Sea Calendar 1481, March. On the lawless island of Sphinx, you encountered current Marine Admiral Cyborg Kong. With indomitable will and the help of your companions, you successfully repelled the Marine Admiral, thus making a great name for yourself in the New World.
You have obtained the title "White Wolf"!
Your bounty is 560 million. Even among great pirates, you count as one of the elite, a rising star in the pirate world!
Based on your bounty, you will receive the following rewards.
1. A Devil Fruit equivalent in value to your bounty.
2. Ancient Script Proficiency.
3. Cellular Activity Enhancement.
So when Silas claimed his system rewards, what appeared in his hands was this Paramecia: Sing-Sing Fruit!
Devil Fruits were one of the easiest ways to become stronger.
The difference between a powerful Devil Fruit and a weak one was like heaven and earth.
Weak Devil Fruits might only make you slightly stronger than ordinary people, but powerful Devil Fruits could forcibly create powerhouses approaching Admiral or Yonko level.
In this era, an ordinary Devil Fruit was estimated at just 10-20 million Belly. For example, the fruit Ripley ate, Paramecia: Mini-Mini Fruit, was probably worth only tens of millions of Belly.
The Sing-Sing Fruit's value was dozens of times that of the Mini-Mini Fruit!
But if you called it strong, someone like Silas, who knew nothing about music, eating the Sing-Sing Fruit would have no effect. It would be like not eating it at all. His singing would only give people nightmares.
But if you called it weak, a user compatible with this fruit could forcibly drag enemies into a mental world of their construction, facing two Yonko-level pirate crews head-on.
This could be achieved purely through fruit abilities.
This was Silas's headache.
This bug-level fruit could only be effectively used by very few people with the right talent, and none of his crew members seemed suitable.
"I will have to keep it for now."
To unleash the Sing-Sing Fruit's power, you first needed a good voice. Silas did know an excellent musician, but musicians and singers obviously were not the same thing.
The next day, well-fed and satisfied, Edwards Lily was radiant. Even Stussy, as an outsider, could notice her change.
Stussy nearly ground her teeth to powder.
She might not have eaten pork, but had she not seen pigs run?
"Old woman, at your age, still competing with me for a man!"
If previously Stussy's desire to attract Silas's attention was purely out of greed for his wealth, now she also coveted his power.
These past days, Stussy had heard the wounded pirates say more than once that White Wolf Silas would likely become the first maritime overlord of this century!
The strength to kill and repel Marine Admirals, whom even the World Government could not handle.
If such a man fell under her charm, would that not mean she could indirectly dominate these seas?
However, Stussy was ultimately just a girl from a small place.
Lacking experience.
She never considered that someone like Silas could not be easily controlled by others.
Compared to physical temptation, he cared more about accumulated emotional bonds.
Unwilling to give up, Stussy found Ripley and asked quietly, "Miss Ripley, you must have feelings for Captain Silas too, right? Do you not think Miss Lily monopolizing the captain all the time is too much?"
"Really?"
Ripley's response was beyond Stussy's expectations.
"Sister Lily and the captain have not seen each other for a long time, right? So spending more time together is normal, is it not? Things should return to normal in a few days."
Is that so?
Stussy wondered if she had misjudged Ripley's feelings for Silas. Maybe it was not romantic feelings like she thought?
Then she heard Ripley continue, "Anyway, humans live at most 100 years, while we giants live at least 300 years. Even giving the first few decades to Sister Lily would not matter, right?"
"But Captain Silas is quite old, is he not?"
"Not at all. The captain is only 71, and I am only 53. Where we are from, we are the same age."
"Ahhh, that is not what I am asking about!"
Stussy was somewhat frantic. She knew Ripley was a giant, but Silas obviously was not! How could ordinary humans live hundreds of years?
Really not possible?
Ripley was not stupid. She had witnessed all of Silas's changes over the past six months. Silas had clearly found a way to restore his youth.
On these seas, miracles that could grant eternal youth or even immortality existed. Whether it was the elixir of life made from Millennium Dragon bones or the Pure Gold that disappeared with its island, both could greatly extend human lifespan.
Ten years ago, when Silas told them stories in the giant village, he had mentioned Millennium Dragons and Pure Gold. Ripley believed that even if Silas had not found Millennium Dragon bones or Pure Gold, he had found a similar miracle.
In a sense, Ripley was right.
After discovering he was aging, Silas had indeed considered seeking Millennium Dragons and Pure Gold, but neither could be found just by wanting to.
Millennium Dragons were living creatures.
Pure Gold had been swallowed along with its island by a giant Sea King lanternfish, impossible to find in the vast ocean.
But even without finding Millennium Dragons or Pure Gold, the system's appearance had likewise strengthened Silas's vitality and greatly increased his lifespan. This was evident from Silas gradually returning to his prime appearance and physique.
The strength of one's life force was often directly reflected in one's appearance.
Following the release of Silas's bounty, before long, Silas finally received a response from the Marines and World Government.
The World Government was willing to accept Sphinx as a member nation.
But a hundred-year tax exemption was impossible.
The World Government did not actually care how their member nations made money, as long as they paid Heavenly Tribute on time.
A hundred years was too long.
The World Government could never agree to such demands.
As for those captured Marine soldiers?
Nobody but the Marines cared.
In the eyes of World Government higher-ups, the Marines were just a dog they kept. How could they possibly harm their own interests for a dog?
Unless the dog's injury would affect their interests.
So the term was ten years.
After becoming a member nation, Sphinx would not need to pay Heavenly Tribute to the World Government for ten years but also could not participate in the World Council. Only enjoying the right to Marine protection that normal member nations had.
After ten years, Sphinx would need to pay normal Heavenly Tribute.
And it would be 2 billion!
Exactly the same amount as the Heavenly Tribute Silas had stolen.
"Haha, seems like those old bastards in the World Government really hold grudges!"
Whether ten years or twenty, Silas did not care at all.
Saying a hundred years was just for bargaining.
He only needed time.
Even with just ten years, after ten years, Rocks would very likely reach Admiral level. Though Newgate was a bit behind, he would not be far off. Add Charlotte Linlin, who could get stronger just by eating and sleeping.
The current White Wolf Pirates, compared to future Yonko crews, could be called hollow. But after ten years, even if the White Wolf Pirates were still at the Yonko crew level, they would be the strongest Yonko crew.
Ten years as the term!