The One-Slash Superman of the One Piece World

Dressrosa, the famous "Land of Love and Passion" in the New World.

Located in the central region of the New World, Dressrosa was a tropical island.

Now, in mid-April, daytime temperatures soared as high as 38°C. Unlike the unpredictable climates typical of many places in the New World, Dressrosa enjoyed stable weather, with a classic tropical monsoon climate.

It knew endless summers and no winters, abundant rainfall, and multiple harvests each year. Vegetables were plentiful in all seasons.

The stark difference between day and night temperatures made Dressrosa's fruits renowned throughout the New World, highly sought after and exported to many other islands.

The island's rich natural resources and well-established trade networks ensured that its people led comfortable and prosperous lives.

On this solid foundation, Dressrosa nurtured a vibrant cultural scene. With their material needs well met, its citizens had the freedom and resources to spend on pursuits beyond basic survival.

As a result, industries related to cuisine, fashion, and entertainment thrived as never before, even giving birth to extravagant places like the coliseum, a grand arena that devoured fortunes. And thanks to their wealth and security, the women of Dressrosa didn't need to depend on men for their livelihood. The confidence that came with financial independence allowed them to choose men they genuinely desired.

The "Love" in Dressrosa's title came from the passionate spirit of its free-spirited women, while the "Passion" referred to the blood-pounding excitement of its coliseum battles.

"Dressrosa is a member nation of the World Government," Garp explained.

"After the Donquixote family abandoned the people and fled to the Holy Land of Mariejois, the Riku family became the new royal line here."

"The current king, Riku Doldo III, has been on the throne for over a decade and has done a pretty good job."

"Paying tribute to the Celestial Dragons and still managing to let the people live like this... Dressrosa might be the only country that's pulled it off."

Garp's warship docked at the eastern port of Dressrosa. A long wooden gangplank was lowered from the ship, and Garp, wearing a floral shirt, black baggy shorts, and floppy sandals, ambled down the ramp while scratching his nose. He casually spoke over his shoulder, briefing Yorichi and Kuzan about Dressrosa's basic situation.

Compared to the marines in crisp uniforms behind him, Vice Admiral Garp didn't look like he was on a mission at all. If anything, he looked more like a man on vacation.

Yorichi and Kuzan had also changed out of their standard attire. In this kind of heat, long sleeves were unbearable. Yorichi didn't have much clothing to begin with, so he'd borrowed a short-sleeved sailor shirt from another marine, one that had the words "杂役" (meaning "odd jobs") printed on the back.

He'd tried to borrow Kuzan's clothes, but Kuzan's uniform was simply too large for him.

As for Kuzan, he already had a summer version of his uniform.

"Let's head to the local base first and see if they've got any new information on Roger."

"Bogart, assign some men to guard all the ports and keep a close eye on any ships coming and going. Pay special attention to pirate vessels."

"Oh, right. Kuzan, Yorichi, you two don't have to come with me."

"It's your first time in Dressrosa. Go enjoy yourselves. And Kuzan, take a Den Den Mushi with you. If I need you, I'll call."

As Garp spoke, he pulled a Den Den Mushi from inside his shirt and casually tossed it to Kuzan. The other marines behind Garp couldn't hide their looks of envy at his words, though none of them felt resentment toward Kuzan or Yorichi for receiving special treatment.

Kuzan was technically there to study under Garp, not to command Garp's men. Most of the time, he simply observed. Occasionally, if pirates appeared, he'd step in to help. But in essence, Kuzan wasn't Garp's subordinate. At most, he was just an eager admirer tagging along.

As for Yorichi Tsugikuni, he wasn't even officially a marine yet.

"Vice Admiral Garp, are you sure this is okay?" Kuzan asked as he caught the Den Den Mushi, chuckling awkwardly.

He was worried it might look bad.

"Quit whining," Garp said dismissively, picking his nose again. "I don't need you telling me how to run things."

Hearing this, Kuzan quickly stowed the Den Den Mushi in his shirt and slapped Yorichi on the back, grinning.

"Come on. Might as well enjoy the day off."

Once they entered the streets of Dressrosa, Yorichi and Kuzan split off from Garp and the others. Garp headed for the local marine branch, while Kuzan and Yorichi wandered without a fixed destination, drifting toward wherever the crowds were thickest.

"Man, our outfits stick out way too much. Let's go change," Kuzan said suddenly.

After walking for a bit, he realized that he and Yorichi were constantly drawing stares from the locals. Looking down at his own clothing, Kuzan quickly grabbed Yorichi and dragged him into a clothing store.

When the two reemerged, they'd ditched their marine uniforms entirely. Kuzan was now wearing a green shirt, buttoned only halfway up his chest, leaving much of his torso bare. On the bottom, he wore bright red baggy shorts and had swapped his military boots for sandals.

Beside him, Yorichi's outfit was far more modest. He'd chosen a plain white crew-neck T-shirt paired with zebra-striped shorts, finishing the look with flip-flops instead of boots.

The uniforms and boots they'd discarded were stuffed into two bags they now carried in their hands.

Despite changing outfits, Kuzan and Yorichi still drew plenty of curious looks as they strolled down the bustling streets.

It wasn't because either man radiated some kingly aura.

The real problem was Kuzan's utterly atrocious color coordination.

Red and green together looked like dog shit, as the saying went.

Who knew what possessed that idiot Kuzan to pick such an outfit?

Not that Kuzan himself seemed aware of the problem. He assumed all the attention came from Yorichi's perpetually stern face and the sword strapped at his side.

Dressrosa, blessed with abundant resources and a thriving food culture, proved irresistible. Kuzan and Yorichi barely made it a few blocks before their hands were loaded with snacks, drinks, and all kinds of treats.

"Hey, Kuzan, let's check that place out," Yorichi suggested, pointing down the street.

"That looks like some kind of arena."

The two of them munched their way through the city until they eventually arrived in its central district. There, a massive oval-shaped building rose before Yorichi's eyes.

This was Dressrosa's famed coliseum.

The exterior was built of limestone and blue stone, its pale yellow walls flecked with patches of weathered stone that gave it an imposing, ancient feel.

The arena measured roughly 500 meters long, 350 meters wide, and nearly 50 meters tall. Its facade bristled with archways, thronged with people coming and going in a constant tide of noise and excitement.

The shape of the building reminded Yorichi of the Roman Colosseum he'd seen in books, though this one was even larger in scale.

The fact that Dressrosa could sustain such a grand, gold-devouring enterprise spoke volumes about the nation's economic strength.

"Oh! So that's the Dressrosa coliseum?" Kuzan exclaimed.

"I've always heard Vice Admiral Garp talk about it, but I've never seen it for myself."

"Let's check it out."

The young Kuzan, ever fond of a lively crowd, was instantly intrigued. The moment he saw the colossal oval shape Yorichi was pointing at, he agreed without hesitation and led the way toward the entrance.

After buying tickets, Kuzan and Yorichi stepped inside, only to be utterly stunned by the sight before them.

The coliseum's interior was a vast ring of stepped seating, large enough to hold tens of thousands of spectators.

At the center stood a massive fighting stage. Two warriors were currently locked in fierce combat upon it. Surrounding the stage was a circular moat, and within its waters lurked savage fighting fish, occasionally poking up vicious heads or dorsal fins.

As the battle in the arena ebbed and flowed, deafening cheers exploded from the audience, pounding at Yorichi's and Kuzan's eardrums.

"Whoa!"

"It's incredible!"

It was Kuzan's first time seeing such a spectacle. He couldn't help crying out in amazement, blood pounding in his veins, his eyes shining with unrestrained excitement.

Even Yorichi found himself stirred by the roar of the crowd, feeling a rush of adrenaline despite usually being so calm. Let alone Kuzan, who was still young and easily swept up in the moment.

The pair had barely found seats when the fight in the arena concluded. One warrior clad in heavy armor collapsed from exhaustion, his opponent striking him down and leaving him unable to rise for a long time.

The victor raised his arms in triumph, brandishing his spear high overhead.

The defeated warrior was dragged off the stage. Meanwhile, the victorious fighter, after basking in the thunderous applause and cheers, also left the ring.

At that moment, the booming voice of the announcer blared through the loudspeakers:

"And now, the moment you've all been waiting for!"

"Please welcome Dressrosa's mightiest gladiator, undefeated in 440 consecutive battles Kyros!"

"His opponent, known as the Rampaging Sea Bear, is Rayce Mulan, who's claimed 81 consecutive victories!"

"Now, let's welcome both warriors into the arena!"

As the announcer's voice echoed across the coliseum, the cheers rose to a whole new level, surging in volume and fervor. Every spectator turned as one to the tunnel entrance, voices unified as they chanted the same name over and over.

"Kyros!"

"Kyros!"