"Joker."
Watching Doflamingo laughing wildly on the screen, King narrowed his eyes beneath his mask.
"What exactly are you trying to do?"
He simply couldn't understand Doflamingo's game.
Doflamingo had made Caesar Clown the prize and turned the entire island into a massive, unrestricted free-for-all, which meant his own kingdom would inevitably descend into utter chaos. What could he possibly stand to gain from this?
King didn't know. But there was one thing he knew for certain: right now, he couldn't just crush Doflamingo.
They needed Caesar. Caesar was a crucial component of Kaido's grand ambition.
Under normal circumstances, King would have immediately transformed into his Pteranodon form and torn Doflamingo apart. He had no doubt he could beat him. But the situation was delicate. Doflamingo clearly held Caesar's life in his hands above the arena. If they tried to take him by force, Doflamingo would execute Caesar before they could even reach him.
"Jack, stay here and clear this area," King ordered quickly, making his decision. "Queen and I will head for the other entrances. Anyone who tries to lay a hand on Caesar, kill them all."
"Hmph. Don't go giving me orders. That was already my plan!" Queen snorted, though he didn't bother arguing further.
The next moment, King and Queen transformed into a colossal Pteranodon and Brachiosaurus, taking to the air and the streets toward two of the arena's main gates.
Meanwhile...
"Now, allow me to introduce today's contestants!"
"Given the sheer number of fighters, today's commentary will be broadcast via live Den Den Mushi feeds rather than fixed groups," Gaz's trembling voice echoed from the massive screens across the sky.
"First up, we have the Beasts Pirates' Three Calamities! As you can see, after entering through the First Gate on the southern side, King and Queen have split off toward the Second and Third Gates. It seems they intend to lock down three of the five qualification spots for the final round!"
"Considering their bounties and sheer strength, their odds of succeeding are astronomically high!"
"Moving on, near the Second Gate, we originally had the Giant pirate 'Brutal Hammer' Magni, a fugitive from Elbaf with a 700-million-Berry bounty. However, he appears to be veering toward the Fifth Gate to avoid an encounter with the Calamities!"
"The fighters near the Fourth Gate are an equally wild bunch... Oh! I've spotted the Supernova 'Balloon Vendor' Assoria! He fought the Whitebeard Pirates not long ago, word was his crew was wiped out after he killed one of Whitebeard's men, so it's a surprise to see him still breathing!"
"Over by the Fifth Gate, we have the Iron Kingdom's legendary 'Conqueror Legion'! This feared army is composed entirely of 'Iron Humans,' a unique lineage factor native to their kingdom. They once achieved the legendary feat of routing ten thousand troops with just two hundred armored soldiers!"
"They're notorious for their sheer brutality. Wherever they march, whole cities are put to the sword..."
Gaz broke script, his panic breaking through his forced commentary: "Wait! Citizens of Dressrosa, run! Get out of there!"
Despite his trembling voice, Gaz was still Corrida Colosseum's premier announcer. His professional instincts held strong as he rapidly rattled off the names of the monsters storming the country.
And just as he warned... the slaughter had already begun.
'Bang! Bang!'
'Clang! Clang!'
The thunder of flintlock rifles and the clash of steel echoed across the island.
Every faction that had landed on Dressrosa came seeking Caesar, mafias, royal guards, pirates, bounty hunters, mercenaries. They hailed from every corner of the world, but they shared one trait: hardly any of them were good people.
The moment Doflamingo announced the rules, they instantly understood what needed to be done.
"The Three Calamities, Giants, a Supernova who survived Whitebeard... the island is crawling with monsters! We have to reach the Colosseum fast! If we secure one of the five final spots, we still have a shot at Caesar!"
"Where's the heavy artillery?! Blast these damn buildings out of the way!"
"Get out of the way, you trash!"
"Hey, stop shooting! We gave up on Caesar! We just want to grab some loot and get out!"
With zero restrictions, the entire country dissolved into predictable, bloody madness.
While the fighters clashed with one another, the ones suffering the most were the ordinary citizens of Dressrosa. Before they could even process the sudden announcement of this 'tournament,' they were dragged straight into a living nightmare.
Just as Gaz had warned, shockwaves from high-level battles flattened neighborhoods. Thugs demolished houses just to clear a path to the arena. Pirates who realized they stood no chance against the top tiers decided to indulge in senseless pillaging and murder instead.
"Run! Don't stay in your homes! Find somewhere to hide!"
"Where are the Royal Guards?!"
"Screw the guards! Doflamingo set this whole damn thing up!"
"Get away from us, pirate! Don't touch my son!"
From the bustling harbors to the city centers, all of Dressrosa was swallowed by chaos in an instant.
Atop the central arena, Doflamingo sat comfortably, looking down at the spectacle he had orchestrated.
"Fuffuffuffuffu... So, the opening act of the feast is underway," he murmured to himself. "Now all that's missing are the most important guests... Hm?"
He paused, spotting a streak of golden light falling from the high heavens, like a descending meteor.
The corners of his mouth curled into a sinister, satisfied grin.
"The main guests have arrived."
---
Fifth Port.
'Thud! Thud! Thud!'
The heavy thrum of iron hooves shook the pavement.
Knights clad in heavy steel armor rampaged through the streets, destroying everything in their path. Their massive lances and heavy shields ruthlessly crushed whatever lay ahead, leaving behind a trail of shattered ruins and pooling blood.
Civilians who failed to escape in time were trampled beneath the iron hooves, their bodies broken beside the weeping, battered toys that had been caught in the destruction.
A closer look revealed that these soldiers weren't just wearing steel, their very skin shone with the unmistakable luster of cold iron.
They were the Conqueror Legion, an army of 'Iron Humans' produced by the Iron Kingdom, renowned as one of the most formidable warrior races in the Grand Line. They were notorious for their steel-like bodies and unquenchable bloodlust.
"Hahaha! Have your fun, boys, but don't let it slow us down!" the legion commander called out as his unit pushed forward. "We need to reach the arena fast and secure Caesar for His Majesty!"
"Once we wield the power of Artificial Devil Fruits, our kingdom will surpass even Elbaf as the strongest military force in the world!"
As he spoke, the commander casually thrust his lance straight through the wall of a nearby house.
'Pfft!'
Hearing the muffled screams from within followed by the sound of bones snapping beneath falling rubble, he burst into a booming laugh. To the Iron Humans, cruelty wasn't just strategy, it was entertainment.
"Don't worry, Commander! There aren't any major threats coming from our direction," an officer chimed in with a grin. "We can take our sweet time enjoying ourselves before heading to the gate."
"Yeah, word is there's only a Giant heading this way."
The two officers laughed along with their superior. But the next moment...
"Hm?"
All three Iron Human knights turned their heads.
A figure came stumbling out from the collapsed house. It was a young girl, her leg twisted at an unnatural angle, the civilian whose scream had echoed moments earlier.
"Hahahahaha!" The three knights burst into cruel laughter.
This was what they lived for: watching the weak struggle in vain, savoring the terror and utter helplessness in their eyes. For creatures devoid of empathy, nothing was more thrilling.
"Commander, you already got one! Leave this one to us!"
The two officers spurred their warhorses forward, raising their heavy lances with sadistic grins.
"You idiots... Didn't I say not to waste time?" the commander scolded lightly, though the savage grin on his face showed he had no intention of stopping them.
Until...
'CRACK!'
A sharp, sonic boom shattered the air above.
The commander instinctively looked up, his eyes widening. "What the hell is that...?"
He stared in confusion at a golden streak plunging straight out of the sky.
His confusion lasted only a fraction of a second.
'BOOM!'
Something massive slammed down from the golden light with the fury of a tempest, striking the two charging knights mid-stride.
'CRASH!'
There was no time to react, let alone defend. The heavy object instantly crushed the two invulnerable Iron Human knights, and their armored steeds, into a smear of bloody pulp. They didn't even have time to scream.
A towering cloud of dust erupted into the air.
Only then did the commander finally see what had fallen from the sky.
It was an iron staff, pitch-black along its shaft, capped with gleaming golden ends.
'Rumble!'
A suffocating, terrifying aura erupted from the impact point, blasting the dust cloud apart in a violent shockwave. A single heavy breath echoed like rolling thunder across the street.
Every knight in the Conqueror Legion, along with the surrounding pirates and mercenaries, froze in their tracks. Every eye swung toward the center of the crater.
As the dust cleared, accompanied by crackles of black-and-red lightning, a small figure stood revealed.
Flame-like clouds of white steam swirled around his shoulders like a flowing ribbon. Cracks spiderwebbed across the shattered stone beneath his feet. One hand rested casually on the golden-capped staff.
"Annoying..."
He stepped down, nonchalantly crushing the remaining metal armor beneath his boot.
Slowly, the eyes beneath his monkey mask shifted toward the commander. Within them, a golden flame seemed to burn.
"I can't enjoy myself until I sweep away every last piece of trash in this place."
(End of Chapter)
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