"Tch."
Behind his mask, Silver Axe sneered in disapproval and muttered, "No way. Linlin's a once-in-a-lifetime monster. That kid's nowhere near her level."
"You know how tough her skin is. Unless you're a top-tier swordsman, don't even think about cutting through it."
Though the young man standing before them was certainly burly, every muscle brimming with explosive force, radiating the wild presence of a beast there was simply no comparison.
In this world, no human had yet been born who could rival Linlin's monstrous physique.
If she hadn't poured so much of her energy into childbirth, she might've surpassed even Whitebeard and Shiki as the most powerful figure under Rocks.
"Fair point," Wang Zhi nodded in agreement, stroking his massive black beard that nearly matched his height. "Even if he's no freak of nature, there's no denying his potential."
He squinted at Ares, who stared ahead without a hint of fear.
Then Wang Zhi chuckled.
"Heh... Let's see how the captain deals with him."
All the surrounding pirates wore the same amused look. They were ready to enjoy the show.
Suddenly, a booming voice cut through the air.
"Hey, brat! You're not worthy of challenging the captain!"
"Let me be your opponent!"
A towering figure emerged from the crowd. Broad-shouldered, built like a war beast, with two horns protruding from his head and a massive kanabo slung across his back.
He was easily seven or eight meters tall twice Ares' size. Muscles bulged across his chest and arms like slabs of steel, his very presence warping the air with pressure.
The crowd parted instinctively.
"It's the monster-in-training... Kaido!"
"Tch, look at that. Trying to get in the captain's good graces, huh?"
"Ohoho... This'll be fun! Two muscle-bound monsters going at it!"
"My money's on Kaido. He's a walking fortress! He towers over that kid!"
"Yeah! Teach that cocky brat a lesson!"
The pirates roared with excitement, whistles and jeers rising from all directions.
Rocks glanced over, a devilish grin tugging at his lips.
"Zehahahaha... It's you, Kaido."
"So you want to test your strength against him?"
Among the rookies, Kaido was the one who'd left the deepest impression. Brutally strong, endlessly driven, and full of ambition.
Just the type of pirate Rocks loved.
Kaido took a few heavy steps forward, stopping just before Ares. He bared his teeth in a grin.
"Of course I do. I want to see what this brat's made of."
He swung the kanabo off his shoulder. The massive club hit the ground with a deafening thud, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Rocks let out a deep laugh.
"Good. He's yours. Let's see what this little maniac is capable of."
He had no intention of fighting himself. Only those who could stand at the summit of the seas were worthy of challenging Rocks.
Kaido stepped forward, casting a towering shadow over Ares. They stood meters apart.
He looked down at the youth and sneered.
"You've got no business going up against the captain."
"So I'll knock some sense into you myself. Show you what the Rocks Pirates are made of."
Ares looked up, gaze calm, as unreadable as the stars. There wasn't a trace of fear.
He asked, quietly, "You want to fight me?"
"Wororororo!"
Kaido laughed like thunder.
"No, brat. I'm not fighting you. I'm teaching you a lesson!"
"And you won't survive even one punch!"
He raised an arm thick as a tree trunk, muscles bulging grotesquely.
The punch came down like a falling boulder, howling through the air with terrifying force.
The wind itself shrieked at the impact.
The pirates' eyes widened, eager to see how the boy would respond.
Boom!!!
With a thunderous crash, Ares' body flew backward like a ragdoll, slamming into the ground dozens of meters away. Dust and debris burst into the sky.
A moment of stunned silence.
Even the island's villagers stood slack-jawed.
That... was it?
"Wait... that's all? Kaido one-shot him?!"
"What the hell? He didn't even try to dodge!"
"I thought this guy was a beast! Turns out he's just a meathead!"
"Bwahahaha! That tiger he dragged back? Must've been already dead when he found it!"
The crowd roared with laughter, eyes filled with disdain.
They'd expected a fight to remember.
Instead, they got a joke.
It felt like clicking on a fight video, only to realize it was a legal seminar.
Disappointment, then boredom, then mockery.
But on the other side of the crowd...
Golden Lion Shiki wore a knowing smirk and turned to look at Whitebeard.
Whitebeard met his gaze.
Both men's eyes gleamed with anticipation.
And it had nothing to do with romance.