The blind man Fujitora Issho had the power of gravity. He went about his daily business tapping the Supreme Grade Sword Extreme Path Fireline against the ground like a blind man's cane, which was a little perverse.
Of course, perhaps Fujitora Issho simply wanted to keep his feet on solid ground and avoid drawing attention.
But Houka was different. With Rocks backing him now, he wasn't afraid of anyone discovering his ability.
He loved to show off and bask in the attention, and it was easy and convenient...
With so many moves from anime and novels to draw on, Houka's understanding of gravity was probably on an entirely different level from Fujitora Issho's.
Developing abilities like anti-gravity and reducing gravity were fairly basic techniques.
If he kept developing this Gravity Ability, it might even surpass the Float-Float Fruit Ability.
"Gravity? That's a pretty good ability!"
Newgate had plenty of experience with Devil Fruit abilities and had encountered many weak and bizarre powers.
He was glad his Tremor-Tremor ability was powerful enough. After all, everyone could eat only one Devil Fruit in their lifetime.
Getting some useless ability would be a terrible deal.
You'd also lose the ability to swim and become a helpless landlubber.
For pirates who made their living and fought on the sea, that was no small blow.
"Newgate, welcome aboard. As long as you're strong enough, Rocks is actually pretty easy to get along with."
"And congratulations on joining one of the greatest pirate crews in the world. You're about to see the truth of this world and its mightiest monsters."
"Your life from now on will be a hundred, a thousand times more exciting than it is now."
Seeing Newgate drink the healing potion he'd handed him, Houka spoke in a good mood.
"The truth of the world?"
Newgate raised an eyebrow and looked at Houka in confusion. He was just an ordinary pirate and didn't care much about the truth of the world.
"You'll find out eventually."
Houka carried Newgate back through the air.
"Wahahahaha! Convinced yet, Edward Newgate?"
Rocks looked at the young giant. If he refused to submit, Rocks would beat him until he gave in and force him aboard.
He might even wipe out the entire Whale Pirates to make Newgate submit.
"Let them go. I'll join your crew."
Newgate glanced at Captain Uhale, who was cowering like a quail, and sighed inwardly.
He'd suddenly realized he found it more comfortable dealing with that guy Houka than with his own captain.
"Wahahahaha! I never liked them anyway!"
"Then this Davy Back Fight is over!"
"Uhale, are you dead? If not, get over here and end this game!"
"I'm a man who takes [contracts] very seriously."
In a good mood, Rocks agreed to Newgate's request and shouted at Uhale, who was playing dead.
"I'm alive, I'm alive! I'm coming!"
Uhale scrambled to his feet and hurried over, stumbling and rolling along the way.
Watching Uhale's performance made Newgate sigh again. The years they'd spent sailing together quickly faded from his heart.
In truth, as Newgate's strength had grown, Uhale had already begun to grow wary of him.
After all, it wasn't uncommon for a first mate or officer to seize power and take over a ship on these seas.
To protect Uhale's authority as captain, Newgate had even deliberately hidden most of his strength.
Perhaps leaving now was the right choice.
As Houka had said, his future wasn't with the Whale Pirates.
"Wahahahaha! I hereby declare this Davy Back Fight over! Edward Newgate is now one of my crew!"
Rocks announced loudly. Uhale hurriedly nodded, not daring to object.
Rocks hadn't taken their pirate ship or flag. That alone was already generous.
"Now get lost!"
Rocks waved the Whale Pirates away, driving off the bunch of weaklings.
Newgate watched their ship slowly disappear over the sea. He felt a little sad, but also as if he'd been given a new life.
He looked at the powerful Rocks. Perhaps, besides finding his family, he now had another goal.
To grow stronger—strong enough to fight Rocks, and even defeat him!
"Wahahahaha! That's a fine look in your eyes! Want to defeat me? I'll be waiting!"
Seeing the determination in Newgate's gaze, Rocks didn't feel threatened or try to discourage him. He even encouraged him.
He had a feeling that once the spineless Uhale was no longer holding the young giant back, Newgate would awaken Conqueror's Haki before long.
"I will!"
Newgate met Rocks's gaze without fear. His powerful aura surged like a dragon diving into the sea.
If Uhale was a shallow pool holding back Newgate's growing spirit, then Rocks was an ocean. Newgate could grow as much as he liked, and still wouldn't see the end of Rocks's power.
"Wahahahaha! If you can't get stronger, I won't think much of you!"
"Get stronger. I'll take you all to see the heights of this world."
Rocks laughed wildly, growing ever more pleased with his new recruit.
With the Prophet Houka for brains and a Tremor-Tremor Fruit user like Newgate for brawn, the Rocks Pirates were sure to rise even faster!
"To welcome Newgate aboard, let's throw a party!"
"Newgate, these are Babel and Sambel. They're both official members of the Rocks Pirates!"
Houka put his strategic mind to work, helping Newgate settle into the Rocks Pirates as quickly as possible.
The newly formed Rocks Pirates hadn't yet become entirely ruled by strength, and the new recruits were fairly decent. Houka thought there was still time to set things right.
After all, Houka planned to stay with the Rocks Pirates for a long time.
He didn't want the crew killing each other all the time!
Newgate exchanged greetings with Babel and Sambel.
Sambel was very friendly, but Babel's eyes were full of the desire to challenge him.
His goal was to make a name for himself on the seas and become a villain as notorious as Rocks, someone who made even the World Government tremble.
As the boss of the Fish-Man District's local toughs, he'd always believed he was stronger than humans.
He couldn't beat a monster like Rocks, but that didn't mean he couldn't beat this young giant.
"Bwahaha! Let's spar sometime, big guy!"
Babel immediately challenged Newgate.
Rocks was delighted to see this competitive spirit. Conflict made people stronger, so he didn't stop them.
"From now on, every time a new officer joins the crew, we'll throw a party. And no more trash talk that ruins the mood."
Houka raised an eyebrow at Babel, the hothead.
What kind of pirate crew challenged a new recruit on his very first day?
"Strategist, that's not trash talk. I'm serious. Rocks said that the strongest rule on this ship."
"We have to figure out where everyone stands, don't we?"
"That determines how much money we get!"
Babel respected Houka as the Prophet, but that didn't mean he'd treat new recruits with the same regard.
"Wahahaha! Babel's right."
Rocks not only failed to stop him, but fanned the flames, then gave Houka a wild grin.
It seemed he was cooking up another bad idea and looking for a chance to beat Houka up!
"Then fight whenever you like, but don't hold back, Newgate. Hit him hard, just like Rocks would.
"And you can call Captain Rocks by his name. He doesn't care about little things like that anyway."
Houka spread his hands. Fine. He probably couldn't change Rocks's old rule that might made right. After all, that was Rocks's own will and principle.