Shiryu's killing intent didn't scare Speed and Mizerka in the slightest. Mere killing intent was nothing compared to Kaido's intimidating aura. If they lacked even this much courage, they wouldn't have been worthy of following Yamato for so many years.
It was only because King and Shayna didn't have any direct conflict with him. If he had openly offended them like Blackbeard did, even with a freak physique that was hard to kill, he would surely be hunted to the ends of the earth, until death.
"Heh, does having a big tree to lean on make you so confident? I hope you still have that courage later."
"There's no need for the Young Miss to act. We can finish you off ourselves. You'd better pray for your own safety; maybe you'll be the first one taken out."
Ever since the breakout from the prison, Shiryu had been at odds with the Beasts Pirates. He'd nearly lost half his life under the "Conquest of the Sea" during the Summit War, and again almost got sent to hell by Jack at Fullalead. And now, here he was again, facing the Beasts Pirates.
At this moment, Shiryu was already calculating how to carry out his killing without getting himself dragged down in the process.
"And finally, the last contestants! The winners of G Block — from the Beasts Pirates, Page One the Land Shark! Ulti the Axe Jaw Dragon!"
"The winners of H Block — Oni Princess Yamato, and Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army, Sabo!"
"And the prize for the finals, the coveted Quake-Quake Fruit, is placed upon the back of a Fighting Fish!"
"But unlike the ones in the preliminaries, these Fighting Fish are much larger and far more ferocious. Whoever obtains the fruit first will be the victor. The match begins!"
This final match couldn't be called fair. In terms of numbers alone, the balance was already broken.
It was supposed to be a sixteen-man free-for-all, but among them, five belonged to the Beasts Pirates, all from the same force. One more, Chinjao, was from a friendly force.
Among the remaining people, the three brothers Luffy, Sabo, and Ace were naturally allies. Add Marco to that, and they formed a large force second only to the Beasts Pirates.
Ten out of the sixteen had already gathered into groups, leaving only six who were truly fighting on their own.
"I'll leave the Quake-Quake Fruit to you guys. I'll handle the strongest one. Keep an eye on those non–devil fruit users. If they swallow the fruit, we're done for."
Yamato's combat instincts had already passively maxed out her intellect.
Everyone's goal was the Quake-Quake Fruit; no one was willing to act as a stepping stone for others. As long as Redfield, with his overwhelming power, couldn't directly intervene, Ulti and the others could make full use of their advantage.
Redfield's thinking, however, was similar to Yamato; except in his eyes, Yamato was the only threat on the entire field. If he could defeat her, then out of the remaining fourteen, not a single one could threaten him.
Though the power within Yamato's body could block her enemies' Observation Haki from glimpsing the future, the moment her eyes met Redfield's, everything was clear without words.
Their gazes crossed, and their fighting spirit clashed. An instant later, two powerful Conqueror's Haki burst forth from their bodies.
The clouds above churned violently, with the Corrida Colosseum forming the dividing line, around which the clouds were torn apart by an unknown force.
Cracks spread across the surrounding clouds like ravines stretching across the firmament, and the sky on one side was as if it had shattered completely, leaving nothing behind, except for a stretch of pure azure blue.
The titans of the old and new era greeted each other in the most primal way possible.
"Not bad, old man. You old-era folks sure have your skills."
"Hahahaha, thanks for the praise! You're quite a formidable youngster yourself. It's been decades since I've been away from the seas and it seems interesting people have greatly increased."
The clash of Conqueror's Haki came from Yamato and Redfield, but the surge that had just erupted on the battlefield wasn't from two; there were six.
Yamato and Redfield's Haki contended like sovereigns vying for dominance, but beneath their exchange, the remaining auras were also asserting their own territories.
Katakuri, Chinjao, Ace, and Luffy—all four had their Conqueror's Haki stirred by the presence of Yamato and Redfield.
Ace's Conqueror's Haki had gradually matured over the two years following Whitebeard's death. Though it lacked the overwhelming pressure of Yamato or Redfield, it was still a formidable force in its own right.
Even though all six of them tried to control their range, the collision of their Haki still spilled beyond the arena.
The grandstands, moments ago filled with thunderous cheers, instantly fell into absolute silence. Even though the Conqueror's Haki wasn't aimed at them, even the aftermath alone was enough to knock nearly everyone unconscious, only one in ten spectators remained awake.
For ordinary people, just watching this battle was already a luxury.
Gatz's Den Den Mushi slipped from his trembling hands and hit the ground, yet he somehow managed to stay conscious. His obsession with narrating this once-in-a-century match gave him the will to endure the aftermath.
"To meet a senior like you, I'm honestly happy. That means I'll have something good to report when I return. Judging from your Haki, you're already prepared, so I won't hold back!"
Yamato made the first move, brandishing her Takeru and charging across the arena toward Redfield.
"What an incredible youngster… it seems I can't afford to take this lightly."
His ears grew long, his teeth sharpened to razor points, and from beneath his arms spread a pair of leathery wing membranes. The upper half of his face and both arms were covered in dark violet fur, and sharp claws sprouted from his fingertips.
Bat-Bat Fruit, Mythical Zoan -Model: Vampire. After transforming, Redfield's body became visibly more agile. Though his appearance remained aged, the fruit's power had drastically strengthened his physical reflexes.
Without using a weapon, Redfield coated his hands in an immensely powerful layer of Haki. It collided midair with Yamato's Takeru, blocking her probing strike with ease.
"What impressive power. So that earlier attack wasn't your full strength after all."
"You're one to talk. The young generation these days is a lot stronger than back in my time."
"Since you're a Devil Fruit User, old man, I won't hold back either. Let me experience it once more… the strength of the old era!"
TN: Hey guys, I've picked up a new One Piece novel. You can search it: One Piece: The Undying King.
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