Recruiting the Krieg Pirates

Under Nami's direction, the wealth of the Krieg Pirates' remnants was thoroughly looted.

Over five thousand men and fifty-some pirate ships had been decimated by a few slashes from Hawkeye, leaving only three hundred survivors huddled on a few broken vessels to flee.

Countless treasures, pirates, and ships had sunk into the sea, lost forever to the depths; many more died during the escape. This was the One Piece world—brutally cruel.

Adventure and passion exist only in anime; this is the real One Piece world, where death is everywhere!

What surprised Moya slightly was that Gin had actually been saved by Kaya, whose medical skills were barely passable. One had to admit, the vitality of people in this One Piece world was truly monstrous.

Moya had used the Memory Sliding Technique of the Slip-Slip Fruit to wipe the memories of Krieg, Pearl the Invincible, and Gin from their time as pirates, inducting them into the Moya Adventure Group as squad leaders.

Moya was becoming increasingly proficient with the Memory Sliding Technique; he could now slide memories in chronological order. As long as he slid them from the most recent to the most distant, it wouldn't cause memory confusion, resulting at most in a state of amnesia.

He suddenly recalled that Kuro had died rather unjustly.

If one had to blame someone, it was because he lacked the Conqueror's Haki luck of Buggy, and his appearance had been a bit too early, back when Moya's mastery of the Slip-Slip Fruit was still insufficient.

They also donned cloaks and masks; after all, they had been enemies just moments ago, and integrating into the team would take time.

As for the surviving grunts of the Krieg Pirates, Moya had absorbed them all as well.

To be hunted by Hawkeye in the Grand Line, cross the Calm Belt, and return safely to the East Blue with a survival rate of only three hundred out of five thousand—they clearly possessed some luck and skill.

Moya didn't want to wipe them all out; he needed some cannon fodder. He would see how many of these "elite" cannon fodder could survive in the end.

By stripping and patching up the wreckage of the Krieg pirate fleet, they could salvage three functional ships.

The Moya Adventure Group now boasted over four hundred members and seven pirate ships, making them a significant force in the East Blue.

Fullbody the Iron Fist was released, but before he left, Moya performed a little maneuver—a mix of bribery and threats—while clarifying the nature of the Moya Adventure Group.

Ring-ring~

"Hello, this is the Loguetown Marine Branch in the East Blue. How can I help you?"

"This is Marine Headquarters Captain Fullbody. I am currently patrolling the East Blue and have encountered a non-pirate faction known as the Moya Adventure Group.

The Krieg Pirates, the largest pirate fleet in the East Blue, were defeated by them. Furthermore, the Alvida Pirates, the Buggy Pirates, and the Black Cat Pirates have also been destroyed by this group.

Please report this to Colonel Smoker."

"Is this true? Very well, I will report this to Colonel Smoker immediately!"

"Colonel Smoker, according to a report from Marine Headquarters Captain Fullbody, the Krieg pirate fleet in the East Blue has been defeated by a non-pirate faction called the Moya Adventure Group!

They have also destroyed the Alvida Pirates, the Buggy Pirates, and the Black Cat Pirates," the messenger reported hurriedly.

"The Moya Adventure Group?"

"Could it be a new faction of pirate hunters in the East Blue?"

Tashigi, the cute girl standing nearby, analyzed.

"Send out scouts to investigate this Moya Adventure Group!"

Smoker commanded.

"Yes, Colonel!"

"I hope they aren't just despicable pirates in disguise!"

Elsewhere.

"I just hope they don't mistake me for a pirate," Moya muttered. After all, there were too many former pirates on his ships. He could only hope they wouldn't be exposed too quickly; he needed more time to grow!

After having Fullbody relay the message to Smoker, Moya ordered all former pirates with bounties to wear masks and cloaks to delay the time until their exposure.

The Moya Adventure Group stayed in place to repair and refit their ships, while "educating" the former Krieg crew members to turn them into proper crewmen for the Moya Adventure Group.

Just like in the original story, Zeff saw the longing in Sanji's heart to set sail and was determined to drive him away.

He wanted him to fulfill their shared dream: to find the "All Blue," where ingredients from all four seas converge.

Zeff had originally intended for Sanji to join Moya's ship, as he had seen the potential of the Moya Adventure Group.

However, Moya didn't want to take in a lecher like Sanji, wanting to avoid daily headaches, so he rejected Zeff's hint.

In the end, Sanji boarded Luffy's ship. From that moment on, the Straw Hat trio was complete: Captain Luffy, swordsman and combatant Zoro, and cook Sanji.

Additionally, there was the sniper Usopp, and the navigators and sailors, Yosaku and Johnny.

That night, they began to hold a banquet.

"Moya, your crew is great, but mine isn't bad either. We're taking the elite route, and sooner or later, we'll be stronger than you! Because I'm the man who's going to be the Pirate King! Hahaha~"

Luffy said to Moya while eating meat.

"Luffy, you should be thankful that my dream isn't to be the One Piece, otherwise, you would definitely never become it, haha~"

Moya felt a bit tipsy after a few drinks; I'm not afraid of a native like you.

"Right, it's only because our captain doesn't want to compete with you. Besides, Straw Hat Luffy, you're so weak, how could you ever become the One Piece!"

Buggy, having removed his mask, said to Luffy with annoyance.

"Haha, I will definitely become stronger! I will definitely become the One Piece!"

Buggy couldn't be bothered to argue with this blockhead, so he turned to ask Moya: "Captain, what is your dream?"

Everyone looked over at once. Everyone hoped their captain had a grand ideal, and they all looked at Moya with a bit of anticipation, including Nami and Kaya...

"Me? Heh, I just want to survive, it's that simple."

"Huh??" Everyone was shocked.

"Captain, we've already defeated the Krieg Pirates, one of the best in the East Blue. Why is your dream still so simple?"

"Fine, my dream is to survive, and to live until I am the strongest—strong enough that no one can ever threaten me."

Moya looked at the night sky and muttered, and while I'm at it, slaughter the enemy from that ship.

"Live until you're the strongest?" El Drago still didn't understand.

Buggy was silent; he suddenly began to understand that this dream of being the strongest seemed extremely difficult. There were too many powerful people in the world.

"You haven't learned about the outside world yet, you don't know how terrifying the strong in this world truly are."

Moya sighed.

"Then today, I shall educate you all on the knowledge of the Grand Line!"

Moya perked up and said.

"We know a little bit; there are seven incredibly powerful pirates on the Grand Line who are the Shichibukai under the World Government."

Yosaku and Johnny said solemnly.

"It seems you two have at least a little bit of insight."

"Not bad. Currently, the world's power structure is a tripod of the Four Emperors of the sea, the Navy, and the Shichibukai. Furthermore, there is the World Government's omnipresent spy network—Cipher Pol—and the mysterious Revolutionary Army."

"Moreover, the weather on the Grand Line is fickle; countless pirates have died under its harsh conditions."

"Brother Moya, then how do you compare to those Shichibukai and Four Emperors?"

Rika asked adorably!

Looking at Rika, who worshipped him, Moya shook his head speechlessly.

"There is no comparison. Every one of those people possesses the power to destroy an island."

"Are they that terrifying, Brother Moya?"

Rika said in fear, and the others were also shocked beyond measure.

"However, I will also become as strong as them in the future! Believe in me!"

"I believe in you, Brother Moya, you will definitely become the strongest!"

"We believe in our captain too!"

The executives and squad leaders of the Moya Pirates spoke up one after another.

"For everyone's sake, I will also strive to become stronger!" Moya said firmly.

"Captain is the best!"

"Brother Moya is the greatest!"

"I'll become very strong too!" Luffy joined in the shouting.

"Haha, let's all get stronger together!" Moya held Rika in one arm and raised Nami's hand with the other.

The banquet dispersed, and everyone returned to their ships...