How to Forge Yourself into a Blade?

"Pirates?!"

Ares stopped and looked expressionlessly at the old man.

He then shifted his gaze toward the group of pirates and asked as if speaking to himself, "Are they pirates?!"

His expression and eyes did not change in the slightest.

It was as if he had become so cold that he had completely lost all emotion. If one said that, apart from his appearance, he possessed the characteristics of a human while his body was actually that of a robot,

it would not be an exaggeration. In fact, it would be quite accurate.

The old man's plea for help immediately provoked ridicule and mockery from many of the pirates present.

"Hahahaha... Old bastard, even if this man is strong, we're the Rocks Pirates!!"

"You think this man alone can rescue your village from the hands of the Rocks Pirates? That's hilarious!!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk... You may not understand. Once the name Rocks Pirates appears on the sea, countless people will be scared out of their wits."

"Little old man, wake up. Stop dreaming. No one can defy the will of the Rocks Pirates."

"..."

Hundreds of pirates looked at the old man, who had collapsed dejectedly on the dust-covered ground, as if he were an idiot. They laughed scornfully and mockingly, their sharp voices grating on the ears.

As for the old man's plea for help, the pirates acted as though they were simply watching a show.

At that moment.

Ares calmly looked at the most unique and conspicuous figure at the very center of the crowd, Rocks D. Zebek, and casually asked a question that caught everyone off guard and left them utterly dumbfounded.

"Do you know how to forge a person into the sharpest and hardest blade in the world?!"

The question instantly left the pirates present dumbfounded.

The scene fell silent in an instant.

Then the pirates burst into uproarious laughter.

"Pfft, hahaha... Did I hear that right?! This brat wants to forge himself into the sharpest and hardest blade in the world?" A pirate immediately clutched his stomach and roared with laughter.

"I'm dying of laughter!! This brat really is an imbecile!" someone said, laughing until tears streamed from his eyes.

"I've never heard of anyone wanting to forge himself into a blade..."

"How ridiculous. How could he possibly succeed?! How can a human body compare with the hardness of a blade?!"

"Could this guy be insane? I think there's definitely something wrong with his head!"

"..."

Ares had asked his question with complete seriousness, yet it left every pirate present torn between laughter and disbelief.

There was actually someone in this world who would ask such a question.

If he wasn't an idiot, what was he?

"What an interesting fellow... He actually wants to forge himself into a blade?" Whitebeard grinned, a strong interest flashing in his soul-stirring eyes.

This world has never lacked lunatics. What it lacks are lunatics capable of constantly breaking through their limits.

I wonder if this little fellow can do it?

Whitebeard Newgate even began to feel a powerful sense of anticipation.

"Gyahahaha... This is the first time even I, the Golden Lion, have heard someone ask such a question. But no matter how powerful a person's body becomes through training..."

"it still can't compare with the Twelve Kizuki, the Supreme Great Swords." The Golden Lion could not help laughing loudly. The Sakura Ten and Withered Tree he possessed were both Great Grade Swords.

He naturally knew just how sharp and hard weapons like that were.

Humans and swords were different.

The sharpness possessed by a sword was something human flesh could never match.

"I don't give a damn whether it's a blade or a sword..." Linlin stared intently at Ares's bare upper body, at his perfect muscles, which resembled a Greek sculpture cast from bronze.

They constantly radiated intense masculine hormones.

She stuck out her scarlet tongue and licked her lips. "I only want to give birth to outstanding, exceptional offspring!!"

"His body is so strong. I like him!"

"He'll definitely be more enduring and powerful than those Giant Tribe members who are all looks and no substance!"

Her scorching gaze lingered on Ares without the slightest concealment.

Faced with everyone's laughter, Ares remained expressionless. In fact, he had not even blinked once from beginning to end.

His gaze remained fixed on Rocks D. Zebek throughout.

Rocks laughed as well, even throwing his head back and laughing wildly. "Hahahaha..."

A terrifying aura of supreme authority shone from his deep eyes.

He firmly spat out two words.

"Battle!"

"Battle?!"

A trace of confusion flashed through Ares's eyes as he looked at Rocks, a hint of inquiry in his gaze.

"That's right!"

Rocks answered firmly, "Only through constant battles and tempering can you become stronger."

"Only then can you temper yourself into an indestructible treasured blade!"

His eyes held a trace of appreciation.

Although the question the boy before him had asked seemed absurd and unreasonable to ordinary people,

and he looked like a lunatic,

sometimes, lunatics were the most persistent people in the world.

"Battle?" Ares muttered quietly.

A smile soon appeared on his face, and an astonishing light burst from his distinct black-and-white eyes.

His voice grew slightly hoarse from excitement:

"Then fight me!"

"I'll fight you!"

An astonishing aura erupted from Ares's body. It was a ferocious aura of brutality, savagery, and violence, as though he had spent years mingling with wild beasts.

And in the eyes of the Rocks Pirates, Ares's bold words and actions were nothing more than—overestimating himself!!

"Hey, hey, hey... Did I hear wrong?! This guy actually dares to challenge Captain Rocks?!"

"Pfft, hahaha... Brat, do you know how powerful our captain, Rocks, is?"

"He's a Great Pirate with a bounty of 3.5 billion. Right now, he's the man with the highest bounty in the world!!"

"I get it now... This guy's a lunatic!"

"Just as expected of a newborn calf. He actually has the courage to challenge Captain Rocks... He's really brave, isn't he?!"

"Brat, stop overestimating yourself. Forget the captain—even against any of the others, you wouldn't stand a chance!!"

"..."

Ares's challenge to Rocks made the pirates present feel both amused and surprised.

As expected...

This truly was something only a lunatic could say and do.

"Kurala lala lala... What a gutsy brat!" Whitebeard Newgate let out a hearty laugh, and his eyes held even more appreciation.

He really did resemble the way Newgate himself had challenged Rocks back then.

Shiki the Golden Lion took a deep drag from his cigar, then held it between his fingers and laughed. "I didn't expect there to be such an interesting brat on this island."

"I'm rather tempted to let this brat join my Division."

Silver Axe, dressed in silver armor, looked at Ares with great interest and asked Ochoku beside him with a laugh, "Do you think this guy might be a monster like Linlin?!"