Chapter 180 Foxy the Silver Fox

Translator: PapaSmurf0700

The Davy Back Fight is a pirate game that started on an island known as Pirate Island, often called a "Pirate Paradise." In this fierce competition, pirates challenge each other to win better crew members. The victors of these games earn the right to take a crew member from the defeated team, who must swear allegiance to their new captain in the name of the mythical pirate Davy Jones. If no suitable crew member is desired, the winners can claim the loser's pirate flag, which is as precious as life itself to pirates.

This game is brutal and ruthless, putting the crew's loyalty and a captain's pride on the line. The consent of the crew isn't required; the agreement of the captains is enough to set the game in motion. Bai Ye, reflecting on these rules, thought of a notorious figure from pirate lore, Rocks D. Xebec. Rocks, with his ambitions of world dominance, had made Pirate Island his stronghold—a fitting place for a man of his stature.

Such games and their rules could only have been imagined by someone as domineering as Rocks, who might have declared challengingly, "Come and fight me, if you lose, you'll serve under me!" In the future, Pirate Island would become the base for the Blackbeard Pirates, hinting at a possible link between Blackbeard and Rocks.

As Bai Ye and the others finally caught up with Luffy and Usopp, Bai Ye couldn't hide his irritation upon seeing that Luffy, in his typical fashion, had already agreed to a challenge from Foxy the Silver Fox.

Standing there with an expression of slight discomfort, Bai Ye sized up Foxy. He was an odd sight, tall but with a disproportionately slender set of limbs. His lips resembled a cleft, and his hairstyle was quite the spectacle—two spikes jutting upward, resembling fox ears. With triangular, thick eyebrows, a perpetual grin, and a conspicuously red, elongated nose that rivalled Usopp's, Foxy did indeed look like a fox.

Bai Ye cleared his throat. "Before you threw this challenge at us, you must have done some digging, right?"

Foxy's laughter filled the air as he nodded enthusiastically. "Absolutely, I made sure to gather all the juicy details on you."

He began listing off, "Vice-captain Priest Bai Ye, with a bounty of 125 million. Captain Straw Hat Luffy, sitting at 150 million. Less than ten crew members, yet a combined bounty that tops 400 million. You folks are no small fish."

Bai Ye listened, his interest piqued not by the accuracy of Foxy's information but by his audacity. "Interesting," Bai Ye mused, "With all that info, you still chose to challenge us? Especially considering your own bounty is a mere 24 million, Foxy the Silver Fox?"

In a dramatic gesture to elevate the mood, Bai Ye manifested a golden longsword in his hand, smiling kindly yet formidably at Foxy. His actions brought a visible tension to Foxy, who quickly blurted out in concern, "Hey, hey, your captain already agreed to my challenge. This duel is sacred among pirates—aren't you going to respect that tradition?"

From behind Bai Ye, Luffy chimed in supportively, "That's right, Bai Ye. I've accepted his challenge. We can't back out now." Luffy's tone hardened as he added, "Besides, this guy hurt Tonjit's horse, Shelly. I have to stand up for them."

For Luffy, any challenge linked to the pirate code was worthy of engagement, regardless of the challenger's intentions or morality. Perhaps this was the true power of a pirate's belief.

Hearing Luffy's determination, Bai Ye stepped back, his initial display merely a test of Foxy's resolve. Bai Ye had always wondered about Foxy's courage to initiate such a duel. In the original story, Foxy's bounty was under 30 million—trivial compared to Luffy's or even Zoro's. What emboldened him to challenge such formidable pirates?

It appeared now that Foxy had done his homework, knowing well Luffy's nature and betting on it. Foxy had his own cards to play, Bai Ye noted, watching Foxy's seemingly casual stance with amusement.

As Bai Ye had feigned aggression, Foxy's hurried speech had distracted from his subtly moving his right hand behind his back, perhaps preparing something. Unbeknownst to Foxy, Bai Ye had already caught a glimpse of these preparations.

Bai Ye couldn't help but chuckle under his breath, "The Slow-Slow Fruit, huh?" He shook his head, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Ignorance truly is bliss. Do you really think that just having that ability will let you escape unscathed?"

The Slow-Slow Fruit indeed has the rare ability to manipulate time, albeit in a very limited manner. It can slow down anyone hit by its light for 30 seconds—a significant effect, though not as immediate as the light-speed attacks from someone like Kizaru. However, this ability can be crucial in battles where even a fraction of a second can determine the winner, let alone 30 seconds.

But the limitations of the Slow-Slow Fruit were significant. First, it required specific gestures to activate—this wasn't a simple, passive ability. Foxy needed to strike dramatic poses, almost comic in their execution, to trigger the effect. Any restraint of his gesture-performing hand essentially nullified his powers.

Moreover, the fruit's effects were nullified by luminous objects and could be reflected by mirrors—an absurd vulnerability. Bai Ye, with his mastery over the Golden Light Curse, knew he was immune to such trivial powers. Perhaps, in some ways, the fruit had simply found an unworthy master who could not display its full power.

With a sly glance at his own abilities, Bai Ye mused internally. His mastery over time within his Taomen Jilu's inner space was far superior. The Slow-Slow Fruit seemed trivial by comparison and not worth taking.

Just then, Foxy grew visibly unsettled under Bai Ye's scrutinizing gaze, his voice cracking as he snapped, "What are you staring at, you bastard?!"

Before Bai Ye could respond, Luffy's voice boomed, cutting through the tension with typical straightforwardness. "Enough talking, let's get this challenge started! I'm ready for anything you've got, Split-head!"