Due to Captain Rocks' arrival, the previously boisterous banquet hall quieted down.
"Since neither of you is willing to yield, Qin Ze won't join either of your teams!"
Upon hearing this, everyone was surprised.
No need to join?
What did that mean?
"Now, I announce that Qin Ze is the new Captain of the Rocks Pirates and can form his own crew!"
After a pause, Rocks continued.
Golden Lion and Whitebeard were dumbfounded upon hearing this.
Although Qin Ze was exceptionally talented, they never expected Rocks to make such a decision.
It wasn't just the two of them; everyone present was incredulous.
"Captain, this..."
Captain John still wanted to say something, but Rocks turned his head, and his domineering gaze directly shut him up.
"I don't like to repeat myself!"
"You should know that..."
Upon hearing this, Captain John felt cold sweat trickling down his back.
"Alright, Captain!"
The remaining people present dared not disobey Rocks' orders, but the atmosphere became incredibly strange.
Compared to their surprise and disbelief, Qin Ze himself was also taken aback!
How did he suddenly become a Captain?
"Captain, Qin Ze has just become a crew member. Isn't it a bit inappropriate for him to become a Captain so soon?"
"Which of the Captains present isn't battle-hardened and has made numerous contributions to our Rocks Pirates!"
Wang Zhi was deeply shocked by this decision and quite displeased. John didn't dare to speak out directly, but he did.
"That's right! Captains are all individuals with both strength and experience. Isn't this decision a bit..."
Silver Axe also echoed his sentiment, though he didn't finish his sentence.
The remaining cadres also nodded in agreement.
Rocks scanned the people around him.
Except for Edward, who looked indifferent, everyone else's expressions were filled with astonishment.
It wasn't just some cadres who were surprised; some old crew members also had expressions of disbelief.
They had coveted the position of Captain for a long time, and now it was taken by a suddenly appearing newcomer.
No one would feel good about that, especially since the position of Captain was earned step by step through battles on the battlefield and accumulated achievements.
None of Edward, Golden Lion, Charlotte Linlin, Wang Zhi, John, or Silver Axe were directly promoted to Captain as newcomers.
Even Kaido, who had fought for several years in the pirate crew, wasn't qualified to become a Captain.
This showed how difficult and arduous it was.
It was important to remember that the Rocks Pirates were known as overlords on the sea, and their cadres were symbols of strength and status.
Each of them had bounties of several hundred million from the Marine, and Edward and Golden Lion had bounties exceeding one billion.
"You've seen his talent; he defeated Kaido with a single move!"
"I don't need to say more about Kaido's strength, do I?"
Rocks said lightly after scanning the room.
"Moreover, with his talent and strength, he will eventually become a top-tier powerhouse!"
"I'm just accelerating the process!"
"Instead of you all competing with each other, it's better to just let him become one of the Captains!"
Rocks added, and then his aura suddenly expanded, a violent presence intimidating the entire hall.
The meaning was clear: if anyone dared to say more, he would speak with his fists.
Wang Zhi and John, who were about to continue persuading, immediately shut their mouths upon seeing this.
Although Golden Lion also felt it was a bit inappropriate, he didn't show obvious resistance.
Seeing that no one else had any objections, at least on the surface, Rocks walked over and patted Qin Ze on the shoulder.
"I have high hopes for your future performance!"
"After the banquet, come to my place..."
With that, he left directly.
After a long while, the pirates who had been intimidated by his aura finally let out a deep breath.
Their gazes towards Qin Ze were filled with envy and jealousy.
The old crew members made no attempt to hide their hostility towards Qin Ze.
They couldn't do anything about Captain Rocks, but would they lack means to deal with a newcomer like this?
Thus, because of Rocks' few words, Qin Ze unknowingly offended a circle of people.
"gurahaha!"
"Congratulations, little brother Qin Ze, on becoming the youngest Captain in the Rocks Pirates!"
Seeing that Rocks had left, Whitebeard raised his wine glass and came to Qin Ze's side.
Although Qin Ze didn't join his crew, Whitebeard was genuinely happy for him to become a Captain.
"I never expected this! In the blink of an eye, we're already on equal footing! That's quite surprising!"
Golden Lion also came over at this moment.
He knew that Rocks' decision was final and unchangeable. Although he was shocked internally, he remained outwardly enthusiastic.
Since he couldn't recruit him, he at least couldn't offend him.
The remaining cadres also came to Qin Ze to offer their congratulations.
Although they all felt it was too soon, Rocks' actions just now had to make them take notice.
Someone so highly valued by the Captain was rare and certainly not simple.
"I'm also very surprised to become a Captain. I'll need everyone's guidance in the future!"
Qin Ze picked up his wine glass and emptied it, saying with a smile.
He still needed to be polite in such situations, but as for any "care," he'd rather not. He didn't want to be "cared for" by someone stabbing him in the back.
This small interlude did not affect the continuation of the banquet.
Under the organization of the various Captains, laughter filled the entire hall.
Amidst the clamor of the crowd, Qin Ze did not linger at the banquet.
After greeting Whitebeard and a few Captains, he went to Rocks' room.