Chapter 79: Standing on the Cloud Peak
The sea gradually calmed, the storm subsiding.
Everyone finally recovered, glancing at each other, each seeing a glimmer of dreamlike wonder in their eyes.
"Amazing! We're saved! I thought I was dead for sure."
"Who is that guy? So cool and powerful! He took down a Sea King with a single sword strike."
"Incredible! He looks young, with unlimited potential."
Everyone came to their senses, swallowing hard, their faces filled with relief at having survived.
At this moment, Soros approached the railing, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
"This isn't a fish transforming into a dragon—this is a dragon!"
Soros marveled in admiration.
He had thought Rhodes had become withdrawn after being struck down by the powerful warriors of the New World.
With such talent and potential, he would be a target wherever he went. How could he possibly be defeated?
The two black-suited bodyguards followed behind. These imposing men, over two meters tall, blushed with shame, ready to throw themselves into the sea. The one who had boasted he could beat ten men single-handedly was especially on the verge of collapse.
Rhodes paid no attention. With a calm demeanor, he slowly descended onto the deck.
Instantly, the entire ship fell silent, leaving only the whistling sound of the sea breeze. Everyone stood in awe.
Soros, quick to grasp the opportunity, strode quickly to Rhodes' side and said respectfully, "Thank you, Rhodes-san, for your assistance. I am deeply grateful."
"Forget the formalities. Send someone to take care of that ingredient."
Rhodes wasn't as aloof as Soros had imagined. Instead, he pointed at the tentacle in the distance and said with a hint of excitement,
"Understood..."
Soros was taken aback. Did this expert actually want to eat the tentacle?
He didn't dare delay. He quickly ordered his men to sail over, secure the tentacle, and summoned the ship's chef, instructing him to do his absolute best to prepare the ingredient to Rhodes' satisfaction.
The head chef, who had also witnessed that divine scene, naturally didn't dare neglect his duties. He shouted orders and began working frantically.
Soon, this rare seafood ingredient was transformed into a variety of dishes, the aroma wafting through the air.
Rhodes devoured this delicacy from the deep sea.
The meat was incredibly tender, even more delicious than the giant snake he had grilled earlier, and packed with abundant energy and nutrients—it was incredibly satisfying.
"No wonder the powerful pirates of the sea rarely starve to death. Sea Kings may be formidable, but even the smaller sea beasts can easily feed an entire ship."
Rhodes nearly bit his tongue when, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Soros and the others standing respectfully nearby, sniffing the food and gulping, but not daring to approach.
Even the head chef was acting the same way.
Rhodes smiled, "Let's eat together! I can't finish this all by myself."
"How could we impose..."
Soros said, but he was the first to take a bite.
"Delicious!"
he exclaimed. Delicacies made from Sea Kings were truly top-tier cuisine, reserved for the powerful.
Even with Soros's status—comparable to that of a zaibatsu chairman—he rarely ate them, and most of what he'd had before was preserved meat.
The two black-suited bodyguards carefully observed Rhodes, a touch of fear creeping into their hearts.
They realized a serious problem.
When they had spoken disparagingly earlier, Rhodes hadn't been very far away. Perhaps ordinary people, even ordinary strong individuals, couldn't have heard them, but with Rhodes' strength, he must have heard everything.
Thinking about it this way, these two elite mercenaries who had wreaked havoc in the underworld, slaying pirates with bounties exceeding 100 million berries, now huddled together like guilty school students facing their sensei. Standing over two meters tall, they somehow looked about the same height as the normal-sized Rhodes.
They had no appetite for the food, simply hoping Rhodes wouldn't notice them.
Rhodes' gaze wasn't even on them. He wouldn't kill them over a few disparaging words, but a little lesson would have been acceptable.
Learn some wisdom this time. Don't look down on others because of their age.
In the future, young yet incredibly powerful individuals will emerge one after another.
This time, both host and guest enjoyed themselves greatly.
Soros's ability to adapt to changing circumstances was masterful.
With any other powerful individual, he would have the confidence to make friends, even to establish an equal relationship.
But given Rhodes' age and strength, he lacked the confidence to even consider friendship.
Furthermore, he had to consider that for someone this young to possess such prowess, he almost certainly had a powerful mentor behind him, or perhaps the backing of some ancient organization.
Perhaps this solo journey was simply a training expedition.
With such a person, it would be best to simply become acquainted; rashly getting involved could bring either fortune or disaster.
Rhodes was unaware of the merchant's wild speculation.
After eating and drinking his fill, he returned to his cabin and continued his endless and rigorous training.
He wasn't blinded by this fleeting prosperity; he clearly understood the source of all this respect.
Strength was the foundation of everything.
The stronger one became, the more aware one became of one's own insignificance.
He still had a long way to go to reach the summit of the seas.
...
The rest of the voyage proceeded smoothly.
A day later,
after being inspected and cleared by the Navy's G-1 Branch, the merchant ship quickly arrived at Red Port, directly below the Holy Land of Mariejois.
In this world, there were two routes to enter and exit the New World:
one through the sky, the other through the sea.
Before Rhodes lay the World Government's official route, rising ten thousand meters into the sky.
Of course, others could apply for passage, but it often involved a lengthy wait and required abandoning their ship.
Soros had already taken care of the necessary procedures. Upon arriving at Red Port, he led Rhodes and the others straight to the elevator.
The interior of Red Port was unremarkable, especially on the New World side, which was virtually undeveloped and heavily guarded, filled with elite Marines.
Rhodes and his companions were under constant surveillance as they traveled.
Led by Soros, they quickly boarded the elevator.
The elevator was constructed entirely of a special metal, boasting exceptional load-bearing capacity. It was very spacious, and standing within it, Rhodes and the others felt quite small.
Soros directed his men to load the cargo, while Rhodes surveyed the surroundings curiously.
An elevator reaching tens of thousands of meters... even the highest mountains he could remember from his previous world were only a little over eight thousand meters.
"I wonder what kind of energy source powers this thing," Rhodes mused.
Soon, Soros was ready. With a single command, the elevator began to ascend smoothly, almost without any vibration.
The altitudes in this pirate world were unlike those of his previous world. Extreme height didn't make human life impossible.
"No matter how many times I see it, I feel insignificant, like a speck of dust,"
Soros exclaimed from beside him.
The altitude here was incredibly high; Red Port below had long since shrunk to a tiny black dot. Looking out, the vast ocean seemed endless, the azure sky seemingly within reach.
Wispy clouds seemed close enough to touch. The feeling of standing among the clouds, as if the entire world were at your feet, was intoxicating.
"No wonder the World Government built its headquarters here."
"Such a place is indeed worthy of being the pinnacle of world power."
Rhodes said to himself, leaning on the railing and gazing into the distance, his eyes gradually growing deeper.
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P@atreon/Soulforger (45+ advanced chapters)