Patri Vic stared coldly at Ochoku. At this point, Ochoku could no longer pose any threat to him.
He was gravely wounded, and one of his arms had been completely ruined in yesterday's battle.
Even at his peak, Ochoku hadn't impressed Patri Vic. What chance did he have now?
He opened his status panel to see how much progress he'd gained from yesterday's battle.
God-Tier Template System Host: Patri Vic First Template: Hashirama Senju Completion: 17.8% Unlocked Abilities: Nintaijutsu, Fire Release, Wood Release Each time completion increases by 1%, the host gains one of the template's abilities. Character Ability Unlock Progress: Nintaijutsu: 70%/100% Fire Release: 50%/100% Wood Release: 17%/100% Earth Release: 0/100% Lightning Release: 0/100% Water Release: 0/100% Wind Release: 0/100% Sage Mode: 0/100% When the template reaches 100% completion, the next character template will be unlocked. Hashirama's other abilities will be unlocked at the same time. For every 1% increase in Hashirama Senju's abilities, template completion increases by 0.1%!
After yesterday's battle, the progress of his unlocked abilities had all increased a little.
It was clear that progress came more slowly the further he got.
He was only 2.2% away from unlocking Hashirama Senju's Earth Release.
"Gurarara... Vic."
A burst of laughter suddenly reached Patri Vic's ears. He closed the status panel as a tall man walked over.
"What is it, Edward?" Patri Vic asked, slightly puzzled.
"I saw your bounty. You started at 100 million Berries—that's no small sum!" Whitebeard laughed, patting Patri Vic on the shoulder.
Patri Vic hadn't had any bounty at all before.
But after this raid on an Affiliated Nation, he'd been given a bounty of 100 million Berries.
A starting bounty of 100 million Berries put him among the best of the Rocks Pirates' newcomers.
"Vic, you must've done something incredible during yesterday's raid on the Amondos Allied Nation," Golden Lion said with a cigar between his teeth, laughing.
There were news reporters in the Amondos Allied Nation, so they knew all about it.
Patri Vic had received a starting bounty of 100 million Berries.
There was no doubt that someone from a news agency had witnessed what he'd done.
As for what it was, nobody knew.
After all, yesterday's battle had been a grudge match between officers. None of them had given the Amondos Allied Nation a second thought.
"Vic, you're way too strong! I nearly died during my raid on an Affiliated Nation, and all I got was a bounty of ten million Berries."
"Only ten million Berries, and you're speaking in front of Big Brother Vic? My bounty's 25 million Berries... Let me follow you, Big Brother Vic!"
"Big Brother Vic, my bounty's 30 million Berries. I want to follow you."
"Mine's 35 million Berries..."
The apprentice crewmen gathered around, praising Patri Vic and asking to follow him.
The reason they wanted to follow Patri Vic was that the Rocks Pirates had already begun to split into factions.
Every officer had a group of apprentice and full-fledged crewmen under him.
This situation had arisen because the officers didn't get along, and life aboard the Rocks Pirates was so dangerous.
The officers had already begun secretly building up their own forces.
Crewmen killing one another had become routine, but if you were under a powerful officer, your opponent might spare you—even if you were losing a fight aboard the ship—out of respect for that officer.
Patri Vic wasn't an officer.
But his starting bounty of 100 million Berries spoke to his strength, and he also had ties to Edward.
That was why they all wanted to follow him.
After all, following another officer might give them a protector, but it was also dangerous. The officers had both the strength and the authority to kill them at any time.
"A mere 100 million Berries. Don't get too full of yourself, kid."
Seeing the crowd of apprentice crewmen gathered around Patri Vic, one of the officers spoke coldly, killing intent flashing in his eyes.
What made a lowly apprentice crewman worthy of so many followers? He didn't think much of the apprentices around Patri Vic, but he couldn't help feeling that Patri Vic stood out and was stealing the officers' spotlight.
"What's that? Got a problem with him?" Whitebeard asked, a cold smile on his lips as he shot back without hesitation.
"Hey, hey, Edward. You trying to make more enemies aboard the ship?" Silver Axe said gravely, a massive axe resting on his shoulder.
People who followed different paths couldn't work together. Whitebeard's strength was certainly terrifying, but his principles clashed with those of many officers aboard the ship.
So Whitebeard had never bothered to speak with them, and his way of doing things rubbed many officers the wrong way.
"Bastard, who's afraid of who?" Whitebeard said, his expression turning cold as he swung Murakumogiri down hard onto the deck.
A powerful aura radiated from his entire body.
As expected of the future leader of the Four Emperors, Edward Newgate!
Even when faced with so many Rocks Pirates officers, there wasn't a trace of fear on his face.
"Congratulations, Patri Vic. You're now a full-fledged crewman."
Rocks appeared just then and walked into the middle of the group. He looked at Patri Vic and spoke calmly.
"Thank you, Captain." Patri Vic paused briefly, then replied with a smile.
Rocks had shown up to get Whitebeard out of a tight spot.
Rocks glanced over the officers and said coldly, "I won't interfere in your grudges, but I don't want any of the officers to die."
Rocks had already let these officers do as they pleased.
No matter what they did, he wouldn't interfere as long as it didn't lead to officers killing one another.
If Rocks was a lion, then these officers were a pack of leopards and wolves, all watching each other warily.
They were dangerous, but they were also powerful.
Rocks had enormous ambitions for the future, and even as the lion, he couldn't accomplish them alone.
He needed the strength of these officers.
"It's just a few minor grudges between us, Captain Rocks," John said with a laugh as he lit a cigarette.
John was short, but no one aboard the Rocks Pirates dared to underestimate him. None of the officers were simple characters.
"Right, Captain Rocks. You needn't concern yourself with our affairs. It's just a few minor grudges," Silver Axe said with a grin, his huge axe on his shoulder.
They were naturally wary of Rocks's strength.
But they also knew that as long as they didn't go too far, Rocks wouldn't act against them.
These unruly, vicious pirates had gathered together purely for profit and mutual advantage.
Even Rocks couldn't keep them completely in line. But at the same time, they couldn't afford to anger him—that would be fatal.
Rocks didn't impose many restrictions on them. His one rule was that officers couldn't kill one another. That was the greatest concession he'd made as captain.
Rocks turned his gaze to Ochoku and warned him, "Don't provoke him again."
Ochoku paused, his body trembling slightly. His expression stiffened, then he clenched his teeth, humiliation written all over his face.
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If you're reading, say something, brothers. This is too hard. Please send flowers and monthly tickets—anything helps.
Before you continue