Volume 1 - CH 94

The sound of electricity crackled in the air as a bolt of lightning pulsed and shifted within Rhodes’ open palm.

At times, it was graceful, swirling and dancing like a bird in flight. At other moments, it was fierce, taking on the form of a wild animal, running and roaring with ferocity. And then, just as suddenly, it transformed into a towering tree, its branches reaching skyward in a display of lush greenery.

Each movement, each detail, was so lifelike that sailors passing by couldn’t help but stare in amazement.

“Control is becoming easier,” Rhodes murmured, his blue eyes shining with satisfaction.

As he mastered the power of lightning, the previously unruly energy seemed to calm, becoming pliant and obedient to his will. He no longer needed to rely on sword techniques to shape and control the lightning. He could easily mold and unleash devastating and deadly attacks, much like the lightning spear that had felled the black-clad assassin.

Now, even with just the power of lightning alone, Rhodes power was on par with that of a famous  pirates, and he was far from the weakest among his peers.

Of course, while the power of lightning was incredibly destructive, it lacked the precision and sharpness of sword techniques. Simple electric shocks, no matter how powerful, would not be enough to take down the formidable monsters that roamed this world. Their resistance was too great.

Take the “Strongest Creature” the king of beasts, Kaido, for example. Even a direct hit from a bolt of heavenly thunder would likely only result in temporary paralysis or a mild ache.

As Rhodes pondered this, Snowy completed her training for the day, collapsing onto the ground with a heavy breath and sweat pouring down her face.

It took a moment for her to catch her breath, then she looked at Rhodes with a hint of disappointment, “Brother Rhodes, is it because my talent is lacking that I haven’t made any progress despite training for so long?”

The young girl was dejected, and her spirit dampened.

“Your talent is not bad,” Rhodes said, trying to reassure her.

Hearing these words from someone as powerful as Rhodes, gave Snow a glimmer of hope, that she might have a chance to become a formidable warrior.

However, Rhodes’ next words crushed that hope.

“But it seems to have all gone into your cooking.”

He said this with a nod of approval.

Snowy was truly the daughter of the first chef of the West Sea, her culinary skills were extraordinary, and her range was quite broad. Even with limited ingredients on the ship, she managed to come up with new dishes every day.

“Well, at least I’m good at something!” Snowy turned away, pouting.

“Come here,” Rod said, smiling.

“No way!” Snowy covered her ears, making a cute expression as if to say, “I’d rather die! Or jump off the ship! I’m won’t come!”

“I can help you become stronger quickly,” Rhodes offered.

“What?!” Snowy exclaimed.

She practically jumped three feet high, ran over to Rhodes, and looked at him pitifully.

“Didn’t you say you weren’t coming?”

Rhodes looked at her with a half-amused expression, and Snowy lowered her head in embarrassment, fidgeting with her hands.

“Turn around and sit down,” Rhodes said with a steady voice, not wanting to upset the young girl.

Snowy obediently followed his instructions and sat down.

Rhodes also sat down and with a slow and steady movement, he extended a slender finger and placed it on Snowy’s delicate neck.

He could feel the smoothness of her skin, like cream, and his expression remained calm as he carefully released a faint stream of lightning power.

He planned to use the power of lightning to aid in Snowy’s body tempering, as this initial stage would be the most crucial in laying a strong foundation for her future training.

A subtle numbness spread throughout Snowy’s body, and she almost instantly lost control of her physical form. As the power flowed through her, Rhodes could see the condition of her body clearly.

“It’s far too fragile,” Rhodes thought to himself, a hint of disappointment in his mind. It seemed that even a slight movement on his part could destroy her tender, delicate body.

The tempering process began.

Rhodes had vast experience and mastery over lightning, and the danger was minimal. However, the process would not be easy, for Snowy’s body was still too young and weak.

“If it hurts, speak up, and I’ll make it weaker,” Rhodes said in a calm voice.

Snowy’s brows furrowed, her small face contorted in pain, yet she stubbornly remained silent, gritting her teeth and pushing through the discomfort.

As Rhodes let go of her, Snowy fell to the ground, her eyes staring blankly at the sky. Her small frame shook as she lay there, her fair skin flushed with a faint red hue and sweat covering her body.

The training had been incredibly effective. Snowy’s physical abilities had undergone a comprehensive enhancement after a day of adjustment and recovery. Her strength, speed and even her height had increased.

This revelation left Gates and the others shocked and they exclaimed in awe, their gazes towards Rhodes completely transformed.

Not only was Rod powerful, but he also possessed the ability to enhance others! Such a powerful being, if he were to establish his own power, could easily claim a place in the world and attract strong individuals from all corners of the globe.

…

A few more days passed.

“Lord Rhodes, our next stop is the Island of Monsters and Roast Meat,” said Gates, his voice tinged with exhaustion.

He had vastly underestimated the tracking and hunting capabilities of the powerful agent of the underworld. Their landings for supplies had been ambushed and resulted in the loss of many sailors. If not for Rhodes’ immense strength and his ability to take down the assassins attempting to destroy their ship, they would have been in dire straits.

“This is the penultimate stop, next one is Arabistan.”

Gates said with a hint of relief, “This island should be relatively safe, it is on the edge of the windless belt and occasionally sea kings wander, but it’s dangerous, they definitely wouldn’t have guessed that we would choose to land here.”

Rhodes didn’t seem too bothered by the possibility of encountering unknown creatures. After all, if he did, he would simply kill them. His greater concern was that his reputation may not be strong enough.

Being a member of the Seven Warlords required not only strength but also a sufficient level of reputation that can intimidate the average pirate.

In this world where the strong are respected, reputation is determined by the opponents one has defeated.

“Fantastic! I’ve heard my mother speak of Monsters and Roast Meat Island. The meat of the monsters here is unique and tastes particularly delicious when grilled,” Snow exclaimed excitedly. “I’ve wanted to come here for ages, but unfortunately, our last route didn’t pass through.”

“Is that so?” Rhodes was intrigued by the mention of the roast meat. If it was something that even the top chef of the West Sea couldn’t forget, it must be truly delicious.

“If places like this were known by Luffy, he would definitely come here,” the three of them mused as they spotted a dark silhouette looming in the distance.

It was a medium-sized island, with a vast expanse of undulating terrain that seemed to stretch on endlessly, like a primeval jungle.

The ports of mankind were nothing but a small fraction of the icy landscape.

Gates gazed out at the distant islands and ports, his voice filled with longing as he spoke, “These islands aren’t on the usual shipping routes. They were created by humans.”

“Someone saw a dragon on this island, and ever since, people come here every year to challenge themselves, to gain the title of a dragon-slaying worrior. But in reality, they can hardly defeat the monsters that lurk on the outskirts.”

He spoke with a sense of nostalgia, and a hint of disappointment.

The fur of the beasts on this island was of the highest quality and highly sought after by the nobles of the West Sea. He had made a considerable fortune from it in the past.

“A dragon?” Rhodes exclaimed, his eyes widening in surprise.

The pirate world did indeed have dragons. Kaido, the king of beasts, was probably one of them, a dragon fruit user of the Zoan type.

The legendary samurai, Ryuma, the Sword God, had once, with one swift strike, felled a flying dragon and earned the title of “Dragon Slayer,” becoming famous throughout the land.

“I wonder how strong this dragon is,” Rhodes mused, “If it’s not that strong, then perhaps I’ll give the dragon slayer title a try.”

“The fame of becoming a dragon slayer would be more than enough to meet the reputation requirements of becoming a Shichibukai.”