Stussy had always had clear plans for her life.
Joining the White Wolf Pirates was just the first step.
When she first met Silas at sixteen, she had only wanted to make him her plaything to conveniently inherit his wealth after his death.
But over these two years, Silas's battle records had become increasingly impressive.
This made Stussy change her mind.
Silas could already make the World Government bow down. If he could live a few more years and somehow replace the World Government, becoming world nobility like the Celestial Dragons, or even become King of the World?
Just thinking of this possibility made Stussy's breathing quicken.
She had heard the rumors.
Silas had found Pure Gold that could grant immortality. Even if he had not found Pure Gold, he had definitely found something similar.
This was evident from Silas's current appearance.
Silas was already seventy-two this year. Including the year he had time-traveled, he was seventy-three.
But where did Silas look like a seventy-three-year-old man should?
His white hair cascaded over his shoulders like a beast's mane, lustrous and shining. His resolute, mature face always carried a confident smile.
Moreover, Silas's body was very strong, not explosively muscular, but proportioned and perfectly robust.
They say beautiful women attract men.
Handsome men equally attract women.
Especially for young girls like Stussy, the mature aura Silas emanated was simply deadly poison.
Plus, Ripley had previously revealed Silas's current lifespan was comparable to hers as a giant!
"Captain Silas, after joining the crew, is there anything you need me to do?"
Stussy looked at Silas with expectant eyes, her arms hugging her chest, emphasizing what seemed about to burst forth, apparently hinting at something.
But unfortunately, in romantic relationships, the proactive party easily lost negotiating power.
So Silas chose to ignore it.
"Perfect timing. We are going to sea soon. Stussy, you can prepare some medicines. Otherwise, you can arrange your time freely."
"Eh, we are going to sea immediately?"
"Haha, that is right. Surprised?"
Compared to previous voyages, this trip's destination was Fish-Man Island. They would not conflict with the World Government. It was basically like a vacation, perfect for a newcomer like Stussy making her first voyage.
"However, as ship doctor, though I do not require strong combat ability, you need at least enough self-preservation ability during our battles. So training is necessary."
"Also, you can find Kureha and learn some toxicology from her."
"Trust me, it will be useful."
Among their former White Wolf Pirates crew, Kureha had the lowest combat ability, but even he and Roya, the strongest fighters, did not dare anger Kureha.
Otherwise, you would quickly experience the terror of a ship doctor proficient in toxicology.
But that was all in the past.
Silas dared to say that with his body's current cellular metabolism ability, probably no poison in this world could affect him.
Seeing Silas ignore her obvious hints, Stussy felt somewhat annoyed but was quickly distracted by his topic.
The White Wolf Pirates were going to sea again!
In this world, no pirate crew stayed on one island forever. Constantly setting sail repeatedly, pursuing adventure and treasure, practically defined every pirate crew.
The White Wolf Pirates were no exception!
"I understand!"
Haste makes waste. If Silas were the type to eagerly take her to bed after the slightest show of interest, she would worry he just wanted to play with her.
After all, Stussy was quite confident about her body.
"Phew!"
Seeing Stussy finally leave, Silas could not help but sigh with relief.
Indeed, men of any age liked young and beautiful women!
Especially someone like Stussy, clearly young but with an overly mature body, possessing both pure and seductive attributes.
Even Silas almost could not control himself.
Just now, if Silas had wanted, Stussy would have offered her body anytime.
But Silas could not do that.
Because the moment he issued the invitation, Stussy became not just a woman but also his important crew member, a future comrade who would fight alongside him, not his subordinate.
So Silas hoped Stussy would grow stronger.
Even if he initially felt Stussy was not trustworthy, once he decided to invite her as crew, gaining her trust became his responsibility as captain.
If he could accept Rocks's ambition, why would he fear Stussy's betrayal?
Thinking this, Silas helplessly spoke, "Alright, you all come out. Do not hide. I noticed you from the start."
Silas inviting Stussy was not a secret.
After an afternoon of spreading, all of Sphinx knew.
A man inviting a young, beautiful girl—what else could they be doing?
So after hearing the news, Ripley and the others stopped shopping and secretly hid nearby, watching Silas and Stussy talk.
"So Mr. Silas likes this type?"
"Stussy's physical condition is too poor! She probably could not last a few minutes before surrendering. Do not underestimate Zoan fruit users!"
"Only young people like Ripley can handle it. Old ladies like me cannot interest Silas anymore."
Lily and Ripley, who had already had relationships with Silas, chatted about adult topics without restraint, making Kozuki Toki, still a proper lady and virgin, blush deeply.
"Really, talking about such things in front of Linlin!"
They had started discussing that girl called Stussy, had they not? Why did it become a discussion of Silas's physical condition?
But she had indeed heard that Zoan fruit users had excellent recovery ability.
Almost never getting tired.
Ah ah ah, what was she thinking about!
Only Linlin licked her cotton candy, listening to the three sisters' conversation carelessly. All incomprehensible words. Cotton candy was better.
After Silas pointed out their location, Lily and Ripley appeared before him with smiles, bringing Kozuki Toki and Linlin.
"How did it go?"
"What do you mean?"
"Did you succeed?"
"More or less. From today, Stussy is the crew's new ship doctor. This was approved by Kureha."
"Kureha actually let another ship doctor aboard? Wait, Silas, you know I am not asking about that. That girl called Stussy looks at you strangely."
"Cough cough, Lily, young people easily misjudge their feelings, mistaking admiration for love. As adults, we should be more tolerant."
"Tsk tsk."
Hearing Silas's shameless words, Lily looked at Ripley meaningfully. If they were separated for long periods, it might be different, but staying on the same ship daily, she did not believe these feelings would not change.
"Whatever. Anyway, it is her choice. I will come along on this voyage too. In the sea, you cannot even beat me. Do not let the strongest pirate crew accidentally die at sea. That would be laughable."
Among the White Wolf Pirates' original crew, Devil Fruit users and non-users were split half and half. Silas had no Devil Fruit encyclopedia and did not know what abilities fruit patterns represented. Devil Fruits collected at sea were generally distributed.
Whoever wanted to eat them, ate them.
As for what ability you would get, that was pure luck.
This was why Devil Fruits were not generally valuable. These low-value ones were basically fruits with unidentifiable abilities.
Fruits with identifiable abilities where strong fighters had previously appeared with those powers could sell for astronomical prices!
And ordinary strong fighters would not casually eat Devil Fruits with unknown abilities. If you got a fruit with little combat use, you would gain weaknesses to seawater and Seastone for nothing.
That would be counterproductive.
However, among Silas's three Devil Fruits, except for the Sing-Sing Fruit, the other two basically had decided ownership.
The Tremor-Tremor Fruit was definitely for Newgate.
The Hormone-Hormone Fruit, Silas had initially wanted to give it to Kureha, but she refused.
"Brat, I am past the age of wanting to adventure at sea. Rather than giving the fruit to me, give it to someone who needs it."
In the entire White Wolf Pirates, probably only Kureha, over a decade older than him, could call Silas "brat."
Then Kureha recommended Stussy.
"While you can still correct her, bring this girl close. She has talent. Do not let her go astray in the end."
This was why Silas finally agreed to let Stussy join them.
He had no reason to refuse.
Of course, newly boarded Stussy was an intern like Rocks and Newgate, specifically an intern doctor.
If she could not satisfy him, he would not easily give precious Devil Fruits to Stussy.
"Really, Silas agreed!"
Looking at the excited girl before her, Kureha laughed heartily, taking a big gulp from her wine bottle. "But do not get too happy too soon. Silas's standards for crew members are not low. Do you think we have been active on these seas for so many years without any companions going separate ways?"
"It is just that only we remained in the end."
Kureha's eyes held nostalgia. If possible, she really would not mind continuing to sail with Silas, but old was old. For the high-intensity battlefields Silas would experience, old ladies like her should not drag him down.
When Silas chose to disband the crew, was it not partly considering their ages?
That everyone could still gather together was already tremendous luck.
"How about I teach you to prepare some medicines convenient for sea use?"
"What medicines?"
"Contraceptives, of course!"
Kureha patted Stussy's shoulder while laughing heartily.
"You do not want to get pregnant right after joining the crew, do you?"
Stussy's face gradually reddened until she finally shouted, "Captain Silas and I are not in that kind of relationship yet!"
"Haha, so you want to develop that kind of relationship?"
Even if I really wanted to, do not say it so openly!
From Kureha's pharmacy came her laughter and Stussy's embarrassed, angry voice.
"Ku! Re! Ha!"