The Melee Ends

Thus, only three people remained on the field: Clemons, Kaguya, and Krell.

Clemons did not disturb their battle. He returned to his original position, crossed his arms, and quietly watched from the sidelines.

Regardless, the Night Pirates have already locked in the top three in this chaotic battle, with themselves undoubtedly taking first place. Even if Krell defeats Kaguya, he won't have the strength to fight them in the end.

The battle between Krell and Kaguya has now become the focus of everyone's attention.

The two fought fiercely, exchanging blows and never letting up for a moment, both panting heavily.

However, Kaguya is still a little inexperienced, not because she lacks strength. In terms of combat, she is slightly stronger than Krell.

In terms of physical strength, he is somewhat inferior to Krell.

Not only is it due to his age, but Krell's Mythical Zoan also grants Krell ample stamina and vitality, so even if Kaguya injures Krell, it won't have much of an impact on Krell.

"Kaguya has been defeated," Slada said from the sidelines.

"Hmm, that's already pretty good." Wallace nodded. They could see the two's current condition. As the battle continued, Kaguya reduced her use of her abilities, no longer needing to expend her stamina unnecessarily.

Krell, aware of her own advantages, was consciously trying to wear down Kaguya's stamina.

Realizing that Kaguya wouldn't last much longer, they immediately intensified their offensive.

Although they fought to the very end, it ultimately came down to a difference in raw strength.

"Extremely cold winds!"

Finally, Krell unleashed his last move, his nine tails lashing wildly, frost forming in the air, and a chilling wind emanating from Krell body.

The attack was wide-ranging and unavoidable for Kaguya, who was covered in armor made of bones.

Soon, under the powerful chill, Kaguya was frozen solid, seemingly turning into an ice sculpture.

After a few breaths, "Clang!"

One by one, bones pierced through the ice, and Kaguya broke free from the icy restraints.

Krell wanted to continue, but Kaguya's words made him stop.

"I lost," Kaguya said calmly. A loss is a loss. Although he still had the strength to fight, he was destined to lose no matter what. Since that was the case, there was no point in continuing the fight.

His words relieved Krell; this meant he was second place, a result that did not disappoint the governor's trust in him.

However, the sudden outburst of Smoker's power, along with Kaguya and Clemons' strength, exceeded his expectations.

Yamato's ranking of sixth is quite good, but obtaining two Ancient Species Devil Fruit is not a sure thing. It depends on Apoide and what the two members of the Night Pirates will choose.

But he had done his best. Turning his head, Krell's gaze fell on Clemons. Now he was also running out of energy, and there was no point in continuing to fight.

"I concede," Krell said.

Thus, the final rankings of this chaotic battle are as follows: from front to back, they are Clemons, Krell, Kaguya, Smoker, Apoide, Ina, the Wolf Tiger Brothers, Haruta, and Haifa.

But it wasn't over yet, because the rewards hadn't been claimed. The nine people went to the ten glass boxes to collect their rewards in order.

The missing person was Haifa, who was now lying on the ground, unable to even stand, so Smoker naturally took his place.

This is also interesting for some people, starting with Clemons, who simply took the Plasma Fruit.

Then there's Krell, who also seems to have already made his choice, taking the Ancient Species - Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Thunder Dragon Form, naturally opting for a higher-quality ability.

Kaguya, however, did not choose those rare abilities, but instead selected the seven Devil Fruit offered by the Big Mom Pirates.

Some people saw through the Night Pirates' plan: to give the opportunity to other pirate crews.

Smoker naturally took the Devil Fruit that Big Mom wanted. The Night Pirates brought out seven Devil Fruits, including the Juice-Juice Fruit and the Bean-Bean Fruit.

The development was good, and the capability was not bad.

Apoide took the Wave-Wave Fruit, a lower-level Devil Fruit of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit- Tremor-Tremor Fruit. Even though it's a lower-level Devil Fruit, if developed properly, it can still be a top-tier offensive Devil Fruit.

The Beasts Pirates were somewhat surprised that none of the top-ranked individuals competed with them, which also left Yamato in a dilemma, unsure whether to choose the Ancient Centipede or the Pig-Crocodile.

Under Krell's guidance, Yamato took the Ancient Devil Fruit Ancient Centipede Fruit, which Krell believed to be more powerful.

Then came the Wolf Tiger Brothers, who were eliminated at the same time. They each took the Ancient Species Alligator-Alligator Fruit and the Paralysis Fruit, which originally belonged to the Flying Pirates.

In this way, the Flying Pirates didn't lose out; they simply exchanged a powerful Paramecia Devil Fruit for Ancient Species.

The last two portions of seven ordinary Devil Fruit were naturally taken by Smoker and Haruta.

In this way, it can be said that no one lost out; the only one to gain was the Beasts Pirates.

Even the Big Mom Pirates obtained the Devil Fruit they desired.

The chaotic battle ended just like that, but the commotion hadn't subsided. The departing spectators were all discussing it, especially the four people standing at the back, who could be considered the four strongest young pirates.

Clemons, Kaguya, Smoker, Krell.

The power they displayed was beyond the imagination of ordinary people. Even some veteran powerhouses and figures who had roamed the seas couldn't help but marvel at their strength. Most importantly, they were very young.

What were they doing when they were Kaguya's age? The difference in their strength was enormous.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, under Teach's protection, he will surely grow stronger.

"How terrifying! A bunch of young pirates. I was no match for them at the same age," Borsalino said as he walked with Garp and the others.

"The potential to Admiral is no joke." Kuzan acknowledged this, noting that the pirates' power was growing stronger.

Their exceptional talent combined with their powerful Devil Fruit abilities taught them a valuable lesson and instilled a sense of urgency in them. Compared to the ever-growing pirates and the frequent emergence of geniuses and monsters, the Navy's growth seemed rather slow.

If this continues, the navy will soon be suppressed by pirates again.

They were also aware of one thing from the past few sessions of the Marine Elite Training Camp: there were certainly many outstanding naval cadets, but none who could truly amaze people or possessed the potential to reach the level of Admiral.

It's even rarer than creatures like the Yamakaji or the Mole.

The most recent batch of soldiers who were truly valued by the Navy were Gion and Kake from several years ago, just five years ago.

However, such talent cannot be forced; it depends on luck.

"Haha, let Sengoku worry about this. Let's go eat something delicious." Garp laughed, putting the matter out of his mind.

"Oh, right. The hot springs, massages, and saunas in the relaxation area are truly unforgettable. The service is excellent. It's a pity I won't be able to come here often in the future. I'll enjoy it while I still have time." Borsalino nodded.

Sengoku, far away at the Marine Headquarters, was naturally somewhat helpless. To be honest, there were certainly capable people in the Navy, but there wasn't a suitable one at the moment.

There aren't many people who want to eat Devil Fruit; most rely on their physical skills and swordsmanship.

Even at Marine Headquarters, Devil Fruit are very rare. Although there are quite a few, they are not easily given out. They are either obtained through great merit or by exchanging achievements.

Drake, a member of the Worst Generation, possesses the Ancient Species Devil Fruit power given to him by the Navy. His exceptional aptitude, combined with his superior Devil Fruit, perfectly suits Kaido's needs. Furthermore, his betrayal of the Navy makes him unsuspecting.

No one could have imagined that this naval traitor was actually a member of a naval special forces unit—a spy.

This shows that while there are indeed capable individuals in the navy, there isn't a truly suitable one—someone with immense potential who could become the navy's top fighting force.

Let alone Ancient Species, even Logia- Mythical Zoan are available from the Navy. The World Government certainly wouldn't waste such a good fighter; they would cherish such combat power.

I was initially quite satisfied with the Marine Elite Training Camp, but now, compared to the pirate camp, it seems somewhat lacking.

The navy has changed, and it needs more talented, young, and promising personnel.

Relying solely on one elite training camp is insufficient, or rather, the number of participants in the elite training camp is insufficient.

Sengoku realized that the naval academy could be expanded, and that it would not only have the elite training camp under Zephyr's command, but also other classes taught by other instructors.

However, given the current state of the ocean, the ever-increasing number of pirates, and the endless stream of promising pirates, the Navy's training of cadets is somewhat insufficient.

Therefore, the Sengoku now had an idea: to expand the naval academy and recruit students from all Marine Branch along the Grand Line.

Originally, the number of places in the Naval Academy and the Marine Elite Training Camp was limited, and the number of places allocated to each Marine Branch was also very small, only a handful. Most small Marine Branch had only one place.

Now that the number of places can be expanded, with a large base, there will definitely be more outstanding talents. Those who were originally unable to come to the Marine Headquarters to study due to the limited number of places will now have a greater opportunity.

This is a crucial part of the navy's growth.

Of course, this is just a thought for now. It's not that simple. It needs to be planned carefully. Just financially, it will put enormous pressure on the Navy. It will require the World Government's backing, otherwise it will be very difficult to achieve.

It certainly cannot be implemented in the short term because it involves many issues and requires a detailed discussion in a meeting. With the increase in the number of people involved, the original size of the naval academy will definitely not be enough, and it may be necessary to find a special place to build a new naval academy.

Moreover, the navy still has a lot to do. Although the military budget has increased significantly with the support of the World Government, the expenses are still enormous.

Sengoku moved his pen, writing down his thoughts and then putting them in his drawer to prevent himself from forgetting them.

For Teach and his team, this was just a minor incident. After all, the melee didn't last long. What they really needed to focus on was the kendo tournament the day after tomorrow, when the world would be truly watching.

There must be battles between strong individuals, and strong individuals who can interest them.

A battle between the world's top swordsmen, Swordmaster, and Great Swordmaster.

Kaguya and her group's battles were always between juniors, which didn't really interest them.

With the kendo tournament approaching, the atmosphere is tense amidst the excitement. The usual sparring between swordsmen has decreased, as they need to conserve their energy and get themselves into peak condition.

Even Genryuusai Shigekuni drank less often, often sitting quietly with his cane in hand, closing his eyes to rest. As a witness invited by Teach, he naturally did not do nothing.

Before the official start of the kendo tournament, there was an opening ceremony, and it was his turn to appear at this ceremony.

This was also a battle, and a chaotic one at that. The fighters were none other than Kozuki Oden and Redfield.

He had met Kozuki Oden and Redfield, so he was well aware of their strength, but he was very confident in his own abilities.

This chaotic battle was something many had been anticipating, especially all swordsmen—a fight between the top swordsmen in the world.

This battle will serve as a grand opening.

Redfield is the same as Kozuki Oden.

Although the strength of kendo is not determined by age, Oden was always at a disadvantage due to his age and never truly reached his peak, and his accumulated experience was also somewhat lacking.

He no longer drinks or plays cards with Whitebeard; instead, he sits quietly in his room, gathering his strength.

Redfield, a powerful figure standing atop the ocean, dared not underestimate the other two.

The battle between the three—Kozuki Oden, the shogun of Wano Country, Kozuki Oden, Redfield "The Lone Red," and the final mysterious swordsman—is highly anticipated.

Meanwhile, the registration channel for the Kendo tournament has also been closed. With tens of thousands of swordsmen participating, this is bound to be a huge undertaking, as the selection of opponents needs to be arranged, which is no simple matter.

After all, such an event has tens of thousands of participants, which is absolutely unprecedented and will take a long time.

Similarly, it's impossible for Swordmaster to fight an ordinary swordsman, or for Great Swordmaster to fight an ordinary swordsman; that would be a complete waste of time.

If, after continuous battles, the top one thousand will eventually be determined, then the Great Swordmaster and Swordmaster have already reserved these top spots, and the remaining ones will be promoted from among the outstanding ordinary swordsmen.

The same applies to the battles that followed.

Of course, to ensure fairness and impartiality, the opponents in battles between players of the same level are randomized, and there can be no behind-the-scenes manipulation, since luck is also a part of strength.

Moreover, promotion is determined by combat points, and each person will fight ten battles, which already reduces the margin of error.

What's truly concerning is the battle between powerful swordsmen; those lacking in strength will inevitably be eliminated sooner or later, and there's nothing that can be done about bad luck.

Moreover, many swordsmen are well aware of the gap in strength between themselves and the strong. They are basically here to hone their skills through battles, and they are already satisfied with fighting against various swordsmen. Although they crave the title of "World's Number One Swordsman" and the rewards from the Night Pirates, they dare not even dream of it.

After all, the entry barrier alone is that of Great Swordmaster. (To be continued)