Shiki the Golden Lion's eyes burned red with fury. With a sudden motion, he tore away his shirt, revealing a horrific wound across his chest deep enough to expose bone. The stitched-up gash ran across him like a massive centipede burned into his flesh.
It was a sight that made onlookers wince.
"Roger's strength is no less than mine… and with the Navy's Rear Admiral Zephyr there too, getting Wang Zhi and the others back alive was already a miracle," Shiki growled.
Then, his expression softened just barely. "That kid Ares… I hope he's alright."
He exhaled a long, heavy sigh before his face hardened again. Looking Whitebeard Edward Newgate straight in the eye, Shiki declared, "White-haired bastard, once I'm healed, I'll find Ares. And when I do, the Navy will pay in blood."
A dangerous, almost feral glint flashed in his eyes.
At the port, two figures appeared in front of Whitebeard one gold, one silver. Wang Zhi and Silver Axe stepped in, each taking a side to block him.
Wang Zhi spoke in a calm, measured tone. "Newgate, none of us expected this to happen. There's still no word that Ares is dead. We'll request Captain Rocks to mobilize the crew's full strength to find him."
"We'll bring him back," he promised.
Silver Axe added, "Now's not the time for you and Shiki to tear each other apart. If we find out Ares's fate, then we can talk about what to do next."
Both Shiki and Whitebeard were long-standing division captains of the Rocks Pirates, each with many subordinate crews and immense strength. A direct conflict between them could only weaken the crew.
Their words cooled some of Whitebeard's rage. He fixed Shiki with a deadly glare and spat, "Golden-haired lion, Ares is missing, and as the one in charge of that mission, you can't dodge the blame. I'll send my own men to look for him. You'd better pray we hear good news…"
"Or I'll rip that golden mane off your head and sink you to the bottom of the sea."
With a cold snort, he slung Murakumogiri over his shoulder and left the port.
Wang Zhi and Silver Axe both let out a quiet breath. If those two had started a real fight, the damage would have been catastrophic.
Shiki glared at Whitebeard's back and muttered, "I'm not afraid of you, old man. Once I'm healed, I'll find Ares myself."
And just like that, the confrontation ended for now. But the tension in the air lingered, weighing down the entire crew.
In the meeting hall, Whitebeard and Shiki sat at opposite ends of the table, deliberately avoiding each other's gaze. Even a glance was enough to reignite the fire in their chests. The atmosphere was thick with gunpowder.
Rocks's voice finally broke the heavy silence. "All current operations are on hold. I'll send people to track Ares's whereabouts."
His hawk-like eyes swept over the gathered officers, the oppressive weight of his presence pressing down on them. His tone was a warning, clear and sharp:
"During this time, I don't want any of you stirring up trouble."
His words rang through every ear, etched into memory.
Then Charlotte Linlin stepped forward with a smile. "Captain, why not leave this to me? My ability makes searching far easier."
The other officers turned toward her, knowing she wielded the Soul-Soul Fruit able to give life and speech to plants, trees, and objects. On any island, she could command an entire landscape to help search.
It was a tempting offer.
"I object!"
"I object!"
The protest came from two mouths at once Whitebeard and Shiki, their voices so perfectly overlapped it could've been one. They immediately turned to glare at each other, faces full of disdain.
Rocks raised a hand, settling the matter. "I'll leave this to Shakky. You all know the Navy and World Government are watching us closely after this last move. Next time won't be so easy. While we have the chance, I'll be recruiting more pirate crews under our banner."
"To strengthen the Rocks Pirates."
Everyone present understood that "subordinate crews" really meant cannon fodder the outer ring of the Rocks Pirates' influence. Still, no one objected. A stronger Rocks crew meant greater security for them all… and for some, it was an opportunity to expand their own influence.
Ten days later - Zou, the Mokomo Dukedom
On the back of the giant elephant, Tengetsu Ares had recovered considerably after over ten days of rest. He had no idea that in the outside world, the Rocks Pirates' search for him had already sparked clashes with the Navy and even brought disaster to some islands.
Pirates acted on whim, and with brutal directness.
"Ares-ani, I'm telling you, the folks here are all born warriors," Kaido said with excitement. "Even their kids fight as well as your average pirate."
Over these days, he had gotten to know the Minks well, working alongside them to earn food and supplies.
Today, he'd seen two children get into a fight. That wasn't unusual but what was unusual was the skill on display.
Kaido had been captivated. Two seven- or eight-year-olds moving with speed and precision far beyond his expectations.
Hearing Kaido's account, Ares perked up immediately. Nothing interested him more than combat. These past days of recuperation had left him feeling like a blade left to rust half a month without training or fighting.
"Tell me what's their fighting style like?" Ares's eyes gleamed with anticipation.
Kaido scratched his head, thinking back. Then his eyes lit up. "They can generate electricity from their bodies it seems to have a paralyzing effect!"
"Electricity?"
It was as if someone had plucked a string in Ares's chest, sending ripples through the calm surface of his mind.
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