For the members of the Hundred Beasts, especially the core members stationed on Ghost Island and in Wano Kuni, the shape of the Arceus Plate is already etched in their minds. That hexagon, larger at the top and smaller at the bottom, is the best way to ascend within the Hundred Beasts.
Mandfeish is the best example. To this day, the Numberer's figures have undergone several major reshuffles, yet Mandfeish still holds firm at the NO.1 position, and his luck is inextricably linked to this.
At this moment, Dereck's eyes had no place for other competitors, focusing entirely on that person.
There were plenty of people dressed in armor here, and rather than elegance, they all focused more on practicality. The suspected plate was located at the front of his body, just enough to shield the vital parts of his upper body.
Since the New World Central Fighting Tournament has no weight classes, combatants of all sizes and races fill the arena, whether they are burly men, seemingly frail women, or the relatively rare Long-armed and Long-legged races.
"Should we inform Ghost Island?"
"Wait a minute, this competition won't end anytime soon. Since this guy came to participate, he's surely aiming for the championship. We need to confirm if that thing is real."
Fishing can result in empty hands, and on the road to finding the plate, surprises aren't uncommon. Occasionally, counterfeit items are encountered. However, apart from Kurozumi Orochi, who brazenly creates fakes, mistaking something else isn't much of an issue, but it's still not good.
They didn't carry a Plate Radar, so to test it, they'd have to use that familiar old method.
"Iscariot, go try it later. Attack that plate with all your might. If it shows no damage, then it's likely the real deal. Help that guy out by observing his strength, and make sure he doesn't withdraw from the tournament; find a way to help him advance."
In Dereck's memory, she had never seen that person. Any contestant with some skill wouldn't be entirely unrecognized by her. Hence, he was a new participant, and his strength was a complete unknown.
It wouldn't be good if he prematurely withdrew due to failure, causing any unforeseen mishap.
Theoretically, as long as the tournament isn't over, he won't leave here. The verification method has been proven many times.
It was Kaidou's old method. What's indestructible is genuine. Given Scizor's explosive power, ordinary rock and metal couldn't possibly withstand her attack.
As for why Dereck herself wouldn't do it, it's because she had to face the entire arena's chaotic battle. Her reining championship title made her significantly emphasized by others.
If she approached that newcomer directly, it would seem unusual.
Both of them successively entered their transformed states, and they weren't the only ones with such abilities. This relatively unrestricted fight was heaven for Zoan-type ability users. In terms of body enhancement, Zoan abilities were unmatched.
Mythical Zoan types' elemental attacks were equally restricted in this semi-unrestricted battle, so they only benefitted from physical boosts.
"Let me see if over the past year, you all have developed any new tricks."
There are quite a few martial arts advocates within the Hundred Beasts, and Dereck is one of them. The championship prize money is one of her goals, but she derives more enjoyment from the thrill of battle.
Under the skin on her body, several streams of electricity flashed. Although electric attacks were restricted, stimulating her cells with electricity to enhance her explosiveness was legitimate.
The rules of this competition have many loopholes. Apart from explicitly banned tactics, loopholes are there for people to exploit.
The skirmish began to resolve, and a large number of contestants started being eliminated. While Dereck was responding to the onslaught, Iscariot had already turned into a blur of red, which most could only perceive as a red streak.
....
As the battle began, Iscariot also started searching for an appropriate spot to strike. She discovered a miscalculation on Dereck's part; the opponent seemed quite capable.
Or rather, the item on his chest exhibited unusual defensive quality.
In a sense, this person's armor technique differed from the ordinary. The plate wasn't rigidly fixed but embedded.
It didn't just serve to protect his vital organs, he even crafted special slots on the arm armor to insert the plate, wielding it as a handheld shield.
"Useless, useless! This is the armor material coveted by even the Sea Emperors. With this, you can't breach my defenses!"
Blocking another attack, seeing no marks left on the plate, an unrestrained smile surfaced at the corners of his mouth.
Kaidou's outward reason for looking for the plate was to forge the hardest armor in the world. Yet to this day, Kaidou never wore any armor in countless battles.
Nonetheless, few questioned the authenticity of that reason. The World Government even used the plates for trades, not knowing what other significance the stone held besides its hardness.
However, many on the seas believed Kaidou's explanation, and different people made different choices. Sasaki chose to use it as a greeting gift, joining the Hundred Beasts Pirates to become a core member.
But this person was different. Since it was something even the Sea Emperors desired, why not keep it for himself? Perhaps, with it, he too could become a new Sea Emperor.
"Shield Impact!"
Using the plate as a weapon, he almost transformed into a berserker, charging his opponent with the plate. Watching the enemy's fist swing toward him, his expression was one of disdain.
"Useless, such attacks are useless against me. Remember my name, Machamp Gaponov. I will become the strongest!"
He hadn't been in the New World for long, and his spirits were high, taking down quite a few New World pirates with the plate's defensive power.
Gaponov himself was a lone wolf with a bounty of ninety million Belly. His aim in participating in the tournament was precisely for that lucrative prize money. With it, he intended to search for new plates and fulfill that invulnerable armor "dream" ahead of Kaidou.
At this moment, he sensed a series of impact sensations transmitting from the plate. Judging by the force feedback, the attack was much stronger than before. The most crucial part was, he didn't even notice when the person attacking his "shield" appeared.
"Good thing it's a fool. Having such speed, yet not attacking from the side...."
The plate could at most cover half his body. A high-speed threat could destabilize him by hitting his leg or attacking from the side. But the opponent chose the dumbest approach.
What puzzled him more was that the red shadow inexplicably retreated after the attack.