Rocks glanced at Wang Zhi and said, "Wang Zhi, you think too much. That's why you lack the courage and passion. If you had a little more fire in you, you could've stood alongside Shiki and Newgate as one of the top-tier powerhouses."
Wang Zhi had been with the Rocks Pirates for many years now, and Rocks had seen his growth with his own eyes.
With Wang Zhi's talent, his strength could have soared even higher. But his cautious nature set him apart from those like Whitebeard, Golden Lion, and Big Mom…
They were fearless in battle.
Wang Zhi was thoughtful and meticulous, but he lacked that reckless ferocity. Compared to the others, he didn't have the same bloodthirsty edge or battle-hardened drive.
As a result, his power gradually fell behind Shiki, Whitebeard, Big Mom, and the others. At most, he was just a little stronger than Silver Axe, that lecherous old fool.
But…
Everyone has their own personality and their own path. Even if Rocks was the most feared and powerful pirate in the world, he couldn't force Wang Zhi to change his will.
Wang Zhi wasn't bothered. He'd heard Rocks say this many times before. He just laughed awkwardly, "It's fine. We have Shiki, Newgate, and Big Mom charging at the front. That's enough."
"Someone has to keep an eye on the rest of the crew. They need to be watched carefully."
Newgate slapped Wang Zhi's shoulder with his massive hand and let out a hearty laugh, "Gurararara… You're just not one for fighting for dominance, huh? But that's fine."
"Leave those powerful enemies to us!"
The three of them continued watching Ares' training. By observing his sparring with Shiki, they could roughly gauge Ares' current strength.
At this point, Ares was already comparable to the elite Vice Admirals of the Marine Headquarters.
At his current growth rate, it might only take another six months before he would reach or even surpass that level!
And Ares wasn't even fifteen years old yet.
It was clear just how monstrous and terrifying his talent was.
On the battlefield.
Shiki became more and more astonished as the fight went on. Ares maintained his peak strength throughout, even after nearly half an hour of continuous combat.
His stamina was ridiculously long-lasting.
Every punch, every kick, even his flying slashes none of them weakened.
What's more…
Throughout the fight, Shiki's sharp battle sense noticed that Ares was constantly refining his techniques. If his flying slashes were once just raw moves, now they were rapidly being adapted to fit Ares' unique body and combat style.
He was becoming more and more skilled.
"Leg Blade, Twin Slash!"
Ares lifted his leg and unleashed a brilliant blue slash. His body spun 360 degrees on the spot, following up with a second fierce slash.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!!
Two massive blue slashes tore through the air, screaming forward with sharp whistling sounds.
"You've improved!!" Shiki praised, quickly deflecting both slashes with his swords. The twin blades crashed into the ground behind him, carving two deep trenches into the earth.
Reflected in Shiki's black-and-white eyes was Ares' towering figure charging straight at him, a grin splitting his face.
Shiki crossed his blades in front of him, blocking Ares' bizarre arm once again!
Clang!
The sheer explosive power forced Shiki to further reinforce the quality and quantity of his Armament Haki to withstand Ares' monstrous strength.
"What a strange Armament Haki… I still don't know how Ares managed to create this kind of Haki." Shiki narrowed his eyes, finally taking this seriously.
This unique, bizarre Haki exclusive to Ares not only provided a powerful offensive boost but also a level of hardness that surpassed ordinary Armament Haki.
Shiki had tried to replicate it before.
But his body simply couldn't handle it.
Maybe it was a physical difference when he tried using Ares' strange Haki, the strain on his body skyrocketed. His blood flow couldn't sustain the speed required to fuel that bizarre Haki.
In the end, Shiki had no choice but to give up.
Rocks and the others, who were observing the battle, were also deeply intrigued by Ares' state.
Rocks tilted his head slightly and asked Whitebeard, "Newgate, do you know what's going on with Ares' arm?"
He knew that this was the reason the Marines had given him the nickname "Bloodhand." Yet, this strange state of his was powerful enough to stand against Shiki's Armament Haki for so long.
There was definitely something extraordinary and unique about it.
It piqued his curiosity. He wondered if he could incorporate this method to further elevate his own combat strength.
"I've tried. It's impossible for anyone else. His body has been forged and tempered through day after day of brutal training. It's already beyond what's humanly possible," Whitebeard replied.
His expression turned serious as he added, "I don't even know how Ares managed to endure that kind of training for so many years. If it were anyone else, they wouldn't last a few days without suffering debilitating injuries."
"You have to accept that there will always be a rare few in this sea blessed with talent and potential far beyond what others can ever reach. Some things simply can't be envied."
This sea was full of secrets. Countless unique races and mutated humans existed.
Among them were those few lucky ones seemingly blessed by the gods like Charlotte Linlin, born with near-invincible skin.
Whitebeard suspected that Ares, too, might possess an innate, otherworldly gift.
Although it was different from Linlin's.
Rocks nodded in deep agreement, his sharp, imposing gaze fixed on Ares, a faintly wicked smile curling his lips.
"No matter what, Ares is part of the Rocks Pirates."
"His incredible talent and potential are a blessing for us."
"Let's witness this kid's growth together!"
His heart stirred with excitement. He looked forward to Ares growing quickly and becoming yet another pillar of strength for the Rocks Pirates.
If that happened, the Rocks Pirates would become even stronger, and Rocks' confidence in becoming the ruler of the world would grow just a little more.
Rocks turned to Wang Zhi and said,
"Wang Zhi, Ares' mind isn't quite right, and he's still young. You need to teach him more."
"Don't worry, Captain. This kid will definitely become an outstanding pirate. I guarantee it!" Wang Zhi replied earnestly, his tone firm and resolute.
At his age barely in his teens he was at the most rebellious stage of life. And with Ares' apparent mental quirks, Rocks gave Wang Zhi this special reminder.
He wanted Wang Zhi to guide Ares properly.
Whitebeard's eyes sparkled as he watched the intense battle. His heart and blood were starting to pump with excitement.
In the end, he couldn't hold back. He planted his naginata, Murakumogiri, into the ground, then charged forward with powerful strides.
"Shiki, move aside!!"
"Let me spar with Ares!!"
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