Opponents
The Combat Pyramid was more bustling than imagined, with hundreds of thousands of people gathered together, including various races, with a large number of Fish-Man reminding the enormous giant.
They all share the same identity: members of the Night Pirates.
At this moment, one can personally experience just how immense the power and influence of the Night Pirates are; the sheer number of members alone is unmatched by any other pirate force.
Outsiders like them are only a minority: important members of various powerful forces, nobles of kingdoms, ministers, or the world's top billionaires and Great Pirate.
These all represent the soft power of the Night Pirates. In the VIP section, each person is a big shot with considerable influence in the world.
Feeling the atmosphere and power of the Night Pirates, each of them individually might not be of much help to the Dark Night Pirates, but when they come together, they can unleash a power that can influence the world, perhaps even surpassing Morgans.
After all, Morgans' influence is also one-sided; they all represent the elite at various levels of the world.
This grand event will bring them together and, by showcasing the power of the Night Pirates, enable them to become allies of the Night Pirates.
All parties are increasing their investment, or rather, betting on the power that will represent the world in the future.
They are also investing in the future, and if successful, they can reap considerable profits.
The Flying Pirates had many investors before, and their rapid expansion of power was not solely due to Golden Lion Shiki's immense reputation.
Shiki's enormous ambitions are well-known, and many who are dissatisfied with the world situation are optimistic about Shiki future.
Invest in the Flying Pirates. If the Flying Pirates succeed and replace the World Government, they will naturally become the ones who manage the world.
However, while many are optimistic about the Flying Pirates, even more are pessimistic. Even those who have invested in the Flying Pirates dare not come out in public, but only offer their support in secret.
After that battle, a small number of these forces were purged by the World Government and exposed; this was the price they had to pay.
In contrast, more forces are optimistic about the Night Pirates, and this feast presents a good opportunity for them to observe the true strength of the Night Pirates as guests.
Hidden in the shadows are the spectators in the lower levels of the Combat Pyramid. Although they cannot be there in person, they can watch the scene from the top level through screens.
Hidden among them were spies sent by the navy, as well as people from various forces on the high seas.
The three thrones, high above, were occupied by Teach, Rediat, Ares, each exuding an aura of royalty.
This is the real reason for the cheers. The three leaders of the Night Pirates don't have many publicly displayed combat records, and seeing them all on the same stage is a rare sight for many, making them incredibly excited.
The audience on each floor below cheered and screamed with excitement. This legendary scene—the Dark Emperor, the Shadow Dragon, and the Fierce God —all three had astonishing battle records and terrifying strength; they were monsters among monsters in the New World.
Shadow Dragon led the pirates to victory in the Golden Sea Battle, killing World Government Army Admiral White Ghost. In addition, he has another identity: the son of "The Lone Red" Redfield.
The Fierce God has challenged many strong figures in the New World, and has a more impressive record. He once defeated former Marine Admiral Black Arm Zephyr and fought against Kaido of the Beasts multiple times.
One person alone is enough to establish a foothold in the New World and build a great empire, but the Night Pirates have a total of three, and such a lineup completely surpasses the former New World overlords Flying Pirates.
There are many people in the New World who possess Conqueror's Haki; saying they are as numerous as carp crossing a river is an exaggeration, but there are still at least a hundred. Each of these Conquerors basically possesses the potential to become a king.
Among the pirate crews below, some are ambitious, and many Awakening Conqueror's Haki. Moreover, the environment of the New World is conducive to unleashing potential.
Conqueror's Haki only one in a million can possess, but there are countless people in the world, and many more possess the potential to become a king, though most of them remain hidden within and unawakened.
The rise of the Great Pirate Era was also a major reason for the increase in the number of people possessing Conqueror's Haki.
As a king, one would never submit to others. It is extremely rare for Roger Pirates to do so. The Rocks Pirates were an exception, and also the main reason for their disintegration.
Therefore, the Night Pirates are extremely rare, making them unique on the seas today, and giving them an even stronger sense of oppression.
No one can doubt the potential of Rediat and Ares, especially since they are already among the strongest in the New World.
"Baboon! Teach, all your forces are concentrated on Pagila Island. Aren't you worried about problems arising elsewhere?" Doflamingo asked, somewhat puzzled.
The VIP seats were on either side of Teach and his group. The more important the status, the closer they were to Teach. The closest to them were Doflamingo and Morgans.
Doflamingo and Teach were positioned between Rediat and at a slightly lower height, roughly the same height as the seven positions belonging to the Seven Demon Kings below.
Further down are the positions of the Thirteen Demon Generals and the Seventy-two Demon Pillars, arranged in a triangle from top to bottom.
"No, no one can escape the eyes of the Dark Night," Teach said confidently. They could learn of any outside forces entering the Night Sea Domain immediately and eliminate them before they could make a move.
Other forces simply wouldn't do it; they wouldn't dare. The Beasts Pirates, Big Mom Pirates, and Whitebeard Pirates have all sent people, but they won't do it.
What's the point of the Navy and the World Government doing this? Besides triggering a major war, the inevitable will still happen, and how much damage can they inflict on the Night Pirates?
Having just experienced a major battle, the World Government and the Navy are still in the recovery phase, and have not recovered much. With their combat power greatly diminished, how can they fight the Night Pirates? Even if they win, the final losses will be unbearable.
They were not prepared for a war with the Night Pirates at all, so naturally they wouldn't go looking for trouble.
The Night Pirates now powerful enough that they will not allow anyone to challenge their authority at this time, and neither will the Navy or the World Government.
There might be some underhanded tactics, like using this opportunity to gather intelligence, but without strong individuals, any number of them coming would just be a waste.
Doflamingo could see that the Night Pirates' current strength gathering presented a good opportunity for other forces to Night Pirates, but he didn't consider the current state of the Navy and the World Government.
Upon Teach Teach's words, Doflamingo realized this and couldn't help but marvel at the Night Pirates.
No one spoke after that, because the competition was about to begin.
On the vast battlefield, thousands of members of the Night Pirates, aspiring to these positions, made their appearances one by one. Life needs a sense of ritual, and so does making an appearance.
They were all dressed in what they considered to be their best attire, unleashing their powerful auras without restraint as they strode forward. Together, they exuded an unparalleled might, shocking outsiders while the cheers from the surrounding Night Pirates members grew even more intense.
They are the true protagonists of this sequential battle.
The entire battle arena has been divided into seven sections, with gaps in the middle, and is raised high, like a fighting ring.
Each arena floor has large numbers from one to seven written on it.
"Thump!"
Suddenly, the melodious chimes rang out over the loudspeaker. The familiar sound of the chimes silenced the cheering hall in an instant. The speed of the change was surprising and demonstrated just how powerful the Night Pirates' control over the pirates under their protection was.
Upon reaching this point, Teach slowly stood up, and all eyes fell on Teach.
Teach didn't want to say anything more. He picked up a microphone that had been prepared beforehand and broadcast his voice throughout the entire Combat Pyramid, so that it could be clearly heard even outside the Combat Pyramid.
"First, we will select the Seven Demon Kings, which will be done in two parts. First, we will select the Seven Demon Kings, and then we will hold an internal ranking battle among the Seven Demon Kings."
At this point, Teach's gaze shifted to the other side, to the area where Mostima, Pito, Kaguya, and others were located.
This also includes several well-known and powerful Night Pirates, such as Nelson and Lafitte.
"Even if you're not interested in this, you can still come up on stage and demonstrate."
This statement cleared up many people's doubts.
Regardless of the position, commanding troops requires specific responsibilities and tasks.
Conversely, some members do not enjoy doing this kind of work; they prefer to be alone, and commanding troops is a troublesome task for them.
Teach said that, Mostima and the others walked down from the venue one by one to join the competitors. This is going to be interesting; the competition will be even more intense.
Both Mostima and Lafitte are extremely powerful.
Everyone knew that although these people had no interest in these positions, it didn't mean they would hold back. On the contrary, they would do their utmost to screen out the people who were truly qualified to stand in these positions, acting as testers.
"Those who are confident in their abilities can go up first and wait for others to challenge them."
This is a challenge to defend one's title, a true test of strength, and the defender expends more physical energy.
As soon as he finished speaking, Mobius took the lead and stepped onto the number one ring, arms crossed, with absolute confidence in his strength.
The second to take the stage was Slada, a tall man carrying an anchor wrapped in iron chains.
Next up are Gari, Mog Radon, Shiryu, Wallace, and finally Enel.
The first six were not surprising. After Mostima and Kaguya made no move, Enel transformed into a bolt of lightning and appeared on the seventh arena, looking arrogant and floating cross-legged in mid-air.
Enel rose to prominence during the Golden Sea Battle and shone brightly in the war against the Whitebeard Pirates. At only twenty-six years old, after years of honing his skills, he possessed the Plasma-Plasma Fruit and is now a formidable force in the New World.
The power of lightning was wielded with unparalleled skill; lightning tempered his body, and gravity refined him, making him the second-ranked Night Pirates.
But to truly establish oneself in the ring, one needs to persevere in the face of challenges from others.
No one dared to underestimate Enel's strength; on the contrary, they were very wary of Enel. His lightning-fast speed alone was enough to give them a hard time.
There are only a handful of people qualified to challenge the Seven Demon Kings, but soon some began to do so. This was an opportunity to fight against a strong opponent, and there was nothing shameful about losing.
Mostima flew to ring number one first to challenge Mobius.
As Ares' left hand, the Earth Dragon Sarika, also a "monster," walked towards the second arena, a fierce glint in his eyes. He sensed the aura of a "kindred spirit" from Slada.
Surprisingly, "Catwoman" Pito, who has few fighting records, stepped onto the third ring as Gari's opponent. Although Catwoman is not weak, in other people's minds, she would never have a chance to fight the mighty Rain Gari.
After all, Gari is a veteran with a strong record and powerful Devil Fruit abilities. In comparison, Catwoman Pito has too few battles to be considered as weak.
"Muscle Monk" Clemons set his sights on "Mosasaurus" Mog Radon and stepped onto the fourth arena. Although Clemons wanted to join the Night Pirates sooner, Mog Radon's terrifying innate potential allowed him to reach the top tier of the pirate crew in a short period of time.
Over the years, Clemons has grown physically, his potential has fully exploded, and his combat power has increased by leaps and bounds, making this bound to be a fierce battle.
In arena number five, Lafitte's opponent is Shiryu, and the two swordsmen who revere killing and violence will face off in a fierce duel.
Wallace's opponent is Kaguya; one is composed, the other indifferent, but neither will underestimate the other's strength.
Wallace's immense strength, Kaguya's astonishing potential, and her combat talent.
Although they are about ten years apart in age, Kaguya has always been a strong Night Pirates.
Enel will be challenged by "Ice Demon" Hersi, who has only recently joined the Night Pirates. The two will engage in a fierce battle of snow and lightning.
"We don't need to. We have no hope for the Seven Demon Kings." Among the group were former Flying Pirates members Lubite and Iris. They knew that there might still be hope for the Thirteen Demon Generals, but the Seven Demon Kings had absolutely no chance.
Moreover, compared to the crew members of the Night Pirates, who have bounties of seven or eight hundred million Beli, they are quite old. Lubite is already forty years old, and Iris is only five years younger than him.
Although they were in their prime at that age on the high seas, and had not yet reached their peak, they were still somewhat reserved as former members of the Flying Pirates.
Even though they are comfortable in the Night Pirates, it will take them another year or two to truly integrate.
As teammates and rivals, they had been preparing for this day ever since the news first broke years ago. They had also sparred and fought each other regularly, so now they felt no psychological burden at all.
Even if they lose, it's okay. They can catch up later. They're still young and have plenty of time.
And so, amidst everyone's anticipation, the fierce battle was about to begin.