Chapter 119: I'll Give You One Punch
Larry was old, his physical condition deteriorating, and defending for too long would inevitably lead to mistakes.
After taking dozens of Gotti's blows head-on, his arms went numb, his defense finally broke, and a devastating punch struck him square in the chest.
Puff!
Larry spat out a mouthful of blood and slid along the ground for seven or eight meters before barely managing to stop. Then his legs gave way, and he nearly collapsed entirely.
Only then did people notice that Larry's right side of his chest had visibly caved in, his clothes completely torn, forming the clear imprint of a fist.
Everyone was horrified.
Gotti's punch had cracked Larry's sternum. If it had struck his left chest instead, Larry's heart would have exploded, killing him instantly.
"I... surrender," Larry managed, his face deathly pale as blood streamed from the corner of his mouth. He trembled as he climbed out of the ring and slowly returned to the platform.
"After today, I don't want to see anyone from your organization in Black Harbor," Capone Bege said calmly, glancing at Larry with cold satisfaction.
Larry's face paled further, and he forced out a single word through gritted teeth: "...Fine."
Capone Bege nodded slightly, his voice full of confidence and authority.
Larry was now filled with frustration and worry. He wondered where Commander Rhodes had gone and why he hadn't even shown up yet.
If today passed without intervention, the Revolutionary Army might lose their base in the Kano Country entirely, driven from the mainland and forced to operate from some remote island.
Meanwhile, in the VIP section...
"Uncle Hans, that guy seems quite formidable," Yuffie said, tilting her head with mild surprise.
Though her own combat abilities were limited, she'd seen many powerful individuals and possessed a discerning eye for strength.
Hans's expression was grave. "Capone Bege is known as the Godfather of the West Blue—a figure throughout the entire West Blue underworld. His man are naturally formidable as well. I'm afraid even I'm no match for someone like that."
The others in the VIP section—from pirates with bounties in the tens of millions to elite assassins and mercenaries from the underworld—all murmured in agreement, acknowledging their own inferiority.
Only Rhodes remained silent, watching the spectacle unfold with quiet interest.
And what happened next matched everyone's expectations perfectly.
Gotti won consecutive battles, seizing territories for Capone Bege and dominating the entire tournament without a single defeat.
Abu frowned slightly, looked toward Capone Bege, and let out a soft warning hum.
If one person kept winning like this, what was even the point of holding a tournament?
Capone Bege pretended not to notice the implied criticism, waiting until Gotti won two more matches before finally preparing to call it a day. He signaled for Gotti to return to the platform.
"Is there no one else left? If not, I'm heading back," Gotti announced, standing in the center of the ring. His eyes swept around the venue, his aura of consecutive victories making people hesitant to even meet his gaze.
At that moment, Rhodes in the VIP section finally stood up slowly.
"What are you doing? Need to use the restroom?" Yuffie asked curiously.
Rhodes's expression froze at this, his carefully maintained composure instantly cracking. He rolled his eyes and said, "That guy just beat up one of my subordinates. I can't let him get away with it so easily."
"Your subordinate?" Yuffie looked at Rhodes with an expression of concern usually reserved for the mentally impaired. "Is someone actually daydreaming while they're awake?"
Rhodes: "..."
He shook his head in exasperation, not bothering to explain further.
With a slight shimmer, he vanished from the spot.
Yuffie was startled, then suddenly noticed from the corner of her eye that Rhodes had appeared on the tournament stage!
"Magic? Teleportation?!" Yuffie muttered in shock, rubbing her eyes in disbelief.
Rhodes's sudden appearance shocked everyone present.
The mid and lower-tier audience members were confused, wondering if this young man had wandered onto the wrong stage by accident.
However, people like Abu and Capone Bege became immediately suspicious, looking at the young man in white with growing recognition and wariness.
One was a pillar of the Happo Navy, the other a major figure in the underworld. Naturally, they'd heard of Rhodes, the Dragon Slayer whose name had spread throughout the Grand Line, and had even seen photographs of him.
Only Larry finally allowed himself to relax.
He knew that with this Dragon Slayer present—even if his strength was only half of what the rumors claimed—it would be more than enough to protect their current interests.
"I believe we should—"
As a precaution, Capone Bege began speaking directly from the platform, attempting to establish control of the situation. But before he could even finish his sentence...
Gotti's body flew backward like a piece of straw caught in a hurricane!
Whoosh!
Gotti arced through the air, his body spanning nearly a hundred meters before crashing heavily onto the far end of the arena.
Only then did everyone notice the gaping, bloody hole in Gotti's chest—a clean puncture wound that went straight through.
He barely managed to raise his head, looking across at the indifferent figure in white. His gaze was filled with utter disbelief and incomprehension.
"You injured my subordinate, so I'll return the favor—one punch."
As everyone stared in stunned disbelief, Rhodes slowly retracted his fist and spoke softly, as if he'd merely swatted an insect.
At that moment, the vast valley fell as silent as death itself.
Everyone was paralyzed by Rhodes's single punch, mouths hanging open in shock.
Gotti had swept across the entire tournament, seemingly unstoppable. His strength was known to all—yet now, he'd been instantly defeated by a single punch from this young man!
The scene felt utterly surreal, like something from a dream.
Those present were all warriors with considerable martial prowess, yet not one of them could imagine the level of strength required to achieve such a devastating feat.
Only Larry showed an expression of pure delight, laughing heartily with relief.
"So young, named Rhodes, and yet so overwhelmingly powerful... Could it be..." Yuffie muttered softly, startled by her own speculation.
Rhodes had seemed so unremarkable—just a young man with an enormous appetite. Yuffie certainly wouldn't have associated the legendary Dragon Slayer swordsman with this youth she'd met by chance in the forest.
But with Rhodes's astonishing display of strength, and all the various factors converging, suspicion became certainty.
And then Capone Bege's words confirmed her theory completely.
"Dragon Slayer... Swordsman!"
Capone Bege slowly stood up, his face filled with barely suppressed rage. He said in a sinister tone, "Have you considered the consequences of killing one of my men?"
"Can't say I have. Why don't you show me what those consequences might be?"
Looking up at the West Blue Godfather, Rhodes spoke calmly. Although his gaze was clearly directed upward at the platform, it somehow felt condescending, making Capone Bege deeply uncomfortable.
Who was he?
The West Blue Godfather!
He was a renowned figure throughout the vast West Blue underworld, an emperor of the criminal world. Even Abu, the Vice-Commander of the Happo Navy, had to treat him with a measure of respect.
He was accustomed to looking down on others, never being looked down upon himself.
He stepped forward, landing on the stage with deliberate menace, and said coldly:
"Do you really think that just because you've made a name for yourself in Paradise, you can do whatever you want in the West Blue?"
Capone Bege was destined to become one of the Worst Generation Supernovas. His current strength might not yet match what it would be when he debuted at Sabaody Archipelago next year, but his confidence was no less formidable, and he showed no fear of the so-called Dragon Slayer.
"If you want to fight, then fight. Don't waste my time with pointless threats," Rhodes said impatiently.
If he hadn't wanted to witness the power of that Castle-Castle Fruit—which had the potential to create something like a spatial storage ring—he would have struck Bege down already.
(End of Chapter)
If you enjoyed this chapter, leave a Power Stone or Review!
P@atreon/Soulforger (45+ advanced chapters)
Buy me coffee - ko-fi*com/soulforger01