With Whitebeard and the Golden Lion on either side of him, Ares looked like part of a trio of old brothers, walking off with their arms slung around each other's shoulders.
They strolled farther and farther away toward Skull Castle.
In town, the pirates left behind exchanged stunned glances, as if they'd just witnessed something unimaginable.
Once the trio disappeared into the distance, the crowd erupted into frantic whispers and gasps.
"Who the hell is that guy? Why does he look so chummy with Whitebeard and the Golden Lion?!"
"No way, did Ares really just tank Whitebeard's punch like it was nothing? That punch only woke him up?!"
"You kidding me? Barely anyone can take a hit from Whitebeard and stay standing, let alone act like it was a glass of water!"
"That guy just joined the Rocks Pirates a few days ago. Handpicked by Captain Rocks himself as an official crew member! The guy's an absolute beast!"
"A rookie? That monstrous guy is a rookie?!"
Countless eyes stared at Ares's retreating back with envy. Being a full-fledged member of the Rocks Pirates meant a whole different level of treatment.
And being favored by both Whitebeard and the Golden Lion? His future was blindingly bright.
"No matter what it takes, I'm going to get that man!" Charlotte Linlin declared, eyes burning with determination.
But with Whitebeard and the Golden Lion present, there wasn't much she could do now.
Not to mention, other high-ranking crew members were still nearby.
She looked down at the man beside her, Streusen, and licked her lips excitedly. "Streusen, any ideas on how to get Ares to join my squad?"
Her eyes were filled with such greedy desire, it made even the sight of a feast pale in comparison.
Streusen, long familiar with Linlin's tastes, broke into a cold sweat. "That guy's strong. Whitebeard's punch only served to sober him up."
"And he's growing too fast. If we want him on your team, we'll have to go after his dream. Remember what the villagers told us? The kid's a little nuts."
"He's obsessed with becoming a living sword. Maybe we can work with that."
Ares's strength was evolving at a terrifying pace. In just a few years, he might become a division commander.
And he was still just a teenager.
If he kept this up, he could one day stand alongside Captain Rocks as a living legend.
"Perfect," Linlin whispered, eyes narrowing with excitement. She leaned in close to Streusen, eyes gleaming like a demon's. "Figure it out. That man must be mine."
The vision of Ares's burning red arm from earlier flashed through her mind, making her shudder.
Streusen nearly passed out from the pressure of her demonic gaze. Cold sweat drenched his forehead. "U-understood..."
It felt like his very soul and lifespan were being drained.
Only when Linlin turned her attention away did the overwhelming terror subside.
Streusen exhaled heavily, wiping the sweat from his brow, and followed her out.
Not far away, Kaido was hit with another brutal blow to his pride.
His resolve wavered.
Why is Ares getting so strong so fast? How could Whitebeard's punch only wake him up?
Is his talent really just like Linlin's something the rest of us can never hope to match?
Linlin's natural strength was already inhuman. Nobody had ever broken through her defenses.
Kaido clenched his fists and turned away, face grim.
He knew now. If he didn't train every second, he'd never catch up to Ares. Never surpass him. Never reclaim his pride.
He stormed away, walking alone.
A hundred meters later, someone blocked his path.
A towering figure, nearly matching Kaido in size.
Charlotte Linlin looked at him, her eyes clouded with lust. "You want power? Satisfy me first, and I'll make sure you get stronger."
"Otherwise, you'll never catch up to Ares."
The burning desire in her body was too much to contain. If she couldn't have Ares, Kaido was the next best thing.
Kaido's face darkened. He'd once tried to hook up with Linlin.
But back then, he'd learned the hard way.
She wasn't just promiscuous she was practically a "public ship." A vulgar way of saying she'd been around.
To make matters worse, she'd even been pregnant at the time.
But her massive size had hidden it completely.
After that, Kaido cut contact. The thought of her now made his skin crawl.
Still, she was a commander in the Rocks Pirates, far stronger than him.
Should he reject her?
Or accept it for the power?
...
Elsewhere, Whitebeard and the Golden Lion were in the middle of yet another screaming match.
Ares stared in disbelief.
How are these two still on the same ship? Don't they ever actually fight each other?
He'd lived alone for years. This made no sense.
But he shook the thought away and turned to Shiki. "Shiki, you promised to tell me what Armament Haki is. Can you explain now?"
The bickering stopped immediately.
Shiki replied, "Armament Haki is a way to use your body's power. It's better than armor. You can use it for offense, and it can hit Logia-type Devil Fruit users."
"Think of it like a hidden energy inside your body. You need special techniques to draw it out."
"The two most common uses are hardening and emission."
Then he suddenly remembered something. "Oh yeah, I told you before swordsmen can use it to forge a black blade!"
Ares blinked. "Black blade? I've heard of Supreme Grade, Great Grade, and Skillful Grade swords, but never a black blade. What's that?"
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