Golden Lion Shiki

Shiki immediately looked toward the other crew members; if he couldn't beat Rocks, surely he could beat the others.

He was determined to become the number two on this ship!

So strong!

When Shiki saw Newgate, he instantly felt that this little giant was even stronger than himself.

Scanning Houka and Babel, he felt that neither of them was any weaker than he was.

Only Sambel was someone he could potentially bully.

As for the sailors and handymen, he ignored them entirely.

"Bahahaha! We haven't even moved to bully the newcomer yet, and you're already looking to pick a fight?"

Babel laughed wantonly; naturally, every new member had to have a great battle to establish their status on the ship.

"Jiehahahaha! The strong rule and strength is supreme, so of course we have to fight!"

"But I'm not in the best shape today, so let's battle in a few days."

Shiki showed no fear, meeting Babel's brutal gaze head-on.

Newgate merely glanced at Shiki indifferently.

He had sparred with Houka before and already had experience and techniques for dealing with flight-based abilities.

If Shiki dared to pick a fight, Newgate wouldn't mind using his Tremor-Tremor Fruit ability to send Shiki sinking into the depths of the sea.

"I already said, no fighting on a new member's first day—only banquets!"

Houka floated in the air as he spoke, doing his best to keep the atmosphere on the ship somewhat normal.

"Understood! Vice-Captain."

Babel was very obedient; he would rather anger Rocks than offend Houka, the prophet.

"He's the Vice-Captain? I thought the strong ruled this ship!"

Shiki was instantly unconvinced; he would rather believe Newgate was the vice-captain than believe this guy Houka held the title.

"There is no Vice-Captain on my ship!"

"You can beat them all into submission and make them call you Vice-Captain of their own free will."

Rocks spread his hands and gave Houka a wickedly mischievous look.

It seemed he wouldn't need to beat up Houka himself in the future; Shiki would be constantly picking fights with him.

"Jiehahahaha! Beat them until they're willing to call me Vice-Captain, is that it!"

Shiki instantly set a small goal: to beat these expert crew members into submission.

"I only recognize Houka as Vice-Captain!"

Sambel spoke very honestly, not at all afraid of offending the newcomer, Shiki.

"Jiehaha, I'll beat you all into submission one by one. I hope your mouths are as tough as your bodies!"

Shiki was arrogant and wild; he wanted to beat these guys just as brutally as Rocks had beaten him.

He would make them understand what it meant for the strong to rule and for strength to be supreme!

"Bahahaha, trying to steal the Vice-Captain's position from Houka? I hope you don't regret it."

Babel laughed loudly, hoping Shiki would still be able to smile once he found out Houka was a prophet.

Even Rocks held Houka in high regard.

If the peerlessly wise Vice-Captain Houka were to scheme against him, Shiki would likely suffer quite a few losses.

In fact, if Houka truly wanted Shiki's Float-Float Fruit ability, Rocks and Newgate would likely help him finish Shiki off.

That was the extent of Houka's importance!

On the Rocks Pirates, the rule that the strong rule and strength is supreme applied to everyone.

Everyone, that is, except for Houka the prophet.

"Regret! I will never regret anything!"

Shiki cast a provocative glance at Houka, but Houka ignored him, continuing to lead a few sailors and handymen in organizing Shiki's initiation banquet.

When Shiki saw the floating "pool of wine and forest of meat," he was instantly reminded of the gravity suppression he had just experienced.

"What is your ability?"

Shiki felt that Houka's ability somewhat countered his own Float-Float Fruit ability, so he asked casually.

After all, to know oneself and the enemy is the key to victory.

"Gravity Ability."

"Welcome aboard, Golden Lion Shiki!"

Houka smiled faintly, picked up a floating glass of red wine, and raised it toward Shiki.

"Golden Lion? Is this my new nickname?"

Shiki, a samurai currently involved in the underworld, was generally known as Shiki the Extreme, and he had yet to acquire any other monikers.

However, the title "Golden Lion" did seem to suit his mane of golden hair quite well.

"My apologies, it's just a habit; Golden Lion Shiki is your future title."

Houka appeared indifferent, as if letting these guys know their future titles wouldn't have much of an impact.

"Future title?"

Shiki furrowed his brows, suddenly struck by an ominous feeling.

"Bahahaha, Vice-Captain Houka is a prophet who can foresee the future. If you want to snatch the position of vice-captain and offend Houka, you'll have a rough time ahead."

"Who knows, the opportunities that were meant for you might all be intercepted—things like famous swords or Devil Fruits..."

Babel looked at Shiki with a wicked grin; they all knew that Houka had seized the Vampire Fruit that should have belonged to Redfield.

Offending Houka meant being destined for extreme misfortune in the future.

If a fatal crisis were to arise, Houka might not even bother to offer a warning.

"What! A prophet?"

Shiki's pupils trembled. He had just been planning to acquire a couple of famous swords, and if Houka were to obstruct or mislead him...

Wouldn't that mean he was finished?

So that was what those two fish-men meant when they told him not to regret it.

"Hmph, I don't believe it!"

Shiki stiffened his neck and spoke defiantly, though the look he cast toward Houka was no longer as arrogant or unruly as before.

"Houka, I've already gotten a lead on the Supreme Grade Sword, Murakumogiri, that I'm destined to obtain in the future."

"I really like the look of that naginata. When are we going to go snatch it?"

At this moment, Newgate, who had been devouring roasted meat, spoke to Houka with a smile.

It seemed he really would become a master swordsman who wielded a naginata in the future.

Newgate, who was currently accustomed to using his fists, had already begun preparing to practice long-handled naginata techniques.

"What! A Supreme Grade Sword?"

Shiki's eyes turned red with envy instantly. Houka had used his prophetic abilities to help this little giant, Newgate, find a suitable Supreme Grade Sword?

Was this the charm of a prophet!

"Heh heh, you'll have to ask Rocks, our captain, about that. He decides the movements of the Rocks Pirates."

"I'm just responsible for providing a little bit of intelligence."

Houka leisurely enjoyed his red wine, deliberately ignoring Shiki's complex gaze.

Shiki was a few years older than Newgate and was only in his early twenties; his strength was still far from its peak.

For him to even think about competing with Houka for the vice-captain's position—he wasn't qualified!

Now that Houka possessed the abilities of three fruits, even if his physical constitution was slightly lacking, his strength had already reached a very impressive level.

Coupled with the enhancement of the Seven-Star Sword, he had absolutely no problem dealing with the young Golden Lion Shiki.

"Wahahahaha, Newgate, don't be impatient. We will definitely help you snatch a Supreme Grade Sword!"

"This guy Houka found himself a Seven-Star Sword long ago; he's cunning as they come."

Rocks laughed heartily; he loved this feeling of precise plundering.

"But for now, we're going to hunt down that Yakuza Assassin Xiong who's been chasing Shiki, and snatch him onto the ship while we're at it!"

Since Shiki had already boarded, Xiong should be in these waters as well.

In any case, Xiong would join the crew in a dozen years or so; it would be better to have him join early.

Perhaps by following them, he could grow to even greater heights.

"You're going to recruit Xiong?"

Shiki's eyes widened again, but the next moment, he began to grin wickedly.

"Then the Captain had better give him a good beating. Xiong is famous for being a tough nut and incredibly arrogant!"

Shiki began to goad Rocks directly, hoping that Rocks would beat Xiong half to death.

Since he had boarded the Rocks Pirates' ship before Xiong, he was now Xiong's senior, and he would be able to mock that bastard later on.