"Hic... Head Chef," Gatz sidled up to Ren, who was cleaning his cooking tools, a fawning smile on his face. "When can we have such amazing barbecue again?"
Ren glanced at him, said nothing, and just silently wiped a greasy barbecue fork until it gleamed.
Dolum was like a treasure-hunting craftsman. He had collected a large amount of hard, fire-resistant, and corrosion-resistant volcanic rock and a type of extremely tough ironwood from the island, preparing for a small-scale reinforcement and upgrade of the Azure Dragon. He knew very well that as the crew's strength grew, the pressure on this super-warship also increased day by day. It was always good to be prepared.
Rocks and Newgate stood side by side on the cliff, looking at the moonlit sea in the distance. "Gurararara, that kid named Shiki has some guts," Newgate said, taking a large swig of wine, a hint of appreciation in his voice.
"Guts? That's just a weakling's self-comfort," Rocks snorted with disdain, but a faint, almost imperceptible hint of a smile flashed in his eyes. "But, his ambition to become the hegemon of the seas is real. There are more and more interesting people on this sea."
The resupply work lasted for three days. In these three days, the storage room of the Azure Dragon was filled to the brim with all kinds of fresh meat, fruits, and strange spices discovered by Ren. Dolum also used the volcanic rock and ironwood to reinforce several key stress points on the ship's hull. Although it was just a drop in the bucket, it did soothe his anxious heart a little.
With all preparations complete, the Azure Dragon set sail once again. Like a well-fed black beast, it silently slid into the deep sea, heading for the deeper parts of the Grand Line.
Life on the ship returned to its daily routine of training and chaos. Gatz's daily training program had changed from being unilaterally beaten by Newgate to being beaten by Newgate and Rocks in turns. Although he was bruised and swollen every day, his durability and strength were growing at a terrifying rate. Dolum complained more than once that the sound of Gatz practicing walking on the deck was almost as loud as a meteor impact.
Linlin was addicted to the various desserts Ren made with the island's specialty, lava fruit. Most of the time, she was like a docile giant cat, sunbathing at the stern with a cake. Zeus and Prometheus above her head had also become more lively because of the better food. One would provide thunder for entertainment, the other would roast meat for an extra dish. Occasionally, they would even fight over the small snacks Ren fed them, adding a lot of fun to the tedious voyage.
Silver remained silent. He spent most of his time in the crow's nest, observing the ever-changing sea currents and clouds with his superhuman vision. He was no longer satisfied with just improving his spear skills, but began to try to merge his presence with the wind and the waves, pursuing a higher level of the way of concealment.
And Ren was in his new kitchen, conducting all sorts of bold culinary experiments. Shiki's Float-Float Fruit had given him some new inspiration. He tried to use an ingredient called "floating algae" to create a dish that would give the food a wonderful floating sensation in the mouth. Although he failed repeatedly, he never got tired of it.
In these noisy, chaotic, yet vibrant days, the Azure Dragon sailed for another twenty-odd days.
One day, a News Coo, in a near-suicidal dive, shrieked and dropped a stack of the latest newspapers and a few brand-new bounty posters on the deck, and then fled without looking back, as if a natural disaster were chasing it. "Oh? New news?" Gatz curiously picked up the newspaper. When he saw the headline on the front page, his eyes widened like his anchor.
[SHOCKING! THE ROGER PIRATES RISE TO PROMINENCE, DEFEATING A MARINE VICE ADMIRAL'S FLEET HEAD-ON!]
On the newspaper, a snapshot took up a huge portion of the page. A man wearing a straw hat with an incredibly confident smile on his face was cutting a Marine warship in half with a single slash. Behind him, a man with shoulder-length blond hair and glasses was calmly directing the battle, and there was another guy with two axes, looking majestic.
"Roger?" Rocks also walked over. He looked at the photo of the man in the newspaper, a hint of interest in his eyes. "Gol D. Roger... I've been hearing that name a lot lately."
Newgate also came over. He looked at the man in the photo and grinned. "Gurararara, another one with a 'D'. This sea is getting more and more lively."
The other side of the newspaper was the latest report on their Rocks Pirates. The World Government had clearly not forgotten their feat of conquering the G-2 Branch. Their bounties had once again seen a slight increase. Especially Rocks, who was now approaching the 3.5 billion Beli mark, a number that would make any famous great pirate take notice.
"Tch, just that little increase. Those old geezers at the World Government are too stingy," Rocks tossed the newspaper aside with disdain. This empty fame could no longer excite him. His gaze was now drawn to the rapidly rising Roger.
"Captain," Silver's voice came from the crow's nest, as calm as ever. "We are about to enter the Maelstrom Sea. The currents here are extremely chaotic, one of the famous dangerous spots of the Grand Line. But after passing through here, we will reach the New World."
"The New World..." The flames of ambition burned in Rocks's eyes. That was the real stage for the strong, the battlefield where hegemons would compete.
"Very good!" Rocks waved his hand, his voice as loud as a bell. "Alright, boys, hold on tight! Let's go see what interesting guys are waiting for us in the New World!"
"OOOH!"
Amid the cheers of the crew, the Azure Dragon let out a low rumble. Like a beast about to enter a new hunting ground, it resolutely charged into the Maelstrom Sea, which was known for its chaos and danger. The Maelstrom Sea lived up to its name. The moment the Azure Dragon sailed into this region, it was as if it had gone from a calm lake into a giant, high-speed washing machine. The sea surface was covered with terrifying whirlpools of all sizes and directions, each with the terrifying power to tear steel apart. The sky was dark with clouds, and a fierce wind whipped up a torrential rain, lashing at the ship's hull like a whip.
"Hold on! Everyone, hold on tight!" Dolum roared at the top of his lungs. He clung to the huge helm, the muscles on his arms bulging like rocks. Under his expert control, the Azure Dragon was like a nimble black dragon, weaving and dodging between the countless deadly whirlpools, tracing a series of thrilling arcs.
"Wahahaha! Exciting! This is more exciting than riding a Sea King roller coaster!" Gatz had tied himself to the mainmast with a rope. He let the wind and rain beat down on him, a look of excitement on his face.
-------
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