"Everyone has their time to shine. That day will come."
"Haha..."
"But right now, this is Captain Rocks' era!"
Wang Zhi let out a hearty laugh as he watched the spirited youngster beside him boldly declare such an ambitious line.
The wind howled past their ears.
That was because the entire pirate ship was floating in the sky transformed into an airborne vessel by Shiki the Golden Lion's Float-Float Fruit.
The rise of the Rocks Pirates into an unprecedented force dominating the seas owed much to Shiki's unique ability.
His power turned the impossible into routine, making the Rocks Pirates nearly unstoppable.
This time, Rocks had entrusted Shiki with command not just to draw the Navy's attention, but also to lower their guard.
Ares looked up at the endless sky.
If he were only this world's Ares, he might've remained obsessed with one thing: forging himself into a supreme blade, one sharper than any Supreme Grade Sword.
But after merging with fragments of Riku Yo's memories, his mind had started drifting in strange, sentimental directions.
He'd begun pondering questions he would've never asked before.
Wang Zhi turned to the pirates on the deck and ordered, "We'll be reaching the Kingdom of Prodence soon. Get ready."
He didn't reveal the exact timing of the raid.
Only core crew members and elite fighters were aware the entire operation had to be completed in under three hours.
Even though the Float-Float Fruit allowed them to fly, the speed boost wasn't significant compared to sailing.
Once the Navy realized their ship had vanished from the sea, they would inevitably pursue them.
The pirates on the deck were already itching for action ready to seize treasures, indulge in the finest foods, and guzzle down expensive wines.
The more they stole, the longer they could enjoy their spoils.
Joy, after all, was often built atop someone else's suffering. The more pain the world had inflicted on them through exploitation and despair, the more viciously they repaid it with evil.
Hours passed.
Under the moonlight, tall lighthouses came into view on the distant island.
Their searchlights swept across the ocean, guarding the coast from incoming ships. Anyone sailing near the Kingdom of Prodence would be spotted immediately.
But they never noticed the pirate ship sailing silently through the night sky.
The pirates all went quiet.
Only the wind and their breathing remained.
Like a pack of starving wolves locked in a cage once let loose, they would plunge into a frenzy of blood and plunder.
Ares felt the difference too.
This wasn't like the last journey, which was light-hearted and easygoing.
This time was different. This time was real.
Being chased by the Navy. Raiding for food and treasure.
At the bow stood Shiki and Wang Zhi.
As the ship slowed down, Wang Zhi raised his telescope to his right eye and scanned a massive city built upon the island below. His face turned somber.
"We can't make out what's going on in there. We'll have to pick a spot at random."
The night gave them cover, but it also limited their visibility. They couldn't tell which buildings held resources or wealth.
The royal castle was off the table. Wang Zhi knew it was packed with valuables but also packed with the kingdom's strongest forces.
Time was limited.
Fresh food supplies were the real priority.
With a cigar in his mouth, Shiki narrowed his eyes at the capital glowing faintly below and said coldly, "Pick any spot. What we need is fresh vegetables and fruit. As for meat, there's plenty in the sea."
Wang Zhi nodded and turned to signal the crew.
The ship slowly descended.
Eventually, it landed in a large plaza with a thunderous boom, shaking the ground and waking thousands from their sleep.
A blood-soaked nightmare had descended upon the city.
Screams, sobbing, terror followed by the sharp cracks of gunfire and cannon blasts shattered the stillness of the night.
On the ship, Kaido stood on the deck watching the chaos unfold with an utterly bored expression.
"Tch... one-sided slaughter like this is so dull."
"This isn't just a random raid," Ares said, standing beside him. "With someone as cautious as Captain Wang Zhi leading it, this kingdom must have something worth worrying about."
Time ticked by.
More and more pirates returned to the ship, hauling bags stuffed with loot, only to turn right back around and dive back into the pillaging.
Ares could clearly see the greed in their eyes growing with every trip.
Then suddenly
BOOM!!!
A thunderous explosion rocked the city.
Ares looked up.
Several three- and four-story buildings, each over ten meters tall, collapsed in a flash blown apart into clouds of rubble and debris.
Kaido's eyes went wide. "What the hell... that blast just vaporized the buildings?!"
"That wasn't Shiki's power. And it wasn't Captain Wang Zhi's either," Ares said, his expression darkening.
Shiki and Wang Zhi were both masters of swordsmanship. Their slashes could easily cut through buildings, sure but this kind of explosive destruction?
This had to be Devil Fruit power.
And whoever possessed it... wasn't weak.
Ares tensed.
"That must be the kingdom's military response. They've got powerhouses too!"
Within a minute, a tall, broad-shouldered man appeared in Ares's sight.
He wore a golden crown and was flanked by soldiers wielding muskets and long spears, clad in full armor.
"I am King Elizabello I of the Kingdom of Prodence!" the man roared, face full of righteous fury.
"You vile pirates who have brought disaster to my people."
"Today, I'll erase you from this world!"
With rage in his voice, the king shifted into a boxer's stance.
At the same time, his skin turned an unnatural, glowing red, and steam began to billow from his body like a furnace.
Kaido looked over and muttered in surprise, "Ares, that guy's state... it kinda looks like yours."
"His skin isn't as red as yours, but still body flushed, steam rising."
He had seen Ares enter his Blood Armor state before, and this looked eerily similar.
"No... something's not right."
Ares narrowed his eyes, locking onto King Elizabello.
Then his expression changed drastically.
"Wait! This is bad!!"
"He's charging up for something... he's storing power in his body!!"
Just as the words left his mouth.
King Elizabello I shouted four words with earth-shaking might:
"King Punch!!!"
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