"GEHAHAHAHA!!"
Shiki parried Vixon's attack and burst out in a wild, ecstatic laugh.
"Old man! No one on these seas can stop me! How pathetic—an Admiral and two Admiral candidates, yet they couldn't stop a trainee from the Rocks Pirates from leveling the entire G-1 Branch!"
"GAHAHAHAHA!!"
"Gurararara~!"
Edward and Shiki roared with laughter, their voices booming. With their laughter as the signal, the rest of the pirates climbed aboard their ships, fully prepared to retreat.
Who on this sea is the hardest to kill?
Golden Lion Shiki.
His Devil Fruit ability was simply too unique.
Paramecia-type: Float-Float Fruit (Fuwa Fuwa no Mi).
With the power of this fruit, unless Shiki wanted to die—or chose to fight to the death—there was virtually no one who could catch him once he decided to flee. Not even the so-called fastest fruits, like the Rumble-Rumble or Glint-Glint Fruits, granted true flight.
They allowed hovering or short bursts of flight, but Shiki's ability was the real deal, continuous flight.
In the hands of a powerful user, many Devil Fruits could achieve hovering or limited aerial mobility. The reason was simple—Devil Fruit users are weak to seawater. Without some form of aerial control, falling into the ocean would mean certain death.
But among all the Devil Fruits out there, Shiki's was one of the few that allowed full, unrestricted flight—making him exceptionally hard to deal with.
"HAHAHAHA!"
"G-1 Branch got completely wiped out!"
"No shit."
"That guy…"
Even the Rocks Pirates themselves were ecstatic. After all—they'd just destroyed the Marine's G-1 Branch. That base was a major symbol of the Marine's authority in the New World.
More importantly…
All eyes were now on Arthur, who sat cross-legged on the ground. His face was pale, yet the aura radiating from him was terrifying—as if a ferocious beast had just awakened.
"Hah."
Arthur cracked a smile. Normally, he looked like a sunny, cheerful young man. But at this moment, he exuded a menacing intensity.
"Gurararara~!"
Edward laughed heartily.
"Arthur, I never expected you'd pull a move like this, it actually demolish the entire G-1 Branch."
Arthur smiled lightly. "The pay is nice, I had to put in some effort."
"GAHAHAHA!"
Shiki chuckled with interest. "You really are something, kid! No matter the situation, you always prioritize Devil Fruits above all else. I'm amused—what are you really planning to do with all those fruits?"
Arthur replied softly, "Everyone in this world has dreams and ambition, I am no exception."
That single line said it all.
Edward, Shiki, Kaido, and the others instantly understood—Arthur was planning to form his own crew, and not just any crew, but one powerful enough to rival even the Rocks Pirates.
And that kind of ambition?
Well, nothing boosts power faster than Devil Fruits.
"I see now."
Edward nodded and didn't press the matter further.
"Alright!"
"Let's head back!"
"Set sail!"
"This time, you and that brat Kaido have carved yourselves in the entire world."
"But…"
Shiki shook his head. "You two still can't be promoted to full crew members yet. Captain Rocks has very strict standards when it comes to promotions—time is a key factor."
Arthur said indifferently, "Doesn't matter. Whether I'm a trainee, a full member, or even a commander—the share of the treasure might be different, but as long as your worth stands out, Captain Rocks will still reward you well. Isn't it?"
"Gurararara~"
Edward laughed again. "That's right! So long as you prove your worth, Captain Rocks wouldn't stingy."
Arthur nodded. "That's all I care about."
After all—
The reason he joined the Rocks Pirates in the first place was to collect Devil Fruits. Just like this assault on G-1—if he performed well enough, he'd naturally be rewarded with everything he wanted.
That was undeniable.
As for the risk of drawing attention from the Marine or even the World Government?
Arthur doesn't give a damn.
Let them come, fear is never on his dictionary.
---
The Next Day
Even though they were using Shiki's power to return, the journey still took some time.
But during the voyage…
"Holy crap!"
"This guy…"
"What a freak!"
Pirates were a lazy and unruly bunch. Even among the Rocks Pirates, training was only done to maintain rank or standing—nobody trained seriously for the sake of progress.
Take, for example, the future first mates of the Four Emperors—Katakuri, Marco, and King. Their natural talent was in no way inferior to that of Marine Admirals.
Absolutely not.
These three could face off against the likes of Akainu and the others head-on, at least for a time, proving their strength and potential were just as impressive. But the nature of pirates was inherently lax and carefree.
Admirals spent their lives in organized pursuit of pirates and underwent formal military training.
Pirates?
Banquets! Booze! More banquets! More booze!
With that kind of lifestyle, it was a miracle if they didn't regress.
Can you get stronger just by resting?
Is there no law? No order?
What a joke!
Arthur understood this all too well. That's why he never slacked off in his training—ever. His routines were brutal, hellish, even self-destructive. If it weren't for his Red Dragon bloodline and monstrous physique, he would've collapsed long ago.