This was the world known to future generations as the "Old Era."
It was an era where countless dreams clashed and intertwined a glorious age.
It was destined to be a dazzling, blood-pumping time!
The Rocks Pirates the strongest pirate crew in the entire sea carried the dreams of many as they rode the waves, forging ahead without hesitation.
That night
Ares didn't drink too much. He restrained himself. His powerful recovery ability had even boosted his alcohol tolerance rapidly.
The moon shone brightly, scattered stars faint in the sky.
The soft, hazy moonlight bathed the earth, adding a subtle beauty to this world.
After saying goodbye to Whitebeard, Shiki, and Kaido
Ares returned alone to the training room.
"I must cherish every minute, every second to grow stronger. Only then can I fulfill my dream and surpass even Captain Rocks."
Ares was fully aware that although his Mythical Zoan Azure Dragon form had significantly boosted his strength
He had not yet surpassed Shiki, Whitebeard, or the others.
And certainly not the strongest man in the Rocks Pirates Captain Rocks himself.
As usual, he grabbed an iron rod from the rack.
"Dragon's Breath!"
Ares activated his Dragon-Human form, took a deep breath, puffed up his cheeks, and sprayed fire directly onto his left arm!
The scorching flames roasted the scales covering his arm.
Sizzle… sizzle…
The burning pain was entirely different from the pain of blunt strikes it was more terrifying, more unbearable!
Ten seconds!
Fifty seconds!
…
Two hundred seconds!
The pain intensified with each passing moment. Beads of sweat, as large as marbles, formed on Ares's young but resolute face.
He gritted his teeth through the excruciating pain. He couldn't close his mouth even a moment's pause would extinguish the flames.
Five minutes…
…
Fifteen minutes!
The once-blue scales on Ares's arm had turned a charred black-red, and the air was now thick with the smell of burning flesh.
Without hesitation, he began striking his scorched left arm with the iron rod in his right hand.
Bang!
Bang!
…
The searing pain bombarded his nervous system, and the veins on his dragon-like face bulged grotesquely under the intensity.
His entire body flushed red, blood pumping wildly.
Sweat poured down like rain.
If not for the Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit's extraordinary recovery ability, Ares wouldn't have dared to attempt such a brutal training method.
Thankfully, years of relentless training and the merging of another part of his soul had made his willpower unshakably tough.
He endured this inhuman torment through sheer grit!
Without relentless effort, there would be no harvest.
"Shhh… ha…"
"Shhh… ha…"
The searing pain eventually forced him to suck in sharp breaths.
His left arm, right arm, chest, left leg, right leg…
The night dragged on.
Ares could only rely on his biological clock to estimate the time.
The skin beneath his scales had shriveled from dehydration, and even the hair on his arms had been completely burned away.
This entire training session lasted two to three hours. No one knew how Ares managed to persist through such unimaginable pain.
Reeking of scorched flesh, Ares finally returned to his room.
He was so exhausted he didn't even bother to bathe. In fact, his current condition made it unwise to bathe at all.
He simply collapsed on the floor and fell into a deep sleep.
His formidable recovery ability quickly regenerated new skin, smoother, shinier, and tougher than before.
…
The next morning.
When Ares awoke, he immediately noticed the changes in his body it was as if he had shed his skin like a snake!
His eyes widened in amazement as he stared at his now much paler palm. Even his thick calluses had completely vanished.
His face lit up with excitement. "This… is the Mythical Zoan's monstrous recovery ability?!"
"It's like I've hit the jackpot!!!"
In his memories, only Marco the Phoenix from the Whitebeard Pirates and Sengoku the Buddha from the Marines possessed Mythical Zoan Devil Fruits.
That's all he remembered from before the Marineford War.
What happened afterward he simply didn't know.
"This recovery is even stronger than I imagined!" Ares was genuinely overjoyed. "If I can keep training like this, my growth will skyrocket!"
He pinched his now tougher skin, feeling the slight increase in his muscle mass.
His entire body was brimming with energy!
The fire-tempering method was clearly far more effective than simply striking his body with an iron rod and of course, much of that was due to the broken balance of the Mythical Zoan's power.
"I've taken another big step toward my dream."
"What I need now is continuous training and real battles!"
The foundation for his future success was already in place. What remained was the unwavering commitment to hard work!
Ares's strong, powerful body radiated the vibrant energy unique to his age.
Sweat shed in his youth would surely bring him success in the future.
After a thorough bath
He washed away the charred remnants of his old skin. His complexion didn't become fair like some delicate scholar, but instead glowed with a golden sheen.
Golden skin!
The golden tone wrapped around his muscular, streamlined physique, softening his once-fiendish aura and enhancing his powerful, aesthetic physique.
The perfect "golden ratio"!
After the bath, Ares felt completely refreshed pure bliss!
He resumed his daily training.
Three days flew by.
Ares also gained a deeper understanding of his Devil Fruit abilities.
But today
He didn't head to the training room. Instead, he packed several iron rods and walked with Wang Zhi toward the harbor.
Wang Zhi lectured him sternly along the way. "Ares, when we encounter enemies this time, don't act on your own! You must follow orders!"
Wang Zhi was seriously worried that Ares would once again recklessly charge in alone.
After what happened last time, he simply couldn't trust him to stay put.
He was terrified Ares would cause some new disaster.
"I'm already really strong now. If I run into the World Destroyer, Byrnndi World, or even Vice Admiral Garp again, I definitely won't lose!" Ares said confidently.
He even gave a "perfect" reason. "Besides, Shiki will be with us this time, and you and Silver Axe are coming too, right?"
Wang Zhi's face froze. He sighed and repeated, "Even so, you must follow orders. If I tell you to retreat, you retreat."
"Fine, but when we face the enemy, you have to assign me a strong opponent," Ares demanded.
"Yeah, yeah, fine…"
Wang Zhi reluctantly agreed. At this point, Ares's strength probably even surpassed his own.
The two quickly arrived at the harbor.
A massive pirate ship was waiting for them.
Ares looked out over the endless blue sea, his heart surging with excitement. "The future Pirate King, Gol D. Roger…"
"Let this world's destiny start changing with me, Ares!!"
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