"Ripley, are you absolutely serious about joining my crew?"
"Of course," the giantess replied, her voice echoing through the rocky landscape. "How many times have you asked me that already? Besides, we agreed on it. If things go wrong, I can just ditch you and run back to Elbaf." She giggled, a sound like shifting stones. "So, are we going to steal the Adam Tree branches now? I know where they are. I can lead the way."
"Who said anything about stealing? It's a fair trade!" Silas, perched comfortably on her shoulder, jumped up and knocked her firmly on the head.
"Ouch!" Ripley yelped with an annoyed expression. "You rotten old man, stop hitting me on the head! I'm not a kid anymore."
"Haha, my apologies, my apologies," Silas said, standing up on her shoulder to get a better view. "That's far enough. Let's wait here for a bit."
"Is he already at his limit?" Ripley asked, glancing back.
"It can't be helped," Silas sighed. "Rocks's foundation is still too weak. Even with talent, he has to put in more effort than others just to catch up."
This was why very few pirates made a name for themselves at a young age. Unless they were blessed with truly exceptional gifts, raw talent could not be directly converted into usable strength.
Ripley turned her head, her gaze falling upon the bedraggled figure trailing far behind them. She was a giantess who stood twenty meters tall, with legs over ten meters long. For every casual step she took, a normal person had to sprint just to keep pace. Since the rainbow that led to the giants' village was not expected to appear for at least a week, Silas had decided to take the long way, trekking on foot from the lowest level of Elbaf to the middle layer.
The mountains and hills that giants crossed with ease were a monumental challenge for Rocks. Even after a month of Silas's brutal training, the relentless journey was pushing him to his breaking point. Having risen from humble beginnings himself, Silas knew that there was a fine line between training and torture.
However, an idea began to form in his mind. Pressure alone was not enough. He needed to provide some motivation. The classic carrot and stick.
"Here!"
Seeing Rocks finally stumble to a halt, gasping for air, Silas tossed him a water canteen. "Kid," he said with a knowing smile, "are you cursing my name in your head right now? Thinking about all the ways you'll get revenge once you're stronger?"
Rocks's heart skipped a beat. How is this old man so sharp? He knows!
Seeing the panic on the boy's face, Silas burst into laughter. "Pfft-hahaha, I knew it! You've got a vengeful streak a mile wide. You're still holding a grudge because I forced you to join my crew." As a future conqueror, Rocks would never be content living under someone else's shadow. Silas had never expected to win his loyalty so easily.
"So, I'll give you a chance," Silas declared, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "On these seas, strength is the only thing that matters. With your power right now, do you honestly think you could defeat me or Ripley?"
Rocks was stunned. He thought of Silas's sea-splitting sword strike and Ripley's casual, earth-shattering punches. He gritted his teeth in frustration. Though he hated to admit it, the answer was a resounding no.
"Don't look down on the White Wolf Pirates just because there are only three of us," Silas's voice boomed, full of a renewed fire. "As long as I am here, no one will dare to underestimate us! On these seas, without strength, you will be bullied. Without strength, you will be plundered. Without strength, you cannot even protect yourself."
"Strength is wealth! Strength is dignity! Strength is everything!"
The words struck Rocks like a physical blow, and he clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white.
"So, I'll give you a chance!" Silas continued, his voice ringing with authority. "With your current power, you are nothing more than an intern on this crew. But that status isn't set in stone."
Ever since he had gained the aptitude for Conqueror's Haki, Silas had shaken off the dust of his decline. He was no longer the man limited by his own potential. Now, he had a system. He had the quality of a king. So what if these kids were the chosen ones? On a level playing field, when had he, Silas, ever been weaker than anyone?
"Rocks! Ripley!" Silas looked from the boy to the giantess, his voice filled with an unshakeable conviction. "From now on, the White Wolf Pirates have a new rule! It doesn't matter who you are. As long as you can defeat me in a head-on battle, you will have the right to become captain!"
"Rocks, today you're just an intern. But the day you beat Ripley, I'll make you an official crewmate. And if you can beat me? Then why shouldn't you be the captain?"
"The same goes for you, Ripley! Don't you look down on him just because of your Giant's blood. If you lose to him one day, don't come crying to me!"
If he had made this rule a few years ago, he would have thought he was just looking for a successor. But now, things were different. He was gathering a crew of unparalleled monsters to chase him, to push him, to ensure that he would never slack off for a single moment. What could be more exciting than being the captain of a future Emperor of the Sea?
This era belonged to him! In that moment, Silas's ambition burned so fiercely that the Haki within him surged like a dormant dragon finally awakening from its slumber.
Rocks's spirit ignited. He had thought Silas would always hold him down, always keep secrets, never giving him a true chance to challenge him. But the old man's words had shattered his assumptions. Silas was not afraid of him. He was daring him.
What was there to hesitate about?
"Old man, you're the one who said it!" Rocks shouted, his voice soaring with a newfound fighting spirit. "Don't you dare go back on your word when I win!"
"Pfft-hahaha! If you're strong enough to beat me, why would you need to worry about me going back on my word?"
Rocks thought about it and realized he was right. "Let's keep going! I feel like I can still run!" His exhaustion had vanished, replaced by a burning drive. The faster he grew, the sooner he could claim his place.
"And stop calling me 'old man' all the time!" A finger the size of a tree trunk descended from the sky, nearly flattening Rocks. It was Ripley.
"Is 'old man' something you can just say?" she scolded playfully. "You should call him Captain Silas! And you're just an intern. You have to beat me first to even earn the right to challenge him. Don't forget, I'm much stronger than you are now." She turned her cheerful grin on Silas. "Right, old man?"
Silas immediately knocked her on the head again. "Both of you better show some respect! What's wrong with being seventy? For a giant, that's the perfect age for hard work!" he grumbled. "Since you both want a challenge, then get to it! Ripley, go get the Black Pearl and carry it. We're doing weighted running!"
"Yes, Captain!" Ripley gave Silas a crisp salute, then her expression turned mischievous. "Captain, we're both training hard now, but what about you? As our leader, shouldn't you set an example?"
"Ahem…" Silas coughed, a flush rising to his cheeks. He was an old man. He could not possibly train like these young monsters. He was just about to refuse.
But his system gave him no choice.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step!
Success is one percent talent and ninety-nine percent perspiration. You are eighteen years old; how can you sleep when you're not working hard?
Daily Mission: Training
Requirements: 1000 weighted push-ups, 1000 weighted sit-ups, 1000 weighted squats, 100-kilometer weighted run.
Reward: Stamina recovery, slight increase in cellular activity!
Silas stared at the glowing text, his face frozen in a silent scream.
You have got to be kidding me.
[Chapter Complete]
***
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