Rocks: Ares Was the True Warrior

In Golden Lion Shiki's eyes, Ares's talent could no longer be described with the single word "genius."

This guy...

His talent in swordsmanship had even surpassed his own.

No...

More accurately, this guy was an all-around genius in Body Arts, swordsmanship, and Haki—perfect to the point of being flawless!

What terrifying talent!

Such talent was a monstrous gift found only once in a million miles.

Ares could also be considered his disciple. This filled Golden Lion Shiki's face with intense pride, and the corners of his mouth lifted high. "Gyahaha... This is my disciple, Golden Lion's disciple!!"

"Ares, if you keep going like this, it won't be long before you become a renowned great swordsman!"

He was filled with joy. Ares had used his own body to achieve a true Flying Slash. If he could become a great swordsman, then with Ares's physique and talent, he would become a humanoid battle machine built for slaughter.

Every attack from his body would be an incredibly destructive slash.

A sword's sharp, hard, streamlined metal blade was destined to be more suitable than the body for unleashing fierce slashes. The body had its own advantages, however: it was easier to control, and power could flow through it without obstruction.

Still, its disadvantages were too numerous to compare with the strengths of swords and blades.

Ares looked toward Golden Lion, clenched his fists, and declared boldly, "I don't care about swordsmen or great swordsmen. My goal is to surpass the Supreme Great Sword!"

As long as he forged his body to be harder than the Twelve Kizuki of the Supreme Great Sword, no one in these seas would be stronger than him.

He would be the strongest!

The hardest!

Golden Lion nodded in satisfaction. The corner of his mouth, with a cigar between his teeth, lifted slightly as a trace of arrogance appeared on his face. "Then let's begin today's swordsmanship training!"

"Flying Slash is only the beginning. A truly powerful great swordsman can cut through everything!"

"Then I'll make it so that no swordsman can cut through my body!!" Ares cut in.

Golden Lion burst into loud laughter. "Gyahaha..."

Then his expression changed. A look of intense anticipation appeared on his face as he grinned. "Let me see just how much you've grown during this time!"

As he spoke, he took Sakuragi and Karejuu, scabbards and all, into his hands. In an instant, he completed Armament Haki hardening. His arms, along with the swords and scabbards, turned pitch-black and gleaming.

Cold light flashed again and again!

A sharp glint burst from Ares's egg-sized eyes as well. He bared his snow-white teeth in a grin. "I love fighting!!"

"Then bring it on!!"

A wild, almost crazed smile spread across Golden Lion's face. The sheathed swords in his hands swept toward Ares with a whoosh, even though he had not drawn them.

The strike carried his astonishingly powerful Armament Haki, so Ares did not dare underestimate it in the slightest.

"Blood Hand"—reappeared!!!

His bronze-colored arm instantly turned crimson. Amid hissing sounds and a large cloud of white vapor, he raised his hand to block!

Clang!!

A crisp metallic crash rang out, shaking both their eardrums!

With a boom, the hard earth within a radius of two or three meters beneath Ares's feet collapsed dozens of centimeters, forming a circle!

This alone showed how powerful Golden Lion's casual strike had been.

"Gyahaha... What unexpected progress, Ares! You're a man born for battle!" Golden Lion praised him with a hearty laugh.

Then he shouted excitedly, "Again!!"

The black scabbards covered in Armament Haki repeatedly slammed into Ares's arms and even his legs. They not only tempered Ares's swordsmanship, but also strengthened his reaction in Body Arts, battle awareness, physical toughness, and more.

Because "parts" of the souls from two worlds had fused within Ares, his reaction speed, sensory perception, mental strength, and other abilities had all changed.

This made Golden Lion Shiki feel that Ares's progress had gone beyond genius—it was utterly astounding!!!

Although Shiki was not using his full strength, the clash between them was still thunderous.

The sound shook the heavens!

Brilliant, dazzling slashes tore through the earth and trees, leaving everything around them battered and devastated.

At some point.

Several people had appeared several hundred meters away from the battlefield. Leading them was a man wearing a black captain's cloak, its shoulders trimmed with golden tassels—Rocks!

Two people stood beside him.

One was Whitebeard Newgate, and the other was Ochoku.

Rocks folded his arms across his chest and looked toward the two fighting figures. The corners of his mouth lifted into a faint smile. "Looks like this trip out to sea helped that kid Ares grow quite a lot. His rate of progress has exceeded even my estimates!"

By his calculations and expectations, Ares should have needed at least half a year to reach his current strength.

The reality, however, had far exceeded his expectations.

It had taken only about half a month!

What Rocks did not know was that after joining the Rocks Pirates and during this journey, which had not been especially long,

Ares had successively learned Armament Haki, swordsmanship, Body Arts, and some methods of the Fish-Man Race's fist techniques.

He had gained an enormous amount, which was why his strength had advanced so rapidly. It could not be called rocket-fast, but it was certainly as fast as an airplane.

His rate of growth had been so rapid that even Rocks was greatly astonished.

"That's right. I watched Ares grow with my own eyes. His rate of progress was even faster than mine and Shiki's!" Newgate agreed wholeheartedly, his expression carrying an enduring shock.

As Ares's Body Arts teacher, he had personally witnessed Ares's terrifying learning speed.

He could often master the basics of something taught today by the very next day!

Ares had already surpassed the category of "genius." After returning from this voyage, his growth made Newgate feel as though he had been away at sea for several months.

It was truly extraordinary!

Ares's strength was practically that of an entirely different person!

Ochoku, however, wore a bitter smile as he complained, "Captain, Ares was simply following your words. He became desperately eager for battle."

"When we encountered the World Destroyer Pirates at sea this time, that kid Ares actually jumped straight into the ocean and charged at the World Destroyer Pirates alone."

"And that wasn't all..."

"Halfway through, Marine Vice Admiral Garp appeared. Who would have thought that kid would recklessly charge over alone again?"

There were so many tears behind the story!

The fact that he could still be standing here alive was practically the blessing of the goddess of luck.

The bitterness in Ochoku's heart was impossible to conceal. They had genuinely come close to losing the entire crew and never making it back.

This matter.

Rocks had of course learned about it on the very day Ochoku and the others returned. Hearing Ochoku's complaints, he laughed heartily. "Zehahaha... But you came back alive, didn't you?"

"Even the World Destroyer, Bundy World, and Vice Admiral Garp couldn't take this guy's life. Strength is part of luck too. Anyone else would have been killed long ago."

"Pirates have to charge forward without hesitation. Any enemy blocking their path should be fought without fear!"

"Fight to the death!"

"Which renowned Great Pirate in the world doesn't have countless corpses beneath his hands?!"

Not only did he show no intention of blaming Ares, he even praised him. "Ares has to be this kind of person—someone unafraid of any strong opponent, someone who charges head-on. That is what makes a true—warrior!"

"As long as someone like that doesn't die, he will surely become a mighty Great Pirate renowned throughout these seas!"