Ten-man championship (I)

With the announcer's impassioned cry of "Let the match begin!", the ten-man championship at Dressrosa's Corrida Colosseum officially began.

The blazing sun mercilessly scorched the arena, casting down a dazzling glare that illuminated the ten gladiators' faces, each filled with resolve and fighting spirit.

A suffocating tension hung in the air, as though a single spark could ignite it.

As the battle began, Kakarot and the others stopped talking and focused their full attention on the match.

The burly Talick let out an earth-shaking roar like a wild bull that had broken its reins, launching the first attack against the gladiator nearest him in a furious storm of blows.

His muscle-bound arms raised his greatsword high, then brought it crashing down toward his opponent's head with a piercing whistle as it cut through the air.

The gladiator's expression changed abruptly, a trace of solemnity flashing through his eyes, but he dared not let his guard slip.

He hurriedly held his greatsword horizontally, a dull yet solid layer of black Armament Haki instantly coating the blade.

With a thunderous bang, like a rumble of thunder exploding across the arena, Talick's greatsword collided violently with his opponent's blade.

The tremendous impact forced the gladiator's feet to carve two deep furrows into the ground as he staggered back several steps, his face contorted in agony.

"Talick, well done! Cut them all down!"

A brawny spectator below the arena shouted himself hoarse, his face flushed with excitement, his eyes wide as he waved his thick, powerful arms.

The surrounding spectators were instantly swept up in the fervor and joined in the cheering.

Their cries rose like surging waves, each louder than the last, echoing throughout the entire colosseum.

Kyros stood quietly to one side, his gaze as sharp and penetrating as a hawk's as he keenly observed every subtle change in the battle.

Holding his sword in both hands, he narrowed his eyes slightly, his chest rising and falling steadily as he patiently waited for an opening-the perfect chance to defeat an opponent in a single strike.

Just then, a gladiator locked in a stalemate with another fighter exposed a slight opening.

Kyros's eyes suddenly lit up. He pushed hard against the ground with both feet and darted toward that gladiator in a blur, leaving two shallow footprints behind.

Sensing danger rapidly approaching, the gladiator turned deathly pale and hurriedly spun around, trying to block Kyros's fierce attack with his sword.

But Kyros's sword was unimaginably fast, thrusting forward like a streak of black light with fierce momentum.

The gladiator hastily protected his chest with Armament Haki. Kyros's sword struck hard against it, producing a sharp clang and a shower of sparks.

The gladiator was also sent flying out of the fighting area.

"Kyros is incredible! His strength is simply unmatched!"

A young spectator leaped up in excitement, his eyes wide and shining with admiration.

"Look, big brother! Kyros is pretty good, isn't he?" Viola said, her face brimming with pride as she tugged at Kakarot's sleeve.

Kakarot smiled and patted Viola's head, saying confidently, "He's all right! But he's not as good as me."

Viola pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. "Braggart!" Then she turned her gaze back to the arena and continued watching.

Meanwhile, the slender Telas relied on his ape-like agility to weave back and forth among the fighters like a nimble fish.

He kept his body slightly hunched, his steps light and swift, his eyes fixed on his opponents as he searched for opportunities to attack.

A faint layer of Armament Haki coiled around his sword, making every strike a tremendous threat.

Spotting an opening in a gladiator whose back was turned to him, he lightly pushed off the ground with his toes and closed in like a black shadow, thrusting his sword without hesitation.

The gladiator seemed to sense something and instinctively shifted his body slightly to one side, barely avoiding the fatal strike.

But Telas's sword still slashed his arm, and blood instantly gushed out, staining his sleeve red.

"Watch out!" A spectator below the arena nervously covered his mouth, his face filled with worry.

The battle in the arena grew ever fiercer. The clash of swords, the gladiators' cries, and the spectators' shouts intertwined into a stirring, powerful symphony of battle.

Just then, one gladiator activated his Observation Haki, narrowing his eyes slightly as a red gleam flashed through them.

In an instant, everything around him seemed to slow down, as though someone had pressed a slow-motion button.

He could clearly sense his opponent's every movement and intention, and the corners of his mouth lifted into a confident smile.

He easily evaded several fierce attacks from his opponent, each dodge calm and unhurried, as though he had become one with his surroundings.

Then he seized the opening after his opponent's attack and shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, moving so fast that the eye could barely follow.

Dense Armament Haki coiled around the sword in his hand, black light flickering along its blade as he slashed hard into his opponent's body.

His opponent let out an agonized scream and flew backward like a kite with its string cut, crashing heavily to the ground in a cloud of dust, unable to fight any longer.

"That was amazing! That Observation Haki is practically cheating. No one's even landed a hit on him!" a spectator exclaimed loudly, his face red with excitement as he clapped hard.

"Big brother, that man is a formidable opponent for Kyros. Kyros fought him before and nearly lost because of the gap in their Observation Haki!"

Viola spoke with some concern.

"Don't worry. Kyros could beat him before, and this time, even if he gangs up on Kyros with a few others, they still won't win."

Kakarot patted Viola's head with certainty.

"I hope you're right," Viola said, a trace of worry still lingering in her eyes.

At that moment, Lilith and the others were also deep in discussion. Lina frowned slightly.

She said seriously, "They're basically all at rear admiral level. Some have only just reached that level of strength, while others are already at its peak."

Vian nodded and added, "Yes, but Kyros is clearly a little stronger."

Yingyue folded her arms across her chest and analyzed, "But those who've teamed up can't be underestimated either. This match will be worth watching."

They were now all discussing who would win between Kyros and the other stronger fighters.

Kyros charged left and right through the fighters, his sword like the Grim Reaper's scythe, shattering his opponents' defenses wherever he went.

His head was slightly lowered, his gaze focused and cold, and every swing of his sword carried tremendous power.

His Armament Haki grew increasingly dense, black light flickering wildly along his blade and making his attacks all the more devastating.

With his exquisite swordsmanship and strength formidable enough to strike fear into others, he defeated several gladiators in succession, gradually becoming the absolute center of attention in the arena.

"Kyros! Kyros!" The spectators below shouted his name in unison, their voices deafening, as though they would bring the colosseum down.

Yet the remaining gladiators were no ordinary fighters either.

The gladiator using Observation Haki exchanged glances with Talick and Telas. They understood one another without words and decided to join forces against Kyros.

The gladiator using Observation Haki narrowed his eyes slightly, a cold smile curling his lips as he said quietly, "This time, we'll make sure Kyros goes down here."

Talick tightened his grip on his greatsword until his knuckles turned white and said gruffly, "That's right. Let's see how cocky he can be this time!"

Telas licked his lips, a trace of excitement in his eyes as he said softly, "Attack together. Don't give him a chance!"

The three adjusted their positions slightly, surrounding Kyros in a triangle. An even fiercer battle was about to erupt...