After making a name for himself at home, Sett set sail alone. Within just a few years, his bounty surpassed 300 million Berries, earning him the nickname "Bone Crusher" for his habit of crushing his opponents' bones with overwhelming force. The title also served as a testament to his terrifying physical strength.
When he eventually returned to the Sett Kingdom, he officially inherited the name "Sett," becoming the kingdom's rightful successor.
Naturally, the existence of the Fighting Pyramid held irresistible appeal for someone like him. Even more enticing was the Ancient Zoan Kraken Fruit offered by the Nightfall Pirates.
Although the Sett Kingdom was a powerful nation, it lacked the influence and connections needed to obtain truly exceptional Devil Fruits. At best, it could secure ordinary carnivorous Zoan Fruits.
Sett had no intention of settling for mediocrity.
The moment he learned that an Ancient Zoan would be available through the Fighting Pyramid, he rushed there without hesitation.
His arrival also inspired many young warriors from the Sett Kingdom to travel to the Fighting Pyramid in pursuit of strength.
If the first two contenders had already possessed some degree of fame before entering the Fighting Pyramid, then the third was the complete opposite.
He was an absolute nobody.
He had no bounty, no pirate crew, and was not even a pirate.
All he possessed was a single sword and several years of disciplined swordsmanship training that had given him a solid foundation.
His name was Hishi.
Starting from the very bottom floor of the Fighting Pyramid, Hishi steadily climbed upward through an endless succession of battles.
In terms of total matches fought, he had participated in over two hundred more battles than either Joshua or Sett.
Of course, Hishi had begun competing during the Kendo Tournament, giving him an early advantage in accumulating points. Even so, countless members of pirate crews from all over the world had participated in those tournaments as well.
Within only a few short years, his strength experienced a breathtaking transformation.
Not only did he awaken both forms of Haki, but he also grew into an exceptional swordsman capable of standing among the strongest fighters in the New World.
Among the three finalists, he was undoubtedly the greatest surprise.
The Devil Fruit he desired was the Logia Snow-Snow Fruit.
Its elemental abilities perfectly complemented his swordsmanship, while the other two Devil Fruits offered far less compatibility with his fighting style.
Behind the scenes, numerous people secretly approached all three finalists, hoping to purchase the Devil Fruits once they obtained them.
Not a single one accepted.
After fighting for years and enduring countless battles, their goal had always been to become stronger. Everything they had done was for these priceless Devil Fruits.
In the end, even the Devil Fruits themselves were merely another path toward greater strength.
Meanwhile, as news of the Nightfall Pirates' continuous victories over the Whitebeard Pirates spread across the seas, their influence and prestige reached unprecedented heights.
Particularly eye-catching were the eight fully armed giant gatekeepers stationed before the four entrances of the Fighting Pyramid.
In reality, there were sixteen giants in total, rotating shifts to guard the facility.
They had now officially joined the Nightfall Pirates.
After all, becoming members changed none of their daily responsibilities while providing significantly better treatment and benefits. There was no reason to refuse.
Furthermore, as a gesture of goodwill, the Nightfall Pirates had informed the Giant Race of the whereabouts of the long-lost captains of the Giant Warrior Pirates.
Because of this, traces of the Nightfall Pirates' influence could quietly be found behind nearly every major incident involving the Giant Race throughout the seas.
Under the watchful eyes of countless spectators, Redyat, the Shadow Dragon and one of the Three Rulers of the Nightfall Pirates, personally arrived to witness this historic moment.
Joshua.
Sett.
Hishi.
Amid countless envious, jealous, and expectant gazes, shadowy tendrils spread from beneath Redyat's feet, carrying three ornate boxes before the finalists.
Each of them accepted a box.
They opened the lids.
Inside lay the Devil Fruit they had spent years fighting to obtain.
None of them hesitated.
Even so, as they picked up the fruits, excitement surged uncontrollably through their hearts.
Each of them took a bite.
Then their expressions froze.
The horrifying taste struck them immediately, twisting their faces in unmistakable disgust despite all their mental preparation.
Even the strongest warriors could not escape the legendary flavor of a Devil Fruit.
Joshua believed in ending pain quickly.
Having researched Devil Fruits beforehand, he simply swallowed the entire fruit in one gulp.
Sett fared only slightly better, dividing his Devil Fruit into two bites before forcing it down.
The youngest among them, Hishi, suffered the most.
Supporting himself with his sword, he nearly collapsed to one knee as he forced himself to finish the fruit bite by agonizing bite.
After finally swallowing the last piece, he immediately bent over and retched violently.
Nothing came out.
The sight sent waves of laughter rolling through the arena.
Even many Devil Fruit users couldn't help laughing.
Watching three future powerhouses reduced to such miserable appearances was a rare spectacle indeed.
Fortunately, the embarrassment lasted only a moment.
Everyone's attention quickly shifted to what truly mattered.
The abilities.
All three were already formidable fighters.
They had thoroughly researched the Devil Fruits they intended to obtain and could begin using their new powers almost immediately.
After composing themselves, Sett moved first.
His body rapidly expanded.
Muscles swelled.
Bones cracked.
Within moments, he transformed into an enormous Kraken whose countless tentacles spread in every direction, radiating an overwhelming aura that sent chills through everyone watching.
Sett could clearly feel the tremendous increase in his physical strength.
At the moment, however, he was still adapting to his transformed body.
After a brief demonstration, he quickly returned to his human form.
Having only just eaten the Devil Fruit, he could currently switch only between his human form and full beast form.
Mastering the hybrid form would require further training.
For a close-combat fighter like Sett, the hybrid form would ultimately become the source of his greatest combat power.
Joshua followed.
Clenching his fist tightly, he raised his arm before driving a punch straight into the empty air.
Boom!
A deafening sonic explosion erupted.
An invisible shockwave rippled outward, powerful enough to become visible to the naked eye.
It was merely the beginning.
With sufficient training and continued mastery of the Sonic-Sonic Fruit, its destructive power would become vastly more terrifying.
Finally, it was Hishi's turn.
He quietly sensed the strange power flowing through his body.
His arm suddenly dissolved into drifting white snow.
The surrounding temperature plummeted.
Within seconds, frost spread across the arena floor as snowflakes drifted through the air. Everything within several meters of Hishi became covered in ice and snow.
The spectators watched in stunned silence.
With that, the three winners had each obtained the Devil Fruit they had pursued for years.
Before the eyes of the entire world, they unveiled their new powers for the very first time.