Chapter 30: Ain's Decision

On the other side, Bridge's battle had also begun.

His opponent was Ain, and his situation was not looking good.

Ain possessed the Return-Return Fruit ability, which allowed her to launch attacks by generating pink energy. Anything or anyone touched by the pink energy would be rewound to a state several years prior. It was an extremely overpowered Paramecia Devil Fruit ability and had a natural advantage against Bridge's close combat fighting style.

Fortunately, at this point, Ain hadn't reached the level of mastery over her fruit ability as depicted in the later theatrical release. She couldn't remotely launch the pink energy yet, and even if Bridge got hit, he would only be rewound by five years.

At the beginning of the battle, Bridge accidentally took a hit and his body regressed to a state of being 17 years old. It didn't have a significant impact, but he didn't dare to rashly launch an attack again. At this moment, he retreated to a corner of the arena, searching for an opportunity to strike.

Ain stood opposite Bridge, holding a pink energy in each hand, also on guard against Bridge's attack. Her shoulder had been touched by Bridge during their previous exchange, so as long as she relaxed her guard, Bridge's attack would hit her.

Continuing like this would be disadvantageous for Ain. Both in terms of physical fitness and martial arts, she was inferior to Bridge. She could only rely on her Devil Fruit ability to find the right opportunity to end the battle with a single strike. Bridge had already been hit once, and if he took another hit, he would be rewound to his 12-year-old state. No matter how strong his physical fitness was, it wouldn't make much of a difference at that age.

Bridge became impatient. He activated his Hook-Hook Fruit ability once again, with his right hand transforming into a curved hook shape, swiftly extending it towards Ain. Ain didn't dare to directly confront it and quickly evaded.

Bridge was proficient in the Six Styles, and this was the most suitable one for him. The incoming hook could carry the effect of the Finger Gun technique. If Ain used her Return Fruit ability to touch it at this moment, she would undoubtedly be severely injured or even lose her ability to fight.

Ain reappeared in another location on the arena, and Bridge's attack followed closely. This time, Bridge decided to go all out, even if it meant being rewound once again, he wanted to end the battle.

Repeatedly using the evasion technique was extremely exhausting, and narrowly evading the hook claw once again, Ain stumbled and almost fell to the ground. Gasping for breath, she looked at the hook claw coming towards her once more. It seemed like she made a decision. This time, Ain didn't evade anymore; instead, she forcefully bumped her shoulder forward.

Pff, blood splattered, Ain's shoulder was pierced by the curved hook, and she was also locked in by the hook. Her other hand pressed down on the hook on her shoulder, emitting a painful grunt before lowering her head, seemingly fainting.

Bridge didn't expect Ain, as a woman, to have such courage, using her shoulder to withstand his attack. However, in battle, he couldn't afford to hesitate, and no one would show mercy because the opponent was a woman.

From his perspective, Ain, who had suffered such a heavy blow, would have difficulty making any movements at this point. It would be extremely challenging for her to activate her Devil Fruit ability. So, he exerted force with his right hand, dragging Ain's body closer with the hook. Once she was dragged over, Bridge believed he could end the battle with a single strike.

However, things didn't go as smoothly as Bridge had hoped. Ain, who should have been dragged over by the hook, unexpectedly couldn't be moved after being dragged a short distance. Suddenly, Ain, who was almost unconscious, lifted her head and a pink energy ignited on the hand placed on the hook. She activated her Return Fruit ability, and the pink energy instantly spread throughout Bridge's body, which had transformed into a hook.

*"Chāo!"*

When Bridge saw the pink energy, he immediately tried to deactivate his own ability, but it was too late. His entire body emitted a purple light and let out a few awkward screams before transforming into a small, chubby boy with blond hair.

Bridge stared at Ain with a pair of smaller eyes than before, even though his body had regressed to his twelve-year-old state, he didn't think he had lost. After all, Ain's current condition wasn't that great either.*\

But the next scene left him somewhat desperate. Ain saw through Bridge's thoughts, a faint smile appeared on her pale face. She trembled as she raised her uninjured arm, and a cluster of shallow pink energys, significantly smaller in size, appeared. Ain pressed it against her own body. In a few seconds, the blood hole in her shoulder disappeared, and her appearance and body remained largely unchanged.

Although Ain couldn't increase the number of years rewound at the moment, she could decrease them. By using it on herself, she could restore herself to an undamaged state. It was truly worthy of being a time-related Paramecia-type Devil Fruit.

Now that Ain looked completely fine, Bridge looked at his own height, which had just reached Ain's waist, and let out a bitter laugh. He understood that he had lost this time. The crucial point was that he had underestimated Ain's willpower due to her gender and hadn't thoroughly analyzed her Devil Fruit ability. In short, his loss was not unjust.

In fact, he wasn't as obsessed with the rewards of the competition as others. He had already eaten a Devil Fruit, and he wasn't a swordsman either. What he had hoped for the most was to encounter Grefus in the competition and teach that guy a lesson, openly seizing the right to enjoy cigars for a year, and then watching him beg with a constipated face to be called "brother" and give him cigarettes!

Now, that could only be a regret. Bridge shook his head and then raised his hand to concede, as Ain saw him admit defeat, she deactivated her Devil Fruit ability, and Bridge returned to his original state.

Back in the rest area, Ain slumped in the chair. From being pierced by the hook to now,both her physical strength and body were already overdrawn. At this moment, a roommate who had just finished the match also returned to the rest area and hurried over to Ain when she saw her condition.

The roommate approached and saw Ain's pale face, sweat beads continuously appearing on her forehead, and a blood hole on her shoulder with fresh blood flowing out. Ain's stamina had run out, causing her Devil Fruit ability to automatically deactivate.*

The roommate hurriedly called for medical personnel and turned to Ain, feeling distressed, she said,

"Just a competition, why push yourself so hard?"

Ain mustered the last bit of her spirit and a slender figure appeared in her mind. She murmured somewhat absentmindedly,

"If I can't even achieve this level, how can I reach his side?"