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A wager, with the vast territories of Roger and the Golden Lion on one side, and Arthur's exile from the New World for the next decade on the other, had begun in Totto Land.
Under the witness of all the underworld kingpins—Arthur, Kaido, and Big Mom simultaneously sent out their most trusted subordinates.
Shiryu of the Rain.
Charlotte Katakuri.
Drought Jack.
Although Kaido had two other powerful "All Stars" above Jack, Jack was the only one he could deploy at the moment.
"Katakuri, eliminate that swordsman. The Thunder Emperor needs to learn his place..." Big Mom let out a sinister, terrifying laugh.
"JACK! TEAR HIM TO PIECES!!" Kaido roared madly.
If Arthur's subordinate was truly defeated—it meant he could no longer pose a threat to them for ten years. The territory of the New World would be occupied by just the two of them and Whitebeard. With enough time to improve their power, why would they fear his return?
As for the monsters of the new era challenging them? Just a bunch of idiots playing house. They had never even given them a second thought.
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"Hmph..."
Arthur sneered contemptuously, slowly sipping his tea. "Shiryu, cut loose and cut them down. This is the first battle to make your name."
Every emperor had a few crewmates who could stand on their own.
Kaido had his three All-Stars, Big Mom had her Sweet Commanders—and of the people under Arthur's command, the only ones who were truly famous were Byrnndi World, Don Chinjao, and Naguri.
After all, World, Chinjao, and Naguri were once powerhouses who had roamed the New World. Although they had been defeated, their strength was still there.
The subordinates under his command who could stand on their own were not by his side. The only one Arthur could use was Shiryu. He was also the one he was most optimistic about. His potential was immense, and his rate of strength improvement was astonishingly fast.
There's a saying:
—A reputation like that doesn't come cheap. Anyone who can make their mark in the New World is no ordinary fighter. And to stand as a right hand to monsters like Kaido and Big Mom? That kind of strength isn't just for show.
Both Jack and Katakuri had battle records that were shocking to behold.
Only Shiryu, whose current strength was already immense, lacked fame. Now, to be able to fight on behalf of Arthur—and in front of all the underworld kingpins of the New World—if he won, his name would undoubtedly spread far and wide.
Fame... although it was a drug that was addictive and impossible to quit, it was also one of the catalysts that could push a person to grow.
The words Roger spoke before his death had started the Great Age of Pirates, but among the people who flocked to the sea, not all were just after treasure—
This was the most perfect era to make a name for oneself, to stand out from the countless pirates!
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Shiryu—the Seven Star Sword at his waist—slowly walked out from behind Arthur. The bloodthirsty smile on his lips and the constantly twitching cigar in his mouth revealed his inner excitement.
Beside the chocolate round table, in the large empty space cleared by the onlookers.
Jack, Katakuri, and Shiryu each stood in a corner.
"Big Mom, Kaido, which one of you is going first? Or... you can both come at once. I don't mind either way," Arthur said calmly, propping his feet up on the round table.
"What's the point of ganging up on him? A real man fights one-on-one!" Kaido said with contempt.
"JACK! FINISH HIM!"
"Hmph... this is my home turf." Big Mom snorted coldly, looking at her most prized son. "Katakuri, don't hold back. Make it quick. I can't wait to see the Thunder Emperor's pathetic face when he's kicked out of the New World! MAMAMAMAMA!"
She laughed, gloating, as if victory was already assured.
And it was no wonder. Katakuri was only twenty-four years old—yet ever since he came of age, he had continuously defeated every invading pirate crew. So far, aside from the setback at Arthur's hands, he had never been defeated. His strength could only be described as monstrous.
From the moment he was born, he had sat in a chair and looked down upon the world. No one had ever seen him lie down.
A lifetime of victory without a single failure had made Big Mom extremely satisfied and confident in him. He was the head of the Four Sweet Commanders, the masterpiece of the Charlotte Family!
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Shiryu walked step by step from behind Arthur into the circle formed by the crowd.
His entire aura was contained within the yet-to-be-drawn Seven Star Sword. His blood-filled eyes swept over the onlookers—as if he wanted to kill them all.
"Who the hell is this guy? The Thunder Emperor's crazy enough to pit him against Katakuri—the head of the Sweet Commanders himself?"
Seeing an unknown person enter the ring, the onlookers couldn't help but whisper among themselves. Some who had wanted to side with Arthur even felt pessimistic, believing Shiryu was doomed to lose.
"This guy is Shiryu, the former Head Jailer of Impel Down. He's extremely bloodthirsty, one of the crewmates recruited by the Thunder Emperor. His strength is immense," Big News Morgans explained, popping up from who knows where.
"Is the Thunder Emperor sending him to die?? I don't care how strong the Head Jailer of Impel Down is—there's no way he's stronger than Katakuri! Are you kidding me? Katakuri's a monster who's never lost a fight!"
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The underworld kingpins whispered amongst themselves, their gazes scrutinizing the motionless Shiryu. The only reason they didn't mock him outright was out of respect for Arthur's terrifying reputation.
Shiryu calmly smoked his cigar, paying no mind to all the discussions. His gaze, sharp as a sword, pierced straight towards Katakuri.
"Come out and die."
His words were simple and direct, without a single wasted breath.
"Bastard! Brother Katakuri will crush you without breaking a sweat!" A young woman with purple hair, who looked like a witch, couldn't help but speak up.
"Brother, let me go," said Charlotte Smoothie, holding a wine glass, a longsword on her back, her legs terrifyingly long.
"No need. This guy is strong—terrifyingly strong." Katakuri walked out from the support of his many siblings. The closer he got to the circle, the more intense his sense of crisis became, like having spikes on his back.
His Observation Haki had been trained to a horrifying degree, surpassing even Big Mom's. He was just one step away from predicting the future, in desperate need of a stimulus.
The path of Haki training was simple—only by fighting the strong could you become stronger yourself. This was true for all forms: Conqueror's, Armament, and Observation alike.
With each deep development, Katakuri could already feel where the pinnacle of Observation Haki lay—Future Sight!
Arthur's Observation Haki had reached its peak, but under the incredible amplification of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's electric waves, predicting the future became nearly impossible. The time he needed was more than ten times longer than normal.
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