Onepiece:Ares

"I'm eager to fight too!" Ares said excitedly, his voice brimming with enthusiasm. The battles with Kaido and Rocks earlier had given him a noticeable boost in strength—much faster than his usual training methods like hitting mountains.

Suddenly, he walked to the shoreline, jumped into the sea with a splash, and caused waves to ripple out in all directions.

Ochoku was dumbfounded. His eyes nearly popped out of his head as he yelled, "Ares! What the hell are you doing?!"

"Why did you jump into the sea? Get on the ship with me!"

He couldn't believe Ares' behavior and even started to wonder if the kid was crazy. Who just jumps into the sea like that?

"No!" Ares replied as his head bobbed above the water. He submerged his body into the cool waves and continued, "You all can take the ship. I'll swim alongside it to train!"

The cold seawater refreshed him, and he felt free and exhilarated.

Ochoku stood on the shore, utterly speechless. He eventually shouted back, "Fine! But if you can't keep up, remember to get on the ship!"

He shook his head in disbelief. "This kid is a real training freak. He's insane!"

Ochoku couldn't help but think of Ares' earlier antics—willingly taking Kaido's punch head-on just to test his limits. The boy was relentless.

The other captains began returning to the shore. Whitebeard, noticing Ares in the water, looked confused and asked Ochoku, "Why is Ares swimming instead of boarding the ship?"

Ochoku shrugged, clearly still baffled. "He jumped in on his own. Says he doesn't want to stay on the ship and would rather swim to train himself."

Whitebeard's eyes widened slightly, and admiration flashed across his face. "No wonder this guy's so strong. He's constantly training, even in situations like this."

"This guy… he's really desperate to improve."

Whitebeard's sense of regret deepened. He would have loved for Ares to join his crew, and not just for his strength. At thirty-two years old, Whitebeard, who had lost his family at a young age, longed for familial bonds. Seeing someone like Ares stirred those feelings in him.

Golden Lion Shiki exhaled deeply, causing the cigar in his mouth to glow brightly. "Ares is only fourteen or fifteen years old," he mused. "If this guy keeps growing at this rate… how terrifying will he be in the future?"

Ares was already extraordinary, and with such relentless dedication to his training, his potential seemed limitless.

Linlin, meanwhile, licked her bright red lips with a possessive glint in her eyes. "No matter how strong he becomes, the stronger he gets, the more I'll want him!"

Her gaze lingered on Ares floating in the sea, his bronzed, muscular body glistening like polished brass. Her imagination began to run wild, and a blush crept onto her cheeks. She reveled in her fantasies, lost in her own world.

Rocks soon joined the scene, glancing at Ares in the water. "Ares, if you get tired, get on the ship to rest. I'll have someone prepare a room for you."

Then, without waiting for a reply, Rocks ascended the ship's ladder, his commanding presence unshaken.

The rest of the Rocks Pirates looked at Ares with a mixture of awe and disbelief. None of them could imagine voluntarily swimming alongside the ship while it sailed across dangerous seas filled with beasts.

Kaido, arriving late, saw Ares in the water and immediately clenched his fists. His expression hardened, and his determination blazed anew. "I won't lose to him!"

Originally planning to rest on the ship, Kaido changed his mind. "I'll train instead. No way I'm letting him outshine me!" he muttered through gritted teeth.

Turning sharply, he marched up the ship's ladder, fully resolved to push himself harder than ever before.

The ship's anchor was raised, and the massive vessel began its journey. True to his word, Ares swam alongside the ship, pausing only to eat or rest. His endurance and determination left a lasting impression on the crew.

Five Days Later

By the fifth day, Ares' unwavering commitment had won over even the most skeptical pirates on the ship.

The ship finally docked at Beehive Island, a massive port filled with dozens of ships—some large, others small. Most of these belonged to pirate crews affiliated with the Rocks Pirates, while others were tied to underground trading organizations.

As the hub of the New World's pirate activity, Beehive Island was a chaotic place. Assassinations, robberies, and other dark dealings were commonplace. Rocks encouraged this wild environment, believing that strength was the only way to claim and protect anything—be it wealth, territory, or power.

The arrival of the Rocks Pirates caused an immediate stir. All eyes turned toward their massive ship, its name alone instilling fear and awe.

Standing at the port was a strikingly tall woman, at least three to four meters high. Her bold leopard-print leotard emphasized her provocative curves, and her thick red lips curled into a sly smile. A pair of sunglasses rested on her face, and she held a large bouquet of vibrant roses in her hands.

Her confident, flamboyant demeanor immediately drew attention, as whispers spread through the port.

End of the Chapter.