Roger actually understood Li Ke's mindset perfectly.
Even though he didn't know much else about him, it was only natural for someone holding such power to think this way. Just hearing about the ability made Roger think of countless wonderful uses for it. Whether it was clashing with heroes from history or drinking and chatting with figures from legend, these were all things this power could achieve.
Not to mention the small matter of using this power to have people help oneself become stronger.
Li Ke could enjoy a legendary life at his leisure; without even leaving his house, he could experience countless grand adventures he had never even dreamed of. Roger was incredibly envious of this, because Li Ke could know more adventure stories and experience more things than he ever had.
But...
"He takes power too lightly."
Roger shook his head as he watched Li Ke struggling and splashing in the water.
Though he didn't know Li Ke's past, he saw that the boy treated power with too much contempt, as if strength were something that could be obtained at will. He didn't seem to have a substantive understanding of what it took to actually acquire power.
Roger's own strength came from arduous combat, constantly pushing his body to its peak through battle, where a single mistake meant death. You could say his power, his techniques, and his abilities were all wrestled away from death itself; they weren't something he got by simply "finding a teacher" and receiving instruction.
Whether it was an opponent's technique or one he discovered himself, it had to be pushed to its absolute limit under the pressure of dying.
But this young man before him, Li Ke, seemed to subconsciously ignore how difficult it was to obtain power because of his special ability. His body showed signs of training, but not much. His speech and behavior showed that combat was still not his instinct. He even subconsciously felt that getting guidance from the Pirate King wasn't a particularly difficult thing to achieve.
Even though, in this case, it was true...
Despite possessing a terrifying ability, he still hadn't managed to carry out the act of "fulfilling one's self." To put it simply, if he were to become a pirate, he would probably only be at the level of an ordinary combatant.
"Hey! Kid! Since you want my guidance, you have to be worthy of it. I admit you have the ability to turn the world upside down, but do you truly have the capacity to do it?"
Roger stood on the bow of the ship, looking down at the splashing Li Ke, and announced his method of training.
"As for playing 'son' or whatever, I've got zero interest," Roger declared, looking down from the deck. "A man only needs women, wine, the sea, and meat. I'll ensure this ship stays safe, but your own safety? That depends entirely on your own hard work. We are in the Calm Belt now. How long you stay in the water, and how long we remain stuck here, is all up to you!"
Li Ke was ready to start cursing. He didn't have the freakish physical stats of the people in this world. No matter how he looked at it, how was he supposed to move a whole ship with just human strength?!
"Hey! You bastard, Roger! Do you really think I have the ability to tow this ship?!"
"That's your problem. You're the one who asked me to guide you, and this is my way of doing it. Besides..."
Roger's gaze suddenly turned razor-sharp, pinning Li Ke in place.
"You should be able to use [Life Return], right? I don't know how you managed to learn that without even reaching the standard physical requirements for it, but there's no doubt you've already crossed the threshold of true bodily control. So get moving, kid! Just soaking there won't change the ship, and it won't change you! Becoming strong—"
He stared at Li Ke with absolute seriousness. Since he had agreed to guide the boy, he would do it right, pushing him until he was capable of walking his own path. To the Pirate King, honor and a promise kept were far more important than Li Ke imagined.
"—is something that admits no delays!"
"Dammit, you bastard..."
Li Ke took a deep breath.
If he could manipulate the currents like the techniques described in the scrolls from Toph and Azula, pushing this ship alone wouldn't be an issue.
If he could precisely control flames—propelling them forward without harming himself or the vessel—that would also solve the problem.
If his physical stamina was as monstrous as the freaks in this world, towing the ship out of the Calm Belt would be nothing at all.
But those were all "ifs."
He had spent his time thinking about training in the Arad world, about training only after finding enough resources, or searching for a painless way to get strong. While those weren't "wrong" ideas, the more excuses he gave himself, the lazier he became.
Roger was indeed an unreasonable bastard, but his words were the truth.
Becoming strong really does admit no delays.
It was true that Li Ke had been moving forward with that mindset; whether it was studying languages or poring over the scrolls, he had been using his downtime to grow stronger.
But compared to the people of these worlds, his "purity" was lacking.
He'd train for a while and feel like he had done enough. After all, his time and opportunities were vastly superior to theirs; even if he just slacked off, he could still live a pretty decent life. He could spend his days doing nothing but chasing women and still live comfortably.
Yet, while Li Ke truly wanted to be someone who could enjoy himself with girls whenever he pleased, he didn't want that to be the only thing he was capable of.
He had many ambitions. He wanted to be like the master swordsmen of this world, splitting mountain peaks with a flick of his wrist. He wanted to be like the shinobi of Naruto, summoning clones at will—he even wanted to pick a fight with Son Goku.
The problem was that he had too many options, and those desires weren't burning needs; they were just passing whims.
"It's almost like I haven't even decided to get strong yet," he muttered.
Despite his complaints, Li Ke obediently tied the towrope around himself and began to swim in the Calm Belt. However, every time he caught sight of those gargantuan Sea Kings, his heart would skip a beat. Even with his experience facing zombie hordes, seeing monsters hundreds of meters long moving together like a localized apocalypse made his body feel like it wasn't quite under his control.
Still, driven by that very fear, he pushed his body to its limit and swam for all he was worth.
Even so, his speed was agonizingly slow. While the Calm Belt lacked waves and wind to fight against, the hull was still immensely heavy. No matter how hard Li Ke pulled, the ship barely budged.
Watching from the deck, Roger's face was a map of confusion. Honestly, he hadn't seen anyone this weak in over a decade.
Finally, after Li Ke had spent an hour frantically dog-paddling just to drag the ship a few dozen meters, Roger couldn't take it anymore.
"Where's your [Life Return]?! Give it your all! How can you only use the strength your body 'allows' you to use?! The power hidden within you—use it, damn you! What are you playing it safe for?! Do you think being careful will stop the Sea Kings from coming?!"
Roger drew the blade at his waist and swung, sending a slash whistling right past Li Ke. The sheer sensation of impending death sent a jolt of lethal crisis through Li Ke's system, leaving him bewildered.
He was already using his Blood Secret Arts to assist his physical exertion, but one man towing a ship was pure nonsense! Most importantly, the water in the Calm Belt was unnervingly clear. He could easily see over a hundred meters down, watching the massive shadows of Sea Kings cruising through the depths.
Roger let out a cold laugh. "Looks like you need a bit more... motivation."
Li Ke instantly realized something was wrong. He looked down and saw that Roger's slash had shattered the peace of the depths. The Sea Kings, who had been resting quietly, all jerked their heads up simultaneously. Dozens of massive heads—some tens of meters wide, others hundreds—fixed their predatory glares directly on Li Ke.
If it weren't for his time in the zombie world, Li Ke was certain he would have pissed himself right then and there.
Imagine it: floating on the surface of the water while hundreds of cavernous maws open wide beneath you, any one of which could swallow you whole without a second thought.
"Roger, you motherfucker!"
Li Ke screamed. Terror finally shattered his cautious restraint. His Blood Secret Arts flared to life at full power. Usually, he was careful to avoid injury, but now there was no time to worry about bursting capillaries. He pushed the technique to its absolute limit, doing just enough to ensure his heart and brain didn't suffer fatal damage.
Under Li Ke's frantic, desperate thrashing, the ship finally began to pick up speed. Above him, Roger laughed uproariously amidst the torrential downpour of seawater displaced by the rising Sea Kings. He casually swung his blade, intercepting a Sea King that lunged with clear malice.
"That's it! Faster, kid! Otherwise, the Sea Kings are going to catch you!"
Roger's blade easily intimidated the majority of the monsters into backing off. However, the sheer turbulence of their movement made swimming an absolute nightmare for Li Ke. Several times, he was nearly sucked under or slammed against the hull.
Driven by survival, he relied on his superhuman stamina to breach the waves. In that moment of crisis, his subconscious took over, and he began using the ability he hadn't planned on practicing yet: Waterbending.
On the deck, Roger was prepared to fish Li Ke out from under the ship, but his Observation Haki picked up something strange—the currents around Li Ke were moving unnaturally.
The ability to manipulate water and blood?
Roger had been carefully observing him.
"Tsk. No wonder he sought my guidance," Roger muttered, taking a swig of rum. "With these two abilities, he really could turn the whole world upside down. If the World Government caught wind of this, they'd snatch him up in a heartbeat."
Watching Li Ke forge ahead through the chaotic swells stirred up by the gargantuan monsters, Roger let out a soft, light chuckle—a sound that seemed to carry the weight of every storm he'd ever weathered.
"The sea..." he murmured, his gaze fixed on the horizon where terror and beauty met. "It truly is a captivating place."
Despite the cold lethality of his words, the Pirate King's actions were surprisingly tender. He reached out and pulled his frightened wife into a protective embrace, shielding her from the salt-spray and the sight of the carnage below.
Then, his boisterous, world-shaking laugh erupted once more. He looked toward the helm, where a stunned and utterly speechless Nico Robin stood clutching the wheel, her mind reeling from the sight of a dead era come back to life.
"Keep her steady, little lady!" Roger ordered, his voice ringing out over the roar of the Sea Kings. "We've got a long way to go, and the boy isn't finished with his swim yet!"
As the ship cut through the blood-tinted waves, the shadow of the Pirate King loomed large over the deck, leaving Robin to wonder if she was part of a new journey, or simply a ghost in a legend that refused to end.