The final test for graduating Elite Camp members was the Prison Deathmatch. As the name suggested, graduates fought enemies in a confined space until one side fell or died.
Even though Zephyr came to watch his students every time, that did not mean they were completely safe.
In fact, serious injuries and deaths had always been common in this test.
Sometimes, graduates knew they could not go on but chose to keep fighting anyway. That put them in grave danger.
Sometimes, knowing when to back down was the right choice.
The test consisted of ten matches. The opponents in the first four were wild beasts and birds of prey. To most people, they were dangerous creatures; one slip could mean death.
But in front of Loa, even ordinary Sea Kings could only tremble, cower, and wait to die.
So...
Bang!
Loa blurred into a black streak that flashed across the Beast Arena.
When he appeared again, a cloud of red blood burst into the air beside him.
It was all that remained of his opponent in the third match, a tiger not much smaller than Gangying.
Splash!
Shredded flesh flew everywhere, then quickly began to fall under gravity.
Before any of it could touch Loa, a wave of cold froze it into countless tiny ice crystals. They rattled against his protective Ice Armor.
Standing in a broad pool of blood, Loa stretched. "Next!"
In the distance, Haisoken stood with a Cigar in his mouth, stunned into silence.
Savage, domineering, merciless.
Loa radiated an indescribable pressure. It reminded Haisoken of facing great pirates at sea when he was young.
He was simply too strong!
Whether using his Devil Fruit ability or fighting at close quarters, Loa had reached a level Haisoken could not hope to match.
Even Haisoken's greatest strength, Armament