Chapter 211: Karl’s First Trial in the Giant Arena

“I hope the Navy knows what’s good for them.” Karl looked up at the sky, a bit worried about Charlotte Linlin. He really hoped she wouldn’t do anything foolish.

Time flew by. Three days passed in the blink of an eye, slipping away like sand through his fingers.

Two days ago, Perospero and the others had already returned to Cake Island.

Rufid didn’t put up a fight. Once he was brought before Charlotte Linlin, she extracted his soul on the spot. Most of Rufid’s forces had already been wiped out by the Rocks Family, so keeping him alive served no purpose.

He was only brought back as a warning. His head would be displayed in the newspapers, a message to everyone at sea about what happens to those who mess with the Rocks Family.

“Knock knock knock!” That very day, armored guards in golden armor knocked on Karl’s door.

“Karl, it’s time. You may now participate in the Blood Trial.”

Karl had been waiting for this moment. Upon hearing the voice outside, he immediately jumped up.

“Creak!”

“Let’s go.”

Karl followed the golden-armored guards toward the massive arena not far from the royal palace.

He hadn’t spent all these days cooped up training. He’d also been gathering information outside.

Because the giants were so huge, the arena stretched for a full five square kilometers.

In the past, this arena was where giants settled their disputes, but over time, it became the official venue for the Blood Trial.

Even before they reached the entrance, the noise from within could be heard loud and clear.

“Someone’s about to take part in the Blood Trial!”

“Yeah, and I heard it’s a human this time.”

“How long do you think this human will last?”

“…”

Voices echoed all around, but almost no one believed Karl could survive the Blood Trial.

“Karl, we’re here.” The golden-armored guard led him to a side entrance.

“Just head straight inside and you’ll reach the arena.”

Karl stared at the enormous doors in front of him, then walked inside with his back straight.

As soon as Karl stepped out and appeared before the crowd, a huge wave of cheers erupted.

“Awooo!”

“No matter what he’s here for, he deserves to be called a warrior.”

“Oho!”

The roar of the crowd thundered overhead, filling the arena.

“Hey, hey, hey?”

“Everyone quiet down. Quiet down, please.”

From the main platform in the center of the arena, a giant stood with a microphone in his hand.

The crowd gradually died down to a hush.

Under the searing gaze of the masses, Karl stepped into the center of the arena.

“Today, Karl the human is here to challenge the Blood Trial!”

“And now, let’s bring out the first challenger!”

With a flourish, he pointed his right hand toward a heavy iron door facing Karl.

The iron door slowly lifted. From the shadows emerged a huge figure.

“That’s the Giants’ Butcher – Yorrel!”

“Let’s give him a round of applause!” The host started clapping first.

“Go Yorrel!”

“Smash that puny human!”

“Don’t embarrass the Giants!”

The crowd exploded in cheers as the giant Yorrel raised both hands to acknowledge them.

The sun was glaring. Karl squinted, finally getting a good look at Yorrel in the distance.

In Yorrel’s right hand was a longsword, his left gripped a round shield, and on his head sat a horned helmet. His bare chest was covered in all manner of scars.

They soon faced each other at the center of the arena, eye to eye.

“Let the battle begin!” The host had barely finished speaking when Yorrel swung his broadsword and charged forward, mouth open wide.

Karl wasn’t about to back down. He flashed a grin, a puff of white vapor escaping both sides of his mouth. With a flick of his right hand, a massive halberd materialized. Spinning it in a sweeping arc, he charged straight ahead.

“Clang!”

A thunderous clash of metal rang out, and a shockwave rippled across the entire battlefield.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Yorrel hadn’t expected Karl to be so strong. He staggered back dozens of steps before managing to steady himself.

“As expected from someone bold enough to volunteer for the Blood Trial.”

“You’ve got some skills after all.” Yorrel seemed in good spirits, even taking time for some banter.

“Want to test me again? Come at me and you’ll see for yourself.”

Karl hooked his right index finger, beckoning him over.

Yorrel didn’t know exactly what that meant, but from Karl’s teasing grin, he sensed trouble—as if he were being taunted.

“Ah!” Unable to take it anymore, Yorrel coated his longsword in Armament Haki and charged straight at Karl.

Weapon clashed against weapon. In just a few minutes, they’d exchanged hundreds of blows.

To Karl’s surprise, fighting giants was actually helping him get better with weapons. He found himself enjoying the battle.

Meanwhile, Yorrel noticed Karl’s strength waning and saw him pulling all sorts of flashy moves. He quickly figured out what Karl was after.

“You human brat, don’t tell me you’re underestimating me?”

“Death Slash!”

Yorrel’s dark blade came swinging down, veins bulging on his arm.

Karl could feel how deadly this attack was. He didn’t dare let his guard down.

“Thunder Crescent Slash!”

He leaped into the air, spinning his halberd behind him. With a brutal swing, he slashed down at Yorrel.

“Boom!”

Yorrel’s face twisted in shock as he tried to block the blow.

“Argh!”

“Get… back… down!” he bellowed, words squeezed out through gritted teeth.

Karl felt Yorrel pushing back against his halberd. Instantly, Karl pressed down with both hands.

“Boom!”

That was too much force. Yorrel couldn’t take it—he was smashed straight into the ground.

A crater dozens of meters deep opened where he landed. It was proof of Karl’s first victory.

“I now declare Karl the human as the winner!” the host announced, holding the mic.

A few giants came from the side passages and carefully helped the unconscious Yorrel out of the pit.

“I can’t believe even Yorrel lost to him.”

“This human is really strong.”

“Yeah, I didn’t expect him to survive the first round.”

“Even so, there’s no way he can beat Prince Loki.”

Karl’s victory set off a storm of discussion among the crowd.

But winning a single match wasn’t enough to change their minds.

If a human could actually pass the Giants’ Blood Trial, what would that mean for their pride as warriors?

Would they have to admit to the world that humans were stronger than Giants?

So it wasn’t just doubt—they truly hoped Karl would fail the Blood Trial.

But all of that couldn’t change the course of events.

Soon, another giant carrying a massive axe emerged from the iron gate.

Karl knew now wasn’t the time to relax. The rules of the Blood Trial meant that over the next thirty days, he would have to face challenge after challenge. Only after lasting the full thirty days would he be deemed victorious.

Titan Strength kept his body going, but there was no resisting the mental exhaustion.