Half a day later, in a remote area of the Paradise section of the Grand Line.
Rocks was immensely satisfied with his masterpiece today.
He had once again successfully slapped the World Government in the face.
So what if he had acted right under the noses of Marine Headquarters?
What could those Marine strongmen and World Government experts possibly do to him?
Having escaped the danger, Rocks finally relaxed.
Now he had time to inspect his Heavenly Tribute treasure, as well as the slaves in the hold.
"Hey, hey, hey!! You little trash, all of you get the hell out of here!"
In the hold's prison of the Heavenly Tribute warship, Rocks looked at the emotionally numb slaves and spoke roughly.
Just some elite soldiers.
He didn't need subordinates as weak as these.
"Our countries have been destroyed, please take us in!"
A few young soldiers gradually regained their spirits and quickly spoke excitedly.
They truly hadn't imagined anyone would dare attack a World Government Heavenly Tribute ship.
This meant they wouldn't have to go to the Holy Land, Mary Geoise, to become miserable Celestial Dragon slaves.
"Vohahaha! People from dead nations, huh! I'm now a wanted pirate, wanted by the entire World Government!"
"You want to follow me? Are you prepared to die?"
"But forget it, you're all too weak and useless. I'm not interested."
Rocks looked at these despairing slaves, grinning, looking down on these weakling soldiers without a shred of pity.
"We're not afraid to die!! Sir!"
Of the fifty or sixty prisoners, a small number of the defeated soldiers quickly spoke up.
But more than half hesitated. As warriors of their nations, they truly didn't want to become despicable pirates!
Most importantly, they still wanted to return to their homelands for one last look.
They had to find the bodies of their dead families and bury them...
And finally, find a way to take revenge...
Rocks observed the reactions of all these men.
"Hmph, right now my ship needs about a dozen sailors and laborers..."
"At the next island, anyone who wants to leave can get the hell off my ship!"
In the end, Rocks didn't kill these defeated soldiers; he even gave them a way out.
"Thank you, Sir!"
Some of the imprisoned soldiers quickly knelt in thanks.
...
Shifting his gaze.
"Hey, kid. Bound up like this, what special ability do you have?"
Rocks noticed the black-haired young man being held separately, tied up like an iron ball.
"Cough... please, help me remove the explosive collar around my neck, and these Seastone handcuffs and shackles on my hands and feet..."
The young man coughed, his weak voice carrying a thread of desire for life.
Seeing this domineering figure, he knew he wouldn't end up as an experimental subject for that old fart, Saturn.
If he became an experimental subject, his life would truly be worse than death.
"Hey, kid, answer my question first. Right now, you're my prize!"
Rocks laughed. This kid not only failed to answer his question, but even dared to make a request. He had some nerve!
"I know information about the 'King of the World' up in the Holy Land, Mary Geoise."
"And, my name is Ignis, Guyue Ignis!"
Ignis felt the aura emanating from Rocks, but a faint smile appeared on his pale face. At this moment, his spirit seemed to relax.
"What?!"
"Kid, do you know what happens if you're lying to me!"
Rocks's expression shifted suddenly. He fixed his tiger-like gaze intently on Ignis.
He found it hard to believe that this imprisoned kid could possibly know anything about that King of the World.
Even the Donquixote family's information about Imu was vague and unclear.
"One of the original twenty kings who has lived for over eight hundred years, Nerona Imu. The King of the World who sits upon the Empty Throne. Even the Five Elders are merely His claws and servants..."
Ignis's dry, cracked lips moved, his voice weak, as if he might run out of breath at any moment.
"Vohahaha! You actually know? You're not afraid of Him?"
Rocks's eyes lit up. 'This kid not only knew of that King of the World's existence, but also didn't seem to feel fear.'
'Seems he has a bit of courage and guts.'
'I'm starting to like this little guy!'
You had to understand that many people on this vast sea, even some big-time pirates, would involuntarily tremble with fear at the mere mention of the World Government and the Celestial Dragons.
Rocks readily snapped the steel chains binding the courageous young man, removed the Seastone handcuffs and shackles, pried off the explosive collar, and tossed it into the sea.
A moment later, a boom sounded from the distance.
With that explosion, the threat of death hanging over Ignis was eliminated.
"Why should I be afraid? It's not like I'm facing Him directly right now."
"Could I trouble you for some water and food? I'm starving and dying of thirst here..."
Ignis's voice was weak, as if he already considered Rocks, this fierce and brutal pirate, one of his own.
"Vohahaha! Kid, you've got some nerve being so blunt with me!"
Rocks was almost annoyed by Ignis's words, but he still brought food and water and placed them in front of him.
As Ignis wolfed down the food...
"Finally, I feel alive again!"
"Those damn CP agents, not giving me a bit of food or water, nearly killed me."
Ignis's complexion improved somewhat, and the crescent moon mark on his forehead regained a faint, deep blue luster.
"If you hadn't tried to escape so many times and attacked those men in black, why would they have treated you like that..." a young soldier muttered quietly.
Because of Ignis's resistance and escape attempts, they had all suffered punishments, beaten for no reason, and had their rations of food and water cut.
"Ha! So I should just wait to die, like you all did?"
Ignis snorted coldly. If these soldiers had done their duty in protecting their country, they wouldn't have let their nation fall, causing his plan to keep a low profile to fail and forcing him to reveal his abilities to defend himself.
How else would he have ended up in this state!
"Vohahaha! Not bad! This kid's got some spirit!"
"If your strength is decent, you can stay on my ship. Otherwise, after you tell me what you know about the King of the World, you can get the hell off my ship, too!"
Rocks appreciated Ignis, this kid, more and more.
But his plans wouldn't change.
He only needed powerful subordinates and partners.
As for those sailors and laborers, they were only temporarily on board to sail the ship.
"Rocks, I've seen a glimpse of the future. Since fate has chosen us, we are destined to be crewmates on the same ship."
After regaining some strength, Ignis slowly stood up, sizing up Rocks, this monster-like member of the Clan of D.
He met Rocks's gaze directly.
"Seen the future? Kid, tell me, what did you see?"
Rocks, increasingly intrigued by Ignis's confidence and calmness, crossed his arms and grinned.
"I saw you recruiting soldiers and horses, forming your own pirate crew. I also saw you going to Elbaf to find the Giant King, Harald."
Ignis stood up, casually grabbing more food and continuing to eat ravenously.
"Harald? So he's the Giant King. No wonder he was so powerful!"
Rocks's eyes lit up brightly. He had only met Harald once.
He still didn't know the detailed information about Harald now.
He truly did want to recruit that powerful giant to join him.
But the idea of recruiting Harald had only occurred to him a couple of days ago.
'Could this kid really see the future?'
'Was this some kind of prophecy-type Devil Fruit ability?'
'No wonder those CP agents had kept him in special confinement.'
"Rocks, do you want to know more information, enough to change the world?"
"Then help me get stronger!"
"The stronger I become, the more of the future I can see. I might even be able to foresee the location of the three Ancient Weapons."
Now that he was fed and watered, the crescent mark on Ignis's forehead emitted a faint blue light. He stated his needs and goals directly to Rocks.
"The three Ancient Weapons??!!"
"Vohahaha!! Ignis, I hereby declare you my official first partner!"
"I'll make you stronger!"
"Let's go and turn this world upside down together and drag that 'King of the World' down from His altar!"
Rocks's eyes blazed with golden light. He had never imagined that seizing the Heavenly Tribute for development funds and a ship would also net him a subordinate with the ability to foresee the future.
It seemed fate itself was on his side!
He was definitely going to overthrow that ancient monster, seize the entire world, and become the King of the World himself!