— — — — — — —
One day later!
Zuccotto made an unbelievable move.
Everyone knew exactly why the Charlotte family had come—to gather the members of the Longleg Tribe. Now, after conquering seven islands, they had gathered enough people.
Yet, despite achieving their goal, Zuccotto did not leave. Instead, eight days later, he challenged the "100 Dojo Master" and defeated him in front of everyone.
All Alliance members were muscular warriors, but that didn't mean they were fools. They understood the situation clearly and were left in shock, unsure of what to say.
However, they knew one thing for certain—Zuccotto's next opponent would be one of the Elders.
Smack!
As Zuccotto stepped out of the dojo, Joey's ears twitched slightly, picking up the sound of approaching footsteps.
"Heh heh heh..."
With a warm smile, Joey turned his head. "Elders, long time no see!"
The First Elder spoke, "Chief Joey, your objective has already been achieved. Why go through the trouble of challenging the 100th dojo?"
The Third Elder added, "You know very well what it means to challenge all 100 dojos, Chief Joey."
The Second Elder said, "Even for us, the rules cannot be changed. The Alliance values rules above all else."
Joey simply smiled in response, saying nothing.
At that moment, Zuccotto stepped forward, his expression serious. "Elders, I understand the rules very well. As a challenger, I must face one of you three. It doesn't matter which one. I am ready!"
"Oh?" The Elders were taken aback.
They all knew that Zuccotto was a martial arts prodigy, possessing incredible talent in combat. However, no matter how gifted he was, challenging an Elder at such a young age was astonishing.
"Heh heh heh..."
The Third Elder smirked. "Great talent! Strong determination! Not bad at all. I am Enbedo, the Third Elder of the Mixed Martial Arts Club Alliance. If you wish to challenge me, I won't refuse. Show me what you've got."
Zuccotto clasped his hands together in a respectful salute. "I will!"
With that, the two of them strode toward the arena.
Not far away stood a massive fighting arena—
A place where these two warriors would showcase their skills and determine the victor.
"Heh heh heh..." The First Elder chuckled. "Chief Joey, your brother may taste defeat."
Joey, however, remained calm. "For someone like him, failure isn't necessarily a bad thing. He's still too young. Perhaps losing will be a valuable lesson."
With a confident smile, he walked toward the arena alongside the other Elders, leaving further words unnecessary.
By now, a huge crowd had gathered at the fighting arena.
Truthfully, many people did not understand Zuccotto's motives.
If he lost, he would be barred from challenging again for three years, limiting him to ruling only one island. He would have to give up everything else.
Even if he won, he could only leave as he was, unable to continue challenging further—unless he aimed to become one of the Elders of the Mixed Martial Arts Club Alliance.
But that made no sense.
Zuccotto was a member of the Charlotte family, whose clan was already in the process of founding a nation. Why would he risk making a fool of himself here?
It was all very strange.
Still, the crowd watched closely.
Taking a deep breath, Zuccotto, despite his small stature of only one meter, radiated a sharp aura. He bowed slightly. "Elder Enbedo, please teach me."
Enbedo, despite his seniority, did not act condescendingly. He returned the bow. "I gladly accept your challenge."
Swish!
In an instant, the two warriors moved.
A pure clash of skill—every strike met with a counter, transitioning seamlessly from martial arts to grappling, boxing, street fighting, and even vicious, ruthless techniques.
Within just three minutes, their full abilities were on display, leaving the audience in awe.
The fight was executed with stunning precision, showing the depths of their combat prowess.
Many had witnessed Zuccotto's challenges against 100 dojos, yet they had never fully grasped his true strength.
On the other hand, Elder Enbedo's power was well known.
And yet—
The two were evenly matched!
"Oh?" The other two Elders murmured in admiration. "As expected of Chief Joey's brother. His strength is remarkable."
Joey said nothing, simply smiling as he observed.
---
[Enbedo]
Affiliation: Mixed Martial Arts Club Alliance
Alias: Third Elder
Strength: Silver Rank 1 / Silver Rank 2
Potential: Silver Rank 9
Description: Once a top warrior of the seas. However, age has begun to take its toll. Years of intense physical training have granted him incredible technique, but can his aging body still withstand such extreme skill?
---
Joey smirked slightly. "Just as I suspected."
Physical strength and technique must work together. No matter how refined one's technique is, the body must be capable of enduring it.
If mastering supreme combat techniques were that easy, the world would be filled with countless such fighters.
But reality proved otherwise.
Reaching the pinnacle of combat skill was no simple feat.
After a brief moment of analysis, Joey returned his focus to the battle, watching in silence.
Yet, he muttered softly, "Zuccotto, you must succeed. You remember your promise, don't you?"
Failure would complicate everything.
Huff—
Exhaling a deep breath, Zuccotto launched an even more ferocious assault.
"Hyaah!"
With a roar, his killing intent grew even stronger, becoming downright terrifying.
Crackle!
His strikes landed as if guided by divine power.
Zuccotto showed no mercy.
Every punch sent shockwaves through the air.
In an instant, it felt as if everything would be swallowed whole.
Unlike Enbedo, Zuccotto had mastered the perfect balance between technique and physical strength under the teaching of Scáthach.
Even though his current silver-tier strength was only temporary, there was no denying one fact: Zuccotto was a true martial artist.
A fighter of his caliber possessed top-tier control over every aspect of his body and skills.
In other words, no matter how much his strength increased in a short span, he could adapt and master it quickly.
And that's exactly what was happening now.
Zuccotto was steadily taking full control of his new strength.
Crackle!
Their battle raged on—a pure clash of martial techniques.
Enbedo silently thought, "What a terrifying kid… Where did he learn such skills? Is this what they call talent? Have my decades of experience been for nothing? Am I actually losing to a child?"
At that moment, Enbedo's mind wavered.
Boom!
Zuccotto seized the opportunity.
His punch landed squarely on Enbedo's chest as he said calmly, "Elder Enbedo, you seem distracted. Or rather, your heart isn't in the fight. Are you going easy on me?"
"Heh."
Enbedo steadied himself, forcing a chuckle. "I suppose my mind was a little shaken. I can't deny it—geniuses like you make the rest of us feel helpless."
Zuccotto simply replied, "I'm not a genius. I'm just a member of the Charlotte Family. Under my elder brother's watch, having this level of strength is only natural."
"..."
"Then let's continue."
"Agreed."
The two fighters exchanged glances, discarding all unnecessary techniques.
What followed was pure, unfiltered martial arts.
Every fighting style. Every technique.
They executed them flawlessly, as if second nature.
Even when it seemed impossible to dodge, they managed to evade effortlessly—as if guided by instinct.
This was martial arts at its peak! To find fighters in this sea who could match their skill?
A near-impossible task.
And to witness two warriors locked in such a battle, free of distractions?
A true rarity.
Crackle!
The First Elder observed in awe. "Incredible… Third Brother is pushing himself to an even higher level!"
The Second Elder nodded in admiration. "Can sheer effort defeat raw talent? This fight proves how terrifying that kid is. What do you think, Chief Joey?"
Unconsciously, the elders' tone carried newfound respect for Zuccotto.
Joey smiled. "There's no such thing as a monster or a prodigy. This fight will go down in history. But for my little brother, this is merely the beginning. His future holds far greater victories."
Such was his confidence.
His siblings. As members of the Charlotte Family, they were destined for greatness.
Joey's gaze was calm yet filled with unshakable pride. 'This is only natural.'
"Heh."
The two elders chuckled silently.
This wasn't their first encounter with Joey.
They knew full well what terrifying arrogance lay beneath his gentle demeanor.
Now, all they had to do was watch the fight unfold.
Zuccotto vs. Enbedo.
A young prodigy versus a seasoned veteran.
Yet, even Enbedo was once a genius in his own right.
Unfortunately, his talent simply paled in comparison to Zuccotto's.
Everyone watched the battlefield in total concentration.
Not wanting to miss even the slightest movement, knowing each detail carried invaluable lessons.
To those devoted to martial arts, witnessing this battle was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
They stared intently at the clash, taking in every moment.
Meanwhile, on the battlefield, the fight had entered its most intense phase.
Technique. Instinct.
The two were now fully merged, as Zuccotto's eyes began to gleam with a faint white hue.
His consciousness faded, allowing instinct to take over completely.
Huff—
Exhaling deeply, Zuccotto moved again.
"HAAH!"
With a fierce cry, he threw out a devastating punch, generating a wave of heat purely through his movement.
The sheer force of his punch created shockwaves in the air.
It was proof of his absolute control over every strike.
BOOM!!!
Their fists clashed head-on.
Crack!
The ground beneath them shattered like a spiderweb, cracks spreading in all directions.
Within seconds, thick smoke enveloped them both.
The center of the battlefield was reduced to rubble.
Everyone held their breath, eyes locked on the fight, waiting for the final result.
Who would emerge victorious?
Who would fall?
This battle had reached the absolute peak of martial technique.
While Zuccotto would only grow stronger in the future, for now, this was the ultimate clash.
A duel that no one could surpass in the near future.
.
.
.