The arena was temporarily empty, but today's matches were not over yet. Dawn had yielded the stage because many more battles were still to come—the duel between Nami and Stussy had merely been an appetizer.
Next, Robin, Kalifa, Perona, Uta, Nojiko, Monet, Sugar, and Baby 5 took the stage one after another.
Dawn watched every match with exceptional focus. He needed to gauge the women's current strength through these battles so he could formulate their subsequent training plans.
Once everyone else had finished competing, Hancock slowly rose to her feet.
The moment she moved, the entire arena fell silent. The Kuja warriors held their breaths, their gazes all focused on their beloved Empress.
Hancock did not look at anyone else. She stared directly at White Fox in the stands.
Stella rose onto her hind legs, her eyes devoid of fear. Instead, they burned with surging fighting spirit. The instant their gazes met, the air seemed to freeze, with faint sparks flying between them.
To the native Kuja, today was merely a display of martial prowess by their beloved Snake Princess and her friends on the arena stage;
To Dawn, today was also merely a chance to assess the women's current levels. But to Hancock, today was the moment to establish her position as the main consort.
Watching the two women face off like drawn blades, Dawn kept his eyes straight ahead and made no reaction.
He knew that if he, the referee, stepped in on a matter like this, neither side would appreciate it.
The two women flashed forward, appearing at the center of the arena the next moment, facing each other from ten meters apart. The current Kuja Empress entering the field triggered thunderous cheers from the stands.
"Lady Snake Princess! Lady Snake Princess!"
"Miss White Fox is so