After Festa's introduction of the Dark-Dark Fruit, the crowd's emotions completely boiled over. The first round of the tournament officially began amidst this fanatical passion.
The first qualifying round was a kayaking event. According to the rules, pirate crews with bounties exceeding one hundred million could bypass the preliminaries and advance directly.
Therefore, the participants in the first round were mostly obscure, small-time pirate crews, primarily serving to warm up the crowd for the truly intense matches later.
The same applied to the second round. After all, teams from the Warlords of the Sea and the Four Emperors' factions would directly participate in the third round.
However, this round also provided a guaranteed advancement opportunity for potential dark horses. The top ten would similarly bypass the next round and enter the third round directly.
This was done to prevent obscure but highly capable dark horse competitors from unluckily getting wiped out in the second round by powerhouse crews like the Happo Navy.
When the first round began, Allen took a brief look and lost interest.
Small fry were just small fry. While there were indeed a few pirate crews with decent performances, they weren't enough to make him pay attention.
Instead, his crew members cheered vigorously for the pirates in the arena, even getting into arguments over the competitors they favored.
Allen turned his head and happened to see Robin, wearing a black one-piece swimsuit, stepping out of the pool.
"What's going on over there?"
"I heard them open a betting pool earlier. It seems they're betting on which pirate crew can make it into the top ten," Robin said with a smile. She draped a bath towel over her shoulders and walked over while rubbing her hair with a towel, sitting down on the sofa next to Allen.
Several arms sprouted out of thin air on the table, picking up the whiskey and glasses to pour two drinks, handing one to herself and one to Allen.
Robin glanced at the sexy women massaging Allen's shoulders from behind, smiled slightly, and raised her glass to tease, "You certainly know how to enjoy yourself. Cheers."
"As the captain, I should at least have this much privilege, right? Cheers," Allen chuckled, clinking glasses with Robin before downing the drink in one gulp.
Amidst the passionate and lively clamor, the group continued to eat, drink, and enjoy their rare vacation time.
It wasn't until the first round ended and the second round was about to begin that Sanji's group and the Nyaban Brothers, who had left earlier, finally returned to the camp entrance.
Sanji and his group all looked green in the face, hanging their heads in utter dejection, looking as if they had been devastated by Perona's Negative Hollows.
This scene couldn't help but attract everyone's attention.
Robin couldn't contain her curiosity and asked, "Sanji? Did something happen to you guys?"
"Miss Robin, we..." Sanji raised his head, hesitating to speak, looking as if he had suffered a great grievance.
"Sigh... forget it..."
In the end, Sanji just hung his head and sighed, leading the group to a corner in extreme depression.
Robin watched them leave with a confused expression.
On the other side, the Nyaban Brothers ran up to Allen laughing and said, "Boss, Boss! We heard the Pirate Empress Boa Hancock is also on the island."
"We originally wanted to go take a look, but we heard a group of pirates provoked them and almost got their balls cut off. It scared us so much we didn't dare to go."
"Cut off... balls..." Allen's eyes couldn't help but twitch twice.
"Hahaha, we heard that in the end, those pirates had to cry and beg for mercy to be let off. It's almost spread across the whole island."
"I don't know who could be so stupid as to provoke a Warlord of the Sea. It's hilarious, hahaha," the Nyaban Brothers continued to hold their bellies and laugh.
Allen didn't say anything, just silently turned his head to take a look.
Sanji's group was huddled in the corner, hugging their knees with both hands, burying their heads deeply in their arms.
The sun was shining brightly outside, but their corner was dark and gloomy.
Buchi blinked, unable to help his curiosity. "Is something wrong with Bro Sanji and the others?"
Robin smiled faintly. "They're fine. We've booked this whole place, so go inside and grab whatever you want to eat."
"Really?!"
"Great job, Boss!"
Hearing that they could eat as much as they wanted, the Nyaban Brothers excitedly rushed inside with a group of gluttons.
At this time, down below, all the competitors participating in the second qualifying round were in position, and the race was about to begin.
"The second round is the Around-the-Island Swimming Race! There is only one rule: swim one lap around the island and reach the finish line! The top twenty will advance to the third round, and using any means during the race is perfectly fine!"
"Attention, everyone! It's a swimming race, so if half of your body isn't underwater, it obviously can't be called swimming, and you will be disqualified from advancing!"
On the airship above, Festa held the microphone and briefly explained the rules before shouting passionately, "Now! Let the race begin!!"
"Charge!!"
"First place is definitely ours!!"
At the command, countless pirates at the starting line jumped and dove headfirst into the water.
Among them, three of Trafalgar Law's subordinates carved three white wakes across the sea surface, taking the lead by several dozen meters.
In the air, Festa provided passionate commentary.
"Oh-ho! The squad from the Heart Pirates has snatched the leading position right from the start, but can they maintain it?!"
"Hehe, if it's a swimming competition, we from the freezing ports of the North Blue won't lose to anyone!" Shachi said with a wide grin, using both his hands and feet to advance at an incredibly fast speed.
Before he could be smug for even two seconds, three dark shadows sped past underwater.
"What! It's the Fish-Men!"
"Hey! Fish-Men participating in a swimming race is way too unfair! Shameless!!" Shachi and the other two rolled their eyes and cursed through gritted teeth.
A few seconds later, another unexpected change occurred. A violent fluctuation came from the seabed, and the water currents became chaotic, as if the sea itself was growing restless.
"What's going on?!"
"I don't know! Someone is causing destruction underwater!"
The pirates swimming on the surface panicked and stopped.
"You idiots can take your time playing here. I'll be going on ahead!" Kid let out a sinister laugh, grabbing a piece of iron plating as he skimmed rapidly across the sea surface.
"Hey! That guy is actually flying! That's cheating, right?! Disqualify him quickly!"
"Wait a minute! He didn't break the rules! He actually kept half of his body in the water!"
"What! Isn't he a Devil Fruit user?!"
"It's a waterproof suit! His pants are isolating the seawater!"
Sharp-eyed pirates shouted in surprise upon seeing this scene.
In the sky, Festa also explained this with a laugh, "That's right! Because this is a water park, all the events today are naturally related to water. Therefore, the organizers have specially provided waterproof equipment so that Devil Fruit users can also participate in the competition without any worries!"
*Whoosh!*
At this moment, the sea surface surged, and under everyone's astonished gazes, a giant wave hundreds of meters high was lifted!
"[More-More: Hundredfold Splash]!!"
Byrnndi World, dressed as a Viking pirate, finally appeared.
With a wave of his large hand, he kicked up a three-meter-high splash on the water surface, which was directly magnified a hundred times in volume to form a monstrous three-hundred-meter-high tsunami!
"Run!!"
"A tsunami is coming!!"
"Which bastard did this?! This is way too exaggerated!"
The pirates fled in panic.
Chinjao of the Happo Navy darkened his gaze, exerting force with his feet to break through the water surface and leap out!
"[Hasshoken! Chinjao Opens the Gate]!!"
*Boom!!*
Chinjao shouted loudly, wrapping his bald head in Armament Haki, and crashed headfirst into the giant wave, tearing a gap through it!
*Crash!!*
The giant wave crashed down, instantly submerging more than half of the pirates in the arena!
Brothers Sai and Boo of the Happo Navy narrowly escaped disaster under the gap in the giant wave.
Chinjao fell back onto the violently surging sea surface, his gaze fixed on World. "To think you're actually still alive. You look exactly the same as you did thirty years ago."
"Hahahaha! Probably because I was frozen for too long. But you, Chinjao, look like you've aged quite a bit."
World dropped back into the sea, similarly relying on a waterproof suit to keep half his body submerged without losing his stamina. A small old man was sitting on his shoulder.
"Grandpa, do you actually know this guy?!" Sai frowned and asked, feeling a lingering fear as he recalled the massive tsunami the man had just created.
"World Destroyer Byrnndi World! A great pirate from my era, who once possessed fame on par with Roger and Whitebeard." Chinjao stared at World with a complex look in his eyes and said in a low voice, "He was arrested later, and his name disappeared from the sea for thirty years. I thought he had died long ago, but to think he's actually still alive."
"Hahahaha! Can you understand it, Chinjao? The feeling of returning to the sea is simply too wonderful." World threw his head back and laughed loudly, then glanced at Chinjao's bald head and couldn't help but mock, "By the way, what happened to your head? Where is that drill head you were so proud of?"
"It's all because of that damn Garp! If you mention this again, you bastard, I'll kill you today!" Hearing the other party mock his drill head, Chinjao immediately shouted in anger, so furious that his white beard fluttered in the air.
World dropped his smile, gave Chinjao one last look, and said, "Forget it, we can catch up later. Let me secure the Dark-Dark Fruit for my older brother first, and casually announce my return to the New World while I'm at it, hahaha."
World grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth, activated his ability, and swam forward with all his might.
"[Multiply: Hundredfold Speed]!!"
*Swish! Swish! Swish!*
As his ability activated, World swam so fast he left afterimages, kicking up massive waves on both sides.
"Don't think you'll succeed, you bastard! Let's go!" Chinjao refused to fall behind, shouting angrily as he led Sai and Boo in pursuit.
"As long as we have this all-devouring power of darkness! We can devour the glacier that seals our treasure!"
"For the treasure passed down through generations, we must obtain the Dark-Dark Fruit!"
"Come on, charge!"
The grandfather and grandsons erupted with powerful fighting spirit, flames seemingly burning in their eyes.
The pirates in the arena unleashed their various techniques, and for a time, swords, spears, halberds, flames, and ice flew wildly through the air.
With the addition of pirates boasting bounties over a hundred million, this no-holds-barred swimming race instantly became fiercely heated.
Allen watched with keen interest from above.
As expected of the world's greatest festival that had gathered hundreds of pirate crews.
Every single one was a renowned pirate crew in the New World. Just the ones Allen could name numbered no less than thirty.
Soon, the first group of competitors reached the finish line with a massive lead. It was the three Fish-Men who had been far ahead from the very beginning.
"Congratulations to the Deep Sea Pirates! The Fish-Men dominated the entire field with an absolute advantage. Sure enough, when it comes to swimming, Fish-Men are still the undisputed best in the world!"
"Who will take second place next?!"
"Here he comes, here he comes! World Destroyer Byrnndi World! His speed is simply incomprehensibly fast. Could he be using a Devil Fruit ability?!"
On the airship, Festa provided passionate commentary, his rapid-fire voice constantly stirring up the audience's emotions.
Before long, World took second place without any dispute, followed closely by Kid, who was half-flying and half-swimming with his ability, Shachi's squad from the freezing ports of the North Blue, and Chinjao's trio, who had bulldozed their way through, sending countless pirates flying...
The various pirates used their own methods and arrived at the finish line one after another to secure their advancement qualifications. Aside from a small minority, the vast majority of the other pirates were regrettably eliminated.
And next.
"Fuffuffuffu... The truly exciting part is finally about to begin."
By a certain pool, Doffy let out a sinister laugh, looking at his subordinates. "We need to send three people for the third round. Which of you wants to go up and play?"
"Please make sure to count me in, Doffy."
"With so many experts present, I can hardly hold back my urge to enter the arena."
Diamante and the explosion man Gladius stepped forward and said.
...
"Our third round will begin shortly. Everyone, please take a short break and use this time to decide on the candidates who will participate in the next round."
"Taking advantage of this time, I will explain the rules to everyone!"
In the airship above, Festa began to explain the game rules, his voice echoing throughout the venue via the broadcast.
"As a pirate crew, it is far from enough for just the captain to be strong. The crew members also need to work hard to fulfill their roles, otherwise, you won't be able to go far."
"What does this have to do with the rules we're about to announce? Well, in the third round, the captains of every pirate crew are forbidden from participating!"
"That's right! This round is a stage for the crew members. Please do your best to send your captains into the final match!"
This revelation sent shockwaves through the crowd. Festa's words undoubtedly caused some pirate crews to burst into angry curses.
No one expected a rule that banned captains from participating, but most pirate crews didn't care that much.
Pirate crews that could successfully make it to the New World could all be considered elites. Rarely was there a crew where no one besides the captain could fight.
Down below.
...
"I'm not interested in this kind of game. Whoever wants to play can go," Benn Beckman said in a low voice, a cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth and a disdainful look in his eyes.
Yasopp wiped the gun in his hand, grinned, and teased, "Isn't it a bit too unfriendly for us to go up against rookies? We only came to the festival to have some fun anyway. I think we should just pass."
"Ahahaha, how boring. If none of you are going, then I won't go either. Besides, no one on our ship eats Devil Fruits anyway." Lucky Roux laughed loudly, turning to look at Red Hair and suggesting, "Boss, we just recruited a few newcomers. How about letting those apprentice pirates go gain some experience?"
"Hahahaha, so none of you are interested? That's fine too. Then let Rockstar and the others go," Shanks said softly with a smile.
They hadn't come on this trip for the Dark-Dark Fruit. They had just returned to the New World from the first half of the Grand Line a while ago, and upon hearing the news of the Pirate Expo, they dropped by since it was on the way.
They were indeed surprised when they heard the prize was the Dark-Dark Fruit earlier, but they didn't have much interest in it. Compared to a Devil Fruit, he cared more about Teach.
Now that Teach was dead, the Dark-Dark Fruit didn't mean much to them either. It was better to let the rookies go up and gain some experience.
...
Up above, in the camp occupied by Allen's group, the officers sat together on the sofas.
"The third round is a water battle royale. According to the rules, I can't enter the arena. Which of you wants to go?"
"Let me go! Let me go! Hurry up and let me enter, Allen!" Perona shouted excitedly, eagerly raising her hand and leaning in so close her head was about to touch his face.
Allen grabbed one of her pigtails and pulled her back.
"Then I'll give you one spot. Who else wants to enter?"
"I'm not very interested in fighting. I'll leave it to you guys," Robin shook her head and politely declined with a smile.
Gin stepped forward on his own initiative. "Let me go, Captain."
"Alright."
Allen nodded in agreement. He glanced at Sanji, who was still sulking in the corner, then turned back to ask Nami, "There's one spot left. Do you want to go up and give it a try?"
"Eh! Me?!"
Nami waved her hands with an awkward smile, shaking her head, ready to refuse.
Allen nodded. "Yeah, then it's you."
"Shaking my head means I'm refusing, you bastard!" Nami shoved her head forward, baring her teeth and cursing angrily.
Allen pressed his hand against Nami's forehead and pushed her back, saying, "Win the match, and I'll reward you each with one hundred million Berries."
Hearing these words, Nami's fighting spirit instantly ignited. It was as if a raging fire of fury was burning behind her. She gripped her Clima-Tact, slammed it against the ground, and shouted with a determined gaze, "Bet your lives on it! Perona, Gin, if you dare drag me down, I'll sink you into the sea to sleep forever! Let's go!"
"Gulp... What terrifying willpower...!"
"Could this be the power of money?!"
Gin and Perona swallowed hard, feeling a wave of lingering fear and disbelief at Nami's sudden burst of imposing aura.