Contradictions

"That kid really didn't let me down!"

"Then hurry up and get here!"

Rocks was in a good mood. Getting news like this at a time like this made it even better.

What did it mean?

The Rocks Pirates were about to gain another top fighter.

Rocks D. Zebek had boundless ambition. Being the Overlord of the Sea was no longer enough for him.

What he truly wanted was to become the King of the World!

The World Government had always been his target.

But he knew how powerful the World Government was. Even though the Rocks Pirates had grown strong enough to suppress the Navy, he still needed to amass more strength.

That was why he was glad to see young pirates rise through the ranks of the Rocks Pirates.

Strength ruled aboard his ship. Naive fools rarely survived there, and crewmates killing one another to settle disputes was nothing unusual.

That vast stage was like a breeding pit, producing one king of the brood after another.

Shiki and Edward Newgate were the Rocks Pirates' finest creations of recent years.

Shiki's ruthless ways embodied what it meant to be a true pirate.

Edward Newgate had noble ideals, but that did not make him naive.

Their terrifying potential and strength had set them apart from the countless other pirates.

As for Charlotte Linlin, she was a born monster. She had secured her place in the Rocks Pirates as soon as she joined.

The failures, meanwhile, were too numerous to count. Many had potential or were only a step behind Shiki and Newgate.

But failure was failure, and far too many young pirates had died for it.

Potential did not mean you would ever reach those heights. It did not mean you could turn that potential into strength.

Yet only through