Chapter 21: Join My Division, and You'll Be the Vice-Captain
"Whitebeard! Edward Newgate!"
After seeing the person clearly, the pirates were so stunned their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
Whitebeard, Edward Newgate! In the Rocks Pirates, he stood above numerous monsters, including Shiki, Charlotte Linlin, John, Silver Axe, and Wang Zhi!
The 1st Division Captain of the Rocks Pirates! His bounty is as high as 995 million Berries!
His immense strength is comparable to a Marine Admiral, one of the absolute top-tier fighting forces on this sea!
"What is such a formidable man doing here in Paradise?"
The pirate lackeys looked at Whitebeard with eyes full of worship, their curiosity exploding.
For a man who should be shaking up the New World to appear in Paradise, he must have a special purpose!
Could it be that Whitebeard and Lord Rono are old acquaintances? Or perhaps he's just here for drinks?
Whatever his purpose, Mock Town is not going to be peaceful. We must inform Lord Rono of this news as soon as possible!
"I finally found you, Rono!"
Docking his ship at the port, Whitebeard immediately activated his Observation Haki.
On this Jaya Island, there was one aura clearly different from the pirate lackeys!
An aura so vast that even Whitebeard found it immense, something not found in all of Paradise!
Combined with the recent rumors, the Rono he was looking for was, nine times out of ten, on this island.
After landing, Whitebeard didn't waste time sightseeing. He headed straight for the powerful aura his Observation Haki had sensed.
At Whitebeard's speed, it only took a few breaths to get from the port to Mock Town.
"This is... a Celestial Dragon!"
He had originally planned to find Rono directly, but the moment Whitebeard stepped into Mock Town, he was stunned by the scene before him!
The scorching sun baked down, and the air was filled with the pungent smell of blood and sweat.
Looking up, under the glaring sunlight, a Celestial Dragon with all four limbs missing was bound to the top of Mock Town's clock tower!
His once-noble spacesuit was soaked in filth and blood, and the blood at the stumps of his limbs had been dried and scorched by the hot sun.
The World Noble's arrogant air was long gone. He looked like a slaughtered fat pig.
"S-save... save me... I... I don't want to die..."
He was still muttering, apparently still breathing.
"Treating a Celestial Dragon like this... those guys at the World Government must be furious."
Whitebeard smiled faintly, then his expression suddenly changed as he realized something. Something seemed... off!
Normally, anyone who attacked a Celestial Dragon would flee immediately after doing the deed. After all, if anything happened to a Celestial Dragon, the Marines would immediately dispatch their highest power, an Admiral.
But this guy... why hasn't he left? Or... does the powerful aura on this island belong to someone else?
Before Whitebeard could figure it out, the next moment... *Boom!* A terrifying sword attack suddenly blasted out from the tavern in front of him!
*Bang!*
Whitebeard's reaction was fast. The instant the attack was about to hit him, he immediately raised Murakumogiri, coating it in Armament Haki.
A metallic clang of weapons colliding echoed in the air. *Zzzrra!*
Whitebeard was pushed back two meters. His heels crushed the ground from the powerful recoil as he blocked the slash.
"What a sharp slash. That's at least at the Grand Swordsman level."
Whitebeard mentally appraised the attack while staring intently at the tavern it came from.
The next moment, a figure walked out. He was about 2 meters tall, wearing a fitted white shirt and black trousers. A clean-cut look.
"Rono, it really is you! You actually didn't leave Jaya Island. That's unexpected!"
Whitebeard was slightly surprised to see Rono. After torturing a Celestial Dragon into that state, he really didn't leave? Instead, he was just chilling here!
Is this guy not afraid of a Marine Admiral coming to hunt him down?
"Hm? Whitebeard? Why is it you? I thought it was the Marine Admiral!"
Rono was stunned when he saw the newcomer. After all, he had never seen Whitebeard before and wasn't familiar with his aura.
His Observation Haki had only sensed that a powerful presence had landed on the island. Rono assumed it was the Marine Admiral coming to kill him, so he struck first.
But he never expected it to be Whitebeard! The current Whitebeard was very young, with long, flowing blond hair.
If not for the iconic crescent-shaped mustache and the Murakumogiri in his hand, Rono almost wouldn't have recognized him.
"You thought I was the Marine Admiral? Good grief, were you really here *waiting* for an Admiral to arrive?"
Whitebeard wondered if his ears were failing him. This guy was really, *intentionally* waiting for a Marine Admiral!
This kid... he plays big! He's not even 20, yet he's decisive, ruthless, and his level of insanity is no less than those titans on Rocks's ship.
At least, Whitebeard could guarantee that aside from Rocks, no one else on the entire sea would do something as crazy as taking down a Celestial Dragon and then waiting in place!
"What else? But what's your purpose in coming here?" Rono asked.
In truth, seeing Whitebeard, Rono could already guess his purpose. With Rocks's personality of valuing talent, Whitebeard was definitely here to recruit him.
Although he himself intended to join the Rocks Pirates, Rono had to pretend he didn't know.
After all, he couldn't just eagerly beg to join. Rono understood the principle that simps never win.
Besides, since Whitebeard was already here, wouldn't it be a huge loss not to "pick up" something?
"Join my division, Rono!"
"No test needed. You'll be my Vice-Captain!"
Whitebeard said with great sincerity after a moment of thought.
In fact, the mission Rocks had given Whitebeard was just to recruit Rono. But after seeing Rono, Whitebeard had selfish motives.
This guy was so confident that after torturing a Celestial Dragon, he just waited around for an Admiral!
It seems he's very confident in his own strength, and he's daring and responsible! Isn't this exactly the kind of reliable crewmate he'd been looking for?
So, Whitebeard decided to seize the opportunity and invite Rono to his *own* division. Rocks valued talent, but didn't he, Whitebeard, value it too?
"No way! He's inviting Lord Rono to join? Did I hear that right?"
"He offered the Vice-Captain position right off the bat! Isn't that second only to Whitebeard himself? Lord Rono is amazing!"
"That's right! We'll be set! I heard Whitebeard doesn't care about money; he gives almost all of it to his subordinates."
"I'm so jealous! I want to follow Lord Rono and Whitebeard too!"
"Tch, look at yourself. You might want to go, but would they even take you?"
"Damn it, what did you say? I'll kill you!"
"Bring it on! Who's afraid of who!"
By now, almost all the pirates on Jaya Island had gathered.
The pirate lackeys formed a circle, buzzing with discussion.
After all, in Paradise, it was rare to see a pirate with a bounty over 300 million, let alone two people like this—one with a 500 million bounty, and the other with a bounty of nearly 1 billion!
For these pirate lackeys in Paradise, seeing such big shots with their own eyes was a once-in-a-lifetime event.
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