The sails of the Roger Pirates' ship disappeared over the horizon under the night sky, but the deck of the Azure Dragon remained lively for a long time. Dolum was with his treasured small notebook, inspecting the new scratches on the hull, hissing in pain and muttering to himself, calculating the losses from this unexpected joint party. With every new number, his face turned a shade paler. Gatz lay contentedly on the deck with his round belly, still savoring the domineering umami of the Dragon King fish head hot pot. "Hic... Head Chef, when can we have such amazing fish again?"
Ren was methodically clearing the messy dinner table. Hearing this, he just glanced at him calmly. "The next time we catch a Dragon King fish."
"Then let's go fishing now!" Gatz sat up with a kip-up, full of energy.
"Idiot," Silver's voice came from the shadow of the mast, as concise as ever. "To encounter a Sea King of that level once in a lifetime is already a miracle."
On the other side of the deck, Rocks and Newgate stood side by side, looking in the direction Roger had left, silent. The sea breeze blew through Rocks's wild black hair. His expression was complex, a mixture of the excitement of meeting a worthy opponent and a hint of... annoyance.
"Gurararara..." Newgate's low laughter broke the silence. "An interesting man, isn't he? That guy's Haki is a lot like yours, but also completely different."
Rocks snorted, crossing his arms. "Just a lucky idiot. He has no method, just acts on a whim."
"But with that whim, he managed to fight you to a draw," Newgate pointed out mercilessly. Rocks's mouth twitched, but he didn't argue. He knew Newgate was right. Roger's strength was not in planning or strategy, but in that pure, free will that seemed to be able to turn the impossible into possible. It was a path completely opposite to his own, yet also one that stood at the pinnacle of power.
"Captain," Ren's voice came at some point. He handed them two cups of steaming hot, fragrant herbal tea. "Dolum just told me via telepathy that if you unconsciously release your gravity out of anger again, there is a ninety-eight percent chance that the number three alloy armor plate on the port side will be completely destroyed due to metal fatigue."
Rocks: "..."
He took the teacup and drank it in one gulp. The warm liquid soothed the last trace of annoyance in his heart. He looked at Ren's calm, emotionless eyes and suddenly smiled. "Ren, how many guys like Roger do you think there are in this world?"
This question made everyone present prick up their ears.
Ren thought for a moment and replied calmly, "According to the ingredient distribution map I currently have, we have explored less than five percent of the Grand Line. And most of the known legendary ingredients inhabit those remote, uninhabited lands, or are guarded by powerful forces. A place that can give birth to top-tier ingredients can naturally also give birth to top-tier powerhouses. This sea is far bigger than we imagine."
Ren's words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples in everyone's heart. That's right. Although they were already famous, they were still just at the beginning in this vast world. "Wahahaha! Well said!" The flames of world-scorning ambition were reignited in Rocks's eyes. He crushed the teacup in his hand and opened his arms, as if to embrace the entire starry sky.
"Alright, boys! Did you hear that? There are still countless sceneries we haven't seen, strong liquors we haven't drunk, powerhouses we haven't fought, and... ingredients we haven't eaten!" His gaze swept over every crew member, his voice as loud as a bell. "From today on, our goal is the end of the world! We will trample everyone who stands in our way! We will take all the top-tier treasures on this sea for ourselves!"
"OOOH!" Gatz was the first to roar in excitement. He raised his anchor, as if he could already see countless powerful opponents and mountains of barbecue. Newgate's eyes also shone with fighting spirit. He longed to fight stronger opponents, and he longed to have a home that could carry his dreams. Although Silver and Dolum did not make a sound, their clenched fists and slightly trembling bodies also betrayed their inner excitement.
And so, an accidental encounter with the Roger Pirates did not stop these monsters. Instead, it became a catalyst for them to step onto a bigger stage. The voyage of the Azure Dragon began once again.
Two years passed in a flash. Two years is enough for a crying baby to learn to run, and also enough for a newborn beast to show its world-shaking fangs. The Rocks Pirates. In these two years, this name was like a superstorm that swept the entire world.
In these two years, they had been to the legendary Sky Island. Gatz had excitedly fought the Knight of the Sky, and was finally blasted down by the angry residents with an Impact Dial for eating half a year's worth of their pumpkin harvest. Ren had harvested a large number of rare plants and shellfish ingredients there, and successfully mapped out the exclusive ingredient index for the Sky Island region.
They had also dived ten thousand meters below the sea to Fish-Man Island. Charlotte Linlin, seeing the colorful candy factories, almost refused to leave. In the end, Rocks had to promise that Ren would replicate all the sweets for her before he could persuade her to leave. And there, for the first time, Newgate had a vague yearning for the concept of racial coexistence.
They had even broken into Wano, a mysterious, closed-off country. Ren had learned new cooking techniques and an understanding of Japanese cuisine in that country full of oriental charm. His culinary level had once again been sublimated.
Every adventure was accompanied by earth-shaking battles and incredible harvests. Rocks's Conqueror's Haki became more and more condensed. He didn't even need to make a move; just a glance could make the king of an island submit. The kingly aura on him had truly begun to take the shape of a world-conquering ruler.
Newgate's Tremor-Tremor Fruit ability had been developed to a new height. He no longer simply pursued destruction, but had learned a more subtle control. He could shatter the sea with a single punch, and he could also condense the power of vibration into a single point, silently shattering the bones within an enemy's body. He became more and more like the patriarch of the crew. Although he didn't say it, he would always be the one to protect everyone at critical moments.
Under Ren's careful feeding for two years, the frequency of Charlotte Linlin's food craving sickness had been greatly reduced, and her mood had become much more stable. Her power became more controllable. Prometheus and Zeus had also become stronger after devouring the thunderclouds of Sky Island and the foxfire of Wano.
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