:"Black Flag" Black?
Fang Huo raised an eyebrow; the man's posture instantly reminded him of the wanted poster he'd seen a few days earlier.
He had already prepared a whole battery of tests for this unknown "Black Flag" Black.
But that ramrod-straight military stance made him even more suspicious.
Were undercover agents in this era all so careless?
He thought of the future Marine defector, Rear Admiral "Red Flag" Drake—one of the Worst Generation's eleven Supernovas.
Using a Marine deserter as a spy really was brainless.
From the day "Red Flag" Drake joined the Beasts Pirates, "Queen the Plague" and the rest of the Tobiroppo never trusted him.
And sure enough, Drake was a mole.
And now "Black Flag" Black—standing there like a soldier on parade—basically screamed "spy" to Fang Huo.
"Tsk, tsk, that stance... lousy disguise. Flunked spy school, I'd say."
"Besides, instinct never lies..."
"Wonder if you know the Six Powers..."
As the Rocks Pirates' Chief Strategist and Vice-Captain, Fang Huo felt duty-bound to eliminate potential threats to Rocks.
He quietly manifested two Blood Shadow Bats; they circled wide and struck at "Black Flag" Black from the front and back.
Watching the fight, Black felt the sudden attack and—on instinct—used Kami-e.
His body went paper-soft, slipping past the first bat.
But the second bat was faster—he couldn't quite dodge it.
Reflexively, he used the move he'd drilled thousands of times: Tekkai.
The bat only tore his coat before his iron-hard muscles shattered it.
"Who's there?!"
Black whirled, scanning the area, especially the vicious pirates behind him.
A bounty hunter?
Damn pirates and hunters—every last one was a menace.
I guess a "Great Pirate" has to stay on guard twenty-four-seven.
High above, Fang Huo's lips curled in cold amusement.
That paper-dodge followed by the signature Tekkai...
"Tekkai, huh..."
He almost laughed—the posture and reflexes had already told him this was a World Government, Marine Headquarters spy.
He had still prepared a whole testing protocol.
After all, that hothead Rocks insisted on recruiting Black.
But the answer was now obvious.
"The world's average IQ and these masterful disguises... steady as ever."
Fang Huo stopped watching the wary Black and turned to Wang Zhi's clash with Babel.
Half an hour later, a battered Babel was shoved aside by an eager "Silver Axe" Fierce.
"Silver Axe" charged Wang Zhi—today he would trample on the "Pirate Patriarch's" reputation!
"Rocks!! What the hell are you playing at?!"
Wang Zhi, worn down by the gauntlet, was furious—he felt Rocks's contempt.
This wasn't the duel for second-in-command he had wanted.
If he kept fighting these Executives, his title of "Pirate Patriarch" would be trampled into the dirt.
"Worororo! Just wanted to see how strong the so-called 'Patriarch' really is!"
Rocks shrugged, disappointed—Wang Zhi was kind of weak.
He couldn't even pass his crew's test.
He wasn't worthy to face him at all.
"Rocks, are you scared? Using these bastards to wear me down?"
Wang Zhi punched the rabid "Silver Axe" flying, then taunted Rocks.
"Want to die?"
Rocks's grin froze—he itched to draw his blade and cut the bastard down.
"Rocks! We haven't fought yet—you can't make a move!"
"Golden Lion" and "Whitebeard" yelled, afraid Rocks would steal their stepping stone.
"Fang Huo, you said if I beat him, you'll be my friend, right?"
Charlotte Linlin's chubby baby face lit up with hope.
According to Streusen, once she was Fang Huo's friend, he'd predict her future.
In her mind, friends help each other.
Then she could find Mother Carmel faster!
"That's right!"
Fang Huo smiled; now the chubby glutton was trying to curry favor with him.
"Great! I'll beat the crap out of him!"
Charlotte Linlin clenched her meaty fists, eyes blazing.
Fang Huo glanced at Wang Zhi, then at "Black Flag" Black.
He had thought of turning both into Vampire Blood Servants.
But such a vile move would make the other Executives wary of him forever.
Not good for unity—or ambition.
So, he would simply devour the "Pirate Patriarch" and the spy instead.
Why waste strength turning them into thralls?
Swallow them, convert them into his own power, and speed up his evolution.
Suffering doesn't make you the top dog—cannibalism does.
A hundred blood slaves are still outside help; only your own strength is real.
As Wang Zhi and "Silver Axe" fought on—
the pirates of Paradise Island buzzed with chatter.
They never imagined the infamous "Pirate Patriarch" would struggle so long against Rocks's Executives.
Besides one-shotting Sunbell, Wang Zhi hadn't truly beaten Babel.
And now he had fought "Silver Axe" Fierce for another half hour!
Babel and "Silver Axe" Fierce shot to fame, looking evenly matched with the "Patriarch."
Even Sunbell earned praise for being tough as leather.
Wang Zhi still held the upper hand, but his "Patriarch's Aura" lay in tatters.
Soon, "Silver Axe" finally lost.
Charlotte Linlin rode her thunder cloud, her right fist wreathed in the sun Prometheus, and stormed into battle.
The "Iron Balloon's" entrance escalated the fight to a whole new level.
Lightning and fire from Big Mom reduced the Wang Zhi Pirates' Paradise Island base to rubble.
Enraged, Wang Zhi went all-out against Charlotte Linlin.
"Damn it—still can't win!"
"Silver Axe," battered but thrilled, had achieved his goal.
He had shown the world he was barely weaker than the "Pirate Patriarch."
If Wang Zhi survived Rocks and Fang Huo, "Silver Axe" would surpass and stomp him someday.
"'Pirate Patriarch' Wang Zhi's been sent flying by Charlotte Linlin!!"
"Are all the Rocks Pirates' Executives monsters?"
"'Golden Lion,' 'Whitebeard,' and the 'Great Demon Venerable' haven't even moved yet!"
"Looks like the 'Patriarch' is being forced to join the Rocks Pirates!"
"The world's strongest crew is born—villains, every one of them! Rejoice!"
"No, an all-star crew! Captain Rocks, you're my idol!"
Paradise Island's pirates erupted; countless began worshipping the unstoppable Rocks Pirates.
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