Chapter 101
Today is indeed an important day in Dressrosa.
But it wasn't, as Adrian had imagined, the King's coronation anniversary or any other important holiday.
The reason this fiery and passionate island is in a state of frenzy is all because of that legendary invincible Swordsman.
Kyros?
At this moment, Adrian was holding a plate of "jamon," a delicacy made with very particular ingredients. It is made with black pigs that are free-range in the mountains and fed only acorns. During the preparation process, a secret seasoning is added, and after being air-dried and marinated at high temperature, the meat is sliced into paper-thin slices. It is one of the most classic dishes in Dressrosa.
Adrian casually picked up a piece of Jamon and put it in his mouth, and information about Kyros slowly surfaced in his mind.
There isn't much information, but it's not hard to say.
One thing worth mentioning is that his daughter is wonderful.
Yes, it's clothes.
"Speaking of which, Kyros shouldn't be married yet, right?"
"Although Rebecca's physical development and clothing style are very [adult-like], she hasn't actually reached the age standard for entering the Pirates world yet, right?"
"Tsk!"
Adrian uttered a vague interjection, whether it was regret or something else, it was unclear.
He quickly dealt with Jamon and decided to go to the Corrida Colosseum to observe Kyros's strength in his youth up close.
A gladiator with a three-thousand-win streak is considered a formidable fighter even by Four Blues standards, let alone in the more brutal New World.
Kyros impressed Adrian, apart from the fact that his daughter was indeed wonderful.
His act of beheading Doflamingo with a single blow was also a very impressive display.
Although it was later revealed that it was Doflamingo's Black Knight clone...
However, the power Kyros unleashed after more than a decade of pent-up anger was indeed not to be underestimated.
A burst of colorful fireworks bloomed and fell in the sky, their brilliance like shooting stars, leaving trails of hot smoke beside the people on the street, making the atmosphere on the island even more lively.
Amidst this festive atmosphere, Adrian arrived before a massive, oval-shaped arena, entirely constructed of marble, its exterior vaguely resembling the Roman Colosseum of his past life.
The Corrida Colosseum was now abuzz with noise, with a huge crowd of spectators scattered across the stands screaming and shouting. Many gentle-looking ladies were also excitedly cheering loudly.
Around the corners of the stone platform in the center of the arena, four huge bonfires burned, allowing spectators from any corner to clearly see everything happening on the platform.
Adrian arrived just as the previous duel ended.
"Now, please welcome our most anticipated contestant of the day, the legendary Unbeaten Swordsman Kyros! Will he break the unprecedented record of three thousand consecutive wins in the Corrida Colosseum today?"
On the commentary stage, a slick-haired, powdered-faced host was speaking loudly into the microphone in an exaggerated tone, constantly trying to liven up the atmosphere.
At that moment, the Scream roar erupted from the field.
Adrian narrowed his eyes as a dark-skinned, muscular man stepped onto the arena. He wore a green vest and a matching men's battle skirt, with a scarlet cloak draped over his back and a two-handed greatsword almost as tall as himself slung over his shoulder.
Kyros! Kyros!
The audience erupted in near-frenzied the Scream.
The commentator on the podium changed the subject and began introducing the next opponent who was about to take the stage.
"Who will Kyros's opponent be in his three thousandth duel? Let's welcome—the Ricky!"
Amidst a chorus of boos from the audience.
A similarly tall man stepped onto the ring, wearing only a dark brown leather battle skirt, a dark blue cape draped over his back, and steel shoulder armor on both shoulders.
Strangely, the gladiator Ricky also wore a closed steel helmet that completely covered his head and face, leaving only his eyes exposed.
The signal to begin the duel had just been given.
Kyros bent his knees slightly, unleashed his power, and pounced on the gladiator Ricky like a cheetah, raising his two-handed greatsword high and slashing at his opponent's head.
Gladiator Ricky neither dodged nor evaded. He simply pushed forward with both hands, using his longsword to block the blade of the two-handed greatsword. At the same time, he pulled the longsword to the side and slashed it downwards towards Kyros's sword-wielding arm.
Kyros acted decisively, releasing his grip on the sword hilt, touching the ground with the toes of his right foot, and shifting his body to the side.
Ricky changed his sword technique, his downward slash instantly turning into a horizontal slash. Just when he thought his attack was successful, a blade flashed before his eyes.
When?
Gladiator Ricky had no choice but to abandon his attack, leaning his upper body back to avoid the throat-slitting blow, but his helmet was slashed open by the greatsword, leaving a deep gash.
"This Ricky's skill level is kind of terrible..."
Adrian shook his head slightly.
Just as Kyros released his grip on the hilt and dodged to the side, he reached out and caught the falling greatsword. Taking advantage of the gladiator Ricky's blinded desire for victory, he slashed down again, aiming for the enemy's head.
"The opponent in the 3000th battle didn't even have Observation Haki? Did I overestimate Kyros's level?"
Due to the opponent's poor performance, this battle was insignificant in the eyes of some discerning spectators.
However, this close-quarters melee combat style still aroused gasps from Boa Sandersonia spectators in the audience, making the atmosphere of the duel even more heated.
The two of them played a game of ping-pong for quite a while.
In the center of the platform, gladiator Ricky's movements had begun to slow down, and his fighting spirit was not as strong as it had been at the beginning.
Although Kyros was somewhat puzzled as to why the arena would match him with a fighter of this caliber at such an important moment, he had no intention of showing mercy.
Kyros took a deep breath, gripped the hilt of his sword tightly with both hands, and leaped towards his enemy, preparing to deliver a powerful slash with a sweeping motion!
"Thunder Destruction Sword!"
Gladiator Ricky was unable to dodge in time and was directly hit by the powerful slash. His headband and helmet flew off, and he was sent flying to the ground, crashing heavily onto the dueling platform several meters away.
Just when all the spectators in the arena thought the battle was over, the gladiator Ricky staggered to his feet, revealing his true face.
For a moment, gasps of surprise echoed across the field.
"King Riku?!"
[Chapter 178 Pirates Attack]
Gasps of surprise erupted from the stands of the arena.
The audience looked down at the arena in astonishment. They never expected that the one who had just fought the legendary Unbeaten Swordsman was actually their King of Dressrosa.
But after a brief moment of surprise, the audience still applauded generously, with waves of applause echoing throughout the room.
King Riku, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, staggered to his feet, clearly indicating that Kyros's merciless Thunder Destruction Sword had inflicted considerable damage upon him.
Kyros then plunged his greatsword into the ground, knelt on one knee, lowered his head, and said with a mixture of respect and apology.
"Your King Riku! This sinner deserves to die!"
Kyros certainly knew King Riku, but not only because he was a resident of Dressrosa.
When Kyros was only 15 years old, he became a murderer because his friend was killed and he simply and brutally chose to pay with his own life.
After carefully considering the reasons, King Riku did not directly convict him of murder, but instead chose to send him to the Corrida Colosseum.
He promised that if Kyros achieved 100 consecutive victories in the arena, he would be exonerated and freed.
This is also why the two became acquainted.
"Hahaha, Kyros, you are indeed very strong!"
King Riku casually wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, walked over to Kyros, and pulled him up from the ground.
"Would you be interested in becoming the Army Commander of the Royal Guard?"
An uproar erupted in the arena.
Kyros looked at King Riku in disbelief, "Your Majesty, I, a murderer—"
"I promised long ago that as long as you achieve 100 consecutive wins in the Corrida Colosseum, I will not pursue your past crimes," King Riku interrupted Kyros. "Now you have a winning streak of 2999—no, a full three thousand!"
Kyros hesitated, then said, "Your Majesty..."
King Riku feigned a stern face and said, "What, are you unwilling to serve the king?"
Kyros shook his head with a wry smile.
King Riku's expression brightened, and he laughed heartily, announcing to the audience:
"Residents of Dressrosa, let us cheer for the Unbeaten Swordsman with a three-thousand-win streak!!"
Applause erupted again as people offered their blessings for the birth of this legendary Hero. The four bonfires on the arena were raised high, illuminating most of the sky.
While King Riku's strength may have slightly exaggerated the "3,000-win streak," his status as a king adds a unique sense of legend to this glory.
Amidst this lively atmosphere, the Corrida Colosseum presented their carefully prepared celebratory program for the day.
The host who had just announced the program shouted in an extremely enthusiastic voice:
"Let us welcome the renowned singer, hailed as having a 'heavenly voice'—Miss Elizabeth Arden!"
Adrian raised an eyebrow, suddenly realizing that the woman in the gown he had caught a glimpse of at the port earlier was the one performing on stage.
As the orchestral intro begins, Elizabeth Arden launches into a captivating performance, showcasing her beautiful vocals.
No matter where on the high seas, "Binks' Sake" is always a staple at banquets.
Elizabeth Arden, renowned for her "heavenly voice," took this song, which already easily brings laughter, and sang it to the pinnacle of vocal artistry.
The arena was filled with cheers and laughter.
Circus Circus Troupe Clown a unicycle took to the stage to perform, while a young performer wielding a fire stick and performing fire-breathing attracted a crowd. When he suddenly spewed flames into the sky, cheers erupted all around.
Waiters in formal attire carried silver platters and served pre-prepared delicacies and fine wines to all the spectators, further enlivening the atmosphere.
Amidst this bustling and noisy scene, Elizabeth Arden's beautiful voice still lingers, gently echoing in people's ears.
"Such skill is beyond the reach of mere humans."
Adrian raised an eyebrow and looked with interest at the young singer on stage who was still singing with great passion.
"Paramecia Devil Fruit User are related to sound or music?"
Even the most beautiful music has its rest, and even the happiest banquet will eventually come to an end.
As evening approached, the celebrations in the Corrida Colosseum were brought to a thoughtful close.
After all, for most residents of [Love and Passion Island], a vibrant nightlife is one of their goals.
Just as Adrian was preparing to conduct a thorough reconnaissance mission and digest the remaining food supplies...
Suddenly, urgent alarms sounded over Dressrosa.
Many tourists who had just arrived stopped in their tracks, puzzled, while the local residents' expressions changed drastically.
"It's Pirates alert! Pirates are coming!!"
Meanwhile, a huge Pirates ship was docked at the port of Dressrosa, and many other ships on the dock had been hijacked by Pirates who were frantically looting everything of value inside.
These ships did have guards left behind, but without exception, they were all beaten half to death by the Pirates who were plundering them.
Some of the more vehemently opposed Pirates were even publicly hanged from the mast to demonstrate their brutality and savagery.
"Everyone, if you don't want to die, hand over all your valuables! We are the infamous 'Weapons Pirates'!" A Pirates with an afro, dressed in black leather jacket and pants, shouted intimidatingly at the tourists. "That's right! Our great 'Captain Sato' is the legendary 'Weapon Sato' with a Bounty of 280 million Beli!"
Some captains were so frightened that their legs went weak and they fell to the ground.
The Great Pirate with Bounty exceeding 200 million Beli were no match for their guards.
Step, step.
Heavy footsteps approached, and several figures of vastly different sizes appeared on the dock.
The leader was a burly man who was at least 3 meters tall, with a head full of brass-colored dreadlocks, but upon closer inspection, it could be seen that they were not hair but circles of bullet casings. A thick beard covered his face, and he wore a black leather coat, with various weapons and equipment on his person.
It was none other than "Sato," the captain of the Weapons Pirates!
Beside Sato were several other members of the Weapons Pirates. On the shoulder of the tall, thin man closest to Sato's right, a frail figure was struggling.
"Captain Sato, with that singing superstar and the princess from this World Government Member States, aren't we going to make a killing this time?" the tall, thin man said excitedly. "It's just a pity those hairy brats ran away, otherwise we could have made even more!"
On this vast ocean, the ways in which wicked Pirates plunder wealth are not limited to plundering towns and merchant ships. Sometimes, they also engage in despicable acts such as human trafficking and slave trading.
"Stop talking nonsense, Rina. The guards in Dressrosa will realize what's going on soon."
Sato spoke slowly in an unusually low and hoarse voice, so rough it sounded like two thin metal sheets rubbing against each other.
"These slaves are the kind of people that damned nobles love most, especially these high-status, famous women. If their delicate skin is harmed in any way, their price will plummet!"