All eyes immediately locked onto the towering figure at the front—Willie, the killer whale Fish-Man.
As one of the few aquatic participants, his innate command of the sea gave him a clear edge over others. The spectators couldn't help but hold their breath.
Willie the Killer Whale had already been crowned by the betting houses as a top contender for the championship.
Following that, the flamboyant host took to the stage once more, dramatically announcing the other crowd favorites one by one.
"And finally, let's welcome the reigning champion, the nightmare of the northern seas…"
"Gaspardi!"
"Gaspardi! Gaspardi!"
The arena erupted in cheers, the name alone stirring waves of frenzy. Chants reverberated through the towering walls of the Colosseum-like hall.
Gaspardi's infamy spread far beyond the Grand Line. Even in this remote sea zone, he held a fearsome reputation—ruthless, undefeated, and always craving domination.
The spotlight swiveled sharply to the balcony above.
There, a man with wild white-and-brown hair rose from his plush chair, scanning the gathering with cold disdain.
It was indeed Gaspardi.
As the crowd roared, one pair of eyes didn't blink—Bai Yu's. His stare narrowed like a blade drawn halfway from its sheath.
"Hmm?"
Gaspardi suddenly twitched, a faint ripple of Haki brushing his senses.
He glanced toward the source—and their eyes met.
Time seemed to still. Sparks flew in the invisible clash between two dominant wills.
A subtle wave of killing intent flowed between the two, sharp enough to chill the air.
"What is it?" asked Nieders, Gaspardi's right-hand man, noticing the sudden shift in Gaspardi's mood.
Gaspardi didn't answer at first. His gaze remained locked for another heartbeat.
Then he turned to Nieders and muttered coldly, "Just some no-name pirate crew…"
"But his eyes… I hate the way he looks at me."
Nieders frowned but nodded subtly. He took a mental picture of Bai Yu's face, committing it to memory with military precision.
Gaspardi then resumed his indifferent posture, as though nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, the host returned to center stage and excitedly went over the competition rules and—most importantly—the grand prizes for the Death Race.
Moments later, the banquet began.
Bai Yu, utterly bored by the pomp and chatter, leaned toward Fox. "Let's go," he muttered.
The two quietly slipped out of the hall and returned toward their ship anchored nearby.
"You two don't need to tag along," Bai Yu said without turning back to Koby and Helmeppo, who were still trailing behind.
"We don't belong in a place like that," Koby replied, eyes downcast. "Chatting and drinking with pirates isn't something we can stomach."
Beru Meber added with a grim nod. "Different paths. There's nothing worth sharing over wine."
"Understood." Bai Yu gave a rare, approving nod.
But just as he turned a corner near the docks, his eyes suddenly narrowed.
He raised his arm in a silent signal for the others to halt.
"Come out," he said coolly, staring into the shadowed alley ahead.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
A mocking applause echoed.
Dozens of silhouettes emerged from the alleys and rooftops on both sides, swiftly surrounding them in a semicircle.
The man leading them stepped forward with a sly smirk.
It was Nieders.
"You've got sharp instincts," Nieders said, still clapping. "Too bad you made one mistake…"
"You crossed Captain Gaspardi."
His tone turned lethal. "Had you kept your head down, I might've asked the captain to let you walk away."
So it was Gaspardi's doing—motivated by nothing more than Bai Yu's cold gaze earlier.
Bai Yu had never even interacted with Gaspardi before. It was pure ego—typical of men used to dominance.
"I was just wondering how to kill some time," Bai Yu said nonchalantly, lips curling slightly.
Nieders scowled. "You'll regret mocking me."
"Take them out!"
Boom!
Nieders slammed a foot into the cobbled street, cracking it as he lunged forward. Twin iron claws gleamed on his hands, catching the moonlight.
"Get them!"
With a roar, the surrounding pirates surged forward, their blades drawn, sealing off all escape.
Bai Yu calmly closed his eyes.
Haoshoku Haki – Conqueror's Will.
Beep.
The instant his eyes opened, a suffocating wave of raw willpower erupted like a shockwave.
Thud. Thud. Thud…
One by one, the charging pirates' eyes rolled back. They dropped like dominos, unconscious before they could swing their swords.
Dozens fell.
Silence fell—unnerving and absolute.
Nieders was frozen in disbelief. Though Bai Yu had skillfully spared him from the Haki's effects, the shock was undeniable.
But he had no time to process it. He had already closed in on Bai Yu, claws swinging in a deadly X-shape toward his chest.
"Too slow."
Bai Yu sidestepped with fluid grace, narrowly dodging the cross-slash.
"You disappoint me."
"You bastard!"
With a guttural roar, Nieders unleashed a flurry of claw attacks.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
His strikes were fast, slicing the air with sharp cracks—but every one missed.
Bai Yu dodged like wind slipping through cracks. Effortlessly. Mockingly.
"Still too slow."
His voice oozed disdain.
Gradually, Nieders' rhythm faltered. His strikes lost their edge.
"You're not even good enough to warm me up."
With that, Bai Yu's right hand darted forward.
Clang! Clang!
In two precise movements, he grabbed both of Nieders' iron claws mid-swing.
Then—crunch—he clenched.
Bang!
The claws shattered instantly.
"What?!"
Nieders was stunned.
The claws had been custom-forged from seastone-alloyed steel. Not even most blades could chip them.
And yet—they were crushed barehanded.
Snap!
Before Nieders could react, Bai Yu flipped his grip and seized Nieders' wrist with brutal force.
"This is your warning."
"Tell Gaspardi—"
"See you at the Death Race."
Crack!
"AAAHHHH!"
The sound of bones breaking echoed in the alley.
Nieders dropped to his knees, howling in agony as his arm hung limply, shattered.
The message had been delivered—with interest.