February, Sea Circle Calendar 1461.
New World.
More than a month had passed since they left Elbaf. During that time, aside from stopping once at some nameless little island, they had spent most of it at sea.
The reason?
"We're out of money!"
Sitting on the fishing platform of the Black Pearl, Magnus wore an exceptionally grim expression.
In Elbaf, they ate what the Giants ate and used what the Giants used. If they were truly hungry, they could go hunting in the forest. There was never any shortage of prey in Elbaf's jungles, provided they had the ability to hunt it.
But once they set sail, problems arose.
Magnus and Ripley were both Devil Fruit users, so they could not dive into the water to catch fish. Relying on fishing alone, let alone eating only once every few days, there was no way they could fill their stomachs with fish.
Magnus had originally still possessed several million Berries, but he had given all of it to Carmel as a deposit for letting Linlin board the ship.
As for Bloody Skull Farrell's head, which they had obtained half a year ago, Magnus had asked two Giant race bounty hunters to claim the reward. However, before they returned, Magnus had already put to sea again.
"Our pirate crew can actually run out of money?"
Hearing Magnus's words, Ripley's eyes widened in disbelief.
In her eyes, even if the White Wolf Pirates did not possess enough money to buy several countries, they should never have fallen so low as to lack funds.
Bloody Skull Farrell had thought the same.
"Before the fleet disbanded, we did have some savings. But after splitting the money, my share was only enough for an old man to live out his retirement in peace."
Magnus looked utterly helpless.
"So now, we need to figure out how to make money."
"Isn't that easy!"
At Magnus's words, Rocks's eyes lit up, and an evil grin appeared on his face.
"Just find a couple merchant ships and rob them. Ow!"
Rocks clutched his head and glared at Magnus. "Why did you hit me?"
"Because that's disgraceful!"
Magnus looked at Rocks and sneered. "Our crew has never had a habit of bullying the weak."
"Then what do we do?" Rocks spread his hands. "If we don't rob merchant ships, are we supposed to rob pirates?"
"That's an option too."
Magnus did not deny it. Pirates preying on other pirates was perfectly natural, even if that pirate crew had nothing particularly valuable aboard.
What about the captain's head?
Any pirate crew active in the New World, even one with a low bounty, would have a captain worth over ten million Berries.
"Still, that's only a temporary measure."
Magnus set down his fishing rod and spread his arms wide, embracing the sea.
"If pirates want to get rich, of course they need to seize territory!"
In the New World, whether a pirate's name rang loud depended on how many pirates he could intimidate and how many countries he could protect.
Only when a pirate crew possessed a "territory" of its own could it be said to have truly gained a foothold in the New World.
"The old White Wolf Pirates only needed to manage a fleet, so there was no need to expand. But now, things are different."
A light called "ambition" surged in Magnus's eyes.
"My steps will never stop at occupying some remote corner. If time cannot stop me from moving forward, then neither can this sea!"
"I will conquer these seas!"
Before Rocks and Ripley, Magnus did not conceal his ambition.
In the past, he had once dreamed of changing this world, but he had failed. His lack of strength had left him unable to move forward.
Now, things were different.
With strength at the level of an admiral, Magnus truly possessed the ability to confront a Marine encirclement head-on and the capital to negotiate with the World Government.
Granted.
This level of strength was not enough for him to truly stand on equal footing with the World Government and the Marines, but it still meant that Magnus had taken a solid step down his own path.
Laugh Tale?
Who cared about something like that?
In this era, before even the future One Piece Roger had set sail, the so-called final island was merely a symbol whose significance outweighed its actual value.
At first, Magnus had thought that what he sought was a path like One Piece Roger's.
But now, it seemed.
What he wanted to do was actually no different from what Rocks would do in the future!
"Sorry, Rocks."
He had once believed Rocks was a loser who had competed with Roger for the position of One Piece. That had been wrong. The two had never been on the same track from beginning to end, so how could there be any talk of victory or defeat?
If anyone had lost, future Rocks had lost to the World Government and to his own arrogance, not to Roger.
And now, the path Magnus wanted to take was one similar to Rocks's.
"Perhaps someday, we'll become enemies!"
Magnus had no intention of deceiving Rocks. If he did not have the tolerance to accommodate his subordinate's ambition, then he was unworthy of becoming an overlord of the seas.
Hearing Magnus's words, Rocks laughed.
"Hahaha, old man, if that day really comes, I'll definitely spare your life so you can enjoy your retirement in peace."
Yet Rocks kept laughing, so hard that tears nearly came to his eyes.
Who would personally train their own future enemy?
But Rocks could tell that Magnus was not joking.
If he still wanted to become an overlord of the seas, then he would inevitably clash with Magnus in the future, and the two of them would eventually become enemies.
He could also tell that Magnus had no intention of suppressing him.
Magnus was looking forward to it.
Looking forward to him becoming stronger, looking forward to him challenging Magnus.
"When that time comes, I won't go easy on you!"
"Haha, if you lose, then obediently be my apprentice for the rest of your life!"
Magnus and Rocks picked up the wine cups beside them and lightly clinked them together.
Then they heard a resentful voice.
"Hey, did you forget about me?"
Ripley looked at the old man and young man, who had completely forgotten about fishing, her face full of dissatisfaction. "If we're talking ambition, mine won't lose to either of yours!"
"Oh?"
Magnus immediately became interested at Ripley's words, and even Rocks could not help pricking up his ears.
"Hehe, it's—"
Wooooo—
A suddenly blaring whistle drowned out Ripley's voice. Not only did Ripley pout, but Magnus and Rocks both frowned as well.
That was because what appeared before them was a massive steamship, most of whose hull was armored in iron. Not only Rocks and Ripley, but even Magnus rarely saw such a vessel on the sea.
In a pirate world where sailing ships remained the mainstream, steamships were generally found only in a handful of technologically advanced nations.
Even the Marines' warships had not been fully outfitted with the steam boilers unique to steamships.
But all three of them could see the flag flying from the ship.
The emblem on the flag was cross-shaped, with circles at its four points and center. Beneath the cross was a line of words.
WORLD GOVT.
This was the flag representing the World Government—the World Government's emblem!
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