Lin Muxue stubbornly retorted, "Hmph, even if we don't eliminate Ye Yu this time, I'll definitely take him down in the future. With the power of the Rumble Rumble Fruit, my potential is limitless."
However, Jin Mo, Song Ling, and the others couldn't be bothered to respond—they were tired of hearing such empty boasts.
At this moment, the Pirate Crew Battle Realm was about to begin.
Many powerful pirate crews were filled with anticipation.
"Though we're not a top-tier crew, we're still strong enough to make the top ten, right?"
"We have to get into the top ten—only then will our names be listed on the Pirate Crew List."
"To deal with the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew, many top-tier crews have formed alliances, which gives us a chance."
"Exactly. With so many competitors gone, we should thank Ye Yu for being so formidable."
"The Dominant Feather Pirate Crew isn't forming any alliances either, so they'll have a hard time claiming the top spot. At best, they'll be second."
"Becoming one of the Four Emperors—and the strongest among them—isn't bad either."
...
By now, news of the King's Alliance Pirate Crew's formation had spread. After learning about their lineup, everyone was even more convinced that the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew was doomed this time.
Even if they could surrender in the Mystic Realm, they would still be targeted for a while after leaving.
Ye Yu was aware of the alliance between thirteen powerful pirate crews. After some consideration, he decided against forming an alliance himself.
Though their combined strength was formidable, their cohesion couldn't match that of the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew. If disagreements arose, they would quickly fall apart.
The countdown had begun—one minute left.
The entire Dominant Feather Pirate Crew brimmed with rising momentum and excitement. A great battle was about to unfold.
A notification echoed through the air.
"The Pirate Crew List has been finalized. A total of 450,000 pirate crews will participate in this Mystic Realm."
No one was surprised—everyone would join, even the lowest-ranked crews. After all, even the smallest reward was better than nothing.
Next, the alliances were announced—only those who had formed alliances were listed, revealing which crews had joined forces.
It wasn't just Jin Mo and his allies; other pirate crews had also formed alliances in hopes of securing better rankings.
With so many top-tier crews allied this time, some powerful coalitions were aiming for third to fifth place, hoping to become one of the Four Emperors Pirates.
After learning the details, everyone was shocked.
"The Dominant Feather Pirate Crew really isn't forming any alliances?"
"Some tried to ally with them, but they refused every offer."
"Do they think more members would mean fewer rewards?"
"This guarantees them second place—or they might even be completely crushed and wiped out."
"Maybe they'll just surrender immediately when they face the King's Alliance. That way, after leaving, it'll be harder for the allied crews to gather and deal with them—unless they regroup, but that takes time since they're scattered across different seas."
"That's a possibility."
...
Everyone believed that when the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew faced the King's Alliance, they would surrender outright.
Since second place was already assured, there was no point in fighting and worsening their injuries. Otherwise, after leaving, Jin Mo and the other pirate crews would surely target them.
The countdown ended, and all pirate crews were transported inside. Above the Pirate Crew List, a Vortex Stream appeared—entry was granted with a single thought.
Each pirate crew found themselves in an isolated space, waiting.
Meanwhile, the King's Alliance—thirteen top-tier pirate crews—had already gathered.
Yang Luo spoke first, "This time, I'll take the lead. We need a clear leader, or else command will be too chaotic. I hope everyone will follow my orders."
This made some top Chosen Ones frown. After all, they were all proud individuals, and being led by a Non-Ability User didn't sit well with them.
However, considering Yang Luo was ranked second on the Bounty List, they couldn't really object. It was clear that for a temporary alliance like theirs, formed upon first meeting, disagreements were bound to arise—hence the need for a leader.
Jin Mo and the others already understood Yang Luo's strength, having sparred with him over the past three days.
Jin Mo said, "I have no objections."
Wang Quanshi sighed lightly. "He's indeed stronger than me now. Second on the Bounty List—well-deserved."
This shocked top talents like Bai Shaohan—he really was that powerful.
Lin Muxue felt somewhat displeased. She had wanted to be the leader and inwardly scoffed.
I'll endure this for now. Later on, I'll make them all my subordinates and have them obey me.
Hei Jie, however, voiced his concern. "The Dominant Feather Pirate Crew chose not to ally with anyone. Could they have already decided to surrender immediately if they face us?"
Jin Mo raised an eyebrow. "And you are?"
Hei Jie introduced himself. "I'm the vice-captain of the Strongest Pirate Crew and a Dark-Dark Fruit Ability User."
Realizing he wasn't some nobody, Jin Mo nodded slightly in agreement. "That's very possible."
The others, upon learning about Hei Jie, sighed inwardly. The Dark-Dark Fruit was a formidable ability—they had heard it could nullify other Fruit Abilities.
Because of this, many Ability Users felt somewhat wary of Hei Jie. His power was simply too overpowering.
However, it was also known that Hei Jie himself wasn't particularly strong. Even with such a powerful Devil Fruit, he wasn't among the top-tier fighters, failing to break into the top ten of the Bounty List.
Thus, they didn't worry too much.
Besides, Hei Jie didn't seem particularly outstanding at first glance.
What they didn't know—and what even Bai Shaohan was unaware of—was that Hei Jie had held back in the Bounty Realm to remain hidden, which was why he hadn't made it into the top ten.
Hei Jie was biding his time, waiting for the right moment to stun everyone. His goal was to become the Pirate King.
Song Ling expressed her concern. "If they surrender immediately, we won't be able to deal a heavy blow to the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew. Even if we form an alliance afterward, we won't be able to eliminate them quickly."
Wang Quanshi nodded. "True. Yang Luo and I can ally, but the rest of you are too far away to join us in time."
Yang Luo sighed. "Originally, I thought we were enough. But after seeing Ye Yu's bounty, none of us are confident anymore."
They had to admit—victory wasn't guaranteed.
Bai Shaohan suggested, "Then let's wait until we all arrive before making our move. Or perhaps, over time, Ye Yu won't remain as dominant. I still believe Ability Users have greater potential."
Yang Luo didn't argue but instead reminded them, "In any case, if the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew surrenders, they'll secure second place and gain significant experience. Meanwhile, with our numbers, our gains will be minimal. If that happens, we won't be able to act against them immediately after leaving. You all must hurry here, even if it means sacrificing some rewards. Understand—eliminating Ye Yu early is the top priority. Otherwise, in future Mystic Realms, we won't even have a shot at first place."
Bai Shaohan and the others nodded in understanding.
Jin Mo voiced another worry. "But what if, after we leave, the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew immediately retaliates? What if they attack us before we can form our alliance?"
Yang Luo said confidently, "Even if we can't defeat them, they wouldn't dare provoke us first. Just because we can't eliminate them doesn't mean they can easily defeat us. If they want to fight us, they must be prepared to pay a heavy price—and they won't be able to completely crush us."
Jin Mo and the others inwardly agreed, feeling somewhat reassured.
(End of Chapter)