"Went to see that kid again?"
On the deck, Marco stood before a towering, burly man with IV lines in his arm.
Even sitting, the man radiated a domineering, untouchable presence.
He was the captain of the Whitebeard Pirates.
The strongest man in the world, Whitebeard.
Edward Newgate.
User of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit.
"Pops, I don't know. That guy's a monster."
"I've never seen anyone like him. A month ago he couldn't even lift a chicken."
"Even the nurse on the ship could have knocked him down."
"But now I feel power surging through me just being around him."
Marco couldn't help but sigh.
"In a single month, that kind of progress is terrifying."
"If he joined the Whitebeard Pirates, one day he might even surpass me."
Light flashed in Marco's eyes.
The Whitebeard Pirates needed fresh blood.
He felt that Satan's potential surpassed Ace's, no, surpassed anyone's.
If he kept growing at this pace, in less than ten years,
Satan might become a being on par with Whitebeard.
"There used to be talk across the sea."
"The Demon God Satan, King of Sin."
"With a name like Satan, the guy really is arrogant."
Standing guard beside Whitebeard, a man with curled mustaches, a tall top hat, white gloves, teal trousers, and a blue-violet cape smiled.
He was the 5th Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates.
Flower Sword Vista.
A legendary swordsman whose skill was not inferior to Hawkeye Mihawk of the Seven Warlords.
"The Demon God Satan, someone who could surpass Ace, huh?"
"Hahaha, I'm starting to look forward to the brat's growth."
"Satan, be my son."
Whitebeard laughed boldly, his laughter rolling across the deck.
Everyone knew Marco's temperament was proud and that it was hard for him to acknowledge anyone.
For him to call someone a monster, greater even than a prodigy,
that person had to be extraordinary.
"No."
From the lookout tower, Satan's refusal was crisp and absolute.
"Ah, Pops got rejected again."
"You little bastard, don't get too arrogant."
The pirates cursed, though their words carried a teasing tone.
In ten years, only one person had ever refused Whitebeard so cleanly.
Ace.
And in the end, even Ace became Pops' son.
Now there was another.
Satan.
"Ding, Arrogance acknowledged. Arrogance +1. Randomly increased Endurance by 0.1."
"Ding, Arrogance acknowledged. Arrogance +1. Randomly increased Spirit by 0.1."
"Ding, Arrogance acknowledged. Arrogance +1. Randomly increased Strength by 0.1."
System chimes kept ringing as Satan felt his power rising again.
He leapt from the lookout tower and in the next instant stood before Whitebeard.
"Brat, why won't you join my crew?"
Whitebeard's pressure rolled toward Satan.
"Because I will be the man who stands at the very top."
"And I don't like calling anyone Pops."
Satan looked at Whitebeard,
the man respected by the entire crew.
"Oh?"
Whitebeard's interest was piqued.
"The Whitebeard Pirates will disband."
"And you will die."
Satan spoke of what had not yet come to pass.
The words cut deep, but as repayment for being rescued,
Satan hoped the Whitebeard Pirates would be on guard.
Silence fell over the entire ship.
"You damn brat, do you know who you're talking to?"
"Pops is the strongest man in the world. The Whitebeard Pirates will never disband."
In the next moment, fury exploded.
A man wielding twin blades charged at Satan.
He looked to be in his forties, with long hair and a spider mark on his forehead.
"Squard, stop."
"Have you forgotten the rules of the crew?"
Marco moved, appearing in front of Squard to block the twin blades.
"That brat isn't one of us."
"And he dares curse our crew."
Squard's voice was icy, his expression like a demon's.
"It's not a curse. It's fate."
"I have seen what has yet to be."
Satan's face was unreadable.
From beginning to end, he showed no fear.
He could even feel the wrath boiling off Squard.
"Ding, Wrath detected, absorption possible."
"Absorb."
"Ding, congratulations to the host. Gained 100 Wrath points. Randomly increased Spirit by 10."
"Such delicious rage."
"Kill me?"
Satan spoke lightly, his face utterly indifferent.
Indeed, absorbing the Seven Sins from others was the fastest way to grow stronger.
Wrath.
This was the first of the Seven Sins he felt within the Whitebeard Pirates.
And it came simply because he spoke the truth about the future.
This alone showed Whitebeard's place in their hearts.
"Satan, shut up."
Marco barked.
Satan was a genius on the level of a monster.
But if a genius died before he could grow, then he was no genius at all.
Cursing Pops was a grave taboo.
"This brat's insane, provoking Squard over and over."
"Wait, he looks unfamiliar."
"Pops saved him from a shipwreck a month ago."
"He lost his memory, so he stayed on our ship."
"A castaway, huh. Yet instead of repaying Pops, he curses him. Unforgivable."
The pirates muttered among themselves.
The Great Whirlpool Spider Squard glared at Satan with a vicious look.
"Brat, do you only dare hide behind others?"
"If you've got the guts, step out."
"Let me teach you how a man should behave."
The Great Whirlpool Spider Squard shouted coldly.
"You think I'm afraid?"
"Foolish traitor."
A cold light flashed in Satan's eyes.
The Great Whirlpool Spider Squard would one day become one of the culprits behind Whitebeard's death.
Let that fate end here.