Shiki couldn't even rember how he'd let go of that last straw he was clinging to.
Sure enough—
In front of the strongest of the strong, he couldn't even protect himself.
"Haha, kid, don't overthink it."
"Sure, what you did here on Fishman Island would be enough to get you hanged, but deep down, you don't actually agree with kidnapping rmaids, do you?"
This was where Observation Haki ca in handy.
Different people who awakened Observation Haki had different areas of focus.
Magnus' was sensing and reading emotions.
His Observation Haki could cover a larger range than most, and he could faintly perceive people's emotions—
Though only if the emotions were intense enough to stand out.
It wasn't exactly the most practical ability.
But right now, Magnus could clearly feel that after Rocks had defeated Shiki's captain, Butler, Shiki's emotions weren't anger—they were the exhilaration of seeing a great enemy fall.
That told Magnus that in this rmaid-kidnapping operation—
Shiki had been little more than an irrelevant extra.
If the current Golden Lion Shiki were truly an irredeemable scumbag, Magnus wouldn't take him in no matter how much talent he had.
But fortunately, Shiki was still young, and he wasn't the mastermind behind this sche.
So Magnus was willing to give him a chance.
Still, so things, once done, had consequences.
Even if you weren't the main culprit, you weren't walking away scot-free.
"How about this—since you've got so talent, you'll stay here on Fishman Island as a laborer. When we return from our voyage to the first half of the Grand Line, if you can master even one of the Six Powers I'm about to teach you, I'll take you aboard as a trainee."
"Of course… you can refuse."
When Magnus spoke of refusal, he wore such a kindly smile that Shiki swallowed the words that had almost left his mouth.
"I understand."
There was no resentnt. Winners and losers—that was the way of the sea.
Right now, he wasn't just weaker than Magnus—he was weaker than any mber of the White Wolf Pirates.
So it was only natural he didn't have the right to choose.
Besides, Magnus had offered him a choice.
Joining the White Wolf Pirates!
Even as a trainee, Shiki knew that one day with them would teach him more than a year with his old crew.
For now, he would be left behind as punishnt for the rmaid incident.
But he'd gain sothing too.
Magnus would have Rocks demonstrate the Six Powers for him.
Whether he could learn was up to his talent.
Afterward—
Rocks followed Magnus with a blank expression.
"Is that guy really talented?"
"He's alright."
Rocks' face turned serious.
Magnus' eye for people was razor-sharp.
The White Wolf Pirates didn't have many newcors—
But every single one was a monster.
Rocks was no longer a rookie and knew that in this sea, just being a "great pirate" ant nothing. To be a real power, you needed the strength to stand against a Marine Admiral.
So he suspected—
Anyone Magnus picked either had a special ability or the potential to beco Admiral-level.
Though it sounded arrogant, Rocks truly believed it.
Fighting an Admiral wasn't his goal—surpassing Magnus was.
And if you couldn't even match an Admiral, what was the point?
At that mont—
The rmaid they had rescued finally recovered.
When she saw them, her face lit up.
"Captain Magnus, you've saved again!"
Huh?
A question mark popped over Rocks' head. He scowled. "Hey, hey, I'm the one who saved you!"
"But aren't you Captain Magnus' crew mber?" the rmaid tilted her head, puzzled. "You saved on his orders, right? If it weren't for him, you wouldn't have—so shouldn't I thank him?"
…No rebuttal.
Rocks had to admit—if not for Magnus' orders, he wouldn't have bothered.
Still, he caught sothing in her tone.
"You know the captain?"
"Of course!"
Her face blood into a smile.
"Eight years ago, Captain Magnus saved . And now, when I was in danger again, he saved once more."
Clasping her hands, she gazed at him with shining eyes. "Captain Magnus, you're Kokoro's hero!"
Kokoro? Which Kokoro?
mories surfaced, and Magnus recalled that among the group of rmaids he'd rescued eight years ago, there had indeed been a few little ones.
"You've grown up."
Seeing her now, Magnus couldn't help but sigh.
His arrival in this world had changed many things—
So for the better, so for the worse.
But all he wanted was a clear conscience.
"Thank you for saving now and back then, Captain Magnus. Nana and the others have always wanted to thank you too."
The girl stepped up and clung to his arm.
"Captain Magnus, will you co visit my ho?"
"No, no."
Magnus quickly waved his hands—this ti, he really couldn't.
If he rembered correctly, Kokoro was only fourteen.
If he laid a finger on her…
Not only would his female crewmates kill him, but even the gods would judge him.
"I'm just passing through Fishman Island this ti, and I'll be leaving soon. But maybe we'll et elsewhere. I'm planning to open a trade route between Fishman Island and Sphinx—if you're interested, you could join in."
"A trade route? I understand!"
Kokoro had been sad to hear he'd be leaving soon without visiting her ho—
But now her expression lit up again.
She knew she had no gift for fighting, so joining the White Wolf Pirates wasn't in the cards.
But running trade caravans? That, she could do.
"Captain Magnus, I'll work hard!"
Both Shiki and Kokoro were just small episodes in Magnus' ti on Fishman Island.
After a short rest—
The White Wolf Pirates set out once more toward their real goal: the deep-sea hunt for the lantern fish that had swallowed Pure Gold.
This battle—
Would be fought in the depths!
(End of Chapter)
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