The cheers in the arena gradually died down.
Fifty thousand soldiers filed out in orderly ranks under their respective officers, their eyes still burning with desire for Devil Fruits.
At the center of the sandy grounds, Tsunade and Kushina stood side by side, still bearing wounds and dust from their fierce battle.
Sakura Haruno walked down from the stands with a medical kit in hand, her gaze sweeping over them.
"You two really went at it."
She crouched down, emerald-green medical chakra lighting up in her palm as she covered the deepest wound on Tsunade's arm. Tsunade did not pull away, merely letting out a soft hiss.
"She was more ruthless. Nine elements in rotation-there was no guarding against them all."
"Your Quake Release was no slouch either." Kushina had already released her Nine-Tails Celestial Fox form, returning to her usual red hair and blue eyes. Only her face was paler than usual, a sign of physical exhaustion.
She looked down at the faint fist mark on her chest.
"That punch nearly shook my heart to a stop."
They exchanged a glance and laughed at the same time.
In the seat of honor in the stands, Toyotomi Yinglang remained seated upright in his stone chair.
His gaze rested not on Tsunade and Kushina, but on the soldiers leaving the arena.
Their steps were firmer than when they had arrived, their backs straighter.
Because they had seen the power of Devil Fruits, and the possibility of reaching the top in a single leap.
Yutian approached his side and spoke quietly. "Your Majesty, the registration numbers have been tallied. Thirty-two thousand have signed up for the Beast King Legion, and twenty-eight thousand for the Ability Legion. Sixty thousand in total."
"Sixty thousand." Toyotomi Yinglang's voice was calm. "The Empire has a standing