At this moment, Ye Yu had passed the first trial and found himself alone in an arena-like area, making it difficult to evade.
In the next instant, three figures appeared before him—clad in black and masked.
Upon arriving here and spotting Ye Yu, they were overjoyed—they had truly been chosen.
This wasn't entirely unexpected, as the three of them were confident they were the strongest team aside from Ye Yu. Moreover, they hadn't expended much energy, so being selected was only natural.
As soon as they appeared, they immediately unleashed their auras. Seeing Ye Yu barely able to stand, their excitement grew. It seemed the difficulty of the first trial had drained him severely.
Ye Yu frowned slightly. Since they were masked in black, he could confirm they weren't Jin Mo's group—if they were, there'd be no need to hide their faces.
So, who could they be?
"You're badly injured."
"So badly that it's no better than after you dealt with the Giants."
"You're still holding on because you're hoping to clear the second trial, right? There's no way you'll make it past the third."
...
Indeed, just as they surmised, Ye Yu was only aiming to pass the second trial. After all, he just needed to withstand their combined attack—as long as he didn't die.
He was confident he wouldn't die. Even though his injuries were severe and his energy depleted, his vitality and physical resilience were formidable. However, he couldn't be certain now. If this truly was the worst-case scenario—the three strongest joining forces for a single strike—whether he could survive in his current state was questionable.
At this moment, Ye Yu wavered. Should he withdraw now, or risk it all?
Just then, a notification sounded.
"Countdown begins. Ten seconds. After ten seconds, withdrawal will no longer be possible. Within ten seconds, you may choose to exit. Note: Clearing the second trial will double the rewards."
Yang Luo and the other two waited anxiously, worried Ye Yu might choose to withdraw. But with such generous rewards, he would likely take the chance.
As for him clearing the trial and gaining experience, they deemed it impossible. Firm in their conviction, they were certain they would eliminate him.
"Is Ye Yu scared?"
"If you're scared, just quit."
...
Pale-faced, Ye Yu smiled faintly. "Save the taunts. Even if you're strong, now that I've chosen to face the second trial, I won't allow myself to be taken down."
This sent waves of delight through Yang Luo's trio—Ye Yu wasn't planning to withdraw.
Meanwhile, Xia Ling, Sun Long, and the others wore grave expressions, knowing the moment had arrived.
Earlier, they had fantasized about being chosen instead, so they could go easy on him. Now, they could only pray.
"I hope whoever was chosen can't threaten the Captain's life."
Lin Muxue sighed. "It's a shame we can't see what's happening."
Li Cang replied, "We'll know soon enough. If everyone is forced out, the Mystic Realm will close. That would mean Ye Yu either withdrew… or died."
...
Now, Ye Yu stood ready.
As soon as time was up, the three unleashed their full power. Their muscles bulged, their bodies coated in Armament Haki, turning pitch-black. They also wielded Flowing Sakura, and soon, dark-red lightning—Conqueror's Haki Coating—flared around them. Shockingly, all three had mastered Dominator Infusion.
Ye Yu's brow furrowed slightly, his heart shaken. He sighed softly. "Seems my luck has run out. This is the worst possible outcome."
He didn't raise Black Blade Night to strike—right now, he was too weak to even attack. After enduring their combined assault, he would withdraw.
Yang Luo roared, "Give it everything!"
As the words fell, the three of them charged forward explosively, their momentum erupting to its peak. Their Conqueror's Haki burst forth, flooding the space around them, instantly making the atmosphere oppressive.
Whoosh!
Their speed was extreme, reaching Ye Yu in the blink of an eye. Fists clenched, they struck out fiercely, the air before them trembling under the force.
They inwardly sneered—Ye Yu wasn't dodging, likely unable to, nor was he counterattacking. This meant his exhaustion was worse than they had imagined. Even better. He was as good as dead!
Feeling their attacks, Ye Yu's heart shook. "Strong. Even without considering whether they have Devil Fruit abilities, their body techniques and sheer strength alone place them among the world's top-tier powerhouses. This means they've inherited the legacy of the Pirate world's strongest physical fighters."
Swiftly, several names flashed through his mind, just as he had speculated earlier.
"They're not using their abilities… afraid I'll guess who they are."
Earlier, Ba Ye had suggested whether they should use their Devil Fruit powers later, reasoning that if Ye Yu died, it wouldn't matter if he knew.
Yang Luo, however, chose caution—what if he didn't die? Then, based on their abilities, they could be identified effortlessly once they emerged.
Besides, they were already formidable without their powers, so they decided against using them, leaving Ye Yu unable to discern their true identities even now.
Thoughts flickered like lightning through his mind as Ye Yu crossed his arms before him, his entire body coated in Armament Haki, muscles tensed for full defense. These three were strong—strong enough that any one of them could likely defeat Xia Ling or Xiao Ke in a one-on-one fight.
Boom!
The next instant, their fists struck Ye Yu's chest from a distance.
Behind their masks, their faces twisted savagely as they roared, arms exerting brutal force.
CRACK!
A deafening explosion resounded as Ye Yu was sent flying backward. His arms screamed in agony, the impact jolting his chest—his sternum felt on the verge of shattering. A mouthful of blood sprayed from his lips, painting the air crimson.
As he tumbled through the air, the three tried to pursue, but they vanished—teleported out of the Mystic Realm. They reappeared in their pre-entry stances, standing on the island where they had begun.
Ba Ye sighed. "So we really could only attack once together."
Wang Jue shrugged. "It's fine. The three of us gave it our all."
Yang Luo removed his mask, anticipation in his voice. "Now we just wait to see if he dies."
Ba Ye smirked confidently. "He's definitely dead. His injuries are severe, his body weakened. His defenses and physical resilience have been drastically reduced from exhaustion and damage. There's no way he could survive our combined full-power strike."
Wang Jue sneered. "We'll know soon enough—just watch if the Mystic Realm ends."
Ye Yu continued hurtling backward, the wind howling in his ears. His entire body was wracked with pain, teetering on the edge of unconsciousness. His injuries were worse than ever—surpassing even the damage he'd taken from the Giants.
He coughed up more blood, his mind reeling. "This is the worst possible outcome. One thing's certain—they're powerhouses on par with Whitebeard. In the Pirate world, those whose sheer strength reaches Emperor-tier, or even beyond, are few and far between. Just who are these three…?"
Soon, suspicions formed in his mind. Though uncertain, he could narrow it down to a few possibilities.
"Rocks… Barrett… Red Earl…"
Ye Yu's eyes turned icy, his heart hardening with a vow.
"Even if I'm not entirely right, at least one of them must be among these names. Just you wait—I'll return this blow to you someday."
Ye Yu focused his thoughts, preparing to exit. In this condition, it was impossible to continue the third level. Once outside, Ling'er would immediately treat him. Fortunately, there was Ling'er, the Heal-Heal Fruit Ability User. Without her, such severe injuries would have been truly dangerous.