"Guurarara! Bob, you always manage to surprise me!"
"Do you know how many people that can take that step?"
"Only those who have truly awakened the Conqueror's Haki are qualified to conquer the Grand Line!"
Whitebeard laughed heartily, looking at Bob with increasing satisfaction.
If there was anyone who genuinely wished for Bob to improve and grow stronger from the bottom of their heart, it was Whitebeard, and no one else.
"Hahaha! I've had high hopes for Bob from the very beginning, and I wasn't wrong!"
"I believe it won't be long before Bob strength catches up to mine!"
Golden Lion also showered Bob with praise, puffing on a cigar and grinning widely.
The other division commanders also expressed their goodwill towards Bob.
Unlike last time, this time they truly acknowledged Bob position.
Especially Charlotte Linlin, whose eyes sparkled when she looked at Bob.
"..."
This made Bob feel a bit uneasy.
It must be said that Big Mom's figure and looks were top-notch at this time.
But whenever Bob thought about what she would look like decades later, along with her various ex-husbands of different species, he couldn't help but gulp.
Please don't have any improper thoughts about me. Apart from them, the rookie pirates also started flattering Bob.
After all, as a division commander, he needed to form his own crew.
If they could curry favor with Bob now and get on his good side, they might become official crew members and set sail with him later!
In the Rocks Pirates, only official crew members were allowed to set sail and receive the protection of the entire crew.
Bob didn't dwell too much on the sudden change in everyone's attitude.
After all, he didn't know any of these people.
He casually selected a dozen or so pirates who had been the most flattering, gave them a few simple instructions, and then left the place.
There was only one month left before setting sail.
During this time, Bob had to seize every second to grow stronger.
On the open sea, all kinds of dangers could arise.
Other pirate crews, the Marines, Sea Kings, and unpredictable natural disasters—all required him to become stronger to face them with ease.
Moreover, his recent encounter with Rocks had made Bob realize his own shortcomings.
He was still far from reaching the level of the top-tier powerhouses.
One month wasn't particularly long, but it wasn't short either.
For Bob, this was a period of transformation.
Since he had become a division commander, Bob residence moved from the outskirts of Pirate Island to the commander's room within the giant skull rock.
But Bob training didn't stop because of this.
Every day, he did 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 10-kilometer run without fail.
Some pirates who had previously thought Bob was a fool now looked at him with admiration when they saw him training.
In fact, during these days, many pirates began to imitate Bob training routine, hoping to uncover the secret to becoming stronger.
For a while, every morning on Hachinosu, large groups of pirates could be seen running around the island as if they were being trained in the military.
It was both amusing and exasperating.
During this time, Bob had also met almost everyone in the Rocks Pirates.
But apart from Whitebeard, there were only a few people worth forming deep connections with.
The rest were either extremely vicious, insatiably greedy, or had a touch of eccentricity in their minds.
Under Rocks' guidance, Bob mastery of the three types of Haki had significantly improved.
If we were to classify these Haki abilities into levels:
From beginner, intermediate, advanced, to high-tier.
Bob was roughly at the advanced level.
His Armament Haki had just begun to glimpse the threshold of internal destruction.
And so, in the repetitive days of training—urging his subordinates to practice and drinking and bantering with other commanders a month quickly passed.
On the morning of the day they set sail, Bob dressed up, tidied himself briefly, and rushed out the door.
Through the perception of his Observation Haki, he noticed that most of the division commanders had already gathered.
Hearing his crew members calling his name, Bob swiftly organized his team.
Then he hurried towards the port.
Upon arriving at Hachinosu Port, he saw the ship bearing Rocks' iconic letters, with a red skull exuding an eerie aura within the letters.
Bob could only describe the ship as extravagant.
It was enormous! Truly befitting the title of the ruler of the seas, its grandeur was overwhelming.
By the ship, some giants were loading cargo.
Bob didn't board immediately but observed for a while.
It was his first time seeing giants, so he was naturally curious.
After watching for a while, he concluded: Being too big isn't necessarily a good thing, as you might end up doing hard labor.
After boarding, Bob arranged his crew, then found a spot to sit down.
"Guurarara! Bob, you finally made it! Been waiting for you for ages!"
Hearing the familiar laughter, Bob waved his hand.
Today, Whitebeard looked exceptionally dashing, wearing a black hat, his yellow curly hair neatly cascading down his back, dressed in a custom-made white battle robe.
Holding the imposing Murakumogiri, exuding a heroic and strikingly handsome aura, he commanded attention.
Seeing this Bob, who hadn't dressed up properly before leaving, felt quite annoyed.
In a pirate crew where the average looks hovered around 3 out of 10, dressing so handsomely could easily get you beaten up, you know?
"Edward, you look very handsome today! Do you want to lend me that outfit? Get me one too!"
"It's just a regular ceremonial robe; all commanders can get one for free!" Edward said nonchalantly.
Just as the two were chatting animatedly, Rocks walked over.
Grabbing Bob arm, he led him towards the bow of the ship.