In this world, a person's strength was greatly influenced by their fighting spirit and will to continue forward.
For example, Crocodile clearly had the record of fighting the legendary Bullet to a draw, but after losing catastrophically to Whitebeard, Crocodile gave up on himself and chose to pursue external sources of power. This ultimately led to his humiliating defeat at the hands of Luffy, who had only recently set sail on his own journey.
On these treacherous seas, pirates experience three distinct deaths.
The first death is losing one's dreams and choosing to simply go with the flow of fate.
The second death is when the heart stops beating, the inevitable death of the flesh.
The third death is being completely forgotten by these seas and the people who sail them.
When Silas disbanded his crew, he had essentially died once as a pirate. At that critical time, not only was his aging body at its absolute weakest, but his fighting spirit was also at its most fragile and vulnerable state.
Subconsciously, he would choose battle methods that offered higher chances of victory rather than glorious but potentially suicidal confrontations.
Whether you called him despicable or unscrupulous, when facing the Blood Skull Pirates, compared to confronting an entire pirate crew head-on in honorable combat, he had preferred to use the geographical advantages of an island to systematically defeat them one by one.
If not for the miraculous intervention of the system, he probably would never have chosen to face the Blood Skull Pirates head-on in that final, decisive moment.
But after awakening his dormant Conqueror's Haki, Silas understood one fundamental truth about strength.
The more a person chooses to hesitate and hold back, the weaker they inevitably become.
So-called Haki was not just about spiritual pressure or intimidation.
"Only by defeating enemies in fair and honorable combat can one become truly strong!"
Silas's blade came down with devastating force. Even though Rona managed to block it at the last possible moment, the heavy, powerful strike still shattered her shoulder blade completely, leaving a horrific, ghastly wound on the beautiful female Marine's battle-scarred body.
"Silent Flow!"
Crimson Blade Light soared skyward once again, but this time it was not an aggressive attack.
It was a strategic retreat.
"My, you really do not know how to be gentle with ladies," Rona observed with dark humor.
Blood flowed freely from her mouth and nose. Even with such a severe wound compromising her shoulder, she still managed to wear a defiant smile on her face.
"This is definitely going to leave a permanent scar."
"Haha, if we are talking about that, I have accumulated far more scars than you do over the years," Silas laughed heartily.
Rona's injuries were undeniably terrible, but his own wounds were not much better in comparison. If not for the Mythical Zoan's amazing recovery abilities, he would have bled out completely long ago.
"Do not you men always say that scars are a man's medals of honor?" Rona teased.
"How could that possibly be true? I am not a masochist who enjoys pain," Silas retorted with genuine amusement.
"Hehe."
To Silas's complete surprise, Rona calmly sheathed her sword. Seeing his obvious confusion at this unexpected action, she could not help but laugh at his bewildered expression.
"Old man, is it really so strange? I am just a working woman trying to make a living. How much does the Marine pay me per month? Why would I risk my life for such a pittance?"
"You certainly did not seem to be holding back just now during our fight," Silas pointed out suspiciously.
"Of course not," Rona smiled with genuine warmth. "If your strength had proven to be lacking, you would have been killed by my blade without mercy. But you are doing just fine now, are you not?"
As she spoke these words, Rona glanced meaningfully toward the distance.
"That Giant King is getting increasingly restless as he watches our battle. Dealing with just you alone was already challenging enough for me. If another opponent of his caliber joined the fight, I probably would not even be able to leave Elbaf alive."
Rona was not a Devil Fruit user, so this kind of severe injury with a completely shattered shoulder blade greatly affected her remaining combat strength.
Not to mention, she was a swordsman who relied entirely on her hands for her livelihood and survival.
So even though she still retained some fight within her, Rona made the pragmatic choice to withdraw from the battle.
The deciding factor was that Silas also still possessed the resources and stamina to continue this deadly confrontation.
"Old man, after five long years, you really gave me a tremendous surprise today. When this news gets back to Marine Headquarters, someone is definitely going to lose sleep over the implications."
A pirate who could match a Marine Admiral in single combat while still being active on these seas would have an unimaginable impact on the Marines' strategic planning for the entire New World.
Especially since this particular pirate was currently residing in the Giant Kingdom of Elbaf, and seemed to have forged a genuinely good relationship with the giants.
"Whatever the consequences may be, these political things have nothing to do with me personally. I am still officially on vacation. If I get injured during my vacation time, does that count as a work-related injury?" Rona chuckled with obvious amusement and turned to leave.
Both combatants still had some fight remaining in them. If Silas wanted to forcibly keep Rona here against her will, it would truly become a fight to the death, the kind of desperate battle where only one could possibly survive.
But even as her figure gradually disappeared from Silas's view, he still could not figure out what she had really wanted to accomplish.
Had she come to fight him for personal satisfaction?
Had she intended to capture him and drag him to Impel Down?
"Women are such a complete hassle," was the only conclusion Silas could reach.
Putting such complicated matters out of his mind, compared to Rona's mysterious motivations, Silas was far more concerned with assessing his own current strength. He could definitively confirm that through this epic battle with Rona, he had finally crossed the crucial threshold belonging to the world's top-tier powerhouses.
Perhaps at this elite level, he was still just a newcomer learning the ropes.
But being able to successfully repel Rona already proved beyond doubt that he now possessed the strength to face Admiral-level opponents head-on without falling into a disadvantageous position.
He had finally taken another significant step forward on his journey.
Thinking of this monumental achievement, Silas could not help but burst into triumphant laughter.
"Pfft-hahahahahaha!"
"The Captain actually won!?" Rocks murmured to himself in disbelief.
In the Sunlit Realm high above, seeing Silas still standing victorious at the end of the battle and laughing with obvious joy, Rocks could barely process what he had witnessed.
"Of course the Captain won!" Ripley declared with absolute confidence.
She was practically beaming with joy, her massive face showing an expression of tremendous pride.
"He is White Wolf Silas!"
Only those who had observed excellent pirates during their childhood and developed genuine admiration for their strength could truly understand Ripley's overwhelming feelings. Not to mention that Ripley was now officially a crew member of the White Wolf Pirates, and Silas was her chosen captain.
"But that was a Marine Admiral…" Rocks muttered, the shock in his eyes impossible to hide or diminish.
He had always known that Silas was strong, but he had also always believed that no matter how powerful Silas might be, he was ultimately just an old man advancing in years.
Therefore, he had never completely given up on the ambitious idea of eventually challenging Silas for leadership.
But now, after witnessing the incredible scene of Silas and Rona's earth-shaking battle, Rocks could not help but feel a hint of genuine doubt creeping into his mind.
Could he really defeat Silas in a fair fight?
Could he possibly become as strong as Silas had proven himself to be?
"Do not overthink the situation too much," Ripley said with an encouraging smile.
She playfully ruffled Rocks's hair, but because her giant fingers were far too large for such a gesture, she nearly knocked him unconscious with the friendly pat.
"Since the Captain gave you the opportunity to challenge him, it means he clearly sees your potential for growth. If you do not even possess the basic courage to surpass the Captain, how can you possibly become a true member of the White Wolf Pirates?"
Silas and Rona's spectacular battle had also provided tremendous stimulation for Ripley's own ambitions.
As a giant who had only recently come of age, she was still far too weak to matter. She did not even have the basic qualification to interfere in such a high-level battle between titans.
But unlike Rocks, who came from humble origins, Ripley possessed certain advantages.
As a child who had grown up in Elbaf, the world's strongest nation, Ripley had broader horizons and significantly more confidence than Rocks could muster.
This was because their kingdom possessed a legendary king who had once fought the great Silas to a complete draw.
Although Ripley felt that Harald would definitely not be a match for the current version of Silas, it still demonstrated that their giant race possessed sufficient potential to stand proudly at the pinnacle of this world.
"Hmph, I will never give up on my dreams!" Rocks declared with renewed determination.
After wavering for just a brief moment, he successfully reaffirmed his confidence and resolve.
Because the stronger Silas proved himself to be, the stronger Rocks himself would become after eventually defeating him. It also meant he was steadily growing closer to achieving his ultimate dream.
He was destined to become the overlord of the seas!
How could he possibly lose to some old geezer, no matter how legendary?
[Chapter Complete]
***
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