Shrinking tunnel.
This was one of the results of the abilities Silas had helped Ripley develop over these past few months.
First, Ripley would fix her ability to a certain area. Anyone passing through this area would have their body affected by Ripley's Devil Fruit.
Although it did not have much use in combat, it could play a huge role in daily life.
For instance, in narrow ship cabins, as long as crew members became smaller, it was equivalent to indirectly increasing their activity space within the cabin.
People like Rocks, Newgate, and even Ripley did not have to worry about damaging the ship's facilities while training in the cabin. They could fight with their hands and feet free.
As long as they reinforced the training room's floor and walls, they could minimize damage to the cabin during their battles.
This was why Kozuki Toki felt her room was large.
It was not that the room had grown bigger, but that she had become smaller.
"So Miss Ripley, you are also a Devil Fruit user?"
Hearing Silas and Ripley's explanation, Kozuki Toki said in surprise.
"Also?"
Hearing Kozuki Toki's words, Ripley immediately looked over curiously.
"Could it be that Sister Toki is also a Devil Fruit user?"
"Well..."
Kozuki Toki was momentarily at a loss for words. Time travel had always been her biggest secret. Speaking about it might not necessarily be a good thing. Could she trust Ripley?
"Alright, do not be nosy. Sometimes prying into everything is not a good habit."
Silas waved his hand, stopping Ripley from continuing to ask questions. What was there to ask about something he already knew? Devil Fruit abilities were a person's biggest secret. Even the closest people might not know everything, let alone when they had just met a day ago. How could Kozuki Toki reveal her secrets?
Beside them, seeing Silas stop Ripley from pursuing the matter, Kozuki Toki breathed a sigh of relief but also felt somewhat disappointed. If he did not care about her secrets, did that mean Mr. Silas had no interest in her?
Originally, she had made up her mind to keep her distance from Silas, just treating him as her lifesaver and absolutely not developing other feelings.
But seeing that Silas really seemed to not care about her, Kozuki Toki could not help feeling uncertain again.
Did she lack charm?
Not knowing what Kozuki Toki was thinking, for Silas, Kozuki Toki was just a passerby destined to travel to the future.
The Time-Time Fruit's ability was very powerful, but it could only send people to the future without equally enhancing a person's strength, which held no meaning for Silas.
Although Kozuki Toki was very beautiful, even ranking among the top few women Silas had ever seen, beauty could not be eaten as food.
If Kozuki Toki was determined to travel to the future, then why should he rack his brains to keep her, just to retain a beautiful vase?
Of course, Momonosuke must die.
So if Kozuki Toki was willing to stay, Silas would gladly accept.
If Kozuki Toki was unwilling, that was fine too.
Anyway, Silas was going to Wano Country with the idea of making it open its borders.
If Kozuki Toki was determined to time travel, then thirty years later, Silas would definitely give her a different Wano Country.
A Wano Country without even Admiral-level fighters.
In Silas's eyes, it was not worth mentioning at all!
If Kozuki Toki really thought he was some great person, she was gravely mistaken.
His kindness was only for his own people.
Toward enemies, even those he admired, he would never show mercy!
On the fifth day after Kozuki Toki boarded the ship, about ten days' journey remained to the giant nation Elbaf.
Silas chose to temporarily dock at an island.
"Hurry up and bring me wood!"
"Yes!!"
Seeing Silas's fury over a hole in the ship, Rocks and Newgate did not dare touch his nerves at this time.
Ripley's fruit could indeed shrink people's size.
But people's strength would not diminish!
This was why Silas had Fish-man shipwright Dean lay an iron plate in the training room, to prevent their training from breaking the ship's planks.
As a result, Rocks and Newgate forgot the time while training, and the fruit effect Ripley had applied to them just happened to expire.
So while fighting, the two who had just grown back to normal size cleanly crashed through the ship's planks, smashing a big hole in the Black Pearl's hull.
Fortunately, Silas discovered it in time, or the entire Black Pearl would have sunk into the water.
Of course, Ripley, who was gloating on the side, also got scolded.
"If your fruit ability were a bit stronger and could last longer, how would this have happened?"
"You go whittle wood too!"
After being scolded, Ripley immediately made a face at Silas, then returned to her original size and walked toward the forest.
Only then did Kozuki Toki realize Ripley was actually a giant! Her usual height, similar to her own, was actually her miniaturized form.
So Mr. Silas and Miss Ripley were not the same race?
No, wait.
Giants and humans should also be able to have children together, right?
Pat pat on her face.
Feeling it was too rude to think about such things, Kozuki Toki asked to divert her attention, "Mr. Silas, may I ask how far we still are from Elbaf?"
"About ten days or so."
Because Silas had an eternal pose, they could go directly to the giant nation Elbaf without passing through any islands.
For ordinary pirates, to avoid getting lost at sea, every time they passed an island, they had to use a log pose to record the island's magnetic field.
This way, if they could not reach the next island, they could choose to return via the previous island's recorded magnetic field.
However, after arriving at this island, Silas discovered something was wrong.
There were too many birds circling in the sky.
Logically, this island did not have any major countries.
At most, there were just a few small villages.
The Marines and CP0 would not focus their attention on this island.
But Silas distinctly sensed several strong auras on this island.
At least equivalent to Marine Rear Admirals.
However, before Silas could take action, he discovered those strong auras were moving away, as if they had spotted him.
"We are being monitored?"
Being monitored at sea was impossible.
The only answer was that they had been discovered the moment they set foot on this island.
From the sky, a letter fell down.
But Silas did not even glance at the letter, charging straight toward those departing figures.
Kozuki Toki only felt her vision blur.
Silas appeared hundreds of meters away, and when he disappeared again, he was completely out of sight.
Just half a minute later, Silas returned with a figure in a CP uniform and another in a Marine uniform.
And from them, he obtained news.
The World Government had made their move against Elbaf!