The Ark Maxim broke through the clouds and set sail towards Dressrosa, one of its designated destinations.
On the deck, everyone was doing their job.
Tesoro was in charge of navigating the ship, while Hawk Eyes and Bullet practiced their swordplay at the bow, their energy clashing with the force of their fists, drawing gasps of surprise from Yamato.
Meanwhile, Savi, Enel, and the other boys were undergoing Observation Haki training under Roy's arrangement.
Roy stood alone at the stern, gazing at the turbulent sea below and the ever-changing sky of the New World, silently making plans in his mind.
Kyros is the first target, Dressrosa is relatively stable, and the arena under the rule of the Riku Royal Family is a legal way to contact strong people.
Crocodile's whereabouts are uncertain, his ambitions are beginning to emerge, and he is difficult to recruit, but it is worth trying to make contact with him.
As for Bartholomew Kuma... the South Blue is a long way off, and given his gentle nature, getting him to join the pirates would be difficult.
I estimate we'll have to resort to some methods.
"Boss, what are you thinking about?" Stella's voice came from behind.
Roy came to his senses.
I'm thinking about the priorities and strategies for these three objectives.
Kyros is relatively simple-minded, Crocodile needs to be subdued by strength and bound by mutual interests, as for Kuma...
"I also have information from intelligence dealers,"
Stella took out her notebook and whispered,
Bartholomew Kuma's recent actions have been somewhat unusual.
He seems to have left the Sorbet Kingdom for some time, frequently appearing in certain non- World Government Member States in the South Blue and on islands severely harassed by pirates, his whereabouts remaining secretive.
According to rumors, he wasn't plundering; rather, he seemed to be... helping the locals fight off pirates, or treating the wounded.
Upon hearing this, Roy raised an eyebrow slightly.
This seems quite different from Xiong's early reputation as a " Tyrant " in the original work.
Or was it the result of the World Government deliberately smearing him after he joined the Revolutionary Army?
The bear may be in a period of confusion or searching for a way out.
"Help fight off pirates, heal the wounded..."
Roy pondered,
This does align somewhat with his ' Paw-Paw Fruit ' ability and the gentle legends of the Buccaneer Tribe.
It seems that he is kind-hearted by nature and has compassion for the weak.
This might be the key to our approach.
"But it's too early to talk about that now. We can take our time recruiting the bears."
"Let's go see what kind of Dressrosa this Dressrosa is made of!"
"Good."
Stella agreed, gave instructions for the upcoming journey, and then turned back to the cockpit to closely monitor the route and weather changes.
The voyage was far from peaceful.
The climate of the New World was as unpredictable as a child's face; one moment it was clear skies, the next it could be torrential rain, thunder and lightning, or even the sudden appearance of huge ocean whirlpools or hailstones.
Fortunately, the Ark Maxim is highly capable, Stella, the excellent navigator, can always anticipate changes in the weather.
With the Roy Pirates' formidable strength, the voyage, though bumpy, was not a major problem.
But the problem is, with the news of Roger becoming the Pirate King...
The number of pirates in the New World has clearly increased.
Most of these newly arrived pirates were inspired by the idea that " Pirate King inspired me" or " the New World is full of opportunities," but their strength and experience varied greatly.
Among them were quite a few arrogant and eager-to-make-a-fame young men.
They set their sights on anything that seemed to offer "fame" or "wealth" --
The unique and eye-catching design of the Ark Maxim naturally made it a "fat sheep" in the eyes of some unscrupulous individuals.
Sure enough, trouble came knocking on their door on the third day of their voyage.
"Three fast boats on the port side, without any clearly marked flags, likely pirates!"
Charon, who was on lookout duty today, issued the alarm.
Roy and the others came to the side of the ship.
Three modified, fast pirate ships rapidly approached, forming an encirclement, while the pirates on board brandished swords and spears.
With a savage howl, the cannons were already aimed at the Ark Maxim.
"They're really courting death." Bullet said, looking annoyed.
"How many groups of pirates have we encountered since leaving Wano Country?!"
Did they think they were playing house?
"Don't you like fighting?"
Roy glanced sideways at Bullet, who looked displeased, and teased him.
"With so many rivals practically delivering themselves to your doorstep, aren't you happy?!"
"Tch! This kind of trash isn't even worthy of a warm-up!"
Bullet pursed his lips; although his hands were itching to fight, he simply couldn't muster the energy to deal with these lackeys.
"Boss, leave this to us!"
Savi volunteered, and Enel, Pea, and others were also eager to try.
Two years of training have greatly increased their strength, and they are looking for an opportunity to test it.
Roy glanced at the three enemy ships and sensed that none of them possessed particularly strong auras, making them suitable for Savi and his men to practice on.
"Okay. You can go. Make sure it's quick and decisive, and pay attention to teamwork and practical application."
"Yes, boss!"
Aside from Bullet, Hawk Eyes, Tesoro, and Stella who was piloting the ship, everyone else looked eager to try.
The youngest Yamato, Genzo " around with boundless energy.
Three enemy ships quickly came into firing range, cannons roared, and several shells flew toward the Ark Maxim.
Tesoro flicked his finger, and several tiny arcs of electricity precisely struck the incoming cannonballs, detonating them mid-air.
"Let's go!"
Savi let out a low growl, his leg muscles bulging. Under the control of Life Return, he concentrated his strength in his legs and slammed them against the deck.
He shot towards the nearest enemy ship like a cannonball!
In mid-air, he covered his hands with jet-black Armament Haki.
"Take my iron fist!"
Savi's figure flashed across the enemy ship's deck, his fists, covered in Armament Haki, thudding like heavy hammers.
He instantly blasted away the two pirates who tried to stop him, then rushed towards the ship's rudder.
Enel transformed into a cloud and floated directly above the ship, waving his hands to create clusters of dark clouds that enveloped the area below.
" Thundercloud ·Thunder!"
As Enel gestured, several Lightning as thick as an arm fell from the sky.
With his exceptional Observation Haki, Enel's attack directly destroyed the cannons of three pirate ships.
Incidentally, the pirates who were controlling the cannons were also wiped out.
The others then took action, each using Geppo to appear on the opposite pirate ship.
Pea took out a handful of seeds from his storage bag, and with a flash of green light in his hands, the seeds he threw out immediately transformed into various plants, which strangled the approaching pirates one by one.
Charon showcased his Fish-Man Karate, executing the Six Powers with unrestrained skill throughout the arena.
Moria's shadow abilities are limited in sunlight, but his physical skills and Armament Haki are now vastly different from what they used to be.
Vera used poisonous fog to seal off an area, preventing the enemy from easily approaching.
Yamato excitedly swung his spiked club, utilizing the talents of the Oni to knock away the approaching pirates one by one.
The battle was resolved by the Roy Pirates within ten minutes.
Tesoro, who was instructed by Roy to protect his own team members,
Seeing that the battle was over, they immediately fell from mid-air, and what followed was the exciting treasure hunt.
Roy had no expectations for the treasure of these small-time pirate crews.
But as a notorious money-grubber of the Roy Pirates, Tesoro wouldn't easily give up his spoils.
After clearing the battlefield and replenishing supplies, Ark Maxim continued its voyage.