https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-531-The-Martial-Arts-Tournament-A-Good-Start/12945154/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-533-The-Fish-Fish-Fruit-is-Also-a-Fish/12945156/
Chapter 532: Raid on Kaido!
Chapter 532: Raid on Kaido!
The one who survived Sag's Triple Crimson Inferno, Barrett, was definitely not among those who possessed the Infinite Recovery Aura.
Even with the aura, they would still be frozen in place, and it was a significant physical strain on Barrett himself.
Barrett, already in a merged state, only had time to reveal his form before he was reduced to ashes.
"It's over."
At the center of the island, which was already in ruins, on the elevated stage created by Strong Baru's ability, Lily stood at the very top and looked in the direction of Sag, saying calmly, "Sag won."
"It was inevitable."
Marika smiled, "Sag is the source of our confidence."
"Hehehe!"
Renetia rubbed her little nose and showed her small fangs, "Sag is the strongest!"
Besides them, all the high-ranking members of the Calamity Pirates had gathered on this mountaintop.
Moriah's sharp laughter was sinister, but upon closer inspection, one could detect a hint of relief and even a touch of benevolence.
Wilbur stood behind Renetia, like a stand-in, raising his sword and shouting in unison with her smile.
Hawkins put away his tarot cards, his face showing that he had expected this outcome.
Urqui raised a palm and bowed slightly towards the lower area, "The island should be grateful, this was the captain's lightest attack."
Most of the impact was absorbed by those who were hit, sparing the island from destruction.
It was hard to say whether these people were strong or weak; if it were a battle between equals, the island would have been destroyed long ago.
"The trial is also over."
Lily glanced at the stone arena below and said, "We've selected the personnel."
The pirates who had no choice but to advance towards the central stage, upon reaching it, spontaneously went up to fight, engaging in combat with the Calamity Pirates and their fellow pirates who had come for the banquet.
The goal was to select someone who could board the main ship.
These pirates weren't particularly interested in this level of combat; after all, on Sag's side, there was even more advanced and thrilling entertainment to watch. However, during Sag's battle, most of them had been separated.
The 300 members of the Demonic Tribe were among them; not a single pirate below the Nova level could defeat them, and they firmly occupied 300 spots on the Doom Star.
As for the remaining spots, they were divided into three groups. Some captains of various ships who aspired to board the main ship succeeded, while others who had no such ambitions and were content with being captains chose not to participate.
No one would blame these individuals; pirates, no matter how orderly, were still pirates, and they wouldn't produce any other tricks.
As long as they served the Calamity Pirates, followed their rules, and did their bidding, there wasn't much difference.
Some were originally crew members on this ship; the old subordinates didn't need to be mentioned, and some who had traveled south and north with the Doom Star, enduring hardships, also stayed. As for those pirates who were defeated and automatically withdrew from the main ship's crew, they hung their heads in disappointment.
This new reform was evident to those with insight; they could see that in the future, the members on the Doom Star would have a higher status than ordinary subordinates. It was just that their abilities were lacking, and they had no choice.
Compared to the disappointment of these individuals, the pirates who participated in the banquet and advanced through combat were filled with excitement.
They had just joined the Calamity Pirates!
And they were considered core members!
Some were unsatisfied with merely being crew members and wanted to challenge the Seven Stars, even aiming for the core positions of the Triad.
The Nova level didn't require a challenge; with a bounty of over 100 million, they automatically advanced to the 'Nova' level, and regardless of whether they were on the main ship or not, they still held a respectable position.
The Navy's bounties were bad news for some, but for these genuine pirates, it was a different kind of reputation.
Danger?
Being a pirate meant licking blood from the blade's edge; there was always danger.
But moving up the ranks was a different story.
'Ghost' Akainu, one of the 'Seven Stars', personally conducted the trials. Defeating him would grant one the qualification to become one of the Seven Stars.
Many had already challenged him, including Bellamy, Paru, Miot, and Suleiman, all of whom fell to Akainu's attacks.
Bellamy's spring attack was punched away by Akainu, who then knocked him to the ground with a punch to the face, forcing him to retreat in defeat.
Miot's sound waves only caused Akainu's steel body to vibrate for a moment, and then they had no effect. He was then struck by Akainu's hammer, which was imbued with aura, and he too retreated in defeat.
Suleiman was more inclined towards command, and although his swordsmanship was decent, he was far from the level of the Seven Stars. He was instantly killed by Akainu.
Paru was a bit more troublesome, as he didn't use his much-boasted 'Triple Invincible Defense', but his aura-covered iron shield and aura-covered body, which used the Six Techniques' 'Iron Block', was indeed formidable in defense.
However, Akainu broke through the aura, melted the iron shield, and with a single punch to the body, Paru was knocked out, giving a thumbs-up as he fell.
The remaining pirates were even weaker than these representative figures among the Novas. Those who still harbored hopes of taking advantage of Akainu's exhaustion to pick up an easy win were swiftly carried away after just two blows.
In the midst of the Nova, one could rely on bounties, fame, or simply have the Calamity Pirates' crew nominate them to become a Nova.
But for the Seven Stars, strength was a must.
Ajin, despite considering himself weak, was the 'Gatekeeper' of the Seven Stars, tasked with guarding the path to the upper echelons and sharing the power of Sage. This was his most crucial responsibility.
At that moment—
Ajin swung his hammer, its red-hot iron leaving a trail in the air as it viciously smashed towards the man wielding dual blades. The man raised his blades, his body moving like a swimming dragon, and slid his blades to the side, causing the hammer to fall and strike the ground, creating a dent in the heated surface.
Ajin's eyebrows furrowed, and just as he was about to pursue, the ground beneath him suddenly shook, causing him to lose his balance.
The once-firm fighting platform now undulated like a fluttering cloak, soft and swaying.
Sifer's dual blades danced like snakes, crossing in a tricky maneuver, aiming for Ajin's neck. But just as they neared his neck, they abruptly descended, striking his shoulders instead.
The sound of the blades clashing against Ajin's hardened aura and his steel-like body, formed by his abilities, rang out crisply.
Huff!
Ajin swung his hammer again, aiming for the man before him, but the man nimbly dodged with a quick retreat, bouncing a few times to distance himself from Ajin.
"No need to hold back; I won't die that easily," the man said.
Ajin raised an eyebrow and replied, "I have my own standards for judgment. If you're confident you can kill me, I'll concede when the time comes. Sifer, if you don't fight seriously, you won't become a Seven Star. Sage has high hopes for you and Misty. Don't disappoint him."
"That's a bold statement," Sifer scratched his head and sighed, "I'm not holding back. Your aura is too strong, and your abilities are tricky. My weapons have been with me for a long time, and I can't afford to have them melted by prolonged contact with you."
"Don't pretend; I have the authority to judge. If you continue like this, I'll declare you the loser. Do you concede?" Ajin frowned.
"Your gambling debts... a Nova-level salary won't be enough to repay them," he said.
"Oh, we're all working for the boss. What's a little gambling debt? It's all for the economy, and the boss won't swallow me alive just because of some debt," Sifer laughed.
Debt?
That was Sage's concern.
They were his assets, his subordinates. What's a little loss of money? They still enjoyed the good life, and material possessions were more meaningful than mere money.
He wouldn't invest elsewhere anyway.
"Then, until you repay your debt, I'll deprive you of your privileges," Ajin said.
"As a fellow pirate and a Seven Star, I have that authority," he added.
"So, you're not going to show any mercy?" Sifer asked.
Gripping his dual blades, Sifer lowered his stance slightly and took a deep breath. "I was hoping to conserve some energy to challenge Wilbur, but it seems that's not possible. Facing you, I have to give it my all."
Internally, the consensus was clear: among the five core members, Lily was the strongest in terms of actual combat power and achievements.
Below her were Moriah, Marika, and Renetia.
Moriah's stored power, once unleashed in its entirety, could easily destroy islands, while Renetia's limitless bombing capabilities, combined with her technological prowess, sent shivers down one's spine.
Moreover, Moriah was an essential chef, and Renetia was an even more crucial shipbuilder and arms dealer, as well as Wilbur's older sister. They were indispensable.
They also understood the importance of relationships.
Moriah was slightly better off, but Renetia, with her bounty at twelve years old, was expected to be the next generation's core member of the Calamity Pirates, just like Las of the Demonic Tribe.
As a wandering swordsman, he was well-informed.
Las hadn't eaten a fruit yet because the boss was gathering information about powerful fruits. It was rumored that once, in a drunken boast, the boss wanted to capture Ace and have Teach extract the magma fruit for Las to consume.
They were all being groomed for greatness.
Lily was unbeatable, and Moriah was no exception. Even if he could defeat them, he wouldn't dare to, as Moriah was a former Seven Seas Fleet Admiral who had surrendered and needed to maintain his status. Marika and Renetia were also out of reach.
Status was a combination of strength and influence, and the easiest target was Wilbur, who, being brainless, wouldn't care about the Triad or not.
Sifer had initially planned to conserve his energy, hoping to wear Ajin down and then challenge Wilbur. If he became a Triad, it would be the pinnacle of his life.
However, through their battle, Sifer realized this strategy was unfeasible. Ajin's strength required him to give it his all.
"Time's almost up. It's time to get used to your rhythm!" Sifer took a deep breath, and a streak of red flashed in his eyes. He raised his dual blades, holding them vertically in front of his chest, and said, "Dual Blade Performance: Soaring!"
The blades and the ground beneath them seemed to float, and even Ajin struggled to maintain his balance on the unstable terrain. But Sifer moved as if he were walking on solid ground, swiftly dashing through the undulating surface.
Akint's pupils constricted, and the cane in his hand melted under his ability, transforming into a ball of molten iron. As he took a heavy step forward, he was about to throw it.
"Fist Bone - Flowing!"
"Is it Flowing Fire?" Sif asked.
Before Akint could fully throw it, Sif seemed to have anticipated this, and he sidestepped, shooting out to the side. Just then, the molten iron that Akint had thrown landed, melting and cracking the stones on the ground.
Sif approached Akint from the side, and at the same time, the undulating ground beneath his feet became faster, causing him to stumble for a moment, losing his balance.
He remained calm, and his body swayed with the undulating ground, maintaining a rhythmic movement.
Paper Sketch!
The cane in his other hand, now transformed into molten iron, directly wrapped around his entire arm, and he lashed it towards Sif like a whip.
"I told you, I'm familiar with your combat rhythm now."
Sif smirked, and as soon as Akint used Paper Sketch, he had already lowered his body, dodging Akint's attack with foresight. At the same time, his dual blades danced like ribbons, floating towards Akint's throat.
Lily, who was standing above, witnessing this, shook her head slightly. "Akint lost."
"A special Perception Color?" Moriah chuckled. "Hehehe, it's like you can foresee the future."
"He's more troublesome than before," Hawkins stated calmly.
They had fought Sif before and knew how tricky he was. Over time, his ability to alter terrain and manipulate objects had fermented, allowing him to showcase his unique strengths.
Sif's Perception Color was not a premonition of the future; his aura mastery had not reached such an advanced level. However, the way it manifested was highly compatible with his style, making it no less impressive than foreseeing the future.
There were too many special Perception Colors, such as 'Telepathy,' 'Mind Reading,' and 'Foresight.' Sif's Perception Color should be called 'Reading.'
After prolonged combat, Sif used his Perception Color to 'read' his opponents, including their combat styles, attack patterns, and even gathering intelligence beforehand. All this knowledge about his enemies enhanced the power of his unique Perception Color.
Once it took shape, he could use it to predict his opponents' actions, moving in sync with their habits.
Compared to foreseeing the future, this style of combat was more enduring.
Combined with his 'Flapper Fruit' ability, he could maximize his effectiveness. What was inconvenient terrain for others was a great advantage for Sif.
Just as he was about to attack Akint's throat, Akint instinctively concentrated his aura there. Suddenly, the two blades dropped down, and with his ability activated, the flexible blade tips snaked towards his chest.
Akint took a deep breath and looked at Sif intently, touching his chest. "Internal Destruction? Your Armament Color and Perception Color are both powerful, and you use your abilities well. If we continue fighting for an extended period, I will indeed lose. You win."
Akint acknowledged his defeat; he knew that even if he forced the fight to continue, he would eventually lose. However, Sif would have to pay a significant price for this victory.
But this was a selection process, not a fight to the death. Knowing the result was enough.
"You're a Seven Stars now."
Akint nodded and turned to Misty, who was preparing to step forward. "You don't need to fight. You're also a Seven Stars."
"Hey, wait a minute! I've been fighting with you for so long, why doesn't she have to fight? Are girls getting special treatment?" Sif protested.
"No," Akint explained honestly, "Both of your evaluations are at the same level. But according to Lord Sag, Misty is stronger than you in terms of ability usage, and she also possesses a very powerful suppression ability. In a deathmatch, you're not Misty's opponent. You can win, but so can she."
That Gust Fruit allowed its user to fly.
Combined with Gust Arrows and Aura Arrows, it could deal devastating attacks, which Akint felt he couldn't withstand. This was their assessment.
"Well then..."
He turned to the surrounding pirates who had passed the selection process and were eagerly awaiting their next move. "This selection process ends here. You have successfully joined the Calamity Pirates and become crew members of the Doom Star. As for the rest of you, if you're willing, you can also become our subordinates. This Budokai ends here, and next..."
"Next, we'll raid Kaido!"
A thunderous sound reverberated as lightning manifested. At the top of the elevated stage, Lord Sag's figure appeared.
His furry cloak rustled behind him as he stretched out his hand, pointing upwards with a sinister smile. "Seize the New World's forefront!"
The warm-up was complete, and both Lord Sag and the pirates were brimming with enthusiasm, not far from Wano Country.
With this momentum, they would head to Wano Country to complete the unification of the New World's forefront.
Throughout the entire New World's forefront, he aimed to establish a monopoly, leaving no pirate force equal to him in the open.
(End of Chapter)
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