I'm called Houka, Guyue Houka

Half a day later, in a remote stretch of sea within the Paradise of the Grand Line.

Rocks was immensely satisfied with his masterpiece today.

He had once again successfully slapped the World Government across the face.

So what if he had struck right at the doorstep of Marine Headquarters!

What could those Marine powerhouses and World Government experts possibly do to him?

Having escaped the danger, Rocks finally had the time to inspect his Heavenly Tribute treasure and the slaves in the hold now that he had relaxed.

"Hey, hey, hey! You little pieces of trash, get out here, all of you!"

In the brig of the Heavenly Tribute warship, Rocks looked at the numb-looking slaves and spoke roughly.

They were nothing but elite soldiers.

He had no need for such weak subordinates.

"Benefactor, our kingdom has fallen, please, take us in!"

A few young soldiers gradually regained their spirits and spoke up excitedly.

They truly hadn't expected that anyone would dare to attack a World Government Heavenly Tribute warship.

This meant they wouldn't have to go to the Holy Land Mary Geoise to become miserable slaves for the Celestial Dragons.

"Wahahaha! People of a fallen nation, are you? I am a great pirate currently wanted by the World Government in a full-scale manhunt!"

"You want to follow me? Are you prepared to die!"

"Actually, forget it. Your strength is too pathetic; I have no use for you."

Rocks looked at these desperate slaves, grinned, and looked down upon the weaklings without a shred of pity.

"We aren't afraid of death!! My Lord!"

Among the fifty or sixty prisoners, a small portion of the soldiers from the fallen nation spoke up immediately.

But the majority of the soldiers hesitated; as warriors of a nation, they truly did not want to become pirates, reviled by all!

Most importantly, they still wanted to return to their homeland to take one last look.

They wanted to find the bodies of their deceased families and bury them...

And finally, find a way to take revenge...

Rocks took in the behavior of every one of these men.

"Hmph, my ship needs a dozen sailors and handymen for now...

At the next island, anyone who wants to leave can get the hell off my ship!"

In the end, Rocks did not kill these soldiers from the fallen nation, granting them a way out.

"Thank you, Benefactor!"

Some of the prisoner soldiers hurriedly knelt on the ground, kowtowing in gratitude.

As the scene shifted.

"Hey, kid, tied up like that, what kind of special ability do you have?"

Rocks noticed a black-haired youth being held in solitary confinement, bound into the shape of an iron ball.

"Cough, cough... please, help me remove the explosive collar around my neck, and the Seastone shackles on my hands and feet..."

The youth coughed, his weak voice carrying a hint of a desperate craving for life.

Seeing this overbearing figure, he knew he wouldn't end up as a test subject for that old geezer Saint Saturn.

If he were to become a test subject, his life would truly be worse than death.

"Hey, kid, answer my question first. You are my spoils of war right now!"

Rocks laughed. This kid hadn't just ignored his question; he had even dared to make demands. He certainly had guts!

"I know intelligence regarding the King of the World on the Holy Land Mary Geoise."

"Also, my name is Guyue Houka!"

Feeling the violent aura radiating from Rocks, Houka revealed a faint smile on his pale face, his spirit seemingly relaxing at that very moment.

"What?!"

"Kid, do you know the consequences of lying to me!"

Rocks's expression shifted abruptly, his tiger-like eyes staring intently at Houka.

He didn't quite believe that this prisoner kid could possibly know information about that King of the World.

One had to know that even within the Davy Clan, information regarding Imu was vague and incomplete.

"One of the original twenty kings who has lived for over eight hundred years, Nerona Imu, the King of the World who sits upon the Empty Throne; even the Five Elders are merely His hounds and servants..."

Houka's chapped, cracked lips parted, his tone weak, as if he were on the verge of drawing his last breath.

"Wahahahaha! You actually know? Aren't you afraid of Him?"

Rocks' eyes lit up; this brat not only knew of the existence of the King of the World, but he didn't even feel a shred of fear.

It seemed he had some guts and backbone after all.

He was starting to appreciate this little guy!

One had to realize that many people on this ocean, even some great pirates, would involuntarily tremble in fear at the mere mention of the World Government and the Celestial Dragons.

Rocks readily snapped the steel chains on the young man's body, unlocked the Seastone handcuffs and shackles, and crushed the explosive collar before tossing it out into the sea.

BOOM.

As the explosion rang out, the mortal danger hanging over Houka vanished.

"Why should I be afraid? I'm not facing Him head-on right now, am I?"

"Trouble yourself to bring some water and food; I'm about to die of hunger and thirst..."

Houka spoke weakly, acting as if he regarded Rocks, this vicious pirate, as one of his own.

"Wahahahaha! Brat, you really are a cheeky bastard!"

Rocks was almost angered by Houka's words, yet he still handed the food and water over to him.

As Houka wolfed down the meal...

"Finally, I'm back among the living!"

"Those damn CP agents, they didn't give me a single drop of water or food, nearly killing me."

Houka's complexion recovered significantly, and the crescent moon mark on his forehead regained a hint of its deep blue luster.

"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 softly.

Because of Houka's resistance and jailbreaks, even they had suffered punishment, being beaten for no reason and having their rations of food and water reduced.

"Heh! Should I just wait for death like you lot!"

Houka snorted coldly. If it weren't for these soldiers failing to defend the country and their homes, leading to the destruction of his nation and family, his plan to live in seclusion wouldn't have failed, and he wouldn't have been forced to expose his abilities to survive.

How else would he have ended up in this state!

"Wahahahaha! Not bad! You've got some real backbone, kid!"

"If your strength is up to par, you can stay on my ship. Otherwise, once you tell me the intelligence on the King of the World, you can get the hell off my ship!"

Rocks grew increasingly appreciative of this brat, Houka.

However, his plans would not change.

He only needed powerful subordinates and partners.

As for the sailors and handymen, they were only on the ship temporarily to sail it.

"Rocks, I have seen a corner of the future. Since fate has chosen us, we are destined to be on the same boat."

After regaining some strength, Houka slowly climbed to his feet, observing Rocks—this savage, monster-like member of the D clan—from head to toe.

He met Rocks' gaze head-on.

"Seen the future? Kid, then tell me, what exactly have you seen?"

Rocks became increasingly interested in Houka's confidence and composure, crossing his arms and laughing.

"I saw you recruiting troops and horses, forming your own pirate crew, and I saw you going to Elbaf to find the Giant King, Harald."

Houka stood up and began grabbing more food, continuing to eat voraciously.

"Harald? So he is the Giant King; no wonder he was so powerful!"

Rocks' eyes shone brightly. He had only met Harald once.

He didn't know the detailed intelligence on Harald yet.

He did indeed want to recruit that powerful giant.

However, the idea of recruiting Harald had only occurred to him in the last two days.

Could this brat really see the future?

Was this a prophetic Devil Fruit ability?

That would explain why this guy was specially imprisoned by CP agents.

"Rocks, do you want to know more information that could change the world?"

"Help me get stronger!"

"The stronger I become, the more of the future I can see. I can even predict information regarding the Three Ancient Weapons."

As Houka finished eating and drinking, the crescent moon mark on his forehead emitted a faint blue glow, as he laid out his demands and goals directly to Rocks.

"The Three Ancient Weapons??!!"

"Wahahahaha!! Houka, I officially declare you my very first crewmate!"

"I will make you stronger!"

"Let us turn this world upside down together and drag that King of the World off his pedestal!"

Golden light erupted from Rocks' eyes. He never imagined that while raiding the Heavenly Tribute to secure funding and a pirate ship, he would also gain a subordinate with the ability to foresee the future.

It seemed that even fate was on his side!

He would surely crush that old monster, seize the entire world, and become the King of the World!