After several days of fierce battles, the top sixteen in each of the Swordsmanship Tournament's four main divisions had emerged.
That marked the official end of the divisional rounds.
The final sixty-four would compete for the title of the world's greatest swordsman.
Everyone who had made it this far was a powerful fighter whose name resounded across the seas.
Even those who had once been unknown were now household names.
One extraordinary dark horse after another had emerged, and the many young faces made people all the more eager to see how the tournament would unfold beyond the round of sixty-four.
The attention of the entire sea seemed drawn to Paros Island.
Meanwhile, shadows were quietly gathering over Dragon Island, the core territory of the Overlord Dragon Pirates.
The Overlord Dragon Pirates' betrayal years ago had cost the World Government a Top Combatant.
How could the World Government ever forget such a blood feud?
The World Government had always been the one scheming against others, yet it had been outmaneuvered by a mere youngster.
Even the Five Elders had felt humiliated.
The World Military Draft, the search for the Road Poneglyph, and operations targeting the Overlord Dragon Pirates were the World Government's current priorities.
Of course, hatred was not its only motive.
The Overlord Dragon Pirates had banned the World Government from purchasing seastone.
Although the World Government could still buy seastone through the Underworld.
Not only were the quantities small, but the prices were also exorbitant.
It was nowhere near as easy as it had been when they cooperated with the Kronos Kingdom and the Eternal Kingdom.
They could still secretly purchase it from the Kronos Kingdom and the Eternal Kingdom, but the quantities were limited there too.
How could the World Government endure such humiliation indefinitely?
And so,