It had been three months since Nox joined the Rocks Pirates. During these three months, Nox had been cultivating discreetly on Beehive Island.
In three months, he had thoroughly absorbed all the Training notes Shakky had given him.
It was precisely because of those Training notes that he made great progress in all aspects. After all, he was considered self-taught before. After undergoing formal study, his swordsmanship, body art, Haki application, and other skills were progressing rapidly.
It also accumulated a solid foundation for him, laying a good groundwork for developing his own swordsmanship, body art, and Haki usage methods in the future.
After digesting the essence of those Training notes, he could feel that he had moved beyond the phase of rapid progress.
"The progress is really fast. These three months, no, it should be said four months of progress, are faster than two years of training before."
"Now, my sword road seems to have reached the peak of a Sword Master. With just one opportunity, I can break through and reach the Grand Swordmaster level!"
"And my Kenbunshoku Haki is the same. It only needs an opportunity to become stronger!"
"Now, if I were to encounter John in aerial combat again, I definitely wouldn't fear him. Even in ground combat, I wouldn't be defeated so easily!"
"I wonder about the strength of the other Rocks Pirates executive officerss. If there's an opportunity, I'll find them for a spar under the guise of executive officers exchange, to see my true level and also the true strength of those executive officerss."
After three months of intense training, the further improvement in his strength significantly narrowed the gap between him and veteran executive officerss like John.
Although he still couldn't compare to John, who was almost the weakest among the executive officerss, it wouldn't take long, at most one or two years, for him to completely catch up.
If other circumstances allowed him to improve his strength faster, the time could be shortened even further.
After the three months of training concluded, Nox finally had time to explore Beehive Island.
Since joining the Rocks Pirates, it seemed Rocks also knew Nox was training.
Therefore, he wasn't disturbed for three months. Even when the Rocks Pirates went on raids, Nox wasn't asked to participate, allowing him to train and grow stronger peacefully.
This was a perk every new Rocks Pirates executive officers received: after becoming an executive officers, there would be a period of stable growth.
During this time, no other executive officerss would disturb you, and Rocks wouldn't call you to perform any missions, giving you a period to cultivate wholeheartedly.
It has to be said, Rocks had a knack for nurturing monsters. Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many monsters among the Rocks Pirates.
Beehive Island is the most vicious and darkest place in the New World, because the strongest and most ferocious Pirate Crew in the New World are stationed here.
However, certain areas on Beehive Island were surprisingly stable and prosperous.
Nox wandered around Beehive Island aimlessly. As he wandered, he arrived at the most lively tavern on Beehive Island.
Pirates all love to drink, so taverns are one of the indispensable places for pirates.
After Nox arrived here, he ordered a case of wine, then found a seat to sit down. While enjoying the hot dance of the beauties in the tavern, he drank wine and listened to the noisy conversations of the pirates around him.
"Hahaha, did you know? Before, Captain Rocks sent people to attack the Marine's G-10 Fortress in the New World. I heard Captain Rocks intends to destroy all Marine fortresses in the New World and completely turn the New World into a paradise for us pirates."
"That's not all. I heard the Marine is short on personnel. Since Captain Rocks killed a Marine Admiral, the Marine only has one old immortal, Fleet Admiral Brac, and one Admiral, Kong, left. They can't suppress our Rocks Pirates at all. So, they recruited the retired former Marine Admiral Hannyabal back. That old guy is currently stationed with Kong at the New World Navy Fortress."
"The New World is now our Rocks Pirates' paradise. As for the Marine, sooner or later Captain Rocks will lead us to drive the Marine out."
"That's right. The New World is the territory of our Rocks Pirates. Other Pirate Crew must submit to our Rocks Pirates, hahahahaha!!!"
"..."
In the tavern, Nox heard many interesting things. Although he had been cultivating intensely these past few days.
But he also read newspapers frequently, and Shakky would occasionally send him information not found in newspapers, allowing him to understand various aspects of this World more deeply.
"gura rara rara, Nox, have you finally finished cultivating?"
Whitebeard walked over with a bottle of wine, placed it on Nox's table, and then picked up the wine from Nox's table and started drinking.
"Training is finished. It's good to come out and relax."
Nox speechless picked up a bottle of wine, clinked it with Whitebeard's, and then also started drinking.
This guy Whitebeard was an anomaly in the Rocks Pirates. He didn't like raiding, didn't like treasure, didn't like talking to people, and even less liked taking subordinates.
So, after joining the Rocks Pirates for so many years, he had always been a lone wolf. Even if he obtained treasure, he would send it all back to his hometown and not keep it for himself. He could be said to be an oddity among the Rocks Pirates.
Yet, this guy Whitebeard loved to drink. So, Whitebeard, who had no money for drinks, often came to the tavern to freeload on wine. The bottle of wine he was holding was also freeloaded from other pirates.
But due to the strength of executive officers Whitebeard, none of the pirates whose wine he freeloaded dared to say "no". Instead, they smilingly offered the wine for Whitebeard to drink.
As for Nox, he didn't mind this bit of wine money. He ordered several more cases of wine to drink with Whitebeard.
"gura rara rara, this is good wine. You really are a monster. You've become so much stronger in just three months. I'm truly envious."
After chugging a bottle of wine, Whitebeard patted Nox's shoulder and said.
Clearly, when you accept someone's hospitality, you speak politely. Saying something nice counts as payment for the wine!
"How can my level of being a monster compare to yours, Whitebeard? You are the true monster."
Nox rolled his eyes at Whitebeard and said, this guy, after drinking his wine, only said a few nice words about him, but didn't say anything substantial. Compared to being a monster, Whitebeard was the true monster in name and reality.