"My dear friends, good evening!"
"Welcome to the Meeting Bar's themed party! I'm your host tonight, Qixi..."
By the time Luo Sa and Hina entered the venue, the party had just reached its climax.
At the center of the stage, a host in an evening gown picked up a microphone and began an impassioned speech.
"I'm sure everyone gathered here tonight has come for this treasure in my hands, right?"
The host held up a box, scanning the crowd below.
All eyes immediately turned toward it. Everyone knew that the box in the host's hands must contain a Devil Fruit!
This was a Devil Fruit, after all—a supreme treasure worth a hundred million Beli, and one that money couldn't buy!
Seeing the crowd's reaction, the host was very satisfied. Without further ado, the host began to announce the rules.
"This competition will be a tournament. Everyone gets one chance to challenge, and whoever is left standing on this stage at the end will be the winner!"
"Of course, the theme this time is the Couples Tournament, so both partners must take the stage together. If either one of them loses, the couple loses!"
After announcing the rules, the host stepped down and cleared the central stage, which would serve as the ring.
But as they looked at the empty ring, everyone instinctively took a step back. Not a single person stepped forward first.
This was a tournament, and there could only be one winner. Each person had only one chance to challenge.
So whoever went first would inevitably have to face a string of challengers!
In that situation, who wouldn't want to conserve their strength, then go up last and defeat an exhausted opponent who'd already fought a string of battles, claiming the final victory?!
Luo Sa frowned slightly, then looked at Hina beside him.
Hina happened to look at Luo Sa at that moment. She smiled brightly and gave him a gentle nod.
"Let's go. I don't like this place. They're just a bunch of nobodies. Let's get this over with."
Looking at the crowd's atmosphere, Luo Sa felt as if they were a bunch of clowns being watched by an audience.
The feeling left him deeply annoyed.
"Mm, okay!"
Hina gave Luo Sa an apologetic look. Honestly, she didn't like this place either.
"Nobodies? You little runt, what did you say?!"
To his surprise, Luo Sa's words happened to reach a couple beside them who were passionately kissing. The man immediately took offense!
"Enough talk. Get up here and fight!"
Luo Sa replied coldly, then pulled Hina onto the ring without another word.
"Fine by me! I'm gonna pound you into a pancake, you little runt!"
Provoked by Luo Sa, the man clenched his huge fists and strode toward the center of the ring.
At that moment, saving face mattered most. Winning or losing had become secondary!
"The rules of the tournament are that there are no rules. The match starts as soon as you step into the ring. Do as you please—there are no restrictions, even on killing," the host said with a chuckle from below.
"Then don't blame me!"
The burly man had his partner wait in a corner of the ring while he headed toward the center.
"Here I go!"
Luo Sa smiled at Hina and walked toward the center of the ring as well.
Though this was called a Couples Tournament, the men naturally wouldn't let their partners fight. So most of the time, it was really a battle between men, each fighting for his partner!
"Good luck. I'll be waiting for you," Hina said gently.
Luo Sa paused mid-step, a strange feeling suddenly rising in his heart.
"Ahahaha! Kill him! Kill him!"
"Go, big guy! Crush your opponent with those fists!"
"Little runt, don't lose either! Hit him! Take him down!"
As soon as someone took the stage, the crowd below started shouting and cheering. Luo Sa's frown deepened.
"Ha ha ha! Disappear from this world!"
The burly man roared with laughter, charged forward, and swung his fist down with all his might!
"Get lost!"
Luo Sa snorted coldly and threw a punch of his own.
The two fists in the ring were a study in contrast: one was the size of a sandbag, while the other was barely the size of a beanbag.
Boom!
The next moment, under the man's disbelieving gaze, he went flying and crashed heavily to the ground!
"What the hell? No way!"
"Ooh! A comeback! The little runt made a comeback!"
"Ahahaha! Kill him! Kill him!"
After a brief moment of shock, the crowd erupted into another round of cheers, their shouts rising louder and louder!
"Get out!"
Luo Sa glanced at the crowd below and suddenly felt it was all pointless. He had no interest in killing anyone.
"Y-yes, yes!"
The man struggled to his feet, repeatedly bowing and backing away.
"Damn you! Die!"
"Rainstorm Flying Daggers!"
Suddenly, a vicious glint appeared in the man's eyes. He roared, and his whole body began spinning like a twister.
Then a stream of flying daggers shot out from the twister like a torrential downpour, all aimed straight at Luo Sa!
Everything happened in a flash. Before anyone below could react, the man's wild laughter rang out.
"Is that funny?"
Suddenly, a voice rang out of nowhere, and a ball of white light burst into existence in the ring.
To everyone's horror, the flying daggers abruptly stopped in midair, frozen in place!
"N-no way..."
The man's eyes filled with disbelief. What he was seeing was just too bizarre!
"A Devil...a Devil Fruit User!"
A startled cry rose from the crowd below. When the white light faded, they saw that Luo Sa had transformed into a Zoan Devil Fruit User!
"Hurricane!"
Luo Sa, now in his Winged Gull Half-Beastman form, spoke with a chill colder than ice.
Since this man had tried to kill him, he would have to accept the possibility of being killed himself!
Controlling the Wind Power, Luo Sa abruptly changed the direction of the daggers suspended in midair, turning them all toward the man!
Rumble!
A fierce wind howled through the ring, making the air itself roar as if it could no longer bear the strain!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The daggers flew like ten thousand swords, slicing through the air in an instant!
Boom!
With a heavy crash, the howling wind abruptly stopped!
When everyone came to their senses, they saw that the man had been pinned to the wall by ten thousand daggers!
His eyes were wide with disbelief, and that was the look he wore even in death!
Gulp!
Everyone swallowed hard, clearly stunned by the sight before them!
"Ooh!"
"So strong! So strong!"
"That's incredible!"
After a brief silence, the crowd erupted into cheers once more.
The spectators praised him without restraint, and some raised their glasses again and again. The red wine gleamed so glaringly beneath the lights!
Before you continue