Chapter 178: Pirates Attack

The stands of the arena were filled with exclamations.

The audience looked down at the arena in astonishment. They hadn't expected that the one just engaged in battle with the undefeated swordsman would be none other than their king, Riku of Dressrosa.

However, after the brief surprise, the audience didn't hesitate to give applause. The continuous sound of clapping filled the air.

King Riku, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, staggered to stand straight, obviously having suffered considerable damage from the destructive sword attack.

Kyros then plunged his massive sword into the ground, knelt on one knee, and lowered his head in a respectful yet apologetic manner.

"Your Majesty King Riku! This criminal deserves to die!"

Of course, Kyros knew King Riku, not just because he was a resident of Dressrosa.

Back when Kyros was only 15, his friend had been murdered. In a raw and brutal act, Kyros had chosen to take a life in return, becoming a killer.

King Riku, after careful consideration, didn't directly charge him with murder. Instead, he sent Kyros to the Colosseum.

The promise was simple: if Kyros achieved 100 consecutive victories in the arena, his crimes would be pardoned, and his freedom restored.

That's how they became acquainted.

"Ah, Kyros, you truly are strong!" King Riku wiped the blood from his mouth and pulled Kyros to his feet.

"Would you be interested in becoming the captain of the Royal Guard?" King Riku asked casually.

The arena erupted in chaos.

Kyros stared at King Riku, disbelief in his eyes. "Your Majesty, I'm a murderer—"

"I promised long ago that if you achieved 100 consecutive wins in the Colosseum, I wouldn't pursue your past crimes," King Riku interrupted. "Now you've won 2999—no, a full 3000 battles!"

Kyros hesitated. "Your Highness…"

King Riku feigned a stern expression. "What? Are you unwilling to serve the king?"

Kyros managed a wry smile and shook his head.

King Riku's face brightened. He laughed heartily and addressed the audience:

"Dressrosa residents, let us cheer for the undefeated swordsman with three thousand victories!"

The applause rose again, as people congratulated the birth of this legendary hero. The four bonfires on the arena stage were raised high, tinting half the sky in a reddish glow.

Though King Riku's strength made the "3,000 consecutive victories" seem a bit exaggerated, his status as king added an unique legendary quality to this honor.

Amidst this lively atmosphere, the Colosseum rolled out the celebratory program they had carefully prepared for the occasion.

The enthusiastic announcer declared:

"Let's welcome the renowned singer, the lady with the celestial voice—Elizabeth Yatton!"

Adrian raised an eyebrow, recognizing the elegantly dressed woman who had caught his eye at the harbor.

The orchestra's prelude played, and Elizabeth began showcasing her vocal talents.

No matter where on the high seas, "Binks' Sake" remained a staple at banquets.

As the singer acclaimed for her celestial voice, Elizabeth took this already infectious tune and elevated it to new heights of emotion.

Laughter and cheers filled the arena.

A uni cycling circus clown performed, captivating the audience with fire baton tricks. When flames shot skyward from his mouth, jubilant cheers echoed all around.

Waiters in formal attire carried silver trays, serving pre-prepared delicacies and fine wines to the spectators, further enlivening the atmosphere. {Seems expensive. Too expensive.}

Amidst the bustling crowd, Elizabeth's melodious voice lingered, gently echoing in everyone's ears.

"Such skill… doesn't seem normal."

Adrian's interest piqued as he observed the singer still pouring her heart into the performance.

"A Devil Fruit user with sound-related abilities? Or perhaps music-related?"

Even the most beautiful music has its cadence, and the happiest of parties eventually come to an end.

As evening approached, the Colosseum's celebratory events thoughtfully signaled their conclusion.

After all, for most residents of "Love and Passion Island," a colorful nightlife was also one of their pursued goals.

Just as Adrian was preparing to engage in some light reconnaissance and digest his food, a shrill alarm suddenly rang out over Dressrosa.

Many tourists who had just arrived stopped in their tracks, puzzled, while the locals turned pale.

"It's...it's the pirate alarm! Pirates are coming!!"

At the same time, a huge pirate ship had docked at the Dressrosa harbor. The pirates had hijacked the other ships at the pier, frantically looting any valuables they could find.

Though these ships had guards, without exception, they were beaten half to death by the marauding pirates.

Some defiant individuals were publicly hanged from the mast, a brutal display of the pirates' ferocity.

"Everyone, if you don't want to die, hand over all your valuable stuff! We are the famous 'Weapon Pirates'!" shouted a pirate with an explosive hairstyle and dressed in black leather pants, intimidating the tourists loudly, "That's right! Our great 'Captain Sato,' is none other than the legendary 'Weapon Sato' with a bounty of 280 million berries!"

Several ship captains collapsed in fear, their legs giving way. A pirate with a bounty exceeding 200 million berries was far beyond what their guards could handle.

Thud, thud.

Heavy footsteps approached as several figures of vastly different sizes appeared on the dock.

Leading them was a brawny man standing at least 3 meters tall. His head was adorned with dirty brass-colored braids, which, upon closer inspection, revealed themselves to be bullet casings. A thick beard framed his face, and he wore a black leather coat adorned with various weapons.

None other than the captain of the Weapon Pirates, Sato!

Beside Sato were several crew members, including a tall, thin man on his right shoulder, carrying a struggling, frail figure.

"Captain Sato, that singing superstar and the princess from the World Government's allied nation—aren't we going to make a fortune this time?" The thin man exclaimed excitedly. "It's a shame those hairy brats got away; otherwise, we could've earned even more!"

On the high seas, plundering wealth wasn't limited to raiding towns and merchant ships. Sometimes, pirates engaged in despicable activities like human trafficking and slave trading.

"Enough chatter, Lina. Dressrosa's guards will react soon."

Sato's voice was unusually low and raspy, as if two metal sheets were rubbing together.

"These slaves are the type those damned nobles love, especially those high-born, women. If their delicate skin gets harmed, the price will drop!"