The next day.
The suspended lanterns above Dick City glowed as brightly as ever.
It was early morning, and the cobblestone streets were veiled in a thin layer of mist. Soft golden sunlight filtered through, creating a hazy glow.
Pedestrians moved along the streets, their steps dispersing the mist into rippling patterns.
Two hours remained before the Beast Tournament finals.
Even so, many were already making their way toward the coliseum. With a capacity of over 100,000 spectators, arriving early was the only way to avoid long lines.
This was the prevailing thought among the crowd.
Law wove through the bustling streets, his gaze flicking toward the hurried faces of passersby.
Beside him, Bepo clutched Kikoku and kept pace.
After his crushing defeat against Bailey in an earlier match, Bepo had been dejected for days.
The harsh reality of his loss left him yearning to leave this place as soon as possible.
Fortunately, his captain had finally decided to make a move against the Ahab Kingdom's treasure today.
Once they secured a substantial amount of the roots of the Suspended Lantern Vine, they could leave Leviathan Island for good.
Leave this wretched place! Bepo thought, screaming internally.
"Captain, when are we going to... uh... take the Suspended Lantern Vine roots?"
Law's lips curved into a faint smirk as he looked up at the suspended lanterns. "During the loudest cheers of the tournament finals."
"Oh," Bepo replied with a nod.
"By the way, shouldn't we say goodbye to Brother Maude before we leave?"
"Brother Maude???"
Law shot Bepo an incredulous look.
"Can't I call him that~?" Bepo fidgeted with his hands shyly.
"..."
Law had no response.
He didn't intend to bid Maude farewell anyway. Without answering Bepo's question, he walked ahead.
His crewmate was fine in every other way—except for his gullibility.
Sometimes, Law couldn't help but wonder if Bepo might one day be lured away by sweet words.
Two hours passed.
The morning mist dissipated, leaving wet marks on the cobblestones.
Outside the coliseum, soldiers stood on guard.
In the nearby plaza, where a massive broadcast screen hung, crowds gathered shoulder-to-shoulder.
Nearly everyone in the city was fixated on the upcoming finals, making it a truly grand occasion.
Inside the coliseum, the packed stands buzzed with excitement. Yet, one section stood out—a small area of empty seats.
At the center of this empty zone sat Maude, Lafitte, and Jim.
The dozens of unoccupied seats around them made them conspicuous.
Maude, however, could only sigh helplessly at the situation.
"Boss, isn't the match starting yet?"
Bailey, perched on Maude's lap, yawned in boredom.
"Soon," Maude replied, his gaze shifting to the VIP box at the top of the coliseum.
Suspended before the VIP box was a square crystal case.
Inside the transparent box, resting on a cushion of red velvet, was a Devil Fruit. Its deep green surface was adorned with wavy patterns, and three sharp prongs curled at its stem.
The Devil Fruit was the prize for the tournament champion.
Maude silently stared at it.
Around him, most of the spectators—residents of Dick City—focused on the iron gates at either end of the arena, eager for the fighters to appear and deliver an exhilarating battle.
However, not everyone shared their excitement.
Like Maude, some attendees had their eyes set on the Devil Fruit.
Among them were members of the Donquixote Family, such as Buffalo, who had no intention of winning the prize through the tournament.
The quickest, most straightforward method was to steal it.
And they weren't alone.
Many pirates seated throughout the stands shared the same plan, their malicious intent concealed beneath the coliseum's lively atmosphere.
Drawing his gaze away from the crystal case, Maude's expression remained calm. "I wonder how this will begin."
"With violence, naturally," Lafitte said with a cold smile.
A glance around the stands was enough to identify numerous ill-intentioned pirates.
Their objective was obvious.
Maude remarked indifferently, "The chaos the Revolutionary Army wants may come courtesy of others."
"Hoho... Not just that. They've placed the Devil Fruit in an excellent spot," Lafitte added.
"Indeed," Maude replied with a faint smile.
Both he and Lafitte possessed the means to reach the crystal case swiftly—Maude with his Moonwalk and Lafitte with his flight capabilities.
No matter how their competitors chose to initiate the scramble for the Devil Fruit, the two of them would be able to act immediately.
At this point, the Devil Fruit's rumored status as an Ancient Zoan became irrelevant amidst the brewing tension.
"An Ancient Zoan, huh..." Maude's eyes gleamed with interest.
In terms of rarity, an Ancient Zoan was on par with Logia-class fruits.
The chaos it would attract was bound to be immense.
What kind of spectacle would unfold? Maude didn't care.
He sought only two things: prey and the Devil Fruit.
Nothing more.
As the finals began in the coliseum, the streets emptied.
Most residents were either at home or in taverns watching the live broadcast.
Law accepted Kikoku from Bepo and headed toward the central Manual Elevator.
Most of the Ahab Kingdom's nobles, who usually remained atop the Whale's Head within the royal capital, were currently in the coliseum's VIP box.
Along with them were seventy percent of the soldiers normally stationed in the capital.
This made it an opportune moment to seize the Suspended Lantern Vine roots.
If not for the strict requirements on the roots' vitality, Law would have preferred targeting the already-harvested roots in the coliseum rather than facing the royal capital's defenses.
Listening to the distant cheers from the coliseum, Law smirked and arrived at the central pillar housing the elevator.
Arriving on schedule, he was ready for combat.
Yet, what greeted him was unexpected: a group of soldiers lying unconscious on the ground.
"Someone beat me to it?"
Law's eyes narrowed as he surveyed the scene.
Then, from the other side of the pillar, came an elderly, mocking laugh.
Recognizing the voice, Law's expression darkened. He turned coldly toward the pillar.
The laugh ceased abruptly as a figure emerged from the shadows.
It was Lao G, his movements unsteady as he walked out from behind the pillar.
"Surprised to see me, Law?"
"Lao G."
Law's gaze turned icy as he stared at the elder.
Pointing Kikoku's hilt toward the fallen soldiers, Law asked coldly, "Was this your doing?"
"No," Lao G replied, squinting his aged eyes.
He wasn't lying.
The soldiers had already been incapacitated when he arrived.
Law's peripheral gaze shifted toward the damaged Manual Elevator hanging from the central pillar.
The multiple signs of destruction made it clear—he wouldn't be able to use it to ascend to the royal capital atop the Whale's Head.
Whether Lao G was responsible seemed irrelevant now.
Falling silent, Law pushed open the hilt of Kikoku with his thumb.
"Bepo, stand back."
"Got it!"
Bepo swiftly retreated as ordered.
Lao G observed Law's combat-ready stance and sneered, "Law, do you really think you can defeat me?"
"There's only one way to find out," Law replied with an icy grin.
Lao G burst into raucous laughter, his aged frame nearly buckling from the effort. The derision in his voice was unmistakable.
He had every reason to mock Law—after all, as the man who had trained Law in the past, he'd beaten him into the ground more times than he could count.
Suddenly—BOOM!
The explosion from the coliseum shattered Lao G's laughter.
"So, it's begun," Lao G murmured, his smile fading as he gazed past Law at the black smoke billowing from the coliseum.
Before he could finish speaking, another explosion rang out.
Law frowned but didn't turn to look at the coliseum, keeping his gaze firmly fixed on Lao G.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
A series of over ten deafening blasts erupted in mere seconds.
As the sound of explosions faded, a cacophony of terrified screams and anguished cries spread from the coliseum into the streets.
Though Law wasn't physically present in the coliseum, he could easily imagine the carnage caused by detonations in such a densely packed space.
"So, it's them..."
With his back to the coliseum's rising plumes of smoke, Law's cold eyes locked onto Lao G.
"The Donquixote Family has always been keen on collecting Devil Fruits. With an Ancient Zoan on the line this time, it's no surprise you're here."
"Calling out the family name so casually—Law, you've truly lost your sense of reverence," Lao G retorted, his hunched body creaking as he twisted his waist in a warm-up stretch.
"But you're right. We're here for the Ancient Zoan, and running into you is an unexpected bonus."
"Unexpected bonus?"
Law drew Kikoku, his voice laced with cold malice. "Don't let it be the kind of 'bonus' where you take your last breath here."
"Hoh!"
Bulging veins appeared on Lao G's bald head as he leaned forward, hands forming twin "G" shapes with his fingers.
"You brat! Don't forget who taught you your martial arts!"
"..."
Law didn't reply, instead standing poised for combat.
Lao G smirked at Law's defensive stance. "Don't worry, I won't kill you outright. We need to extract the Ope Ope no Mi from your body."
Hearing Lao G's confident declaration, a glint of realization flashed in Law's eyes.
Since leaving the Donquixote Family, Law had secretly kept track of their activities.
Lao G's words revealed something critical—the family had developed preliminary methods for reclaiming Devil Fruits.
If this was true, then the man who had once sought the Ope Ope no Mi at all costs would now be relentless in pursuing him.
A plan began to form in Law's mind.
Although his current mastery of the Ope Ope no Mi wasn't enough to guarantee victory over Lao G, the difference between a fight to the death and a capture was significant.
"Room!"
A translucent, hemispherical field materialized, enveloping both Law and Lao G.
"Lao G, you've stepped into my operating room."
Before he finished speaking, Law swung his blade.
Though no visible strike was made, a shockwave erupted from Lao G's side. However, no harm came to him—he remained intact.
The expected results didn't materialize, and Law's expression hardened.
Lao G sneered, "It seems my Armament Haki outmatches the sharpness of your blade. G Insignia!"
In a flash, Lao G's frail figure surged forward with blinding speed, leaving no afterimage.
"Hmm?"
Unable to follow Lao G's movements, Law instinctively used the Ope Ope no Mi to switch places with a nearby unconscious soldier.
Swish!
Law reappeared over ten meters away, while the spot he previously occupied was replaced by the unconscious soldier.
At that moment, Lao G's fists, shaped into "G" symbols, slammed into the soldier.
Boom!
The immense force pulverized the unfortunate man into pieces.
"Close call..."
Law's heart raced as he witnessed the grisly scene.
If Lao G had landed a direct hit on him, while it wouldn't have been as catastrophic, it would've left him gravely injured and incapacitated.
"So you dodged," Lao G muttered, his trembling body barely visible as he shifted his stance to face Law again.
To Lao G, this battle was already decided.
In his eyes, there was no way Law could emerge victorious.
In the Coliseum.
Chaos erupted.
Just moments ago, Conan of the Savage Fang Pirates had been declared the tournament champion after defeating his opponent.
The spectators roared in applause, celebrating the victor.
Standing triumphantly in beast form, Conan savored the crowd's adulation.
But then—a series of deafening explosions tore through the coliseum without warning.
Black smoke rolled through the stands, claiming the lives of nearly a thousand spectators in an instant.
The sudden devastation silenced the celebratory atmosphere.
Panic spread like wildfire as terrified spectators trampled over each other in a desperate bid to escape.
Amidst the pandemonium, Maude sat calmly, unaffected by the chaos around him.
He had anticipated trouble but hadn't expected such brutal methods to initiate the fight for the Devil Fruit.
Raising his gaze, he watched as the crystal box holding the fruit remained suspended above the arena.
Soon, the body count in the coliseum would reach the tens of thousands.
Bang!
A gunshot pierced the turmoil.
A bullet fired from a shadowed corner struck the rope holding the crystal box, severing it.
Rip!
The box plummeted toward the ground.
"Whoa!"
A chorus of exhilarated shouts erupted as the crowd watched the fruit fall.
At that moment, a thin fishing line shot through the air, hooking onto the small ring atop the crystal box.
"Haha! The Devil Fruit is mine!"
A triumphant voice echoed across the arena.
All eyes turned toward the source of the fishing line: a lanky man reeling in the box with his fishing rod.
"It's the 66-million bounty pirate, Fisherman Greela!" someone shouted.
Maude saw it too.
The world truly had no shortage of strange individuals.
As this thought crossed his mind, Maude drew his flintlock pistol and fired a single shot.
Bang!
The bullet tore through the air, severing the taut fishing line.
"What?!"
Fisherman Greela's eyes widened in disbelief as his line snapped.
"Such a thin line... Impossible!"
Bang! Bang!
With a series of airbursts, Maude launched himself skyward, catching the falling crystal box under the stunned gazes of the crowd.
In his other hand, his smoking pistol served as a silent declaration:
He was the one who severed the line.
And now, he had earned the prize.
"It's Bacardi Maude!"
-------
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