How can I become the Pirate King if you don’t work hard?.

Chapter 444 The Four Emperors' Reign Ends, the World Becomes a Bipolar World!
late at night.

Somewhere in the New World.

The ocean currents are strong.

As far as the eye can see, there is only the deepest darkness, like a ferocious beast with its jaws wide open, ready to devour the entire world.

On a deserted island, only faint lights could be seen.

Crack!
The firewood burned, producing a crisp popping sound.

A disheveled Crocodile sat expressionlessly by the fire, surrounded by his men who had escaped with him.

He looked around, his gaze sweeping over the pale, bewildered faces.

Only then did he realize that the companions following him were still members of the Baroque Works from Alabasta.

Sasha, MR-4 Beb, Dorophy, MR-5 Jem...

Those Impel Down prisoners whom Crocodile considered his elite backbone, upon realizing the vast disparity in strength between the enemy and his own forces during the battle, did not hesitate to betray him.

They either fled with the Cross Society's assets, or immediately knelt before the being known as the King, begging only for a chance to survive.

Integrity? Dignity?
For pirates, that's the most meaningless thing.

Crocodile's ambitious Crusade, which he had planned for many years, was annihilated without making a ripple in the face of Im's almost catastrophic power.

This was an absolute difference in power. Even Crocodile was somewhat desperate at this moment, and he didn't even pay attention to the bowl of hot soup that Sasha offered him.

"President, no matter what, we need to eat something first so we'll have the strength to take revenge."

It wasn't until Sasha called out to him that Crocodile belatedly looked up at the people in front of him.

What met my eyes were faces that were disheveled, but not desperate.

"That's right!"

"President, no matter what, we're here!"

Marianu forced herself to look up at Crocodile with hope in her eyes, but how could she possibly hide the confusion and fear in them from Crocodile?
MR-4 sat quietly to one side, just as it always had, awaiting Crocodile's orders.

He wasn't smart, and his fighting ability was far inferior to that of the monsters in the new world.

But he possessed something that Crocodile had never experienced, or rather, something he once had but had abandoned.

loyalty.

“That’s right, Captain, we also need to build an ideal world, I…”

MR-4 was unusually shy, an expression that clashed sharply with his bulky body and the huge baseball bat behind him, making him look somewhat comical.

But Crocodile couldn't laugh; he listened quietly to what MR-4 had to say.

"I want to open a pizza shop, hehe~~~"

"Hahahaha~"

"What a wonderful dream!"

Perhaps out of despair, the group lowered their guard and, without hesitation, exposed their vulnerable side to their companions.

"I! I! I want to become a world-renowned painter!"

Mariano was overjoyed.

MR-5, who had been silent all along, finally spoke up:
"As for me... I'd probably like to become a firefighter?!"

"what?!"

Everyone was slightly taken aback, somewhat surprised.

After all, MR-5 is a user of the Bomb-Bomb Fruit, and anything on his body can cause an explosion, making him practically a walking arsonist.

This person's dream is to become a firefighter?

"Nice dream."

Crocodile nodded to him, feeling a sensation he had never experienced before from the people before him.

I cannot fall.

If I fall, they will absolutely not be able to survive in the new world on their own.

Crocodile reached into his pocket and pulled out a deformed cigar, lit it, took a deep drag, and his expression returned to its original calm and composure.

As he sipped his hot soup, he pondered his next move.

"With the Crusades destroyed, the remaining remnants are unlikely to amount to much, and they will face a double crushing blow from the Navy and the World Government."

"Without the protection of a sufficiently powerful force, they would either perish at sea or spend the rest of their lives in Impel Down."

"And the forced breach of Impel Down was just a low-probability event caused by the convergence of various factors."

“It may not be possible to reproduce this again for decades, no, for hundreds of years.”

Crocodile quietly analyzed the situation at sea.

We must find a way to make a living for those around us.

"The era of the Four Emperors has ended, and from now on this sea will only have two poles."

"The World Government's control over the ocean, though far less than it once was, still retains its formidable power and remains an almost unshakeable mountain."

"Britannias possesses the New World, and the knight Gawain is unparalleled in combat, rarely encountering an opponent on the seas. His Knights of the Round Table are the most powerful monsters on the seas."

"The future hegemon will emerge from either of these two forces!"

"If they don't make a decision soon, Sasha and the others will only face endless pursuit."

“The World Government will definitely not tolerate me. Katakuri has to face the World Government and also be wary of the Beasts. He can hardly protect himself. Hawkeye is used to going it alone, so he can’t be relied on either.”

"Given the current situation, I only have one path left to take, it's really..."

How ironic!

Crocodile sighed.

He naturally realized that his best option at the moment was undoubtedly Britannia.

Even in Britannias, a land teeming with monsters and where powerful figures are treated like dogs, and only emperors can truly tremble, he managed to thrive thanks to his intelligence and combat prowess.

But the thought of having to bow down to that man...

Crocodile felt nothing but unspeakable resentment.

All those bold words he uttered when he was arrested have now become boomerangs that have struck him hard.

"Tch..."

"Who would bow down to that monster?!"

……

"President!"

Mariannu called out softly, and Crocodile looked up.

MR-4 was standing in the distance, clumsily adjusting the camera in his hands. He was so anxious that his face turned red. It took him several minutes to finally get it working properly.

"1, 2, 3!"

"eggplant!"

Click——!
Amidst cheers from the crowd.

A slightly warm photograph emerged from below the camera.

After everyone jokingly passed the photo around, it eventually ended up in Crocodile's hands. He glanced at it and his lips twitched uncontrollably.

In the photo, Crocodile is surrounded by a crowd, his face showing some confusion and bewilderment, completely lacking the gloomy aura of a powerful underworld figure he once was.

"Ha ha ha ha--!"

"This is the first time I've seen the boss make such an expression. I don't care, this photo is mine!"

Mariano snatched the photo from Crocodile's hand, and the others, naturally unwilling to accept this, playfully swarmed forward.

The area around the campfire was filled with the sounds of people playing and laughing.

The crimson firelight illuminated Crocodile's face, softening his usually gloomy and menacing features.

"Fine, I'll just have to back down then, anyway..."

"It's not the first time."

……

"Ah!"

Britannias.

Gawain sneezed, wondering which unlucky person was secretly cursing him. After confirming that there was nothing unusual around him, he focused his attention on what they were talking about.

His face also became more serious.

"You really want to do this?!" Kro frowned, unusually questioning Gawain's decision.

"I'm not worried about you losing the battle."

"What I'm worried about is the World Government. They will definitely not let such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity pass them by, and they will surely take action."

"even……"

“It is not impossible for the disaster to repeat itself two years ago.”

"You must know that you now carry not only your own will, but also the entirety of Britannias."

"If you suffer any mishap, even the slightest weakness, the World Government will launch an attack with the utmost resolve!"

Robin, standing to the side, couldn't help but try to dissuade him as well:
"Lucci's side secretly sent back intelligence earlier."

"Although the World Government forbids him from accessing the CP organization's intelligence system, even the slightest clues learned by chance can lead to deductions."

"For the World Government, the biggest adversary is no longer the Four Emperors of the New World or the Crusaders, but you!"

"Captain, your strength, and Britannias' war potential, are already incredibly close to the limits that the World Government can withstand!"

"The Four Emperors are a thing of the past. What is now visible in the world is actually a bipolar world order."

"Britannias is one pole, but the real source of deterrence is still you!"

"Therefore, think thrice before making any decision!"

Fujitora sat to one side, quietly stroking the Yakuza Fireline in his hand, his expression solemn.

Barrett leaned against the windowsill, closed his eyes, but could still feel the flame gradually burning within his heart.

"Of course I understand that."

Gao Wen nodded, his eyes filled with determination, clearly unmoved by their words.

But more importantly, he had been feeling uneasy all this time.

Something must have happened in this world, but the whole world's attention is focused on the martial arts tournament, and no one can see the undercurrents surging beneath the surface!

Gao Wen understood.

This is the premonition of an impending crisis after mastering Observation Haki to a high level!
If we're a step too slow...

Perhaps even with my strength, there is no possibility of turning the tide!
"I have a feeling."

"This World Martial Arts Tournament may be my last chance to glimpse the realm of mythology."

“If we can’t get through this, we won’t have another chance, and Britannias will never have another.”

Kuro and Robin looked up almost simultaneously, realizing the weight of Gawain's words.

After a long silence.

Kro slowly began to speak:

"Forget it, this isn't the first or second time you've acted recklessly. Maybe the outcome won't be as bad as we imagine."

Robin stood silently behind Gawain, offering no further advice.

call--!
outside the window.

The sea breeze howled, and lightning flashed.

The warm currents blowing from the inner sea of ​​Britannias met the cold air from the open sea, unsurprisingly creating an unprecedented storm.

This time, even Nami's Cloud-Cloud Fruit ability couldn't stop it.

Human power can only interfere with the general trend of the universe to a certain extent, but cannot truly control it.

But Gawain is different.

He looked up at the sky outside the window, a wide grin spreading across his face. A frenzied, domineering aura surged from his entire body, defying the prevailing trend and soaring upwards, instantly tearing apart the dark clouds that shrouded Camelot!

Golden light, like a sword, pierced through the dark clouds and shone once more upon the land of Camelot.

Buena Festa, who was just about to announce the postponement of the martial arts tournament's quarterfinals, seemed to sense something and turned to look out the window.

His eyes held astonishment, shock, and, most importantly, the burning flames of ambition!
"Has the captain... made a move?!"

"To be able to alter the celestial phenomena of a country so easily—even those with special abilities would find it difficult to do so!"

"As expected of the strongest monster in eight hundred years."

Buena Festa exclaimed in admiration, then focused his attention on the documents in his hands, his eyes filled with even more awe.

I have an insane awe of that man!
"It is the most insane existence in eight hundred years!"

"The change in the martial arts tournament format will bring this grand event to its climax, and Lao Tzu's dream will become a reality at this moment."

"Ha ha ha ha--!"

……

The next day.

Sunny weather.

The salty sea breeze blew into the Camelot Arena.

In this city, apart from the contestants, director Buena Festa, and host Zango, everyone else has been moved by Gawain in advance.

The previous quarterfinals have already proven this.

The battles between these world's strongest monsters are so intense that even standing outside the arena, let alone inside the Round Table, one might be outmatched.

Hundreds of video Den Den Mushi (snail phones) transmitted images of the Colosseum from various angles and heights to locations around the world.

As Zango stood on the stage, even with Beville, who was responsible for protecting him, right next to him, his heart began to race and his whole body felt hot.

There was no warm-up transition.

Zango took a deep breath, picked up the microphone in front of him, and said excitedly:

"The Martial Arts Tournament Finals begin!"

"Contestants enter!"

Eight figures slowly walked out of the eight contestant passages surrounding the round table arena. Standing on the arena, they found that the figures that came into view were actually several other people.

"This is……"

Kidd frowned slightly:

"A free-for-all?!"

"probably."

The straw hat-wearing man was completely unfazed, his expression one of utmost confidence:
"But it doesn't matter. I'll beat all my opponents, and One Piece will be mine!"

"Ha ha ha ha--!"

Kidd glanced at him, inwardly thinking it was another day he regretted impulsively joining the group, but he still patiently began to explain:
"This is different from the originally planned schedule."

"The World's No. 1 Martial Arts Tournament only adopts a free-for-all format during the preliminary rounds. After that, it is a qualifying tournament similar to the round of 16 to 8."

"But this move now..."

Kidd was increasingly confused about what the martial arts tournament was all about.

Redfield and others shared his confusion.

However, Redfield knew one thing for sure: as a member of Gawain's Knights of the Round Table, Barrett should know something.

He turned to look at Barrett:

"The competition format has changed?!"

Barrett nodded:
"what."

"A free-for-all?!"

"No!"

"what is that……"

Before the words had even finished, Redfield's pupils contracted sharply.

He suddenly remembered one thing.

Since the start of the World Martial Arts Tournament, the man who truly bears the title of the world's strongest has yet to appear.

If he cannot defeat Gawain, even if he wins the first place in the martial arts tournament, it will be undeserved.

It was at this moment that Redfield heard Barrett's extremely solemn yet suppressed fighting spirit in his voice:
"From now on, don't hold back at all. Use all your strength, even beyond your limits, to have any chance..."

"Survive that monster's onslaught!"

"This battle wasn't a free-for-all, but rather..."

(End of this chapter)