The noisy Skull Hall instantly fell silent as a single figure appeared.
The rowdy crowd of Beast Pirates who had been cheering and instigating moments ago now stared wide-eyed.
Each one resembled a duck or goose with its neck wrung, no longer daring to speak recklessly.
"Heh, so you've finally come." Queen the Plague turned with a cold laugh, "Yo~yo~yo~ fresh meat~ too big for your boots~ beating Jack shows you've got some skills~ but you're still not fit to be vice-captain~ overestimating yourself brat..."
Living up to his Art Calamity title, Queen shook his head and dissed Luo Xia entirely in rap, reigniting the atmosphere.
"You call me fat~ I call this voluptuous~ if I wanted to slim down~ could do it anytime~ everyone, what would happen if this handsome devil got thin?"
"You'd be too popular!!!" the pirates shouted in unison.
"That's right~ too popular if I slim down~ that's why I don't wanna lose weight~ that's my funk style~ this round body's packed with power~ can sing and dance~ that's my funk style~ got it dumbass~ understand idiot!"
As Queen finished, he broke into street dance moves, drawing thunderous applause and cheers.
...
"Making noise early in the morning, can't you let people sleep?!"
The long-legged beauty Ulti stormed out angrily, wearing a face mask.
"Little Ulti, it's not that early," Black Maria leaned against the railing, exhaling a smoke ring. "Look, Queen's back."
"I knew it was that fat bastard. No one else is this noisy. I'll kick him off the All-Stars position sooner or later."
Ulti ground her teeth as her gaze fell on the noisy hall, then her pupils suddenly contracted—she saw Page One lying motionless after being struck down by Queen.
Though this younger brother of hers was disobedient, always opposing her, calling her "stupid sis," and had even joined the guy who beat them two days ago... no matter what he did, he was still her brother. They were siblings bound by blood.
"That bastard, bullying little Page One as soon as he returns! Unforgivable!" Ulti leaped down from the third floor.
The next instant, Black Maria's large hand intercepted her mid-air, pulling her back.
"Don't rush, Ulti-chan. Look, he's back too. Your brother is under his command now," Black Maria raised an eyebrow.
...
Ignoring the renewed commotion, Luo Xia calmly stepped forward, passing through the crowd until he reached Page One in the corner.
"Big bro, I... cough..."
"No need to say anything!" Luo Xia patted Page One's shoulder. "Just watch carefully now!"
"Muhahaha, you want to stand up for this useless brat? Newbie!" Queen grinned widely.
"He calls me big bro. Now that he's been bullied, it's only right I don't stay silent." Luo Xia spoke calmly, barely suppressing his laughter.
With Jack the Drought lying unconscious, King the Conflagration refusing to take the bait, and Kaido away, the only suitable sparring partners left in the Beasts Pirates were Yamato and Queen.
He couldn't keep pestering Yamato alone—especially with their current training regimen requiring recovery time.
He'd been wondering what excuse to use to provoke Queen into a fight upon his return.
To everyone's surprise, before he could make a move, Queen took the initiative to pick a fight.
"Muhahaha! Good kid, got some guts. Let's begin our 'Trick Show' then."
Snap!
Queen the Plague snapped his fingers lightly, and a spotlight shone down.
The Beasts Pirates quickly mobilized, setting up a sumo ring in the center of the spacious hall.
"Welcome to my Grand Sumo Hell!!!"
Queen's massive figure leaped up with surprising agility, landing first on the ring.
Luo Xia ascended the sumo ring step by step from the opposite side.
"Kid, I heard about your fight with Jack. Word is you're pretty confident in your defense," Queen grinned.
"Not bad. If you're scared, I can let you have the first few moves," Luo Xia smiled.
"Muhahaha! So cocky! You're the first rookie I've met this arrogant. Seems you haven't heard of the infamous Hell Burial Hand Blade of yours truly."
As he spoke, Queen mimed a hand blade, gesturing twice near Luo Xia's shoulder.
"Hell Burial Hand Blade? Does Queen-sama have that move?"
"No idea! Never heard of it! This is my first time hearing about it too!"
"I get it! That must be Queen-sama's secret ultimate technique!"
"Ooooh—Queen-sama! Show that brat your Hell Burial Hand Blade!"
After a brief moment of shock, the Plague Faction pirates erupted in cheers.
"Hell Burial Hand Blade?" Luo Xia's expression turned odd. The move's name and this threatening gesture felt strangely familiar.
While Luo Xia was distracted, Queen finished his warm-up antics and declared loudly, "Watch closely! My Hell Burial Hand Blade!"
A palm blade coated in Armament Haki swung down toward Luo Xia's shoulder. However, in the next instant, Queen's left hand, hidden behind his back, shot out like lightning, joining his right to clamp around Luo Xia's neck.
Click!
A soft sound followed as a silver-white collar appeared around Luo Xia's neck.
"Muhahaha!"
Queen laughed uproariously, executing a backflip to gracefully exit the sumo ring, landing perfectly in a gymnast's finishing pose.
"Huh?"
The entire hall of pirates stood dumbfounded, frozen in place, utterly confused by this turn of events.
What happened to the one-on-one sumo match?
What happened to the Hell Burial Hand Blade?
It hadn't even started—how could it be over already?
Did Queen-sama just forfeit by leaving the ring?
"Muhahaha! Success! This is the true Grand Sumo Hell!" Queen announced triumphantly.
"I see! Look at that man's neck—that's an Explosive Collar!" an elder from the Plague Faction realized.
"That guy got collared! Haha...hahaha! He's done for now!" The Beasts members who hadn't sided with Luo Xia burst into malicious laughter.
"How could..." Page One's already pale face turned ashen—he clearly knew the terror of the Explosive Collar.
"That idiot! Falling for such an obvious trap! And he wanted to stand up for little Pei pei? Guess I'll have to handle this," Ulti scowled.
"Wait a bit longer, little Ulti. There might be a surprise," Black Maria said, watching Luo Xia's calm expression with the intuition that something unexpected was about to unfold.
"Despicable... utterly despicable, Queen!" On the field, Page One's face flushed red as he couldn't help but roar in anger.
"Despicable? Mmmhahaha~ Are you complimenting me?" Queen laughed mockingly. "Talking about despicability in the pirate world—that's exactly why I say you're a useless brat who never grew up. Did you think this was some pirate make-believe game?"
"You think this can hold me?" Luo Xia grabbed the Explosive Collar while staring at the smug-faced Queen.