One Piece Gunslinger

This means it's time to choose sides; these two behemoths are probably going to start fighting soon.

As expected of the original storyline, Gazu embellished Luffy and his crew's actions, stirring up emotions and rallying the entire nation to oppose the Donquixote Family. He had an incredibly accurate eye for people and was very decisive in choosing sides, already siding with Luffy even when the Donquixote Family still held all the advantages.

In truth, Gaz had spent his entire life working in the arena, and during that time he had long since grown to dislike the Donquixote Family's ways. However, due to his lack of strength, he had always remained obedient to the Donquixote Family.

Now he was presented with an opportunity to curry favor with a powerful figure, an opportunity to re-align himself with another side, so naturally he should do something. He immediately followed up on Jack's words, saying, "Since Miss Rebecca already possesses, or will possess, that kind of powerful strength, what about her kindness? Is it based on her consistent non-killing fighting style? Perhaps we can assume that if she had learned other fighting methods, then this wouldn't hold true."

This statement, seemingly a questioning of Jack, actually laid the groundwork for Jack's subsequent remarks, preventing his explanation from being too abrupt. It was practically giving Jack a helping hand.

Jack noticed this and kept it in mind: "This is a talent; I'll give him credit when we get back."

However, Gaz's subtle assist was also noticed by Diamanti, who thought, "This is a talent; I'll give him credit when we get back."

Gaz played that trick really well.

Then Jack continued talking about what happened when he first met Rebecca in the square: "That's a good question, and perhaps it's a question in everyone's mind. So I'll tell you about a past experience."

……

So, a citizen of Dressrosa, corrupted by the spirit of the arena, has become cunning and treacherous. But isn't it proof of kindness that a so-called sinner can help a complete stranger like myself?

"Therefore, Rebecca possesses both qualities, making her a truly great gladiator!"

After holding it in for so long, Jack finally revealed his final conclusion.

Chapter 253 Victory

Now, not only the numerous spectators, but even Rebecca herself was stunned. She hadn't expected Jack's words to always seem to make some sense, and after listening for a while, she had come to the conclusion that "Rebecca is the last vestige of conscience among the gladiators."

"What are you talking about? How could I possibly..." Rebecca quickly tugged at Jack's sleeve and whispered.

Before she could finish speaking, Jack interrupted her: "You can do it. I believe you will become the greatest gladiator in the future." Then he patted Rebecca's head again to comfort her.

This time, not only did it hurt his hands, but it also stained his shiny helmet with blood, making Jack a little embarrassed.

To ease the awkwardness, Jack continued, "Everything in the present breeds the future, and everything in the future grows from its yesterday. Hope, and fight for it; put all of this on your shoulders."

These are the last two lines of Shu Ting's "This Is Also Everything," and Jack felt that they were most fitting to be used to describe Rebecca.

Jack's words had a huge impact on the audience in the stands, causing them to question the meaning of life.

"Could it be that we were wrong all along? Chasing after this thrill of bloodshed, watching each other kill each other—I wasn't like this back then."

"Now that I think about it, when I was a child, my father was still alive and he brought me to the arena to watch the gladiators' exciting duels. But now? I don't even dare to bring my children to the arena anymore."

"Yeah, I think I remember now. There was a really powerful gladiator back then, who was also proficient in all kinds of fighting styles, including the Backwater Sword Dance. But I can't remember what he looked like or his name. Huh? I really admired him when I was a kid. How come I can't remember him?"

……

Such voices rose and fell, constantly echoing from the audience.

Even Gaz, disregarding the Donquixote Family at this point, decisively chose to kick them while they were down: "It's truly moving. Just thinking about the gladiatorial arena from so long ago brings tears to my eyes. The figures of the gladiators fighting on the ring back then seem so vivid in my mind—their agile figures, their fighting spirit. After so many years, thinking about it again has inspired me. I remembered my dream of becoming an arena commentator back then, just so I could see the charm of these warriors fighting every day. That's the true embodiment of passion in Dressrosa."

When Jack saw Gaz getting emotional again for him, he knew that Gaz had obviously recognized his identity, otherwise he wouldn't be going to such lengths to help him.

It seems that Gaz, as a commentator who has witnessed two regime changes, is still living a comfortable life, which shows he does indeed have some extraordinary foresight. Based on this one sentence alone, the Revolutionary Army will definitely need him to continue being the arena commentator.

Diamanti had no good solution to this, and when he saw that Gaz had also sided with Jack, his face turned ashen, like an African refugee.

Ghaz had no reason to retaliate, since everything he was saying was the truth, and he was saying it to appease the public.

In the hearts of these citizens, Doflamingo has always been seen as a wise and benevolent ruler, deeply loved by all. If word got out about what happened here, his image would instantly collapse. Therefore, he had no choice but to take the blame, and in the end, he was reprimanded by Doflamingo and temporarily removed from his position as a senior executive.

Unless Sugar turns all these people into toys, we cannot attack these civilians.

Diamanti then vented all her anger on Jack, saying that if it weren't for Jack, things wouldn't be like this now.

This was the second time Diamanti had regretted it today, but if he had just ignored everything and grabbed Jack directly, there wouldn't have been so much trouble; it would have just been taking the blame. Now, the blame he was taking was much greater than if he had just forced his way in.

But with things having come to this point, Diamanti had no better options at the moment and could only shout, "Are you done talking? Hurry up and finish the fight!" Diamanti was now like a gambler who had lost everything, acting like a madman.

This sound also interrupted the audience's reminiscence and Gaz's emotional outburst.

In his mind, even if Jack had the upper hand now, he would still have to face this serious problem in the end. If Jack wanted to run away with Rebecca, then Diamanti would have something to say. What great gladiator, what respect for the sacred duel, he himself was a coward, and all that Jack said could be treated as nonsense.

As for Jack actually completing the duel and personally killing Rebecca, Diamanti quickly dismissed the thought after a quick mental scan. Did that mean all of Jack's previous efforts were just a joke?

As soon as Diamanti finished speaking, he instructed the others to scatter the officers so that they could capture Jack no matter where he tried to escape from.

Seeing Diamanti's actions, Gaz knew that Diamanti was about to make a move. This was a serious matter. Gaz planned to join the revolutionary camp in the future. If he let a revolutionary cadre be caught by the Don Quixote family and did nothing, not only would he be held accountable later, but he himself would also feel guilty.

Gaz quickly gripped the megaphone again, his brain racing, trying to find an excuse for Jack to escape.

However, Jack hadn't considered this aspect. He'd already put on a show; how could he run away? While running away after putting on a show might be exciting, in Jack's view, if he ran, the show wouldn't be complete; it would only be half-finished.

So you can't run away, you have to confront them.

However, Jack didn't think he could take on five people by himself, especially since these five were all combatants among the Don Quixote Family's executives, each of them capable fighters.

Unable to win in a fight, and unwilling to run, Jack immediately spoke up after Diamanti finished speaking: "Why do you always think I'll run away? Is it because you don't trust others that you can't be a gladiator? I said I'd finish this fight, and I definitely will. Although I'm not great, standing here makes me a gladiator."

Jack seized every opportunity to belittle Diamanti, hoping to infuriate him.

Jack's next move surprised everyone even more.

He patted Rebecca on the shoulder and said to her, "My mission is to protect you, and now this mission is just one last little bit of work away from completion."

Then he shouted loudly to the crowd of citizens in the stands: "Today, I have conveyed these words and told you what sacred gladiatorial combat is. Now it is my turn to demonstrate it myself. I will not defile Rebecca's pure hands."

Why does this sound so strange?

The question had barely formed in everyone's minds when Jack immediately answered it with his actions.

After saying that, Jack gripped the hilt of the knife with both hands upside down, turning the entire scimitar upside down, as if pointing the blade at himself.

"Stop! No!" Rebecca was terrified. She never expected that such a kind-hearted man, a man she had only met once, would sacrifice himself to save her.

The audience gasped in surprise, never expecting Jack to have this as his final plan.

Then Jack shouted, "For the arena! For the sacred gladiatorial combat!"

He then pierced the curved blade through his abdomen, staggered two steps, and fell into the pool.

Rebecca rushed over, trying to grab Jack's hand and pull him back, but of course, she grabbed nothing. Jack's lips moved slightly. Rebecca, who was closest, only heard a faint voice: "This way, I've repaid your kindness."

Then people only saw a violent sound underwater, followed by some blood floating to the surface, and then there was no more sound.

"No!" Rebecca just lay there by the ring, her hand outstretched in a daze.

It wasn't just Rebecca who cried out; it was a cry of grief uttered by everyone in the arena the moment Jack fell into the water. Many, including Gaz, wept bitterly.

However, these people weren't the ones screaming the most desperately; that scream came from Diamante. His cry of "No!" was powerful and resounding, almost reaching the heavens, and even Doflamingo on King's Heroes could hear it.

Of course, this wasn't Diamante grieving for Jack's death, but rather lamenting for her own tragic future.

First, let's leave aside what happened before; he definitely has to take the blame for that. But if they can catch Jack, they can atone for their crimes.

But Jack gave him no chance at all; he showed off and then died, even using death to show off. No one could have predicted that.

That's not all, because something even more serious is about to happen.

Gaz wiped away his tears immediately. He knew that he had to make the announcement now, and Jack's life could not have been sacrificed in vain.

"With the last opponent falling into the water, only Rebecca remains on the field. I hereby announce..."

Diamanti also became agitated upon hearing this: "Shut up!!"

Then he leaped forward, about to rush towards Gaz and stop him from saying those words.

However, Diamanti's plan ultimately failed. Just as he jumped into the air, a man dressed as a baby suddenly rushed out, grabbed him, and slammed him heavily onto the stands.

"What are you doing, Señor? Do you want to betray the family?" Diamanti roared angrily.

“But you look too ugly, Lord Diamanti. Since you made a promise, you must keep it, just like that person before. That’s what a real man does.”

Despite Señor's interference, Gaz managed to shout out the rest of his statement: "I declare Rebecca the winner! And she will receive the prize for this gladiatorial contest, thus shedding her criminal status!"

Chapter 254 The Cicada Sheds Its Shell

Gaz's shouts echoed through the arena, and Diamanti slammed his fist on the ground in frustration.

He knew there was truly no turning back now. He had never escaped Jack's trap from beginning to end. Perhaps some people could have imagined that Jack would choose to sacrifice himself for righteousness, but these Don Quixote family members could never have foreseen this.

That's just the limitation of the pirate class. They were in a certain environment, and they benefited from that environment, so naturally they were also subject to that environment.

Diamante and even Doflamingo were like fools who were played for a fool. They had meticulously planned for so long, but in the end, they all benefited others.

In fact, Violet Carra witnessed everything that happened in the arena, even though Doflamingo had promised her that he would only use Rebecca to lure out the toy soldiers and that they would not be harmed.

She was still worried, of course. This was her eldest niece, one of the few remaining bloodlines in the family; who could be at ease with that? So she used her ability to focus on the wonders within the arena.

Of course, Violet also witnessed what Jack had done.

I saw him confront the Don Quixote family executives without fear in order to rescue Rebecca, and I saw him preaching in the ring to revive the fallen spirit of the arena.

Seeing Jack stab himself and fall into the water, Violet's heart, which had grown accustomed to despair, was once again violently stirred.

Is this what it means to be uncompromising? Is this what it means to never give in? Violet couldn't help but recall the letter Jack had written to her before. For a goal, to uphold a belief, he was even willing to sacrifice his life.

That's right, that's exactly the kind of person Jack is. Coward? Not a chance. Run? Impossible. Today, Jack is going to confront all your schemes head-on!

You were trying to lure out the toy soldiers, weren't you? No way, the toy soldiers didn't come, I came alone.

You fucking wanted to put Rebecca in danger, didn't you? No way! I protected her perfectly well, and she didn't get hurt in the end.

You were trying to exploit Rebecca's criminal status, weren't you? Sorry, she's innocent now.

You wanted to use the arena to accomplish all this, didn't you? Now I'm telling you, I am the true master of the arena.

You fucking don't want to...

Jack thwarted everything Doflamingo and the Donquixote Family wanted to do or achieve, demonstrating his head-on approach. Knowing full well the dangers, he still ventured into the lion's den, and ultimately succeeded.

Sure enough, 80% of his power was in his verbal sparring; he wasn't just talking nonsense. Not only the general public and Gaz, but even Señor eventually sided with Jack.

"You bastard, do you know how much damage this has done to the family's interests?" Diamanti stood up, drew his sword, and pointed it at Señor on the other side.

Hey, it was clearly his own fault for not discovering Jack's plot. Señor only intervened at the last minute to stop Diamanti from doing something undignified.

As a result, Diamanti is now completely ignoring all of this and has started to shirk responsibility haphazardly.

"Hmph, if I did anything wrong, I will take responsibility for whatever punishment Doflamingo gives me when we get back. But as a man of the Kamui Prison, I simply cannot break my promise. Just like that guy from earlier, I have to keep my promise, even if it costs me my life."

Although Señor was dressed in baby clothes, he actually had more presence than Diamanti.