The dust settled.
Daisy’s massive body was still twitching faintly where it was embedded in the wall.
The entire arena fell into dead silence.
No one had expected the strongest, bulkiest captain to lose so quickly — and without even lasting a single full exchange.
“So… so powerful!”
Someone shouted first, and the spectator stands erupted in commotion.
The Kuja tribe worshipped the strong.
Zane’s overwhelming display of absolute power with that single tail strike instantly won over many.
But on the arena floor, the faces of Aine and Marsha turned extremely ugly.
“Daisy was too careless, actually clashing head-on with a monster of that size,” Marsha muttered, taking a deep breath before stepping into the arena.
She was petite, wearing tight leopard-print shorts and a cropped top, with two short daggers at her waist.
Unlike Daisy’s wild ferocity, she moved almost soundlessly — like a predatory cat ready to pounce.
“Night, your strength is indeed terrifying,” Marsha looked up at the mountain-like Zane, cold light flashing in her eyes.
“But in battle, raw power doesn’t guarantee victory.
If you can’t hit your opponent, all that strength is useless.”
Zane looked down at the “little ant” beneath him, his enormous golden vertical pupils filled with indifference.
“Hiss— (Too much talking.
Come.)”
Whoosh!
Before she even finished speaking, Marsha moved.
Fast!
Incredibly fast — like a phantom!
She vanished from her spot and the next instant was already sprinting across Zane’s massive body as if it were flat ground, charging straight toward his head!
“So fast!” Zane’s heart jolted.
He instinctively twisted his giant body, trying to fling her off.
But Marsha’s movements were bizarrely agile.
She flowed like a weightless sheet of paper, riding his motions without any inertia affecting her.
“Paper Art: Snake Dance!”
Marsha cried out.
Her figure traced a strange arc in the air and instantly closed in on Zane’s vital spot.
“Armament Haki!”
Her short daggers instantly coated in jet-black Haki and stabbed viciously at the seams between his scales!
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
Sparks flew everywhere.
Although Zane had Steel Scales, Marsha’s strikes carried advanced Ryuo (internal destruction Haki).
They didn’t pierce through, but the pain still made him hiss sharply.
“Hiss— (This woman’s got some skill!)”
Zane got angry.
His massive tail swept horizontally, trying to cover all her escape routes.
However, Marsha seemed to predict the wind itself, dodging his attacks by a hair’s breadth every time.
She even used the gaps in his assault to leave stinging cuts in his blind spots.
“Can’t hit her… I can’t hit her at all!”
Zane grew more frustrated the longer it went.
This was his first real difficult battle since transmigrating.
Previously, whether against the Gale Wolf or Sea Kings, it had been ambush or pure overwhelming force.
Right now he felt like a giant trying to swat a mosquito with a sledgehammer — immense power, but completely toyed with.
“Is this the difference in combat experience?”
On the viewing platform, Hancock frowned slightly, her fingers unconsciously tightening on the hem of her dress.
“That idiot… turning so big gives him great intimidation, but he also becomes a huge target.
Marsha is the best agile fighter on the island.”
“Lady Snake Princess, should we stop it?” Sandersonia asked beside her.
“If this continues, Night will be slowly worn down.”
“No.” A determined glint flashed in Hancock’s eyes.
“I believe in him.
If he can’t overcome even this level of difficulty, then he isn’t the one I chose… my man… my snake.”
In the arena.
Zane’s breathing grew heavier.
More than a dozen white marks now scarred his massive body.
They weren’t fatal, but the suffocating feeling of having power he couldn’t use infuriated him.
“Calm down… I must calm down.”
Zane stopped his blind flailing.
His enormous snake head hovered motionless in the air, no longer chasing Marsha’s afterimages.
“Her speed is high, but I’m not without options.”
“System, I received Observation Haki last night, right?”
Zane closed his huge golden vertical pupils.
Since his eyes couldn’t keep up, he would “see” with his mind!
Darkness.
The moment his vision cut off, the world plunged into black.
But immediately after, a wondrous sensation flooded him — the flow of wind, the friction of sand grains, even the faint traces of killing intent in the air…
Everything became crystal clear in his mind.
[Ding!
Detected Host actively using Observation Haki in combat!] [Proficiency increasing…]
In Zane’s perception, a red light dot was rapidly moving on his left side — that was Marsha!
“Left… no, that’s a feint.”
The red dot faked left, then suddenly reversed at extreme speed, aiming straight for his right eye!
“Trying to blind me?”
Zane sneered inwardly.
If it had been moments earlier, he would have fallen for it.
But now…
“I see you!”
The instant Marsha appeared in his right eye’s blind spot, daggers about to strike —
The previously motionless Zane moved without warning!
With no wind-up, his neck bent backward at an angle that completely defied skeletal limits!
This movement not only dodged Marsha’s killing blow but positioned his gaping maw directly in her path!
“What?!”
Marsha’s pupils contracted violently mid-air.
He predicted my prediction?!
How is that possible?!
Moments ago he was a clumsy giant — how could he instantly see through my “Silent Step”?
“Hiss— (Got you, little mouse.)”
Zane didn’t bite down.
That was the crude method of lesser beasts.
As a python, there was only one truly effective way to deal with agile prey —
Death Coiling!
Using the split-second when her momentum was spent and new force hadn’t yet risen, Zane’s massive body moved like flexible ropes.
He looped back instantly, forming a perfect strangulation circle!
“Bad!”
Marsha tried to use Paper Art to escape, but the surrounding space was already completely sealed by walls of black scales!
Crack——!
With a teeth-grinding sound of friction, Zane’s enormous body suddenly tightened!
Like a black dragon constricting its prey, he locked the tiny figure mercilessly in the center.
“Ugh… ahhh…”
Marsha felt an overwhelming mountain-like force squeezing from all directions.
Her Haki shattered instantly, air was forced from her lungs, and her bones creaked in protest.
No matter how good your agility was, once caught in a python’s coils, it was a death trap!
In the face of absolute power and control, technique felt utterly powerless.
Zane’s massive head slowly drew closer to Marsha, whose face had turned purple from the constriction.
His golden vertical pupils reopened, gleaming with playful mockery.
At this moment, he was no longer the reckless brute from earlier.
A faint red glow flowed in those eyes — the mark of Observation Haki awakening!
“Hiss— (Do you submit?)”
Zane slightly loosened his grip, allowing her a breath.
“Cough… cough…” Marsha’s daggers clattered to the ground.
She gasped heavily, eyes filled with shock and defeat.
“I… I lost.”
The arena erupted once more!
If instantly defeating Daisy was overwhelming power, then beating Marsha was a display of combat wisdom!
“Heavens!
Did you see that?
That was prediction, right?”
“It was definitely Observation Haki!
He dodged her killing blow with his eyes closed!”
“A snake actually awakened Observation Haki?
That talent is terrifying!”
On the high platform.
Hancock’s smile could no longer be hidden.
She proudly puffed out her chest, as if the one dominating the arena was herself.
“As expected of my Night.”
“To instantly comprehend Observation Haki in the middle of battle…” Sandersonia looked stunned.
“Sister, this snake’s learning ability is like… a human.
No — even more frightening than a human genius.”
In the arena, Zane slowly released his coils, letting Marsha collapse weakly to the ground.
He re-coiled his massive body and turned his enormous head toward the final and strongest captain — Aine.
Zane flicked his tongue.
His aura was now even more condensed and dangerous than before.
Having won two consecutive fights, his Evolution Points and proficiencies were skyrocketing.
Right now, he was in a state of “invincibility” euphoria!
“Hiss— (Who’s next?)”