Pirate: I have a Hollow living inside me

The news in the newspaper is true!

Old Duke took a deep breath and couldn't help but speculate, "Could it be that Zefa, like me, has weakened to the point where he can't even take down that kid Rocks?"

After much thought, Duke felt that this was the only possibility.

Not everyone can maintain peak combat power forever; his strength declined due to age.

Although he didn't have much real strength to speak of...

Zefa is also suffering from age and illness, which makes old Duke quite sad...

Looking at Rocks's image in the newspaper, old Duke smiled: "But even a declining admiral is not someone that ordinary people can deal with."

"Looks like I won't have to worry about your safety much anymore, kid..."

The kid's name was eventually exposed and became known to the world.

But it seems like he doesn't need to worry too much.

Even a former Navy admiral couldn't defeat Rocks, which is enough to show how strong Rocks is now.

After all, how much time has it been since Lox set sail?

Is it a total of three months?

It's about time!

"But... Rocks, that kid, killed Crocodile and could fight Zephyr, so why is he only worth 450 million Berries?"

After glancing at the bounty poster, old Duke was certain he hadn't misread the number.

Old Duke scratched his head in confusion: "Are the people in the World Government and Navy out of their minds? Or can't they afford the bounty?"

At first, he thought that Rocks' bounty had increased too much all of a sudden.

Now, seeing the newspaper report, he felt that the bounty offered by Rocks was too small.

Old Duke racked his brains but still couldn't figure out what the World Government and the Navy were up to...

……

Donghai Shuangyue Village.

Yixin Dojo.

"Four hundred and fifty million Berries! Has this kid grown to this level?"

Koushirou glanced at the newspaper and subconsciously pushed up his glasses.

A bounty of 450 million peles is definitely a high amount.

What surprised Koushirou wasn't Rocks' bounty, but rather the newspaper report...

"Killed the Seven Warlords of the Sea and fought against 'Black Arm' Zephyr."

Koushirou felt as if he were in another world: "If I remember correctly, 'Black Arm' Zephyr was a former Admiral of the Navy Headquarters, right?"

"That kid is actually able to fight against such a strong person? And this bounty... is there a mistake?"

Koushirou is not young either.

When he was sailing the seas, Zephyr was an admiral in the Navy Headquarters.

I've heard a lot about Zefa's reputation.

That was someone he had to look up to.

As a result, one of his former students at the dojo was now able to fight against a strongman like Zefa?

It felt like a very long time had passed.

However, when you calculate the time, damn it, only about three months have passed!

"Don't be discouraged by treating such a monster as an opponent, Kuina..."

Koushirou thought of his daughter and sighed with worry.

Kuina considers Rocks her rival, and her goal is also to become the world's greatest swordsman.

He could already imagine the pressure that Kuina was under...

"But why is there still no news about Kuina this time?"

Koushirou flipped through the newspaper, but there was no news of his daughter. He was immediately discouraged: "I want to see my daughter, even just a picture would be nice!"

Kuina is definitely alright.

Otherwise, Rocks would definitely have returned to the East China Sea to apologize to him immediately.

He hadn't heard from his daughter for three months, and the old father really missed her.

Even a wanted poster would be good...

……

The first half of the Great Sea Route.

A ship flying a spade and skull flag is sailing on the sea.

Fire Fist Ace, whose bounty is currently 250 million Berries, looked at the newspaper in his hand.

At this moment, Ace was wrapped in bandages, and it appeared that he had suffered a serious injury...

Ace looked at the headline and the wanted poster, and couldn't help but scratch his head: "I thought this time the bounty would be higher than yours, but I didn't expect the gap to widen even further..."

They all left the East Blue around the same time, and Ace also considered Rocks his opponent.

He wanted to surpass Rocks.

He originally thought that after defeating a Shichibukai, his bounty would surpass Rocks'.

It did indeed surpass Rocks' original bounty.

However, Ace never expected that Rocks would also face off against one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and not only defeat him but kill him.

He also fought a match with former Navy Admiral "Black Arm" Zephyr to a draw.

He didn't know much about Zephyr, but he did know the prestige of the former Admiral.

Perhaps not as good as that scoundrel old man, but probably not much worse, right?

Compared to Rocks, whether in terms of bounty or battle record, Ace felt utterly defeated...

"That guy is a monster..."

Diuss, the ship's doctor on the Spade Pirate F and Ace's first companion, came over.

He also read the newspaper and the wanted poster, his face filled with emotion and shock: "He's about the same age as you, Captain, right? He's already capable of competing with that level of powerhouse..."

"It's strange, the bounty they're offering seems a bit low..."

"Ace, surpassing him won't be an easy thing!"

I originally thought Ace was already a monster among monsters, but I never expected that there were other masters among his peers.

Rocks, the "Black-Haired Swordsman," is the same age as Ace, but his strength is far more terrifying.

He wondered if the other person was really a normal human being.

Or is it a genetic mutation?

"Hahaha, he really is a monster!"

Ace laughed: "But the existence of people like this gives me more motivation. We can't let them keep suppressing us."

"Perhaps one day, we will have a showdown with them, and then we'll settle the score. I won't lose to anyone!"

He was somewhat looking forward to meeting Rocks again in the future.

He will then challenge the other party.

If even Rocks couldn't surpass him, how could he possibly surpass that man?

……

The first half.

A certain island.

A section of the restaurant was empty.

Only one man, wearing a black trench coat, a top hat, and carrying a black cross-shaped knife on his back, was enjoying the meal alone...

One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, "Hawk-Eye" Dracule Mihawk!

"Hmm? You've grown to this level so quickly? It seems your talent and potential are even more terrifying than I expected..."

"No, it should be that we should demonstrate even greater strength..."

Looking at the newspaper, Hawkeye's eagle-like eyes showed interest, and he chuckled, "Perhaps you'll soon be standing before me, Black-haired Swordsman..."

Hawkeye paid some attention to this black-haired swordsman.

He felt that the other party had a very high probability of becoming a powerful figure who could make him pull out the black knife from his back.

However, he had not expected that the other party's strength would be so extraordinary.

He defeated Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and faced off against former Marine Admiral "Black Arm" Zephyr...

Such achievements, such strength.

That was enough to make him pull out the black knife from his back.

The opponent didn't grow so fast; rather, they demonstrated greater strength.

"Perhaps... I could go and experience their swordsmanship right now?"

After taking a sip of red wine, Hawkeye suddenly had this thought.

Moreover, once it emerges, it becomes difficult to suppress.

He had always longed to fight a powerful swordsman.

The black-haired swordsman's strength is enough to warrant him drawing his sword.

He was eager to meet the other person right now and see what their swordsmanship was like...

……

It's also in the first half.

A cargo ship carrying a red-nosed skull flag sails on the sea.

"You guys hit me, I think I'm hallucinating. I actually saw that damn guy kill a Shichibukai and fight a former Marine Admiral to a standstill..."

'Snapped! '

Bucky the Clown was halfway through his sentence when Leigh the Lion next to him swatted him away with a paw.

Bucky rolled several times on the deck, his body splitting into several pieces...

The severed torso flew wildly across the deck as Bucky roared angrily at the lion, "What are you doing, you stupid lion?!"

"Roar?"

Lion Leakey tilted his head.

It couldn't understand why its boss was angry, since it was clearly following the other party's orders.

Forget it, I can't figure it out and I'm too lazy to think about it.

It was hungry...

Bucky: "..."

Looking at the stupid lion's expression, he was furious.

But with nowhere else to vent his anger, could the imposing Buggy really take it out on a pet?

"Keep this stupid lion under control!"

Bucky yelled at Mochi, and the reassembled Bucky sat back in his previous position.

As Bucky continued reading the newspaper, his heart pounded with fear: "It's not a fake newspaper...where did this monster come from?"

"Heh heh heh... Why the hell did this monster frame me before? Was it just for fun?"

Bucky was very sad.