Navigating the New World was actually quite troublesome. Weather changes, current variations—without sufficiently excellent navigation skills, even great pirates with bounties over 100 million could face danger here.
The Millennium Falcon's hull had shrunk to one-quarter size. Though larger size meant more space, with spatial utilization master Ripley around, there was no need to worry too much about ship size.
Make it bigger when needed, smaller when not.
Since her fruit ability awakened, Ripley wielded the Mini-Mini Fruit's power to exceptional mastery.
Even the shrunken Millennium Falcon provided ample activity space for newly joined Shiki, Zephyr, and Tsuru.
At this moment, Shiki, Zephyr, and Tsuru simultaneously attacked a delicate, pink-haired, slightly chubby little girl.
Though ten years old, if Shiki, Zephyr, and Tsuru had to evaluate her, that would be—monster!
No matter what attacks they used, they couldn't harm the little girl, couldn't even make her move a single step from where she stood. Instead, their attacks hitting her would generate equal recoil force, injuring them.
'A complete monster... and she's just a ten-year-old girl.'
Shiki thought to himself.
After the Sabaody Archipelago battle, benefiting from Silas invading Mariejois, all White Wolf Pirates crew members who participated in that battle had their bounties significantly increased.
Ripley's bounty: 130 million Berry! Newgate's bounty: 50 million Berry! Charlotte Linlin's bounty: 70 million Berry!
Even Stussy, who had acted with Lily at Acropolis Port, received her first bounty.
Buckingham Stussy, codename "Golden Beauty." Bounty: 5 million Berry!
Honestly, Stussy's bounty was completely inflated. After all, Stussy's combat ability was truly mediocre. Meeting Silas at almost the same time as Newgate, yet now Newgate had mastered dual-color Haki with combat power approaching great pirates, while Stussy barely met basic Six Powers learning requirements.
Even newly joined Shiki, Zephyr, and Tsuru were stronger than her.
So while the combat group trained with Linlin, Silas was drilling Stussy and Toki.
Though not expecting their combat power to match future emperors, they at least couldn't be mere decorations, right? Even Ripley, whose role had shifted from combatant due to slow progress recently, hadn't abandoned training.
Silas sat cross-legged, simultaneously instructing both.
"The Six Powers are just basic methods for unlocking bodily potential. Though the ultimate goal is mastering Six Powers, learning advanced techniques, and even Haki, there are still priority differences in early learning."
Like Rocks and Newgate—when learning Six Powers, one first mastered Shave, the other Iron Body. This reflected different emphases in their physical potential.
But now, both Rocks and Newgate had completely mastered the Six Powers, developing their own special techniques.
Rocks had mastered the Six Powers ultimate technique: Life Return. Newgate was working hard to learn it.
However, after eating the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, Newgate's attention was divided, so comprehending Life Return would take much longer.
"Stussy, you can try learning Six Powers: Paper Arts. Toki, you can learn Moonwalk. Starting with these should progress faster for you both."
The reason Silas could constantly spare time instructing subordinate crew members was purely because his physical abilities had developed to near-limits.
Without special opportunities or sufficiently intense battles for enlightenment, his strength would probably stop here.
After all, he wasn't some young person with unlimited potential and possibilities. Though his appearance had become much younger, he was actually still that seventy-plus-year-old man. Both swordsmanship and physical arts had reached peaks through decades of adventuring.
And Haki techniques could only be comprehended through battle.
In this world, was there anyone who could give him a satisfying fight?
Silas thought of Imu. However, if he ran to Mariejois again, what awaited him would probably be revived Holy Knights and Five Elders' gang beating.
Would he win? He would die!
Back then he hadn't learned the technique of using Conqueror's Haki to break Holy Knights' immortality, only able to use Armament Haki to suppress their recovery speed—obviously not permanent.
After Silas left, those two unlucky Holy Knights commanders were rescued. The family of three were again three complete top fighters.
A family of three Admirals. Just thinking about it felt absurd.
Seeing Silas distracted, Stussy, who was stretching, puffed out her chest and looked provocatively at Toki nearby.
In Stussy's view, whether Lily or Rona, they were just aging old women. Especially Rona.
Though occasionally sleeping with Silas, it felt like they just had that kind of relationship. More than friends, less than lovers?
Only because both Lily and Rona were fairly strong and had mastered Life Return, keeping their bodies young inside and out. Otherwise, normally at their age, they should be past their prime.
What made Stussy most wary was Ripley. Because Ripley was young.
Though age-wise similar to Lily and Rona, Ripley was a giant! A fifty-year-old giant was like an eighteen-year-old human.
Not only young but would stay that way for decades—truly her greatest rival.
Fortunately, White Wolf Pirates had Pure Gold. Special metal that could grant eternal youth—wealth enough to buy the entire world, and this wealth was in the lantern fish's lantern!
If news leaked, even the entire world would go crazy for it. But its owner was White King Silas!
Not stealing Pure Gold might mean death, but stealing it definitely meant death. This was the world's strongest deterrent power.
Thinking of current rumors circulating outside, Stussy's delicate body couldn't help trembling lightly.
White King Silas. Pirate among pirates, man among men!
Since Silas invaded Mariejois and escaped unharmed, in many pirates' eyes, even those living in gray areas, Silas faintly had the world's strongest reputation.
For such a man, wasn't having multiple wives normal? Stussy didn't find it strange at all.
Let alone Toki. Sometimes when Silas was slightly intimate with her, Toki's heart would pound. Afraid Silas would devour her completely.
But seeing Silas not acting would disappoint her, wondering if she lacked charm.
The Millennium Falcon had sailed for two months. Not only seasonal warming, but because the ship was approaching tropical regions on their route.
So during training, both Stussy and Toki were covered in fragrant sweat.
And Stussy took the opportunity to release her ability.
Lust Hormones!
As a doctor, Stussy thoroughly understood her fruit ability, developing it expertly. In just a few months, she had not only developed the healing hormones Silas knew—activating human healing ability—and emotional hormones making people forget fatigue, but even developed youth hormones that could restore someone's youth.
According to medical theory, insufficient hormone secretion was the main cause of lacking physiological functions. In other words, aging was due to insufficient hormone secretion. By supplementing hormones, aging phenomena could halt or even reverse.
Stussy's developed youth hormones verified this point.
Unfortunately, youth hormones were developed after leaving Sphinx. Otherwise, giving Roy and others two injections would mean a rejuvenated Roy would have at least 200 million-level combat power.
And including Silas's cellular activity enhancement—was this also a manifestation of increased hormone secretion?
However, cellular activity enhancement wasn't limited to this—simple hormone secretion couldn't improve a person's potential.
Silas thought of much more. If he could retrieve his former old crew members, White Wolf Pirates' strength would definitely get another boost.
Actually, many White Wolf Pirates members were the same. Though continuous battles had improved their combat techniques and even Haki, aging had actually decreased overall strength.
Though Stussy's youth hormones weren't long-lasting, youth hormones plus Pure Gold? Then White Wolf Pirates could probably gain several powerful allies who would be considered capable even among great pirates.
And Carmel. Silas didn't know why he thought of that aged old nun. But in Silas's mind, he thought of young Carmel.
Though young Carmel had a nasty personality, as Silas's first partner, he couldn't be without feelings. Otherwise, in his thirties, he wouldn't have abandoned his hard-built career upon hearing Carmel's news, leading companions to become the now world-famous pirates.
Young Carmel's mouth was foul, yes. But she was also truly passionate!
Thinking of their first intimate night, Silas's body began reacting.
Wait! Silas suddenly sobered up.
Though older people liked reminiscing, how could he start thinking about such matters while reminiscing?
Looking up, he was fine, appearing completely unchanged externally. Toki was different.
Not only was her body limp to one side, rubbing her legs together with heavy breathing, even her gaze toward him had become gentle as water.
"Captain Silas~"
Toki didn't know what was wrong with her, only feeling that Silas, who already seemed handsome and mature, was like her ideal husband. Handsome, powerful, responsible!
Not only her lifesaver but also taking her to explore the world, doing things she had wanted but never managed to do.
Though their Wano Country journey had stopped for a long time, Toki never regretted it.
In Elbaf's battle, Silas saved countless giants about to be enslaved. In Sabaody Archipelago's battle, Silas likewise fought for countless people being enslaved.
Such an upstanding man—wasn't he exactly her ideal husband?
Toki thought after experiencing adventures with Silas, no matter what scenery Wano Country held, she wouldn't stay there anymore.
Staying in Wano could only save one nation's people. But following Silas could save thousands upon thousands of people worldwide. Anyone knew which to choose.
Under Stussy's emotional hormones, Toki's usually suppressed feelings for Silas erupted like a volcano.
She wanted to stay by Silas's side. Not just as a crew member, but in a closer, more intimate capacity.
This moment, Toki forgot there was still a Stussy nearby. She looked at Silas with eyes gentle as water yet passionate as fire.
"Captain Silas, do you like me?"
No, wait, was something wrong here?
Stussy, who had been working hard to release lust hormones, originally wanting to stimulate Silas's desire then seduce him into attacking her, was completely confused.
I wanted to seduce Silas, not make you confess to him!
Though Toki was asking a question, that tone, that expression, looked like a confession!
No, something was definitely wrong. Why wasn't Silas the one affected, but Toki instead?
Actually, Silas was indeed affected. After all, hormones weren't really dangerous. So even Silas, when letting his guard down, hadn't expected Stussy to pull this move.
But his powerful physique let Silas remain conscious despite being affected. Even if he wanted, just releasing Haki could directly dispel Stussy's ability effects.
However, at this moment, releasing Haki would be rather mood-killing.
Silas wasn't some perfect gentleman. With Toki saying this much, if he still showed nothing, would he still be a man?
"Stussy, give yourself an injection."
"Eh?"
"Don't think I don't know this is your doing!"
Silas looked at Stussy with a dangerous smile.
"Actually daring to target comrades—today I'll teach you some rules."
Though he could deal with Stussy right now, Silas felt that would be letting her off too easily.
So he had Stussy inject herself with the same lust hormones she had just released, then put sea-stone handcuffs on her and locked her in a room.
"C-Captain Silas, what are you planning to do?"
Seeing Silas pick up Toki while leaving her alone in the room, Stussy panicked. Though she had injected herself, with sea-stone handcuffs she couldn't detoxify herself!
"You just stay there by yourself!"