"I want to participate!"
Hearing Silas propose an internal crew tournament, Rocks immediately perked up, looking at Ripley with a challenging gaze.
This time he would definitely defeat Ripley, then use that momentum to challenge Silas!
Though he knew victory was impossible, Rocks wanted to know how big the gap between himself and Silas still was.
So a challenge was essential!
"Any request is okay?"
"Only requests I can fulfill."
Pushing Ripley's head away, Silas corrected her statement.
"You have been so lazy lately; you probably cannot beat Rocks anymore."
"Hmph, that is not necessarily true!"
Ripley admitted that after Silas returned, her condition had been somewhat lax, but during the year Silas was away, she had not slacked off in the slightest.
Rocks's growth rate was faster than hers, but was that not natural?
Rocks was human!
While she was a giant with three times a human's lifespan.
So it was reasonable for Rocks to grow three times faster than her, right?
However, even though Ripley believed Rocks surpassing her was inevitable, she did not think she was no longer his match now.
"Who wins or loses, we only know after fighting!"
After all, she was now a great pirate worth 100 million Belly!
During the year Silas was absent, due to constantly harassing Marines, both Ripley and Rocks had bounties much higher than before.
Newgate and Charlotte Linlin had even received their first bounties since their debut.
That was right. Not only did Newgate get a bounty, but even seven-year-old Linlin had one.
The current bounties of the White Wolf Pirates' new crew members were:
Giant Flower Ripley, bounty 100 million Belly!
Son of Evil Omen Rocks D. Xebec, bounty 85 million Belly!
Stubborn Stone Edward Newgate, bounty 30 million Belly!
Evil Child Charlotte Linlin, bounty 50 million Belly!
Due to their young age, neither Newgate nor Linlin had received their future bounty epithets. Bounty epithets could change with pirates' strength, appearance, and influence.
Some pirates chose their own epithets. As long as they gained recognition, these could appear on bounty posters too.
Though the White Wolf Pirates' new crew members were not numerous and were still young, just looking at bounties, even the lowest, Newgate at 30 million Belly, could not only sweep the Grand Line's first half but also mix well even in the New World full of powerhouses.
In just two years, the reformed White Wolf Pirates had gotten back on track. Surpassing his former crew members was just a matter of time.
Marine bounty posters represented Ripley and the others' strength from half a year ago. In the subsequent six months, they had definitely improved further.
When Marines were still present, Rocks and Ripley had a gap.
But now, Rocks had the confidence to challenge Ripley!
"This is our White Wolf Pirates' first martial arts tournament. I plan to hold one annually, so those who do not get first place this time should not be discouraged. You can use this opportunity to see the gap with others."
Without external pressure, internal competitive pressure had to be created.
Silas hoped crew members would get along harmoniously.
But too much comfort would lead to a lack of motivation. Grasping this balance was what he as captain needed to do.
"With few people, I will directly arrange opponents."
"First: Ripley vs Rocks!"
"Newgate vs Linlin!"
"There will be six total battles using a points system. If points are tied, whoever won their direct confrontation gets higher ranking."
The matches were essentially to boost crew training enthusiasm, so they could not just end after two fights. If so, they could just have Ripley and Rocks, the two obviously strongest crew members, fight once.
With everyone fighting the other three, there were many more variables.
Through fighting different opponents, everyone could more clearly recognize their strengths and weaknesses.
Normal training always stopped at the right point.
With him watching during matches, going all out was fine!
"Sigh, does Linlin have to participate too?"
Knowing her own strength well, since Silas did not include her in the tournament roster, Kozuki Toki was actually relieved. But seeing seven-year-old Linlin also having to fight others was somewhat surprising.
"Of course. Linlin is not weak."
Silas smiled, looking at Charlotte Linlin.
"But if you do not want to participate, Linlin, that is fine too."
"I want to play with everyone!"
Hearing Silas's words, Linlin quickly shook her head. To her, this was just how the brothers and sisters on the ship played.
At the House of Lambs, no one played with her. Now that she was on the ship and everyone was willing to play with her, she was too happy to complain.
When people grow up and realize their ability limitations, they envy the talented. But for the gifted Linlin, her talent brought more troubles than benefits.
If not for Carmel having enough patience to educate Linlin, given Linlin's naturally innocent personality, she might have already gone astray.
Among those present, only Newgate felt pressure.
Whether Rocks or Ripley, he had never beaten either in normal training. So among the three, his only chance of victory was Charlotte Linlin.
But would it really be that easy?
Though he had never fought Linlin, Newgate had heard of her special constitution, a steel body that even Haki could not penetrate.
But as Silas said, matches were not about who won or lost but about seeing gaps with others and recognizing your strengths and weaknesses.
Rocks and Ripley took the stage first.
The Millennium Falcon's upper deck was a full 100 meters long and 60 meters wide, completely open without any obstacles.
Being built from Adam Wood timber, unless deliberately targeting the deck, ordinary attack pressure could hardly damage it.
Rocks attacked first.
When Silas gave the start signal, Rocks drew his sword.
"Shave!"
Six Powers Shave was used masterfully. His sudden burst of speed made him appear before Ripley instantly.
He swung his blade down.
Ripley neither dodged nor avoided. As a giant, she had absolute advantage in strength. Meeting Rocks's attack, Ripley threw a punch.
Clang!
Though flesh and blood, when colliding with Rocks's blade edge, it produced the sound of metal striking metal.
Such was Armament Haki's dominance.
Kozuki Toki watched, dazzled, from the side. She was just a fruit user whose ability was not combat-related. The sword in her hands was more like a beautiful accessory than a weapon.
"So strong!"
"But they were not this strong from the beginning."
Hearing Kozuki Toki's sigh, Silas smiled, "No matter how powerful someone is, they all had weak times. I am like this, Ripley is like this, and Rocks too."
"Toki, Wano Country is not as peaceful as you imagine. If you ever decide to leave, I hope you can at least become stronger and possess power to protect yourself."
If nothing else, Kozuki Toki could be considered a comrade who had shared life and death with him. Facing three top fighters' siege, she had chosen to trust him instead of using her fruit power to escape.
This alone made her worth Silas spending time to guide her.
"Is Mr. Silas concerned about me?"
"Haha, is Miss Toki not worth my concern?"
Seeing Silas's unchanged expression, Kozuki Toki felt somewhat annoyed. Recently every night he stayed in the same room as Ripley. Even someone inexperienced like her understood what they were doing.
It could not really be physical training, right?
Yet now he was using concern for her as an excuse to get closer.
"Playboy!"
Kozuki Toki muttered but could not summon any disgust.
"Hey Captain, your beloved crew member is competing with an opponent, yet you do not even look but flirt with someone else instead. Is that not too much!"
"Haha, are you not just warming up now?"
Hearing Ripley's dissatisfied voice, Silas laughed heartily.
"Quickly show me your progress this past year!"
"As you wish!"
With those words, Ripley's eyes immediately became serious.
If on land, she and Rocks were at most evenly matched.
But on a narrow wooden ship, Rocks had too little space to dodge.
"Giant's Thunder!"
"Shave!"
Even though Rocks believed his Armament Haki mastery already surpassed Ripley's, real combat was not just about competing in Armament Haki.
There was also physical capability!
As a giant, Ripley possessed overwhelming strength compared to him.
In direct confrontation, his defeat was certain!
What Ripley was doing now was forcing Rocks into direct confrontation.
Ripley's punching was ordinary rapid punching.
But under the Mini-Mini Fruit's effect, while punching, her arms and fists enlarged ten times, equivalent to her punching speed increasing ten times.
And her fist's attack coverage area was ten cubed!
A thousand times!
Ripley just standing in place could cover the entire deck with her attack range, forcing Rocks to continuously use Shave to dodge.
"Observation Haki is so troublesome!"
After consecutive attacks missed, Ripley quickly found the reason.
Rocks's Observation Haki was superior to hers!
Though she had awakened Observation Haki first, Rocks, who awakened it later, had already surpassed her.
Same with Armament Haki.
Though she consoled herself that she was a giant while Rocks was human, her lifespan three times his, so growing slower was reasonable, but self-consolation was just self-consolation.
Watching someone weaker become strong and surpass you, no one would be content with that!
Observation Haki was perception, was instinct!
Ripley forced herself to calm down, seriously watching Rocks, trying to find his openings. Rocks's Observation Haki was only slightly superior; it was because his specialty, the Six Powers technique, was Shave that he could dodge her attacks.
But continuously using Shave was quite a burden even for current Rocks, while her stamina remained abundant.
Too careless!
Facing Ripley's continuous, unrelenting attacks while constantly dodging, this was Rocks's only thought.
Rocks had originally thought his strength was no longer inferior to Ripley's. Going all out, he could definitely take her down.
But Ripley immediately gave him a reality check.
An intern was still an intern. Trying to challenge official crew members was too early!
Rocks had the same feeling.
If on land, facing Ripley's attacks, he could dodge with ease without needing to constantly maneuver in tight spaces.
But they were pirates!
Fighting on ships was natural, was it not?
Even Rocks could not convince himself to ask Silas for a fair fighting environment against Ripley.
A way to break the deadlock?
None!
Ripley was typical of overpowering skill with strength. Giant Race plus Mini-Mini Fruit produced effects where one plus one exceeded two.
Perhaps Newgate was right?
He should also find a Devil Fruit to eat. It would definitely make him quickly powerful.
Even the Captain was a Devil Fruit user.
Why did he insist on not being a Devil Fruit user?
No, wrong!
What he wanted was never to become Silas.
He was the man who would surpass Silas and become maritime overlord!
Facing adversity...
Like a novel protagonist, Rocks broke through again. Not only did his Observation Haki intensity increase another level, even his speed improved considerably.
At the moment of Rocks's breakthrough, Silas faintly sensed a threat, like one king meeting another king.
The Conqueror's Haki within him stirred.
"Interesting!"
Silas never worried about Rocks not awakening Conqueror's Haki. Rather, he would be disappointed if Rocks could not awaken it.
With Rocks's current strength, he should have awakened Conqueror's Haki long ago.
The reason he had not was probably due to Silas's influence.
But now, Rocks's spirit showed signs of awakening despite facing his authority. This made Silas anticipate how strong Rocks would become once he awakened Conqueror's Haki.
But for now...
"Forget it, I am not fighting anymore."
Rocks looked at Ripley with a constipated expression.
"I surrender."
Though he had broken through again, defeating Ripley in such cramped terrain was simply too difficult.
It was just a match anyway.
Despite losing the chance to challenge Silas, Rocks had further verified his resolve. Looking at Silas, his eyes held high fighting spirit.
Silas was pleased to see this.
As for Ripley, though she had won, her face showed some displeasure.
She had witnessed Rocks's mid-battle breakthrough.
Though terrain advantage had suppressed Rocks this time, next time, Ripley felt her victory chances were less than 10%.
Ripley finally had crisis awareness.
I really do not want to lose to anyone in front of Captain!