**Chapter 8: Interrupting the Fight**
"I say, Nereus, do you not believe in your own strength, or do you think I'm not strong enough? Although that guy Harald has a head full of thoughts about peace, his martial power is unquestionable.
As long as the three of us work together with one heart, we can take the first step toward dominating the entire world!"
On this sea, conviction was an extremely important thing. Those whose convictions weren't firm enough would usually encounter various setbacks on their path of growth.
Even for the same person, losing their ideals could lead to immense changes in their future trajectory and even their appearance.
Those who could ultimately stand among the world's top powerhouses, without exception, held incomparably firm convictions in their own ideas.
In Rocks's view, there was absolutely nothing wrong with his ideas; it was just that others were unwilling to cooperate with him.
"I never said you were weak. However, the World Government isn't weak either.
Think about the Celestial Dragon elites in the Holy Knights, the Admirals of Navy Headquarters, and those covert agents of CP0. These are all powerful forces the World Government can directly mobilize.
More crucially, once necessary, through means like the World Military Draft, the World Government can replenish lost troops in an extremely short time and recover its vitality rapidly.
What about you, Rocks? What do you truly have to rely on?
Is it those so-called 'loyal' crew members you won through Davy Back Fights?
Compared to pirates whose fierce reputations terrify people, most people on this sea still choose to believe in the World Government deep down.
They believe in that existence which, even if corrupt to the core, at least maintains a superficial order."
The World Military Draft was indeed a customary method used by the World Government to quickly replenish troops.
And what it replenished wasn't just ordinary rank-and-file soldiers; it was even possible to discover and recruit civilian powerhouses with combat power rivaling Navy Admirals.
Fujitora Issho and Ryokugyu Aramaki were civilian experts discovered this way.
Even though Ryokugyu was later jokingly called a "Labor Dispatch Admiral" due to various performances, against ordinary combat forces, he still possessed overwhelming power.
And hidden powerhouses like them generally tended to believe in the orthodox order represented by the World Government.
As for the Davy Back Fight Nereus mentioned, it was a special form of conflict circulated among pirate crews sailing the seas.
This game primarily involved competing for the opponent's crew members or the pirate flag symbolizing the crew's honor through various set combat events.
Within the Rocks Pirates, members were either interest groups gathered together with their own different ambitions and goals, or subordinates forcibly conscripted through these Davy Back Fights.
If a critical moment truly arrived and they encountered major trouble, these people probably couldn't be counted on at all.
"The vast majority of people in the entire world still choose to believe in the World Government. Even if your philosophy, Rocks, luckily succeeds in taking the first step, you will inevitably face endless trouble and resistance afterward."
"So what if there are lots of those weaklings who can't withstand a single blow? I'm going to be the King of the World who rules the entire world!
Whether they resist or not has nothing to do with me! Is this the kind of trivial matter you're worried about?!"
Their fierce battle never ceased, but amidst the intervals of fists flying and blades clashing, these tit-for-tat arguments continued.
"That's why I say our fundamental philosophies differ immensely."
"You... in the eyes of those high-and-mighty World Nobles and ordinary people, aren't you also defined as a heinous pirate just the same? Do you possess those things you talk about?"
"It's not like we met yesterday. Don't you know exactly what I've been doing on the sea all these years?"
The seawater, previously forced to retreat by the energy shockwaves from their intense clash, now began to surge back violently.
The scene resembled a terrifying tsunami, with massive waves roaring toward the center of the battle zone.
However, under Nereus's exquisite Fish-Man Jujutsu manipulation, these monstrous waves that seemed capable of swallowing everything were now like weapons precisely gripped by an invisible giant hand.
Guided precisely by Fish-Man Jujutsu, the wave that blotted out the sky crashed down heavily toward Rocks's head with the force of ten thousand tons.
"Hmph, those slaves you liberated that you talk about all day? They can't even guarantee their own basic safety; they're just a bunch of weaklings. What use can they be!"
Rocks roared, swinging the sharp blade in his hand. With one slash, he split the crushing wave down the middle, then charged toward Nereus again without hesitation.
In his deeply ingrained view, weaklings of that level were worthless no matter their numbers.
"I never expected them to charge into battle for me. Think carefully: are there more nobles, or more commoners scattered everywhere?
Even citizens of World Government member nations can't avoid the miserable fate of being targeted and abducted by lawless slave traders. Is this rare?"
The islands on this vast sea were as numerous as stars, difficult to count. Among them, the number of non-World Government member nations far exceeded member nations.
From the World Government's official perspective, these non-member nations were lawless lands unprotected by law.
Here, whether massacres or evil slave hunting, under the rules set by the World Government, were tacitly accepted as legal acts.
In terms of so-called legal basis, selling citizens of non-member nations as slaves was a fairly common phenomenon on this sea.
But once someone unfortunately fell into the hands of those unscrupulous slave traders, no one cared or verified whether the captured person was from a member nation or not.
"What I need is simply for those I rescued to tell the people around them who gave them freedom.
Accumulating this propaganda day after day will naturally gradually change people's views and reputation of us.
Isn't what Harald is doing the best proof? Aren't quite a few people now starting to think that the Giant who looks incredibly fierce on the outside is actually a good person with a kind heart?"
"On some islands we passed during our voyage, I did hear people discussing the deeds of your Fish-Man Pirates liberating slaves everywhere. I actually met a slave you personally liberated."
"I hope you didn't lay a hand on those poor people who just gained freedom."
Nereus's tone carried a teasing note; he was well aware of Rocks's habits.
"Bastard! What kind of person do you think I am? What's worth robbing from guys so poor they clink when they walk?!"
"Then, you've seen the factual results with your own eyes. Whether what I've done over these years has meaning or not, I'm sure you know clearly in your heart.
Those two legendary Devil Fruits you're so set on finding—up until now, I'm afraid you haven't truly gotten your hands on even one, have you?"
"..."
Rocks fell into a brief silence. He could refute the arguments about philosophy earlier. But now, facing Nereus pointing out this established fact...
His progress was indeed infinitely close to zero. Harald's mind clearly leaned more toward the World Government's side. Convincing him to join would likely be far more difficult than convincing Nereus here.
Since he couldn't win the argument, he'd finish the fight first. But before Rocks could continue, a man with conspicuous blond hair flew towards them, braving the powerful aftershocks stirred up by their intense battle.
"You two... stop! Don't fight for now! There's news... about the Hachinosu 'Treasure'!"