The interior of the " Multitude Arena " is even more magnificent than the exterior. The huge circular stands are filled with frenzied spectators, and the air is thick with the mixed smells of sweat, blood, and fanaticism. In the center of the arena is a giant arena made of a special alloy, surrounded by energy barriers to prevent the aftershocks of the battle from reaching the stands.
Luffy and Zoro were practically pushed in by the crowd. As soon as they entered the arena, the deliberately guided and amplified fighting spirit assaulted their nerves like a tangible force, and even Zoro felt his blood slightly heat up.
"Wow! So many people! It's so lively!" Luffy excitedly, his rubber body swaying unconsciously in rhythm with the cheers of the audience.
Zoro's sharp gaze swept across the arena and the contestants' waiting area, where all sorts of fierce-looking individuals from different races were gathered, wielding various strange weapons and abilities.
The battles in the ring are simple yet brutal. There are no referees, no rounds. The fight ends when one side concedes, becomes unconscious, dies, or is knocked out of the ring. The victor can choose to continue defending the ring and accept challenges, or go down to rest. The prize money accumulates with consecutive wins, and the opening of the " Unlimited Challenge Tournament " means that both the allure Gentle Breeze of defending the ring are infinitely increased.
At this moment, standing on the ring was a burly man nearly five meters tall with skin like granite. He had just used brute force to tear the previous challenger in half and was roaring to the sky, enjoying the cheers of the audience. He was " The Boulder " Tansen, who had won seven consecutive matches.
"Looks pretty tough!" Luffy grinned, stretching out his rubber arm, ready to jump directly onto the ring.
"Wait, you idiot!" Zoro grabbed him. "Check the situation first, don't rush to become a target."
Just then, a figure as swift as the wind leaped onto the arena. It was a thin man wearing tight leather armor and wielding twin daggers, moving so fast that he left only afterimages in the air.
"It's ' Venomous Wasp ' Zed! He's known for his speed and deadly venom!" an audience member exclaimed.
However, " The Boulder " Tansen merely grinned maliciously and stomped his massive foot on the ground! A powerful shockwave emanated from him, causing the entire arena to tremble! Zed's speed-dependent movements were instantly disrupted, revealing an opening. Tansen's enormous hand swung down like swatting a fly, carrying terrifying wind pressure!
Pfft!
Zed didn't even have time to use his poison sting before he was slapped into a pulp and splattered onto the energy barrier.
The audience erupted in even more frenzied shouts! Blood and violence were the most effective stimulants here.
"Hmph, fool. Tricks are useless against absolute power," Tansen spat, disdainfully.
Luffy frowned, "That big guy is bullying us!"
Zoro noticed the peculiarity of Tansen's shockwave. "It's not just brute force, but also incorporates a power similar to Haki, or rather... some kind of blessing bestowed by this island?"
Just as Tansen continued his taunts and no one dared to go on stage, a deep voice rang out from the players' tunnel:
Is it fun to bully the weak?
A man dressed in a black martial arts uniform, with a lean physique and eyes as sharp as a hawk, slowly walked onto the arena. He did not wear a sword at his waist, but his hands had long, slender fingers and large knuckles, as if they contained terrifying power.
"It's ' Bone-Crushing Hand ' Wu! He's a ruthless character who's undefeated in a hundred matches at the West Blue Underground Fighting Arena!" Someone recognized him.
Without further ado, Wu assumed a simple, ancient starting stance. Tansen roared and charged forward, his massive fist slamming down with devastating force!
Wu neither dodged nor evaded; his right hand, like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, struck first despite being behind, precisely targeting Tansen's wrist joint!
Click!
A crisp cracking sound rang out! Tansen's thick, pillar-like arm bent at an eerie angle! He let out a painful scream, but Wu's movements didn't stop. His figure moved closer like a ghost, his fingers tapping out points like raindrops on banana leaves, precisely striking Tansen's knees, ankles, shoulder blades, and other joints!
A series of teeth-grinding cracking sounds rang out like popping beans! In just a few seconds, the once invincible " The Boulder " Tansen collapsed on the ring like limp mud with all its bones removed, only able to make unconscious hoarse noises.
Wu withdrew his hand expressionlessly, as if he had done something insignificant. The stands were silent for a moment, then erupted into even more frenzied cheers! This precise and brutal crushing also satisfied the audience's craving for violence.
"This guy... is interesting." Zoro's eyes turned serious. What Wu was displaying was an extremely precise control over power and a profound understanding of the weaknesses of the human body. This was a fighting style different from Haki, but equally dangerous.
"Wow! He's amazing!" Luffy exclaimed excitedly. "But I'll knock him away!"
Just as Luffy was rubbing his hands together, ready to go into the arena, in the luxurious box at the highest point of the arena, " King of Festivities " Buena Festa was looking down at the entire arena through a one-way glass. His face still wore an exaggerated smile, but deep in his eyes was a coldness.
Beside him stood a man in a white coat, wearing glasses, with a gloomy demeanor, operating a complex control panel. The screen displayed real-time data of the martial arts on the stage, as well as streams of invisible energy drawn from and gathered from the audience and the contestants—the desire to fight and the life essence.
"How efficient is the energy harvesting, Dr. Indigo?" Festa asked.
"Excellent, Festa." Dr. Indigo adjusted his glasses. "Especially the energy generated in battles between strong individuals is exceptionally pure. ' Bone-Crushing Hand ' Wu, that restless Straw Hat Kid below, and the swordsman beside him are all high-quality energy sources."
"Very good." Festa licked his lips, a greedy glint in his eyes. "Let the 'feast' even more spectacular! Let 'them' out for a spin too, to give our guests... a real 'surprise'."
He pressed a hidden button on the console.
Meanwhile, on the arena, after defeating a priest from Sky Island (who chose to quit while he was ahead and rest), Luffy finally couldn't hold back and jumped onto the arena laughing!
"Hahaha! My turn! I am Monkey D. Luffy, the man who will become the Pirate King!"
His appearance drew tremendous attention and discussion. Just as he was about to choose his opponent, three special gates slowly opened at the edge of the arena. Emerging from them were not humans, but three humanoid weapons with red glowing eyes and bodies composed of a mixture of special metal and biological tissue! They exuded a cold, chaotic, and dangerous aura.
"What's that? A robot?"
"It looks terrifying!"
The audience members murmured in surprise and disbelief.
Luffy tilted his head and looked at the three uninvited guests. "Are you here to fight too? Come on, let's fight!"
Inside the VIP box, Festa's smile deepened, "Enjoy yourself, Straw Hat Kid... This is Demon Puppets prepared for 'high-quality fuel' like you."