"No first mate?"
"Then Vice Captain Fang Huo is…?"
Stussy's pupils shrank; she'd thought she'd latched onto the Rocks Pirates' number two.
Turns out Rocks just said there's no first mate on board.
What do the papers and wanted posters mean, then?
"Bahahaha! The Rocks Pirates have no first mate—only one rule: might makes right."
"But we acknowledge Fang Huo as our vice-Captain!"
Babel jumped in smartly, eager to help Fang Huo lock down the post.
"Right, Vice Captain Fang Huo's the best."
Sanbel and Long Bread chimed in at once, ignoring Rocks' insistence that no first mate existed.
"Gehahaha—beat Fang Huo and they'll call you vice-Captain too."
Golden Lion Shiki, obnoxious as ever, egged the rookie Stussy on.
Inwardly, though, he didn't rate her chances.
She looked weaker than both Ganzi and Kyo—nowhere near strong enough to trade blows with Fang Huo.
"No, no—I absolutely support Lord Fang Huo as first mate!"
After scanning every Executive's face, Stussy swiftly sided with Fang Huo.
Apart from the unreadable Ganzi and Kyo, Whitebeard Newgate, Iron Balloon Charlotte Linlin, and the newly joined Kiel Bastard all seemed to accept the status quo.
Only the trouble-making Golden Lion Shiki likewise refused to call Fang Huo vice-Captain.
This crew's internal politics looked messy.
"worororo—Fang Huo, if you can make every last one of them call you vice-Captain, I'll officially give you the title."
"But if even one of them objects and wants the post, my ship will never have a true first mate."
Rocks wasn't bothered by Fang Huo winning hearts; he wanted the man strong enough to beat every Executive into submission.
Most of all he longed to see Fang Huo crush both Newgate and Shiki.
Kyo and Ganzi were definitely no match.
Charlotte Linlin had turned into Fang Huo's starry-eyed fan—zero threat.
"Acting like I'm desperate for the job—you muscle-head just don't get it."
"One look at me and Imu would beg me to become a Gorosei…"
Fang Huo shrugged; Rocks' rules didn't faze him.
For now he only wanted to stay with the Rocks Pirates, not chain himself there for life.
"Gehahaha—Fang Huo, when I'm Captain I'll make you my first mate for sure!"
Hearing Fang Huo 'clash' with Rocks, Shiki blurted his private ambition.
Every Executive turned to stare.
This guy had guts?
Openly declaring he'd be Captain, poaching Fang Huo right under Rocks' nose.
"Heh—Rocks, I say beat Shiki to death."
Kyo seized his chance, grinning as he tried to bury Shiki.
"Even if Fang Huo won't be Rocks' first mate, he'll be mine!"
Charlotte Linlin leapt in to fight Shiki for Fang Huo, blind to Rocks' darkening face.
"Given the chance, I'd like Fang Huo as my vice-Captain too."
Sensing the tension, Newgate spoke flatly—just to muddy the waters and draw Rocks' ire away from Shiki and Linlin.
Safety in numbers.
Of course, if Newgate ever built his own crew he'd indeed want Fang Huo as his right hand.
"Hear that, Rocks? I'm the hot commodity now—one day you'll beg me and I still might refuse."
Afraid a free-for-all was brewing, Fang Huo tried to cool things down.
"worororo—everyone wants to snatch Fang Huo from me, huh?"
Rocks watched the three king-caliber monsters with relish.
His prized Executives, each itching to overthrow him and steal Fang Huo.
"Heh, yeah—I'm grabbing Fang Huo from you!"
With Linlin and Newgate speaking up, Shiki didn't retreat; he stared fearlessly at Rocks.
Shiki's burning eyes locked on Rocks, aura surging.
The Golden Lion, baring his ambition without restraint, awakened Conqueror's Haki on the spot.
His aura out-roared Charlotte Linlin's and chased Whitebeard Newgate's.
After Rocks' death, this man would stand alongside Roger and Newgate as one of the three legendary pirates.
Half an era ahead of Big Mom and Beast Kaido, he'd rule the New World beside Roger and Newgate.
"Damn you, Shiki!!"
Silver Axe Kyo never imagined Shiki would awaken Haoshoku now—just to vie with Rocks for Fang Huo.
What kind of twist was this?
He wanted to watch Rocks beat Shiki senseless, not see an awakening.
He couldn't accept it.
"worororo—you're usually such a slippery coward, yet here you are, barking at me for Fang Huo's sake."
Far from angry, Rocks looked pleased by Shiki's breakthrough.
Still, a beating was in order—can't let him get too cocky.
"Gehahaha! I've awakened Haoshoku! Fang Huo, you're my lucky star!"
Ecstatic, Shiki unleashed his Conqueror's Haki, more determined than ever to make Fang Huo his first mate.
"This guy…"
Newgate hadn't expected Shiki to awaken for Fang Huo; the Golden Lion's ambition ran deeper than he thought.
"Damn it—why's he so strong!"
Charlotte Linlin felt the pressure; Shiki's Conqueror's Haki had surpassed hers.
No way!
She couldn't let Fang Huo fall to Shiki!
"Fang Huo is mine!!"
Big Mom erupted with her own Conqueror's Haki, pushing Shiki's back.
"Gurarara—might as well join the fun!"
Whitebeard Newgate let his Conqueror's Haki surge, not for Fang Huo but simply unwilling to be outdone.
The other Executives stared as the three kings unleashed their Haki before Captain Rocks, all to claim Fang Huo.
"Thought only the ladies fell for the vice-Captain, but even these kings are brawling over Fang Huo…"
Babel and Sanbel reeled under the triple aura, awe in their eyes.
Fang Huo was bewitching men and women alike—what charisma!
Ganzi, Bastard, Stussy—rookies all—were left blank with shock.
Was the Rocks Pirates about to implode?
Would the crew disband on their very first day?
"worororo—seems I underestimated Fang Huo's charm and importance…"
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