"Luo Xia, you have the qualifications to become the Vice-Captain Candidate of our Beasts Pirates," Kaido declared loudly. "Wororororo, men! Celebrate the birth of our new Executive!"
As Kaido's words fell, the vast Skull Hall first fell into silence before erupting with deafening cheers the next second.
"WOOOOOH—!!!"
"Lord Luo Xia~!"
"With Lord Luo Xia joining us, our Beasts Pirates will surely grow stronger!"
"Lord Luo Xia, please let me be your attendant!"
The thunderous cheers echoed through the hall as the pirates' attitudes completely reversed from their daytime hostility.
This was precisely the effect of establishing authority!!!
The Beast Pirates were a survival-of-the-fittest crew where strength determined everything.
There was camaraderie among comrades, but not much.
Otherwise, the Tobi Roppo wouldn't constantly scheme to challenge the All-Stars and overthrow them.
Overthrowing superiors was commonplace here.
The lower-ranked pirates had been emotional and resentful earlier, but now that they'd calmed down, they understood.
Moreover, Captain Kaido's words seemed to support Luo Xia's bid for the non-existent vice-captain position.
With this realization, many began scheming.
If they pledged allegiance to Luo Xia now, wouldn't they gain merit when he became vice-captain?
Thinking this, the pirates grew increasingly enthusiastic, all scrambling to get Luo Xia's attention.
"Get out of my way, let me through!"
Page One roughly shoved aside those blocking his path, pushing forward to face Luo Xia first.
"Ahem, big bro"
"Oh?" Luo Xia raised an eyebrow, unsure what Page One wanted.
"Let's say we became friends through our fight. After witnessing your prowess, I'm deeply impressed. Please accept me as your subordinate."
Page One spoke earnestly, though a hint of cunning flashed in his eyes.
To thrive in the Beasts Pirates, one needed both personal strength and powerful backing—only under a big tree could one enjoy shade.
He'd considered finding a "big tree" before, but King the Conflagration ignored him, while Queen the Plague looked down on him...
In contrast, Luo Xia had just joined and lacked subordinates. If he could successfully pledge allegiance, he might leverage Luo Xia's influence to become an Executive before his elder sister Ulti, reaching the peak of his life.
The thought of finally trampling his bullying elder sister excited Page One so much he chuckled aloud.
Luo Xia glanced at the grinning Page One. Though unsure of his schemes, he decided to accept this subordinate.
"Alright, little Page. From now on, you're with me. Don't worry, I'll train you daily to make you stronger."
"Thank you, big bro!" Page One rejoiced before suddenly realizing something. "Wait, big bro, what kind of training did you mean..."
"What you experienced—similar to last night." Luo Xia patted Page One's petrified shoulder.
Page One: "???"
*@#￥!
Is it too late to quit now?
"You traitor, little Page!"
The furious elder sister appeared, immediately putting her stinking little brother in a headlock.
A night of revelry ensued.
Having spent ten years on a deserted island with wild beasts, this was Luo Xia's first time attending such a lively banquet.
For a moment, he lost himself in the revelry, drinking until he was thoroughly intoxicated.
The next day.
Luo Xia was jolted awake by a loud noise.
His vision was half-filled with an elegant Japanese-style room, while the other half was blocked by something round and pale.
"You're awake, Lord Luo Xia. Would you like a bowl of sobering soup?"
The "Twenty-Eight Foot Man," Black Maria, spoke in a sweet, honeyed voice.
It had to be said—though the Beast Pirates didn't have many female members, their quality was exceptional.
Whether it was Yamato, Ulti, or the Black Maria before him, they were all stunning beauties.
"Ehehe~"
Black Maria chuckled softly as she stood up, not daring to push her luck any further.
Living in the chaotic Beasts Pirates and serving as the Lord of the Pleasure Quarter, she had long been mentally prepared for such situations.
Still, this first time should be cherished—it shouldn't be too casual.
"Lord Kaido asked me to take good care of you, Lord Luo Xia," Black Maria said as she presented the sobering tea.
Luo Xia took it and downed it in one gulp. "Where's Kaido?"
Ever since he had unlocked the Armor Dragon Slayer Magic the night before, Luo Xia had been itching for a rematch with Kaido.
"Lord Kaido just left," Black Maria replied.
"Where to?" Luo Xia raised an eyebrow.
"Probably went out to sea for a stroll again," she said.
In the eyes of the Beasts Pirates, their captain was nothing more than a seafaring loafer.
Every now and then, he'd get drunk, transform into the Azure Dragon, and fly out to sea for a spin—disappearing for ten days to half a month was practically routine.
What they didn't know, however, was that Kaido's frequent outings weren't just aimless wandering. His true purpose was to scout for strong fighters.
Since Roger had ushered in the Great Pirate Era, pirates had sprung up like bamboo shoots after rain, and competition on the seas had grown increasingly fierce.
The Whitebeard Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates were renowned as top-tier crews.
Thanks to Kaido, the Beast Pirates could also rank among the elite, though compared to the other two, their foundation was somewhat weaker.
The Whitebeard Pirates needed no introduction—formed after the Rocks era, they had spent over thirty years building their reputation, becoming one of the three great powers of the previous age alongside the Roger Pirates and the Golden Lion Pirates.
Now, with Roger dead and the Golden Lion in seclusion, they were steadily gaining dominance over the seas.
The Big Mom Pirates had also risen to prominence thirty-two years ago, with their captain, Big Mom, single-handedly birthing most of the crew's executives.
Compared to them, the Beast Pirates were established much later. It wasn't until over twenty years ago, when Kurozumi Higurashi invited them to Wano Country, that they truly gained a foothold.
Fourteen years ago, Kaido defeated Kozuki Oden and seized control of Wano, marking the beginning of the Beasts Pirates' rapid expansion.
In just over a decade, their numbers swelled from a mere thousand to over ten thousand.
Yet, among these ten thousand, capable executives were pitifully scarce. Over the years, the only notable addition was Jack.
This was precisely why Kaido frequently ventured out—to recruit more talent for his crew.
Most pirates, however, ended up getting blasted into the sea by a single Heat Breath, failing to meet his standards.
Finding Luo Xia had reignited Kaido's confidence in his recruitment efforts, so just two days later, he set out again.
"If Kaido's not here, then forget it. We'll talk when he gets back," Luo Xia said, standing up and heading out the door.
The afternoon had arrived.
Oni Island, which had reveled all night, was unusually quiet.
"Hey, boss!" Page One's eyes lit up as he eagerly stepped forward. "Want me to show you around our headquarters?"
"No need! Let's get started with our daily training first!" Luo Xia replied.
Hearing this, Page One's face instantly turned green.
Though reluctant, he had no choice but to comply.
After letting Page One take the first 100 moves, Luo Xia threw a single punch—and Page One went down.
Later, Luo Xia visited the infirmary on Oni Island to check on Jack. Youth truly was a blessing—after a full day and night, the man was still asleep.
Left with no other options, Luo Xia ordered someone to prepare a bundle of food and headed to a cave in the back mountains of Oni Island.
Yet again, he came up empty—the cave was clearly abandoned.
"Luo Xia, I'm leaving. Don't come looking for me. I've thought about it for a long time, and I think it's best if we don't see each other anymore. Don't worry about me."
Yamato had carved these words into the cave wall.
Anyone else might have mistaken it for a breakup letter.
"Heh, trying to play hide-and-seek with me? Interesting!"