One Piece: Starting with Creating the Strongest Character Design

Chapter 113 On the Eve of the Gladiator (Please Subscribe)

In a mountain on the island of Dressrosa, the morning light filters through the dense canopy, casting dappled shadows, and the air is filled with the scent of grass and earth.

Kitahara Tsune is training Dori and Lucci here.

This mountain forest has rugged terrain and jagged rocks, making it a good place to hone one's skills.

Kitahara Tsuneo's choice of this location was not arbitrary; the complex terrain would maximize the training of the two's reaction speed and adaptability, making it far more valuable than a flat training ground.

Under Kitahara Tsune's guidance, Lucci's skills improved rapidly.

Of course, this is also related to the fact that he had spent a long time training and reflecting on his experiences alone.

Those day-to-day training sessions, though conducted without any guidance, laid an extremely solid foundation for him.

Now, with Kitahara Tsune's guidance, those bottlenecks that had once been blocking me seemed to be gently unlocked by a key, and power and skill flowed out like a spring.

At this moment, Lucci was very surprised that Kitahara Tsune's guidance was so effective.

Every word is a testament to one's integrity, every word a gem.

Kitahara Tsune never wastes words; he simply points out the subtle deviations in Lucci's movements or reveals the core essence of a technique in a few words.

Sometimes, even just a glance or a gesture is enough for Lucci to understand.

The results of this one day's training are almost equivalent to a week of solo training, even without any mission interference.

Lucci was secretly shocked.

He was originally quite confident in his comprehension and hard work, believing that even without a teacher, he could become stronger step by step on his own.

But Kitahara Tsune's appearance completely overturned his understanding.

It turns out that guidance from a true expert can save a person from taking so many detours.

It turns out that what he had struggled to understand for months was nothing more than the most basic thing in the other person's eyes.

He now understood why Kitahara Tsune had so confidently guided their cultivation.

This is not blind confidence, but rather stems from absolute strength and thorough understanding.

On the other hand, Dolly's training has become much more rigorous than before.

His forehead was covered in sweat, and his clothes were soaked through, clinging to his body and outlining his strong muscles.

But he gritted his teeth and gave it his all with every punch and kick, even his breathing was filled with a fierce intensity.

At Naval Headquarters, Dori also trained with Kitahara Tsuneo.

At that time, compared with other naval personnel, Dolly's progress was already very fast, which gave him the illusion that he was also somewhat talented.

After each training session, looking at his colleagues who were panting and making slow progress, Dolly would always feel a sense of pride.

I never expected that the gap between me and Lu Qi next to me would be so big.

Their progress was nowhere near that of their opponent, and their strength was completely overwhelmed.

Every time they sparred, Lucci's effortless demeanor felt like a thorn in Dolly's heart.

He clearly remembered that in yesterday's actual combat, Lucci only used one move to pin him to the ground, and the feeling of being powerless to fight back kept him awake all night.

He didn't want to be left far behind by someone his superior had inexplicably brought along.

This unwillingness to accept defeat is more powerful than any motivation.

After training, the sun had already sunk below the ridgeline, leaving only a last sliver of dark red afterglow on the horizon.

He wiped the sweat from his face with his sleeve, panting heavily as he looked at Kitahara Tsuneo and asked.

"Sir, regarding tomorrow's gladiatorial combat—"

He was actually a little unsure of himself.

Although I have witnessed Kitahara Tsune's strength firsthand, what if something unexpected happens in a place like the arena, with its gauntlet battles and countless variables?

Dolly dared not think any further.

Kitahara Tsune returned Dori's warm smile and said, "Don't worry, look, when has your superior ever lost?"

There was no tension or hesitation in that smile, as if tomorrow's gladiatorial combat was nothing more than a leisurely stroll.

He paused, then continued, "You see, Lucci isn't worried about me losing at all."

As he spoke, Kitahara Tsune turned to look at Lucci, who was currently undergoing extra training.

Lucci's movements remained sharp and decisive, each punch accompanied by the sound of air being cut, showing no signs of fatigue despite a day of training.

He seemed tireless, or rather, he demanded far more of himself than Kitahara Tsuneo.

Upon hearing Kitahara Tsune mention him, Lucci curled his lip and said without turning his head, "None of your opponents in the arena yesterday could threaten you at all."

He stopped what he was doing, turned his head, and his eyes held no flattery, only calmness: "Even I could easily defeat that opponent. What are you worried about? Worried that a lion will trip over an ant?"

At this point, Lucci has not yet grown to the level depicted in the original story.

Although his six techniques were quite proficient, they were still insufficient in the face of truly top-tier experts.

However, under Kitahara Tsune's influence, the other party had already begun to learn higher-level techniques, such as Haki.

With the Six Powers as a foundation, he has already learned the basics of Armament Haki. Although the range and intensity are still immature, this is already considered a genius for his age.

"Since when did it become your turn to worry about Kitahara Tsune?"

Lucci looked at Dori next to Kitahara Tsune, shook his head, and said with a hint of impatience.

"You'd be better off improving your own skills instead of using this time. You're not even qualified to be my sparring partner."

Upon hearing this, Dolly gritted his teeth and took out the things he had already packed.

He wants to practice one more round and show this guy who looks down on him what he's made of.

He threw his coat to the ground, resumed his stance, and began punching the thick tree trunk in front of him, causing leaves to fall in a rustling sound.

Seeing this, Kitahara Tsune could only shake his head helplessly.

It's good for these two to compete; mutual stimulation is always better than one person practicing alone in silence.

He looked up at the moon that had already risen in the sky.

The full moon hung high in the sky, its cool light pouring down, coating the entire mountain forest with a silvery halo.

Under the moonlight, the Dressrosa Arena was brightly lit, as if preparing for some grand ceremony.

The next day, at the Dressrosa Arena.

This ancient building, with a history spanning hundreds of years, exudes a magnificent and solemn aura under the sunlight.

The arena, which is usually packed with spectators, was now teeming with people.

Almost every seat in the circular stands was occupied by two people.

Some people crowded into the aisle, some simply sat on other people's laps, and many children rode on their fathers' shoulders, craning their necks to look around.

Even the corner seats on the top floor, which are usually deserted, were now packed with people.

Unlike the random spectators of the past, most of the audience members present today had a specific goal in mind.

I want to see for myself what this extremely arrogant navy officer, who claims he can defeat an entire arena by himself, is really like.

Will they win all the way and keep the 1 million bounty, or will they be humiliated and fall to the ground in front of the real strong in the arena?

The air was thick with excitement and heat.

Some people were talking loudly, some were boasting about their favorite players, and gamblers were weaving through the crowd, constantly adjusting the odds.

The aroma of beer and meat mingled with the smell of sweat, creating a unique, adrenaline-pumping atmosphere characteristic of the arena.

In the highest box above the arena, King Rick sat in the stands, looking down at the dark mass of people and the empty center of the arena with a pleasant expression.

He wore simple armor, with his greatsword still by his side, and a faint smile on his lips.

He was also a swordsman, so how could he not be affected by today's atmosphere?

In his youth, he had also shed sweat on the arena, and the tension and thrill of facing his opponents head-on, swords drawn, remained vivid in his memory even decades later.

There were many people standing next to him.

His two daughters, and two arena heroes.

"Looks like the arena's unusually lively today. Pretty good day, Evan Thorpe."

King Rick looked up at Evan Thorpe beside him and said in a relaxed tone, as if he were casually chatting about the weather.

Evan Thorpe forced a smile and nodded slightly, saying, "Today's ticket revenue is more than three times higher than usual."

Although he had a slight smile on his face, his tone revealed no joy whatsoever; instead, it carried an unprecedented solemnity.

He knew that this gladiatorial contest was more than just a performance.

It concerns the reputation of the Dressrosa Arena, and even the dignity of the kingdom.

Although the arena does not represent the full extent of Dressrosa's military power, it is a major tourist attraction and source of revenue for the entire country.

A single navy officer, taking on the entire arena single-handedly, would certainly be a legendary tale if he won, but if he lost—

Cyrus, standing next to Eventhorpe, wore a look of pleasure on his face, his eyes gleaming with fighting spirit.

He crossed his arms over his chest, the greatsword resting on his back, gleaming brightly.

As arranged by His Majesty the King, he was scheduled to participate in the final gladiatorial match.

If all the opponents arranged before him are defeated by this navy, then he will retain the last glory of the arena.

Although he hadn't participated in a duel in a long time, he was confident that he could still achieve final victory in this familiar arena.

Three thousand victories and nearly four years of non-stop fighting made him memorize every stone slab under his feet in the arena, to the point that he knew every angle of the stands by heart.

This is his home turf; no one knows better than him how to win in the arena.

Compared to the two arena heroes, King Rick's two daughters simply wanted to watch the excitement.

Although Scarlett and Cyrus came to the arena, they did not bring Rebecca with them, but instead left her with their nanny.

After all, the child is still young, and it's too inappropriate for him to be in the arena at that age.

Violet, however, was distracted, glancing down at the arena every now and then as she waited for the contestants to enter the arena.

She rested her chin on her hands, her eyes sparkling, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up.

Although she said things like "I'm just curious," it was obvious to everyone that her mind wasn't on the gladiatorial game itself; she was waiting for the man in the navy uniform to appear.

From the moment Kitahara Tsune made his first appearance, Violet was captivated by his unique charisma and charming appearance, and her heart was set on him.

The fact that she was challenging an entire arena by herself had already stirred up ripples in her heart, and her thoughts were constantly on that navy man.