Silas's voice was deafening.
Rocks admitted that when Silas said they could disembark here, he had hesitated.
Because he was no longer that rookie pirate who had just gone to sea.
With his current bounty, he could completely start over, establish his own pirate crew, and continue growing stronger with the knowledge Silas had taught him.
But just like Silas said, if he retreated one step here today, then tomorrow he would retreat another step somewhere else.
Once he compromised, he would keep compromising forever.
With that kind of attitude, even if he had his own pirate crew, what could he achieve?
Could he really surpass Silas?
Surpass the pirate crew Silas had built?
Rocks remained silent, but he already had his answer in his heart.
You had to know it was not just Ripley who had bonds in Elbaf.
He also had people he knew there!
Although they were all brats who followed behind him, including one who always wanted to defeat him and avenge their previous loss, during those six months, he had unknowingly left many of his own marks on that island.
He wanted to escape too.
Reason told him that stepping into this trap would definitely mean death.
But his heart was roaring.
Why should he? Why should he flee?
Even Silas, who was the main fighter, had not retreated. So why should he retreat?
If he retreated here, then even if he survived, even if he used his entire lifetime, he would never be able to surpass Silas again.
"I am going too!"
So Rocks looked up at Silas and said firmly!
Finally, Silas could only express his apologies to Kozuki Toki.
"Sorry, Miss Kozuki Toki. We now have something we must do, but that thing is really too dangerous, so we cannot involve an unrelated person like you."
Silas looked at Kozuki Toki and smiled helplessly.
"If there is still a chance in the future to reach Wano Country, I will apologize to you then, Miss Kozuki Toki."
No, that is not right! It is not like that!
Hearing Silas's words, Kozuki Toki shook her head, feeling like she was missing something.
"Mr. Silas, you do not need to apologize. You saved my life and brought me this far. I am already infinitely grateful."
Kozuki Toki was the one who truly felt sorry.
"I am sorry, Mr. Silas. You clearly saved my life, but I cannot help you because I also have something I must do."
Eight hundred years ago, Kozuki Toki had witnessed the destruction of a country. Seeing that scene, she decided to bring the prophecy she knew to the future to prevent tragedy from happening again.
If she did not bring the prophecy to the future, there might be no way to change that future.
Suddenly, Kozuki Toki froze.
She had made countless journeys through time from past to future to change the future and prevent tragedy from recurring.
But now, tragedy was happening right before her eyes.
Should she remain indifferent?
To avoid one country's destruction in the future, yet ignore another country's destruction?
Kozuki Toki's breathing became rapid.
Seeing Silas preparing to leave, Kozuki Toki hurriedly grabbed him.
"Mr. Silas, wait!"
In just an instant, Kozuki Toki made her decision.
"Mr. Silas, please take me with you!"
Lifting her head, Kozuki Toki looked at Silas with no confusion in her eyes.
"If what Mr. Silas wants to do is to prevent a country's destruction, to prevent a country's people from losing their homes and becoming displaced, then please take me with you!"
Kozuki Toki said solemnly, "Though I lack talent and do not have great strength, I am a Devil Fruit user. I believe my ability can definitely help you!"
That Kozuki Toki was a Devil Fruit user was something Silas had known all along. But initially not counting her as combat power, Silas naturally had not carefully considered her fruit ability.
But when Silas carefully pondered her ability, Silas was surprised to discover that the greatest use of Kozuki Toki's ability was not combat.
But escape!
No matter how many enemies surrounded them, Kozuki Toki could instantly send them away.
Not escape.
But send them to the future!
Even so, this still was not the greatest use of Kozuki Toki's ability.
Her ability's greatest purpose was creating information gaps!
Because neither the Marines nor the World Government would expect that Kozuki Toki's ability was actually a bug-level time system ability.
Even if they suddenly disappeared, the Marines and World Government would only think they had escaped.
But in reality, they would use Kozuki Toki's power to travel to the near future.
The Marines would not stay in the same place forever.
Once he appeared, whatever trap the Marines had prepared for him would naturally be clear at a glance.
When he escaped and appeared again, the so-called trap would no longer be a trap, and he could shift from light to shadow.
During the time they disappeared, neither the Marines nor the World Government could possibly find them.
Because they would not exist in any corner of this world.
They would have traveled to the future!
"Excellent!"
Silas could not help but lift Kozuki Toki up directly.
"Miss Kozuki Toki, you have really helped me tremendously!"
Only Silas himself knew that his confident words to Ripley were just to comfort her. As an ordinary Admiral-level fighter, saying he could directly confront two to three opponents of equal level was definitely a lie.
But Silas had no choice.
Some things had to be done, others not.
Not just for Ripley. At minimum, he had to rescue some of Elbaf's giants to preserve future hope for Elbaf.
He also had to confirm the safety of the children from the House of Lambs and that old woman's safety.
And his reserved little crew member.
Too many things forced him to go to Elbaf.
Silas admitted the Marines had made the right move.
Even knowing it was a trap, Silas had to break into it!
"M-Mr. Silas!"
Being suddenly lifted by Silas, Kozuki Toki immediately became flustered.
"Please put me down quickly!"
"Haha, sorry!"
Silas realized he had gotten too excited, like a person dying of thirst finding a cup of water or a drowning person grasping a lifeline.
Pressure… How could there be no pressure?
Facing a massive organization that had ruled the world for eight hundred years, even with the system, Silas had to accumulate a foundation step by step.
But the World Government had not given him that time.
Kozuki Toki's ability obviously gave Silas hope for breaking the deadlock.
The situation was still very difficult.
But with Kozuki Toki's help, Silas had found the key to reversing victory and defeat.
The World Government had stolen time, using the temporal advantage of him and the Giant King being separated and unable to support each other to destroy Elbaf.
Then he could use the same method to return the favor.
Because this time, time was on their side!