As cheers erupted for Li Yuan's victory, backstage staff began transporting piles of Berries and treasures onto the arena floor.
The dazzling treasure and the sheer volume of wealth instantly shifted the audience's focus from Li Yuan to the glittering piles of gold and currency.
The radiant glow of the treasure and the overwhelming allure of its scent of wealth stirred greed in countless hearts worldwide. Many watching wished they could leap into the arena and claim it all for themselves.
"My god, how much treasure is that?"
"This is insane! If I were there, I'd grab as much as I could!"
Around the world, every eye remained glued to the broadcast of the seemingly endless procession of Berries and treasures being brought onto the stage.
The sheer magnitude of wealth blinded the crowd. The audience on-site was no exception, staring slack-jawed at the display. If not for the officers of the Infinite Pirates overseeing the event, some might have already tried to seize the riches for themselves.
"The first World Swordsmanship Tournament has officially concluded. The next tournament will take place in 1502 of the Ocean Calendar, with specific dates to be announced by the Infinite Pirates."
"Now, let's invite the top eight contestants to step forward and claim their rewards!"
First Place: Li Yuan — 10 billion Berries and the supreme-grade sword Raging Wind Flow.
Second Place: Roger — 8 billion Berries and the great-grade sword Flowing Light.
Third Place: Redfield — 6 billion Berries.
Fourth Place: Wang Zhi — 5 billion Berries.
Fifth Place: Silvers Rayleigh — 4 billion Berries.
Sixth Place: Golden Lion Shiki — 3 billion Berries.
Seventh Place: Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni — 2 billion Berries.
Eighth Place: Silver Axe — 1 billion Berries.
As the rewards were announced, the eight contestants stepped forward to collect their prizes. To enhance the visual impact, the rewards were split between Berries and treasure. The display played right into the audience's avarice, mesmerizing all present.
In total, 390 billion Berries worth of treasure was showcased on the arena floor. This unparalleled bounty burned the image of the Infinite Pirates' vast wealth into the minds of everyone watching. The World Swordsmanship Tournament was now synonymous with grandeur and significance.
---
"Ha-ha-ha! So much treasure! This is the first time I've ever seen so much treasure in one place!"
Roger, spotting his share of treasure and Berries, immediately dove into the pile, rolling around gleefully.
"Roger, for god's sake, this is being broadcast globally. Could you try not to embarrass yourself?"
Rayleigh pinched the bridge of his nose, exasperated at his captain's antics.
Their crew was indeed poor, but did Roger have to show it off so blatantly? Couldn't he wait until they were back on the ship to celebrate like this?
"Didn't you claim not to care about treasure, Roger? What happened to that sentiment now?" Rayleigh muttered to himself.
"Ha-ha-ha! Take it all—it's yours! If you can't carry it all, call your crew to help. Just don't expect me to do it for you," Li Yuan teased with a grin.
---
From the crowd, a small boy with a red nose, no older than seven or eight, sprinted forward and pounced onto Roger's treasure pile, rolling gleefully alongside him.
"Captain! Captain! Let me help you carry this!"
"This isn't carrying! You're just rolling around!"
A red-haired boy followed after, yelling at the red-nosed kid.
Seeing this display, Rayleigh gave up. He simply couldn't stop this crew from making fools of themselves. All he could do was focus on getting their share back to the ship as quickly as possible to save face.
---
Meanwhile, on the deck of the Whitebeard Pirates' ship, Whitebeard stood watching the Duel Pyramid in the distance.
"Marco, once we return, gather information on the Rokushiki techniques and the Infinite Swordsmanship style. Start training with them. If you don't improve, you'll be left behind."
Whitebeard's tone was calm, but his meaning was clear.
The Duel Pyramid was more than just a stage. Whitebeard understood its purpose perfectly. It served as a battleground for Infinite Pirates to hone their skills and grow stronger. Over time, it would produce waves of elite fighters, steadily increasing the crew's power.
Although the Whitebeard Pirates and Infinite Pirates were not hostile, Whitebeard knew the future was unpredictable. Besides, Li Yuan had once told him that the Life Return technique could alleviate the backlash he experienced from his Tremor-Tremor Fruit.
The Tremor-Tremor Fruit's power was unparalleled, but the toll it took on his body was immense. While Whitebeard was currently in his prime and could handle the strain, he knew the accumulated damage would become fatal as he aged. Li Yuan's reminder had made him realize he needed to address the issue sooner rather than later to continue protecting his crew.
"Understood, Pops. I'll train hard to grow stronger," Marco replied seriously, picking up on Whitebeard's intentions.
"Me too, Pops! I'll train and compete in the next World Swordsmanship Tournament. The world will know that the Whitebeard Pirates have powerful swordsmen too!" Vista declared with determination.
"Gurararara! As long as you give it your all, I'll be here to protect you," Whitebeard said with a hearty laugh, his voice full of pride.
---
After the tournament concluded, many pirate crews began leaving the island. However, numerous swordsmen chose to stay behind on Venice Island and train at the Duel Pyramid.
The Duel Pyramid had now become a legendary training ground. Its unique structure offered challenges at various levels, ranging from beginner to the seventeenth floor. Each higher floor demanded greater skill and offered more valuable rewards.
Fighters earned points for every match, which could be redeemed for rewards including Berries, weapons, Devil Fruits, ammunition, ships, and more.
The pyramid quickly became a beacon for those seeking to grow stronger or change their fate. Its reputation spread worldwide following the tournament, drawing countless warriors to Venice Island.
For the Infinite Pirates, the Duel Pyramid turned into a goldmine. The initial investment of 1.5 trillion Berries to build the structure, plus the 390 billion Berries in tournament rewards, was enormous. However, with its rising popularity, they expected to recoup their costs within a few years, after which it would generate pure profit.
---
Fish-Man Island
Located 10,000 meters beneath the sea, Fish-Man Island served as the gateway to the New World.
The influx of pirates spurred by the swordsmanship tournament had caused chaos on the island. Slavers took advantage of the increased traffic, capturing fish-men and merfolk for sale, further worsening the island's dire situation.
In the Ryugu Palace, King Neptune sighed as he looked over the reports.
"Queen Otohime, what should we do? Perhaps we should seek protection from a pirate crew. I have some ties to the Whitebeard Pirates—maybe they could deter these slavers," Neptune suggested.
"Whitebeard's territory lies far behind ours in the New World. While his name carries weight, it may not be enough to protect us given the distance," Otohime replied thoughtfully.
"The Infinite Pirates might be a better option. Their captain, Li Yuan, despises slavery. His crew has banned the practice in their waters, and any slaver found is immediately executed. Plus, they have a fish-man captain, Gerald, who was once a slave himself. We could approach him to express our goodwill."
Neptune considered her words and eventually nodded.
"Then it's decided. We will seek an alliance with the Infinite Pirates. Let us hope they can safeguard Fish-Man Island in these troubled times."
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