A self-deprecating look flashed in Shiki's eyes.
He turned to Ares and said seriously, "One thing above all else never show mercy to your enemies."
This instantly reminded Ares of a saying: Showing mercy to your enemies is being cruel to yourself.
He completely agreed. Once someone was your enemy, there should be no hesitation, no kindness.
"I have no interest in the weak. I only want to fight the strong!" Ares turned to face the deck and said, "Time for training."
He picked up his iron rod and began striking his body with rhythmic thuds.
He loved battle the heat, the adrenaline, and the sense of growth he gained through each fight.
Ares understood that weaklings couldn't ignite his fighting spirit. Only the strong could.
Kaido, following his example, diligently trained alongside him. The two towering giants became an awe-inspiring, terrifying sight on the deck of the pirate ship.
Meanwhile, Shiki and Wang Zhi sat together, discussing the mission, the Roger Pirates, and their latest intelligence.
The Rocks Pirates had long ceased to be a mere pirate crew. They were now a massive organization, deeply connected with the underworld and various dark forces, enabling them to gather vast amounts of intelligence.
As Shiki had suspected, the Marines wouldn't simply allow senior members of the Rocks Pirates to roam freely across the seas.
Four days passed in a flash.
"Reporting to Vice Admiral Garp, Shiki's pirate ship has been spotted six nautical miles ahead," a Marine officer reported through the Den Den Mushi.
Without hesitation, Garp activated Geppo, one of the Navy's Six Powers, launching himself into the sky. His eyes gleamed with excitement. "Shiki, let's see how my new training pays off."
After spending the past month smashing three mountains in a row, he couldn't wait to face a strong opponent like Shiki.
Watching Garp charge ahead on his own, Zephyr's face darkened. He immediately ordered the Marine ship, "Stop the advance. Do not approach until the battle is over."
He understood that Garp's recklessness was also his way of protecting the ship. After all, Shiki, captain of the first division of the Rocks Pirates, was a Float-Float Fruit user capable of manipulating the sea itself.
Pursuing him with a Marine warship would be a tactical disaster.
Garp's lone-wolf heroism drove him to confront the pirates head-on.
"Understood!"
After confirming the order, Zephyr also launched himself into the sky using Geppo. Each step struck the air with resounding bangs, sending ripples through the atmosphere.
Both Garp and Zephyr had mastered the Six Powers to near perfection.
Just as Zephyr spotted Shiki's pirate ship, Garp's booming voice rang out ahead of him, "Shiki! Tell me what you're after this time, then have a good fight with me so I can report back to Fleet Admiral Kong!"
Zephyr's face instantly darkened.
Seriously? This guy's as straightforward as ever…
"Jihahaha…"
Shiki floated up into the sky using the Float-Float Fruit, rising to Garp's altitude. With a smirk, he mocked, "So the Marines' mad dogs have come sniffing again, huh?"
"Be ready to die here today."
Drawing his twin swords from his waist, Shiki's entire body radiated cold killing intent.
Facing the two famed Marines Iron Fist Garp and Black Arm Zephyr, Shiki didn't back down for a second.
He declared boldly that he would bury them both at sea.
Aboard the pirate ship
Ares looked up, his massive golden eyes locking onto Garp with blazing intensity. "It's him!"
"Vice Admiral Garp!"
"This time, I won't lose!!!"
Without hesitation, he activated his Dragon-Man form. A fiery orange cloud materialized beneath his feet, lifting his massive frame into the sky.
His face was brimming with fighting spirit as he shouted at Garp, "Hey! Garp! I want to fight you!!!"
"Ares, get back here!!" Wang Zhi frowned and shouted at Ares, trying to call him back.
But…
It was clearly a wasted effort.
Wang Zhi could only sigh helplessly. "Pirates with brains really are rare..."
He knew well that in this world, most pirates were uneducated, lacking any real knowledge.
Many were opportunists regardless of their strength with a live-or-die, fight-first-ask-later mentality.
Even though the Rocks Pirates were the most powerful crew on the seas, they still faced countless challenges every year from ignorant pirates who thought they could rise to fame by defeating them.
The result? They merely added to the Rocks Pirates' fearsome reputation and the prestige of its commanders.
Being a pirate was always a gamble with your life.
Most pirates had long since entrusted their lives to the sea to fate.
Wang Zhi rubbed his temples in frustration.
In the sky
When Zephyr saw the monstrous figure standing atop a crimson cloud, his pupils shrank. "Could that be… Bloodhand Ares?!"
"So it's true he's now a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit user."
The flames beneath Ares's feet cast a red glow over his blue scales, making him look like a demonic god. Just the sight sent a chill through Zephyr's spine.
Ares's muscular frame radiated a wild, untamed energy.
Drifting alongside Shiki, Ares's golden, amber-like eyes burned with curiosity as he stared at Garp.
The technique Garp used those powerful air-steps that kept him suspended completely fascinated him.
"So this is… the Six Powers!"
Ares committed this technique to memory.
The "copy and learn" switch in his brain flipped on.
Shiki grinned fiercely. "Ares, Garp's mine. Zephyr's no weakling you keep him busy."
"I'll kill Garp first, then come help you with Zephyr."
In Shiki's mind, he had already arranged the fate of both Vice Admirals.
Ares's gaze shifted to Zephyr. "Vice Admiral Zephyr…"
He had no memory of him.
From what "Riku Yo" knew, most of the stories focused on Garp known as "Hero Garp."
But no matter. Ares was brimming with confidence. "I'll beat him."
He didn't know much about Black Arm Zephyr's strength, but he believed in his own.
In the world of pirates, there wasn't much overthinking.
Ares immediately launched a fierce, head-on assault.
"Dragon, Breath!!!"
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