Rocks's assessment of Ripley was actually wrong.
He thought Ripley was a combatant, but in Silas's mind, her abilities leaned more toward logistics management.
Ripley had obviously realized this too.
Since her Haki and physical training weren't progressing smoothly, she'd gradually begun focusing on developing her fruit ability.
This wasn't a problem.
Everyone had their areas of expertise. Some excelled at combat, others at manufacturing, cooking, or medicine.
Silas once felt if he weren't captain, he might've become an excellent navigator.
You know, even Admiral-level fighters couldn't guarantee their ships would remain safe in the New World's unpredictable weather.
Ripley was the same.
Initially, Silas thought Ripley's Mini-Mini Fruit could only control her own body size, which would've greatly diminished the fruit's strategic value.
But when Ripley could shrink other objects and even people, this fruit's significance became completely different.
When Ripley's fruit ability became sufficiently powerful, Silas finally realized his vision.
By moving all of Sphinx's inhabitants into the lantern fish's belly, they completely avoided Marine and World Government pursuit.
All of Sphinx is now divided into inner and outer islands.
The outer island served as external trading grounds. Populated entirely by unimportant outsiders of questionable identity. Though Silas stationed some personnel there, at most they were subordinate forces like the Black Merchant Duke Gate, who depended on the White Wolf Pirates.
The inner island was Sphinx's core. The White Wolf Pirates' core members were housed inside.
However, there were drawbacks.
"Staying inside means never growing up or aging?"
Initially thinking Silas was joking, but learning that staying in the lantern fish's belly meant constant Pure Gold exposure, Roy and Ed were stunned.
They'd long passed the age of growth, facing only aging's suffering. Now Silas told them staying inside the fish belly meant immortality?
"I think countless wealthy people worldwide would want to buy their own plot in this fish belly."
Roy murmured.
"Even just palm-sized."
Due to Ripley's ability, palm-sized land could build luxurious mansions. Without sufficiently powerful Haki, ordinary people shrunk by Ripley probably couldn't change back their entire lives.
"You can retire here from now on!"
"Haha, I can't think of a better retirement location."
"But occasionally going out would be nice too."
That last comment was Ed's. As Sphinx Island's swordsmanship instructor, he clearly understood this place's pros and cons.
Never growing up or aging seemed wonderful but eliminated possibilities for growth.
"Of course, stagnation won't do."
If he only wanted to create a paradise, Silas could stop now, but his ambitions went far beyond this.
Moreover...
"This is just temporary. I don't want Ripley constantly worrying about things here. When we no longer need hiding, I'll just move you somewhere better."
"Haha, I can't wait to see that day."
"After all, we can't see the sky here!"
Inside the lantern fish's belly was only that glowing giant bulb. No distinction between day and night.
Silas wondered how people could stay in such an environment for over a century without going insane.
While executing Sphinx's relocation plan, Silas encountered two holdouts from over a century ago.
Yes. A father and daughter had stayed in the lantern fish's belly for over a hundred years. Without knowing the other was alive.
Learning Silas wanted to use Pure Gold to build his kingdom in the fish's belly, they made quite a fuss.
The result was naturally Silas's forceful suppression.
Now the young one had been sent to Kureha for treatment, while the older one joined Sphinx's big family.
Whatever work they did, they couldn't just freeload at Sphinx.
Since rescuing Mariejois slaves, all of Sphinx suddenly gained fifty thousand laborers. Though not everyone chose to stay, they had to earn their passage money home, right?
Right. Though Silas rescued many slaves from Mariejois, he didn't plan to be completely charitable by helping some return home.
Even Rona's subordinate Marine soldiers couldn't help with this. Because there were simply too many people.
Actually helping tens of thousands return to their homelands would bankrupt even the now-wealthy White Wolf Pirates.
The scientist who'd stayed in the fish belly for over a century possessed Pure Gold extraction technology. Forget extraction—just managing this proved he was an excellent scientist.
This was exactly what Silas currently lacked. Insufficient technical talent.
Silas now thought of someone. If he could bring them to Sphinx, he might solve all future problems permanently.
Of course, first Silas had to visit Wano Country. He'd planned to depart two years ago. Delayed until now.
Even with Silas's thick skin, he felt somewhat guilty.
"No need for apologies."
Toki still wore her yamato nadeshiko expression.
"Aren't you preparing to take me to Wano now?"
Toki smiled while adjusting Silas's collar.
She no longer held her initial obsession with Wano Country. Staying in the lantern fish was equivalent to time standing still anyway.
The prophecy wouldn't occur for decades. So why rush?
Or rather...
"Does Silas-san want to send me away?"
Speaking thus, Toki couldn't help showing a dejected expression.
"After all, I'm just a useless ordinary woman—not strong like Lily-san, nor able to help with abilities like Ripley-san."
Though the Time-Time Fruit could transport people through time, it was utterly useless in combat, plus Toki's fighting talent was truly mediocre.
"Haha, unless you actively disembark like that bastard Rocks, I don't have habits of forcing crew members off my ship."
"Crew member!?"
"What, doesn't Miss Toki plan to become a White Wolf Pirates crew member? Our crew desperately needs an accountant. Unfortunately, most of my crew are illiterate—at best they can write their names. Arithmetic is really too much for them. If we get cheated buying and selling things..."
"I can!"
Toki's voice surprised Silas. Seeming to realize she'd spoken too loudly, Toki said shyly, "I mean, if Silas-san is willing to trust me, I can help manage accounts."
"Haha, why wouldn't I trust you? You and I have a life-and-death friendship!"
Without Toki initially, escaping that Elbaf battle wouldn't have been so easy, let alone making Marines hesitate.
Precisely because they couldn't find Silas, Marines had to abandon attacking Elbaf.
Without preserving Elbaf, how could there have been the recent slave liberation battle? How could White Wolf Pirates have grown to this extent?
Though Silas didn't plan on recruiting too many core crew members, slaves from Sabaody Archipelago and Mariejois needed placement.
Currently designated as Sphinx's guard army.
Right—Sphinx, with only 300,000-plus permanent residents, had a 50,000-strong guard army: 30,000 former slaves, 5,000 selected from local inhabitants, and 15,000 former pirates.
Of the 50,000 slaves who followed White Wolf Pirates to Sphinx, over 90% chose to stay—they had nowhere else to go.
So actually, only thousands of slaves wanted to leave Sphinx for home.
For these slaves, Silas didn't obstruct them, instead providing well-paying jobs—this was all he could do.
Actually, those who could serve Celestial Dragons as slaves, besides women and children, were basically able-bodied adults with decent foundations.
After just months of training, Silas had gained 30,000 regular troops comparable to Marine elites.
Including many powerful individuals. Even races like Buccaneers and Lunarians are supposedly extinct.
Buccaneers inherited giant bloodlines with physical abilities a thousand times superior to fishmen.
Lunarians could generate flames—enhanced defense when burning, reduced defense but increased speed when extinguished.
However, though Silas discovered these races among slaves, both groups tried hard to hide themselves. And were among those choosing to leave.
Silas didn't mind.
He'd nearly forgotten to retrieve Golden Lion Shiki from Fish-Man Island—how could he care about two special races?
Even with special racial talents, becoming strong still required personal effort.
Silas's subordinates lacked top-tier fighters. A few special races—just a couple cats and dogs—weren't worth Silas's serious attention.
If they stayed, he'd naturally be happy. If not, he wouldn't force them.
"Speaking of which, how's that kid I picked up at Fish-Man Island?"
Hearing Silas's question, Ed knew who he meant.
"You mean that brat Shiki? High potential, skilled at swordsmanship, and a Devil Fruit user."
"You discovered it?"
"Haha, only that brat Shiki thinks he's hiding it well."
The White Wolf Pirates' veteran officers all mastered dual-color Haki—the newcomer's little tricks couldn't fool them.
"Though that kid's currently inactive, he's no angel. If he gets strong enough, he might defect."
"He'd need the ability first!"
Silas and Ed looked at each other, laughing in unison.
They were willing to train newcomers, but they weren't suckers.
Different personalities required different approaches.
Someone like Rocks—you couldn't suppress his ambition. He was wild grass that would grow savagely even without their teaching. Putting him in a greenhouse might dull his edges.
Silas gave him foundations, then let him grow wild. When he matured, Silas would defeat him at his peak.
Only this way could Rocks willingly serve him. As a conqueror, Rocks had his pride.
Silas gave him fair challenging rights—whatever the result, he'd accept that outcome.
"Besides Shiki?"
Among Ed's current trainees, Silas naturally focused most on Shiki—after all, he'd compete with future Pirate King Roger, at his peak matching Newgate and others.
Just bad luck.
"There's also a girl called Tsuru who mastered Moonwalk in just months, and a brat named Zephyr who's already learned Iron Body and Finger Pistol..."
"Zephyr!?"
Silas's sudden interruption left Ed stunned.
"Is he also a slave we rescued from Sabaody Archipelago?"
"No." Ed looked at Silas strangely. "He wasn't a slave but a ship's helper. Seemed to oversleep and miss his merchant ship, so had to stay at Sphinx."
"Then why'd he join the guard army?"
"Because he was later cheated buying things and nearly became a slave. To avoid pursuing pirates, he had to join us."
Though Sphinx strictly controlled underground markets, at most they just prohibited pirates from conducting slave trades within Sphinx. People without identity papers could still easily encounter danger in Sphinx's underground markets.
"Haha, very interesting."
First Tsuru, and now even Zephyr was delivered. Silas knew what the Marines were planning.
If Tsuru was coincidence, Zephyr's appearance couldn't be accidental.
Ed didn't understand the connection. But how could Silas not see the connection?"
If Tsuru was just a future Marine Chief of Staff with Admiral potential, then Zephyr was simply a future Marine Admiral.
An Admiral seed just delivered by Marines?
Silas nearly grinned crookedly.
So what if Marines wanted them to join the White Wolf Pirates as spies? The White Wolf Pirates conducted themselves righteously.
Marines should be the ones worrying!
Without initial nurturing gratitude, when their actions conflicted with inner justice, would Tsuru and Zephyr really stand with Marines?
"Ed, call Shiki, Tsuru, and Zephyr. Starting today, they're White Wolf Pirates trainees!"
Silas waved decisively.
Since Sphinx had an escape route, Silas naturally couldn't keep staying there.
The sea was his destiny!