Several days later, in a remote sea in the first half of the New World.
Houka had spent a fortune in the Underground Dark World to obtain a little information about Sleepy Town.
"Houka, can you really foresee that there's a Devil Fruit on that deserted island?"
Newgate still couldn't quite believe Houka's prophetic abilities were so absurdly powerful.
He could even foresee unclaimed Devil Fruits. Did that mean Houka could get anything he wanted in the future?
"I can't foresee the existence of a Devil Fruit. I just know that, in the future, a powerful person will find this fruit on the island."
Seven Soul Gu Insects appeared beside Houka again, one blue, one purple, and five white. They made him look like a deity.
He hadn't hidden his mutated talent from Newgate.
Newgate sensed Houka's sincerity and trusted him even more.
As Rocks had put it, Houka had resisted the temptation of the Paramecia with the greatest destructive power: the Tremor-Tremor Fruit.
That was because Houka felt Newgate was the best person for the Tremor-Tremor Fruit Ability, and he trusted Newgate's character.
That moved Newgate somewhat.
Otherwise, if Houka had insisted on getting Newgate's Tremor-Tremor Fruit Ability, Rocks could easily have killed Newgate for Houka and taken the strongest Paramecia Ability.
After all, in Rocks's eyes, Houka's ability to make predictions was more important than Newgate was right now.
If Houka had chosen to lie and deceive Rocks, those so-called destined officers might all have become Houka's prey.
In truth, Houka's honesty had earned Rocks's trust instead.
It was worth noting that Rocks, a member of the D Clan, also had Observation Haki that let him hear the Voice of All Things.
During the God Valley War in the original timeline, Imu forcibly used Black Turn Domination on Rocks, and his thoughts appeared directly in Roger and Garp's minds.
It was somewhat similar to the way Zunesha transmitted its voice into people's minds.
Perhaps the mental communication between Imu, the Five Elders, and the Holy Knights was also some special kind of Observation Haki.
Of course, it was more likely to be the Ability of some Devil Fruit.
"With that, you can have nine abilities. What a terrifying soul mutation."
"But can you really develop all those abilities?"
"Just as Rocks said, your physique is ridiculously weak!"
Newgate watched the Soul Fire swirling around Houka's shoulders, a hint of envy in his eyes.
But he also knew how much effort it took to develop an ability.
Especially for an orphan like him, who'd never gone to school. Developing his Tremor-Tremor Fruit Ability was already hard enough.
"That's why I'll need you guys to protect me. As long as I live long enough, I'll eventually get stronger!"
Houka seemed to have no pride as a strong man at all. He bluntly asked them to protect him.
"Gurarara! Since Houka trusts us so much, I'll make sure to protect you."
Seeing how much Houka needed him, Newgate was actually happy. He liked having the responsibility of protecting someone.
"Houka, why not find Shiki first and then go to Sleepy Town?"
Rocks couldn't wait to bring Shiki, the underworld samurai with the Float-Float Fruit Ability, aboard.
"Heh. With Shiki's personality, if he joined the crew before we went looking for the Devil Fruit, he'd probably try to take it or demand that we split it."
"This fruit is extremely important to me. I don't want anything to go wrong!"
"Then you'd have to beat Shiki up, and that wouldn't be good for anyone."
Houka spread his hands. Rocks wasn't interested in other Devil Fruits right now. He only wanted to obtain the two legendary Devil Fruits that could be used against Imu.
The Human-Human Fruit, Model: Nika, the strongest Mythical Zoan, and the Dark-Dark Fruit, the most evil Logia!
Newgate already had the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, while Babel and Sambel, the two Fish-Men, didn't want to become unable to swim.
As for the few sailors and deckhands aboard, Houka had already dismissed them from his mind.
Rocks would probably throw those weaklings off the ship before long.
The Sword of Xebec didn't need weaklings!
"I knew you had all sorts of little schemes!"
"I'm protecting you, so hurry up and tell me something about Died and Dongye Huanglong!"
"And which powerful person gets this Devil Fruit in the future?"
Rocks wanted to dig more useful information out of Houka.
"Captain, I already told you—we're not from the same era as those two."
"But speaking of this Devil Fruit, I do know a little about the powerful person who gets it."
"He was born with a special kind of Observation Haki that let him peer into other people's hearts. He saw how cunning and deceitful people were, so he disliked being around others and preferred to be alone."
Thinking of the Mythical Zoan Vampire-Vampire Fruit he was about to obtain, Houka thought of the Red Earl, Redfield, the solitary great pirate.
"Wahahahaha! Born with special Observation Haki! How strong is he? Where is he now?"
Rocks licked his lips. A talent like that belonged under his command.
"He's very talented, and he should be about the same age as Newgate. In the future, he'll be almost as strong as Newgate, even without a Devil Fruit Ability."
"He'll be able to fight the Fleet Admiral!"
"He should be from West Blue. He probably hasn't gone to sea yet, and I don't know how far he's gotten by now!"
Houka spread his hands. He really didn't know anything else about the Red Earl, Redfield.
But given the title "Red Earl," along with Redfield's noble's clothes and elegant manner, he was probably an aristocrat!
"His name! I want his name!"
Rocks grew excited. West Blue was great—West Blue was his homeland.
A newcomer with the potential to become a Marine Admiral, and someone born with special Observation Haki.
He had to recruit him!
"Take it easy, Captain!"
"His name is Patrick Redfield. His epithet is the Red Earl. He's probably a noble right now, and in a few years, he'll be inspired by a Music Pirate and decide to go to sea as a pirate."
"Of course, he might have grown sick of the hypocrisy among nobles. After all, his special Observation Haki lets him see all their filth."
"Or perhaps something went wrong with his family, forcing him to go to sea."
Houka didn't know Redfield's exact circumstances, so he could only piece together what little information he had.
"Patrick Redfield! A noble?"
"Wahahaha! He'll go to sea in a few years? I can wait that long!"
Rocks grinned broadly, as if he'd just found another important subordinate who could help him oppose Imu.
"Don't forget his special Observation Haki. He won't join a pirate crew like ours."
Houka spread his hands. He wasn't very confident about recruiting Redfield.
"Wahahaha! You just need to give me the information. Whether I can recruit him is my business."
Rocks laughed confidently, paying no attention to Houka's warning.
"Harald's son has Conqueror's Haki from birth, too. Want to go recruit him?"
Houka casually teased him, and Rocks's eyes lit up.
But when he thought about how long it took the Giants to grow up, he let the idea go.
"He can fight me without a Devil Fruit Ability, and he can even battle the Fleet Admiral?"
Newgate immediately committed the name Patrick Redfield to memory. He had to fight this man someday.