Chapter 51

The week was finally over and they set sail for the island that the Demon's Carnival was going to be held on.

They arrived at a fairly decent sized but shady island in the morning. There were a lot of ships docked there and after they found a spot, they entered the island.

There were a lot of pirates around and a few marines as well, surprisingly. Ignoring all of that, Timi, Kidd and Killer walked to the giant colosseum/arena looking building, where they signed up and were told that it will start in 3 hours. Also that the assassins will be introduced in masks and formal wear.

"How interesting. They have style at least." Timi commented as they walked back to town.

"Haha. This should be entertaining." Kidd grinned.

"You bet." Timi smirked.

"Don't lose." Killer said.

"I'm not planning on it." Timi smirked amused and they met up with the rest of the crew.

"The first round of games will last a week, then it will be the tournaments." Killer said.

"Sounds fun to me." Timi grinned.

They carried on their conversation in a bar as Timi ordered milk while the rest got alcohol.

"Strange choice of beverage." Kidd said raising an eyebrow at him.

"Is it? I always get this." Timi replied.

"Timi." Bec called as she appeared out of nowhere.

"What do you want now?" he asked annoyed.

"Is this how you greet your auntie?" she asked fake hurt.

"Just get on with it. It was enough that I had to put up with you for my training." Timi glared at her as she sat down with them.

"Hi boys." she greeted them as they did the same.

"I came here to give you a fair warning. Dad managed to send someone over a year ago and he's entering the games." she said.

"A year? How has he not found me in that time?" Timi asked.

"My doing. Anyway, the kid's powerful so be careful. His name is Eliot. Don't loose to him." she said grinning and disappeared again.

"Well okay then." Timi said chuckling.

"What was that about?" Kidd asked.

"Politics of a far away world that you don't need to concern yourself with." Timi replied confusing them further.

"Is it to do with your half demon blood?" Killer asked.

"Yup." he said and they hung around for little while longer until they had to gather in the colosseum.

Kidd and Killer took Timi to one of the changing rooms so he could change. Luckily for Timi, he still had that suit that one of his clients gave him and the mask. He pulled on the black dress pants with his black boots and burgundy dress shirt with the grey tie.

"Hurry up or we'll be late." Killer said as Timi walked out from behind the curtains.

"Who's fault do you think that is?" he asked annoyed.

Timi put the black half skull mask with the horns on but before he could pull the black suit jacket on, Kidd put a black fluffy coat over his shoulders.

"This suits you better." Kidd said grinning. Timi adjusted it and left it hanging off his shoulders, without his arms in the sleeves and his shirt's sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

"Thanks. Now lets go. They already started to announce the participants." Timi said, leaving the room with his right arm in the black bandages and he pulled on some black fingerless gloves.

On their way, they got a bit lost but Kidd found their seats at the front and sat down with his crew and Karma.

[And for the last entry; the Kidd Pirates' assassin!] the announcer guy yelled into a microphone as all the other assassins were already in the middle of the arena.

Being as late as he was, Timi just took an easier root and jumped from one of the balconies onto the arena. He landed perfectly fine and walked up to the announcer guy, who was a panda looking man.

"Sorry bout that. I got a little lost." Timi grinned as everyone was surprised at his grand entrance. After the initial shock, the crowd cheered for him.

[Alright. Ladies and gentlemen! We have 50 assassins gathered for the Demon's Carnival this year!] he yelled making the crowd go wild.

[They were entered by nobles, pirates, marines and even a couple of Yonkou and Shichibukai! Of course not personally themselves but they have representatives for them.] he yelled.

[This year, I am happy to announce that we will broadcast the Carnival all over the world! There will be 3 preliminary rounds that we call Games taking place over the next 6 days. A lot of the assassins probably wont survive that, which means that nor will their clients who hired them! The Games are dangerous, lethal, brutal and unforgiving!] he yelled dramatically getting the crowd excited.

[This will test our contestants to see if they are worthy to call themselves assassins! After that will be the the two halves of the fighting tournament! Now, now, quiet down! There are a lot of big name assassins here today! I want to give you the chance for a betting game between the audience for the most likely assassin to win this!] he announced.

Timi looked around the arena to all the fellow assassins. He didn't know there were so many of them but he guessed their numbers doubled over the past few years. He could feel a couple of familiar people both in the audience and behind the masks. Oh he couldn't wait to start.

[It's time to reveal and re-introduce out contestants! Which means masks off kiddos!] the announcer yelled as the clients' names appeared on a giant monitor on one of the walls.

He started to announce some names and their bounties, with people already talking about bets.

It went in a different order this time so Timi was announced earlier.

[Eustass Kidd hired the Blood Viper to represent him in the Carnival!] the announcer yelled as Timi took his mask off, shocking a lot of people, who both started to whisper in fear or excitement.

[Al Nero hired Nova, who are representing Doflamingo!] he yelled as Timi looked to the audience to find the pink bitch sitting in one of the balcony seats, grinning.

Nova was a woman with average height, tan skin with mid length shaggy white hair that had blue highlights and a full fringe covering her eyes.

[Lina Mcrare hired Roxie to represent Big Mom!] he yelled.

Roxie was quite a tall black woman, who had piercing yellow eyes, long black hair that was in a lot of little braids and reached down to her butt.

[Damian Carse hired Romeo to represent Blackbeard!] he yelled.

Romeo was a man with average height, orange eyes, black layered hair that reached to his shoulders with the top part tied up messily and his fringe was red.

[Mira Sai hired Eliot!] he announced as Timi knew that he was the demon that was sent to kill him.

Eliot was pretty tall with purple eyes and a sandy pale blonde Mohawk that fell into his face slightly.

He finished introducing all the assassins as they all smirked at each other, waiting to see what they were capable of.

[Wow, what a line up! We have contestants from two Shichibukai crews and two from Yonkou's! Trafalgar Law's Timi, Doflamingo Donquixote's Nova, Blackbeard's Romeo and Big Mom's Roxie! Not to forget that new hot shot Eliot who appeared a year ago wrecking havoc on the seas!] he yelled.

[I would like you to make your official bets while I explain the rules of Demon's Carnival!] he yelled and turned to the assassins while people in masks walked around the audience for bets.

[As you may have heard, this isn't such an easy or forgiving event that anyone can attend! We take no responsibility for any injuries and possible death! You entered, you pay the price!] he said laughing. It was clear that this wasn't your everyday fun games. An assassins tournament is out to be bloody and gruesome.

[You are under no circumstances allowed to quit or forfeit the games! If you try to run, you will be faced with the Hell Hounds! These are the people who keep order here! You don't want to become their target, trust me!] he said and a clip showed on the big screen showing how a 'Hell Hound' ripped a person apart with his bare hands. They were cyborg creatures that looked half human and half dog and they looked as strong as the Pacifistas.

[No outside help is allowed, naturally! All who fail a Game but live, get to take part in the punishment game! One of the successful assassins will be chosen by the Directors of the Carnival to remove an organ or limb of the loser! So try to make it out alive!] he yelled.

'So this is what's at stake here? How exciting.' Timi thought smirking to himself. Some of the others were looking sadistic as well while some looked a bit uneasy.

'That means I can't take part?' T asked upset.

'You can if you're a weapon. And you are one of my most powerful weapons.' Timi thought back.

[During the games, everything is allowed! You can kill your opponents if you want but you don't really have to! You can use any weapon of your choice, Devil Fruit power or curse to your advantage!] he explained.

[Let me announce the first Game! The Maze of Tricks! It is located north of the colosseum! It's huge, lethal and wants your blood! The rules are simple! Get through all the traps of the Maze alive! You're prohibited to fly over the top! You will have until midnight tonight to complete it! We have surveillance snails all over the place to keep track of you all! You have an hour to change and get to the Maze!] he announced and the assassins went back to the changing rooms.

"Timi!" Rory called as he caught up to him.

"Sup?" Timi smirked.

"You're taking part as well I see. It should be fun." he said with a sadistic smirk.

"You bet." Timi replied and they changed back to their usual clothes.

While the assassins changed and were taken to the Maze, Pandaman the announcer moved to a balcony where he could see the monitor perfectly.

[Welcome to the entrance of the Maze of Tricks! There are several entrances and thousands of roots you can take to get through it! There are countless traps within the stone cold walls of the Maze! Have fun assassins!] Pandaman said and the shot was sounded to enter the maze.

Most of them ran straight in while a couple of people took their time walking through the entrance. One of those people was Timi.

'There's no point in rushing. It will be the same either way.' he thought as he walked along the path.

He could already hear noises of struggle and traps going off. Suddenly the ground beneath his feet fell and he jumped away just in time to save himself from being impaled.

He walked on and turned a corner, he had to dodge a few spears, then run as a wall of fire closed in on him. As he ran past one of the paths, Timi caught a glimpse of one of the assassins being ripped in half by a 'Hell Hound'.

'Haha. Did he try to quit?' he asked himself amused as he jumped over a pit of poisonous snakes.

He then heard the beast following him.

"You want a piece of me?" Timi asked as he stopped and turned to face it. It stopped in front of him and growled lowering his head, ready to attack.

"Then come and get it." Timi smirked and ran ahead.

[Incredible! Blood Viper challenged a Hell Hound! Does he have a death wish? On the other side of the Maze, Nova escaped the poison blades while Eliot found his way through the fog!] Pandaman yelled as the crowd was cheering for them.

Timi ran through the shower of bullets unharmed and dodged all the axes that tried to chop him in half. He got to an old looking path and ran down it, with the Hell Hound still hot on his tail. The ground broke away at an alarming rate but he managed to make it through just in time.

He moved on and ran into another assassin.

"Man, this place is crazy." the guy said, leaning on the wall to catch his breath.

"You better keep your guard up." Timi said running past him as he followed him.

"Hey wait up." the guy called after him. The Hell Hound showed up again and they both ran from it and through more traps that they hardly got away from.

As they got to a corner, they saw that the wall was about to close the path off and ran to get through it in time.

Timi made it though easily but the other guy didn't and he could hear his screams as the Hell Hound ripped him to shreds.

'I wonder if I can kill anyone or Law's rule still binds me?' he thought to himself.

'You were hired by Kidd to do this. So technically you are on a mission. Go fucking crazy.' T said smirking.

With a sadistic smirk, Timi ran forward and quickly dodged an attack from a chick's sword that was aimed at his neck.

"Not bad." she commented.

He grinned at her and with a swift movement, decapitated her with AkaKage.

Another person showed up but Timi kicked the chick's head at him to catch him off guard and cut him up as well. Leaving the walls stained in blood.

He was starting to enjoy this little Maze run and ran through a couple more traps that would have killed him if it wasn't for his Haki.

He ran up to a part that looked like a little pond, there was a guy standing in front of it trying to decide what to do. With a chuckle, Timi kicked him on the back sending him into the pond and jumped onto his back and quickly to the other side as the guy dissolved from the acid.

"Oh, that's dangerous. Fair play Maze. Fair play." Timi laughed and moved on.

He encountered a path of bamboo sticks to jump across one by one as they stood up from the ground. It had spikes at the bottom so if you slipped, you died.

With the utmost grace, Timi got through it doing flips and and jumps, showing off his moves.

[Unbelievable! Blood Viper is running through the Maze of Tricks like it's child's play! Roxie and Rory are doing remarkably well dodging those poisonous spikes as well! If even one hit them, it would be goodbye for them! They were dipped in the venom of the Sandorian Viper!] Pandaman yelled excitedly.

"He's having too much fun." Kidd commented amused.

Timi blocked the punch of a guy and twisted his wrist breaking it. He then snapped his neck and jumped over a boulder that was about to hit him.

He killed a few more assassins that tried to kill him and got covered in their blood a little. After a while he was joined by Rory and they raced to the exit together.

[How unexpected! Blood Viper and Rory are having a friendly race across the Maze! I can't believe it! Eliot just killed a Hell Hound bare handed! Ladies and gentlemen, we truly have monsters attending the Carnival this year!] he yelled happily.

They had to avoid blades and bullets as well as a lot of surprise explosions but the two go to the final obstacle. A river of acid that they had to cross on tiny rocks floating in it that were quite far from each other so a wrong move and only death awaited you.

Timi and Rory just grinned at each other and jumped on the rocks, moving across easily.

They safely landed on the other side and looked back to see more people trying, some failing but others got across.

They did a fist bump and walked through the exit.

All the remaining assassins gathered back at the colosseum and Pandaman announced the end of the first Game.

[This is it ladies and gentlemen! The proud winners of the first Game! A lot of you managed to make it through! I congratulate you!] he said grinning at them.

[There were some unfortunate deaths, either by the Maze or by other assassins! Only five were left alive who failed to finish the Game!] he yelled making the crowd cheer.

[You know what time it is! Punishment game!] he yelled happily as the contestants were ushered back to their clients and the five guys were brought onto stage.

[These five men have failed the Maze! The Directors have selected five assassins to carry out the punishment! I will call out your names and I want you to come down here! Junko, Xeran, Akira, Leo and Jay!] he yelled as the five jumped to the arena.

Junko was a pretty tall woman with teal eyes and long purple hair that was split at the middle.

Xeran was a very tall and bold man with sunglasses and piercings.

Akira was a short girl with blue yes and short choppy brown hair that had light blue highlights.

Leo was a tall guy with blue yes and long dark blue hair.

Jay was a guy with average height, red eyes and blond shaggy hair that reached down to his shoulders.

[Each one of you will have a limb or organ to remove of the Directors choice! You may do it as you please!] Pandaman announced as they smirked in anticipation.

[Junko dear, you have the heart! Xeran, you got an arm! Sweet Akira, you have the head! Leo, you got the intestines! And lastly Jay, you have a leg! Choose your target and seal the deal! They don't need to survive it!] he added at the end smirking and got out of the way.

Everyone cheered as the five did as they were told and Timi sat beside Kidd as he fell sleep with a smile on his face.

"Did he-did he just fall asleep?" Killer asked shocked, while the losers screamed in pain.

"Yup. Looks like he enjoyed the first Game." Kidd said grinning.

"How can he sleep in such a place?" Heat asked, referring to the events as well.

[What a show!] Pandaman yelled as the five assassins finished up and walked off.

[Can we have this cleaned up please? And take the live ones away!] he said.

[Alright! That marks the end of the first Game! The second one will start tomorrow evening at 8! Be sure to get here in time and make some bets!] he said and walked off.

Everyone started to leave and Kidd shook Timi's shoulder.

"I'm awake. Who died?" he asked in a daze.

"A lot of fucking people." Kidd grinned.

"The first Game is over. Let's go now." Killer said and they left as well.

Romeo - art/Romeo-570052187

Xeran - art/Xeran-570052097

Leo - art/Leo-Beast-566799659

Akira - art/Akira-Pyro-566799063

Eliot - art/Eliot-Crow-566799277

Nova - art/Nova-Psycho-566799899

Roxie - art/Roxie-566800010

Jay - art/Jay-Blade-566799385

Junko - art/Junko-566799580