Amazon Lily: A Fierce Battle at the Martial Arts Tournament
The moment Smoker defeated Dalmatian with unprecedented dominance in the ring, the atmosphere of the entire Martial Arts Tournament was ignited.
The remaining Vice Admiral exchanged glances, all of them listing Smoker as their primary target for the next round of defense.
The atmosphere of the Deserted Island Martial Arts Tournament intensified with each high-level match, revealing the true strength of the mid-level naval officers in such a pure and unadulterated way for the first time.
Fourth Arena
The Flame-Burning Blade of Yamakaji unleashed several streaks of fire amidst the raging flames, its Haki aura creating a massive heatwave, but each attack was easily Tokikake Jia Ji.
"Bang!"
Tokikake a smooth Roundhouse Kick, Yamakaji was sent flying, his weapon flying from his hand, and the heatwave instantly dissipated.
Yamakaji wiped the sweat from his brow, smiled wryly, and raised his hand. "I lost."
Jia Ji stopped in his tracks, Tokikake his usual sleazy demeanor, and solemnly reached out to pull him up. "Good fight."
Second Arena
Doberman's longsword danced wildly like a storm, his Haki sweeping across the entire arena, even cutting several cracks in the rock of the ring.
"Clang clang--!"
Gion moved with agility, her steps weaving through the gaps in the storm, her sword gleaming like Moonlight.
She suddenly gave a low shout, her sword blade crackling with Armament Haki, and a cold glint flashed down:
"One Sword Style · Moonlit Severance!"
"Snap--!"
Doberman's katana was deflected, and the blade lightly touched his chest, causing him to stop moving abruptly.
He took a deep breath and sighed softly, "I'm still a step behind."
Gion sheathed her sword, a smile playing on her lips, "But you're stronger than before."
Doberman paused for a moment, then nodded in response, and the two exchanged a smile.
Sixth Arena
The sword fight between Strawberry and the Momonga was almost textbook-perfect, with sparks flying as the blades clashed, eliciting cheers from the audience.
"Swish! Swish! Swish!"
After dozens of moves, the Momonga's sword flashed like Inazuma and touched the side of Strawberry's neck, the air freezing.
Strawberry paused for a moment, then burst into hearty laughter and held out his hand. "A fine sword!"
The Momonga smiled slightly, reached out and helped him up. The two longtime colleagues seemed to have returned to the days when they competed on the same stage in their youth.
The soldiers in the stands were even more excited:
"That was fantastic! This is truly a battle of honor for our navy!"
"They fought with all their might, yet they could still smile as they sheathed their swords—that's the backbone of our force!"
Zephyr, sitting on the referee's stand, watched the battles unfold, his eyes slightly reddening.
"These guys... they're still the same as they were back then."
Sengoku took a deep breath and echoed, "Yes, it's as if I can see them training together under your guidance back then."
The setting sun bathed the arena in a golden glow, the machines began to turn again, and the entire arena held its breath.
"Click--thump!"
On the giant screen, the final battle pairing appeared: Sentomaru vs. Maynard.
Onigumo gets a bye!
"Whoosh--!"
The entire venue erupted in cheers!
"Sentomaru is the strongest defensive expert in the Science Unit, and I heard he's also Vegapunk's personal bodyguard!"
"Maynard is a veteran combat lieutenant Vice Admiral, with top-notch speed and explosiveness!"
"Now it's a direct clash of power against power!"
Kizaru, sitting on the referee's stand, adjusted his sunglasses and smiled meaningfully, "Wow~ This battle is going to be Ignition."
Zephyr commented in a low voice, "Maynard's fighting style is fierce and precise, and his tactics are varied, but Sentomaru's defense and counterattacks are very troublesome. This match... the outcome is hard to predict."
Sengoku's gaze sharpened, a rare glint in his eyes. "Let's see just how far this lieutenant Vice Admiral... can go."
Meanwhile, the Calm Belt and the coastline of Amazon Lily
The setting sun cast a blood-red glow, dyeing the entire sea surface a crimson hue. Waves whispered softly on the beach, and flocks of seabirds soared across the sky.
Marguerite walked barefoot on the soft sand during her patrol, her longbow gripped tightly, her ears catching every whisper of the wind.
Suddenly--
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of two disheveled figures adrift on the shallows in the distance, motionless.
The seawater washed over their bodies again and again, and the bloodstains it brought stained the surrounding waves red.
Marguerite was startled; she immediately nocked an arrow and stared warily ahead.
"Someone drifted into the Calm Belt? Impossible..."
Even sea monsters dare not approach this place!
She held her breath and approached silently. When she saw the faces of the two people, she froze!
"Pluton... Rayleigh?! Shakky?!"
The longbow fell to the sand with a "thud." Marguerite didn't bother to pick it up; she rushed over, knelt down on one knee, and quickly checked the injury.
Shakky's face was ashen, a deep wound on her left arm that exposed bone was still bleeding, she was breathing rapidly, and her consciousness was still faintly present;
Rayleigh was even more terrifying, his body covered in wounds, a dark fist mark on his back that almost pierced through his entire spine, the blood diluted by the waves into a dark red, and his breath so weak that it was almost imperceptible!
"Who... who did this?!"
Marguerite's fingers trembled slightly as she immediately pulled a signal flare from her waist and forcefully pulled open the safety buckle.
"Whoosh--Bang!!"
Crimson fireworks ripped through the sky above Amazon Lily, exploding into a blazing fireball, while sirens blared throughout the entire island!
Before long, the sound of orderly footsteps echoed through the jungle.
Kikyo led several Kuja Warriors out of the forest and, upon seeing the two people barely alive on the beach, her expression changed drastically.
"What... what's going on?!"
Marguerite cried out urgently, "Sister Kikyo! Quick! They need treatment!!"
Without a word, Kikyo picked up Rayleigh and signaled the others to carefully lift Shakky.
"I will go and report to Snake Princess!"
As soon as she finished speaking, everyone rushed towards the Royal Palace.
Deep within the Royal Palace, the palace on Amazon Lily resembles a giant lotus flower carved from white jade, surrounded by cascading waterfalls and coiled giant serpents silently guarding this sacred land.
The palace doors slowly opened, and a graceful figure stepped into the long corridor where light and shadow intertwined.
It is none other than Boa Hancock, Shichibukai —the world's most beautiful Empress.
Her long, jet-black hair cascaded down like silk, and her purple royal robes accentuated her stunning figure. Her bare feet trod on the cool jade floor, each step exuding an air of noble authority.
Those sapphire-blue eyes, usually filled with arrogance and disdain, flashed with a hint of seriousness at this moment.
"Dark King Rayleigh... how could he be injured like this?!"
"Pass on my orders!" Boa Hancock waved her hand, her cloak billowing in the air.
"Immediately dispatch the best doctors from Amazon Lily to treat Rayleigh and Shakky at all costs."
Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, and a sense of unease rose in her heart:
"The only people who could push 'Pluton' to this point... are probably just a handful of monsters."
Boa Hancock turned abruptly, her eyes turning cold. "Block all information! No one is to divulge a single word about this!"
"They must never let anyone outside know they are on Amazon Lily."
Kikyo immediately knelt on one knee and whispered in response, "Yes, Snake Princess Majesty!"
Several hours later, Shakky slowly opened her eyes.
What comes into view is the unique seashell chandelier and domed gauze curtain of Amazon Lily;
Marguerite was waiting by the bedside. As soon as she saw her wake up, she quickly bent down and said, "You're finally awake! Would you like some water?"
Shakky shook her head slightly, gritting her teeth as she propped herself up. "Where's Rayleigh?!"
Marguerite quickly reassured her, "Mr. Rayleigh is right next door. The doctor said he's badly injured, but... his life is in danger."
Shakky finally breathed a sigh of relief and slowly lay down, but a deep shadow flashed in her eyes:
"That Roy guy... he really went all out..."