Melee Begins

"Is this really a good idea?" A naval instructor behind Zephyr asked, frowning.

He was well aware of the strength of these young pirates; some had already made a name for themselves in the brutal New World. Witnessing their true power would undoubtedly be a huge blow to the morale of the trainees in the training camp.

"Being able to face the power of pirates head-on is also a form of growth," Zephyr said.

"But?"

Before the instructor could finish speaking, Zephyr interrupted him, "If they can't even withstand this kind of blow, then they're nothing special. They'd be better off managing logistics than dying at the hands of pirates." Zephyr said coldly.

Upon hearing Zephyr's words, the other instructors understood what Zephyr meant.

It seems the elite training camp will undergo a major reshuffle. Those who cannot withstand the blow will be expelled from the camp. After all, the training camp cultivates the navy's elite, who enjoy the best resources and education; they have no need for useless people.

In the Combat Pyramid, the melee is about to begin. In the conference room on the seventeenth floor, the mechanism sinks down and the walls slowly rise, allowing people to look up and see the figures inside the conference room.

One by one, the Four Emperors, Dark Emperor Teach, and other important members of the pirate crews who were qualified to enter the conference room sat in the seats, looking down at the arena below.

On the other side, there were ten glass boxes, each containing a different number of Devil Fruit, representing rewards from the five pirate crews.

With a total of thirty-four Devil Fruit, many greedy eyes were fixed on them; the value of these Devil Fruit exceeded ten billion.

However, no one dared to make a move. This was the territory of the Night Pirates, and these were the property of the Four Emperors and the Night Pirates. No one dared to risk offending the Four Emperors and the Night Pirates by taking any of these Devil Fruits.

Five pirate crews are watching closely; the success rate is zero. If they make any move, their fate will be to be reduced to ashes.

When the time came, the host of the Combat Pyramid took the microphone and said, "I'm sure everyone is eager to get started. Now, let's welcome the contestants to the arena for this free-for-all!"

The atmosphere in the venue was electric, and after the host finished speaking, a huge cheer erupted like a tidal wave.

In the arena, the ground opened up in five directions, revealing circular openings, through which contestants gradually ascended via platforms below.

"Smoker Haifa from the Big Mom Pirates!"

Clad in armor and wielding a greatsword, Haifa's towering figure revealed his formidable strength.

Smoker, also of the same tall stature and of the Long Leg Tribe lineage, possesses a pair of enviable long legs. She wears a hat and a scarf, with long white hair reaching her legs and covering one eye. She wears gloves, has tattoos characteristic of the Longlegs on her legs, carries a longsword with a spiral scabbard on her back, and wears a pair of pink, patterned boots.

"The opponent we're facing will be extremely powerful, Haifa. You better be prepared," Smoker said coldly to her brother. "What Mother wants must be given, and she will sacrifice you if necessary."

"No one should be eyeing those ordinary Devil Fruit, right? With your strength, you're definitely going to rank high." Haifa was a little afraid of Smoker. Although they were family, Smoker was cold-hearted, stronger than him, and held a higher position in the family.

Most importantly, he was terrified of Smoker's ability to Squeeze-Squeeze Fruit.

Sacrificing him means that Smoker will use her powers to absorb water from his body to enhance her own strength. Of course, she won't kill him, but he has seen the terrible state of those who have had their water absorbed by Smoker's powers.

"There's no 'should'. My ranking has to be high to ensure everything goes smoothly. You don't want to be punished by your mother, do you, Haifa?" Smoker glanced at Haifa and said. She had never placed any hope in Haifa.

Haifa shuddered and said nothing more. For Big Mom, her children felt more fear than affection.

"The Flying Pirates' Wolf Tiger Brothers, Kuroro and Kururu."

The two brothers were revealed to the crowd. Their attire and clothes bore very distinct wolf and tiger markings, and they looked somewhat alike, one tall and one short, one fat and one thin.

"Let's take care of our biggest rival first." The older brother, "Thin Wolf" Kuroro, said to "Fat Tiger" Kururu beside him with a sinister look in his eyes.

"Yes, brother." Kururu nodded, looking somewhat dazed, with his round face. But if you underestimate him, you'll die a horrible death. At such a young age, he stood out from so many pirates in the Flying Pirates, relying on his strength.

He glanced at the location of the Night Pirates' contestants.

"Haruta, Apoide of the Whitebeard Pirates!"

"We must get our revenge." Haruta said through gritted teeth, his eyes filled with a stubbornness. He had suffered a great loss at the Night Pirates, being captured and only managed to be brought back by his Pops using a large amount of Beli and Devil Fruit.

Therefore, he trained hard and diligently. In the war between the Whitebeard Pirates and the Night Pirates, although his strength improved greatly, he was defeated several times. If it weren't for the other members watching over him and providing timely support, he might have been captured again.

Haruta, young and impetuous, kept this in mind and was determined to seize this opportunity.

"Haruta, be careful, they are very strong," Apoide warned, knowing the strength of Kaguya and Clemons.

Although they didn't appear on the battlefield between the Whitebeard Pirates and the Night Pirates, they made a great name for themselves on other battlefields.

Judging by the bounty alone, they are not to be underestimated. After learning about their competitors, they also looked up information on other pirate crews participating in the competition, so they have a certain understanding of them.

Furthermore, Kaguya and Clemons have both mastered Two types of Haki and are extremely proficient in it, which alone puts her ahead of them.

Like Apoide, he has now mastered Armament Haki, while Haruta, although he has mastered Two types of Haki, his Armament Haki is still inconsistent and he has not fully mastered it.

According to intelligence, very little information is available about the Beasts Pirates' participants, and Smoker of the Big Mom Pirates has mastered Observation Haki.

Both brothers of the Flying Pirates have mastered Armament Haki.

Therefore, Kaguya and Clemons of the Night Pirates are the greatest enemies of the other pirate crews.

Although she didn't say it aloud, Apoide didn't hold out much hope for Haruta's idea. He couldn't do it alone, and besides, in this chaotic battle, only the last one standing would win. She just wanted to delay her own demise.

"Krell and Mina of the Beasts Pirates!"

When Krell appeared alongside Yamato, Krell resembled a scholar, which didn't fit the image of the burly men of the Beasts Pirates at all.

Then there's Yamato, whose face is covered by a terrifying long-horned mask that looks like a demon, completely obscuring her feet. She wears oversized clothes that make it impossible to discern her figure. She has a short body and carries a round-headed spiked club that is completely disproportionate to her size on her shoulder.

Yamato looked around excitedly, welcoming the cheers of the crowd.

"Yamato, be careful, remember what I said," Krell reminded him, seeing Yamato's state.

"Don't worry, let's deal with those two from the Night Pirates first to conserve our energy. We'll eliminate them when the others are about to give up," Yamato blurted out, but then asked with some doubt, "Krell, how do you know the other pirate crews will also target the Night Pirates first?"

"Because our biggest competitor is the Night Pirates, and they are very strong." Krell smiled. Although he was very confident in his own strength, the people sent by other pirate crews should not be underestimated.

"Kaguya Clemons of the Night Pirates!"

Kaguya stood there quietly, expressionless, glancing briefly at the others.

Clemons folded his hands on his chest, very confident, with a two-meter-tall body, with his upper body bulging, the muscles on his body bulging, the word "Burial" printed on his chest, and Buddhist beads around his neck.

With the five opposing forces at odds, the air seemed to freeze for a moment.

"Alright, I hereby declare that this melee has now officially begun!" the host shouted into the microphone, and steel walls rose up around the perimeter of the arena.

Soon, members of the other four pirate crews besides the Night Pirates made their move, and surprisingly, their targets were all Clemons and Kaguya.

I didn't expect them to be so coordinated. Are they planning to take care of the Night Pirates first? That would be incredibly disrespectful to the Night Pirates!

"Hahaha! Teach, I hope the two from your pirate crew won't be the first to be eliminated." Shiki laughed loudly at Teach after seeing the situation in the arena.

Shiki's voice rang out throughout the arena, attracting the attention of many, because there was a fixed microphone in front of Teach and his group, capable of amplifying their words.

"Hehe, impossible." Teach shook his head with a smile. "It's expected and reasonable. I know their strength. Kaguya and Clemons won't fall so easily. The others should be the ones to be careful." As the captain, he naturally had to have enough confidence in his crew. Besides, in such a melee, even if they lost, it wouldn't matter. After all, there are no absolute winners in the rules.

Seemingly remembering something, Teach glanced at the area below where the navy was located and couldn't help but smile. "Kaguya and Clemons have the potential to become Admiral."

Upon hearing this, many people couldn't help but laugh, and their gazes shifted to the location of the navy. They saw that the navy personnel looked ashen-faced as if they had eaten shit.

Of course, this isn't a real Admiral, but rather the combat strength of Admiral.

In Teach's eyes, Kaguya and Clemons have that potential.

"Is that so? Then we'll wait and see." Kaido narrowed his eyes. They naturally didn't think Teach was joking or just there to annoy the Navy. This showed that Kaguya and Clemons did indeed have such potential.

Moreover, they have already demonstrated their formidable strength and potential. In their eyes, Kaguya and Clemons are already quite impressive, having seen footage of their battles.

Moreover, their Observation Haki was enough to sense Kaguya and Clemons' strength, which was definitely among the best compared to the others, and even significantly higher.

"Kaido, you've been hiding your strength quite well." Whitebeard's gaze fell on Krell, sensing that this unknown young Krell was not weak at all, as was the girl wearing a mask whose face could not be seen.

"Haha, just watch." Kaido didn't explain, nor was there anything to explain. He looked towards the arena; ultimately, strength would be the deciding factor.

On the arena, "Just what I wanted, then let me take care of you." Clemons showed no fear, clenched his fist and laughed, leaned forward, and with a burst of speed, charged forward.

Kaguya twisted her neck and said calmly, "I'll defeat you all." White bone material rapidly emerged from her palms, forming two sharp bone knives, Kaguya she gripped tightly as she slowly walked forward.

Clemons and Kaguya each took one side. Kaguya faced four Beasts Pirates and the Whitebeard Pirates, while Clemons faced four Flying Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates.

Clemons has now become a member of the Night Pirates. After learning Armament Haki, his strength has increased dramatically. Combined with the power of his Muscle Fruit and his powerful physical skills, although he is currently ranked low among the members, his strength will definitely increase rapidly in the future.

"Muscle swelling!"

"Muscle compression!"

Clemons ran at full speed, his muscles bulging as he used his ability to grow rapidly, his entire body covered in clearly visible red muscles, transforming him into a muscular monster in the blink of an eye.

His body swelled up several times, but soon, the swollen muscles were compressed by Clemons. The compressed muscles, despite their swelling, possessed even greater explosive power.

The body that had returned to normal was only one size larger than before, and its entire surface had turned a terrifying dark red.

The use of his abilities greatly enhanced Clemons' combat power, visibly increasing his speed and Clemons terrifying strength.

Clemons, in his current state, stared intently at his opponents, as if they were prey.

"Attack together!" Smoker felt the pressure emanating from Clemons, her expression changed, and she gritted her teeth as she shouted to the "Wolf Tiger Brothers."

The Wolf Tiger Brothers knew that Clemons was not someone to be trifled with, so they nodded and charged at Clemons in perfect unison, simultaneously transforming into their beast forms and standing on either side of him to Clemons path.

Smoker, wielding a spiraling longsword, charged towards Clemons, while the three formed a triangle to fight Clemons together.

Clemons' face was also affected by the power, making him look extremely ferocious.

He spread his arms wide, faced the Wolf Tiger Brothers in front of him, and charged straight at them.

The incredible speed and momentum brought by the powerful burst of energy were too much for the Wolf Tiger Brothers to handle, so they crossed their arms to block in front of them.

The next moment, Clemons passed between them, slamming his arms into both of them.

The Wolf Tiger Brothers stared wide-eyed, feeling as if they had been struck by steel. With the terrifying impact, they were both thrown backward.

The Zoan grants them powerful vitality, so they won't fall so easily. They only suffered minor injuries and managed to regain their balance before their bodies hit the steel wall during their retreat.

Clemons charged straight at him to Haifa's astonishment. Before he could react, Clemons was already in front of him.

A large hand grabbed Haifa's head and flipped him over in mid-air.

With Clemons's movement and immense strength, Haifa's entire body was easily lifted up, spun around in the air, and then slammed to the ground by Clemons.

The ground trembled, but the arena, made of special materials, remained undamaged.

Haifa's eyes widened, he spat out a mouthful of blood, his helmet shattered, and his greatsword flew off his hand.

Haifa's body felt like it was falling apart; this attack almost rendered him unable to fight.

He struggled to get up, but his head was firmly gripped by Clemons's large hand. The immense strength prevented him from breaking free, and it even threatened to crush his head.

Haifa's head was already somewhat deformed.

This was absolute power, extremely violent. Clemons' methods caused the entire audience to pause for a moment, but after they recovered, there was a deafening cheer, with many pirates chanting Clemons' name.

Clemons is picking on the weak; he'll definitely take care of the weaker ones first, since the other pirates aren't weak at all.

The next moment, Clemons flung his hand, sending Haifa's entire body flying to the side. Haifa crashed into the steel wall before falling to the ground.

"Haifa!" Smoker shouted, but not out of concern. Haifa was not in any danger; Haifa was too weak for Clemons.

"Water-Splitting Sword!" Smoker leaped high into the air, her longsword flashing with pink light—or rather, energy. Using her ability, Smoker drew moisture directly from the air, albeit in small amounts, but she wasn't given the space to freely use her power.

The air and moisture around Smoker were completely sucked away. This ability was terrifying; it absorbed not only water but also life itself. After all, water is the source of life. If it were used on the land, that land would definitely become a dead zone.

A massive pink slash descended, heading straight for Clemons.

Clemons swiftly dodged, bending his knees as he looked at Smoker, who was still in mid-air.

Oh no! Smoker was startled; Clemons was coming at her.

Clemons leaped with all his might, his body shooting out like a cannonball, heading straight for Smoker.

Smoker landed, stabilizing herself in mid-air. Knowing she couldn't dodge and had to take the hit, she decisively swung her sword again.

"Water-Splitting Sword!"

Smoker's fighting spirit is admirable; she acts without hesitation.

"Linlin, you've given birth to a wonderful daughter," Kaido, looking at Big Mom with admiration.

With Smoker's performance, she will surely become a powerful figure in the New World.

"Well, Smoker is my most talented daughter." Big Mom took a bite of dessert and nodded with a smile.

The air became extremely dry, and Smoker's body shimmered with a pink light. This sword strike was even more powerful than the previous one.

Clemons raised his right fist and Clemons, "Destroy it, Muscle Fist!" His heavy muscles caused his right arm to swell twice its size, and black Armament Haki wrapped around it, turning Clemons right arm black.

Clemons' body paused in mid-air, his upward momentum halted by the slash, the powerful force directly shattering it.

However, this also deprived him of the momentum to rise further. Clemons' body fell back to the ground, Smoker also landed on the ground, staring intently at Clemons. She knew her own body size and that she couldn't withstand more than a few blows from Clemons' powerful strength.

At this moment, the Wolf Tiger Brothers returned, watching Clemons warily; they could clearly sense that power.

Smoker stood at a distance, swords in both hands, seemingly intending to provide ranged support. She also had her own agenda; while Clemons was her opponent, her most important goal was to eliminate members of other pirate crews so she could stay behind.

She needs the Wolf Tiger Brothers' strength now; once Wolf Tiger Brothers 're no longer viable, she'll quickly eliminate them. (To be continued)