Stepping Stone

"!!!"

Ye Mu froze. Then his brows drew tight, and he looked at Shiki in open confusion. "Mr. Shiki, what do you mean? You're trying to make your opponent stronger in the middle of a fight to the death? Aren't you looking down on me a little too much?"

Shiki shot him a defiant look, fists clenched and expression wild.

"Jahahahaha... Don't misunderstand. Just like before, I'm not holding back, and I'm not looking down on you. I simply want to see whether you're really as extraordinary as you claim this so-called Child of Destiny is."

"Is that so? And what's your verdict?"

Ye Mu's frown remained.

"My verdict?"

Shiki suddenly laughed.

"Jahahahaha... For now, I'll acknowledge your strength, kid. But if you think you can change the world as you are, you've got a long way to go. Even if you master Conqueror's Coating as quickly as you mastered Internal Destruction and earn the right to become a ruler of this world, it still won't be enough."

Ye Mu's interest was piqued. Such an opportunity was rare, and he couldn't help asking, "Really? Now I'm curious, Mr. Shiki. How strong is the strongest person you've ever seen on these seas?"

"The strongest?"

Shiki's expression turned distant as he slowly spoke a name.

"Without question, Rocks."

The answer didn't surprise Ye Mu, but he still wanted to know more.

"Rocks? Just how strong was he?"

Only an answer from someone as powerful as Shiki would mean anything.

Shiki thought for a moment.

"Perhaps only Roger and Garp at their peaks could match him."

At that, Shiki clenched his fist in frustration and said, "Words can't describe how strong he was. When you fought Rocks, it didn't feel like you were fighting a human being."

"???"

Seeing the confusion in Ye