"Very well," Rocks said with satisfaction. "Then I'll personally instruct you in Armament and Observation Haki."
After hearing El's answer, Rocks smiled, clearly pleased.
Having already mastered both forms of Haki to their highest level, his understanding was unmatched.
As for Conqueror's Haki—Rocks didn't bother teaching it, because that was something that couldn't be trained.
Only by strengthening one's own spirit and will could its power truly grow.
"You already know," he began, "that Armament Haki draws from an invisible force—a formless armor that channels the body's power. To master it, you must…"
"And Observation Haki… it comes from sharpening your five senses. You must learn to use your inner energy to heighten those senses. To refine it, you'll need to…"
Under Rocks's guidance, El listened intently.
Time passed quickly—hours slipped by as Rocks instructed him, subtly weaving hints of indoctrination into his words, trying to make El's will submit entirely.
Just then, as El trained under Rocks's supervision, the familiar voice of the system echoed in his mind—
"Ding! Congratulations, host—Armament Haki has reached Intermediate Stage!"
"Ding! Congratulations, host—Observation Haki has reached Intermediate Stage!"
"I leveled up!!"
A grin spread across El's face.
He'd spent an entire year at sea, fighting countless pirates, only to push both Hakis to around 90% completion.
But with Rocks's direct teaching, it was as if enlightenment struck him—both powers had instantly advanced to the next stage!
Rocks truly was Rocks.
Without his instruction, El would have spent much longer to achieve the same breakthrough.
He couldn't help but think—accepting Rocks's offer had been one of his best decisions yet.
Brimming with excitement, El focused his energy.
A moment later, his arm shimmered as a deep, luminous sheen of Armament Haki enveloped it—stronger, denser, more radiant than ever before.
This… was the second stage of Armament Haki!
Compared to the first stage, the second brought a tremendous boost in both hardness and defensive power.
Now that El had reached the Intermediate Stage in both Armament and Observation Haki, his overall strength had grown noticeably once again.
"Hm? You're even more talented than I thought," Rocks muttered, eyes narrowing slightly.
He hadn't expected El to reach the second stage of Armament Haki so quickly—even under his personal instruction.
Sure, he'd given serious guidance, but Armament Haki was one of the hardest, most practical powers in the world.
There were countless people who lived their entire lives without even touching upon it.
And even among those who did, most could never advance beyond the basics no matter how hard they tried.
Yet El, after only a short time under Rocks's tutelage, had achieved an epiphany—leaping straight into the second stage.
That level of talent and comprehension… even Rocks found it difficult to stay calm.
"Then I have to thank you, Captain Rocks," El said with an easy smile. "Without your guidance, I'd probably have spent a lot more time before advancing either Armament or Observation Haki to this level."
"What? You mean to tell me you also advanced your Observation Haki?" Rocks blinked in surprise.
Good grief. It was one thing for El to improve his Armament Haki, but Observation too?
"If you and I had been born in the same era," Rocks said with a faint grin, "it might've been interesting. I suspect, on my path to conquest, you would've been my greatest obstacle."
El's power and potential had truly caught Rocks off guard.
For a fleeting moment, he wondered—if El had been born in his generation, rising alongside him as a pirate…
In the end, who would stand at the summit of the world?
When comparing himself to Whitebeard, Golden Lion, or Charlotte Linlin, Rocks had never doubted for a moment that even if they'd been the same age, he would still be the strongest.
But against El… he wasn't so sure.
Still, now wasn't the time for such thoughts.
After all, he already sat at the top of the world, while El—no matter how gifted—was still far too weak.
That kind of genius, though, was a blessing for the Rocks Pirates.
If El could be nurtured properly, their crew would gain another top powerhouse.
And their dream of conquering the world would become just a little more possible.
"You flatter me, Captain Rocks," El chuckled lightly.
Truthfully, if they had been born in the same era, El was one hundred percent confident he would surpass Rocks.
Because no matter how strong Rocks was… could he compete with a system?
"Training's over for today, El," Rocks finally said. "If you ever need guidance again, come find me."
"Got it."
After tasting the benefits of personal instruction from the strongest man alive, El fully intended to seek him out again whenever he hit a bottleneck.
After all, who in their right mind would refuse coaching from the most powerful man of this era?
"Don't disappoint me in the future," Rocks said, patting him on the shoulder before turning to leave—his voice carrying a deeper meaning.
"How little you trust me…"
Watching his captain's back fade into the night, El couldn't help but smile wryly.
Still, Rocks's suspicion was understandable. Everyone aboard the ship harbored their own ambitions and secrets.
El didn't linger long. He turned and started back toward his quarters—
Only to stop short when he saw, illuminated by the moonlight, a tall, broad-shouldered man standing outside his door.
"Hm? What's this about, Edward Newgate?"
That's right—the man waiting at his door was none other than the future Strongest Man in the World, Whitebeard himself!
But come to think of it, El had just joined the Rocks Pirates today.
He hadn't even spoken to Whitebeard once—they were complete strangers.
So why was Whitebeard standing there, waiting for him?
El was baffled.