Several days later.
Even though Rocks had yet to formally raise the flag of the Rocks Pirates, still flying only the black canvas bearing his name,
the World Government had already recognized the formation of the Rocks Pirates in its latest batch of wanted posters.
On each new poster, Fang Huo, Babel, Sunbell, Newgate, Shiki, and Kyo were all listed as members of the Rocks Pirates.
Captain of the Rocks Pirates, "World's Worst Pirate" Rocks D. Xebec – Bounty: 3,811,540,000 Berries.
First Mate & Chief Strategist of the Rocks Pirates, "Murder and Arson" Fang Huo – Bounty: 380,000,000 Berries.
Executive, "Silver Axe" Kyo – Bounty: 300,000,000 Berries.
Swordsman, "Golden Lion" Shiki – Bounty: 247,000,000 Berries.
Executive, "Deep Sea Titan" Babel – Bounty: 188,000,000 Berries.
Executive, Edward Newgate – Bounty: 146,000,000 Berries.
Helmsman, Sunbell – Bounty: 20,000,000 Berries.
"Worororo! Newgate, I told you you'd regret not showing off!"
Rocks glanced at Newgate's darkened face; the fighter they'd snatched from the Whale Pirates now had neither an epithet nor a bounty anywhere near "Golden Lion" Shiki's.
Yet in terms of raw power, Newgate was already stronger than both "Silver Axe" Kyo and "Golden Lion" Shiki.
"Hmph!"
Newgate merely snorted, outwardly unfazed, but he was resolved to display his strength next time.
Especially since Fang Huo kept mentioning that the female pirate Charlotte Linlin, who was only twelve or thirteen, already carried a bounty of 500 million Berries.
They couldn't afford to be outdone by a little girl.
They had to push their own bounties past the 500 million mark, and fast.
"And you, Sunbell—your bounty disappoints me greatly."
"Next time, if you can't reach 100 million, I'll boot you from the core crew even if Fang Huo protects you."
"Right now, you're hardly fit to be an apprentice on this ship!"
Rocks shot the timid Sunbell a cold look; he had no use for such sailors.
"Yes, Captain! I'll work harder!!"
Cold sweat dotted Sunbell's forehead; he was desperate not to be expelled from the Rocks Pirates.
Here, he had Vice Captain Fang Huo who valued him, as well as the kindly Babel and Newgate.
To prove Fang Huo's faith was justified, he had to make good!
"Damn it! How dare the World Government and the Marines call Fang Huo our Vice Captain!"
"It's all your fault for shouting 'Vice Captain' at him!"
"Silver Axe" Kyo glared at Babel and Sunbell; he refused to acknowledge Fang Huo as First Mate—Rocks had stated the crew had no such position.
"Tch, we'll call him whatever we like—what is it to you?"
Babel wasn't intimidated; though Kyo's bounty outranked his, he didn't believe he would lose in a fight.
His lower bounty merely reflected his shorter time at sea.
Kyo had already spent years making a name for himself in the New World.
"Want to throw down?"
"Bring it on!"
Kyo and Babel stood toe-to-toe, neither willing to yield an inch.
Rocks grinned with wild delight; this survival-of-the-fittest atmosphere was exactly what he loved.
"Wororororo! Since the World Government has declared our existence, let's formally found the Rocks Pirates today!"
"You six shall be the founding elders of the crew!"
"Since you two are itching for a fight, let your clash serve as the inaugural battle that births our pirate group!"
Laughing, Rocks ordered Sunbell to hoist the long-prepared flag of the Rocks Pirates.
He told Fang Huo and Shiki to find a nearby island where Babel and Kyo could really go at it.
With Rocks's decision made, Fang Huo and Shiki could only comply.
They soon located a small, deserted isle to serve as the brawlers' arena.
"Newgate, that bounty really is a joke—you've got to top Charlotte Linlin's 500 million, or we'll never live it down."
"Our Rocks Pirates aim to become the strongest pirate crew in the world!"
Floating in mid-air, Fang Huo watched Babel and Kyo's fierce duel while prodding the laid-back Newgate.
"When we seize Murakumogiri this time, I'll show you my full power!"
Newgate stroked the short white beard on his lip, a sharp glint entering his eyes.
He believed he was no weaker than "Silver Axe" or "Golden Lion," and certainly not beneath Charlotte Linlin.
Except for Rocks, he answered to no one!
Not even Fang Huo!
"I'll be waiting."
Fang Huo smiled faintly and turned his attention back to the fight.
To be sure, Babel had taken Fang Huo's words to heart; in mere days, he had learned to swing the "Meteor Anchor" with impressive skill.
The Fish-Man Babel's strength was several times greater than that of the power-specialist "Silver Axe" Kyo.
Unable to overpower Babel in his own forte, Kyo relied on his richer combat experience to edge ahead by a few moves.
Yet neither had enough to defeat the other!
After three days and nights of nonstop battle, Rocks finally called an end to the pointless clash!
The Rocks Pirates set sail again, heading straight for a war-torn New World nation called the Kingdom of Ying.
The nation's Supreme Grade blade, Murakumogiri, was wielded by its Great General.
This time, the Rocks Pirates would steal that national treasure—wresting the blade from the General's own hands!
It was tantamount to declaring war on the entire Kingdom of Ying.
The sensational news of the Rocks Pirates spread across every sea.
Rocks, the "World's Worst Pirate," had finally formed his own crew: six members, five of them bearing bounties above 100 million.
The crew's combined bounty had surpassed 5 billion Berries, eclipsing every New World pirate group to date.
Great Pirate crews throughout the New World felt the pressure of a storm about to break.
Though Rocks alone accounted for the lion's share.
Who would dare provoke this "rookie" crew, led by a monster capable of killing an Admiral?
The Rocks Pirates seemed destined to peak the moment they debuted!
In the Elbaf waters,
Harald recognized the monster human he had met at Mary Geoise in the newspaper.
"He's recruited quite a band of vicious pirates."
Harald was now earnestly seeking a peaceful path for his people to integrate with the world; these rogues held no interest for him.
Regrettably, his last visit to Mary Geoise had yielded no favorable results.
The World Government still refused to accept Elbaf, leaving him deeply frustrated.
On Paradise Island in the New World,
the "Pirate Patriarch" Wang Zhi, seeing the sudden rise of the Rocks Pirates, was filled with dread.
He was the "Pirate Patriarch"; Rocks was the "World's Worst Pirate"—fate seemed to decree a clash between them.
He wondered if Rocks was truly as powerful as the papers claimed—strong enough to slay an Admiral!