Settsetse! The Pirate Nemesis

"Do nothing."

Robin said, "Whatever Yamato wants to do in Armor City is his own business. As long as it's not illegal and he has enough money, then everything will be fine. Whether it's culture, technology, or power, Armor City has plenty of resources. I think with the wealth of the Sea Emperor, supporting a young girl shouldn't be a problem, right?"

Despite saying that, Robin was certain that Yamato would join the arena... not only because she was Kaido's daughter, but more importantly because Yamato herself longed for the identity of a samurai.

Based on this, regardless of whether Yamato is absorbed into the Force City faction, Yamato's existence can bring huge profits to Force City.

Silence fell over the area. After a long while, the white-bearded man spoke up, "I can accept this condition... but I have one request: that my family stay here. That way, some despicable person won't be able to kidnap them!"

Although he didn't say who it was, Whitebeard's eyes didn't bother to hide his true feelings.

In response, Kaido scoffed coldly, "I should be the one saying that, so that some guys won't try to sway my good-for-nothing son!"

Although not explicitly stated, both of them understood the situation perfectly well. Rather than arguing right now about who Yamato should go back with, the best option was to place Yamato in a safe location first. They could then consider bringing Yamato over once the conflict between the two factions had completely subsided.

Otherwise, this conflict will never end.

At first, Sett was quite interested in listening to the discussion. But as the conversation went on, his expression turned to one of boredom.

"What... you're not playing anymore? Don't be such a spoilsport!"

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I got bumped by a car while walking on the street... I might be a bit busy for a while.

298. The cause of the white-bearded man's illness

Although the matter of Yamato may seem to have come to an end, it is actually just the beginning.

The very next day, news of the conflict between the two Sea Emperors at Armored Castle spread throughout the entire sea at an unimaginable speed. News of Wano Country also spread far and wide…

Before this, although the people on the sea knew that Wano Country was Kaido's territory, they didn't know exactly how Kaido had conquered it. Now, people not only know how Kaido occupied Wano Country, but more importantly, they also know that Kaido actually has a son... well, a son with a D-cup.

After resting for about three days, and once all the participants had recovered from their injuries and regained their strength, the elimination rounds for the top 36 officially began. Although three days had passed, the excitement surrounding the events involving the two Sea Emperors' fleets had not diminished; in fact, it seemed to be escalating.

After all, Whitebeard had shouted in front of everyone, "Kill the Beasts Pirates' participating officers!" In other words, what awaited everyone next was not a showy exchange or training, but a real killing spree.

Of course, as the organizer, Robin couldn't allow the match to actually escalate into a deathmatch. All the referees had been replaced with armored riot police officers. Once a winner was declared the victor, they would immediately enter the arena to stop the fighting and killing…

Ultimately, not everyone craves bloodshed like Sett. More often than not, people's inner violence stops at a passionate brawl rather than a bloody massacre... Thugs are always a minority, and Sett is an even smaller minority.

They're the most thuggish of thugs!

Sett has never hidden his passion for violence, including now. Although the match has already begun, Sett hasn't arrived; instead, he's staying in his mansion room watching the murderous intent brewing between Whitebeard and Kaido.

"The white-bearded man is old."

Sett stroked his chin, a hint of annoyance in his eyes.

Meanwhile, lying on the bed, still covered in sweat, Robin glanced at Sett beside her, whose body was radiating energy, and a hint of helplessness rose in her eyes—Sett's physical strength was clearly beyond what Robin's level could handle.

Frustrated at not having had a proper fight, Sett decided to engage in several days of relentless battles with Robin and Tina. Such a relentless, relentless fighting would have left most people bloodied and battling. Unfortunately for Sett, his reserves of energy were beyond imagination; no matter how well-coordinated their attacks or how sophisticated their tactics, they ultimately suffered a crushing defeat.

Now, with the start of the match, Sett has shifted his attention to Whitebeard and the others... This might be misunderstood.

But Robin didn't pay too much attention to it. He just rubbed his stomach, got up, wrapped himself tightly in the blanket, and looked at the screen on TV.

“Whitebeard is already sixty-four years old today, he probably hasn’t reached his peak yet, right?” Robin said while carefully drinking water. “According to the research of the Gachi team, monsters of the Sea Emperor level should be able to extend their peak period to at least eighty years or more.”

“That’s only under the best-case scenario.” Sett shook his head and said, “Although I don’t know Whitebeard very well, he definitely has a lot of internal injuries… Even if he’s maintained his strength with his powerful body, the defects in his internal organs are irreparable.”

"...What do you mean?" Robin was puzzled—as a fellow practitioner of physical combat, Robin could understand many things that Tina couldn't comprehend. But right now, all Robin felt was bewilderment.

“If he continues to grow, Whitebeard will die immediately,” Sett said. “His organs have reached their limit; they are riddled with wounds. It’s like walking on a knife’s edge; the slightest misstep will cause his internal organs to overload due to the body’s energy consumption…”

"What about artificial organs?"

Robin, who was standing nearby, said thoughtfully, "Didn't Dr. Bone from Piltover say that artificial Hextech organs are possible?"

Upon hearing Robin's words, Sett pondered for a moment, but ultimately shook his head—Hextech organs were indeed achievable. In fact, this world itself already possessed all sorts of androids that had evolved to such an extent. And in the lore of League of Legends, Camille, the Grey Lady of Piltover, and others survived only because of Hextech hearts.

However, the Hextech Heart merely provided Camille's body with new power, slowing down her growth. Whether she truly survives depends on Viktor's mechanical ascension.

“Whitebeard’s internal injuries are not from a single organ, but from the whole body,” Sett said. “Moreover, the technology for artificial Hextech organs is still in its infancy. Even if it is based on the existing prosthetic technology, it will take at least twenty years before it can be officially implemented… Whitebeard will not live to see that day. Even if he does live to see that day, by then his body will not be able to withstand a long organ transfer surgery.”

Since ancient times, beauties and famous generals have not been allowed to grow old in the human world.

Looking at Whitebeard, Sett's eyes were filled with regret.

Meanwhile, after a moment of thought, Robin quickly realized why Sett had so cleanly and decisively given up on his conflict with Kaido and Whitebeard... This question had actually troubled Robin for a long time, but she hadn't had the chance to ask it because of the long three-way tug-of-war with Sett and Tina.

And now, it seems there's no need to ask anymore… Having spent so much time together, Robin knows Sett's personality and preferences inside and out. Robin understands perfectly well that Sett simply doesn't want anyone else to spoil the fun during this bloody, deadly battle…

Sett can accept defeat—but Sett cannot accept meaningless battles. Like his previous rampage, or when someone else suddenly interferes in the middle of a fight, disrupting the "two-person world" called a deathmatch.

Is it because of Kaido?

Thinking this, Robin nodded. Looking at Sett's broad back, which felt like a fortress providing a strong sense of security, a smile appeared on Robin's lips: "Watching the game? Want me to get some drinks?"

"No need." Sett shook his head and looked at Robin with amusement.

"This level of combat is like child's play."

Feeling Sett's gaze, Robin shook her head with a mixture of helplessness and joy, then continued with renewed vigor and determination—

As everyone knows, a person's stamina increases as they recover after exhaustion. And in this constant cycle of exhaustion and recovery, Robin's fighting ability is increasing at a rapid pace—but to give herself precious breathing room to recover, Robin decides to call Tina over to help her out.

Unfortunately, due to her lack of physical training, Tina often lost early, forcing Robin, who had only recovered halfway, to fight prematurely. Whenever the sisters reviewed their matches, Tina could only evade the question by saying something like, "I really did try to hold back!"

However, because there was no video recording, most of the time these cases remained unsolved and were left unresolved...

Compared to the passionate lovemaking in the room, the battles in the arena were undoubtedly far more intense—yes, fierce battles.

The first match was the highly anticipated clash between the Whitebeard Pirates and the Kaido Pirates. Even more importantly, the Whitebeard Pirates' participant was Marco, the first division commander—possessing a rare Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit. Marco's strength was undeniable, and no one on the sea dared to underestimate him.

Marco's opponent is Black Maria, one of the Flying Six of the Beasts Pirates, 19 years old, with a bounty of 300 million Berries, and from Wano Country.

She was towering, already an astonishing 6.5 meters tall at only nineteen years old, even taller than Sett. Considering her age, her future height would be at least nine meters, or even ten meters. She was alluring and seductive, with meticulously styled blonde hair, and her enormous breasts, amplified by her size, could easily crush a normal person.

Let alone ordinary people, even a three-meter-tall man standing in front of Black Maria would look like a child driving a large vehicle. Given that height, Sett once considered Black Maria to be the legendary "eight-foot-tall man" of Wano Country... at the very least, a prototype of him.

She has a pair of fleshy horns on her head and wears an off-the-shoulder kimono in the style of Wano Country. If you don't consider her height, she looks more like a geisha.

Entering the arena, Black Maria's gaze was filled with solemnity—although she was one of the six strongest fighters in the Beasts Pirates, one of the Flying Six, Black Maria was well aware of her own strength. As a Zoan-type Devil Fruit user, specifically the Ancient Zoan type, Rose Tarantula form, Black Maria's combat techniques far surpassed those of ordinary executives.

She possesses a wide range of skills, including but not limited to physical combat, mental attacks, webs, poison, and fire. Even so, Black Maria has absolutely no confidence when facing a renowned powerhouse like Marco… Even considering his carelessness and numerous coincidences, Black Maria can only concede a 20% chance of victory.

It's important to understand that while the Whitebeard Pirates didn't have a specific concept of "High-Ranking Officers," the other Emperors of the Sea were ranked according to the various positions established by the Whitebeard Pirates based on their strength. The High-Ranking Officers of the Beasts Pirates were corresponding to the three strongest members of the Whitebeard Pirates besides Whitebeard himself: Marco the Phoenix, Diamond Jozu, and Vista the Flower Sword.

In contrast, the Flying Six are comparable to other mid-level executives like Sachi and Kingsbone... Under these circumstances, Black Maria has absolutely no confidence in facing Marco.

Putting everything else aside, Marco is already invincible simply because of his ability to fly and his immortality... and in a deadly battle, Black Maria doesn't even know how she survived Marco's heavy blows...

Seemingly sensing Black Maria's thoughts, Marco scratched his head and said casually, "I might have to let Dad down today... Don't worry, I won't kill you."

Marco's words elicited gasps of surprise from the crowd. Amidst the discussions, some speculated that Marco was opposing Whitebeard's decision to launch a war for an outsider.

Even Whitebeard was puzzled as to why Marco would say such a thing—but before anyone could think further, Marco continued, "It would be a waste to kill you now and be eliminated... I'm going to kill your big shots. Consider you a small fry as interest. We'll prove with our strength that the Whitebeard Pirates aren't just anyone to mess with! Kaido!!"

As Marco finished speaking, he turned his gaze towards Kaido's seat in the VIP section at the top of the room. In the same room, Whitebeard, having heard Marco's words, let out a boastful laugh. He showed no displeasure whatsoever at Marco's decision to show mercy… To kill those big shots and let these small fry go? Isn't that great!

Compared to Whitebeard's exhilaration, Kaido's expression darkened visibly... or perhaps, Kaido knew very well that Marco was determined to collect this interest.

Kaido knew perfectly well Black Maria's strength; Maria's chances of winning were less than one in ten...

Thinking this, Kaido glanced indifferently at Whitebeard, who was laughing arrogantly to the side, and simply snorted – collecting interest, who can't do that? Kaido had full confidence in King's strength!

In contrast, Charlotte Linlin, an older woman, remained aloof, seemingly watching the drama unfold. Though she appeared to be a spectator, no one knew what she was truly thinking.

As the starting signal sounded, the one-sided battle officially began. Although the outcome was already decided, Black Maria, still believing she had a 20% chance of winning, launched a desperate resistance and fierce counterattack. Although she couldn't inflict any effective damage on Marco, the raging flames and powerful offensive made the people of this sea realize once again the strength wielded by the officers of a top-tier pirate crew.

Even a girl like Black Maria, who is only nineteen years old, six and a half meters tall, with a D-cup bust and the strength to pull a willow tree upside down and lift a cauldron with one hand, possesses an overwhelming dominance over the first half of the Grand Line...

The final result was nothing more than Black Maria's miserable defeat—but even so, no one felt disappointed. On the contrary, the vast majority of people felt an unprecedented surge of excitement after witnessing such a high-level battle.

Except for Sett—he remains strong and powerful.

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Regular updates will resume tomorrow...

299·Challenge Whitebeard (1/3)

It was early morning, the day of the competition. But surprisingly, not only was Sett absent, but even Whitebeard was nowhere to be seen. This surprised the participants—though it wasn't entirely incomprehensible.

After all, today's main participants are Charlotte Linlin's DigiO Pirates and other pirate crews with relatively average reputations, such as Shanks.

Seeing that Whitebeard was not there, Kaido snorted coldly. But he didn't say anything else.

Meanwhile, on the other side, a sailboat arrived off the coast of Arms City. Following the ocean currents, they reached a rocky island, led by a fish-man navigator. He navigated underwater, occasionally surfacing to indicate their next direction.

"What are we doing here all of a sudden? We're already over seventy nautical miles from Armor City, aren't we?"

Marco raised his hand to shield his eyes and looked around at the boundless sea, his gaze filled with a hint of doubt.

Just last night, a letter arrived from the City of Arms—the contents of which Marco and the others knew nothing of. All they knew was that Whitebeard's expression immediately turned grave upon seeing it. A moment later, a hint of amusement flickered in his eyes, and he then chose to leave the City of Arms and come to this rocky island.

Is this a challenge? Is it part of Kaido's scheme? Marco wasn't quite sure. He wanted to ask Whitebeard, but Whitebeard didn't seem inclined to answer, simply summoning everyone here.

A moment later, a swallowing sound came from the reef.

Following the sound, I found myself surrounded by rising flames and piles of gnawed bones and large barrels of beer beside Sett.

As they wolfed down their food, enough to feed dozens of people, it was visibly reduced to scraps at a rapid pace, until only leftovers remained.

Seemingly hearing the sound behind him, Sett paused slightly in his chewing, then turned around and grinned when he saw Whitebeard. Completely unconcerned about his luxurious clothes, he wiped the grease from his mouth with a smooth silk cloth and casually said, "Not bad~ I thought you weren't coming back!"

"Hmph, I am Whitebeard!" Hearing Sett's arrogant words, Whitebeard's lips curled into a smile: "In fact, I want to see for myself just how much the person who stole my title of 'World's Strongest' really is!!"

Hearing Whitebeard and Sett's words, even Marco, who was usually slow to react, sensed that something was amiss.

He glanced at Sett and his father behind him with a mixture of doubt and wariness, then quickly asked, "Wait... what happened?"

Sett didn't hide anything from this, saying frankly, "A challenge... To be honest, I'm just too kind-hearted. I can't stand seeing an old person slowly aging and heading towards their grave in front of me."

"So I decided to beat them up before they even had a chance to fight back."

Upon hearing Sett's words, Marco's gaze sharpened, and flames of resurrection surged around him. The other officers of the Whitebeard Pirates also assumed fighting stances. Whitebeard, carrying his Murakumogiri, stepped out from the group's protection, casually and confidently declaring, "You all stay out of the way! Don't interfere in our battle!"

“But Father!” Upon hearing this, Marco said with a hint of fear and seriousness in his eyes, “If Armored Castle and Kaido join forces…”

"That only proves he's just an ordinary guy!!!"

Before Marco could finish speaking, Whitebeard burst into laughter, saying, "Don't underestimate the ocean's capacity—if that's the case, then I'm even less likely to lose!! I am Whitebeard!!!"