Corrida Colosseum.
"The six rounds of the block stage are officially over! We are about to begin the final, the most intense, most climactic showdown yet!"
"This will be the fiercest match in the history of the Corrida Colosseum, a championship battle that will be etched into the annals of time!"
On the commentator's stand, Gatz held his Den Den Mushi microphone, his voice soaring with passionate intensity.
As Gatz's voice echoed throughout the venue, the spectators erupted in cheers. The atmosphere inside the stadium reached a fever pitch; nearly everyone could feel the hot blood of excitement surging in their chests.
Hum— Hum—
At that moment, the newly configured finals stage began to vibrate. The outer ring of the floor cracked and shifted, forming two concentric circles split into eight sections. These sections surrounded the central platform like small islands circling a main continent.
The stage wasn't the only thing that had been upgraded. The Fighting Fish in the surrounding water had been replaced by the leaders of their respective schools—six massive Fighting Fish Bosses!
"Under the gaze of the entire nation, the special ring is ready!"
"Regenerated from the death of 'Fire Fist' Ace, the strongest class of Logia Devil Fruit, the Flame-Flame Fruit! Into whose hands will it fall?"
Gatz pointed toward the giant screen displaying a photo of the Flame-Flame Fruit. "Now, we only wait for the contestants to enter!"
The crowd roared once more.
The first to walk out of the preparation room was Lucy, disguised as an old man. He wore a golden helmet, bore an X-shaped scar on his chest, and donned a large red cape. Compared to his previous appearance, he now wore a pair of sunglasses and carried a man-sized metal pipe, stepping onto the iron bridge connecting to the ring.
"Ladies and gentlemen, our first finalist, the man of the hour, our very own Lucy!"
As Gatz introduced him, Lucy's image flashed onto the big screen. Immediately after, the image was replaced by Max.
Following behind Lucy was Max, now wearing a fresh set of priestly robes. Clutching his two-meter-tall obsidian staff, he appeared in the audience's view with a characteristic expressionless face.
"Hmm?"
Stepping onto the ring, Max's nose twitched slightly. He cast a suspicious, puzzled glance at Lucy, as if sensing something was off.
"Wiiihahahaha—!"
Just as Max stood firm, Burgess walked out of the preparation room with his arms raised, laughing boisterously.
"The Flame-Flame Fruit belongs to us! You just keep trying your best, Straw Hat!" Burgess stepped onto the ring and walked straight up to Lucy, issuing a blatant provocation.
Lucy stared back at Burgess calmly, remaining silent.
"Wiiihahahaha—!"
Seeing Lucy's silence, Burgess didn't mind. He let out a malicious laugh and turned away to pose for the audience, flexing his massive muscles in a bodybuilding routine.
A few seconds later, Vito entered the ring with a savage grin, followed closely by a beaming Bartolomeo.
"Tch."
Seeing Vito, Burgess's face darkened, a flicker of wariness crossing his features.
"Keep dreaming, Burgess!" Vito looked at him with contempt. "The Flame-Flame Fruit isn't for the likes of you!"
"Hmph. we'll see about that!" Burgess grunted.
Meanwhile, Bartolomeo's eyes lit up the moment he saw Lucy. He hurried over, rubbing his hands together in a mix of excitement and shyness. "Luffy-senpai! First of all, it's an honor to meet you! I'm also from the East Blue. Could I... could I get an autograph later? The words you spoke on the execution platform in Loguetown... they are still etched into my memory to this day!"
"..." Lucy opened his mouth but seemed at a loss for words.
Watching this, Vito's eye twitched. This guy... didn't he say he was a fan of our Captain and the Chris Pirates? What is this situation?
In the East Blue, the three figures with the most widespread influence were Gol D. Roger, "Iron Fist" Garp, and "Golden Ring" Aeridar.
Roger was long dead; though his influence was gargantuan and had changed the world's landscape, he was no longer a living presence. Garp was a hero of the Marines, the idol of anyone in the East Blue who wanted to join the Navy.
As for Aeridar, after ten years of fame, he was the idol of almost every outlaw in the East Blue. His influence rivaled that of the Pirate King. As a former underworld boss, Bartolomeo naturally worshiped Aeridar.
However, Luffy's performance in Loguetown had profoundly impacted Bartolomeo, solidifying his resolve to set sail and become a pirate. Therefore, if Aeridar and the Chris Pirates were Bartolomeo's first idols, Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates were his second.
Then, Rebecca made her entrance.
The moment the cheering crowd saw her, the mood shifted instantly. The cheers turned into a torrent of jeers and insults.
"Now, entering amidst a storm of boos, is the 'Phantom Princess' who carries the bloodline of the hateful Riku Clan—Rebecca!!!" Gatz's voice held a hint of malice, yet he sounded exceptionally excited.
"Having unexpectedly survived the powerhouse-laden Block D by taking advantage of 'Hakuba' Cavendish, how long can the lucky Rebecca last in the finals? Let's find out!"
With the six contestants on stage, all the outside finalists had gathered. Shortly after, the screen displayed five more photos to the roar of the crowd.
"Defending against these six are the five officers of the family that saved this nation alongside King Donquixote Doflamingo!"
"They are… Senor Pink! Machvise! Dellinger! And Lao G!" Gatz shouted at the top of his lungs, introducing the officers of the Donquixote Family.
Four eccentrically dressed individuals appeared at the entrance of the preparation room. Old and young, fat and thin, they stepped onto the ring to face the six finalists.
There was the morbidly obese man wearing a pink baby bonnet, chewing a pacifier, and wearing a yellow diaper with star patterns—the most hardened and devoted man in the Donquixote Family: Senor Pink!
Then came the muscular man with a thick blonde beard, long curly hair, and chest hair. He wore a black hat and a revealing ribbed leotard that exposed his chest, with the Donquixote Pirates' tattoo on his right arm—one of the two highest-jumping members of the family: Machvise!
Next was the youth with horns like a Fighting Fish, wearing a cap with a fish pattern. He looked like a boy but wore a giraffe-print long-sleeved shirt, hot pants, white stockings, and ten-centimeter crimson high heels—the Fighting Fish hybrid and youngest officer: Dellinger!
Finally, the bald elder with bulging veins on his head, wearing a bodysuit with lightning patterns—the master of Jio-Ken. If Dellinger was the youngest, he was the oldest: Lao G!
"And finally, one of the Family's Elite Officers, the hero who manages the Corrida Colosseum's tournaments... the man you've all been waiting for—Diamante-sama!!!" Gatz's voice rose even higher as he announced the final name.
A moment later, upbeat, rhythmic music began to play.
"Waaa—!"
Diamante, the man Aeridar called a "trendy savage," stepped onto the stage with a long microphone, performing a bizarre dance move with a strange cry.
Seeing so many powerhouses gathered in one place, the audience went wild. The atmosphere, already at a peak, surged even higher.
"Contestants, to your positions! The Corrida Colosseum Finals! The 6 block champions and the 5 Donquixote Family officers are finally all here!" Gatz cried, tears of excitement streaming down his face. "The winner of this final will claim the strongest of Devil Fruits, the Logia-class Flame-Flame Fruit!"
This was a spectacle the people of Dressrosa had never seen before. Five Donquixote officers standing on the ring at once.
…
The Underground Trade Port.
In front of the Officer's Tower, the metal door, previously secured by several thick chains, now stood wide open. The chains hung loosely from the frame. Over a dozen Donquixote Family guards lay scattered across the floor, fast asleep.
"Who are you people? Previous intruders? Has Trebol been defeated so quickly?"
Sugar, holding a basket of grapes, looked at the group before her in disbelief. Specifically, she looked at the group of small people and one tall man.
A few meters away, Usopp stared at the little girl in surprise. He looked down and whispered, "Leo, are you sure... she's Sugar? She's just a kid!"
A girl who looked no older than ten was the culprit responsible for turning humans into toys for the last decade? This was getting ridiculous.
"Usoland, that's right. It's her, the demon hand that controls the toys of this nation," Leo nodded solemnly. He then shouted at Sugar, "Surrender now, Sugar! We've come to rescue our comrades trapped in the factory!"
"Alright!"
Usopp nodded and placed his hands on his hips, shouting at Sugar, "You are surrounded by the great hero, Usoland! Undo your power immediately and return the toys to normal, and I might just spare your life!"
At that moment, after popping a sapphire grape into her mouth, Sugar recognized him.
"You look familiar... You're the sniper of the Straw Hat crew, Sogeking Usopp!"