Chapter 427: Kidd Advances! Straw Hat vs. Ah Jin!

Gao Wen's eyes lit up.

He naturally knew that Zoro had advanced to Legendary.

But before they clashed, he still did not know exactly what extent Zoro could reach.

After all, the Captain System's rating was one thing, while actual combat was another.

The seas have never lacked examples of defeating the strong with weakness.

That slash Zoro just delivered was a typical example.

If Hawkeye had not reacted in time, the result of this battle would have already been rewritten.

But even though Hawkeye had already responded, he was still wounded by Zoro's slash.

That slash, which nearly split open his chest and abdomen, was extremely perilous.

However.

What Gao Wen saw more clearly was that Hawkeye... had not yet gone all out!

"Even at this level, that guy Hawkeye is still holding something back!"

"Is he coming for me?!"

The corners of Gao Wen's mouth curled up.

Gazing at the Round Table Arena, the cheers inside had continued uninterrupted from the moment Hawkeye and Zoro's battle ended until now, showing not the slightest sign of stopping.

Even standing at Gao Wen's position, one could barely hear the hoarse shouting.

And Gao Wen's gaze remained fixed on Hawkeye, who was slowly exiting the arena.

Three years had passed.

From their initial meeting in the East Blue, when Gao Wen had to rely on Hawkeye's mercy to survive.

To Sabaody Archipelago, where he wiped away past shame and pulled Hawkeye down from the throne of the World's Greatest Swordsman.

And now, the situations of the two had long since reversed.

Hawkeye, once the pursued, had become the pursuer, while Gao Wen had already become an insurmountable peak on the seas.

He naturally had the confidence to face any opponent, simply because he was the very synonym of invincibility.

"Then don't disappoint me."

Gao Wen turned his head.

Lying across the desk, Guanshi Zhengzong was silent; it had long lost its former restlessness and become incredibly steady.

"Has that man already failed to stir your fighting spirit?!"

"What a greedy fellow!"

Hum—!

A low humming sound came from the desk.

Gao Wen understood clearly.

This was Guanshi Zhengzong responding to his will.

Waiting for the one and only ultimate product that this Martial Arts Grand Prix would finally give birth to!

That opponent worthy of matching him.

The experts gathered in this Martial Arts Grand Prix were almost unparalleled in history.

The solitary Red, who stood alongside Whitebeard and Roger in the Legendary Era; the current strongest of the Four Emperors, Kaido of the Hundred Beasts; Straw Hat, the chosen one personally trained by Lei Li and Jaba, bearing the fate of the era; and the Devil's Offspring, who had completed his transformation, raising his combat power to its peak...

One powerful figure after another, each capable of suppressing an entire era, had gathered here due to the Eternal Pose of the One Piece, to compete for the title of the strongest!

Gao Wen was immensely expectant.

He wondered what kind of existence would be born when these monsters, capable of overturning an era, gathered together and fought to the death like insects in a jar.

Whether they truly possessed the strength to fight him!

The more he pondered.

The more Gao Wen looked forward to the arrival of that moment.

Round Table Arena.

After the second battle ended, the audience on site remained excited for a full ten-plus minutes before slowly calming down.

The hot blood in everyone's hearts had been ignited by that previous fight.

"Unlike Black Leg Sanji's crushing defeat of Vinsmoke Judge, the battle between Hawkeye and Roronoa truly made one's blood boil!"

"Exactly!"

"Every move and every strike were wild and domineering, even tearing apart the clouds in the sky!"

Someone looked up at the sky.

The clouds, which had originally been gradually gathering, were sliced straight down the middle, extending all the way to the limit of vision.

This was the medal of honor from that previous battle.

"To strike and cut down the sky, to tear apart the sea! Only these two are worthy of the name 'strong expert'!"

"I have already... already..."

A spectator, extremely excited, only realized upon coming to his senses that his crotch was already soaked wet.

He had lost control of his bladder.

He was so excited he had lost control of his bladder.

This should have been an extremely shameful scene, yet no one around cast a mocking glance.

This was because compared to those few unlucky souls who had just been carried away after losing consciousness due to excessive excitement causing shock, or even suffering heart attacks, he could already be considered lucky.

"Next battle!"

"The next match!"

"I think it's going to be a river of blood!"

Amidst waves of sound.

Zhan Gao drew lots publicly to decide the two sides for the next round!

"'New King' Xia Luote Katakuri vs 'Captain' Eustass Kid!"

The scene erupted in a roar once more.

Both were powerful figures who had made a name for themselves.

One was the new era's mighty power who had replaced Big Mom in controlling the kingdom and ruled the seas in recent years.

The other was the person with the highest bounty among the new generation born in the Age of Worst.

The audience present naturally looked forward to the upcoming battle with immense anticipation.

However.

At the competitors' seats.

Kid's expression appeared extremely Solemn; even his lips, thin as blades, had turned somewhat pale.

'New King' Xia Luote Katakuri.

Kid naturally knew this title and was even clearer that this man, who had climbed to power by stepping on Big Mom's shoulders, was absolutely not an existence he could contend with.

Having watched the two battles just now, having seen the top monsters clash, Kid had long since realized that this was not yet his stage!

Should he concede defeat?!

Kid bit his lips tightly.

In the moment of hesitation.

Straw Hat's palm rested on his shoulder, grinning as he said:

"You have to win, Kid!"

For some reason, the instant he saw Straw Hat's face, half of the fear in Kid's heart vanished, leaving only defiance; he shook off Straw Hat's hand:

"Before I become the Pirate King, I won't lose to anyone!"

Having said that, Kid walked toward the distant arena, his hesitation, wavering, and fear completely shattered at this moment.

Yes.

In the New World, how could an existence that didn't even believe in itself reach the highest point?

"Hey!"

Straw Hat's voice came from behind; Kid stopped in his tracks.

"If you win, do you want to become my partner!?"

Kid froze, his mouth splitting into a grin:

"I want to be the captain!"

"The captain is naturally me!"

Straw Hat picked his nose, looking utterly foolish, yet his tone was excessively firm.

Kid froze, waved his hand, and did not pursue the topic further with Straw Hat.

For this battle, he had already prepared to die in the arena!

Passing through the narrow corridor.

Quickly.

A bright light filled Kid's vision.

He stepped onto the arena, and the cheers and shouts from all sides instantly drowned him.

Sweat seeped from his palms, his heart beat like a war drum, and his entire body stirred at this moment.

It was the will to fight.

The will to fight that refused to yield even when facing a powerful enemy.

Kid took a deep breath, already prepared to bet everything, even if it was merely to leave a scar on his opponent—

However.

Time passed second by second; Kid waited for a long time, but the opponent's figure did not appear on the opposite side of the corridor.

Until the audience at the battlefield's edge began to feel somewhat puzzled, a sudden message was broadcast into everyone's ears:

"Now broadcasting a sudden announcement."

"Contestant Katakuri has temporarily decided to withdraw from the competition and has already left the Round Table Arena."

"Therefore, contestant Kid automatically advances to the quarterfinals!"

The voice fell, and the cheers in the scene were as if a pause button had been pressed, but they soon became fervent once more.