Interrogation

The atmosphere inside the colosseum was gradually heating up.

But at the same time, a figure quietly slipped away, heading toward the docks.

It was Crocodile, the Sand Crocodile.

He was now making his way to the docks to prepare a ship for departure, just in case of emergencies.

As for the originally planned fund transfer scheme, he had already been forced to put it on hold.

Aiven Lindsey's strength was, of course, beyond question.

If everything truly followed the so-called "rules," then today's victor in the colosseum would undoubtedly be Lindsey!

After all, having crossed fists with Aiven Lindsey himself, Crocodile trusted his own judgment.

But at the same time, precisely because the two had already fought, he could recognize one thing—

Compared to "strength," Aiven Lindsey's "uncontrollability" was the real headache!

That man was a "creature" unlike any human.

What he intended to do was extremely difficult to predict, even for Crocodile, who had spent the most time with him!

Thus, having nearly suffered losses multiple times, Crocodile chose the safest option.

That was to head to the docks early, prepare a ship for departure, and finally watch the colosseum's situation through the broadcast, waiting to see how things played out.

If everything went smoothly, at worst Lindsey would wreck the colosseum and then flee all the way to the docks.

But if something truly troublesome came up—like involving the World Government or even the Celestial Dragons—then Crocodile would decisively set sail alone!

"Huff..."

Leaning against the mast of the new ship, Crocodile bit down on his cigar, his brow deeply furrowed.

"What a pain..."

"Cheer up!"

Lindsey grabbed the Fat Uncle by the collar, hoisting him up entirely, and dragged the man along as he sprinted along the edge of the colosseum.

"Roar!"

Behind the two, the great tiger named "Baduwan" was moving its massive, thick limbs, giving chase without pause.

The Baduwan Tiger was a special breed of tiger native to the New World.

As the chase continued, the blood within the Baduwan Tiger gradually "heated up," making it faster and stronger—a tiger that grew more dangerous the longer it pursued its prey.

Now, in the midst of chasing Lindsey and the Fat Uncle, the Baduwan Tiger's blood was heating up, its running speed increasing, and it was about to catch up to Lindsey.

Whether from running too fast or sheer terror, the Fat Uncle's tears were nearly flying out of his eyes.

His lips flapped as he wailed, "Ah, I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead..."

Shwoosh!

The Baduwan Tiger's claw came down, grazing just past the Fat Uncle's belly.

"Lucky... lucky I lost weight."

If not for the poor food he'd had from the Slave Trader these past few days, forcing him to slim down, he'd probably be gutted by now.

Just as the Baduwan Tiger's second claw was about to fall, Lindsey accelerated again, dragging the Fat Uncle several meters away to escape.

The Baduwan Tiger was furious.

But this little prey in front of it was too fast, so the Baduwan Tiger had to shift its primary hunting target to someone else.

"Roar!"

The Baduwan Tiger's front paws stomped the ground, twisting its body's direction, and then it charged straight toward a slave in another direction.

Yet, unexpectedly, just as it opened its massive maw, about to tear a slave apart, that infuriating figure appeared again.

Aiven Lindsey charged straight over!

But what baffled the Baduwan Tiger, the slaves, and even the colosseum audience was that Aiven Lindsey's movement just now was very peculiar.

It wasn't a fast sprint, a jump, or any other conventional action—it was a "slide"!

He just stood there, and then the earth beneath his feet began to churn like waves.

Lindsey was like a top-tier surfer, riding a wave of soil, sliding at incredible speed until he reached the Baduwan Tiger's front.

"Aha!"

Lindsey stumbled slightly, then said excitedly, "Alright, I've just about got it!"

Whether on Punk Hazard or at the port of the Red Line, there was never a place where Lindsey could "research" freely without restraint.

This colosseum wasn't bad.

"Just this little cat's a bit slow..."

Lindsey murmured, his eyes gleaming.

As with every adventure, the thrill and rush he felt when putting a newly conceived technique into practice were utterly unparalleled.

In his Earth Fiend form, Lindsey possessed the power to "destroy" earth and stone.

And if he weakened the scope of that "destruction," far short of the ground-ripping force he'd used before, the "nature" of the soil beneath his feet would change.

Instead of simply "opening a gap," the ground would become loose, soft—even swollen!

At that moment, the earth would take on a certain "water-like" quality.

Lindsey could step onto the soil, manipulate its undulations, and achieve an effect akin to "surfing," vastly boosting his mobility!

[Earth Fiend Form: Earth Wave]!

Taking that Baduwan Tiger as his imaginary foe, Lindsey rode the earth wave, weaving between the slaves scattered across the arena, helping them dodge the tiger's attacks.

This string of maneuvers was a necessary step for Lindsey in developing a new technique; for the slaves, it was a stroke of luck amid misfortune, barely keeping them alive.

But for the people in the stands, it was nothing but dull and tedious.

What fun was there in watching one man drag a crowd around, dodging back and forth?

So, the moment Lindsey pulled another slave clear of the Baduwan Tiger's assault and retreated to the edge of the arena, someone immediately voiced their displeasure.

"Hey, you bastard, stop meddling!"

The speaker was an old nobleman.

His mouth full of gold-capped teeth, he hurled abuse down at Lindsey in the arena:

"Win or lose—don't treat this place like your own home!"

The old man grew more agitated, grinding his teeth:

"You idiot, stop getting in the way! I want to see blood flow like a river!"

"Yeah, yeah! If you're so tough, show us!"

"If you don't want to fight, get lost!"

"..."

Lindsey had been grinning with delight.

But after hearing the old nobleman's words, his expression suddenly shifted.

Not anger. Not displeasure, either.

The fat uncle he'd been holding onto saw it clearly: the look on Lindsey's face now was unmistakable boredom!

"Huh. So that's how you all think..."

Lindsey stopped in his tracks, twisted his neck, and a series of crisp cracks rang out.

He let out a long sigh, helplessly: "If that's the case, then your lives really are dull."

"..."

"I've been thinking about something."

Lindsey paid no heed to the Baduwan Tiger charging straight at him. Instead, he turned back toward the spectator stands, spread his arms wide, and asked with a laugh:

"Do you understand the meaning of life? Have you ever truly lived, huh?!"

"You've never even touched your own lives..."

Shwoosh!

The next instant, the Baduwan Tiger was already upon Lindsey, jaws gaping wide, ready to bite him dead.

But what met it was a massive, crimson hand.

Boom!

Lindsey activated his Devil Fruit Ability, half-entering his Zoan Transformation, and grabbed the Baduwan Tiger by the snout. Then, with a twist of his waist and a surge of strength, he hurled it straight into the air.

Whoosh—crash!

The enormous Baduwan Tiger traced a half-circle through the sky and plummeted directly into the audience stands.

Amid the terrified screams of those noble lords, Lindsey's laughter rang out, especially piercing.

"Ha ha!"

"Since you all love the arena so much, come join the fun!"