Half a day later, somewhere in a remote stretch of the Grand Line's Paradise.
Rocks was extremely pleased with his masterpiece today.
Once again, he had successfully slapped the World Government in the face.
So what if he had attacked right in front of Marine Headquarters!
What could those powerful Marines and World Government experts possibly do to him?
After escaping danger, Rocks finally relaxed.
At last, he had time to inspect his Heavenly Tribute treasure and the slaves in the ship's hold.
"Hey, hey, you little weaklings! Get your asses out here!"
In the prison cells aboard the Heavenly Tribute warship, Rocks looked at the slaves' numb expressions and barked at them roughly.
They were just a few elite soldiers.
He didn't need subordinates that weak.
"Benefactor, our country has already fallen. Please, take us in!"
Several young soldiers gradually regained their spirits and hurriedly spoke up, their voices full of emotion.
They had never imagined anyone would dare attack a Heavenly Tribute warship belonging to the World Government.
That meant they wouldn't have to go to the holy land of Mary Geoise and become miserable slaves to the Celestial Dragons.
"Wahahaha! You people from a fallen country? I'm a pirate the World Government has put a full-scale bounty on!"
"You want to follow me? Are you ready to die?"
"But forget it. You're too weak. I'm not interested."
Looking at the despairing slaves, Rocks grinned and gazed down at the weakling soldiers without a trace of pity.
"We're not afraid to die, sir!"
Among the fifty or sixty prisoners, nearly half of the soldiers from fallen countries hurriedly spoke up.
But most of the soldiers hesitated. As warriors of their country, they really didn't want to become pirates hated by everyone!
More importantly, they still wanted to return to their homeland and see it one last time.
They wanted to find their dead families' bodies and bury them...
Then they wanted to find a way to take revenge...
Rocks watched all of them closely.
"Hmph. I need a dozen or so sailors and deckhands on my ship right now...
When we reach the next island, anyone who wants to leave can get the hell off!"
In the end, Rocks didn't kill the soldiers from the fallen countries. He even gave them a chance to live.
"Thank you, benefactor!"
Some of the soldier-prisoners hurriedly knelt and kowtowed to him in gratitude.
As the scene shifted.
"Hey, kid. You're tied up like that. What special ability do you have?"
Rocks noticed the black-haired young man, who was locked up separately and bound like an iron ball.
"Cough, cough... Please, take the explosive collar off my neck, and remove the Seastone Handcuffs and shackles on my hands and feet..."
The young man coughed, his weak voice carrying a hint of desperation to live.
When he saw that domineering figure, he knew he wouldn't end up as an experimental subject for that old monster, Saint Saturn.
If he became an experimental subject, he really would be better off dead.
"Hey, kid, answer my question first. You're my spoils now!"
Rocks laughed. Not only had the kid failed to answer his question, he had even dared to make a demand. He had some nerve!
"I know about the King of the World on Mary Geoise."
"And my name is Houka, Kozuki Houka!"
Feeling the fierce pressure radiating from Rocks, Houka smiled despite his pallid face. He seemed to relax completely, both in body and mind.
"What?!"
"Kid, do you know what happens to people who lie to me?"
Rocks's eyes changed abruptly, and he fixed Houka with a piercing stare.
He didn't really believe that this prisoner kid could know anything about the King of the World.
Even the Davy Clan knew next to nothing about Imu.
"One of the First Twenty Kings, Nerona Imu, who has lived for over eight hundred years. The King of the World, seated upon the Void Throne. Even the Five Elders are nothing more than Imu's fawning servants..."
Houka's dry, cracked lips moved as he spoke. His voice was weak, as if he might drop dead at any moment.
"Wahahahaha! You really do know! Aren't you afraid of Imu?"
Rocks's eyes lit up. The kid not only knew that the King of the World existed, but didn't seem afraid at all.
Looks like he had some nerve and guts.
Rocks found himself liking the kid!
After all, plenty of people on these seas—even some great pirates—couldn't help but feel afraid when they heard the names of the World Government and the Celestial Dragons.
Rocks readily snapped the steel chains around the gutsy young man, unlocked the Seastone Handcuffs and shackles, and crushed the explosive collar before tossing it into the sea.
Boom!
With the explosion, the threat to Houka's life was gone.
"Why should I be afraid? I haven't faced Imu head-on."
"Could I have some water and food? I'm about to starve and die of thirst..."
Houka spoke weakly, as though Rocks, the ruthless pirate, were one of his own.
"Wahahahaha! Kid, you're really not shy, are you?"
Rocks was almost infuriated by Houka's words, but still handed him food and water.
Houka wolfed it all down...
"I'm finally alive again!"
"Those damn Cipher Pol agents didn't give me a single bite of food or a drop of water. They nearly killed me."
Houka's complexion improved, and a faint blue glow returned to the crescent-shaped mark on his forehead.
"If you hadn't tried to escape so many times and attacked those men in black, they wouldn't have treated you like that..."
A young soldier muttered under his breath.
Because of Houka's resistance and escape attempts, they had all been punished too, beaten for no reason and given less food and water.
"Hmph! What, was I supposed to wait around and die like you?"
Houka snorted. If these soldiers hadn't failed to defend their country, causing it to fall and ruining his plan to keep a low profile, he wouldn't have been forced to defend himself and reveal his ability.
How would he have ended up like this otherwise!
"Wahahahaha! Not bad! You've got some spirit, kid!"
"If you're strong enough, you can stay aboard my ship. Otherwise, once you've told me what you know about the King of the World, you can get off my ship too!"
Rocks was growing increasingly fond of Houka.
But his plans hadn't changed.
He only needed powerful subordinates and partners.
The sailors and deckhands were only going to stay aboard temporarily, just to operate the ship.
"Rocks, I've seen a glimpse of the future. Now that fate has chosen us, we're bound to end up on the same ship."
After regaining some strength, Houka slowly got to his feet and looked Rocks up and down, taking in the savage monster of the D Clan.
He met Rocks's gaze head-on.
"Seen the future? Then tell me, kid. What did you see?"
Rocks's interest in Houka's confidence and composure grew. He folded his arms and laughed.
"I saw you recruiting people and putting together your own pirate crew. I also saw you going to Elbaf to meet Harald, the King of the Giants."
Houka stood up and casually grabbed some more food, continuing to eat.
"Harald? So he's the King of the Giants. No wonder he's so strong!"
Rocks's eyes shone. He had only met Harald once.
He still didn't know much about Harald.
He really did want to recruit that powerful giant.
But the idea of bringing Harald aboard had only come to him within the past couple of days.
Could this kid really see the future?
Was it a Devil Fruit ability related to prophecy?
That would explain why Cipher Pol had kept him under special guard.
"Rocks, do you want to know more information that could change the world?"
"Help me get stronger!"
"The stronger I am, the more of the future I'll be able to see. I can even foresee information about the Three Ancient Weapons."
After eating his fill, the crescent-shaped mark on Houka's forehead glowed with a faint blue light. He stated his needs and intentions plainly to Rocks.
"The Three Ancient Weapons?!"
"Wahahahaha! Houka, I hereby declare you my first partner!"
"I'll make you stronger!"
"Let's turn this world upside down together and drag the King of the World off his throne!"
Rocks's eyes blazed with golden light. He had never imagined that stealing Heavenly Tribute to fund his development and get a pirate ship would also land him a subordinate who could foresee the future.
It seemed even fate was on his side!
He would take down that old monster, seize the whole world, and become the King of the World!