Favorability Quest: Gain Charlotte Linlin's favor. Reward: For every 10 points of favorability gained, cell activity will slightly increase. At 80 favorability, reward: Armament Haki. At 100 favorability, reward: Advanced Armament Haki technique—Internal Destruction. Base Favorability: 0 Current Favorability: 10 (Friendly) Charlotte Linlin: This is an old man who has a very good relationship with Mother.
Mongus had already wanted Charlotte Linlin to become one of his crew. Even if the system had not issued this quest, he would have taken the initiative to raise Charlotte Linlin's favorability.
But who would refuse a chance to grow stronger?
Haki rewards were secondary. His fifty-odd years had not been lived in vain. Not only had he mastered Armament Haki, he was equally proficient in its advanced application, Internal Destruction.
Compared to the Haki rewards,
he cared more about the reward that increased cell activity.
After receiving several rewards in a row, Mongus had gradually realized just how powerful this reward was.
The most obvious change
was that his metabolism had sped up. His once-sagging skin had gradually become smooth and elastic, his appetite had increased, and compared to two months ago, he looked several years younger.
At the age of seventy, what troubled Mongus most about setting sail again?
Wasn't it his lifespan?
Who knew how many more years a seventy-year-old man like him could live?
Even if his old injuries had been healed,
his age was still a fatal weakness.
If he had not already eaten a Devil Fruit, he would have wanted to seek out the Bat-Bat Fruit that the future Red the Aloof pursued and return himself to youth.
Now, he did not need the Bat-Bat Fruit. As long as his cell activity continued to increase, he still had a chance to regain his youth.
"You're Linlin, right? My name is Mongus. I'm the captain of the White Wolf Pirates. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"And everyone from the Orphanage of Lambs."
It had to be said that even at his age, Mongus still retained some of the charm he had possessed in his youth. Even as an old man, he was a handsome old man.
When he smiled, he did not have the slightest trace of a pirate's ferocity. Instead, he looked like the kind and approachable grandfather next door.
"Ah, are you Captain Mongus of the White Wolf Pirates?"
Before Charlotte Linlin could react, the little Giant race girl beside her, her head wrapped in a scarf, covered her mouth in astonishment.
"Everyone says you're one of the strongest pirates on these seas."
"Haha, I didn't expect people to still be talking about me after all this time. But I can't bear the title of 'strongest' anymore. If I want to become the king who rules these seas, I still need to grow stronger!"
For one thing, Harald, the current king of the Giant race, was no weaker than him.
And Harald was in the prime of his life. For the Giant race, ten years was merely the blink of an eye. Ten years ago, Mongus could still fight Harald to a draw, but that might not be the case now.
But Mongus did not feel discouraged, because this was only the beginning.
He would slowly grow stronger.
First, he would reclaim the strength of his prime, then surpass it.
No matter the era, pirates always spoke of the One Piece. Any pirate who reached the final island would become the One Piece!
But to reach the final island, one not only had to stand out among countless pirates and obtain the Poneglyphs, but also possess the strength to break through the Navy's blockade.
Being able to defeat a Fleet Admiral was the baseline.
Not to mention now—even Mongus at his peak had still been some distance from that level. He could protect himself, but defeating one was simply impossible.
"My name is Gulz. I like little people like you the most!"
Though she was only a little girl, she stood fully three times as tall as Mongus. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him, as if she had spotted a fun toy.
"Gulz, don't be so rude!"
It was only after Mongus had been in the village for a while that Ripley arrived, carrying the Black Pearl.
"Old man, you're my captain now. She has to respect you the same way she respects Grandpa Yaruru and Grandpa Yoruru!"
Thud!
After setting down the Black Pearl, even Ripley, with the Giant race's stamina, was slightly out of breath after carrying a sailing ship larger than herself for dozens of kilometers.
"Captain?"
Gulz tilted her head, then suddenly widened her eyes.
"Don't tell me you've joined Captain Mongus's pirate crew, Sister Ripley? Didn't Grandpa Yaruru and Grandpa Yoruru tell you to join the Giant Soldier Pirates?"
"Tch, who knows when those two captains of the Giant Soldier Pirates will come back?" Ripley spread her hands. "Are I supposed to wait for them forever if they never come back?"
Besides, she had only heard the old men of the Giant Soldier Pirates boast about the Giant Soldier Pirates' glorious history. She had never seen it for herself. How could that compare to a living example like the White Wolf Pirates?
"Sister Ripley, you'll get scolded for this," Gulz said worriedly.
"Hehe, I don't care. I'm a member of the White Wolf Pirates now. If anyone wants to scold me, they can ask my captain first!"
Ripley shoved Mongus out in front, leaving him looking helpless.
"Ripley, you're making me a target."
"What does it matter? No one in Elbaf can beat you anyway, Captain."
Ripley wore an utterly shameless expression.
Suddenly, she heard a voice.
"RIPLEY!!!"
An elderly giant wielding a sword charged at her in a fury.
"You little brat, get back here at once!"
"No way!"
Faced with the old giant's attack, Ripley hurriedly raised Mongus as a shield and began circling around him with the old giant, making him blow his beard and glare in rage.
Several times, he wanted to simply cut the little man before him in half with one stroke.
How dare he abduct his adorable great-great-granddaughter!
"Bororororo, Yoruru, don't make a spectacle of yourself in front of our guest. Ripley has grown up. Whatever choice she makes is her own business."
Compared to Yoruru, whose beard hung like a waterfall, Yaruru's fuller beard made him seem far more open-minded and easier to get along with.
"Hehe, Grandpa Yaruru is the best!"
"But it is about time to call Dorry and Brogy back. It's been nearly thirty years, hasn't it?"
"Forty years!"
"Bororororo, forty years slipped by before we knew it!"
"..."
The old giants laughed heartily. To them, whose lifespans were several times longer than those of ordinary humans, thirty or forty years was nothing at all.
"Hey, Yoruru, Yaruru, are you planning to stand around here forever?"
Noticing that Linlin was spacing out nearby, Mongus could only forcibly cut off their conversation.
The little girl's eyes were glowing green.
One look was enough to tell that she was hungry.
Everyone knew that there was only one way to raise Charlotte Linlin's favorability.
"Let's eat quickly."
As soon as he finished speaking, Mongus saw the words on the system panel flicker.
Charlotte Linlin's Favorability +30. Current Favorability: 40 (Close) Charlotte Linlin: Grandpa must be a really good person!
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