The once-peaceful forest, shadowed by towering trees and dense foliage, now lay scarred and burnt. Charred remains of trees jutted out like broken spears, smoke curling from their blackened edges. The ground, once soft with fallen leaves, was now cracked and scorched, the lingering smell of gunpowder and burnt flesh heavy in the air. The distant sound of crackling embers was the only thing that broke the eerie silence.

At the center of this destruction stood Zheng Yi Sao, her boot resting atop the unrecognizable, charred corpse of a monstrous beast twice her size. She flicked a glowing gold coin between her fingers, the faint residue of smoke still rising from its surface.

Her fiery red hair, streaked with hues of orange, was braided tightly down her back, giving the illusion of flickering flames. She wore a loose jacket that slipped off one shoulder. Her left eye was covered by a tied-off cloth, but her right eye gleamed with wild amusement.

“Hey, Watcher! Where’s my bonus, you piece of sh*t lantern?! All that radiance, yet somehow your ass still outshines your personality!” she bellowed, veins popping out of her forehead in frustration.

From the shadows of the nearby trees, two figures stepped forward, having taken cover from the earlier explosion. The surroundings, though once peaceful, now felt tense and suffocating, the flickering flames casting long, sinister shadows across the ground.

One of the figures was huge, his massive, muscular frame covered in dark umber skin. His long onyx braids were tied back, and his face was hidden behind a menacing oni mask devoid of eye sockets but adorned with sharp, monstrous fangs that seemed to snarl at anyone who dared look. He wore an immaculate white Japanese-like attire, the purity of the fabric contrasting starkly with his fearsome presence. Resting on his shoulder was a deadly black steel kanabo, its surface lined with jagged spikes capable of crushing bones with ease.

This was Yasuke, the legendary warrior who once served the Shogun of Japan.

Beside him stood another tall figure, equally intimidating but with a different kind of presence. His long, unkempt onyx hair flowed back, a full beard framing his rough face. Sparks of flame flicker intermittently across the ends of his hair beard, crackling along the edge of his tattered pirate coa.

Resting across his back were two heavy black steel anchors, each chained securely.

This was Edward Teach, better known to history as Blackbeard, the pirate who struck fear into the hearts of sailors across the seas.

Both men stared up at Zheng Yi Sao, who stood confidently atop the burnt remains.

Edward let out a dark chuckle, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Hehe, probably your stupid *ss destroyed the gold, you dumb b*tch.”

Yasuke shook his head, pressing a hand to his forehead.

“Did you at least hear an announcement before you blew everything to hell?”

Zheng Yi Sao’s grin faltered.

“No! I didn’t hear sh*t! Why didn’t anyone tell me?!” she shouted, frustration boiling over.

Edward continued laughing, while Yasuke let out a long, exasperated sigh.

Zheng Yi Sao, unable to contain her rage, flung a handful of glowing gold coins at a nearby tree. The moment the coins made contact, a violent explosion erupted, sending the massive tree crashing down with a deafening thud.

“Goddammit! Why can’t I get my hands on a medallion?! You’d think even a floating ball of pure energy would be less of a pain in the ass!” she screamed, stomping her foot.

Meanwhile, 200 meters away, hidden behind thick bushes, George Washington observed the trio through a telescope. His sharp, calculating eyes took in every detail before him.

He lowered the telescope, making it vanish into thin air, and turned around. Moving silently and swiftly, he sprinted through the forest, careful not to make a sound.

A few moments later, George regrouped with his companions, who were perched atop a massive, thick tree that provided an excellent vantage point.

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“So, what did you see? Is it the other contestants?” Fu Hao asked eagerly, leaning in closer.

George nodded. “Yes. I’ll tell you everything.”

He recounted every detail—their appearances, their weapons, and their interactions.

Billy, always the joker, let out a chuckle.

“Haha! A one-eyed crazy cyclops lady with a short fuse? This is gonna be fun.”

Jeanne frowned thoughtfully. “They must be confident in their strength if they’re drawing that much attention to themselves.”

Lapulapu, ever calm, added, “Or foolish. In a place like this, you have to respect the forest.”

Fu Hao grinned mischievously. “Who cares? We should jump their *sses now! There are six of us and only three of them!”

George shook his head firmly. “No. We don’t know how strong they are. For all we know, one of us could die, and we’d only gain a single medallion piece or none at all.”

As they debated, Musashi remained quiet, a slight frown creasing his brow. He seemed lost in thought.

Billy noticed and nudged him.

“What’s got you all moody, samurai?” he asked casually, leaning back against the tree with his hands behind his head.

Musashi’s eyes narrowed. “The one wearing the oni mask… I think I know him.”

Everyone paused, their eyes turning to Musashi. He let out a deep breath.

“His name is Yasuke. He was a bodyguard for the Shogun—the ruler of Japan. Wherever the Shogun went, Yasuke was beside him. Every enemy of the Shogun feared him, despite him being an outsider. Rumors said his strength was unmatched.”

Fu Hao rolled her eyes. “Great. Now you’re hyping him up? Thanks for the confidence boost.”

Musashi shot her a glare. “Shut up.”

George also said. “Well, I’ve heard of the other one—nickname Blackbeard. That man was a notorious pirate who ruled the seas with terror. His fleet was vast, and his cruelty was legendary. Sailors said his beard would burn like fire in battle, and he’d light slow-burning fuses in his hair to scare his enemies. If he’s here, he ain’t gonna be easy to take down.”

Billy whistled. “Sheesh… well, damn. We know who they are now. So let’s go kick their *sses!”

“Yeah! We can ambush them. One of us acts as bait, lures them in, and then we strike. Easy!” Fu Hao added excitedly.

Jeanne shook her head. “Are we seriously considering this? We only know their identities, not their abilities, we also don't know the other one. Also this is just a basic conclusion.”

Lapulapu, ever the calm, agreed. “We’d also be exposing ourselves. That explosion was loud enough to attract attention. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone’s already spying on them… like us.”

George nodded. “Exactly. We need to be careful. Our lives are at stake, and we can’t afford to let others know too much about us.”

Musashi, still pondering, added, “We need to act fast, though. We don’t know what surprises other dangers lurk around this area. We can't survive for too long nor be quick with it.”

Billy stretched lazily. “Yeah, yeah, we get it. Some of us can survive solo, but being alone here is basically tantamount to suicide. Hey! How about this, let's put it to a vote. Majority wins.”

Everyone agreed. After a brief moment, the votes were cast.

George and Jeanne voted against fighting, while Musashi, Billy, and Fu Hao voted in favor. Lapulapu abstained.

Jeanne turned to him. “Why didn’t you vote?”

Lapulapu simply replied, “I already have a medallion piece. The rest of you need it more.”

Fu Hao smirked. “Heh, show-off.”

George let out a deep sigh. “Alright. I have a plan…”

He laid it out: Musashi and Lapulapu would engage directly, drawing attention and testing the enemies’ strength.

Billy raised an eyebrow. “Why not lure them to us?”

George explained, “They’re too smart for that. But a direct approach with our strongest close-combat fighters can give our long-range attackers the chance to strike when the moment is right. The rest of us will provide backup. Our advantage is numbers.”

“And truthfully,” George thought to himself, “we still don’t fully trust each other. But Musashi and Lapulapu have proven their skill in battle. For now, that’s all we can rely on.”

Back at the crater, next to it Zheng Yi Sao, Yasuke, and Edward stood near the smoldering remains.

Yasuke glanced around. “Do you think we’re making it too obvious that this is a trap?”

Edward grinned. “Relax. Doesn’t matter what plans they cook up—our underground explosives surrounding this place make this gamble worth it.”

Yasuke’s eyes narrowed behind his fierce oni mask . “And you memorized the escape routes?”

Zheng Yi Sao thumped her chest. “Yeah, yeah! I’ve got it all in my head. If sh*t goes south, follow me!”

Both men exchanged glances. “Sure…” they thought, but both already memorized the trap placements themselves still not trusting the lunatic.

Suddenly, two figures approached—their footsteps light but deliberate.

Musashi, with his wooden katana drawn in his right while others are sheeted, and Lapulapu, Kampilan and Kalasag in hand, walked slowly toward the trap-laden ground.

Just as Musashi was about to step forward, Lapulapu blocked him with his sword, motioning with his chin toward a distant left side.

There, a massive wolf-like monster, its single cyclopean eye glowing fiercely, charged straight for Zheng Yi Sao’s group. The moment it stepped on one of the traps—

BOOM!

An explosion obliterated the beast instantly.

Yasuke muttered, “Lucky bastards… they know about the traps.”

Zheng Yi Sao groaned. “I knew this was a dumb idea! We can’t loot them if they know this area is filled with explosives!”

Edward smirked. “Doesn’t matter.”

He took a slow, deliberate breath, his dark red-blue hue eyes gleaming with a predatory glint. His rough fingers reached over his left shoulder, grasping one of the thick steel chains coiled around him like a serpent. The chain rattled faintly as it uncoiled, each heavy link scraping against the next with a metallic hiss.

His muscles tensed beneath his tattered pirate coat, veins bulging as he gripped the chain tightly. The black steel anchor at the end of the chain gleamed menacingly in the dim light, its surface worn and scarred

With a sharp exhale, Edward planted his feet firmly into the ground, taking a wide stance. His body coiled like a spring, building power, every muscle straining as he prepared to unleash the anchor. his arms, the heat distorting the air around him.

“Haha get these brainless idiots,” Edward growled under his breath, a wicked grin spreading across his bearded face.

Suddenly, with a roar, he swung his arm in a wide arc, the long chain whip slicing through the air with a deafening whistle. The sheer force of his throw sent the massive black steel anchor hurtling through the air like a meteor, tearing through the forest canopy and shattering branches in its path.

The anchor’s trajectory was terrifyingly precise, heading directly toward Musashi and Lapulapu, who were still recovering from the unexpected explosion moments before. The wind from the anchor’s flight whipped through their hair, and for a split second, their eyes widened in realization.

“Move!” Musashi shouted, already shifting his weight to dodge.

But just as the anchor was about to collide with them, it suddenly jerked mid-air, changing direction with unnatural speed. The heavy anchor, instead of continuing its lethal path, swung downward with bone-crushing force, slamming into the ground.

The moment it hit, a massive explosion erupted, sending a shockwave. Flames and debris shot up, the ground trembling violently from the impact. Some remaining splinters of wood and chunks of earth were flung in every direction as a cloud of dust and smoke enveloped the area.