Rocks spoke up. "The three of you contributed the most to seizing the Heavenly Tribute this time, especially Luo Tian."
"Shiki seized the Heavenly Tribute, while Newgate held Sengoku at bay. And Luo Tian..."
"Not only gravely wounded Tsuru and kept Zephyr in check, but also fought Garp to a standstill. Our Rocks Pirates' fame has shaken the world."
"Such achievements deserve a reward."
"So, Shiki and Newgate, you may each choose one Devil Fruit and one weapon."
"As for Luo Tian...you contributed the most, so you may take two Devil Fruits."
"Choose whatever you like."
The Rocks Pirates had never been a warm, loving family. They were a pack of wolves where only the strong ruled.
Merit in battle was power.
"Gyahahaha! I've got no complaints about the captain's arrangement!" Shiki laughed.
"Gurarara! Luo Tian, these things will be quite useful when you recruit your own crew someday."
Luo Tian gave a slight nod. He had no objections to Rocks's arrangement.
"Good."
Rocks stepped aside and gestured for them to proceed.
Luo Tian, Shiki, and Whitebeard walked up to the seven brocade boxes.
Inside were seven Devil Fruits of different shapes.
Each box had a fruit encyclopedia entry pasted on its lid.
Luo Tian glanced over the descriptions and felt a little disappointed.
"Not a single Logia Devil Fruit?"
Three of the seven were Paramecia, and the other four were Zoan—all Ancient Zoans.
As expected, the Devil Fruits offered as tribute to the Celestial Dragons by various countries were all top-quality.
"You brat!"
Shiki's mouth twitched. He shot Luo Tian an exasperated glare.
"Logia Devil Fruits aren't wild fruit growing by the roadside for anyone to pick!"
"Gurarara! This Paramecia fruit looks pretty good."
Whitebeard picked up a fruit with a surface that glittered like a diamond.
"The Glitter-Glitter Fruit... It can make your body as hard as diamond, giving you incredible defense."
He hefted the fruit and nodded in satisfaction.
"I'll take it."
Seeing Whitebeard choose, Shiki immediately reached out and grabbed the Shark-Shark Fruit, Ancient Model: Megalodon.
"I'll take this one!"
Compared to Paramecia, Shiki preferred the straightforward boost of a Zoan: simple, brutal, effective.
Luo Tian also chose two Devil Fruits.
The Ape-Ape Fruit, Ancient Model: King Kong Ape.
The Cat-Cat Fruit, Ancient Model: Saber-Toothed Tiger.
Ancient Zoans weren't much use to him personally, but they were excellent choices for training his subordinates.
Ancient Zoans were especially useful: stronger than ordinary Zoans, though slightly weaker than Mythical Zoans.
"Finished choosing?"
Rocks's voice came from behind them.
The three turned around and showed him the fruits they had chosen.
"Good."
Rocks nodded, then turned to the two weapon racks.
"The Famous Swords are here. Shiki, Newgate, you may each choose one.
"Since Luo Tian has already taken two Devil Fruits, he won't receive an additional weapon."
Nine swords were displayed on the racks.
Three Great Grade Swords.
Six Skillful Grade Swords.
Shiki's eyes lit up as he eagerly headed for the racks.
He was a great swordsman himself and had an almost obsessive love of Famous Swords.
Although he already had Oto and Kogarashi, who could ever have too many good swords?
In the end, Shiki chose a Great Grade Sword.
Whitebeard waved a hand, indicating that he didn't need one.
The remaining Famous Swords and Devil Fruits naturally went to Rocks. How he chose to distribute them afterward was his business.
A few days later, at the port of Beehive Island.
The coast was now packed with a sea of people.
Nearly all the Rocks Pirates' officers had gathered, along with countless crew members.
They were waiting because today was the day the spoils returned.
John, who was always obsessed with money, had a near-mad gleam in his eyes.
Their own group had come back empty-handed after trying to seize another shipment of Heavenly Tribute.
But the captain's group was different—they had captured an entire ship laden with Heavenly Tribute.
Even though John hadn't lifted a finger, the Rocks Pirates' rules meant that he, as an officer, would still get a share.
It would certainly be less than what the fighters received, but this was Heavenly Tribute meant for the Celestial Dragons. How could its value compare to ordinary treasure?
Just thinking about all the gold coins, jewels, Devil Fruits, and Famous Swords made John's throat go dry and his heart race.
In fact, the Navy high command had transferred the other shipment of Heavenly Tribute to the one Sengoku and Zephyr were escorting.
That was why Charlotte Linlin, John, and the others had come up empty-handed.
But they never imagined that the Rocks Pirates would be so powerful. Not only had they lost all the Heavenly Tribute, they had also suffered heavy casualties. They had truly lost both the battle and the prize.
However, in stark contrast to John's excitement, Ochoku and Kaido looked grim.
They stood at the front of the crowd, their faces dark.
The Navy had already released news of the Rocks Pirates' raid on the Heavenly Tribute, along with wanted posters. The news had swept across the seas like a hurricane, and they had read it too.
Luo Tian's achievements and his 2.5-billion-Berry bounty had hit them like a heavy hammer.
Kaido clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white.
He stared at the wanted poster, at that face far too young to have a 2.5-billion-Berry bounty, jealousy and resentment surging inside him.
Why?
He, Kaido, had joined the Rocks Pirates before Luo Tian and was no weaker. So why had Luo Tian made a name for himself in one battle and earned a 2.5-billion-Berry bounty, while he was still just a "rookie"?
It wasn't fair!
If Luo Tian weren't around, then he would be the Rocks Pirates' best rookie.
But no matter how resentful he felt, Kaido had to face reality.
The World Government and the Navy would never joke about their own dignity and authority.
A 2.5-billion-Berry bounty meant Luo Tian really had the strength to match it.
He had fought Garp to a standstill...
Just thinking about it made Kaido's spine go cold.
Ochoku's feelings were even more complicated, because he had clashed with Luo Tian before.
Just then, more than a dozen pirate ships appeared on the distant sea.
A huge transport ship was also floating through the air above them.
"Is that the legendary Heavenly Tribute transport ship?!"
"No wonder it carries tribute for the Celestial Dragons. The ship itself is twice as big as ours!"
"A transport ship that huge... How much treasure must be inside? Are we really about to get rich?!"
The pirates gathered on the shore exclaimed in amazement, their eyes filled with undisguised greed and excitement.
Before long, the returning fleet docked at the port.
Captain Rocks stepped down from the bow, his black cloak billowing behind him.
Luo Tian, Shiki, and Newgate followed close behind.
The four stood shoulder to shoulder at the front of the dock.
Rocks surveyed his men, packed together like a swarm of ants, and announced loudly:
"Lads—"
The port fell silent in an instant, every eye fixed on him.
"Move all the treasure aboard the ship into the castle!"
"Count it all, store it away! Everyone gets a share!"
"Tonight, we celebrate!"
"Yeah—!!"
"Long live Captain Rocks!"
"Long live the captain!"
Before you continue