"So many people."
"And so noisy."
Ushiwakamaru and the others sat on the front-row stone bleacher seats of the coliseum with pre-purchased cushions.
The entire arena resembled a trapezoidal ancient Roman amphitheater.
At its center lay a circular stone fighting platform three hundred meters in diameter.
Between the platform and spectator stands stretched a hundred-meter buffer zone now filled with clear water—like a moat.
Four symmetrical wooden pontoon bridges floated atop the water.
These bridges connected the fighting platform to the backstage preparation area for contestants.
Entrances to the platform were located beneath the stands through four large arched gateways leading to the floating bridges.
The lowest spectator tier stood about thirty meters higher than the central platform.
The stepped stands were now packed to capacity.
The roaring crowd created an extraordinary din.
At each corner of the arena's roof stood massive open-air VIP boxes reserved for royalty and nobility. Directly ahead of Ushiwakamaru's group, the central rooftop box featured several loudspeakers arranged at its front and sides, amplifying the host's excited voice:
[Greetings honored guests! I, Prince Philsey Nanta of the Fis Kingdom, shall host this world-class martial arts tournament!]
[Firstly... secondly... and finally...]
[Thanks to my father the King, our noble aristocracy, and distinguished guests from across the globe!]
[This unprecedented tournament features over one thousand fighters from worldwide! Today's five battle royale rounds will each produce one finalist—by day's end, we'll crown our Top Five!]
[And our grand prize... the ultimate dream for any fighter aiming for the pinnacle... the Muscle Fruit! A Paramecia-Type Devil Fruit!]
RAAAAAHHHH!
The crowd erupted in deafening cheers!
[...]
[Let this blood-pumping world championship tournament... BEGIN!]
...
Backstage.
After verifying their registration cards and assigned rounds.
Moses, Yamato and Ulti stood ready for their matches.
The trio grew bored listening to Nanta's lengthy announcements outside.
"Over fifteen hundred participants? That's insane," Yamato remarked with wide eyes.
"And the spectators—there must be fifty thousand out there at least!"
"With the venue completely packed too," Ulti added incredulously.
Moses chuckled. "We saw yesterday—giant projection Den Den Mushi are broadcasting this live across every public square."
"Ugh."
Ulti heaved an exaggerated sigh, her expression defeated.
"I trained so hard for this tournament... only to get scheduled in Round Two against you. There goes my Top Five dream."
Moses grinned. "Why stop at Top Five? Why not dream of winning?"
Ulti sighed helplessly, "I still have some self-awareness. Forget about you—even against Yamato, I can't win right now."
Moses chuckled, "Then after we both enter the competition, you can protect me. I'll give you plenty of chances to fight, how about that?"
Ulti's eyes lit up:
"You're not lying to me?"
Moses nodded.
At that moment, as the countdown from the host Nanta above concluded, the time finally arrived—the first round began.
"Moses, I'm heading in then. Wait for my good news."
Yamato grinned as she walked toward the nearest arena entrance.
Indeed, Yamato was lucky enough to compete in the very first round.
Moses was currently positioned at a viewing window in the spectator area, located five meters below the main audience stands.
A few minutes later.
The spacious martial arts stage was now filled with over two hundred contestants.
Yamato was among them.
With the host's announcement of "Begin!" for the first round—
Instantly.
The contestants on the stage erupted into chaotic combat.
Yamato was undoubtedly the brightest star on the battlefield, punching and kicking with each strike unleashing gusts of icy wind. Eventually, she drew the attention of many opponents, who began ganging up on her.
Since this was a world-class martial arts tournament, the quality of the participants was astonishingly high.
Several fighters were no weaker than Yamato in her normal state.
Left with no choice, Yamato activated her partial beast transformation.
Amid the deafening cheers from the stands.
Yamato emerged victorious in the first round, standing tall as the last one remaining.
The winner of the first round was decided.
And it was Yamato.
Moses watched the panting but still energetic half-beast Yamato in the arena and couldn't help but laugh:
"Just as expected."
Ulti sighed, "Even if I were in the same round as Yamato, I wouldn't have won either."
"Alright, it's our turn now."
Seeing that Yamato had already left the stage and the staff were clearing away the incapacitated losers, Moses called out to Ulti beside him.
Slapping her cheeks, Ulti's eyes flashed with determination.
She followed closely behind Moses as they headed toward the entrance.
Moments later.
After crossing the floating bridge.
Moses and Ulti stepped onto the martial arts stage.
The presence of over two hundred people didn't make the stage feel crowded.
Each contestant eyed their surroundings warily—some alone, others in teams.
[Second Round. Begin!]
As the host's voice boomed through the speakers, the atmosphere on the stage shifted abruptly.
Battle cries erupted instantly!
Several nearby competitors exchanged glances before charging toward Moses and Ulti.
In the span of a breath, they closed in.
Moses moved like a feather, effortlessly weaving through their attacks while creating openings for Ulti to strike.
Clutching her gleaming diamond-like fists, Ulti stayed close to Moses, ruthlessly pummeling any contestant who dared approach them.
Bam bam bam bam bam—
Moses dodged a punch from one opponent and kicked him square in the rear, sending him stumbling forward. Ulti suddenly leaped and drove a fist into the back of his skull.
"Ahh!"
A scream later, he collapsed motionless.
Using his Observation Haki to sense the battlefield, Moses precisely identified suitable opponents for Ulti, guiding her into ongoing skirmishes to give her opportunities to fight.
Fist met flesh relentlessly.
Moses watched as Ulti, grinning wildly and laughing "Hahaha!", swung her fists with frenzied energy, turning them into blurs.
Ora ora ora ora—
"This girl's fighting spirit is off the charts."
Moses wore a faint smile as he swiftly weaved through the arena with Ulti in tow.
Whenever they encountered a tough opponent, Moses would grab Ulti by the scruff of her neck and retreat quickly, only to find another suitable spot to stir up chaos.
Their battle was filled with a playful atmosphere—striking here, dodging there.
Ulti tilted her head to glance at Moses as he gripped her demon horns and hurled her toward a young woman. Her lips curled into an excited grin.
Before she could react, a diamond-hard uppercut smashed into her striking, valiantly beautiful face.
With a loud thud—
"Waaah!" The young woman let out a pained cry as Ulti's punch sent her flying backward.
As time passed, their seamless teamwork finally drew the attention of the remaining fighters, who banded together to surround them.
Looking at the five final opponents encircling them, Moses chuckled.
Exchanging a glance with Ulti, he extended his right hand. She naturally reached out and took it—only for Moses to swing his arm and launch her forward in the next second.
Her demon horns transformed into gleaming diamond spikes as she shot through the air with a sharp whistle, slamming headfirst into one opponent's chest.
Bam! The impact bent him over at the waist, and before he could recover, Ulti drove a fist upward into his chin—POW!
The man crumpled heavily to the ground.
Moses turned to the remaining four charging at him. Dodging the first punch, he seized the attacker by the back of his head and swung him like a club into another's face.
CRACK!
Blood sprayed from both their noses as they tumbled aside.
Moses tapped his toes against the ground and lunged at the next fighter, who barely had time to panic before a whip-like kick smashed into his gut.
The man flew backward like a blur, landing with a splash in the water outside the ring—eliminated!
The last opponent stood frozen in place. Moses glanced at Ulti, who had already returned to his side, and tilted his head in a silent Let's go.
In the next instant, they rushed him together.
The man's face twisted in despair as Moses and Ulti took him down in a single exchange.
Now, only the two of them remained on the fighting stage.
Three meters away, Ulti tilted her head, panting lightly as she grinned. "That was fun. Since it's just us left… I forfeit."
Moses glanced at the roaring crowd, their voices unified in chanting, "Fight! Fight!" He smirked.
"You hear that? They want us to go at it. What do you say?"
"I say I'll watch from the ground. This lady's got no strength left—I'm forfeiting," Ulti retorted, rolling her eyes in exasperation.
Moses laughed. "Then how about I tap you lightly, and you just fall over? No need to forfeit."
"Fine! You win."
Chuckling, Moses stepped forward, and the crowd erupted in cheers.
Many shouted encouragement at Ulti—after all, a cute, violent girl with little white horns was far more popular than some random guy.
From the front row, Page One watched his older brother about to strike his sister, a faint smirk playing on his lips, eyes gleaming with amusement.
Bear Cub, Hiyori, Ushiwakamaru, and Kawamatsu also watched with amused smiles.
In the preparation area, Yamato watched Ulti with a hint of envy in her eyes. The flawless coordination between the two of them earlier had left her deeply impressed.
In the blink of an eye, Moses appeared in front of Ulti and swiftly tapped her head with a light pat, giving it a playful squeeze. Ulti looked up at him and blinked. Moses chuckled,
"If you're tired, just lie down and rest."
Ulti rolled her eyes at him but obediently went limp, leaning into Moses.
With a smirk and a gleam of amusement in his eyes, Moses caught her and settled her onto his foot, letting her sit comfortably.
Then, he turned his gaze toward the commentator's booth.
The entire arena fell silent for a few seconds before erupting into noise.
Some burst into laughter.
Others cursed, calling it rigged.
And some cheered.
Finally, the commentator's somewhat resigned voice rang out, announcing that Moses, under the alias A Bao, had won the second round.
Moses helped Ulti up, but she put on a pitiful act, pretending she was too weak to stand.
Smiling, Moses scooped her up in a princess carry and left the fighting stage.
A few minutes later,
they arrived back where the three of them had been earlier.
When Yamato saw Ulti still clinging to Moses, refusing to get down, her eye twitched. Without a word, she took Ulti from Moses' arms.
"I'll carry her. You must be tired too, Moses."
The next second, Ulti squirmed in her hold, shot her an annoyed look, and jumped down from her arms, saying,
"This lady has recovered already. No need for you to carry me."
Moses grinned and said,
"The third match is starting. Come watch."
Soon, the third round began.
This fight was even more intense and brutal than the previous two, lasting much longer.
In the end, a man in his forties from the West Sea's Flower Country, named Chili, emerged victorious.
However, since it was noon, there was an intermission, and the arena hosted a stunning dance performance.
The young women wore light, alluring outfits and moved with mesmerizing grace, giving the audience quite the spectacle.
Because the day's matches would conclude with the drawing for tomorrow's semifinals, Moses and the others didn't leave.
Lunch was a lavish spread provided by the organizers.
The food was excellent.
...
Around one in the afternoon,
the fourth match began.
Moses stared in surprise at the fighter who appeared on stage—a bald man in his fifties or sixties, wearing a dark blue rabbit-eared cap and a skintight outfit. His physique was irregular yet extraordinarily muscular.
"Do you know him, Moses?" Yamato asked, glancing at him.
"Yeah. He's a member of a very notorious pirate crew from the North Sea. His name is Lao G. He's incredibly strong. And that Chili guy earlier—if you end up facing either of them, you'll need to be extra careful."
"Got it. I'll keep that in mind."
As the fight progressed, Yamato fully understood what Moses meant. Lao G was a true master of martial arts.
The outcome of the fourth match was undeniable—Lao G, a high-ranking officer of the Donquixote Family, the near-undisputed rulers of the North Sea's underworld, emerged victorious.
Then, the fifth match started.
Dark horses kept appearing, but none were standout figures. In the end, the last two fighters inflicted fatal wounds on each other, collapsing simultaneously. Unable to continue in tomorrow's matches, they both withdrew.
They wept in unison.
Finally...
The host Nanta highlighted the four contestants for tomorrow—Moses, Yamato, Chili, and Lao G—and began explaining the rules for the upcoming martial arts tournament.
["Today's five chaotic battles really got me, Nanta, fired up! Now, without further ado, let me explain the rules for the next phase of the competition."]
["Tomorrow will feature the semifinals, with one match in the morning and another in the afternoon. The two final winners will advance to the championship match the following morning."]
["The ultimate victor of this world-class martial arts tournament will claim the grand prize—the Paramecia-Type Muscle Fruit."]
["Alright, today's events are officially over. There will be a song and dance performance here tonight, so feel free to come and enjoy it."]
Moses, Yamato, and Ulti headed to the drawing location, where they eventually met the remaining two contestants for tomorrow. Moses drew Chili as his opponent, while Yamato was matched against Lao G.
Yamato would compete in the first semifinal match in the morning.
Moses had nothing to say about it—just luck.
Truth be told, Moses wasn't particularly optimistic about Yamato's chances tomorrow.
Her opponent was no pushover.
Strength Rating: B-
Lao G, in his fifties, was at the peak of his physical prime—far from the frail, ailing old man who would later be defeated by younger fighters at the age of 70.
Meanwhile, Moses observed his own opponent for tomorrow—a towering, broad-shouldered man with a square jaw and bulging muscles.
His attire strongly resembled that of a certain nation from Moses' past life.
From the West Blue's Flower Kingdom.
Chili, son of Chinjao.
The next-generation pillar-in-training of the Happo Navy.
Strength Rating: B-
A smirk curled on Moses' lips. Tomorrow's fight promised to be an interesting one.
Without any intention of speaking to them, Moses left with the other two in tow.
None of them were interested in the evening's song and dance performance.
Since the crowd leaving the venue was particularly dense, Moses and his group didn't bother looking for Bear Cub and the others, instead heading straight back to the hotel to regroup.
Moses and the two arrived first.
After showering and settling on the couch with a cup of tea, Moses watched as Bear Cub and the others returned—all wearing expressions of lingering distress.
Curious, Moses asked,
"Something interesting happen?"
Hiyori replied with a deadpan look, "Too many people were leaving at once. It was so crowded I felt dizzy. If Kawamatsu hadn't shielded me, I swear I would've been squashed flat."
Bear Cub sighed helplessly and added,
"Someone even pinched my butt on the way."
Moses chuckled. "Did you fight back?"
"No. It was a little girl. I let it slide."
Moses burst out laughing again.
"Go wash up. We'll head out for dinner soon."
They nodded and went to freshen up.
Afterward, Moses took them out for a stroll and a good meal before returning early to rest.
In the living room, as the others played cards, Moses turned to Kawamatsu beside him and murmured,
"Yamato's opponent tomorrow is a tough one—the winner of the fourth match. Keep an eye on her. If she's outmatched and the other side goes for a lethal strike, intervene the moment her life is in danger."
A sharp glint flashed in Kawamatsu's eyes before he nodded in understanding.
"I understand. I will keep a close eye on Lady Yamato, Lord Moses. You can rest assured."
Having spent these days with Yamato, Kawamatsu had come to know her quite well—she was innocent, cheerful, and optimistic, a girl it was hard to dislike.
Moreover, she never looked at him with prejudice, making her a truly good person.
After giving his instructions, Moses left with a smile, saying, "Get some rest early."
Telling Kawamatsu such things also served as an added measure of security for Yamato.
Of course, he would remain vigilant as well.
The night passed without incident.
The next day.
After breakfast.
The group returned to the arena once more.
The excitement in the arena was noticeably higher than the day before.
Still at the same viewing spot from yesterday, Moses and Ulti arrived to find Yamato and Lao G already standing across from each other on the fighting platform, locked in a distant stare.