Linne is human, I am human too.
The meaning was unclear, but Law understood.
In the end, Law didn't exercise the one request Netero owed him. Instead, he agreed to Netero's request.
Lure and eliminate the three Royal Guards, creating a one-on-one environment for Netero.
This was Netero's request, not a demand.
The meeting resumed. The others didn't know what Law and Netero discussed privately, only noticing Law became much quieter.
After discussion, a relatively clear plan emerged.
Since Tonpa was non-combat personnel, his combat strength wasn't included.
Thus, frontline combatants were: Law, Ging, Kite, Knov, Morel, Netero, and Zeno… seven total.
Enemy numbers were clear: only three Royal Guards and the powerful King… four total.
Initial combat assignment: Law vs one Royal Guard, Ging vs one Royal Guard, Kite, Knov, and Morel together vs one Royal Guard.
Netero alone vs the King. As for Zeno, he would assist Netero, letting Netero and the King fight away from the three Royal Guards.
After finalizing the plan, the team immediately marched towards the eastern capital palace.
The capital palace was located in the easternmost desolate area, with rocks and sand within a hundred-mile radius, few plants.
It's unclear what mindset Diego had, building the palace in such an environment.
The nearest city to the capital palace was Peijing. After the [Meat Orchard Plan] started, Peijing's citizens suffered first.
The plan's focus was selection. With a 1% survival rate, from East Gorteau's five million population, only fifty thousand would survive.
Palace, main hall.
The spacious, bright hall had only a few furnishings.
Large screens shielding three sides, a pile of books, a game board, two cushions, a curtain… forming a simple, clear game room.
The King sat on a cushion, holding a Shogi rulebook.
He was reading related rules.
Shortly after, Youpi brought a trembling middle-aged man with a black mole on his face.
Beside the game room, Pouf, also holding a book, glanced at that middle-aged human, then silently withdrew his gaze.
The mole man trembled as he entered the game room from the entrance without screens, immediately seeing the King seated before the game board.
Upon the opponent's arrival, the King's focus on the book didn't shift at all, let alone look up.
Under Youpi's gaze, the mole man carefully knelt on the cushion, head bowed, not daring to look at the King nearby.
Snap.
The King closed the book. Not a loud sound, but the mole man's body jerked violently.
That fearful reaction infinitely magnified in the King's eyes.
Regarding this, the King showed no emotion.
"Begin."
The King spoke briefly.
This mole man was the national Shogi champion, called here naturally to pass time with the King.
Before this, the King had already defeated several national champions of different board games.
Which number this mole man was, the King had no interest in remembering.
The Shogi match quickly started.
In less than an hour, the mole man stared blankly at the checkmated board, face drenched in sweat.
This being before him was a monster! In just an hour, he crushed decades of achievement.
One hour versus decades.
Such a gap was despairingly suffocating.
"Why didn't you concede earlier?"
The King coldly watched the silent, bowed mole man.
Hearing the King, the mole man lifted his lifeless face, like losing his soul, unable to speak.
Facing the mole man's silence, the King picked up a piece, flicked it, shattering the mole man's ear.
"Don't make me repeat. At the 22nd move, your game was dead. Why not concede then? Did you think I'd make a mistake?"
The King's tone held no emotion, nor did he intentionally pressure this weak-willed man.
Yet this ordinary questioning completely broke the mole man's spirit.
He abruptly stood, screaming in fear, fleeing towards the game room exit.
Splat.
A black shadow flashed. The mole man's head shattered like a watermelon, blood splattering everywhere.
The King swung his tail, smashing the mole man's head.
"Ignorant."
Looking at the corpse, the King coldly uttered, then looked at Pouf, who understood, walking over respectfully. "Next is the national Go champion."
"Give me the rulebook," the King said.
Pouf handed the prepared Go rulebook to the King, who opened and read.
After a while, the King closed the book, casually setting it aside.
Then, Youpi brought the Go champion, trembling and begging for mercy.
Seeing the headless corpse nearby, the Go champion trembled all over.
Seeing the Go champion's mindset, the King expressionlessly said, "Two paths: either play with me, or die."
After ten games, the Go champion tightly gripped his thighs, unable to believe the board's outcome.
"H-how... just ten games..."
During the first game, the King was clearly a novice. But in the following nine games, progress was indescribably rapid, even beating him by five and a half points.
'Was this... absolute disparity in talent and aptitude?'
The Go champion's heart held fear and unwillingness.
Trembling, he said, "I... have a slight fever, dizzy, and sleep-deprived... that's why I lost!"
Regarding this obvious excuse, the King calmly said, "You'll get medicine and eight hours rest. During that time, adjust to your best condition. I've no time for excuses for failure. So you better have a resolve to die. Go rest."
The Go champion stood up ashen-faced, stumbling outside.
In that moment, he realized his life had less than eight hours left.
The King watched the Go champion leave, then picked up a black stone, clenched it in his palm, crushing it into powder with slight force.
Watching the powder fall like sand in an hourglass, a flicker of boredom and weariness passed the King's eyes.
"What haven't I played?" He asked.
Pouf replied, "There's a board game called Gungi, originating from East Gorteau. Most citizens can play it. Moreover, in world championships held since fifteen years ago, East Gorteau's representatives have never lost."
"The current champion is the third generation, consecutive five-time champion."
The King's gaze was steady and strong. "Meaning, beating the champion makes me world number one. Fitting as the final game."
Like a stage-clearing game, and Gungi was the last stage.
Again, read the rulebook first. But Gungi's rules seemed more deep, so the King's reading time was considerably longer than before.
Thus, when the Gungi champion arrived, the King's reading progress was only halfway. For the first time, without finishing reading, the King actively looked up at the Gungi champion.
'Her eyes can't see?'
The King watched the girl entering with a cane, thinking inwardly.
The cane's sound drew the King's attention, noticing the girl's closed eyes.
The entering girl didn't look old, wearing a light pink dress, hair in two large braids tied with yellow ribbons.
Her appearance wasn't particularly pretty, just a pair of thick eyebrows exceptionally noticeable.
Perhaps because blind, the girl differed from other champions, showing no fear upon entering… only obvious restraint and excitement about playing.