[Host: Gawain]
[Age: 24]
[Identity: Captain of the Gawain Pirates]
[Skills:]
Swordsmanship - LV 12: 17,558 / 33,000 (Super Speed, Extreme Force)
Constitution - LV 13: 10,158 / 50,000 (Balance, Harmony)(Human-Beast Form: LV 15 / Beast Form: LV 16)
Death Walk - LV 7: 33 / 7,000 (Flash Step)
Observation Haki - LV 5: 1,071 / 10,000 (Precognition)
Armament Haki - LV 2: 438 / 2,500
Navigation - LV 5: 6,815 / MAX
Red Dragon Fruit - LV 3: 425 / 8,000
Sniper - LV 4: 2,208 / 2,500
[Badges:]
Captain's Fury – Subordinates' Physical Recovery Speed +20%
Rising Fame – View Potential Abilities
Reward Over 100 Million – Favor of the Sea (Used)
[Rating: Gold]
A formidable fighter, a true powerhouse!
In just two months, the changes in Gawain had been nothing short of earth-shaking.
As expected, his Observation Haki had advanced to Level 5, unlocking two evolution paths: Heart Net and Precognition.
Heart Net enhanced the accuracy and range of perception dramatically.
Precognition, on the other hand, allowed brief glimpses into the future—about three seconds ahead.
Gawain didn't hesitate. He chose Precognition.
After all, he wasn't Enel. He lacked the ability to strike targets outside visual range, so for him, Observation Haki was most valuable in close combat.
And the ability to foresee the future, even momentarily, was the pinnacle of perception.
Since awakening Precognition, his combat prowess had undergone a qualitative leap.
Now, even if his opponent had an identical stats panel, Gawain could thoroughly dominate his former self.
The gap between them was simply too vast to describe in words.
At this point, unless he faced an opponent of admiral level, Gawain had the confidence to take them on.
And if the battlefield suited him—even against an admiral—he wouldn't back down.
After all, the Red Dragon excelled at prolonged warfare.
As long as the earth veins held enough energy and the enemy couldn't take him out in a single blow, the battle would inevitably fall into his rhythm.
After reviewing his stats panel, Gawain muttered to himself:
"Aside from Armament Haki, the rest of my abilities are in decent shape.
To see another breakthrough, though, will probably take at least a few more months."
"The East Blue shouldn't see any major changes in the meantime."
"Besides..."
He closed the system interface and turned his gaze to the arena in the port's center.
"Tomorrow's the start of the martial arts tournament."
"In the past two months, Kuro and the others have been training relentlessly. Every one of them has shown significant improvement."
"According to the stats I viewed using my badge—"
"Sanji and Zoro have both reached the Bronze level. Van Augur and the Cat Brothers are still a bit short, but they're getting there."
"The real surprise is Gin and Kuro. Their potential used to trail behind Sanji and Zoro."
"But now, Gin's reached High Bronze, and Kuro is on the verge of entering Silver."
"Both of them are now qualified to begin training in Armament Haki. How far they'll go, though... that remains to be seen."
"Still, with their current potential, they're at least on par with the Beast Pirates Tobiroppo."
"Before the tournament kicks off, I need to find time to talk with them about the core principles."
The next day.
Raven Harbor was teeming with people.
Participants and spectators from across the seas were gradually ushered into the arena with the help of the port's guards.
The arena, originally designed to seat 80,000, felt crowded—but that didn't dampen the crowd's enthusiasm.
The entire coliseum buzzed like a giant swarm of bees, noisy and restless.
The tournament hadn't even started, yet rumors of star contenders had already spread far and wide through the newspapers.
Speculation was running wild as people debated who would walk away with the 300 million Berries prize and the Superhuman Bone Fruit.
"I heard that Dellinger, the fighting fish from the Donquixote Family, and that 'Gentleman' Senor Pink will both be participating."
"Those two have conquered the bullfighting arena in Dressrosa! They're definitely seeded contenders!"
A man with glasses and slicked-back hair sat in the stands, chatting excitedly. His words sparked agreement from those nearby.
"Seeded? More like guaranteed top two!"
"They're from the New World, after all. Their strength and the environment they grew up in are on a whole different level!"
"Especially compared to the East Blue, the weakest of the seas!"
"I've seen them fight in Dressrosa's arena—Dellinger supposedly has fish-man blood, brutal and bloodthirsty. Senor Pink's a bit eccentric, but a total monster in battle. They both pack terrifying combat power!"
Many nodded in agreement, but some voices pushed back.
"What about Daz Bonez, the West Blue's deadliest assassin? He's not any weaker than them!"
"And don't forget 'Destruction Cannon' Ideo! He's won the New World's Central Fighting Tournament multiple times!"
"Not to mention Blue Gilly..."
With the influx of new arrivals, the crowd's debates grew increasingly heated, teetering on the edge of erupting into fights over mere disagreements.
Several guards rushed over to maintain order, concerned that things might spiral out of control.
Listening to the animated discussions, one of the guards scoffed and muttered,
"Those people you're hyping up don't stand a chance against Mr. Gin and Mr. Kuro."
But his words only provoked a round of hearty laughter from the crowd.
"Pirates from the East Blue? Are you kidding? Did they come here just to amuse us?"
"They've never even set foot in the New World, let alone survived it!"
"Exactly!"
"Only those who rise from the harshest seas deserve to be called strong!"
"The East Blue? That's a whole different league—of weakness."
Someone glanced at the calm waters beyond the harbor and sighed.
"You don't realize how precious a peaceful sea like that is. So many dream of such tranquility, but never get the chance to live it."
"Peaceful?"
One of the guards sneered and opened his mouth to argue, but a commotion in the distance caught his attention. Instantly setting aside his personal pride, he turned and ran toward the disturbance.
Back in the stands, the debate reignited. Everyone had their own predictions about who would shine in the upcoming tournament—but the name "East Blue" was nowhere in those conversations.
As time passed, more and more spectators poured into the arena.
On the main platform, Jasmine stood at the host's podium, her heart pounding—not from nerves or anxiety, but sheer excitement.
She was the official host of the very first East Blue Sea Martial Arts Tournament.
Her co-host, however, was less than thrilled.
Jango stood beside her, his face long and miserable.
Seeing him like that, Jasmine couldn't help but tease,
"Mr. Jango, look on the bright side. Losing that rock-paper-scissors match just proves you have a real talent for hosting."
Jango's lips twitched.
"You're really good at pretending to comfort someone. Do me a favor—don't next time."
Jasmine laughed, but before she could respond, a thunderous chime echoed across the arena.
Ding!
Ding!
Ding!
The three resounding bells signaled the official start of the East Blue Martial Arts Tournament!
Even the rowdiest in the crowd fell silent, all eyes turning to the center stage.
Jasmine and Jango cracked a few lighthearted jokes to energize the atmosphere.
Then, Jango took a deep breath and addressed the sea of expectant faces:
"The East Blue Martial Arts Tournament is a battle for the title of the strongest!"
"Here, second place means nothing—obscurity awaits anyone who falls short!"
"Only the victor will have their name carved into the Hall of Fame's stone tablet. As long as Raven Harbor stands, their legacy will live on!"
"The arena will be divided into four sectors—East, West, North, and South. Each division will compete in a battle royale to determine the two strongest fighters from each region!"
"Then begins the draw and elimination phase. Winners move forward, losers go home, until one remains—the undisputed champion of this tournament!"
"And the prize? A staggering 300 million Berries in cash—and the legendary Paramecia-type Bone Bone Fruit!"
"This is a winner-takes-all tournament. There's no place for losers!"
Jango's passionate—almost frenzied—delivery whipped the audience into a frenzy. Screams of excitement and bloodlust echoed from every corner of the stands.
Jasmine shot her co-host a side glance, her eyelids twitching.
"You sure you don't enjoy this?" she asked dryly.
Jango's expression froze.
"It's... just work."
"Ha~" Jasmine rolled her eyes, then turned to the audience and the broadcast Den Den Mushi with renewed vigor.
"No more talk!" she shouted, voice brimming with energy.
"The East Division melee begins—now!"
As her words fell, a heavy iron gate on the east side of the arena slowly lifted.
Clunk, clunk, clunk.
With each groan of the lifting mechanism, warriors from all over the world stepped forward, eyes burning with purpose, fists clenched in anticipation.
Most were after the prize money and the Bone Bone Fruit.
But others came for a different reason—blood, and the thrill of battle.
Dellinger was one of the latter.
Short and slight in stature, he blended easily into the crowd. Surrounded by towering giants, three or four meters tall, he looked like a weed that could be blown away by the wind.
Yet those who had fought him knew the truth—this body harbored terrifying power.
"The young master's orders were to disrupt the tournament," he muttered to himself.
"If I kill everyone here, that should count, right?"
"The thinking part's Senor Pink's job. I'll handle the killing."
His bloodthirsty gaze swept over the contestants, searching for prey.
Soon, his eyes locked onto a slender figure in the crowd.
"That guy... that's Gin, one of Knight Gawain's top officers. I wonder what his blood tastes like?"
"If he dies in the ring... what kind of face will the Knight Gawain make?"
Dellinger paused, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
Across the arena, Gin had already sensed the killing intent and turned to meet Dellinger's gaze.
One pair of eyes was calm and unreadable.
The other, wild and blood-hungry.
Their eyes clashed mid-air, each recognizing the other as a threat.