The moment Silas decided to recruit Charlotte Linlin, a familiar panel materialized before his eyes.
Favorability Mission: Gain the favor of Charlotte Linlin.
Reward: For every 10 favorability points, your cellular activity will be slightly increased. At 80 favorability, you will be rewarded with advanced Armament Haki. At 100 favorability, you will be rewarded with the pinnacle application of Armament Haki: Internal Destruction.
Base Favorability: 0
Current Favorability: 10 (Friendly)
Charlotte Linlin's Impression: This old grandpa seems to have a good relationship with Mother.
Silas had already planned on making the girl his crewmate, so even without a mission, he would have actively worked to win her over. But who would refuse a chance to become stronger?
The Haki rewards were secondary. His fifty-plus years on the sea had not been for nothing. He was already a master of Armament Haki and its advanced applications. Compared to that, he was far more interested in the reward of increased cellular activity. After receiving it several times, Silas was beginning to understand just how powerful it truly was. His metabolism had quickened, his once-loose skin was becoming firm and elastic, and his appetite had returned with a vengeance. He looked several years younger than he had just two months ago.
Setting sail again at the ripe old age of seventy, what was his biggest concern? It was his own lifespan. Who knew how many years an old man like him had left? Even with his old injuries healed, age was a relentless handicap. If he had not already eaten a Devil Fruit, he might have been tempted to seek out the Bat-Bat Fruit just to regain his youth. Now, he did not need it. As long as his cellular activity continued to increase, becoming young again was a real possibility.
"You must be Linlin," Silas said, approaching the children. "My name is Silas, captain of the White Wolf Pirates. It's a pleasure to meet you. And everyone else from the House of Lambs, too."
He approached with a smile that held none of a pirate's usual fierceness, projecting instead the warm, disarming air of a friendly neighborhood grandpa.
"Ah, you're the captain of the White Wolf Pirates?"
Before Charlotte Linlin could react, the little giant girl with a bandana next to her covered her mouth, her face a picture of pure shock. "Everyone says you're one of the most powerful pirates on these seas!"
"Haha, I didn't expect people to still be talking about me after all this time," Silas chuckled. "But I can't bear the title of 'strongest' right now. To become the king who rules these seas, I still need to get stronger!"
The current king of the giants, Harald, was no weaker than him, and Harald was still in his prime. Silas might have fought him to a draw ten years ago, but he was not so sure about the outcome now. Still, he was not discouraged. This was just the beginning.
"My name is Gertz! I love little people like you!" the giant girl declared, her eyes sparkling as if she had just seen a fun new toy.
"Gertz, you mustn't be so rude!"
Ripley finally arrived, a bit winded, with the entire Black Pearl resting on her shoulder. "This old man is my captain now. You have to respect him just like you respect Grandpa Yaruru and Grandpa Yoruru!"
Thud!
She set the Black Pearl down with a ground-shaking impact. Even with a giant's stamina, carrying a sailboat for dozens of kilometers was no small feat.
"Captain?" Gertz tilted her head, then her eyes widened in realization. "Does this mean, Sister Ripley, that you've joined the White Wolf Pirates? Didn't Grandpa Yaruru and Grandpa Yoruru say you should join the Giant Warrior Pirates?"
"Tch. Who knows when those two captains will come back?" Ripley shrugged. "Am I supposed to wait for them my whole life?" Besides, she had only ever heard stories of the Giant Warrior Pirates. The White Wolf Pirates were a living, breathing legend right in front of her.
Gertz looked worried. "Sister Ripley, you're going to get scolded for this."
"Heehee, I don't care! I'm a member of the White Wolf Pirates now. If they want to scold me, they'll have to ask my captain first!" Ripley cheekily shoved Silas in front of her, leaving him looking completely helpless.
"Ripley, you're just making me a target for their anger."
"What does it matter? It's not like anyone in Elbaf can beat you anyway, Captain," she retorted, completely unbothered.
As if on cue, a furious roar echoed from the village. "RIPLEY!!!"
An old giant swinging a massive sword came charging toward them. "You rotten girl, get back here right now!"
"No way!"
Facing the old giant's attack, Ripley quickly used Silas as a shield, ducking and weaving around him in a chaotic game of cat and mouse. The old giant, Yoruru, grew so infuriated that his beard trembled with rage. Several times, he was tempted to just cleave the little person in two for daring to abduct his precious great-great-granddaughter.
"Bokakakaka! Yoruru, don't make a fool of yourself in front of our guests," another, fluffier-bearded giant chided from nearby. "Ripley is all grown up. Whatever she chooses is her own business." This was Yaruru, who was much more open-minded.
"Heehee, Grandpa Yaruru is the best!" Ripley cheered.
"However, it really is time to call Dorry and Brogy back," Yaruru mused. "It's been almost thirty years, right?"
"It's been forty years!" Yoruru corrected gruffly.
"Bokakakaka! Forty years have passed in a flash!" the old giant laughed heartily. For them, whose lifespans were several times that of ordinary humans, a few decades was nothing.
"Hey, Yoruru, Yaruru, are you two just going to stand here all day?" Silas finally interrupted, noticing that Linlin was staring blankly into space, her eyes glowing with an unmistakable, primal hunger.
It was clear she was starving. And as everyone knew, there was only one surefire way to raise Charlotte Linlin's favorability.
"Let's hurry up and eat."
The moment the words left his mouth, Silas saw the text on his system panel flicker and update.
Charlotte Linlin's Favorability +30.
Current Favorability: 40 (Close)
Charlotte Linlin's Impression: This old grandpa must be a really good person!
[Chapter Complete]
***
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