 900 million. Everyone on her bounty range was an old man or woman of legendary status. She was in the prime of her life for many years to come.
Hey, this isn't fair.
Barto thought. It wasn't fair that a legend comparable to an emperor was just waltzing in this competition. It was like an admiral entered a fight between children. It just wasn't…
Annabelle hit the invisible barrier with just her finger. Barto was forced to realize that just a flick from her finger undulated his barrier like he has never seen before.
"There are other ways to deal with you, you know. Watch the floor…"
Annabelle kicked the floor with her boots, collapsing the edge where Barto was standing.
"Arrgh…"
He fell into the water, and a Devil Fruit user had no chance deep within the water. He used his arms to try and hold something while he was still on the surface, but it was for nothing. There was nothing there to save him.
However, someone grabbed him. It was Annabelle sitting by the edge of the ring. Just when Barto thought he was saved from a drowning death, something else happened to make him regret it. Annabelle smirked like the devil, then threw him from the water to the other side. Almost like a shoulder throw. However, he never landed on the ground. Instead, Bartolomeo was thrown like a missile, beyond the highest levels of the Colosseum outward. He kept flying like some sort of baseball home run. However, instead of being a ball out of bounds, he was a whole man.
"Look at how far he goes~."
Annabelle clapped her hands. It was like a superhuman had descended on the world of ants. Bartolomeo was not stopping. He would land across the island of Dressrosa. With just a one-handed shoulder throw. Annabelle cleaned her frilly dress and drew her pipe. She stepped into the King's shadow. Her face put Elizabelo's murderous face to shame. It was like seeing a white ghost of an opera of old. That look promised genocide and torture of 10,000 different kinds. It was as if the world turned completely black, and the only white thing was her face in the dark. Elizabelo could not bear to look.
"I never did anything against the revolutionary army. I—I please don't kill me, we're not here to cause any trouble."
"Aww~, is the king begging for his life? How cute. How cute he thinks he's going to die. Please scream more. It makes my day."
"I, please! I have children waiting at home."
"Then throw yourself into the water. If you do that, then I won't kill you." Annabelle cutely played around with both hands grasped behind her.
"Throw myself in the water? What?"
"Did I misspeak? Come on, you can do it, little king."
"Alright…"
Elizabelo was already pathetically begging on the ground to be spared, even the mighty fighting. King Elizabelo felt helpless in her presence, and she did nothing yet. He went towards the border, fighting his pride every step. However, he couldn't take the last one. Just when he took the step forward and where no ground was there to meet this step, he felt conflicted. Just take a step towards the water. And he did.
However, before he could even fall, Annabelle drop-kicked him into the water as a joke.
"Just kidding. Ah~ foolish kings always do as I say and always get the short end of the stick."
Annabelle was a beauty with lilac eyelashes and hair. Her long hair was wavy and swayed in the ring. Her white eyes scanned the audience. All of them were paralyzed still. She knocked her head with a fist and put her small tongue out in a cutesy manner. She had literally won the fight by pranking someone and just throwing someone like a homerun ball. She scared Bartolomeo out of his wits when his body tasted the water below and just threw him like nothing. She put so much fear into the king, just so she could have a chance at knocking him over to the water without any resistance.
Annabelle, Luffy's older sister, was a devious person like that.
That was the sort of winner that Block B had.
X❖X
There was a terrible noise, a high-pitched death sound that even reached the audience's ears. It was the cannonballs of death, able to touch entire cities. The citizens of Dressrosa had no idea of what was happening, what was arriving from above. Then, the sky darkened, and lightning spears clashed against the cannonballs in the air. Obliterating them until they turned to pure smoke. The thunder noise made them pale in the realization that something was up. The citizens of Dressrosa walked fast in the busy roads of the afternoon. The people stomped on the ceramic grounds as they retreated to their houses. However, some citizens saw some of the buildings destroyed in some parts of town.
Almost like a hurricane had passed through some districts, some of the citizens were walking by the ruins. Not knowing what was going on. However, half-an-hour ago, Law and Sora and Usopp and Robin were chased by Doflamingo and an Admiral. The citizens had no idea that their King was fighting so hard. Those that could not see what happened just watched their homes and districts be wrecked. Seventeen houses and eight full buildings had damage so awful that these buildings couldn't be repaired. Then hundreds had some damage.
Gatz looked at the rumbling sky and spoke with charisma.
"What is happening? What is happening? There are some fires and some lighting above us. Could it be that some things are happening outside?! Too bad. This is the Corrida Colosseum. even if the world were ending outside, the matches here won't stop!"
Even as he said this, some of their audience left, maybe to look for their family or any other confusion. Gatz was charismatic, but he couldn't stop some people from leaving. Well, they already paid so they wouldn't be so missed. Most of the boys and men still stayed behind to cheer along with the toys. There were full families here, and even after the reveal of that revolutionary woman still hadn't destroyed the people's spirits here. In any case, the Bloody Regicide was down there behind the walls, full of gladiators who were slaves to their enjoyment. The audience was up here. That unconscious bias against that dynamic peered the minds of those who were here. They did not want their fears to manifest. They did not want to say that she was here to destroy this Kingdom's rule. Despite the rumors, they still liked Doflamingo. They liked their rich life after years of suffering. And they could only get so outraged about the events of Punk Hazard, about children they never heard, children they never met.
X❖X
That woman is certainly insane. She can't wait for her turn, huh?
Luffy almost laughed.
Even Big Mom's ship arrived and started singing the city with their strange cannonballs. Thankfully Luffy's lighting acted like a spear and destroyed the strange cannonballs before they could make a landing. Those cannonballs weren't ones that exploded, but they were flammable. They were specially made for them to burn where they landed. Causing even the floor to catch on fire.
It was nothing surprising, the Big Mom pirate's favorite pastime was baking kingdoms until they were well-done. By literally torching them to the ground. Their cannonballs were primarily designed to ignite an entire city if they wanted. And that wasn't acceptable. Luffy could almost vomit at the idea of involving innocent people in his own conflicts. They had no problems in using Burster Call-like tactics, and it made Luffy angry. Yet, he still believed the situation was under the scope of his crew members' abilities.
"You don't want to go and fight. But why are you sweating so much?"
"Am I? I guess I'm really anxious about it. I'm a lazy person when it comes to things, I'm not really invested in. And the conflicts happening outside aren't really where I'm needed. However, I said before Baby 5, the ones who really need me aren't my crew. It's you and Viola. I don't care about Mingo or any other person. Don't you get it? I am invested in both of your problems instead. If you say that it all can be resolved with me just killing Mingo, then you're mistaken."
"I'm not mistaken, you could do it, you could get out of this cabin, and just kill everybody. You can run like a dashing prince and save your teammates in Green Bit. You could go and dash to the Colosseum and take back the fruit of your brother. Why are you stuck here? Why are you keeping me here?"
"Those who don't rely on others can't be expected to be relied upon. I believe that my crew is more than capable of facing all these threats and come out better and stronger than they were before. I am a God, I could just walk out of this cabin and resolve everything, but I won't. Because I want to rely on them. Those that cannot rely on others cannot be expected to be relied upon."
"And what does that have to do with me? Am I stuck here, not able to get my revenge on those people? I could have shown you where the Family was. I could have killed them. I could be fighting outside, then why AM I STUCK HERE?!"
Tears fell down Baby 5's face as she pointed her strongest gun design right at Luffy's eyes. She also wanted to be helpful. She also wanted to do things. She was... she wanted to be relied upon.
"Baby 5, you aren't relying upon anyone. All you want is to be the shoulder people cry upon. You want to take everyone's responsibility and self-sacrifice yourself. How do you expect someone to need you, someone, to care for you when you can't even share your own pain with them? All you want is to be the perfect helper, the perfect maid. All you want is for others to rely on you. Without giving anything back."
"It's okay, isn't it? They just need to say they need me, and I'll fulfill anything. Even betray my own Family. All I need to do is sacrifice myself. They don't need to feel the pain and the burden of responsibility. They just need to say they need me, and I'll carry all the responsibility and EVERYTHING! What's wrong with that? What's wrong with that way of living? This way, I am needed, right? This way, I can have a reason to be alive. Unlike my mother. "
Baby 5's mother was the source of all the trouble, a woman who delegated all the responsibility, not others. Her mother was poor. However manipulative, she made Baby 5 work until young. Her mother had a large family of siblings and a grandmother. And that mother constantly abused her family, manipulated, and blamed everything on others. So, when her mother died of disease, no one visited the funeral. Only Baby 5 was there when her mother died in the hospital. Only she was there when her mother was buried. Nobody will cry for you on your own deathbed. That's the life Baby 5's mother lived.
Baby 5 wasn't adopted by the other living family. She was rejected. Even though she was just a tiny child, she was being ostracized by her own family because of her dead mother's connections. If all you do is push your problems on others, no one would care for you, no one would want to be close to you. That's the lesson Baby 5 learned from her mother. The only lesson she knew was that. And so, by changing perspective, a person that always carries other's burdens, and does everything to make them happy, would be needed and would be cared for. Right?
If Baby 5 died today, a lot of grateful people would cry on her deathbed, right?
If Baby 5 was buried, a lot of people would be in attendance, right?
That's all she ever wanted, and yet. There was nobody...
Baby 5 was again pushed away in the family she found.
And now that she had betrayed the Family, there was only Law left. And then this man named Luffy comes in, challenging everything she did for the past 20 years. He had no right.
And yet, all she could do was point her gun at him. She could never pull the trigger. Her cigarette had dropped some ashes onto the ground, together with the tears falling from her face.
"Those who want to be relied on—need to rely on others. Baby 5, you are unable to rely on others."
Luffy had but a crew of outstanding members as he commanded one of the era's most brutal forces. He built all of this based on trust. He instinctively trusted his crewmates with his life. And he tested Law's alliance so much so that he willingly gave up his heart. Knowing full well, that was a disadvantageous position. Because on the off-chance that Law died, that heart could be damaged, or Law could give it away, and Luffy would suffer for it. And yet, he trusted Law and relied on him. And that was why Luffy was charismatic, even while brutally murderous. Even if he became the worst criminal in history, a lot of people would mourn his death. And that was the difference between a people's pleaser like Baby 5 and a charismatic leader like Luffy.
He had the strength and power to do things alone, and yet, despite having an Admiral and a Warlord here, he still hadn't left this cabin. Ever since yesterday, Baby 5's mental state was his new interest. And he always did things that he wanted to do. Right now, he tried to confront Baby 5 in this cabin. Not anything else. The troubles of Dressrosa did not reach his ears anymore. Right now, he could only hear or see the concerns of the woman named Baby 5.
"What do you want to say, what?"
"I don't know, what do I want to say? What do you think, Baby 5?"
It was the first time in her adult life that Baby 5 was this emotionally exhausted. Luffy was an impenetrable wall. No matter where she tried, he would always remain firm. She started crying, bawling herself as she crashed onto the wooden floor.
"Mom."
She never wanted to suffer the fate her mother had suffered. However, that wasn't entirely true all this time. Baby 5 hated her mother because her actions made her uncles and grandmother look at Baby 5 with derision on their faces. And yet, she was the only one there, and she did cry when her mother passed. Baby 5 never felt such desolation in her entire life. And she had been on the battlefield so many times. But the memory of seeing her mother's body, in the funeral. All alone, with a simple priest—was glaringly traumatic. That priest had left after 30 minutes once his professional allotted time was over, and he did not give a single word to Baby 5. The ones that buried her mother just nodded at Baby 5 and went away.
Baby 5 never felt so much desolation other than that day. Luffy hugged Baby 5 on the ground. She was embarrassed that he was hugging her, yet she felt a little bit of comfort. That was right. When was the last time she was embraced?
When was it that she was hugged?
Baby 5 could not remember a single time in her life that someone hugged her.
"Things like being needed, without needing others is wrong. Hey Baby 5, you love Dressrosa, right?"
"Mhm, Mhmm yes."
"You weren't from here, and yet you stayed for over 10 years here when Mingo took over. You don't have the experiences of those who were born here. But even still, I want to hear it from your lips. Hey, can you tell me stories of Dressrosa? How wonderful is this country you love so much?"
And then, a tiny blue person popped from Luffy's pocket, a little 'fairy' he picked up on the way. Luffy's finger's head patted the little tiny being.
And from that, her cute voice asked.
"I wanna hear it too, I wanna hear it too~!"
Both the 'fairy' and Luffy smiled brilliantly at Baby 5.
Baby 5 now knew why so many people were loyal to him.
X❖X
Ideo was on block C. He was a famous boxer. His story was straightforward. He was a momma's boy. However, there were some people in his backwater village that had a few gripes with their family. In that respect, he was bullied by a lot of their children. Since he was the youngest kid, he was often bullied. One day, he decided to punch them. And hit them he did with explosions attached. Ideo decided he liked punching. Several years after that, he was the champion of their homeland. And their homeland was not from the Government, a fringe nation in the South Blue. He was actually a man from the longarm tribe. However, he was quite different from other long-armed men. He had oddly shaped shoulders, a deformation when he was born. To hide it, he covered his skin with black and red tattoos. However, these deformed shoulders gave him another advantage. His punches were like compressed blasts of shockwaves and heat.
It was not a product of either Devil Fruit or Haki. It was actually because of his shoulders. His punches were so fast and so odd that they created explosions as large as grenades. And that was why he was considered one of the best boxers this world has ever known. He left his hometown to compete in the New World. He fought up, tournament after tournament, to become the triple-X Boxer.
And now, as he punched the air, blasting the people next to his fist towards the walls of the arena. He smiled. The fruit of flames would be his. He would climb even higher as he faced more champions and took more titles. His dream was to become the strongest man on this planet. Without any dispute. Using his weird, deformed body as his tool. Using his strong will to hone his Haki and then obtaining that fruit to become invincible.
Ideo was loved by this crowd. While his shoulders were strange-looking, the tattoo's covered the strangeness. And his face was roguishly handsome, which made all ladies in the crowd cheer for him. Ideo was loved and popular. He was the strongest one here, even in the face of a Giant and in the presence of the legendary Don Chinjao. Ideo didn't feel like he could lose.
"Ideo, I've wanted to fight you. I was new to the boxing scene, so I had to wage fights with hordes of weaklings and even after two years. I still didn't have the chance to fight and kill you. Because I killed so many of my opponents, the excuse that it was an accident didn't fly anymore, so I was banished from boxing. Then the damn World Government put a bounty on us brothers. The fact that you're here makes things much simpler. I always wanted to kill the champion."
A challenger approached him. He was one of the Funk Brothers. Ideo had read about them once in a blue moon. Mercenaries with a bounty. The older one was a man that was smaller than a lightweight boxer, with a punchable face and a bad attitude. Not very sportsmanlike. He was worth some 57 million berries. Not very threatening. Regardless, his actions were the most frightening thing. He punched his opponents in the vital organs, like hitting the lungs or diaphragm with the intent to rupture them. That action would cause his victims to die a few days later. He was not a very sportsmanlike opponent at all. Kelly Funk smiled.
"We've been assassins for our kingdom after that. We've been placed here as competitors to get the fruit back to our kingdom. We've no interest at all in the competition, but now that you're here. I can get my match, finally!"
"A boxer turned assassin. Now this will be fun."
Both Ideo and Kelly smirked. However, there was a stark difference. The women actually were aroused by Ideo's roguish smirk, while Kelly's murderous smirk was vile. Ideo knew he was the fan-favorite.
"Come midget, let my fists teach you what an eye for an eye is."
Ideo was the champion, so he felt responsible for the past victims. They had lost their lives to such a disgusting bastard like Kelly. As the representative for their organization, it was time to get retribution. And what better way than leaving Kelly for dead, just like he left his opponents. Ideo smirked. He also wasn't above killing.
Nobody in the New World was above killing.
Hajrudin was there in Block C. He was here to get the fruit. Not out of a desire to consume it, but it was his job to do so. He was hired as an earner for the Warlord Buggy. And he and his crew were very well rewarded for these kinds of jobs. Buggy was a funny man, invested in illegal trading in the Underworld. However, his line of business wasn't as cruel as someone like Umit or Joker. Buggy was well-regarded for his commitment to petty crimes, at least. However, Hajrudin wasn't looking to be in this job forever. He was looking beyond all that. One day, with his comrades, form a real pirate crew. A pirate ship operated by Giants would be a restoration of the Giant Pirates that were left a hundred years ago. Hajrudin had a few goals he wanted to accomplish. And for that, his powers needed to increase.
Honestly, I felt like I was already the favorite for the top spot when I arrived. However, there are so many opponents here I need to be wary of.
Hajrudin had no bounty on his head. He worked for a Warlord, so even if he had one. It would be frozen no matter what. He was 72 feet tall in height. And he sported fur and a gladiator's helmet. And on his hand was a battle-ax so big it could only be wielded by two hands. He felt some swords from people down there, trying to prickle his skin. However, they only bounced off, either that, or their swords were broken. Honestly, he had no use for the match to be any longer than it needed to be. He just needed to end it quickly and go to the next phase of the tournament. Hajrudin then tried his best to give his praises to the warriors down below. Using a traditional prayer from the mythos of his land.
Hajrudin swung his battle-ax high. And then infused his blade with his will.
"Take this, the mighty spear of Elbaf!"
Hajrudin swung down his battle-ax with the pride of Elbaph on his shoulders. There was no specific target. He just aimed for the center of the ring. Hoping to blow out any competition from the ring itself.
The audience was blown back three seats with the power of the earthquake his strike had accomplished. The wind pressure was so much it flew as smoke barriers across the Colosseum and even out of it. The people outside were literally lifted from the ground by a few centimeters before dropping down again. Almost as if Hajrudin had pushed the earth down with his strength.
With that much power, and a battle-ax heavier than 100 tons, Hajrudin had broken the power barrier. He had caused a massive explosion on the ring.
However, as Hajrudin looked around. There was certain anxiety as shadows on the smoke clouds appeared. A few of the contestants survived a strike that indeed rivaled that of the King's punch from the last Block. The survivors from the previous Block were only two. And this time, there were five.
I couldn't finish them all. My Elbaf spear failed to take all my enemies?
And with that, Hajrudin became target #1.
"Oh, this wasn't a nice attack, right when I was occupied here."
Handsome Ideo had the ladies all cheer for him. He was a bit beaten up. However, his immediate opponent was crumbling with blood. It was a weird fusion from the Funk brothers. The older brother Kelly Funk had a weird Paramecia that let him wear others as clothing. Since his brother had the superior body and Haki, Kelly Funk thought he would have the upper hand. However, his body took the brunt of the Giant's attack without defending himself. He was bleeding, and his back was undulated by the shockwave. So much so that his organs might have been out of place.
"On a boxing ring, facing two opponents at the same time might be considered sportsmanship Funk brothers. And when it's 2v1, the crowd doesn't care how dirty the underdog plays. In fact, all they want to see is the two guys fall and die."
Ideo appeared before the two fused brothers with a smirk. His arm turned pure black and a hit full of Haki, followed by an explosion, right at the chest height. Kelly Funk felt both their bodies be lambasted by the strike.
"You carefully make sure your opponents are dead, huh? An eye for an eye."
Ideo arrived again before the fused brothers could fly off the ring. And hit Kelly straight in the face, making sure he had a brain rupture before going out of the ring. Now his ribs were piercing the organs. And his brain was bleeding. Kelly Funk and his brother would be dead by tomorrow. And Ideo did not care. It was an eye for an eye. Ideo lived in the ring of boxing and felt a kinship for the victims of Kelly. This was just a prayer for them. Nothing more.
"Ideo has defeated the Kelly Funk brothers. Those powers were so strange. What was that all about? Thankfully our Ideo has defeated these goons!"
The audience cheered a bit, those that were still here anyway. Ideo was incredible to them—however, another fight was starting on the other part of the arena.
"You think you can just finish off block C like that, you unimaginable bastard!"
The one who jumped was Don Sai, the chief of the Happosui Army. He was mad at the Giant for reasons explained by the defeat of his little brother. For an instant, he and his brother had seen the attack of the Giant, even though both brothers knew that Sai would survive said attack. Even though that was understood, his brother still protected him from any serious injury. Therefore, Sai came out of it unscathed even though the attack was so close to him. His grandfather should have still been in the match. Though Sai could not see because of the cloud of dust.
The Giant Hajrudin wasn't about to lose to a standard human either. He met the strikes of the Don of the Happosui Army with his fist. And then swung his ax, however missing each strike. Sai was determined to get a little revenge for his brother's broken bones. And Hajrudin could not lose right here.
If Hajrudin lost, then he would never reach the level of that crazed woman. They were the same age, and yet Linlin was so strong, Hajrudin could never even beat her when she was a child, and he was already training to be a warrior. Now she was an Emperor of the Sea, and he was an errand boy for a Warlord. This inferiority complex plagued him. He needed to win this match.
"It seems that the Don family is fighting against Hajrudin. Here comes another one. It seems the Don family is extremely furious! Chinjao, the legendary Chinjao, is coming! The Happosui army, are they going to take down a Giant by themselves? These are incredible people, we're seeing a Giant get challenged live! Only here in the Corrida Colosseum! Don Sai was already dangerous enough, and now Chinjao is going against Hajrudin!"
Jean Ango was not your usual bounty hunter—he was a revenge-seeking one. He came here in the hopes of finding the Straw Hat and catching him off guard and killing him for his head. However, there was no sign of him here. There was Franky, the cyborg still here. So, Jean was not interested in fighting anymore. He was about to leave when the Giant was stupid enough to blow the entire arena without any restraint. Jean Ango flew and landed softly.
Honestly, the Giants are always this stupid. Should I just kill him then and there?
No, most probably, the Straw Hat Luffy is still on this island. I should prepare. Strike him silently after the war with Doflamingo.
Jean was a man who knew the power of others. There was no way to beat the Straw Hat in a straight fight. Doflamingo was just kidding himself. In Jean's opinion, the Straw Hat was already a threat to even the Emperors of the Sea. That was how dangerous the man was. Jean picked up the blades as he was compulsive with this sort of stuff. His Haki flew well through the spears and swords. He looked at the fighting. The Giant was beaten the moment that Don Sai and Don Chinjao locked their targets on him. Jean saw Sai breaking the Giant's metal gloves. And then Chinjao bashing the Giant's head guard with his nogging. Chinjao was a strange but powerful legend. Chinjao was way past his prime, but not someone that Jean could take in a straight fight. Don Sai and Ideo were not people that he could fight either. However, it seemed that Ideo was a bit tired.
Jean exited the fight with a smile. Stealthily climbing the wall to the stands and disguising himself towards the roads of Dressrosa, leaving the Black C fight behind him. No need to lose his energy and hurt himself with pointless battles. Leisurely standing back and tasting the delicacies of these lands until Straw Hat and the Heavenly Demon clash would be a better spent time for him. He was so stealthy that he was soon forgotten. He liked it this way. He could strike when his enemies least expected.
He vowed to kill and deliver the heads of those that escaped Impel Down that day. His wife and son were killed by the escapees two years ago. And the ringleaders, Straw Hat, Jimbei, Ivankov, Crocodile, and Buggy the Clown, were still around. Jean Ango couldn't wait for the day where he would behead each one of them. Some marine wives and children would even thank him for getting revenge for their husband murdered by Straw Hat. He had killed so many marines and left so many women and children alone. Jean would be doing the world a favor for getting rid of that hellish bastard.
As he drank his coffee, Jean Ango heard the announcement.
"OHHHH, The Legendary Don Chinjao falls. His grandson! His grandson has surpassed the legend! How could this be! Don Sai. Don Sai defeated both the Boxer Ideo and his grandfather Chinjao. DON SAI IS THE WINNER OF BLOCK C!"
"The announcer is too loud. We don't even need to be in the stands to know the results of the match."
That was a surprise. Jean did not know that Sai was strong enough to defeat both his grandfather and Ideo in a three-way match. Jean felt terrible for the Giant, but what could you do?
The world wasn't so lovely as to accommodate people's wishes.
Jean smiled under his cloak. He cut his grilled fish with expensive cutlery, part of Dressrosa's rich and costly culture. Their fish dishes were terrific. Nobody even knew he was a combatant just a second ago.
I'm sorry for this Heavenly Demon, you're going to be used as fodder to tire out Straw Hat for me.
However, Jean had no idea of who he was dealing with.
"Hrm? Oh, they are arriving. Viola did say she was allying with you guys, right."
Luffy smiled serenely at the little woman that he acquired. She was an adult of the little people. Luffy was in the cabin near the field of flowers, distant from the Dressrosa Kingdom. This was the old home of the late princess Scarlet. Luffy and Baby 5 were using this place as a resting place as Luffy monitored the situation. There was a cellar that led to a long corridor connecting to Green Bit. Luffy had noticed that Robin and Usopp were coming here. Good timing.
Baby 5 was naked as she hugged his body. He had sex with her a few minutes ago. The woman from the little people also joined in on the fun. Luffy wasn't about to reject a woman's advances, and he did not care about races. He already had sex with a Giant and sex with mermaids. Luffy would accept a woman's love, especially when she was so needy. The race did not matter to him. Though sex with a woman the size of his hand, mainly was by using the tip of his finger. She was hugging his piece of meat and using her body to dance around it like a stripper.
Quite hot and pleasurable, but a bizarre experience, nonetheless.
This is what the world was about in the end. Luffy was adventurous even in bed. Always seeking new experiences. Luffy could already imagine the anger rolling off Usopp if he saw he was lazing about here. Doing nothing to combat the Warlord there. But Luffy had already decided this wasn't his fight. This was Law's fight—he wasn't about to interfere.
"I thought I told you to go to the castle. Not the bridge to Green Bit. How'd you get lost so fast? Hahaha."
Luffy laughed as he whispered. Nobody knew what he was talking about. So, to any viewer, one would think he was talking to no one in particular.