NOVEL NEXT Chapter 11: chapter 11
"That's it. Just rest for two days, and you'll be back to normal," Law said as he finished tending to Gray's injuries. He motioned for Gray to lie back and rest on the bed before turning to Rhodes. His tone carried a mix of surprise and mockery.
"I'm shocked you didn't show up covered in bruises this time."
Rhodes chuckled sheepishly. For as long as Law could remember, Rhodes had a habit of pushing himself to the brink, often arriving at Law's doorstep half-dead, carried by Nai Lu. The reckless behavior had become a running gag among the crew—and a constant source of irritation for Law.
"Come on, Law, you should know better by now!" Rhodes grinned, patting his chest. "I'm much stronger these days. It's not so easy to put me down anymore!"
In his youth, Rhodes had trained diligently using methods inspired by the Kamesenryu principles he remembered: combining physical labor like farming, delivering goods, and rowing with targeted exercises. His philosophy was simple: train hard, work hard, and rest well. It even included a mandatory lunch break every day.
But as Rhodes' physical fitness grew, regular training stopped yielding results. To break through the plateau, he resorted to more extreme measures, pushing his body to the absolute limit. When he was on the verge of collapse, Law's surgical fruit powers would always pull him back from the brink.
"At this point, I can't even reach my limit anymore," Rhodes mused, an excited glint in his eye. "Unless…"
He suddenly threw an arm around Law's shoulder, smirking. "You could lend me a hand!"
Law immediately pushed him away. "Absolutely not! I refuse to indulge your insanity!"
"Come on, Law!" Rhodes laughed, but when he saw the seriousness in Law's expression, his own face turned solemn.
"Listen," Rhodes said, resting a hand on Law's shoulder. "We've trained enough. Even Pekin and Xia Qi are in great shape now. It's time to raise our flag on the sea!"
Pekin and Xia Qi, standing off to the side, wiped away tears. "Boss Rhodes, you honor us!" they cried.
Law's gaze hardened. "Before we make that leap, there's something I need to say."
Everyone fell silent as Law lowered his head, his voice heavy. "I have a personal goal—a score to settle. Once we set sail, we're bound to attract attention, and that means crossing paths with a monster who holds power over these seas."
Memories flooded back to Law: the platinum-lead disease that wiped out his hometown, the betrayal of trust in the Donquixote family, and the unwavering kindness of Corazon, who sacrificed everything for him. The final image of Corazon's smile haunted him, as did the man who had taken him away: Donquixote Doflamingo.
"I have to face him," Law continued, his voice low. "One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea: Donquixote Doflamingo."
The weight of the name lingered in the room. Even Nia, with her years of sailing experience, felt a chill. Doflamingo's reputation was one of power, cruelty, and dominance.
As silence settled, Rhodes suddenly burst into laughter. "What an idiot!" He elbowed Nai Lu. "Isn't this what they call tsundere?"
"Usually a trait for female characters," Nai Lu replied, barely suppressing his own laughter.
"You two are the worst!" Law's face turned red with frustration.
After the teasing subsided, Rhodes' expression turned serious. "Law, did you think we didn't already know? We've been waiting for you to tell us. If you'd left without saying a word, we'd have hunted you down and beaten you ourselves."
"As your captain," he declared, "I'll carry your burdens. In return, you'll help me conquer the seas!"
Law's face softened, a small smile forming. "I couldn't ask for a better crew. I'm counting on you, Captain Rhodes."
"Captain Rhodes!" the crew echoed in unison, their voices filled with determination.
Rhodes turned to Nia, extending a hand. "And you? Now that you know the stakes, will you still join us?"
Nia scoffed, flipping her hair. "You call that a challenge? Count me in, Captain Rhodes." She shook his hand firmly, her eyes filled with confidence.