Ares dropped cross-legged onto the deck. Post-battle reflection had become habit he'd walk this path of combat until the day he fulfilled his dream and stood unmatched. Maybe then he'd finally rest.
Sea wind washed over his bare torso, cool and clean.
Calm settled in his chest as he replayed the clash with CP0's director, Cloud. A Logia of cloud intangible, protean, with a dizzying arsenal of forms. What shocked him most was that vacuum "Cloud Domain." With the air stripped away and a hundred-meter shell studded with bomb-like "bubbles," most people had only one ending inside: suffocation.
That guy's fruit mastery is terrifying. He's wrung everything from the nature of cloud made it do anything he wants. And he's been drilled since childhood: Rokushiki at a high level, Haki sharp…
Ares found himself praising a worthy foe from the heart.
In his mind he rewound every exchange, even puzzling over how Cloud had managed to use Soru in midair with the same explosiveness as on the ground.
For Ares, every strong opponent was a "teacher." Maybe the gains wouldn't show overnight, but they would add to his foundation.
Out at sea
The huge pirate ship ahead suddenly slowed. Wang Zhi frowned through his spyglass. "What's this? The Government ship's mast is snapped?"
Silver Axe took the glass, peered, and blinked. "You're right…"
"Strange. Could someone else have come for the Heavenly Tribute before us?"
He lowered the scope and looked to Wang Zhi. "So what now?"
Wang Zhi thought for a beat, snatched back the spyglass, and swept the horizon. No signs of an ambush. The odds of a trap dropped in his mind.
"There was fighting here, and the sky looked wrong a moment ago."
"Close in and take a look."
He tipped his head up. Overhead, the clouds pressed thick and heavy, all white piled on white, the weight of them almost physical.
Canvas bellied full; the pirate ship knifed through the waves toward the World Government vessel.
As they drew nearer, the picture through the lens sharpened like swapping a 2x for an 8x, though it was only distance.
"Ares!"
Wang Zhi's eyes went wide, disbelief flashing into delight.
Silver Axe, baffled, turned to him. "Wang Zhi, you're saying Ares is on that ship?! He's been missing a year. Why would he be on a Government boat? Did he cause all this?"
Flushed with excitement, Wang Zhi bellowed to his crew, "More speed! Move!"
Then, not caring whether Ares could hear, he windmilled an arm and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Ares!"
"Ares!"
The closer they came, the clearer the calls. Ares stood, shading his eyes, and spotted the pirate ship racing in. The voice clicked Wang Zhi's. He broke into a grin and roared back, "Wang Zhi, is that you?!"
"I'm back!"
"It's Ares!"
His voice dwarfed Wang Zhi's, rolling clean across the water. A cheer went up on the oncoming deck.
Ten minutes later
Before a gangplank could be set, Wang Zhi vaulted across and pounded over, face alight. "Ares, it's really you! Where have you been this whole year?! Rocks had us turning over every stone we even leaned on the underworld to find you. Nothing!"
Up close, staring up at him, Wang Zhi realized Ares had grown even bigger. He slapped a palm to that cabled midsection, tracing the perfect "shark-line." From the feel of it, the kid was even denser now.
Definitely hasn't been slacking.
Ares beamed. "I was hurt badly back then…"
He sketched the lost year choosing only the bits he thought worth telling. Silver Axe drifted over and ended up listening, rapt.
Then
Kaido barreled out of the cabins, voice arriving first. "Ares, big bro, guess what I "
He skidded to a halt at the sight of Wang Zhi and Silver Axe, his face freezing for a heartbeat then splitting in joy. "Wang Zhi!"
"Silver Axe!"
Thud, thud, thud Kaido's heavy steps thundered as he rushed over. "What are you two doing here?"
"Perfect timing we were just figuring out how to get back to Hachinosu!"
Wang Zhi chuckled. "This ship's hauling the Heavenly Tribute. We got wind of it, so we planned to take it. Didn't expect to find you two aboard."
"A pleasant surprise."
Kaido's expression cleared. "No wonder the holds are stuffed with treasure. So this was a Heavenly Tribute run."
Treasure. Silver Axe's eyes lit up; his heart thumped like a trapped doe. His voice rasped with excitement. "Kaido, you're saying the Tribute's still in the hold?!"
Kaido nodded emphatically.
Silver Axe whooped, and the other pirates erupted. Wang Zhi let the reunion's warmth fade, gave the wrecked deck a quick, practiced scan, and asked, "Did you two take care of the Government's people?"
Ares shook his head. "Two monsters pulled out. One was CP0's director codename Cloud. Logia: Cloud-Cloud Fruit. Incredibly strong no weaker than Newgate or Shiki."
"The other… bald like me. Carried a very dangerous blade should be a famed sword. Gives off a lethal vibe. Name's Saint Khristin. He felt strong."
"You ran into CP0?" Wang Zhi blurted, stunned.
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