Marco and the other members of the Whitebeard Pirates did not doubt Luffy's words for a moment. However, the lack of doubt only deepened their shock. Having clashed with Kaido many times, the Whitebeard crew understood the true extent of the Yonko's terrifying power. To hear that the Straw Hats had already defeated such a legendary force was almost beyond belief.
"It's no wonder Carl was so confident back at Water 7," Marco mused. He realized that Carl's claim that the Straw Hats would eventually surpass the Whitebeard Pirates was not mere arrogance; it was a statement backed by incredible ability.
"I'm so jealous, Luffy," Ace said with a sigh of annoyance. "You're a lucky guy. If Carl had arrived at Foosha Village a few years earlier, I could have trained under him too!"
Luffy grinned mysteriously. "Actually, Teacher Carl says he regrets being late, too."
"Oh? He regrets not meeting me sooner?" Ace asked, his interest piqued.
"Not exactly!" Luffy laughed. "He's mostly annoyed that Makino already has a partner. He told me that if he'd arrived a few years earlier, he might have tried to become her husband."
Ace was left speechless by the blunt answer. Meanwhile, Zoro, Sanji, and Tashigi became even more curious about this "Makino." Luffy and Carl had mentioned her so many times that the crew was dying to meet the woman who was apparently Carl's "favorite type." Unfortunately, since they were deep in the New World, a trip back to the East Blue was impossible for now.
The focus shifted to the Corrida Colosseum, where every one of the 890 seats was filled. The host, a famous Dressrosa announcer named Gatz, was working the crowd into a fever pitch. With his eloquent commentary, he officially announced the start of Group A's battle.
As the gates opened, the participants flooded onto the arena floor. There were nearly 200 fighters in this group alone, meaning the total number of contestants across the seven groups reached approximately 1,400. It was clear that the prize—the powers of a Devil Fruit—was a massive draw for warriors from across the Grand Line.
"Well, I'm up first," Zoro said, patting the hilts of his three swords. With a look of intense focus, he stepped out of the waiting room.
The moment Zoro appeared, the audience erupted in a deafening roar. Gatz shouted into his microphone, "Look at this, folks! Representing the crew of the newly promoted Five Emperors, it's the 'Pirate Hunter' Roronoa Zoro! With a bounty of 770,000,000 Berries, this master swordsman famously defeated a Marine Vice-Admiral during the Summit War! Let's hear it for this powerhouse!"
Zoro ignored the screaming fans and found a spot to stand on the stone floor. The other contestants immediately scrambled away from him in fear. No one wanted to cross paths with a man of his reputation so early in the match.
However, the surprises were just beginning. A man wearing a dark Marine-style cloak and puffing on a cigar walked calmly onto the stage. The crowd fell into a stunned silence before exploding into even louder cheers.
"My goodness! I don't believe my eyes!" Gatz screamed. "That's 'Shiryu of the Rain'! The former Head Warden of Impel Down and the current Captain of the Second Ship for the Blackbeard Pirates! We have subordinates from two different Emperors in the same group! This is going to be legendary!"
Zoro locked eyes with Shiryu, his fighting spirit surging. He had noticed Shiryu back at Marineford; he always kept track of powerful swordsmen. He wondered if this former warden had the strength to push him to the next level.
"It's that bastard Shiryu!" Ace growled, his face darkening with hate. "So Teach's crew is here too. I swear, next time we meet, I'm going to end them."
Marco and Vista nodded in agreement. Vista, as a fellow swordsman, felt a sharp urge to test his blades against a lunatic like Shiryu.
Tashigi stared intently at the crimson blade at Shiryu's hip. "That's the Raiu... one of the 21 Great Grade Meito," she whispered. "How can a famous sword like that belong to a villain? I have to defeat him and take that blade back." Yet, she knew that even for Zoro, Shiryu would be a dangerous opponent.
Sanji looked concerned. "Hey, Luffy, that moss-head might be in real trouble. I don't think he's a match for Shiryu yet."
Luffy shook his head, his gaze firm. "Zoro won't lose. I trust him."
But the tension reached a breaking point when a third massive figure stepped into the light. It was a man who looked like he was made of biscuits. Gatz's voice cracked as he yelled, "This is unbelievable! One of the Three Sweet Commanders of the Big Mom Pirates has joined the fray! 'Thousand Arms' Charlotte Cracker is here! Group A is a literal deathtrap!"
Luffy and the others couldn't hide their worry now. Facing Shiryu was one thing, but having to deal with a Sweet Commander like Cracker at the same time put Zoro in an incredibly dangerous position.
"I can't just go out there and save him," Luffy muttered, gripping the railing. He knew that intervening would disqualify him from the tournament, and more importantly, Zoro's pride would never allow it.
The gong sounded, and the battle officially began. The arena quickly divided into four zones. Zoro, Shiryu, and Cracker each claimed a corner, while the remaining 190 fighters huddled in the fourth, desperate to avoid the three monsters.
Zoro bit down on the hilt of the Wado Ichimonji and took his Three-Sword Style stance, his eyes locked on Shiryu. Shiryu, however, wasn't looking at Zoro yet. He unsheathed his sword and turned toward the crowd of weaker players. For a man like him, the most interesting part of any fight was the slaughter.
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