Chapter 694: Empty-Handed"What did he just say?"Jason was so surprised by Satoru's words about Whitebeard's death that he hadn't heard a single thing the old man had said earlier.Seeing the crowd lining up, Jason asked Satoru, confused.Satoru pointed to the treasure chest in the old man's hand."That old man just said that to enter this city, you must pay treasure. As long as it reaches a level satisfactory to Lord Death God, you can enter.""Don't worry if you don't have money; he said there would be a way for us to earn it.""Or, there's a third way: force your way in, provided we have the guts."Jason nodded in understanding. Just as he was about to say something, Satoru spoke first."Someone who tried to force their way in was just swallowed by that old man."Hearing this, Jason's words vanished.Pirates, being what they are, would certainly prefer not to pay if they don't have to. But pirates aren't foolish. Seeing the old man swallow someone so easily, it's better not to seek death. This is called knowing when to be pragmatic.Satoru thought for a moment and decided to queue up first to see how this old man's method of earning money worked.As for him, Satoru, paying money now? Laughable. The Straw Hat Pirates are notoriously poor; they have no money and won't give their lives either.Having figured this out, Satoru turned and walked to the end of the line. Jason immediately followed.Seeing their actions, the Crab-like Old Man's occasional murderous glances retracted... Boeing Archipelago.If Sanji reached a hell of aesthetics, then Usopparrived at a foodie's paradise."This is really delicious!""What is this? I haven't eaten this!""Slurp~ Mmm~ So delicious!!""...Usopp! Usopp!! You're here for special training!! Not for enjoyment! What if everyone else improves after two years, and only you don't?!! No! I need to start special training!!""Hey, Usopp, try this.""Alrighty~"...The line was very long, and Satoru and the others were at the very end, so they witnessed everything that happened during the queuing process.At first, the first person paid, but it wasn't enough. They paid again, still not enough, even after putting in all their possessions.That person flew into a rage.Then the old man swallowed him in one gulp.In other words, he not only lost all his possessions but also his life—oh no, it should be said, his soul. Being eaten likely meant his soul was scattered, with no hope of reincarnation.Just when everyone thought the old man wouldn't trick them, right?The second person only paid one coin, and the skull's eyes on the treasure chest glowed, then shot a beam of light onto that person, proving it was enough."Congratulations, you may pass."The old man said.This operation, could it be rigged? The people behind were dissatisfied.The old man smiled and explained, "This is a matter of luck.""The treasure chest recharges every time enough treasure is deposited.""Before it's fully charged, each deposit is cumulative, you see.""The person before was very unlucky; he put in everything, just a tiny bit short of full. So, this gentleman is very lucky, isn't he?""You can go in now, just walk forward, and the energy on your body will allow you to pass through."The old man reminded the lucky person who only deposited one coin.That person did as told, and just like when he and the old man emerged, he directly passed through the gate and entered beyond.The old man maintained his smile and looked at the next person."So, it's your turn, sir."...These three were also unlucky. They had just heard the old man's rules, meaning the treasure chest was now completely recharging from scratch. Who knew how much treasure it would take to fill it!Thinking that the money in their pockets was less than the first person's, they feared it wouldn't fill the treasure chest. Forcing their way in was also impossible, so they only had the second rule to choose from."I want to earn money."The third person, a rather thin middle-aged man, said.Satoru perked up his ears; he also wanted to know how this second rule's money-earning method worked.The old man smiled, "Good, there are thousands of ways to earn money.""Isn't it easiest to just rob those around you?""Unfortunately, you are all very civilized."The old man's second sentence enlightened some people, but his third sentence made those enlightened people stop their eager hands."There's another way.""Yathelaka frequently holds gladiator matches. The top three winners receive generous prize money, enough to cover the entrance fee to the city.""You can choose to sign up."The man thought, "Are the members of the gladiator matches all... us departed souls?""Yes.""Of course, there will also be city residents who want to earn money.""Their strength compared to yours..."The man tried asking again.The old man's smile remained, "I serve Lord Death God; not just anyone has that qualification."The man understood. "Alright, then I'll sign up.""No problem."The old man readily agreed. One of his eight crab legs stretched out and slashed through space, opening a hole."Walk in, and you'll go directly to the Arena's preparation room."The man took a deep breath and then walked in.But the hole did not disappear; it remained there. The old man knew that if one person chose to go to the Arena, there wouldn't be just one."Next."The fourth person stepped forward. He chose to deposit money. The amount of money he possessed was even more than the first person's, but the treasure chest still didn't react."Why is there still no reaction?! Haven't I put in more money than that first guy?!"The old man stated, "I never said the treasure chest started recharging from scratch when the first person deposited their money."The old man's tone was full of mockery, but the man didn't dare to act.But even after he put in all his treasures, it still wasn't enough.The old man smiled without speaking.The man's hands trembled.Satoru noticed the man's actions and immediately said to Swordfish Brother Jason."Step back, move far away."Jason complied.Sure enough, the next second, the man turned and pounced on the person behind him, starting to rob their money.With his action, others no longer needed to pretend. Robbing is robbing; isn't that how pirates are?Just like that, the scene instantly became chaotic.The old man clapped happily, "Yes, yes, this is how it should be. Being reserved and all that, how boring."...The scene erupted into a chaotic battle.Satoru and Jason stood at the back, but they weren't unnoticed. Whenever someone approached, Satoruwould pull out his empty pockets, emphasizing that he had nothing.
Chapter 695: Pushing Your LuckIn front of the gates of the hellish city of Yathelaka, the scene suddenly fell into chaos because one man started robbing others.The old octopus-crab gatekeeper was very happy to see this scene.Satoru felt it was fine; at this rate, he should be able to save quite a bit of waiting time....Satoru and his group were also in the queue, so how could the robber ignore them?When the person approached to attack, Satoruturned out his pocket, and all he saw was just the pocket itself.It was completely empty; there was nothing inside.The person attacking was stunned. He had seen poor people before, but never anyone this poor. Just as he was about to leave, he caught a glimpse of the bracelet on Satoru's wrist."It's silver, it should be worth a fair amount!""Hey you! Give me that bracelet!"Satoru did not answer.The man continued to attack.Satoru sighed, "You didn't have to end up lying down.""What did you sa..."Before the man could even throw his punch, he saw Satoru wave his arm, instantly spinning him like a top before he collapsed to the ground, his eyes swirling.Watching him lying on the ground so peacefully, Satoru remarked."You're pushing your luck."He then lifted his eyes, and those who had originally planned to rob Satoru and his group immediately avoided his gaze and changed their direction....Torino Kingdom."Ah, thank you.""What? You say I'm troubled? Yes, I was thinking about my comrades. I wonder how they are doing now.""The others are fine, they are in the real world, but Satoru is in hell. It sounds like a terrible place to be, but I believe in Satoru; he is always reliable."Chopper was chatting with a giant bird chick unique to the Torino Kingdom; after all, they were comradeswho had escaped from the same pot at the beginning.A species of giant bird lived in the Torino Kingdom, and wars often broke out between the giant birds and the residents. Chopper's arrival resolved the misunderstanding between the two sides; this seemed to be the special ability of the Straw Hat Pirates....After the chaotic battle in front of the gates of Yathelaka lasted for a while, it finally ended.Having just watched and participated in the Marineford War, Satoru felt like he was watching children fight.Moreover, this wave of spirits didn't seem to have died in the Marineford War like him; they had died a few days earlier. Perhaps because he entered hell under special circumstances, he moved faster?However, none of that mattered. Among the people Satoru knew, it seemed only Whitebeard had died during this period. As for others, even if they died in the Marineford War, Satoru might not necessarily know them.Alright, back to business, just as Satoru had said.After the chaos ended, the line was nearly half as short. Those guys lying on the ground remained there; no one went to clear them away, and the line continued to move forward.Some people had enough funds to enter after robbing others, while some still didn't, so they had to choose to participate in the Arena.Soon, it was Satoru and Jason's turn.Satoru let Jason go first. Jason had also gone to rob others earlier; there was no other way. It was survival of the fittest; to survive yourself, you had to sacrifice others. This was hell, where there were no laws to speak of. Besides, what laws do pirates follow anyway?But unfortunately, Jason's money was still not enough, so he chose the Arena."What a pity. Well, I'll be heading off first, Brother Satoru.""I hope we can meet again.""Of course, though I hope you won't have to meet me in the Arena."Satoru nodded, "Rest assured, if we meet in the Arena, I will...""Go easy on me?""Beat you with my full strength.""...""Hahaha, that works too. Losing that way won't be embarrassing."...As Jason entered the spatial rift, "You're the only one left, sir," the old man said."Hmm, starting off with'sir'—I must first compliment you on your keen eye," Satoru replied.The old man smiled without answering. He pushed the treasure chest in his hand slightly forward, and the spatial rift beside him widened, waiting for Satoru's choice.Satoru had intended to choose the Arena from the very beginning. It wasn't because he was afraid of this old ghost, but because he would likely be surviving in this city for a while, so money was essential, and the prize money from the Arena was a good choice.Rather than killing this old man now and invading to rob the place.Satoru preferred the first method. After all, he had already seen the boss here, Davy Jones, and he definitely wasn't easy to deal with. It was better to keep a low profile; keeping a low profile was better.However, Satoru was curious now."As long as I defeat you, can I go straight in?""Or is there something else?"Satoru asked.The old man's smile froze instantly, and the treasure chest in his hand slammed shut."You have made a bad choice."The old man said, and then his neck stretched, his head grew larger, and he lunged from above to swallow Satoru.Satoru raised his hand and struck the air; the Shockwave landed right in the old man's mouth.Only a scream was heard."Ah!!!"The old man's head returned to its normal state, but he spat out half of his teeth...."I was just asking.""Why did you take it upon yourself to make a decision for me?"Satoru said to the old man, who was covering his mouth."Im... impossible!"The old man spoke with a lisp."You are clearly just a spirit now, why can you still use the abilities you had when you were alive?!""Why not?"Satoru countered.The old man was stunned.Why not?"It's never been possible! No one can! What do you mean 'why not'!!"Satoru nodded."Fine, then I am the exception to that rule. I can use it.""Do you want to try again?"A single punch had knocked out half his teeth, and his soul had almost been shattered just now; the old man would have to be insane to try again."No, no need.""You have real skills! Yathelaka welcomes those with real skills.""Let me take you in."Although he said this, the old man was thinking something quite different.Bastard, if the master weren't away, would I let you run wild like this?!Just wait until I lure you into the master's castle. Even if the master isn't there, the traps and guards inside will be enough to give you a hard time! I'll kill you yet!!Looking at the old man's expression, Satoru knew he was up to no good. Satoru couldn't read minds, but he still refused the old man. As mentioned earlier, Satoru intended to participate in the Arenato win the prize money."Forget it."As soon as Satoru said those two words, the old man trembled. Could he have been found out?"I'm sor...""I want to participate in the Arena.""Sor... eh?"The old man had apologized too early; the situation was a bit awkward.Satoru didn't speak, and the old man tried to forget what he had just said."Ahahaha! The Arena! You want to participate in the Arena!""Sure! Of course, no problem!!""Just enter from here."The old man made a gesture of invitation.Satoru nodded and stepped into the spatial rift.
Chapter 696: Hell Arena TournamentThe heavy snow arrived with the cold winter, making the streets shine as if cast from silver. Icicles hung from the eaves like crystal daggers, and people's breath turned into plumes of white smoke.They were called streets, but they were actually situated atop a bridge deck.This was the Country on the Bridge—Tequila Wolf.It was the long bridge that the World Governmenthad been building in the East Blue to connect islands; years of construction directly led to the birth of a nation on the bridge itself.This was where Robin landed. She was currently wearing a coat and hiding in the shadows. The bridge was full of supervising Marines. She had just escaped from their hands, as she had been captured upon landing and forced into slavery to build the bridge.Perhaps it was bridge construction. In any case, she had escaped, as ordinary handcuffs were useless against her.Suddenly, a hand rested on Robin's shoulder.Robin immediately turned around, crossing her arms.Two arms sprouted from the person's shoulders, grabbing his head and bending it backward.The arrival was a man with fluffy brown hair, wearing a black top hat adorned with a long green leaf.The man quickly waved his hands, indicating he wasn't a bad person.Robin didn't believe him.Not until the man said, "I am from the Revolutionary Army."Robin's eyes widened slightly, and she finally let go.The man rubbed his neck."We received a message that you would be arriving here. We are here to protect you.""Of course, we also intend to liberate this Country on the Bridge, Tequila Wolf, which has been oppressed for years!"...Hell.After Satoru stepped into the spatial rift, the Crab Old Man closed the rift.His mouth was still throbbing painfully. The old man's eyes turned fierce. "Hmph! What if you still have your ability?""Once we reach the Arena!! Watch how I kill you!!"After finishing his threat, the old man immediately passed through the gate and entered the city.As for those lying on the ground, the earth opened up like a series of mouths and swallowed them whole.What their fate would be was unknown, but it certainly wouldn't be good... Satoru arrived in the space beyond the rift.This was a preparation room, equipped with weapons and armor for selection.Satoru arrived late, so nothing was left but some scrap metal.The people inside were all familiar faces from the queue earlier.Jason quickly spotted Satoru and ran over enthusiastically."Brother Satoru!"Satoru looked over toward the sound, noticing that Jason, who had arrived just before him, was already wearing armor and had two long swords on his back.However, the Swordfish on his head was still there.Satoru wanted to laugh. Did he really love that Swordfish so much?"We meet again. I won't hold back."This was Satoru's opening remark upon meeting again.Jason was stunned for a moment, then said, "Hahaha, same here.""Let's forget that for now. Brother Satoru, you arrived late and have no weapons left. I have two long swords here; want one?"Satoru looked at this simple-minded fellow. They were already opponents, yet he was offering a weapon to the other party. If that wasn't foolishness, what was?"No need. You keep it."Speaking of weapons, as long as he had his Bracelet, there was no weapon Satoru didn't possess."Alright.""But, Brother Satoru, you keep saying you won't hold back. Do you really need money?"Jason asked.Satoru nodded. "Yes, I do."Jason sighed. "Ah, then I truly have to be your opponent. I hope I survive."Satoru replied with a smile, "If you are truly afraid of fighting me, just go fight. I won't participate, and then you give me the money you win."Jason: "...I am scared, but I'm not stupid. Brother Satoru, are you trying to make fun of me?""What is there to be afraid of? Don't build me up too much. Maybe my strength is weaker than yours."Satoru replied."Weaker~ than~ you~"Jason repeated the phrase sarcastically."I have a clear understanding of my own strength. Maybe you aren't that strong, but I am definitely weak!!"Satoru: "..."This somehow made you proud... 2000 years passed~Well, it wasn't that exaggerated.The crowd in the preparation room waited for nearly two hours, but still neither saw nor heard any sign of the Arena Tournament starting.Someone suspected they had been tricked by that Crab Old Ghoul.However, just as that thought surfaced, the voice of the Crab Old Ghoul came through the broadcast system."Everyone, please remain calm. The Arena Tournament is currently being prepared. Isn't it nice to rest in here?""You can enjoy these things first. They're on me, no charge!"As the old man's voice faded, cracks opened in the floor, and Little Crabs emerged, each carrying a plate of food. After placing the food in front of the people, the Little Crabs disappeared back into the cracks.The food was simple—a piece of bread and a cup of water—but it was better than nothing, which convinced everyone to wait a little longer.Satoru glanced at the bread. Beggar's Food?Hmph!Might as well eat it... Inside the castle, the Crab Old Ghoul was about to explode with rage."If it weren't because the Master isn't here!! Would I need to give you food?!!""And I have to pay for it myself!!!""I'm losing a fortune!!!""It's all that bastard's fault!!"Whether human or ghost, as long as they harbor hatred for someone, they will automatically blame their misfortune on that person.Furthermore, it wasn't that the old man didn't want to start the Arena Tournament; it was that Davy Jones, the Master, wasn't present, and he didn't dare start it without him.If he took the liberty of starting it, Davy Jones would stew him when he returned."Master, when will you return?"Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.Just as the old man's voice fell, a vortex appeared above the castle, and the flying dutchmanimmediately plummeted headfirst from it, rushing toward the castle.In the nick of time, the flying dutchman pulled back from the brink, reversed direction, bottom-side down, and landed precisely on the massive pool atop the castle.If it weren't a Ghost Ship, what real-world vessel would dare attempt such a maneuver?Davy Jones descended from the ship, passing directly through the floor, which led to his room, where the Crab Old Ghoul happened to be."Master!! You've finally returned!!!"The Old Ghoul was about to recount Satoru's transgressions to Davy Jones. Little did he know that his Master's grim expression was half due to Satoru.Seeing Davy Jones's stern face, the Old Ghoul swallowed his words."What happened?""Nothing, nothing at all.""Hmm, the Arena Tournament is being prepared, right?""Today has truly been unlucky. First, I ran into a bastard kid who ate that bastard devil fruit!""Then I ran into a super hard-to-catch soul, which is why I'm only just returning now!""But putting him in the Arena Tournament should be interesting!""Go quickly and prepare for the opening!!""Yes, sir!!"The Old Ghoul dared not disobey his Master's command and immediately prepared to start the Arena Tournament!
Chapter 697: Mountains of Blades and Seas of SwordsEveryone in the preparation room waited for the gladiatorial arena to begin.As they waited, a horn finally sounded.This horn sound was unlike the usual; it was deep and prolonged, a single blast that seemed to herald a charge of a thousand troops.The hellish horn blasts continued, a single sustained note, like the wailing of ghosts, very piercing... "Does this mean it's starting?"Jason asked, puzzled.The next second, Old Ghost Crab's voice indeed rang out."Now! The Hell Gladiatorial Arena begins!!""I will explain the rules to everyone.""There are eight resting preparation rooms, each room forms a group, and the groups will appear in sequence. From each group, only one person will emerge victorious.""There will be eight people from eight groups, and these eight will then compete in one-on-one matches to determine the final winner!""Although there is a final winner! This gladiatorial event also has three winners' positions: champion, runner-up, and third place, and the rewards are quite generous!""Alright, I wish everyone good luck!""Now, please welcome the first group!"As Old Ghost's words fell, a dazzling white light emerged from the passage leading to the center of the gladiatorial arena on Bai Yun's side. It seemed they were the first group.Bai Yun had no intention of being a trailblazer and walking in front. He followed the main group, walking towards the light at the end of the passage... The gladiatorial event began.Bai Yun and his group were the first. The stone gate at the end of the passage lifted, revealing a bright light. As everyone passed through the light, their vision instantly broadened.Before them was a circular, incredibly vast gladiatorial arena, and at its center, there was a stage, also circular."Please proceed to the stage."Old Ghost said, and a staircase extended from the stage towards them.Bai Yun and his group walked and observed.The center was the gladiatorial arena, and above it were layers of seats, now filled with spectators. As soon as they saw Bai Yun and his group emerge, they immediately erupted in noise."Kill! Fight!!""You, you, yes, I bet on you!! Don't disappoint me!! If I lose again, I'll become a complete skeleton!!""That's who I bet on! Hahaha, he looks very strong just by appearance!!"It turned out that for the participants, the gladiatorial arena was a place to fight for prize money, but for the spectators, it was a place to gamble.Davy Jones, who loved money, was unscrupulous in his pursuit of wealth.These spectators were residents of the Hell City - Yatailaka, and every gladiatorial event was a large-scale gambling affair.Before it began, they would receive the names and photos of the contestants, just names and photos. If they wanted more detailed information, they would have to buy it with money.Then they would choose one person to bet on, gambling on how many minutes he would last, or who would be the first to fall, or even betting on him being the winner of the entire group. The longer he lasted and the more likely he was to win, the betting money would naturally multiply.Moreover, the stakes could be not only treasures but also physical bodies. In the stands, one could see many half-skeletons, or people who were only heads with the rest being skeletons.They were the ones who had no money and used their bodies as stakes.Once they completely turned into skeletons, they would never be reborn, becoming an unconscious skeleton soldier controlled by Davy Jones in the underworld... Bai Yun and his group arrived on the stage."Hmm?!""That kid!!!"Among all the spectator seats, there was one most luxurious, undoubtedly Davy Jones's spot.After Bai Yun and his group appeared on the stage, Davy Jones instantly noticed Bai Yun. He had arrived late and was checking the participant list in his hand, so he didn't know Bai Yun had also participated. He just glanced at the stage and immediately saw that annoying fellow, Bai Yun.He was surprised.He hadn't expected Bai Yun to be able to emerge from the [Ethereal Realm].The Ethereal Realm was the junction of the human world and the underworld, a place of nothingness where only the River Styx could flow. Therefore, for souls to travel from the human world to the underworld, they could only safely pass through that ghostly place by riding a Ghost Candle Meishu.Even Davy Jones himself had to ride the Flying Dutchman to pass through safely.Bai Yun had voluntarily plunged into it without a Meishu, so Davy Jones initially thought he would be lost there forever. He wasn't the first, nor the last; many had been lost, but no one had ever returned.But Davy Jones hadn't expected Bai Yun to actually come out!!!Not only Davy Jones, but in the fourth group, a figure also saw Bai Yun's silhouette on the screen and was very surprised.He also let out a sigh of regret.He thought Bai Yun was dead, a young man in his prime, full of vigor, gone too soon, which was indeed a pity... Davy Jones noticed Bai Yun, and given his large size, how could Bai Yun not notice him?Their eyes met, and Bai Yun smiled and waved, his lips forming the words, "We meet again.""Meet your grandpa?" (The lip shape for "meet again" and "your grandpa" are similar in Chinese)"Oh! Is he calling me an old man?! And he dares to curse me?"Davy Jones was furious.Bai Yun looked at Davy Jones's expression and found it strange, "Such a big temper?""You brat, if I don't set the difficulty to the highest for you, then I'm not Davy Jones!!"Davy Jones said fiercely.Then Old Ghost explained the rules.No discrimination, no rules. As long as you're lying on your back on the ground, or fall off the stage, you're out.After the rules were explained, "The match begins!!!"However, as Old Ghost declared the start, everyone hadn't even begun fighting yet.The competition venue instantly changed.The area beneath the stage transformed into a mountain of blades and a sea of swords, where falling would mean being impaled. Not only below the stage, but many holes also appeared on the stage itself, irregularly spewing out long spears. Some people, unable to dodge in time, were instantly skewered like kebabs.It turned out there were eight types of stages, decided by Davy Jones's mood. As the God of Death, let alone the gladiatorial arena, the entire underworld was under his control."Oh my goodness!!! You scared me to death!!"Jason only managed to dodge the spear thanks to Bai Yun pulling him.Before he could recover, a flying long blade sliced off half of a big brother's head in front of him."Oh my god!!"Waving away a flying long sword, Bai Yun looked at the third of the people who had been instantly impaled and thought, 'Alright, Vlad the Impaler, is it?'The audience in the stands also erupted."This is the Gold Stage, weapons keep appearing, but the intensity isn't right!!""The holes are almost covering the entire stage!!""The weapons on the ground are flying up too!!""Damn it! That's the person I bet on! Gone in less than a second after the start!! I lost big time!!""Me too!""What's with this intensity!!"Even though the spectators were very dissatisfied, they still dared not say a bad word about Davy Jones, calling him a swindler.Old Ghost was also puzzled by the stage's intensity, but with Bai Yun on it, it was just perfect, wasn't it?Stab him! Stab that bastard to death!!!And Bai Yun, hearing the audience's words, instantly understood that Davy Jones was raising the difficulty specifically to target him.Good, very good. You brought this upon yourself, so don't blame me for making you lose too much!
Chapter 698: Don't Blame Me Then!In simple terms, the rules of the Hell Coliseum are that eight groups advance eight people.These eight people then face off in pairs, with the top three being decided.However, there's one rule Old Ghost didn't mention: the battle stage will randomly change, primarily based on eight elemental forces of heaven and earth. (It changes according to Davy Jones' mood.)Bai Yun's group's stage happened to change to the "Gold Element Stage," where weapons smelted from gold would attack those on the stage.But because Bai Yun was targeted by Davy Jones, the intensity of this stage was directly boosted to almost the highest level. Within one second of the start, one-third of the participants were gone.If a soul dies, then it is truly, completely dead. Regardless of the past or future, previous lives or past existences, nothing remains.Bai Yun knew this was Davy Jones' targeting, inferring it from the audience's comments. Since that's the case, and combining it with the audience's talk of setting up a betting pool, he thought, 'I'll make you lose everything!'...Just as everyone on stage was busy fleeing rather than fighting, Bai Yun raised his arm, and magnetism erupted.All the flying weapons were sucked above Bai Yun, and the long spears that had emerged from below were also stuck in their holes.With the awakening of his fruit, even during the day, the ability to replicate his fruit's power extended to an hour. But! Don't forget, the Underworld has no day, only eternal night! This is an excellent training ground for Bai Yun!..."What?!"Bai Yun's actions once again sent the audience into an uproar."Abilities! He can actually use abilities?! Isn't this the first round?!""Aren't abilities forbidden?!"Yes, from the audience's words, it can be concluded that abilities do exist in the Underworld. But wasn't it said that abilities dissipate after death?That is correct.However, people in the Underworld can use abilities, mainly due to Davy Jones, the God of Death and Lord of the Underworld.The entire Underworld is under Davy Jones' control. He loves money so much that he divides his own energy and sells it.In the city, one often sees energy shops guarded by skeletons.This energy allows the deceased to regain the abilities they possessed in life. This isn't an ability restoration, nor does it mean Davy Jones has the power to control Devil Fruits.Because the entire Underworld is under Davy Jones' control, he could even turn the entire Underworld upside down if he wanted to. In the Underworld, his thoughts can be realized, of course, relatively speaking. For lost souls, he can't just think of them turning into chickens or dogs and have it happen.He needs to manually subdue them, and then they are under his control.So, in the Underworld, with his power, he can summon wind if he wants wind, and rain if he wants rain.Therefore, those who buy his power, while not being able to do whatever they want, can "recall" the abilities they possessed in life, and then convert Davy Jones' power into that ability, controlling it.This is how people in the Underworld gain abilities.Simply put, this ability can only be used in the Underworld.For example, if a person dies, their ability naturally leaves them. But when they arrive in the Underworld, by purchasing Davy Jones' energy, they can once again control the ability they once possessed. However, this ability can only be used in Hell. If they were to be resurrected and return to the human world, the ability they controlled would again become unusable... And the audience said that abilities cannot be used in the first round.As mentioned earlier, some residents also choose to participate in the competition. Some of these people have already bought Davy Jones' power and regained their abilities, but the rule for the first round is that abilities cannot be used, otherwise, it would be too unfair to newcomers.If one dares to use them, it's a violation of the rules, and the consequence is being swallowed by the stage. But now it seems it's not the stage swallowing Bai Yun, but Bai Yun controlling the stage.Under Kid's Magnet-Magnet Fruit, Bai Yun completely controlled this gold element stage."Holy crap!! Brother Bai Yun!! You can still use your abilities?!""Awesome!!!"Jason stood beside Bai Yun, looking at him with admiration.A hearty laugh also came from the resting room of the fourth group.Everyone on the stage finally had time to breathe a sigh of relief. It had only been ten seconds since the start, a race against death in those ten seconds. One second slower and they would have dissipated, becoming nourishment for this Underworld.The audience was shocked.Old Ghost was also surprised. Could Bai Yun be a resident of the city? Impossible, he was the master's butler, and he knew how many residents there were. Bai Yun was definitely in Hell for the first time, so how could he use abilities? And on such a large scale, he must have bought a lot of the master's energy. Did that kid have that kind of money? He couldn't even cough up a single coin at the gate earlier?Old Ghost wanted to ask Davy Jones for instructions, but seeing Davy Jones' ashen face, he didn't dare to speak.Meanwhile, Davy Jones, though seemingly just putting on a stern face, was secretly competing with Bai Yun. Bai Yun pressed down on the spears on the ground, and Davy Jones pulled them up. Bai Yun sucked in the flying daggers and swords, and Davy Jones pulled them out.The two were secretly vying for control.As the Lord of Hell, Davy Jones' power was more than this, but if he increased it further, the entire stage would collapse. Then even an idiot would see that he was behind it.Although he was the Lord of Hell and they had to obey him, Davy Jones preferred them to willingly pay money, rather than having occasional resistance or riots."Damn kid! Forget it, if this stalemate continues, I'll be the one losing out!""Besides, even if I put all my strength into it, with the stage's power, I still can't do anything to this little rascal with the Moon God Fruit ability. I'll settle the score with you later!"Davy Jones released his power.Bai Yun felt the pulling force against him disappear.The intensity of the stage also decreased, but Bai Yun still sucked in the flying daggers and controlled the spears.No rush, no rush, there's still plenty of time until the betting deadline... Everyone on stage looked at Bai Yun, bewildered. It was Bai Yun who controlled the flying daggers and spears, which was why they were still alive.But they also noticed that the number of flying daggers had decreased, and even the holes in the ground were fewer.Just like this, in a stalemate?Someone has to win, right?So, fight?If they fight, who is their strongest opponent?Bai Yun, presumably?So, they all, without prior agreement, turned their murderous gazes onto Bai Yun, their "savior."Bai Yun smiled. That's just how humans are.He had originally wanted to make Davy Jones lose some money, but if you dare to make a move, then don't blame me!!!
Chapter 699: Only an Idiot Would Bet on HimThe rules of the Hell Gladiator Arena stipulated that abilities could not be used in the first round, or the stage would retaliate. However, Bai Yun had completely taken control of this metal-element stage.The situation reached a stalemate for a moment.The people who were now free to move, thanks to Bai Yun controlling the stage, didn't immediately start fighting. Instead, their gazes turned toward Bai Yun, eyeing their savior like predators... Jason, standing next to Bai Yun, saw the look in their eyes and instantly understood: these pieces of trash were planning to repay kindness with malice!"What are you doing?!""Brother Bai Yun saved you! What the hell are you trying to pull?!""Have you no shame?!"Hearing Jason's words, the crowd suddenly realized, "So it's the Long-Haired Bai Yun. Then it's normal for him to possess this kind of strength.""However, the winner takes all, and the loser is the villain. With so many people here, there can only be one victor!""You are the strongest, so we must deal with you first!""As for saving us?""Sorry, but we never asked you to save us!!"What a truly shameless declaration.Jason was so furious he nearly pulled the swordfish off his head and hurled it at them.In response to their words and their slow, deliberate approach, Bai Yun simply smiled."That's right, you never asked me to save you.""But now, you'll have to beg me not to kill you!"As soon as he finished speaking, a throwing knife broke free from Bai Yun's control and shot toward the person who had declared, "We never asked you to save us!!" The blade instantly pierced the man's abdomen, and without stopping, it pushed him relentlessly back toward the edge of the arena.Under the man's terrified gaze, he tumbled down, was instantly riddled with blades like a honeycomb, and then dissipated, becoming nourishment for the entire Underworld.Bai Yun nodded, satisfied with his actions."You surely didn't think that just because I'm controlling this stage, I couldn't move myself, did you?""I was standing still with my hand raised simply because I was too lazy to move, or just doing it for fun."After speaking, Bai Yun lowered his arm. The sphere of flying knives and sharp swords remained suspended above his head, but Bai Yun himself stood beneath it with his hands clasped behind his back, his hair swaying without a breeze—a truly dashing and imposing sight.This exerted immense pressure on the surrounding people; one by one, they halted their steps, terrified that they would be the next person thrown off the stage."What's wrong? Scared?""Why weren't you scared when you were planning to attack me just now?""You can still try to take me on, if you like."Bai Yun asked, his words designed to crush their morale.The crowd fell silent.Bai Yun glanced at Davy Jones.Davy Jones didn't understand. "What is that look? What does this kid mean?"Bai Yun continued speaking."I'm not a bloodthirsty person.""In fact, I'm quite benevolent."Everyone: "...""I won't kill you, provided you stay on this stage for 30 minutes and then surrender yourself.""Alternatively, if you trust your own strength, you can try to fight me."Bai Yun stated his intentions.The crowd was puzzled. If he wasn't going to kill them, and they were supposed to surrender, why did they have to wait 30 minutes?And that last sentence—try to fight him, huh?Fine!One person moved.Bai Yun and everyone else immediately looked at him.Everyone assumed he was going to try fighting Bai Yun—what a brave man! A true role model.The man stared at Bai Yun with a serious expression, but the next second, his face broke into a smile. "Can I sit down? Standing is quite tiring."Everyone: "..."Bai Yun nodded. "You can do whatever you want, even stand on your head, as long as you remain on the stage for 30 minutes."The man nodded repeatedly and immediately sat down. Seeing this, the others thought, why stand when you can sit?Regarding Bai Yun's actions.They didn't understand, but Davy Jones understood perfectly!!Stay for 30 minutes?! Then I'll lose everything I bet this round!!!Clearly, the spectators in the stands also realized this. Although the spectacle was dull, who wouldn't want to make money?Except for those whose chosen fighters were already dead, the spectators didn't dare voice any complaints. After all, they were the minority, and how could they object? Should they shout that they were bored?...Time slowly passed. Ten minutes went by, and for the betting spectators, it felt like ten years had elapsed.After ten minutes, quite a few people had successfully won their bets. Davy Jones hadn't lost money yet; in fact, he was still profiting. But if this continued, that wouldn't necessarily remain the case.There was no other choice!!!As Davy Jones clenched his fist, the blades and sharp swords suspended above the arena instantly broke free from Bai Yun's control and lunged toward the contestants on the stage.Even though Bai Yun managed to instantly reassert control over all the weapons the very next second, half the contestants had already fallen, and the other half had barely managed to survive the attack."Ah!!!"The suddenness of the attack stunned the survivors, who only began screaming three seconds later.They immediately started accusing Bai Yun. "You bastard!! Didn't you say you wouldn't kill us if we stayed for 30 minutes?! You broke your promise."Bai Yun didn't reply; instead, he looked toward Davy Jones in the luxurious seating area. Davy Jones wore a triumphant, smug expression, as if saying, *You're too green to fight me, kid.*Bai Yun's eye twitched—a clear sign of anger. *Fine, fine, you old schemer. You want to pull a stunt and shift the blame, huh?*Watching the people accusing him and rising to fight him desperately, Bai Yun couldn't help but wonder if they had brand new brains.If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn't have gone to the effort of saving this remaining half!And now you want to fight me to the death?You're truly being sold out, yet you're helping the person who sold you."Just surrender now."Bai Yun wasn't in the mood to explain, and even if he did, they wouldn't listen."You can go to hell, you son of a..."The men were enraged and naturally resented Bai Yun's attitude, but before they could finish their curses, a throwing knife or long sword was pressed against each of their temples.Bai Yun said flatly."Surrender yourselves, or should I help you?"Predictably, they surrendered.Bai Yun shifted his gaze to Jason beside him.Jason immediately understood, flopped onto the ground, and cried out, "Oh my! Such overwhelming Haki!!""Ah! I lost!!"Bai Yun:...Such terrible acting. It's on par with Luffy's.Spectators: "..."The Old Ghost: "...""Aren't you going to announce it?"Davy Jones prompted. The Old Ghost startled and immediately announced over the broadcast, "The final victor of Group One is Montenorth D. Bai Yun!!"Applause erupted in the stands.The applause primarily came from those who had won money. At least a third of the betting pool had successfully lasted over ten minutes; the winnings weren't massive, but a win was still a win.It was a shame, however, that nobody had placed a bet on Bai Yun, the ultimate victor.The common reason cited was that he looked effeminate and clearly didn't seem like a fighter!Only an idiot would bet on him!Now, however, they all regretted not being that idiot.
Chapter 700: Reunion in HellSatoru unsurprisingly won first place in his group's match and successfully advanced.Why was it unsurprising?Satoru still possessed his Moon God Devil Fruit Ability. If he lost against a group of guys who couldn't use their abilities, and who weren't even famous—at least Satoru didn't recognize them—what face would Satoru have left to stay in Hell? He might as well plunge straight into the Ethereal Void Realm... As the Old Ghost's words faded, the stage returned to its original state.Even the flying knives and longswords controlled by Satoru disappeared.Next, the passage door through which Satoru and the others had entered opened again.However, directly in front of Satoru, a spatial rift opened up.The Old Ghost spoke again."To the losers who survived, congratulations first on your survival. However, you have not accumulated enough funds to enter Hell City. You may return to the lounge for now. Later, someone will communicate other ways of earning money with you. You can accept these methods, or you can leave and find ways to earn money yourself until you can enter the city.""A friendly reminder: only by entering the city are you qualified for reincarnation."Listening to this, Satoru thought: As Grim Reapers, taking money based on the condition of reincarnation—isn't this just using power for personal gain?Shameless!Davy Jones: That statement isn't quite right, huh? Who said reincarnation costs money? What costs money is the qualification to enter the city! I established the city; don't I have the right to charge fees?!...Hearing the Old Ghost say this, everyone else could only head to the lounge first.Jason also got up from the ground. "We have to part ways again. Well then, I wish you, Brother Satoru, the final victory!""I'm leaving. I hope fate allows us to meet again."Jason left.Satoru didn't leave. With the spatial rift stuck right in front of him, even a fool would know it hadn't appeared without reason.The Old Ghost looked at Satoru, annoyed that he had to speak to him. How did this guy survive, and how the hell did he win?!"Well then, Copy cat Satoru, as the winner, you just need to step into the spatial rift in front of you. Inside is the winners' lounge. You can rest there until the winners of the remaining seven groups are decided."Satoru offered no reply and stepped directly into the rift.Instantly, the space shifted, and Satoru arrived in a room. The room was empty save for eight chairs, each accompanied by a small table holding a pot of tea and a plate of melon seeds."Oh, that's quite a surprise."Satoru's surprise was twofold. First, there was tea and melon seeds—that was quite generous! For the money-loving Davy Jones, this was already very generous.The second surprise was that the space behind the rift wasn't a trap; it was genuinely a lounge. They were quite honorable.Since that was the case, Satoru chose the chair furthest to the right and sat down.After sitting down, just as he poured himself a cup of tea, a patch of green mist appeared four meters in front of him. The mist then dispersed in the center, revealing a screen showing the central stage of the gladiatorial arena."Well, well, there's a show to watch."Thus, Satoru crossed his legs, cracked melon seeds, and watched the matches of the other groups.The combat strength of the second group was mediocre. The stage was a wood-element stage, where vines would randomly appear and drag people off the platform.The winner was a man with long black hair, a slightly gaunt face, and a scar over his left eye. His name was Lone Wolf.After entering the resting space, Lone Wolf saw Satoru but said nothing. He walked directly to the chair furthest to the right, picked up the entire teapot, took a few swigs while tilting his head back, and then closed his eyes to rest.The winner of the third group had decent combat strength. The stage was a water-element stage, with limited standing space that shrank as the number of participants decreased, eventually leaving only a small, standable stone slab.The winner wore a Smiling Face mask. His weapons were dual stingers, and his speed was quite good. Relying on his speed, he took care of most people, with almost every move aiming for death and drawing blood. His name was Clown.Clown entered the resting space and first offered Satoru a handshake. Satoru looked at the blood-stained white glove, pointed at it, and then waved his hand, indicating he was a germaphobe.Why did he wave instead of speaking? Because Clown hadn't said a single word since entering the arena, Satoru proactively assumed he was mute.Seeing Satoru's reaction, Clown expressed no dissatisfaction and walked toward Lone Wolf. Lone Wolf, however, shook his hand.Yet, the moment the handshake was made, Clown's other hand immediately lunged to stab Lone Wolf's good eye.This reminded Satoru of a username he had seen in his previous life: "Viciously Kicking the Cripple's Good Leg."Clown was specifically targeting the cyclops's good eye.But as a winner, Lone Wolf was no pushover. He immediately moved his head, dodging Clown's stab, though the area near his temple was still grazed, drawing blood.However, Clown himself was struck in the chest by Lone Wolf's claw, instantly leaving five bloody holes—a much heavier injury than Lone Wolf sustained. This was a classic case of trying to steal a chicken only to lose the bait rice.Lone Wolf shook the blood off his fingers, staring at Clown to see if he intended to continue.However, Clown put away his dual stingers, touched his chest, gave Lone Wolf a thumbs-up with both hands, and then walked to the fourth chair from the left and sat down. It was a central position, slightly closer to Satoru and slightly further from Lone Wolf—but only slightly... Satorudisappointedly put down the handful of melon seeds he was holding. It was a shame they didn't fight.Never mind, I'll take a nap.Satoru prepared to sleep, resting the back of his neck against the top of the chair. He planned to take one last look before drifting off, but that glance instantly banished his sleepiness.Standing prominently on that stage was a single person. How could a height of 6.66 meters not stand out?It was!"Whitebeard Old Man!"Satoru couldn't help but exclaim.But he immediately realized that the Old Man was dead too, so meeting him again in Hell was normal.Hahahaha, this special training in Hell now has a good advisor.Satoru laughed internally.At the same time, he prepared himself to meet Whitebeard.Whitebeard would win. No reason was needed; if he stood there, he would win... Satoru adjusted the screen back to the stage.This time, the stage was a fire-element stage.Beneath the stage were burning flames, and half of the stage would turn into a scorching red iron plate. Participants had to move to the other side to avoid being burned.Following the Old Ghost's declaration to start the match.The right side of the stage immediately turned scorching red, and everyone else rushed toward the safe left side.There were only two exceptions.One was Whitebeard Old Man.The Old Man remarked, "This temperature isn't even as hot as Ace's flames! GURARARARA!!!"Although he was laughing, the Old Man's eyes were filled with regret and nostalgia.The other exception was a Fat Man whose body was almost square-shaped. The iron plate was so hot it made white smoke sizzle from beneath his feet.It wasn't that he couldn't run; it was that he was too lazy to run."Ouch, it really is a bit hot,"the Fat Man muttered, his eyes fixed on WhitebeardOld Man.
Chapter 701: In the Prime of YouthThe Hell Gladiatorial Match has reached Group 4, Match 4.Satoru was undoubtedly the final winner of the first match.The winner of the second match was a long-haired, one-eyed burly man called Lone Wolf.The winner of the third match was a thin man wearing a smiling mask, called Clown.As for the fourth match currently underway, even though it had just begun, Satoru already knew who the final winner would be.Because Whitebeard was among them. Whitebearddied in the Marineford War, and as Satoru said, he truly died of exhaustion.It was only natural for him to appear in Hell.And even though this man no longer had the Tremor-Tremor Fruit and still had an aged face, standing there, he remained as steady as a mountain, exuding a full sense of pressure and security... Pops Whitebeard's appearance made Satoru scrap his plan to rest; with Pops appearing, how could he still sleep?For Pops Whitebeard's group, the stage was a Fire Element stage. Flames gushed from beneath the stage, and on the stage itself, half of the floor would become scorching hot.The others scrambled to get to the other half of the floor that was safe.Only two people remained as unmoving as mountains.One was naturally Pops Whitebeard, who lamented that the temperature of this iron plate wasn't as high as Ace's flames.The other was a fat man Satoru didn't recognize.However, while Satoru didn't know the fat man, the fat man clearly recognized Pops Whitebeard.Otherwise, his eyes, which he was trying his best to keep open, wouldn't be nearly popping out as he glared at Pops Whitebeard."My, my, this temperature is higher than before, it's a bit hot.""It seems it's because of you, Whitebeard, Edward Newgate."It was certain; this fat man knew Pops Whitebeard."You know me?"However, Pops Whitebeard didn't recognize him.The man didn't get angry upon hearing Pops Whitebeard's words."It's normal that you forgot me.""After all, I was just a small fry who died at the hands of your younger self.""But now, I have developed in this Hell for so many years!""And you, you've only just arrived!""This is different from when we were in the human world!!""This time! The one to die will be you!! And it will be a permanent death!!!"After the fat man finished speaking, he actually turned into a ball of flesh and rolled toward Whitebeard. His skin rubbing against the scorching floor even ignited flames, turning him into a flaming meatball.Facing the incoming flaming meatball, Whitebearddidn't panic in the slightest. He waited for it to get close, and at the moment of impact, he simply reached out to block. The meatball constantly rubbed against his arm, but Whitebeard's feet didn't retreat an inch.As the meatball kept grinding against his palm, Whitebeard frowned slightly and gripped hard. The meatball instantly stopped spinning, and the fat man's eyes bulged out from the pain."Damn it!! Why are you still so strong even after dying?!""But you can't do anything to me either!! Over all these years! I have poured all my strength into this flesh!! You definitely can't break my defense!!"Fat was indeed a very good defense.But it depended on who the opponent was.Hearing this, Whitebeard felt like laughing. Can't break it? He withdrew his gripping arm, built up power, and threw a straight punch. His fist sank deep into the flesh, erupting with a hurricane-like aftershock.The fat man's eyes rolled back in pain, but did nothing happen?No, in the next second, all the hurricane force seemed to pour back into the point of Whitebeard's strike. The immense force sent the fat man's massive meatball body flying, slamming into the center wall and becoming directly embedded in it.Needless to say, it was a one-punch kill... A bit of trivia: although the appearance of a soul reflects the age at which they died, their strength is at its peak from throughout their life.Whitebeard clenched his fist, a smile curling on his lips. He was very satisfied with his current state. This state was just like during the Marineford Warwhen he overextended his life force to return to his youth; having it persist now was simply too exhilarating... As the fat man was embedded in the wall, the others looked at Whitebeard as if they had seen a ghost—oh wait, they were all ghosts now—it was like seeing a burly man holding a blue-flame Gatling gun; they felt that stepping up meant death.Even though the scorching floor had shifted to their side, they didn't dare come over. Instead, they hopped around and raised their hands, signaling their surrender.Davy Jones wasn't surprised by this scene at all. It had been a bit difficult even for him to capture Whitebeard, let alone Whitebeard dealing with these fellows.This initial selection was fine, but the most exciting part would be the final head-to-head duels.Therefore, the good show Davy Jones was looking forward to was yet to come... The Old Ghostannounced Whitebeard as the winner of Group 4.This was beyond doubt.Whitebeard stepped into the spatial rift and likewise arrived in the lounge.This time, Lone Wolf clasped his hands in a salute. This was his etiquette toward the strong. Whitebeard had won this match entirely on his own strength, earning his respect.As for Clown, his hands kept trembling. This wasn't fear, but rather a strong urge to try his hand in combat, yet the internal warning told him absolutely not to move. The trembling of his hands was from him exerting extreme effort to control himself.Finally, Satoru had been smiling ever since Whitebeard entered, and he pointed to the seat next to him."Pops, sit on the table. You won't fit in the chair.""Gurararara, you brat, you dare tease me now."Whitebeard walked over while laughing, not expecting the chair to actually grow larger."Oh ho, quite user-friendly."Satoru remarked.Whitebeard turned and sat down."Pity there's no animal hide; it's not comfortable to sit on.""And no wine.""What's this? Tea? Isn't this something only women drink?!"Satoru, who was drinking tea: "...""Pops, that's gender discrimination. What do you mean'something only women drink'? Even you wouldn't be able to take the first punch of the Ancient Desolation."Satoru said.Whitebeard arched an eyebrow. "Oh! Who is this person called Ancient Desolation?""So powerful? The 'First Punch'? How arrogant!""No, I was just joking. If you don't want to drink the tea, Pops, as long as you aren't thirsty."Satoru replied.Whitebeard smiled. "What does this matter? Back on the sea, I once went seven days and nights without food or water and still survived.""Have you never had tea before, Pops?""Never.""You could try it. Maybe you'll like it?""Who would like..."...*Slurp* "Do you have any more? Pour me some. This teapot is so small, how could it be enough to drink?"No one can escape the Law of 'True Fragrance' (hypocrisy), not even Whitebeard.Satoru: "...""I'll pour it for you.""Yeah."*Splash~*"Ace... how is he?"Watching the tea being poured, Whitebeard, who had been avoiding talking about the human world from the start, finally couldn't help but ask. Why did he avoid it? Because he felt it would bring up Satoru's sad memories. After all, he himself had died in battle from exhaustion and had lived to be over seventy; he had no regrets.But he felt Satoru was different, being in the prime of his youth—who would want to die just like that
Chapter 702: 1v1 Showdown"Ace.""He survived.""He's doing well."This was Bai Yun's answer to Whitebeard.But he knew that Whitebeard was dead, and the Whitebeard Pirates were now in complete disarray. Ace was probably not doing so well and must be busy every day.But at least, he was still alive... "The Navy actually let the matter rest?""Tell me what happened afterward."Since he had started the topic, there was no need to hold back.They had nothing else to do now, and Whitebeard was naturally curious about what happened at the Summit War after his death.Bai Yun then told Whitebeard about Shanks and his master Beckman arriving, and how he exchanged his own life for Ace's life and the departure of everyone else.Whitebeard fell silent upon hearing this.He hadn't expected Bai Yun to be willing to sacrifice himself to secure the departure of Ace, his sons, and the others.Such selflessness—are you really a pirate, kid?He also understood why the Navy agreed to Bai Yun's exchange: Bai Yun's Devil Fruit ability, and the fact that he had inherited his own Tremor-Tremor Fruit.Allowing such a talented youth to escape would absolutely have been the wrong decision.Whitebeard felt nothing but deep regret.Although Ace survived, Bai Yun died. When all was said and done, the Whitebeard Pirates still lost!Whitebeard sighed in pity, lamenting Bai Yun's premature death. His deep regret was also because Bai Yun hadn't told him about his ability to resurrect, especially since there were two outsiders present.Moreover, this was Hell—who wouldn't want to resurrect? It was a good decision not to publicize his ability to revive... Looking at Whitebeard's expression, Bai Yun knew he was feeling regret. Bai Yun was pleased; receiving affirmation from a figure like Whitebeard was an honor."Pops, what's done is done. Instead of regretting the past, we should cherish the present.""For instance, this cup of tea—it will get cold if you don't drink it.""Instead of regretting the past, we should cherish the present.""Gurararara, good kid! You're so young, yet you have such a clear perspective!""That's right. Then let the two of us, father and son, cherish our time here in Hell."Whitebeard picked up the teacup and drank it in one go.Bai Yun nodded and asked, "Pops, what kind of person do you want to be in your next life?""My next life, huh...""I want to be a person with a family. Even if I'm frail and weak, if I have family to protect, I will definitely become strong.""However, who can truly say what will happen in the next life."This was Whitebeard's answer."That might not be true. As the God of Death, doesn't that Davy Jones have the right to decide where people go in the afterlife?"Bai Yun replied, though he was also questioning whether Davy Jones could actually do that."Davy Jones? You mean the one in the largest audience box? He's the God of Death—no wonder."Whitebeard hadn't known Davy Jones' identity, but he did now."I've heard the legends about Davy Jones, especially the game of three coins. We often played it back when I was with the Rocks Pirates, but Rocks never followed the rules. He even declared that if Davy Jones was capable, he shouldn't sink into the sea!""His final outcome was exactly what he wished for!"Bai Yun smelled a hint of gossip. "Did Rocks sink into the sea?!"Whitebeard recalled the past."I don't know exactly what happened during his fight with Garp and Roger. At the time, we executives only saw his figure fall from the sky into the sea and never rise again.""Just like that?"Bai Yun felt like he had taken a big bite out of a melon, only to find it was hollow—just the rind.Whitebeard nodded in confirmation."Just like that.""We got sidetracked with that. Let's go back to the previous topic: Davy Jones. Bai kid, do you know him?"Bai Yun responded to the question with a smile."We fought once. Didn't you, too, Pops?""Gurararara, that's right. He was probably the strongest opponent I've encountered since my death.""I lost."Whitebeard admitted his defeat quite frankly.Bai Yun offered a clever reply."I didn't win either."That was true; he hadn't won, but he hadn't lost either."Gurararara!!"Whitebeard felt his fondness for this junior grow... Whitebeard and Bai Yun chatted happily.Meanwhile, Lone Wolf and Clown listened, becoming more restless the more they heard. You guys actually fought Davy Jones?! For real?! And you survived fighting him?!!But regardless of whether it was true or false, sitting here, even knowing they might eventually become opponents to Bai Yun or Whitebeard, they still didn't forfeit.After all, to win the prize money, everyone was risking their lives... Time flowed on, and the final four group matches began.The stages were the Earth Element Stage, where incredibly high stone pillars would randomly jut out. If a contestant was carried to the top and fell, survival depended entirely on their physical resilience; a weak body meant instant death.The final winner was a guy in full armor named Yong.Next was the Wind Element Stage. A tornado stood in the center of the stage, randomly firing wind slashes.The winner was a man dressed as a ninja, named Fengciro.Following that was the Lightning Element Stage. A dark cloud floated directly above the stage, randomly striking with lightning. Anyone hit was instantly turned into black charcoal.The winner was a girl who relied primarily on agility, dodging all the lightning. Her name was Julie.Finally, there was the Ice Element Stage. It was simple: the floor turned into ice, and if you stood still for more than three seconds, ice would creep up from your feet.The winner was a Longleg Tribe member. Like Sanji, he seemed to have mastered a leg technique that set his feet on fire, winning this group. His name was Kalokas... The remaining four contestants entered the resting room without much reaction. After all, everyone here could be their next opponent, so why be overly friendly?However, Clown went to shake hands and test the latter four winners.He managed to stab Yong, but the blow was blocked by the armor, and then he was hit with a punch.Fengciro and Julie ignored him.Kalokas paid attention, and before Clown's stab could land, he kicked him so hard that his feet scraped the ground as he slid backward.Perhaps that was a racial advantage.No matter what injuries he sustained, Clown's mask was always smiling. It wasn't possible to punch the mask into changing its expression.But seen in this light, Clown seemed like a masochist.Whitebeard had been expecting Clown to come over and shake his hand, but Clown ignored him.Whitebeard: Fun -1Clown: HP +10086As the eight winners from the eight groups were decided...The gladiator tournament moved into the 1v1 duel stage.
Chapter 703: Bai Yun vs. Lone WolfThe gladiatorial event has now reached the 1v1 duel stage, featuring the eight victors.The 1v1 battles are pure confrontations, with no environmental interference on the stage; everyone must prove their true ability.Cheers erupted from the audience, though they were much quieter than at the start. After all, some of them had lost terribly, while others had won money. Still others continued to bet, hoping to win back what they had lost. Whether this gamble would turn their bicycle into a motorcycle, or leave them without even a seat on a bike, was now up to fate... Old Ghost announced the matchups for the first round of 1v1 duels.He claimed the pairings were random, fair, and just.The first-round matchups are as follows:Bai Yun vs. Lone Wolf.White Beard vs. YongClown vs. Julie.Feng Cilang vs. Kalokas.Fortunately, Bai Yun and White Beard, the father and son pair, didn't end up facing each other in the first round.But they would inevitably meet eventually... Before the duels began, it was time for betting.Originally, as a newcomer pitted against Lone Wolf, a long-time resident and veteran of the Hell City arena, Bai Yun's odds were naturally quite high.However, due to Bai Yun's overwhelming performance in his first match, his odds were now lower than Lone Wolf's.Betting on Bai Yun to win: 1 to 2.Betting on Lone Wolf to win: 1 to 4.Bai Yun thought to himself that if he weren't broke, he would bet everything on Lone Wolf, then simply surrender, making a killing. Unfortunately, he had no money... "Ooh... ooh ooh!!!"This was the horn signaling the end of betting.With the betting time over, it was time to fight.As Bai Yun and Lone Wolf stood in the waiting room, spatial rifts appeared simultaneously in front of them. The two stepped in, and with a flash of space, they arrived upon the stage.The audience cheered enthusiastically.They shouted loudly, urging their favored contestant to give it their all.It sounded like more people were supporting Bai Yun.This old friend, Lone Wolf, was starting to lose face.However, Lone Wolf had seen Bai Yun's performance in the first match and didn't feel slighted; he was preparing thoroughly.The guy opposite him, who was casually waving back at the audience, looked carefree but was actually very difficult to deal with... "They certainly are enthusiastic.""Although, their enthusiasm is driven by money. They're excited now, but if I lose, they'll probably want to kill me."Bai Yun said."You think you'll lose?"Lone Wolf asked."I... was just making a comparison.""It's the same for you. The people supporting you now will scorn you when you lose.""In that regard, you're the senior here, aren't you?"Lone Wolf had participated in several gladiatorial events, so he was indeed the senior in this respect. Although he had fought in many matches, Lone Wolf's best result was the bronze medal in the previous event.Even though it was only third place, he had earned a considerable amount of prize money."I know, I understand. I've felt that way many times.""But I don't care. I stand here for myself, not for them. Their scorn has nothing to do with me, and I didn't force them to bet on me!""They chose to believe in gambling. What does their loss have to do with me!"Lone Wolf certainly had a broad perspective."Looking at it another way, our standing here is also a form of gambling.""If we meet someone weak, we win the bet. If we meet someone strong, we naturally lose the bet.""So, do you think you've won the bet, or lost it?"Bai Yun asked with a smile.Hearing this question, Lone Wolf adopted an offensive stance."It's too early to talk about winning or losing now!""True. Perhaps you are a hidden powerhouse that I don't know about."Bai Yun nodded in acknowledgment of Lone Wolf's words."Enough talk!!"After all that talking, Lone Wolf finally declared he was done with idle chatter.He stepped forward and lunged with his claws!Bai Yun dodged simply by tilting his head. "Claw strike? I happen to know someone who uses the Dragon Claw technique. Your claws aren't as strong as the Dragon Claw."Lone Wolf chose not to respond to Bai Yun, sweeping his claws toward Bai Yun's head on the right.While ducking to avoid the attack, Bai Yun delivered a punch to Lone Wolf's abdomen.With a bang, Lone Wolf quickly retreated. His other hand was now pressed against his abdomen, white smoke rising from his palm, indicating he had clearly blocked Bai Yun's punch.Bai Yun raised an eyebrow and smiled."Oh, your strength is pretty good."Lone Wolf, however, was in no mood to smile. He had assumed Bai Yun was frail and relied only on his ability, but he hadn't expected his martial arts skills to be so powerful too.He needed to use his full power!Following a wolf howl, Lone Wolf's shirt burst apart, his body enlarged, and he transformed into a werewolf.This was the ability he had recalled from his life using Davy Jones's energy: Zoan-type, Dog-Dog Fruit, Gray Wolf Form."So your name isn't just a name; it represents your ability."Bai Yun stated.Lone Wolf bared his large teeth. "This is my strongest form!""I cannot lose!!"Having said that, he instantly pounced.Bai Yun flickered away. Lone Wolf's two claws struck the ground, instantly tearing two small holes in the surface."Hmm, much more power than before."Bai Yun appeared behind Lone Wolf and commented.Lone Wolf spun around, swinging his tail at Bai Yun.The tail was like an iron whip. While a whip strike might not inflict the highest damage, the pain it delivered went straight to the brain.However, sensing danger, Lone Wolf abruptly pulled back his tail and leaped backward.Bai Yun's hand, which was gripping the hilt of the Shelley blade, stopped. He complimented Lone Wolf, "Good instincts.""Regarding that question earlier.""About winning or losing the bet.""I haven't considered it, because this fight will only have one outcome. That is the pitiful reality.""As long as I stand here, I won't lose."Bai Yun violently struck the space in front of him. The space shattered, and a shockwave, like a fierce tiger, slammed into Lone Wolf.Lone Wolf's hair flew up from the pressure. His eyes widened, and he crossed his arms to block.However, upon being hit by the terrifying shockwave, his arms were immediately forced apart, his chest caved in, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, barely avoiding falling off the stage.But Lone Wolf still collapsed.As Bai Yun retracted his fist, he remarked, "Believe me, I didn't used to like using my fists; weapons are so much better. But this Devil Fruit ability is truly wonderful."Having said that, Bai Yun turned to leave. As he had stated, the outcome of this battle was determined from the start.But unexpectedly, Lone Wolf struggled to get back up.Indeed, Zoan-type Devil Fruit users have thicker HP bars, and Mythical Zoans even more so."Stop!""I haven't lost yet."Lone Wolf called out, stopping Bai Yun.Bai Yun turned back and asked, "What are you holding onto? You know very well that if you continue, you will die.""Why bother?"Lone Wolf was silent for a moment before replying."I need the money!""Dina is still waiting for me!!!"
Chapter 704: No Such Plot Development"But Dina is still waiting for me!!!"The Lone Wolf roared; this was the reason for his persistence."Dina?""Your lover? Your sister?"Bai Yun questioned. Great, another one of these melodramatic plots—going all out for love or family.Too bad you're not the protagonist. Even if you persist, it won't matter."She is my lover. She's sick, and it takes a substantial amount of money for Lord Davy Jones to save her life!""I can only place my hope on the prize money from this gladiatorial competition!""That's why I can't lose!!!"Dragging his injured body, the Lone Wolf advanced to attack once more. With a fierce pounce, the scene flashed, and he had completely transformed into a massive gray wolf, baring his fangs as he lunged at Bai Yun.Bai Yun calmly reached out and delivered a slap, sending the Lone Wolf flying to the left. Simultaneously, a flash of white light occurred. The Lone Wolf stabilized himself, only to find his mouth encased in a silver muzzle that he couldn't break free from, no matter how hard he struggled.Even when he reverted to his werewolf form, the muzzle shrunk to fit, and he couldn't pry it open with his hands.Having no choice, the Lone Wolf reverted to his human form. The muzzle finally dropped off, but before it hit the ground, it dissolved into white light and returned to Bai Yun's wrist.At the same moment, Bai Yun was already upon the Lone Wolf, landing a punch squarely in his abdomen. The Lone Wolf immediately doubled over in pain, his mouth wide open, yet unable to utter a sound, while the space behind him cracked and shattered.Bai Yun stated, "I am not the kind of bleeding heart who, just because you say you need the prize money to save your lover, will grant your wish and automatically surrender.""No such plot development is going to happen here!""I imagine that in Hell, the bleeding hearts are the first ones to die.""Besides, to be blunt, even if I did grant your wish, surrendered, and let you advance, I don't believe you could defeat the opponents coming up next.""So, you might as well stop here."Having finished speaking, Bai Yun retracted his fist, and the Lone Wolf immediately rolled his eyes and collapsed.The arena fell silent for one second before erupting into cheers—the cheers of those who had bet on Bai Yun. Bai Yun returned to the lounge, while the Lone Wolf, as the loser, had no right to return and was carried away by the skeleton soldiers."Gurararara, are you finding the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit easy to handle, kid?"Whitebeard asked with a laugh."It's extremely easy to handle. This Fruit is truly amazing, and I promise I won't misuse it, Pops."Hearing Bai Yun's reply, Whitebeard felt as though he were an old father being assured that his daughter would be well taken care of."Indeed. It's one of the main reasons I was able to roam the seas for so many years.""However, since you are only a soul now, using it excessively won't matter. But if you had a physical body, the more you used it, the stronger the power would become, and the stronger the resulting recoil on your body would be. You need to…"Whitebeard stopped mid-sentence, suddenly realizing his advice was pointless. Bai Yun was already dead; what use was talking about a physical body?Bai Yun knew why he had stopped, but he smiled and replied, "I understand. I'll be sure to remember that."Thinking about it, the Tremor-Tremor Fruit and the Dark-Dark Fruit are a perfect match. The recoil damage from the Tremor-Tremor Fruit would be converted into spiritual damage by the unique physical traits of the Dark-Dark Fruit. This is why Blackbeard, who acquired the Tremor-Tremor Fruit in the original timeline, could use its abilities recklessly without fearing the recoil, unlike Whitebeard, who suffered from hidden and internal injuries in his old age. The second match was Whitebeard vs. Yong.The details of the fight are omitted.The result was that the armor Yong had condensed using the full power of Davy Jones was instantly shattered by a single punch from Old Man Whitebeard.Before Whitebeard's second punch—which felt like an entire planet crashing down—even made contact, Yong shouted his surrender three times in quick succession.Thus, the fastest 1v1 duel in history concluded. The third match was Clown vs. Julie.Julie was the girl who won on the Lightning Element stage, specializing in speed.The Clown was the winner of the Earth Element stage, and he also specialized in speed.The two stepped onto the stage, similar in both height and build.However, because the Clown had provoked half the people in the lounge beforehand, he was currently covered in injuries, causing those who had bet on him early to feel a pang of regret.Julie, conversely, was lightly dressed, her long purple hair flowing freely, looking radiant and full of energy. She appeared to have a significant advantage."You have so many injuries. Why don't you just surrender now?"Julie said.The Clown's only reply was to fling out two sharp spikes hidden in his sleeves.The mask on his face seemed to come alive, the curves of the eyes and mouth deepening, giving him an eerie appearance.Seeing this, Julie drew her sword. "Lightning Call!"Lightning covered the blade—this was Julie's energy conversion technique.Julie kicked off the ground and surged forward, gripping the hilt with both hands and delivering a downward vertical chop aimed at the Clown.The blow landed precisely down the center of the Clown's head, and the Clown, like a paper cutout, was effortlessly split in two from top to bottom.But Julie didn't feel any satisfaction!Something was wrong!Sure enough, when she looked up, she was surrounded by floating playing cards. The cards spun, and with a pop, they transformed into multiple copies of the Clown.The Clown she had split in two simultaneously reverted into a playing card, also split down the middle.Instantly, all the Clowns lunged at Julie, stabbing simultaneously.Julie immediately raised her long sword and began spinning rapidly, using the rotation to fend off the Clowns' attacks.The move proved effective; most Clowns struck by her spinning blade instantly dissolved into playing cards. However, one Clown had ducked down early, and his twin spikes accurately stabbed into Julie's flank—a sight that made one instinctively clutch their own kidneys.Julie gritted her teeth and chopped down at the Clown, but unexpectedly, the Clown didn't evade and was split in half yet again.Julie couldn't believe it—it was another illusion.The next second, the Clown materialized behind her, the smile on his mask sinister and terrifying, his twin spikes pressed against her neck.Julie felt a chill run from head to toe, the premonition of death surging to an unbearable peak.The next second, the Clown plunged the twin spikes in without hesitation, instantly withdrawing them and stepping back.Julie dropped her long sword in disbelief, clutching her profusely bleeding neck with both hands, and collapsed to her knees, tears of fear streaming down her face.However, all of this was only what Julie herself perceived.In reality.Since the match began, Julie had been wildly swinging and chopping at thin air by herself while the Clown stood nearby, watching the spectacle. The expression on his mask, his bent posture, and the way his hands were pressed together in applause all conveyed his amusement.Only when Julie finally collapsed to her knees did the Clown begin to dance.The audience was completely baffled."What in the world happened?""Is she throwing the match?!""That woman has gone insane!!"Yet Julie remained kneeling and sobbing.The Clown flashed in front of her, extending his twin spikes toward Julie's eyes.In the nick of time, Julie's mind snapped, and she pitched forward. The Clown's spikes missed, only leaving two scratches on her forehead.The Clown retracted his spikes, shrugged helplessly, and looked toward Old Ghost.Old Ghost paused for a moment, then promptly announced the Clown's victory.