Ares's Return from the Hunt

"I need a pack of fierce, battle-hungry bastards!"

A startling light blazed in Rocks' eyes as ambition swelled endlessly within him. He declared with overbearing confidence, "Next, I'm taking over the entire New World!"

"I'm going to become the king of all pirates!"

In the past, he had founded the Rocks Pirates for the sake of wealth.

But now.

The Rocks Pirates had grown at an astonishing pace, and wealth had already begun to overflow for Rocks.

When money piles up to a certain point, a man starts chasing other things.

A person's ambition changes with time and with what they possess.

Captain John grinned. "These days, the pirates of the New World are terrified of you, Captain!"

"Our Rocks Pirates are unstoppable!"

"Sooner or later, you'll be the king of the New World!"

He wouldn't dare fight this man for power. What he wanted was endless treasure.

A gulp of fine wine went down, burning hot in his stomach.

As long as he followed Rocks and let the Rocks Pirates grow stronger, he could claim more and more treasure.

The two men strolled toward the town.

Meanwhile, in the town, the pirates of the Rocks Pirates were like wolves charging into a flock of sheep.

The villagers had no strength to face these vicious, bloodthirsty pirates who had survived endless slaughter.

Shunk!

Shiki the Golden Lion cleanly sliced a villager's throat with one stroke. Blood splattered, and the body thudded to the ground.

He casually flicked the blood off the Twenty-One Great Swords, Withered Tree, a cruel grin twisting his face. "Listen up, all of you! Hand over every last Berrie you've got, and don't even think about resisting!"

"Or this is what happens to you!!"

"We're here for treasure, so... if you don't want to die, hand it all over, damn it!!"

A puff of white smoke curled from his mouth, wreathed around his face. He didn't spare a glance at the villagers crying and trembling in fear.

Some pirates violently broke into the villagers' homes, stuffing everything of value into their bags.

They kicked and punched the homeowners, or even cut them down with a single slash.

Gunshots rang out sporadically across the town.

Screams and pleas for mercy echoed through the streets, mixed with the endless sounds of smashing and breaking.

A scene of utter human misery!

Shiki the Golden Lion puffed his cigar in satisfaction while the members of his Division piled treasure, valuables, and even barrels of liquor before him.

Before long, a pile of treasure as tall as a man's waist had formed.

It wasn't just Shiki the Golden Lion. Whitebeard, Charlotte Linlin, Ochoku, Silver Axe, and the others had all reaped a rich haul too.

That meant the share of treasure each of them could claim was even greater.

Gradually, more and more pirates gathered in the streets, forming distinct groups with clear boundaries.

Every pirate wore a wild, gleeful smile on their face.

"Can't believe this dump had so much loot! When we get back to Hachinosu, I'm booking three bunny girls at once!"

"Only three?! Hey hey... looks like you're not up to much!!"

"What's so great about women? Cigars and booze are the best. Those bar girls just crawl from one man's lap to another man's bed!"

"If the Captain hadn't said we can't take the women from this village, I'd love to drag them back to Hachinosu!"

"Hmph! You're thinking with your dick, aren't you? Not afraid a woman will slit your throat in the middle of the night? Women full of hate like that will do anything."

"If you're really that desperate, give me a hundred thousand Berries, and I'll stand guard for you. Promise no one messes up your fun. Deal?"

"··········"

The pirates joked around in small groups. To them, this was all just normal.

Indulgence was life.

After all, if you didn't grab enough wealth to last a lifetime while you could, you'd end up starving in the streets when you got old.

But that kind of person was rare.

Most pirates spent every last Berrie they had!

Because no one could hold onto wealth. If you weren't strong enough, your riches would only draw the greed of other pirates on the ship.

The pirates' unrestrained laughter mingled with the villagers' sobs.

Just then, Rocks and Captain John appeared in the town.

"Looks like the haul this time is pretty good!" Rocks swept his gaze over all the pirates' plunder. "Then let's do it the usual way!"

"Ooh!!"

"Captain's mighty!!"

"·······"

The pirates instantly burst into excited howls.

Suddenly.

One pirate's pupils shot wide, and he cried out, "Everyone... everyone look!!"

"Over there... is that a monster?!!"

At the pirate's shout, all laughter came to an abrupt halt.

Everyone turned in unison to look down the street, where a burly man with a terrifying bronze-toned physique, built like a "brown bear," appeared in their field of view.

What shocked them even more was that the man was dragging a colossal beast over ten meters long with one hand.

It was a tiger with brownish-yellow stripes.

Such a massive frame could easily rival a small two-masted schooner!!

How much did that weigh?!

And this man's strength... how strong was he?

Dragging a tiger of that size with one hand!

Seeing this.

One pirate after another changed expression, their faces showing shock and fear.

"This guy... this guy feels even more ferocious and wild than that tiger on the ground!!"

"Who the hell is he? He feels like a monster like the rookie Kaido?!"

"Don't tell me he's also a villager on this island?!"

"What a terrifying aura... it's like being targeted as prey by a beast!"

"········"

Even the elite pirates of the Rocks Pirates couldn't help but break out in cold sweat at the sight.

Each of them gripped their blades tightly.

"Jihahaha... looks like this operation won't be boring after all. There's still some youth on his face—he must be young!" Shiki the Golden Lion's eyes flashed with a gleam, his voice brimming with keen interest.

Whitebeard Newgate also grinned. "This guy... seems like a fine seedling!"

"Just that savage, brutal aura alone is enough to intimidate plenty of people!"

There was a hint of approval in his eyes. Men like this were rare on the sea, and the closest example was the rookie on the ship, "Kaido"!

Another monster.

"I wonder if a man like that can satisfy me." Charlotte Linlin's eyes carried a hint of lust, and she even excitedly licked her lips with a crimson tongue.

"I like young, strong bodies, and the key thing is, this guy's face is pretty handsome."

Captain John chuckled. "This guy seems pretty capable in a fight. Captain, want to consider letting him join the Rocks Pirates?!"

His sidelong glance tracked the change in Rocks' expression beside him.

"Let's see first." Rocks said calmly, though a flicker of interest showed in his eyes.

Meanwhile, the villagers huddled together for safety lit up with a glimmer of hope at Ares' appearance.

An old man rushed out from the crowd, tears streaming from his eyes, a wailing voice escaping his mouth: "Ares, hurry and stop these vicious pirates!!"