— — — — — — — —
Two days later…
"Roar!"
A fierce growl echoed through the air.
Opera had arrived, bringing Zuccotto along.
Thud!
The two of them landed firmly on the deck.
Zuccotto was short, barely a meter tall, but he was clad in a black fighting uniform. Despite his small stature and compact frame, he exuded the aura of a true martial artist.
Clearly, Zuccotto's reputation as a fighting prodigy was no joke.
"Big bro!"
Opera and Zuccotto walked over with wide grins.
Looking at the two troublemakers, Joey chuckled. "So you finally made it, you little punks! I thought you had run off somewhere."
Scratching his head, Opera replied, "Ahaha! Big bro, you can't blame me for this one. Normally, we would've been back in a day, but the problem was—our master insisted on teaching Zuccotto something before letting him go."
"Hehe…" Zuccotto rubbed his chin awkwardly, looking embarrassed.
Curious, Joey asked, "Zuccotto, what did Lady Scáthach teach you?"
Zuccotto scratched his head again. "Big bro, Master taught me a special move. According to her, this technique is something she learned from the 'Wisdom of Dún Scáith.' It's supposed to be the ultimate killing move, perfect for taking down powerful enemies in one blow."
"Oh?" Joey nodded in understanding. "So that's how it is."
At the same time, he opened Zuccotto's status panel.
---
[Charlotte Zuccotto]
Identity: 12th son of the Charlotte family
Power Level: Bronze Rank 3
Potential: Gold Rank 1
Description: A young man with exceptional talent in martial arts. If he hones his skills, he may one day reach god-slaying levels of hand-to-hand combat. While he lacks versatility, his talent is more than enough to be considered a key member of the family.
---
After reading the system's analysis, Joey couldn't help but admit—it was spot on.
More importantly, the last time Joey checked, Zuccotto had only been at Bronze Rank 2. How did he reach Bronze Rank 3 in such a short time?
However, the difference between Bronze 2 and Bronze 3 wasn't particularly significant. In the grand scheme of things, it wouldn't change much.
Leaning back on the couch, Joey asked, "Zuccotto, what's your plan?"
Zuccotto's expression was serious. "Big bro, with my current strength, there's no way I can take down a large number of fighting clubs in such a short time! I'm simply not strong enough."
It was clear that Zuccotto had a strong sense of self-awareness—he knew his limits well.
Joey, however, smiled. "What if I gave you the power of a Silver Rank 1 fighter for a short time? Could you handle it then?"
"Huh?" Zuccotto was momentarily stunned before nodding. "Big bro! That would be no problem at all!"
His eyes burned with confidence. When it came to martial arts, he had no fear.
"Heh…" Joey chuckled and handed him a pill. "Little guy, this is a Silver Pill. It temporarily boosts your strength to Silver Rank 1 without any side effects. However, you can only use it ten times in your lifetime. Each dose lasts for one month."
Taking the pill, Zuccotto grinned. "Big bro! Leave it to me!"
Joey smirked. "Of course, I trust you. You're my little brother—how could I not?"
When it came to his siblings, Joey always had absolute confidence.
"Big bro!" Zuccotto raised a finger. "Give me just one day! That's all I need to get used to my newfound strength. After that, I'll be unstoppable."
Joey chuckled. "Go for it."
With that, Zuccotto swallowed the Silver Pill and immediately began training.
Once he left, Opera turned serious. "Big bro, based on what I know about the Stronghold Seas, in The Mixed Martial Arts Club Alliance, the old masters tend to step in after a certain number of victories."
Joey smirked. "In that case, let's make sure we don't reach the number that forces them to come out."
"Huh?" Opera frowned. "Big bro, do you know what triggers them to show up?"
Joey chuckled. "I've told you before—money makes the world go round. And trust me, it can work wonders."
"99% of things can be bought with money."
Cornstarch explained, "Opera, it's already confirmed news. If someone wins 100 consecutive fights across different islands, the old masters will personally step in."
"If they can't defeat the old masters, they'll be forced to become island managers instead of issuing commands. That way, the Mixed Martial Arts Club Alliance remains stable."
Opera nodded. "Oh, so that's their game. Those old guys are crafty! Normal fighters don't stand a chance against them."
Joey grinned. "Alright, don't overthink it. Let's just focus on Zuccotto's performance. Speaking of which, where the hell did Daifuku go for training? No clue when he's coming back."
"Huh?" Opera blinked. "Where did Daifuku go?"
Joey leaned back on the couch. "Daifuku has finally figured out how to awaken his Stand, so he left to complete the process. I'm curious—his Puff-Puff Fruit is a pretty unique ability. I wonder what kind of Stand he'll get."
"Ohhh!" Everyone nodded in understanding.
Of course, they all wanted to awaken their Stands too.
But the problem was…Joey had been completely upfront about it—he told them everything they needed to know.
If they still couldn't figure it out…Then there was nothing he could do.
Talent wasn't something that could be forced.
And Stands? They were the manifestation of one's spirit and will.
If you understood it, you understood it.
If you didn't… tough luck.
One more thing—DO NOT compare the Joestar family to anyone else. That whole family is a walking cheat code!
...
Watching his siblings deep in thought, Joey spoke. "Think it through carefully. During this time, I'll go with Zuccotto."
"Oven will also come with me. The rest of you—whether you want to awaken your Stands or train your skills, it's up to you."
Opera shook his head. "Big bro, I've already taken care of the ship's defenses, but I need to head back. Lately, more and more enemies have been attacking. If I leave those four alone for too long, there might be trouble."
Joey nodded. "Got it."
Roar!
As soon as he finished speaking, Opera transformed into a dragon and soared into the sky, disappearing in an instant.
Joey watched him go and murmured, "Zuccotto, it's all up to you now. And Daifuku, you better work hard too."
"Heh…" He chuckled to himself.
Time sure flew by. Had it really been fifteen years already?
His siblings were growing stronger every day, showcasing incredible talent and power.
Joey muttered to himself, "First, I need more Aptitude Pills—those are crucial. Golden-level talent must become standard for the family. If possible… I should get Divine Bones too."
He pondered over his next moves.
Aptitude Pills. Divine Bones. These were the ultimate currencies of power.
The next day, after getting used to his new strength, Zuccotto began his challenge.
— — —
Thud!
As he stepped into the fighting arena, his stocky, tiger-like presence silenced the crowd—no one dared to laugh at him.
After all…
In just three days, he had already conquered three islands.
Across those islands, he had taken down 40 dojos.
In other words…
At this point, Zuccotto commanded nearly 50,000 fighters!
"Everyone!" Zuccotto slightly bowed before formally introducing himself. "Charlotte Zuccotto! Twelfth son of the Charlotte family! I challenge this dojo as a free fighter!"
His hands clenched into fists, and his sharp gaze swept across the room.
The students turned to their master, knowing full well they weren't strong enough to face Zuccotto.
This was the Free-Fighting Dojo, and its master was a Longarm Tribe warrior.
The master stepped forward and said sharply, "Then I won't hold back!"
"Please!" Zuccotto responded, eyes locked onto his opponent.
In the blink of an eye—
Crack!
Boom!
Free-fighting was straightforward.
It was basically street brawling—no rules, just raw skill.
Anything went, as long as you won.
Zuccotto was now at Silver Level 1, while his opponent was merely Bronze Level 6.
The outcome was clear from the start.
Boom!
With a loud crash, the Longarm warrior was slammed onto the ground.
Zuccotto stood over him, calmly stating, "Good fight. From today onwards, this island and all its fighters belong to me."
No one objected. No one dared to resist.
That was the law of the Mixed Martial Arts Club Alliance.
Zuccotto continued, "According to the rules, in three years, any of you may challenge me again. If you win, you will reclaim your honor and your authority. But if you lose—you will remain under my command."
"Yes, Elder!"
For warriors of this world, Zuccotto was no longer just a mere fighter—he had earned the title of "Elder."
"Oh?" Joey watched Zuccotto with growing amusement. His smile deepened as he commented, "Owen, did you see that? Zuccotto's will is beginning to take form!"
"Huh?" Owen, standing behind Joey, scratched his head awkwardly. "Big bro, are you saying Zuccotto might awaken a Stand?"
Joey nodded. "It's highly possible! This kid is honing his willpower through battle after battle. His fighting spirit is sharpening to its peak. If this keeps up, his Stand will inevitably awaken."
"Haha…" Joey chuckled to himself, shaking his head.
This was an unexpected but welcome development.
To be honest, he had been training his siblings to awaken their Stands for a long time now.
Stand Abilities!
A Stand was an extremely powerful asset. It was directly linked to the user's own strength. If fully developed, it was like having two warriors fight as one!
Of course…Joey's own Stand was particularly overpowered.
Silver Greatsword!
A Stand so formidable that, if perfected, it could allow Joey to fight like forty-seven warriors at once!
And that wasn't even counting his own physical strength.
It was a complete bug of an ability!
However…Joey himself hadn't fully realized just how terrifying his Stand's potential truly was.
It still had many undiscovered abilities. There was a lot to unlock.
That was something Joey would work on in due time.
At that moment, Zuccotto stood before Joey with a serious expression. "Big bro! It's done."
"Mhm." Joey smiled approvingly at Zuccotto. "You've grown, kid. On to the next island!"
"Understood!" Zuccotto nodded firmly.
And so…The next round of battles began.
If the enemy specialized in martial arts, Zuccotto would fight them with martial arts.
If they practiced free-fighting, he would use free-fighting.
If they were boxers, he would take them on as a boxer.
This was the very essence of the Mixed Martial Arts Club Alliance Challenges!
To win…One had to defeat their opponent in their own field of expertise.
Only then would the world recognize them as a true warrior.
Why was Zuccotto gaining so much respect?
Because…he showed no weaknesses.
In just seven short days, he had conquered seven islands and defeated 99 combat clubs—without a single loss!
His reputation was rising to that of a true champion.
.
.
.