Chapter 251: Chief of Staff

Chapter 251: Chief of Staff



The stunning upset at first silenced the audience before they erupted into cheers. They laughed and taunted the unconscious Bartolomeo who fell to such an "obvious" attack. The only thing that could make it better is if the one who felled him wasn't an unknown gladiator, but rather one of their favorite contenders.

"How very unexpected this is." Señor Pink said. "To think that the second spot in the finals would be won by the ex-king Riku."

Shocked silence once more reigned in the colosseum until the crowd erupted once again. This time it wasn't mere dislike they displayed, but outright hatred. If not for the menacing fighting fish in the moat between the stage and the stands, some of them might have directly invaded the arena in an attempt to kill the object of their hatred.

Ex-king Riku, aka Ricky, didn't flinch at the visceral reaction towards his win. He expected as much, but he was resolved to win the tournament at any cost. He needed to rescue his people from the evil clutches of Doflamingo and atone for his failure to protect them.

Rebecca in the waiting room grit her teeth and clenched her fists. She hadn't known her grandfather had been here as well, nor even that he was still alive.

She turned on her heel and stormed away, tears brimming in her eyes. She was certain of his innocence, but a small part of her wanted to blame him for everything. It would be so easier to do so, rather than take on the monumental task of opposing Doflamingo. Alas, the kind grandfather in her memories would not allow her to stray from the difficult path she had chosen.

Sanji followed after her. After all, could he even call himself a man if he did not do all that he could to comfort a crying girl? If he did not crush the ones who upset her beneath his mighty heel?

"Why do they hate this guy so much?" Luffy asked.

"The story goes that ten years ago he robbed the whole kingdom blind then turned around and started slaughtering the people with his army." Cavendish explained somberly. "That was also the night Doflamingo took over the country, after he stopped the slaughter."

"Probably some plot cooked up by Doflamingo. It sounds a bit too unnatural and convenient to be true. Maybe he can marionette people with his strings? He definitely has the range for something like that, given he can reach the clouds with them." Cherry suggested.

Luffy looked angry at the idea that Doflamingo might have literally stolen the freedom to move ones' own body from people.

"That's an unsettling thought, but doesn't that seem a bit too far-fetched as well?" Cavendish said.

"Paramecia devil fruits are strange like that. There are always unusual applications with those if the user gets creative." Cherry said.

"The same will be true of the drill fruit I suppose. Personally I was merely drawn to the idea of defying the heavens, which is perfectly aligned with my aesthetic." Cavendish said, not realizing that nobody was paying attention to him any longer.

"Probably about to start a war with Doflamingo. We're playing gladiator to pass the time until the shit hits the fan. I've got dibs on the devil fruit, by the way, I saw it first!" Cherry

said.

"Why don't you just steal it? It might not even be nearby, so you might just be wasting your time for no reason." Sabo suggested.

"It's nearby, I know that much. And steal it? What would be the fun in that?" Cherry asked rhetorically.

"They aren't likely to hand it over fair and square when you win." Sabo said reasonably. "They've currently got it strapped to a fighting fish, so I'll be able to nab it immediately when they bring it into the arena. I suppose they think they're strong enough to play keep away with us." Cherry said mockingly.

"Well, I need to get back to searching. They're moving the weapons somewhere around here, I can feel it." Sabo said.

"It'll be under the colosseum. There might be a secret passageway down there, but Zoro got dropped through a trapdoor in the medical room if you want a sure shot down there." Cherry said casually, as if she didn't just reveal that one of her friends had been captured by the

enemy.

"Should you be concerned about him, then?" Sabo asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I warned him to be careful, so he ought to have his swords with him at least. He'll be fine." Cherry waved off his concerns.

They heard footsteps and Sabo whisked himself away, whispering that he'd talk to her again

later some time.

Sanji and Rebecca came around the corner after a few moments, with the former looking ready to go to war. Rebecca kept glancing at him oddly, as if she couldn't make up her mind about whether he was reliable or a weirdo. Both were true, but she didn't know that.

*BOOM*

"Hurry up you two! We'll miss Lucy's fight with Chinjao! It's sure to be interesting!" Cherry called out to them and they picked up the pace.