In the Pirate World, swordsmanship, martial arts, and Haki were all closely tied to one's convictions and resolve.
Wood might have been extremely cautious now, but that was simply because he had a careful nature.
He liked keeping a low profile and blending in as an extra, but that didn't mean he lacked the resolve to grow stronger.
If he didn't want to get stronger, why had he joined the Navy? And why did he sneak off to train in the hills behind the base while everyone else was resting?
Red-Haired Shanks, the ceiling of Haki in the Pirate World, not only possessed the exceedingly rare Conqueror's Haki, but had also reached an exceptionally high level. Almost everyone on the sea had to show him some respect.
But did Shanks act high-profile? If anything, among the Four Emperors, he was probably the most low-key one. He was practically a nobody.
Big Mom had founded Totto Land, while Kaido had assembled an army of Zoan Devil Fruit users. Both of them were also big shots in the Underworld.
Whitebeard had adopted sons all over the sea. Judging by the size of his fleet alone, he was probably the strongest of the Four Emperors.
Then there was Red-Haired Shanks. His subordinates all looked like random nobodies, and he liked spending his free time drinking in bars in the Weakest Sea. If the author hadn't introduced him, nobody would even have thought this guy was one of the Four Emperors.
The world was cruel. There were plenty of children like Ain and the three Hancock sisters.
Wood couldn't save everyone. But when something happened right in front of him, and there was something he could do about it, he couldn't bring himself to stand by and do nothing.
Just like when he'd first