After truly spending an extended period with Rocks, Michael discovered that aside from his inherently formidable foundation...
He was also an exceptionally outstanding teacher of Haki.
Although his own power had been completely reset, his mind remained sharp.
With his help, not only Toki but even Michael's application of Haki benefited greatly.
It was during this time together that Michael fully grasped the true nature of the most powerful pirate before the Great Pirate Era...
An idealist who was somewhat laughable yet exasperating.
Judging by appearance alone, one would think he was a domineering, selfish schemer... but who would have guessed his personality was the complete opposite of his looks?
All face-reading masters would likely stumble over him.
His greatest dream... was actually to live a carefree life on the sea forever.
When he said this out loud, Michael was utterly dumbfounded.
If Whitebeard, Kaido, and Charlotte Linlin ever found out that the captain they once feared and respected was actually like this...
They'd probably be shocked beyond belief, right?
But upon calm reflection, Michael recalled those few encounters with the returned Rocks over 800 years later.
Even then, one could faintly discern that beneath the old man's formidable exterior...
Lay the heart of a slacker.
It was precisely this mindset that gave Rocks adaptability far beyond ordinary people.
Having traveled from 800 years in the future to the present, even Michael needed considerable time to adjust...
Yet Rocks had completely adapted within days, already finding ways to console himself and embrace idleness.
"Let me ask you... do you remember being the most powerful pirate of your era?"
"Eh, that stuff doesn't really matter." Rocks lay lazily in a hammock strung between two coconut trees, waving his uninjured hand dismissively at Michael.
"Besides, look at me—have you ever seen such a weak 'strongest pirate'?"
"For others, losing their power would be worse than death... but I don't sense any negativity from you at all?" Michael leaned against a coconut tree nearby. "Logically speaking, what you've been through would drive any great pirate to complete breakdown."
"Hahaha, you people from later eras are that fragile?" Rocks burst into rare laughter. "I might be a bit of a slacker, but don't underestimate my willpower, friend! Otherwise, how do you think I became captain to monsters like Whitebeard and Charlotte Linlin?"
"Why single out those two specifically..." Michael raised an eyebrow. "In my time, they were called 'Emperors of the Sea,' eventually establishing their own kingdoms."
"Isn't that obvious? I mention those two because I'm not blind... their talents are literally visible to the naked eye." Rocks gestured with one hand, "If those two continue growing normally, surpassing me is just a matter of time... Though Charlotte Linlin's chances are slimmer—she's more interested in having children than honing her skills... Yet despite that, she's still second only to Whitebeard among my crew. Such innate talent is truly astonishing."
Michael curled his lip.
Rocks had a fairly accurate understanding of his subordinates.
Though admittedly, there were still some blind spots.
For instance, he'd never imagine that after returning to the future, Charlotte Linlin would keep her former captain—now practically a cripple—retired on Whole Cake Island.
Perhaps in some way, Rocks had taken the place of her deadbeat parents in Charlotte Linlin's eyes.
"But your adaptability to this situation is almost too impressive. We're talking about 800 years in the past here."
"Tyrants ruling through terror and slavery, rebellions constantly being crushed... Honestly, I don't see much difference from 800 years later." Rocks yawned lazily, "So rather than current events, I'm more interested in how the world itself was back then... when the seas hadn't fully risen to submerge most of the Red Line... when pirates didn't even exist yet."
"That might disappoint you. This world isn't some playground for pirates."
"Not yet..." Rocks nodded thoughtfully, "But... when can I meet the first man in history who called himself a 'pirate'?"
Michael froze.
The first man to ever call himself a pirate?
Wasn't that... Joy Boy?
"No problem there... Joy Boy's just a bit busy at the moment."
Michael shrugged. He'd actually like to see Rocks meet Joy Boy too.
Two men who each defined their respective eras—800 years apart—would probably find some mutual admiration.
But...
"Before that, I have to ask you something..." Michael's tone turned serious, "If one day you return to the future but your strength never recovers, how would you spend the rest of your life?"
"Without my power?" Rocks leapt down from his hammock with surprising agility—enough to momentarily forget his condition.
"Then live as powerless men do... When in Grandline, as they say."
"You're remarkably carefree..."
"If us pirates weren't carefree, we'd have sunk over trivial matters long ago! Hahaha!"
Rocks threw back his head laughing...
Then lost his balance and nearly ate dirt.
"Damn, with only one leg and one arm, I'm still not quite used to the balance issue." Rocks swayed a few times before grabbing the makeshift crutch Toki had made, steadying himself.
"Alright, rest time's about over... Where's that little girl Toki? Didn't she want to get stronger? Where'd she go?"
"Did you forget? You told her to jump off the cliff directly," Michael said with a twitch of his lips.
"Honestly, your training methods remind me of an old acquaintance..."
"An old acquaintance?"
"Monkey D. Garp... except he only used such harsh methods on his own grandsons."
"So it's that young Marine!" Rocks had a vivid impression of Garp. "Never thought we'd have something like this in common... If not for our opposing sides back then, I'd have loved to have a proper chat with him..."
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