On the other side, Shiki lay amidst the ruins with blood covering his head, his eyes vacant.
Every bone and cell in his body trembled and screamed in agony...
Shiki had just awakened Conqueror's Haki and was filled with high spirits. He knew the gap between himself and Rocks was still huge,
But he never imagined it would be this huge!
He had once again been one-shotted by Rocks!
Shiki's Conqueror's will and kingly spirit had nearly been shattered by a single strike from Rocks.
"Damn it! I won't give up…"
The trembling pupils of Shiki slowly regained focus as he cursed through gritted teeth.
He would steal Ignis.
And he would steal this world as well!
But for now… he needed to lie low and develop.
Sooner or later, he would surpass Rocks!
Charlotte Linlin, who had likewise been blasted away, had already climbed back to her feet.
Even with her iron-like body, Linlin had been beaten badly enough by Rocks' terrifying Conqueror's Haki infusion that blood leaked from her mouth and nose.
However, Linlin's physique was even stronger than Newgate and Shiki's, and she also possessed the healing recovery of the Soul-Soul Fruit.
"It hurts so much~"
Since growing up, the only person who had ever made Charlotte Linlin experience pain was Rocks.
And the thought that she couldn't steal Ignis away from Rocks hurt her heart even more!
Charlotte Linlin had just climbed back onto the thundercloud Zeus, preparing to fly back and fight Rocks again,
When she suddenly saw Ignis flying down.
"Are you alright, Linlin?"
Ignis personally came down to retrieve these three troublemakers, while Rocks went to recover the newly joined Ganzui, Gill, and Stussy.
He was worried those three might overthink things and choose to flee.
"Ignis, I'm sorry… I couldn't beat Rocks…"
"But don't worry, sooner or later I'll steal you back and make you my vice captain…"
Seeing Ignis instantly improved Charlotte Linlin's mood, though guilt still appeared faintly on her face.
"Am I some kind of object? You people keep talking about stealing me."
"And stop overthinking things. Maybe after a while, Rocks himself will beg me to become vice captain."
Ignis spoke helplessly while looking at Linlin's determined gaze.
It seemed Linlin and Shiki had truly made "stealing him away" into some grand life goal.
"Ignis isn't an object! Anyway, if Rocks won't let you become vice captain, then I'll steal you away and make you vice captain!"
Charlotte Linlin answered with complete honesty and innocence.
In her mind, she simply refused to let Ignis suffer any unfairness.
Wasn't it just the position of vice captain?!
Rocks really was a brute with no brains at all.
"Then work hard and become stronger. I'll wait for you to come steal me away."
Seeing Linlin stubbornly fixated on this idea, Ignis could only go along with her thinking.
"Mhm! I'll definitely train hard, become even stronger than Rocks, and then steal you away."
Charlotte Linlin revealed a happy and determined smile.
It seemed she now had yet another life goal.
Find Mother Carmel, establish a land for all races, and now also steal Ignis…
"…"
"Let's go."
Hearing Linlin constantly mention "stealing," Ignis directly brought her toward the severely injured Shiki.
Unlike Linlin, this guy lacked a monstrous physique, and unlike Newgate, he lacked overwhelming strength.
Combined with the fact that he was the first one to provoke Rocks, he had been beaten the worst.
"You still alive, Shiki?"
With a wave of his finger, Ignis levitated the half-dead Shiki.
This guy was injured so badly he could barely even activate the Float-Float Fruit. He truly was in miserable condition.
"Not dead yet…"
Seeing Ignis personally come rescue him gave Shiki a slight sense of comfort.
That meant his chances of recruiting Ignis in the future were still quite high.
"That's good. Otherwise I'd only be able to painfully accept your Float-Float Fruit ability."
Ignis spoke regretfully, as though he genuinely wished Shiki had been killed.
"Ignis, you bastard!"
Shiki nearly died of rage.
Still, he knew that if Ignis truly wanted his Float-Float Fruit ability right now, he would have absolutely no power to resist.
Even if Ignis really killed him and stole the fruit power, Rocks probably wouldn't blame Ignis at all.
"Good! Your voice is still full of energy. You definitely won't die!"
While floating Shiki along, Ignis continued flying toward Newgate with Linlin.
When Ignis spotted the pineapple-headed figure sitting beside Newgate, he almost thought Marco the Phoenix had appeared early to heal 's body.
"Someone's coming. I'm leaving now, Newgate!"
"Looking forward to seeing you next time."
Seeing Ignis and the others flying over, Polo Gram immediately bid farewell to Newgate.
At present, he didn't want too much interaction with the Rocks Pirates, fearing that Rocks might "steal" him aboard the crew.
After all, he only wanted to freely adventure together with his companions. He had no desire to join the Rocks Pirates.
"Why are you leaving so quickly?"
"Don't you want to meet Ignis?"
"Besides, you probably can't leave anyway. Your name has long been on Rocks and Ignis's list."
Newgate's first impression of this pineapple-head had actually been quite good.
No wonder Ignis had once said he and this guy would become good friends in the future.
"What?! Rocks and Ignis have their eyes on me?"
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?!"
Polo Gram stared wide-eyed at this thick-browed bastard.
If Newgate had warned him sooner, he would've fled immediately!
Then he could've figured out some way to stay far away from the Rocks Pirates forever.
Yet Newgate had chatted with him for so long without mentioning any of this.
"Gurararara! I wanted you aboard too!"
Newgate burst into laughter.
He really had been intentionally dragging out the conversation with this pineapple-head who had voluntarily stuck to him.
The fact that Polo Gram had endured Rocks' terrifying Conqueror's Haki already proved his strength was impressive.
"I treated you like a friend, but you wanted to drag me into a bottomless pit? I won't abandon my companions!"
Polo Gram replied irritably before immediately turning and running toward his unconscious companions.
He needed to escape Elysium Island with his crew immediately.
Otherwise, Rocks and Ignis really might force him aboard.
Watching Polo Gram's retreating figure, Newgate revealed a helpless expression.
It seemed this guy truly didn't want to join the Rocks Pirates.
But under Rocks' brutal methods and Ignis's prophetic abilities, Newgate didn't believe Polo Gram could escape the grasp of the Rocks Pirates.
As Ignis flew over, he had already noticed the pineapple-head, only to see the guy immediately bolt.
Unlike Ganzui and Kyo, this man truly might choose death over surrendering his freedom.
Ignis immediately decided to intervene personally to prevent Rocks from accidentally beating this pineapple-head to death.
"Someone who values companions always possesses a weakness. You can't escape."
Seeing Polo Gram running toward his companions, Ignis knew this pineapple-head would definitely choose his companions over freedom.
However, Ignis intended to use a gentler method to deal with him, unlike Rocks' crude and direct approach.
Ignis immediately flew toward Polo Gram.
At this moment, Polo Gram had three people slung over each shoulder, yet still couldn't carry all his companions with him.
This nearly drove him mad.
Under Rocks' terrifying Conqueror's Haki, his companions appeared unbearably weak and fragile.