Elbaf Royal Capital.
Inside the palace.
Sparta was enjoying his lunch, an enormous leg of beef. His eating style was extremely bold and hearty, but from the wandering look in his eyes, it was clear that his mind was currently occupied with other matters.
"It's already been seventeen years, yet that brat still hasn't come out! According to the records, the longest anyone has ever endured the baptism was only twelve years, wasn't it? That was the king who once led the Kingdom of Giants to its absolute peak… Is this brat's talent really that astonishing?"
Sparta ate while muttering inwardly.
But just then, the door was pushed open.
"Long time no see, respected King Sparta!"
It was Roldy!
...
Seventeen years.
What kind of changes could take place across this sea in seventeen years?
First, looking at Elbaf, among the four senior officers and the hundred small fry who had followed Roldy to the Kingdom of Giants, only Sheen and Tiger remained now.
Of course, the others had not died.
Their training had lasted for five years. After five years, that hellish training had only a negligible effect on improving their strength. Crocodile, who had long since lost his patience, was the first to leave. After him came Moria. The two of them took away all eighty-one surviving small fry, leaving behind only Sheen and Tiger, who were unwilling to depart.
These two Fish-Men had actually done quite well in the Kingdom of Giants. With their powerful strength, they had made friends with many giants.
They had not neglected their training. Every day, they would find someone to spar with. They had continued doing this for a full twelve years, and even now, they were still persevering.
The changes in the outside world were even more astonishing.
This was a full seventeen years, after all!
No one knew how many pirates had already poured into the New World. The Great Pirate Era had completely reached its climax. Even in the poorest places, some people would still set out to become pirates. A town might not have a tavern, but it would certainly have young people heading out to sea.
This was the immense influence brought about by the words Roger spoke before his death.
However, the current Great Pirate Era was still being forcefully suppressed.
The Marines, the World Government's strongest military organization. If the Great Pirate Era had reached its climax, then the strength of the Marines had also reached its highest peak since their founding.
Countless branches had been established across the seas. Aside from the New World, the Four Blues and the first half of the Grand Line were all under Marine control. The Seven Warlords of the Sea guarded four sea regions, though those fellows were all outwardly compliant while secretly doing as they pleased.
This was a dazzling era!
A genius in a kingdom was as precious as gold. If he chose to go out to sea, he might become a famous pirate, or he might become an officer at Marine Headquarters.
However, this era absolutely did not lack gold.
The entire sea was illuminated in splendor by those geniuses!
Pirates with bounties in the tens of millions could no longer even step onto the stage. Only those with bounties exceeding one hundred million could barely call themselves great pirates.
How insane!
Roldy learned about all the changes that had taken place in the outside world over the years from Sparta. He could not help feeling emotional.
He truly had never expected that one sleep of his would last so long.
Perhaps this sea had nearly forgotten his name—Roldy.
"So, how did this baptism feel?"
Sparta looked at Roldy with anticipation.
"Me?"
Roldy smiled faintly.
"I should be quite a bit stronger than before."
When Sparta heard this, his face filled with delight.
He did not continue asking.
For a powerhouse of Roldy's level to say something like "quite a bit stronger than before" meant that he now possessed the strength to defeat his former self.
If one relied only on personal training to become stronger, perhaps they would never reach such a level in their entire life.
"Mr. Roldy, then from this day onward, the alliance between us is officially established. The Kingdom of Giants will become your firmest backing. Go and make a grand move. Carry with you the hopes of all our giant brethren!"
Sparta extended his hand.
This time, there was a trace of respect in his words.
"Good!"
...
"This is so boring! Hey, Tiger, aren't you tired? We finally got a comfortable day like this. Wouldn't it be better to just sleep properly for once?"
Sheen lay on the branch of a large tree, feeling the breeze passing through the leaves. It was truly comfortable.
But when he saw Tiger beneath the tree, carrying a hundred-meter-tall giant tree on his shoulders while frantically doing frog jumps, his mood became far less pleasant.
"We can't slack off, Sheen ! What Mr. Roldy wants to do is destined to require a great deal of strength. If I become a little stronger, I'll be able to shoulder a little more of the burden for him!"
"Tch, who's slacking off? Even a man forged from steel needs rest, doesn't he? We train for twenty-nine whole days every month and only get one day to relax. You maniac, and you still want extra training?"
"How can this count as extra training? It's only ten thousand frog jumps. This is already easy enough."
The two chatted.
If one looked closely, one would be able to see that the two of them were very different from before.
Their bodies had clearly grown a size larger. The muscles bulging high across their frames made it impossible to imagine just how terrifying the power contained within them was.
The results of countless days and nights of bitter training were naturally gratifying.
And the most direct manifestation of that was…
"Hm? Tiger, wait. There's a very familiar presence approaching in our direction!"
Sheen , who had been sitting on the tree, suddenly straightened up. His gaze locked firmly onto the southwest.
"Oh? How far away?"
"About fifteen kilometers!"
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