"What the hell are you doing!?"
"Shut it," Silas grunted, paying no mind to the boy struggling to push himself off the deck. His full attention was locked on the glowing panel that only he could see.
Ding!Congratulations on defeating the ruler of the seas, Rocks D. Xebec!
You have completed an impossible achievement.
You have awakened Observation Haki, you have mastered the Six Powers, and all injuries sustained in this battle will be fully healed.
Your cellular activity has increased.
Observation Haki and the Six Powers were old news; he'd mastered them decades ago. His eyes, however, were glued to the last two lines.
Injury recovery and increased cellular activity.
The first was self-explanatory, even though he hadn't taken a scratch in the "battle." The moment the words appeared, a profound lightness spread through his body, unburdening him from aches he had long accepted as part of his existence.
"This feeling..."
To Rocks's utter astonishment, Silas casually stooped down and picked up the short sword the boy had dropped. He held it, feeling the familiar weight in a hand that suddenly felt decades younger.
Then, with a deep breath, he roared a name he hadn't had the strength to call upon in years.
"Hakoku!"
It was an earth-shattering technique learned from the giants of Elbaf, a move his aging body could no longer handle. But as Silas brought the short sword down in a powerful arc, the impossible happened.
The very sea before them split in two, a colossal trench carved into the ocean by a single, unbelievable strike.
Meeting Rocks's horrified, disbelieving gaze, Silas threw his head back and laughed. It was a sound more free and unbridled than any he had made in half a century.
"Pfft, pff-hahahahahahaha!"
He understood now. The "injury recovery" wasn't just for recent wounds. It had scoured his body clean, healing every old, hidden injury he'd accumulated over a lifetime of battle. A pirate's life was lived on the edge of a blade. You fought, you bled, and you endured because at sea, there was no other choice. It was why a Marine like Garp could remain a monster in his old age, while a pirate emperor like Whitebeard was kept alive by medical tubes. It was the price of countless old wounds.
A price Silas had been paying, too. Without this system, he knew his fate would have been no different from Whitebeard's.
But now, everything had changed. He could feel it in his bones. Though age had still taken its toll, with his body restored, he could now unleash at least eighty percent of his peak strength. Just moments ago, even mustering his Haki had felt like a chore.
As for the increased cellular activity... he wasn't a doctor and couldn't very well draw his own blood for a test. For now, he could only guess. Maybe he'd live a few more years. Who in their right mind would complain about that?
His mood soaring, Silas's gaze softened as he looked at Rocks. He casually tossed the short sword back to the boy, who was still frozen in place, utterly dumbstruck by the godlike feat he had just witnessed.
"Want to learn?" Silas asked, a wide grin spreading across his face.
Rocks could only nod, his mind still reeling.
"Then what do you call me?"
"C-Captain?" Rocks stammered out.
"That's more like it."
Silas stood tall, his gaze sweeping from the sea—which was slowly churning back to its natural state—to the system panel floating before him. A flicker of melancholy crossed his features.
What a pity.
If this system had arrived ten, or even twenty years earlier, back when he was in his prime... he could have built a true legacy. But now, it felt too late. The system's reward was triggered by defeating the "ruler of the seas," but this version of Rocks was just a raw, untested kid. It was a clear sign that the conditions for earning rewards would be incredibly demanding. How many other "rulers" even existed in this era?
The future Yonko, Big Mom and Kaido, were likely still nobodies. Gol D. Roger was out there somewhere, but he was younger than Rocks and had probably just started his journey. Then there were others, like Whitebeard and Golden Lion Shiki...
The world was vast. Finding them would be a challenge, and who knew if he'd still be able to lift his sword by then?
The regret was sharp, but fleeting. He wasn't afraid of facing those monsters at their peak; his only regret was not being born in their era, to clash with them in his own prime.
But then, a new thought sparked. The regret in his eyes vanished, replaced by a piercing, predatory glint.
There was still a chance.
If he didn't have the system, fine, he'd retire. But it had arrived. It had healed him, revitalized him. Even if he were already lying in his coffin, he'd claw his way out for a chance like this. This was why he had to take Rocks in.
He knew what a dangerous viper he was nurturing. Knowing Rocks's future, he was fully aware that a knife in the back was a very real possibility; it was the pirate way, after all. A fully grown Rocks was a force that even Silas in his prime would hesitate to face.
But he took him in anyway. If I don't even have the guts to take on a brat who hasn't found his footing, he thought, what right do I have to dream of a comeback?
He wouldn't recall his old crew. They were good men, but most were old like him, no longer cut out for this life. Besides, he'd already given them their share of the treasure—enough to live out their days in peace.
No, he had a new plan. He would train Rocks.
A sudden, intense stare from Silas sent a shiver down Rocks's spine. The boy, who had been about to scramble to his feet, froze, terrified of another casual, disabling blow. Resisting was not an option.
Hmph, you damned old geezer, Rocks thought, a fire burning behind his eyes. Just you wait. I'll learn everything you have to teach. And when I'm strong enough, I'll pay you back double for this humiliation!
He had only ever planned to steal this ship. The last thing he wanted was to be some old man's cabin boy. But as he climbed to his feet, the image of the sea splitting in two flashed in his mind, and his heart pounded with a fierce, burning passion. He had never witnessed such overwhelming power. With strength like that, he could go anywhere, do anything.
As he brushed himself off, a thought struck him. He narrowed his eyes. "Old man..."
"What did you call me?" Silas's voice was dangerously quiet.
"C-Captain!" Rocks forced a grin, though another smarting blow to his head made it difficult. He quickly pointed toward the horizon. "Look, isn't that a ship?"
Silas looked up. Sure enough, a sailboat was cutting through the waves, heading their way. His gaze immediately locked onto the flag fluttering from its mast.
A Jolly Roger.
The smile that spread across Silas's face was nothing short of wicked.
[Chapter Complete]
***
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