Each fighter only had one chance in the arena. Among these pirate crews, there were few true powerhouses, most officers carried bounties between twenty and forty million Berries. The weaker ones had been saved for later, meant to clean up after the stronger combatants finished.
But things rarely went as planned.
After the brutal battles before, Wallace was spent. His breathing was ragged, his arms hung heavy, and his body swayed as if about to collapse.
He drank water in greedy gulps, forcing air into his lungs. He had to recover something, anything, within the short half-hour break.
From dawn till now, he had been fighting for an entire day. The second day had begun, and fatigue was written all over his steel-tinted face.
The pirates watching could see it. Some looked thrilled, especially those who were about to face him. His endurance amazed them, but exhaustion was finally catching up.
"It looks like he's about done," Baccarat remarked, eyes narrowing with interest.
Teach leaned casually against the railing, the small sword resting on his shoulder. "Hehe… let's see his true limit. Experience like this is worth more than gold. It'll shape him."
The rest time vanished quickly. Wallace's body still screamed with pain, but when the next challenger stepped forward, he rose again.
One fight. Two fights. Then ten more.
He fought like a man possessed, even surrendering in four matches to save what little strength remained.
The pirates around the ring scowled. They'd expected to claim most of the bounty money but even after all that, only 110 million Berries had been taken. Even if the final fight was won, there would be just 120 million left. It was humiliating.
Still, they couldn't help but respect Wallace. The man had earned it. In a world ruled by strength, he had proven his worth.
Now, drenched in sweat, his hair plastered to his forehead, Wallace could barely stay upright. His body had long passed its limit, but his will refused to bend. He could surrender, walk away with 180 million Berries, and live comfortably for a while.
But no... he wanted one more fight. One final challenge.
He ate a little food, drank a little water, and stood once more on the dueling platform.
Then, the crowd stirred. Wallace's face froze.
Captain Simon of the Simon Pirates was standing, a wicked smile curling across his face as he stepped toward the arena.
"Simon, what are you doing? Captains can't participate!" one pirate shouted angrily.
Simon ignored him, raising his voice. "Hahaha! I'm not a captain anymore. I just handed that title to my first mate. So I'm free to fight." His grin was vicious, his words dripping with mockery.
No one believed a word of it. They knew what this was, Simon was here to kill Wallace.
Some crews understood his motive. Wallace's potential was dangerous. Better to crush him before he grew into a threat. And Wallace had embarrassed Simon before, taking his championship and costing him 300 million Berries.
But others were disgusted. Simon was breaking the very rules they had all agreed to. Victory was supposed to be earned, not stolen.
Wallace's face hardened. He took a deep breath, ready to surrender before things turned ugly. "I surren—"
"Sorry," Simon sneered, suddenly in front of him. "I refuse."
His knee slammed into Wallace's gut with a thunderous impact. Wallace's body bent in half, pain bursting through his chest as he was launched backward, skidding across the arena.
"Hahaha! I told you—if you die, all your Berries are mine."
Simon stalked forward, his shadow looming large. He grabbed Wallace by the hair and yanked him up effortlessly. Wallace tried to struggle, but it was useless. Simon's grip was like iron.
With one arm clutching Wallace's head and the other gripping his arm, Simon spun then smashed Wallace into the ground. The steel-skinned pirate hit the stone with a sickening crack. Even his hardened body couldn't absorb the full force.
Blood splattered from Wallace's mouth.
The spectators looked on in silence, some pitying him, none daring to interfere. Simon was too dangerous to cross.
Simon looked down at Wallace's broken form and laughed, remembering the boy's defiance back on his ship. The humiliation he'd felt was now repaid in full. He wanted to hear Wallace scream again but with so many eyes watching, he couldn't drag this out.
He would kill him here and now.
Then....
"Hey, Wallace!" a woman's voice called from above. "My captain's taken a liking to you! Want to join our crew? If you agree, we'll take care of Simon for you."
All eyes turned upward.
Four figures stood on the upper deck—a red-haired woman in a flowing dress, two men, and a Mink. The crowd parted as if pushed by an invisible force.
Teach raised an eyebrow. Even he hadn't expected Baccarat to come out swinging like that.
The other pirates stared in disbelief. "Take care of Simon?" someone scoffed. "Who the hell are they?"
Simon, halfway through raising his arm for the killing blow, froze—and then snarled, "You looking for death?"
Baccarat ignored him, her eyes still on Wallace, her lips curled in a faint smile.
Wallace lifted his head weakly, confusion and hope flickering in his eyes. Then he saw him—the black-coated man with the calm smile.
Teach.
Wallace's pulse quickened. He didn't know who these people were, but something told him this man was different. Dangerous. Reliable.
He gave a faint nod.
"Haha! Captain, he agreed!" Baccarat grinned, her eyes sparkling. "You can step in now, right?"
Teach smirked. "Zehahaha… of course. Gotta stretch the legs once in a while."
He jumped down from the stands, landing with a heavy thud on the arena floor.
Simon's expression twisted. "You? What a joke. Some no-name pirate thinks he can stop me?"
He cracked his knuckles, fury radiating off him. Those who'd fought Simon before knew that sound, he was done holding back.
A 100-million-Berry pirate, feared in the first half of the Grand Line, strong enough to sack a Marine warship. He was no small fry.
And now he was out for blood.
With a burst of speed, Simon vanished. The air cracked in his wake as he reappeared in front of Teach, fist cocked. The punch came down like a meteor aimed straight at Teach's head.
Baccarat tensed. "Come on, what are you waiting for?!" she hissed, though her eyes betrayed worry.
Gar and Pito didn't even flinch.
Wallace tried to rise, eyes wide with fear and awe.
Then... Silence.
Simon's fist stopped dead.
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Teach stood there, smiling faintly, one hand raised—holding Simon's punch like it was nothing. His body hadn't moved an inch.
Simon's veins bulged. He gritted his teeth and pushed harder, but it was useless. His full strength couldn't even make Teach's arm tremble.
Teach leaned closer, voice low and calm. "Since you've thrown your punch… it's only fair I return one."
Simon's eyes widened.
A sound like an explosion tore through the arena. The air itself seemed to twist under pressure. Then—Simon was gone.
Every head turned toward the rear wall.
A massive crater, five meters wide, smoked against the rock face. Simon's body was embedded in it, arms and legs spread, his chest caved in. Blood streamed from his mouth.
Silence consumed the arena.
Then came the whispers.
"The Simon Pirates' captain… he's dead."
Even the most hardened men stared, pale-faced. A pirate worth over a hundred million—obliterated with one punch.
Wallace's body trembled. His heart thundered in his chest, but it wasn't fear, it was awe. This is the kind of man I'll follow.
Baccarat's mouth hung open, words failing her.
Teach dusted off his hands, looked up at his crew, and said simply, "Let's go."
He lifted Wallace easily and walked away. Wallace clutched the 190 million Berries he'd earned, while the 110 million from his forfeits remained on the field, forgotten.
Long after they left, no one spoke. The pirates just stood there, staring at the corpse of Simon still embedded in stone.
That single punch had shattered more than a man, it had shaken their understanding of strength itself.
From that day forward, countless pirates would remember that black-coated man's face. His name, whispered first in fear and later in legend
Marshall D. Teach.