On Sicily Island.
Surrounded by countless little brothers in black suits, Mafia boss Maron looked up at the flying battleship in the sky.
Every gangster underling had been pointing guns nervously at the pirate ship overhead.
At Maron's signal they all holstered their weapons; showing too much hostility toward the Rocks Pirates was unwise.
"Friends of the Rocks Pirates, what brings you to our Sicily?"
"If the Mafia can be of any help, we'll do our utmost."
Maron didn't know whether they'd come to kill him or recruit him, but with his attitude humble, surely these thugs wouldn't start a fight.
"Ze-ha-ha-ha! Captain Rocks and Chief Advisor Fang Huo want to recruit you."
"So choose—join the Rocks Pirates or not?"
"Refuse and we'll beat you until you join—or until you're dead!"
"Of course, even if you agree, you still have to fight."
"Because the Rocks Pirates don't take trash!"
Before acting-Captain Fang Huo could speak, the spotlight-loving Golden Lion Shiki had already soared out.
He even made his golden flying disk gleam, eager to show off before the world.
Now that the Moon-God Version of Fang Huo was all the rage, the Golden Lion God Version of Shiki had to make waves too.
"Recruit me?"
Learning it wasn't a hit job like the one on Pirate Patriarch Wang Zhi, Maron finally breathed easier.
At least he wouldn't die today.
Since a fight was inevitable either way, he'd have to give everything.
He could pretend to be a worthless weakling and lose on purpose—maybe then they'd leave.
But as Mafia boss and a kingpin, how could he let himself be crushed and scorned so easily?
"I choose to join!"
"Will it be Captain Rocks or Vice Captain Fang Huo who tests my strength?"
Maron weighed the pros for a few breaths; joining the Rocks Pirates had its advantages.
With their backing, his Mafia could rule the West Blue underworld.
One day, when people spoke of West Blue crime, only the Mafia would come to mind.
He would brand the name Mafia into the very soul of West Blue.
The Mafia would forever be the godfather of West Blue's dark world.
—'You want Rocks or Fang Huo to fight you? Who do you think you are!'
Silver Axe sneered; Maron wasn't even worthy to challenge the likes of him or Babel, let alone Shiki or Newgate.
Long Bread or Stussy could probably handle Maron!
"You—!!"
Maron silently memorized the arrogant bastard Silver Axe; once stronger, he'd repay today's humiliation.
"Sorry—your opponent is me."
Bolo Gram leapt from the flying battleship, cratered the ground, and gave a small show of power.
Seeing the web of cracks, Maron's face turned grave.
These monsters from the New World were all outrageously strong.
He barely knew this Pineapple Head.
A mere newcomer of the Rocks Pirates already felt like a mortal threat.
"Gu-la-la-la! Relax—show enough potential and talent and you'll join just fine."
Whitebeard Newgate sensed Maron's tension and hinted that Pineapple Head should go easy so the destined Executive would sign on.
After sparring these past days, Newgate knew how fearsome Bolo Gram's physical skills were.
He figured Bolo had about a sixty-percent chance of beating Silver Axe.
"Show us everything you've got."
Acting-Captain Fang Huo spoke as well, adding credibility—after all, he bore the title of first mate abroad.
"Understood!"
Maron's expression turned serious, but then he wondered—why hadn't Captain Rocks shown up?
Did Rocks not even care to glance at him?
The thought stung and infuriated him!
He'd make these arrogant New World Great Pirates witness his power.
The fight between Bolo Gram and Maron erupted instantly.
Even while holding back, Bolo pummeled Maron from the start.
An elite New World Captain was simply on another level from a West Blue Mafia boss.
Maybe after a few years in the New World Maron could catch up to Silver Axe or Ganzi.
But he'd likely never surpass the already-deceased Wang Zhi.
In the original timeline Maron died because of Wang Zhi's betrayal—perhaps ambushed by him.
In any case, dying in Hachinosu proved Maron was a notch weaker.
—The Mafia men of Sicily watched their boss get crushed by a New World rookie.
It shattered their Filters of an invincible, all-knowing leader.
Their big brother wasn't as unbeatable as they'd imagined.
"Ze-ha-ha! Kinda weak, Fang Huo—are you sure you calculated right?"
Golden Lion Shiki watched the battered Maron; this level barely caught Rocks's eye.
Unless Fang Huo wanted to protect Maron the way he had Sanbel and Stussy.
Then Rocks might give Fang Huo face and let one more weakling Executive aboard.
"When we first met you, your strength was far worse than his right now!"
"I value talent and growth speed more than current power."
Fang Huo arched a brow and gave Shiki a calm glance.
None of the Executives on the Rocks Pirates had reached their peaks yet.
But every one of them had superb strength and potential.
"Ze-ha-ha, I don't sense the disposition of a king in him—at best he'll end up like Fierce."
Shiki grinned; he liked Maron's cigar-chomping look, had swiped some cigars from the Mafia, and started copying the habit.
"You looking to die?"
Silver Axe flared when he overheard Shiki's muttered comparison.
"Hoo—"
"Face reality."
Golden Lion exhaled smoke; cigars suited him—he decided they'd be his signature from now on.
"In the New World plenty of Conqueror's Haki awakeners get taken out."
"Arrogance and conceit will get you killed."
Silver Axe's tone turned icy; he wanted to drop the grudge with Shiki, but the bastard was too infuriating.
"Tch—" Shiki scoffed.
Under Bolo Gram's restraint Maron poured out everything, even surpassing his usual level and fighting at 120 percent.
The Mafia men cheered themselves hoarse.
After a while, with Fang Huo's call, the two fighters stopped.
"Overall, I approve your entry into the Rocks Pirates, but to stay you'll still need Rocks's acknowledgment."
Fang Huo spared Maron further humiliation before his men.
The Mafia still had its uses—
at the very least they could gather intel and hunt Devil Fruits.
The Rocks Pirates couldn't do everything themselves; they needed vassal forces.
"Captain Rocks isn't on the ship?"
Maron's eyes bulged; he hadn't expected a Captain to abandon his crew—where the hell had the man run off to?
—