After doing all this, Patri Vic leaned against the ship's railing, his expression calm.
Just as Rocks had said, there was no need to hide his strength aboard this ship. After all, only overwhelming strength could make others wary of him.
At this point, Patri Vic was already just about strong enough to squeeze into a position as an officer.
But Rocks had no intention of making that happen, and the reason was obvious.
It was because Patri Vic was in danger aboard the ship.
He could only escape that danger by becoming an officer, and the only way to become one was to help Rocks with more tasks.
Of course, that was only how things generally worked. If someone's strength was exceptional, Rocks would promote him to officer without a second thought.
"Vic, you've gotten a lot stronger," Whitebeard said with a hearty laugh.
Patri Vic's strength had increased at a rocket's pace. Now, he was almost as strong as an ordinary officer.
"It's been a long time, after all. It's not surprising that I've gotten a little stronger," Patri Vic replied, shrugging calmly.
"I'd really like to test myself against you, Vic. You're probably strong enough now to make me fight seriously," Golden Lion said with a grin.
A few months ago, Golden Lion had fought Patri Vic on Hachinosu Island. Back then, Patri Vic had still been weak.
But now, Golden Lion could tell that Patri Vic's strength was enough to put him on a level with the officers.
The two completely different kinds of formidable power Patri Vic had just displayed were devastating.
His terrifying rate of growth left even Golden Lion astonished.
He suspected that Patri Vic might have been hiding his strength before.
"No, no, no, Mr. Shiki. I'm not as strong as you think," Patri Vic said with a dismissive shake of his head.
He still had a long way to go before he could match Shiki. After all, Shiki hadn't been standing still while he improved.
"Gyahahaha... Then how about we fight right now? Got time, Vic?"
"Forget it. Don't spend every day thinking about beating me up," Patri Vic teased.
Golden Lion chuckled and dropped the subject.
Meanwhile, Rocks stood at the bow and shouted, "Brothers, time to get to work!"
Ahead lay a World Government Member State. Their destination was the Meras Kingdom.
Like the Amendos Kingdom, this country was rolling in wealth.
Raiding World Government Member States was their main purpose at sea.
The Rocks Pirates' ship docked by the shore, and countless pirates surged toward the kingdom.
But not long after they entered the World Government Member State, several Navy warships appeared on the sea.
"Rocks Pirates, this time you'll be sleeping here forever!" Krieg, the Navy Admiral at the head of the fleet, snarled with a vicious grin.
The Navy had plenty of informants at sea, especially since a large number of its forces had begun tracking the Rocks Pirates' movements.
As soon as they got the news, they hurried here.
The Navy warships drew close to the Meras Kingdom.
"Kill every pirate!" the Navy Admiral roared from the bow.
Countless Navy soldiers surged into the Meras Kingdom.
Inside the Meras Kingdom, countless pirates who had been slaughtering their way through the place turned and saw the Navy rushing toward them.
"Has the Navy arrived?" Patri Vic turned and spotted a dense mass of Navy fighters.
"Looks like our whereabouts have been exposed," Whitebeard replied beside him.
Suddenly, Patri Vic sensed danger and immediately shot backward.
"Bang!"
A huge crater appeared in the ground where he had just been standing. Smoke billowed as a muscular figure slowly rose to his feet.
"Boom!"
A figure charged at Whitebeard, unleashing a powerful shock wave that carved a several-meter-long trench beneath him.
"We meet again, Patri Vic," Sengoku said gravely, standing beside Garp.
"Garp, Sengoku?" Patri Vic was a little surprised to see them.
"I can't believe you became a pirate!" Garp demanded, his expression unfriendly.
When they were hunting for the Rocks Pirates, they had naturally seen Patri Vic's wanted poster.
His bounty had started at one hundred million Berries, and he was quite powerful. He had even fought Sengoku to a standstill before.
"Isn't this because the Navy forced me into it?" Patri Vic replied with a helpless shrug.
He had never planned to join the Rocks Pirates.
But the Navy's attack on Hachinosu Island had left him no way out.
His fight with Sengoku had already convinced the Navy that he was a threat.
After all, in the Navy's eyes, there wasn't a single decent person on Hachinosu Island. They'd rather arrest the wrong person than let anyone go.
When the Rocks Pirates arrived, if he still refused to join them, there was no doubt the Navy would take him away. That would have been a lot of trouble.
"The Navy forced you?" Garp asked, puzzled.
"What else could I do in that situation besides join the Rocks Pirates? Was I supposed to let the Navy take me away without a fight?" Patri Vic retorted.
"We wouldn't have hurt you," Garp replied.
"Who knows?" Patri Vic said with a cold laugh.
He was connected to Whitebeard, and the World Government could certainly uncover that.
Given how the World Government operated, they might well use him as bait.
"Don't waste your breath on the Navy, Vic," Whitebeard said coolly, holding Murakumogiri.
"I'll take Garp. You take Sengoku," Patri Vic said to Whitebeard.
Whitebeard nodded and swung Murakumogiri at Sengoku.
"If you've fallen into darkness, I'll bring you to your senses with my fists," Garp said solemnly, clenching his fists as he faced Patri Vic.
"I've always been clear-headed. And I've always been myself. I've never fallen into this so-called darkness."
"Becoming a pirate is darkness." Armament Haki coated Garp's arm as he shot toward Patri Vic like an arrow.
"Bang!"
Armament Haki coated Patri Vic's arm as well. He swung a punch, and their fists collided, sending powerful shock waves sweeping in every direction.
Smoke swirled around them, and yellow sand filled the air.
Their fists clashed again and again, but in terms of stamina and strength, Garp clearly had the advantage.
Purple steam covered Patri Vic's body. An immense pressure erupted from him, and an invisible force bore down on Garp.
"His presence has changed," Garp said, somewhat surprised by the power he felt from Patri Vic.
"Bang!"
Taking advantage of the moment Garp was distracted, Patri Vic found an opening and slammed a Haki-coated heavy punch into his abdomen.
Garp managed to protect himself with Armament Haki at the last moment, but the blow still sent him flying.
"Whoosh!"
Garp's body shot backward, leaving a trench dozens of meters long in the ground.
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