Chương 101: The Fruit Of Gladiator: Oliver The Gladiator

Hancock remained aloof in response to Dickens's compliment, simply waving her hand dismissively. Her haughty demeanor caused a flicker of irritation in Dickens, though he suppressed his anger out of decorum.

However, the wretched-looking young man standing behind Dickens ogled Hancock and Yamato, his mouth nearly drooling. Without hesitation, he turned to Dickens and demanded, "Father, I want these women!"

Dickens's expression darkened instantly. His son's crude words towards the queen of a nation were sure to provoke fury, and indeed, Hancock's face twisted in anger. Arias, too, seethed with rage. In a flash, Arias raised his hand, and with a thunderous impact, a massive handprint slammed down on Wapol.

The attack was so sudden and powerful that Wapol had no chance to escape. Oliver, who was accompanying Wapol, noticed Arias's movement but quietly stepped back, distancing himself from the impending disaster.

With a resounding boom, the strike landed. Flesh and blood splattered as Wapol was obliterated into a bloody mist, his body shattered beyond any chance of revival.

Shock rippled through the gathered crowd. Dickens was stunned, the queen was horrified, the ministers were speechless, and the guards were frozen in place. After a moment of stunned silence, the palace maids erupted into piercing screams.

"How dare you kill my son!" Dickens bellowed in fury. He had come to greet the emperor of Amazon Lily with goodwill, and although his son's words had been disrespectful, they did not warrant such a brutal death. Yet, Arias had struck without hesitation, reducing Wapol to nothing.

"Arrest them!" Dickens roared, his voice quivering with rage. His queen, Wapol's mother, was already in tears, screaming for vengeance. A large group of guards unsheathed their sabers and rushed forward, but before Arias could move, Yamato had already sprung into action. With her massive mace in hand, she charged at the guards, cutting them down like lambs to the slaughter.

Dickens recoiled in terror as he remembered that these were not just any opponents—they were powerful pirates, representatives of the Daughter Kingdom, and Seven Warlords of the Sea.

Desperate, Dickens turned to Oliver, grasping at his last hope. "Mr. Oliver, save me! Take down these murderers, and I'll pay you ten million Baileys!"

Oliver smirked and replied, "A hundred million."

Dickens spluttered in disbelief. "A hundred million? Are you trying to rob me?"

But as he caught sight of Arias's cold, mocking gaze, he gritted his teeth and nodded. "Fine! A hundred million! Just take them down, and it's yours!"

Oliver's grin widened as he removed his gloves and stepped towards Arias. "Arias, husband of the Amazon Lily Emperor Boa Hancock, suspected of stealing the Op-Op Fruit and evading Marine's pursuit. You've made a grave mistake by offending the underworld."

"Do you even know the bounty the underworld has placed on your head? Five hundred million! A full five hundred million!" Oliver boasted, his voice dripping with arrogance. "Originally, I had no reason to arrest you, but now that you've killed a prince, it's my turn to cash in. Prepare yourself, Arias!"

As Oliver advanced, Yamato stepped forward, frowning. "You? Cause trouble for Arias? Don't make me laugh."

She slammed her mace into the ground, but Oliver remained unfazed. "I know you're strong, and I may not be your match in a one-on-one fight, but I have an ability of my own!"

As he spoke, a shimmering dome suddenly appeared, expelling Yamato and enclosing both him and Arias within. The scene shifted into what looked like an ancient Roman colosseum, a vast arena with high platforms surrounding it.

Oliver approached a weapons rack that had appeared in the arena, grabbing a giant sword and donning heavy armor. "This is my power, the Gladiator Fruit! My fruit creates a gladiatorial arena, trapping me and a designated enemy within. This arena will only dissipate when one of us dies."

As he flaunted his abilities, he added, "As the initiator, I'm fully armed, and I can randomly seal one of your abilities. No matter how strong you are, without your powers, how much of a fight can you put up?"

He continued, "And me? Here, I gain a random enhancement. This time, my strength has been boosted tenfold! How do you plan to fight me now?"

Oliver's laughter echoed through the arena as he gloated over his perceived advantage. "And don't think your companions can help you—this space is sealed off from the outside world. After I finish you off, I'll deal with them one by one!"

With his power to force deadly combat, weaken his opponent, and strengthen himself, Oliver had slain many warriors far stronger than him. Each victory had enhanced his physical prowess, making him the formidable fighter he was today.

Arias listened quietly to Oliver's boasts, realizing that hidden Devil Fruit users like Oliver possessed all sorts of strange abilities. However, Oliver had no idea who he was really up against.

Arias quickly assessed his situation. He noticed that one of his abilities, [Ju Ling Sending General], had indeed been sealed, but he didn't need that power in this fight.

With a sigh, Arias resigned himself to using his full strength—something he rarely did after evading the Marines' pursuit for the Op-Op Fruit.

But now, with no witnesses from the outside world, he could let loose.

Beads of energy began to form on his wrists and ankles, enveloping his entire body. In an instant, he vanished from Oliver's sight, only to reappear right in front of him. Drawing his blade, he slashed at Oliver's neck.

Oliver barely managed to block the strike with his giant sword, thanks to his heightened reflexes. The force of the clash sent shockwaves through the arena, and Oliver was momentarily stunned by Arias's sheer strength.

But Arias was far from done. With his left hand, he unleashed a powerful palm strike, and his blade split into nineteen fragments. A small flying knife aimed for Oliver's eye, while the other blades targeted the unarmored parts of his body.

Oliver's confidence wavered as he realized he was up against a true master. The fight was far from over, and the gladiatorial arena he had so confidently created might very well become his grave.