After the Acropolis Port battle, Silas had been recuperating. That final desperate gambit, though crushing Imu's plan to encircle and kill him, also caused tremendous damage to his body. So much so that Silas's face gained several more wrinkles, looking considerably more weathered.
Fortunately, this side effect wasn't irreversible. Silas's powerful recovery ability ultimately prevailed. After spending half a year, he finally recovered to his pre-battle state. Of course, achieving this was thanks to the system's granted cell activity.
[Sea Circle Calendar 1485: an unprecedented war erupted at Acropolis Port. Marines, CP organization, Holy Knights, pirates, Elbaf giants, and Wano samurai—this war's result tremendously impacted the world, completely dividing it in two.]
[In this war, you alone opposed the Holy Knights led by World King Imu, thoroughly consolidating your position among pirates.]
[Countless people's fates will change because of you!]
Seeing the system's large "1485" display, Silas just scoffed once. The stupid system could only be stubborn about such things.
[Ding~, congratulations on becoming the New World overlord, one-tenth world king, achieving an impossible accomplishment!]
[You completely mastered Haki usage techniques, successfully forged the black blade—Frost Hidden, captured Zoan Devil Fruit—Fish-Fish Fruit, Mythical Beast Type, Azure Dragon Form.]
[Your cell activity greatly increased.]
Silas hadn't yet noticed the cell activity's tremendous increase—probably offsetting his Acropolis Port consumption. How much improvement after recovery remained unknown, but Haki's improvement was real.
Previously Silas's Conqueror's Haki level approached Shimotsuki Ryuma's, still slightly behind Imu's. But after completely mastering Haki usage techniques, Silas discovered much previously unknown knowledge in his mind. How to store Haki, how to use Haki for long-distance communication, how to make Haki more concentrated.
Not just Conqueror's Haki improvement, but Observation and Armament Haki improvements—effects were immediate. After complete recovery, Silas was much stronger than his Acropolis Port self. Facing Imu's forces again now, even without desperation, he could successfully break through.
Silas had a premonition—his system could probably only help him this far. Though Silas constantly complained about his stupid system, he knew without it, he'd probably be somewhere aging and awaiting death.
"Thanks, buddy!" Silas toasted his system in the void, then looked at the newly appeared fruit in his hand. Fish-Fish Fruit, Mythical Beast Type, Azure Dragon Form! Undoubtedly, this was a top-tier Zoan Devil Fruit.
Having fruits without using them was meaningless. Silas still remembered the system's Song-Song Fruit—that thing truly couldn't find users. The entire pirate world probably had few who could use it. But this Azure Dragon Fruit was different. Silas's mind randomly produced several candidates.
Teacher Kaido was out. Current Teacher Kaido was probably still fighting kids for candy. Decided.
"Hey, Harald, want a fruit?" Silas found Harald, tossing him the fruit. Though Harald wasn't Silas's subordinate, after so many years of friendship, they'd long been inseparable comrades.
"What's this?"
"A pretty good Devil Fruit." Silas thought—if six-meter-tall Kaido eating the Azure Dragon Fruit could become a hundred-meter-plus dragon, what about sixty-meter-tall Harald? Probably becoming an island-sized behemoth.
Looking at the fingernail-sized Devil Fruit, Harald raised an eyebrow, suddenly asking, "Silas, do you want to dominate this world?"
"Why ask that?"
"Aren't all your actions aimed at seizing the world?"
"Pfft!" Hearing Harald's words, Silas burst out laughing. "Haha, even you think so?"
"Isn't it?"
"Haha, let's say it is. If there's no better candidate, letting me dominate this world seems pretty good." Silas smiled. "But I'm very lazy. If someday we truly eliminate the World Government, I'll probably be a hands-off boss."
The World Government's current system actually wasn't bad, but the biggest problem was those Celestial Dragons raised as parasites. When power becomes fixed, arrogance breeds. Rather than being a ruler, Silas wanted to become the Sword of Damocles above rulers' heads.
Of course, wanting to become a sword of punishment was itself arrogant. Right and wrong—let future generations judge.
"Enough talk. Even if I want to dominate the world, first I must defeat Imu. That old hag still has several trump cards—winning won't be easy. Speaking of which, you've been out so long—is Elbaf okay? I heard your two wives' relationship isn't great."
Hearing Silas's words, Harald's eyes widened. "Who said that?"
Then after downing a large drink, Harald began complaining about Elbaf's strict bloodline system. As Elbaf's king, to ensure bloodline purity, he must marry women with giant blood. So though Harald first had Hajrudin with Hajrudin's mother, lacking giant bloodline meant they couldn't even live together.
This was why when Silas brought Rocks to Elbaf years ago, Harald's eldest son Hajrudin could only live in the giant village, not with Harald. So Harald sometimes envied Silas. Pirates lived freely—pursuing women they liked boldly.
"Speaking of which, Ripley's been with you so long yet hasn't conceived. You old man—can't perform?"
Drunk, Harald started talking nonsense. His words weren't unreasonable. After all, ordinary humans lived under a hundred years. Normal human males at seventy still having reproductive capability was already remarkably vigorous.
"Get lost, I call this responsibility!" With battles constantly happening, Silas couldn't casually let Ripley get pregnant—too dangerous.
"But you—I remember your main wife's height is under half yours? You thick-browed guy—are you a lolicon?"
"What... what con!?"
"Means liking little girls!"
"Silas!!!!"
Embarrassed-angry Harald punched at Silas. Silas punched back at Harald's face. Two men fought while drinking.
"Tch." Not far away, bruised Rocks also drank. "Boys, prepare to set sail!"
"Huh?"
"Why?"
"Isn't staying here good?"
Young pirates were reluctant. After all, Sphinx's service industry was extremely developed. As Rocks's subordinates, in many Sphinx workers' eyes they were direct members of the White Wolf Pirates, naturally receiving extreme enthusiasm. So half a year later, the pirates were enjoying themselves too much.
"Can't get stronger in such comfortable places!" Rocks snorted coldly. A week ago he'd fought Harald—the result was him barely holding his own, taking advantage of Harald's leg injury. Rocks had a 40% chance of winning while Harald had 60%. This greatly dissatisfied Rocks.
In Rocks's view, if he couldn't even beat Harald, how could he challenge Silas? However, this still wasn't Rocks's greatest frustration. What frustrated him most was Newgate—though Silas said the White Wolf Pirates wouldn't have battles in the near term, if Newgate wanted to become stronger, he must continuously challenge stronger opponents. Yet Newgate preferred sailing alone rather than joining him.
This greatly displeased Rocks. Then Rocks invited Linlin—equally rejected.
"Following you means missing meals—I won't sail with you!" Excluding Rocks, twelve-year-old Linlin had strength second only to Newgate among the White Wolf Pirates. Ripley was no longer Linlin's match.
Rocks was determined—he believed persistence would eventually pay off. He invited Shiki, Zephyr, and Crane. Equally refused.
Shiki: "Tch, when you can beat that old man, invite me then."
Zephyr: "Sorry, Brother Rocks, I still want to follow Captain Silas."
Crane: "You're too ugly."
After five rejections, Rocks decided to leave this heartbreaking place. He felt bitter. Newgate and Linlin refusing him was one thing. As fellow recruits who joined the White Wolf Pirates at the same time, Rocks felt that given a few more years, Newgate and Linlin wouldn't lose to him as he was now. They were just young.
But even if inferior to him, whether Newgate or Linlin both had top-tier great pirate status with 200 million bounties. And what about the second wave of recruits like Shiki and Zephyr? Especially Crane.
"She actually dared to call me ugly!" Rocks seethed with rage. He'd specifically avoided female crew members like Ripley and Stussy, knowing they were involved with Silas and definitely wouldn't leave the White Wolf Pirates. But he never expected Crane, who'd just joined the White Wolf Pirates, was also so superficial!
Though feeling he was closing the gap with Silas, when he compared his bounty to Silas's bounty—he couldn't help but feel discouraged.
White Wolf Pirates Captain, Norse Silas. Bounty: 13.9 billion Berry!!
His current bounty was barely a fraction of Silas's—yet he was already among the seas' highest-bounty pirates. To this, Silas could only say: bounty inflation. Though currently, only he was experiencing it.
Whether ten billion or twenty billion, bounties at this level had more symbolic than practical meaning. Did anyone really expect that someone could kill him?
Comparatively, other White Wolf Pirates members' bounties could somewhat show their current strength.
White Wolf Pirates Crew, Edward Newgate. Bounty: 250 million Berry!
White Wolf Pirates Crew, Charlotte Linlin. Bounty: 210 million Berry!
White Wolf Pirates Crew, Ripley. Bounty: 215 million Berry!
And as age gradually matured, Newgate gained a more standard nickname: Whitebeard! This title that would shock future seas finally appeared in this era.
Linlin's title was Pirate Princess! Growing older and stronger, Linlin's title would probably change from Pirate Princess to Pirate Empress, provided she managed her figure well.
As for Ripley, she no longer cared much about strength and titles. Though initially wanting fame across seas, as time passed witnessing these monsters on Silas's ship, even with giant bloodline, Ripley lost thoughts of catching up. Her changes were already tremendous. Just six years—from initially mastering Haki to now achieving fruit awakening and mastering variant Observation future sight.
This change was astonishing even for short-lived humans, let alone giants. Across all giants, stronger than Ripley were only Giant King Harald and the two Giant Warrior Pirates captains. As for Jorul and Jarul? Without youth medicine, they were just aged old men. And even with youth medicine, at their age, they could hardly bear another high-level battle.
Besides first-period crew members, after experiencing the Steel Nation war, second-period crew members also had bounties.
White Wolf Pirates Trainee, Shiki. Bounty: 90 million Berry!
White Wolf Pirates Trainee, Zephyr. Bounty: 75 million Berry!
White Wolf Pirates Trainee, Crane. Bounty: 66 million Berry!
Veterans had grown up, beginning to leave the White Wolf Pirates, striving to become stronger. Newcomers also weren't falling behind, gradually making names in the New World. The new era surged with wind and clouds, but before new storms arrived, calm was normal.
Two years later. Sea Circle Calendar 1468. Whether due to Harald's mockery or because life had become peaceful, Silas's children were finally born. However, it wasn't just one child—he had a whole brood.
Lily, Ripley, Kozuki Toki, Stussy. Only Rona, busy managing the New Marines and completely uninterested in raising children, avoided pregnancy. The other four, without using protection, all became pregnant with Silass children.
Only after having children did they realize how exhausting childcare was. So Silas left the kids on Sphinx, entrusting them to veteran crew members. Then he took their mothers and set sail again!