Wang Zhi: We're in Big Trouble This Time

The enormous pirate ship broke through the sea, kicking up waves of white spray as it began leaving the harbor.

At the same time, pirate ships led by the other captains also set off.

On the deck.

Wang Zhi helplessly reached into his helmet, scratched his ear, and said, "Ares, can't you take a little break?"

"Don't you want to experience what it's like for pirates to sail across the sea?"

Leaning against the iron-plated railing, he watched Ares pound his body with a bored look on his face.

"I won't stop until I've accomplished my dream!" Ares replied expressionlessly.

After following Whitebeard Newgate in training his Body Arts, he had gained a deeper understanding of his own body.

He had also tried deliberately controlling and tensing his muscles whenever the iron rod struck his body, using them to resist the impact.

This reduced the damage and pain the iron rod caused him.

He kept hammering away.

The repeated banging made the surrounding pirates stare at the monster in horror. Ares's exploits had already spread throughout Hachinosu Island.

But witnessing such a "savage" and "violent" training method with their own eyes still left them deeply shocked and astonished.

Many pirates were so frightened that cold sweat seeped across their faces, leaving them feeling uncomfortable and ill at ease.

Wang Zhi looked up at the azure sky and said, though he did not know whether he was speaking to Ares or himself, "How many people are born pirates?"

"How many are destined from birth to walk the path of piracy?"

Then he lowered his head and looked at Ares, smiling. "Ares, most of the pirates aboard this ship have no family. When they became pirates, each of them had their own dreams and pursuits."

"But there are too many temptations on this sea, and the dangers are too great."

"Countless people gradually forget their original dreams..."

Wang Zhi let out a self-mocking laugh. His smile gradually widened, and he looked somewhat wild and domineering. "As pirates with no family, we naturally have to pursue our dreams without hesitation!"

"Accomplish something earth-shattering and make our names famous across the sea!"

"I hope you won't lose yourself on the road to pursuing your dreams!"

His words made many of the pirates present lower their heads in shame. They had once carried dreams in their hearts, but now they merely lived numb, indulgent lives of murder, robbery, and getting by.

Wang Zhi had not said those words without purpose. Captain Rocks had placed Ares under his command, so he naturally had the responsibility of teaching Ares how to become a pirate.

Ares usually spent his time training, and this mission happened to be an opportunity to teach him.

Ares turned to Wang Zhi and said firmly, "I'll keep going!"

The iron rod in his hands whistled through the air as it hammered down on his body. Even his rock-hard muscles trembled beneath the blows.

As his control over his body improved, and as he deliberately used his muscles to weaken the force of the iron rod, he was able to strike himself slightly harder than he had a few days ago.

"I hope so." Wang Zhi smiled noncommittally.

A person was like a ship on the open sea. They would always drift off course without realizing it. Even the most skilled navigator needed to constantly use a compass and record the needle's position to determine the direction, allowing the helmsman to adjust the rudder.

Only then could they ensure the ship did not go off course.

After more than a day, the pirate ship successfully reached the first island.

Their mission officially began. In other words, they were here to collect—protection fees!

This method gradually replaced the old pirate model of surviving solely through plunder.

Rocks had established a massive pirate organization, and maintaining his rule, recruiting men, purchasing weapons, ships, cannons, and firearms, as well as covering the pirates' consumption, all required enormous wealth.

They needed vast quantities of supplies and Berries.

After collecting protection fees from one island, they immediately hurried toward the next.

As the supplies aboard the ship grew, its sailing speed gradually slowed.

It was now the twelfth day since they had left Hachinosu Island.

Wang Zhi stared listlessly at the blue sky and azure sea. Supporting his forehead with one hand, he muttered gloomily, "Perhaps bringing Ares along was a mistake..."

"Next time, I'd better leave him behind unless it's for a battle."

Scene after scene of Ares eating ravenously surfaced in his mind. Nearly half of the food aboard the ship had been devoured by Ares alone.

Most of the protection fees consisted of supplies. Otherwise, the ship's provisions truly would not have been enough to sustain Ares.

With both elbows resting on the railing, he glanced back at Ares training on the deck regardless of wind or rain. Even during storms, that fellow continued training on the deck.

Back then.

Wang Zhi had genuinely worried that Ares's iron rod would draw down a bolt of lightning from the sky. Just watching him had made Wang Zhi's heart race with fear!

Fortunately, nothing like that had happened.

If he had been injured or killed by lightning, it would have been a real problem.

Wang Zhi called out to the navigator on the deck, "Hey, how long until we reach the next island?"

He was almost sick of looking at the unchanging scenery of the sea.

"Not long. It should only take another hour or two." The navigator examined the sea chart and roughly determined their current location.

An hour or two later.

Everyone could clearly see the island, and the pirates could not help becoming excited and happy.

Suddenly.

A pirate in the lookout post atop the mast shouted in terror, "This is bad! A pirate ship is charging straight at us!"

He raised his spyglass toward the pirate flag. His face instantly went deathly pale, and cold sweat poured down as he shouted at the top of his lungs, "It... it's the Byrnndi World Pirates!!!"

At the sound of that name.

Wang Zhi's expression changed dramatically. He drew the enormous greatsword at his waist, raised it high, and shouted, "Everyone, prepare for battle!!"

"Helmsman, turn us around immediately!!!"

"Gunners, load the ammunition!!"

"·······"

On the deck, the pirates cast off their earlier laziness. Their faces became tense, even ferocious, as they hurried about.

Ares also stopped training and walked over to Wang Zhi. "Wang Zhi, are the Byrnndi World Pirates very powerful?!"

"Of course they are!"

Wang Zhi stared tensely at the ship, still no more than a black speck in the distance, and said heavily, "Their captain is Bundy World, known as the World Destroyer. His bounty is two hundred million Berries!!"

"They're an extremely famous and powerful pirate crew!"

He gripped the enormous greatsword tightly, his brows drawing together. "Do you know how World earned the title of World Destroyer?"

"Whether they were townspeople, Marine warships, or powerful pirates, they were all destroyed by that man."

"That's how he earned the title of World Destroyer."

"Looks like..."

"We're in big trouble this time!"