Chapter 37 Martial Arts Farce Forces Live Broadcast to HaltThat domineering willpower was enough to immune to most mental interference in the world.
Yet even so, he was "forced" to kneel before Luffy twice to receive his sword.
What did this mean?
It meant that Luffy's sword intent had transcended the rules!
Sengoku stood up again in front of Luffy, his face so black it could drip ink.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to strangle Luffy on the spot.
"I know you have a grudge about this fight."
"But if you dare to attack me again, this fight is over! You've lost! A direct forfeit!"
"Injustice! I really didn't attack you!"
Luffy cried out, his face full of innocence.
"I've had some trouble training lately, this technique… it's a bit unstable, a bit… random."
Sengoku didn't bother listening to his excuses.
This time, he learned his lesson. He instantly flashed to the top of the fortress three thousand meters away, watching Luffy through binoculars.
"Garp! Tsuru! You two come over here too! Don't just stand there like idiots!"
Garp and Vice Admiral Tsuru exchanged a glance. Although they didn't know what had gotten into Sengoku, they quickly followed.
After all, what had just happened was too bizarre. If they were the next ones to be publicly humiliated, their reputations would be ruined.
Meanwhile, in the plaza.
Apart from the few hundred officers targeted by Luffy, the rest of the soldiers, like Zoro before them, retreated to the edge of the plaza as if avoiding a plague.
In the blink of an eye, the once crowded Crescent Bay Plaza was left with only Luffy and those few hundred lonely unfortunate souls.
The wind howls, the Yi River is cold, the hero departs… A little panicked.
"So...shall we begin?"
Luffy tentatively brandished his sword, asking the bewildered Marines opposite him.
"Charge!"
Burnam, who had just pulled himself out of the wall, roared despite the excruciating pain in his chest.
"Everyone, attack together! I refuse to believe he can make all of us disappear!"
He charged forward, using "Shave" to transform into a blur as he rushed towards Luffy.
"Kill!!!"
The remaining hundreds of officers reacted quickly, roaring as they surged forward like an iron torrent, determined to overwhelm Luffy.
Unfortunately, these men were too naive, completely oblivious to just how low Luffy's moral compass ran; he was practically the titan of shamelessness.
Luffy wielded a gleaming katana in his right hand and the menacing Samehada in his left.
The katana swung out with a fierce swift motion, a blur of motion, and before the unfortunate marine could react, his knees buckled, and he fell to his knees, catching the blade bare-handed.
Immediately afterward, Luffy's Samehada in his left hand, like a heavy battering ram, slammed down with a whistling sound.
The marine was instantly blasted away like a kite with a broken string, his stamina being frantically absorbed by Samehada upon impact.
This massive energy was then fed back to Luffy, who was currently in Gear Second, his body steaming.
The onlookers' eyelids twitched wildly, their lips twitching.
Especially Hawkeye Mihawk, who was sipping red wine from a goblet, sprayed the expensive bottle all over the ground.
A thousand curses ran through his mind: This is the "immortal sword" you bragged about?! Have you no shame?!
Zoro clutched his face in agony, rubbing his throbbing temples, and sighed inwardly, "I knew it would be like this..."
The other crew members were equally bewildered, watching Luffy treat the Marines like a game of whack-a-mole, controlling them with a sword, smashing them away with a hammer, and surprisingly, with a pretty good sense of rhythm.
What should have been a thrilling elite martial arts demonstration had been turned into a farcical spectacle.
The spectators watching the live stream were completely dumbfounded, their minds filled with questions: What kind of exhibition match is this?
Why are all the Marines acting like they're possessed, lining up to catch his sword, and then getting smashed away in the process?
Isn't this just making a fool of us?
We've already taken our pants off, prepared our popcorn, and this is what we get?!
This is an insult to our intelligence! Who in their right mind would rush in to catch a knife and get sent flying?
The colonels participating in the demonstration were so frustrated they felt like vomiting blood.
Luffy's second-gear speed was simply beyond their comprehension.
Not to mention the monstrous "Lightning King" enhancement he possessed.
This meant that hundreds of colonel-level experts present couldn't even touch the hem of Luffy's clothes.
They could only watch helplessly as their comrades vanished with a "whoosh," followed by a dull thud as their companions were thrown back like sacks of potatoes.
What made it even more despairing was that they had initially planned to outnumber Luffy and wear him down.
But as time went on, they were horrified to discover that this guy wasn't even sweating or panting; his heart wasn't even racing.
Instead, he seemed to be on steroids, growing more energetic and vigorous with each fight!
In contrast, his naval colleagues, sent flying by Samehada, were pale and emaciated, like refugees who hadn't eaten for three days and nights, lying listlessly on the ground.
"Don't run away, kid! If you're a man, fight me head-on!"
Naval Supernova Graat was furious, his neck red and veins bulging.
Luffy calmly swatted another unfortunate colonel away like a fly, a smug grin on his face: "This isn't running, it's a strategic tactical retreat. Come and chase me if you dare, and if you catch me, I'll let you...hehehe."
Fleet Admiral Sengoku in the stands was as black as the bottom of a pot, practically speechless.
What happened to showcasing the Navy's might and awe-inspiring presence? This bastard Luffy has ruined it all.
Seeing the increasingly smug straw-hatted boy in the arena, Sengoku finally couldn't hold back. He turned and roared at his adjutant, spitting in his face, "Enough! Cut off the live stream immediately!"
The adjutant, startled, scrambled to contact the reporter in charge of the broadcast.
In an instant, the giant screens in squares around the world went black as if the power had been cut.
"What's going on? Why did the screen suddenly go black? I was watching the exciting part!"
"Pshaw, what's so interesting? It's obviously fake, all scripted and acted."
"I guess the officials think this kind of fighting scene is unsuitable for children?"
"To be fair, those Marines were undeniably fast, especially that charge to catch the sword—it was like teleportation!"
Instantly, the streets and alleys around the world were abuzz with discussion about this bizarre martial arts demonstration.
Only the top fighters of the New World wore incredibly grave expressions.
"When did the Marines' individual combat skills become so outrageous?"
"The explosive power in that instant of catching the sword was something even I might not be able to keep up with."
"The most terrifying thing is that this isn't an isolated incident; it seems that most of the Marines on the field possess this terrifying speed."
"Although the plot is fake, the display of physical prowess is undeniable."
"It seems the Marines are playing a long game, deliberately pushing Luffy to the forefront to flex their muscles."
"That's right, this so-called Commodore is nothing more than a tool to deceive everyone."
The whole world was abuzz with discussion about this farcical martial arts demonstration, with all sorts of conspiracy theories emerging.
"Hey? Sengoku-sama? You can't be this ruthless! Even discarding a used tool isn't this quick!"
"What about the promised reward? I genuinely won! The poor entertainment value is a matter of artistic style, not my fault!"
"So what if I want a Seastone warship? It's not like I'm asking for your pension."
"Uncle Kizaru, don't just stand there! You be the judge! Shouldn't I get some compensation for my trouble?"
In Fleet Admiral Sengoku's office, Luffy was patiently arguing with the gloomy-faced Sengoku, fully utilizing the shamelessness of the Gum-Gum Fruit to the fullest.
"Get out! Get the hell out of here! Your men have all been promoted to lieutenant commanders! And you still dare to greedily ask for warships!"
Sengoku slammed his fist on the table, roaring at Luffy, "I told you to uphold military prestige, and look what they've said about the Navy! They've become a laughingstock!"
"Aren't the pirates in the New World more respectful of us? That achieves its purpose, right?" Luffy muttered in protest.
"What's the use! Our Navy only has that one base left in the New World!"
Sengoku looked at Luffy's innocent face, feeling his blood pressure surge to the top of his head, wishing he could transform into a Buddha and slap him on the spot.
As the saying goes, the expert sees the details, the layman sees the spectacle.
At this moment, the pirate world's evaluation of this award ceremony was extremely polarized.
The discerning pirates of the New World were indeed impressed by the basic qualities displayed by the Navy.
Meanwhile, ordinary people in the first half of the Grand Line and the four seas generally believed this was a farcical show staged to curry favor with the Marine hero Garp and give Luffy a boost in status.
After this live broadcast, aside from the aloof Hawkeye, the entire pirate world remembered this shameless guy who threw a match in front of the whole world.
Sengoku was so angry he was practically in a coma, his breathing becoming rapid.
He had just ordered his men to pack up this troublemaker and send him back to Loguetown, and this guy dared to make outrageous demands, asking for a Seastone warship that only a Vice Admiral could be equipped with.
What was most infuriating was that the ship wasn't even for himself, but for that red-nosed clown Buggy.
Enraged, Sengoku almost transformed and personally sent this shameless scoundrel to his doom.
Meanwhile, Kizaru, responsible for overseeing operations in the Sabaody Archipelago, had just entered when he stumbled upon this chaotic scene.
"Uncle Kizaru? Oh my, Uncle, you're finally back! Don't just stand there, put in a good word for me, and when Buggy Express goes public, I'll save you some shares!"
Luffy, seeing Kizaru, immediately went over and subtly nudged the seemingly slow-witted admiral.
A hint of helplessness flashed in Kizaru's eyes behind his sunglasses: "…"
"Guards! Where are the guards?! Who let this bastard in?! Is the Fleet Admiral's office a marketplace? Anyone can just walk in and out? Throw him out!"
Sengoku, clutching his aching chest, roared hysterically.
Two burly soldiers rushed in from outside, grabbed Luffy on either side, and dragged him out.
"What sins did I commit in this life? I feel like that old bastard Garp should have just become a pirate instead of having such a grandson to torment me."
"Listen up, everyone! If this kid comes looking for me, tell him I'm dead! Not here!"
Sengoku, cursing, crumpled Luffy's request for a warship into a ball and tossed it to his pet goat, who was eating paper nearby.
Kizaru scratched his curly hair, pouting, and said, "This is Mr. Garp's grandson? How terrifying. But what he said does make some sense; giving him a warship isn't a big deal."
"Then deduct it from your salary?"
Sengoku didn't even look up, coldly retorting.
Kizaru's expression immediately turned serious, and he spoke with righteous indignation, "I think with his current qualifications and strength, he's indeed unsuitable to pilot a Seastone warship. After all, that's our Navy's top secret, and it absolutely cannot be leaked!"
...
On the other side, Luffy, who had been dragged out, grumbled as he straightened his wrinkled "Justice Cloak."
"Tch, what kind of person is he? So stingy, so miserly."
He looked up and immediately spotted Zoro hiding in a corner some distance away. The green-haired guy was a million miles away, clearly afraid of being discovered as being on Luffy's side.
After all, judging from the current atmosphere at Marine Headquarters, officers of the rank of colonel and above were looking at Luffy with murderous intent, itching to kill him but unable to do anything about it.
"Yo! Zoro! Over here!"
Luffy waved and shouted enthusiastically at Zoro in the distance, as if nothing had happened.
The passing Marines instantly stopped in their tracks, dozens of sharp gazes fixed on Zoro.
Zoro felt a chill run down his spine, a wave of intense resentment washing over him.
He steeled himself and rushed forward, grabbing Luffy by the collar and dragging him towards Joyce's warship. Nami and the others were already hiding on the warship, anxiously waiting for a quick escape.
When Zoro tossed Luffy back onto the deck like a dead dog, Buggy immediately swarmed around him, rubbing his hands excitedly: "How did it go? How did it go? Did you get it?"
The thought of Luffy going to help him get that coveted Seastone warship made Buggy's nose glow with excitement.
Luffy disdainfully shook off Zoro's hand, scoffing, "Pah! That old bespectacled guy's a traitor! He used us and then left without even a sip."
Bugsy's smile vanished instantly upon hearing this, his face filled with undisguised disappointment.
"Looks like we didn't get anything out of it this time. A complete waste of time."
Usopp also shook his head regretfully.
"Well, you can't say that."
Nami chuckled, winking slyly, and suddenly, as if by magic, a huge pile of bulging wallets appeared out of her pocket.
"Wow! Well done!"
Everyone looked at the pile of wallets and gave a thumbs up, seeing nothing wrong with this petty theft; in fact, they thought it was perfectly normal.
Colonel Joyce, standing nearby, was speechless, looking at this group of men who already held the rank of colonel, feeling utterly hopeless: This doesn't look like the Marines at all! They're practically a bunch of bandits in uniform!
After Joyce finally managed to get this group of troublemakers to Loguetown, he didn't dare linger for even a second, sprinting away from the port like a fugitive.
He was genuinely afraid that Luffy, that madman, might impulsively dismantle the seastone keel from the warship's hull and install it on that dilapidated ram's head ship.
"Keep in touch, Joyce!"
Luffy stood on the shore, enthusiastically waving goodbye to the departing warship.
Zoro, standing nearby, rolled his eyes and mercilessly remarked, "He probably never wants to see your face again."
Just then, a clear shout rang out from afar.
"Commodore Luffy!"
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw Tashigi, clutching her famous sword Shigure, running excitedly from the end of the street.
Behind her followed Smoker, cigar in mouth and looking disgruntled.
"You're quite the surprise,"
Smoker exhaled a puff of smoke, looking at Luffy with a complicated expression. "Even I, after watching that live stream, couldn't resist wanting to jump into the screen and punch you a couple of times."
"It's a pity you weren't there. If you had been, you might have gotten some big exposure in front of the whole world."
Luffy slapped his thigh with a regretful expression.
A vein throbbed on Smoker's forehead. Nobody wanted to be broadcasting themselves into such a state.
If Sengoku hadn't reacted quickly and cut off the broadcast, those hundreds of unfortunate guys would probably have been performing a variety of beatings in front of the entire world.
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