Future Nicknames

Houka looked at Shiki's youthful face; at this stage, the guy's personality was still a bit unreliable and capricious, and he took great pleasure in setting people up.

Tossing bombs and slamming doors shut to cut off escape routes were just his daily little tricks for sabotaging his own teammates.

It was hard to imagine that he was the same Golden Lion Shiki who would one day become the arrogant, defiant, and world-conquering legend of the future!

"Vice-Captain Houka, that guy's future title is Golden Lion, but what about me? Do I have a nickname that will shake the world?"

Babel stuffed his mouth with meat and looked at Houka with an expectant face, hoping to hear a resounding title.

Since he had only just joined the Rocks Pirates and hadn't caused any major incidents yet, he didn't even have a wanted poster, let alone a bounty or a nickname.

"Catfish Wrestler Babel!"

Houka floated in the air, sipping red wine as he spoke slowly.

"Catfish Wrestler? That's not loud or domineering at all!"

Babel's face fell; the nickname clearly didn't match his imagination, and he felt instantly dejected.

"Vice-Captain, you're a prophet, a man of culture full of wisdom—please, help me come up with a new nickname!"

Babel seemed to think of something, his eyes lighting up as he stared at Houka.

He believed that the knowledgeable Houka would surely give him something satisfying.

"You want to change your title?"

"That's changing the future. Who knows what kind of butterfly effect backlash might fall upon me."

Houka sat up in the air, a look of "struggle" on his face as he began to spout solemn nonsense.

"This..."

"If there are bad consequences, then never mind, Vice-Captain."

Babel looked at the serious-faced Houka, and the fire in his heart was instantly extinguished.

"Very well. The moment we met, the future was destined to change!"

"Everyone, you must firmly believe in the saying: 'My fate is determined by me, not by the heavens!'"

Houka turned his back to the crowd, tilted his head forty-five degrees toward the sky, and left behind a mysterious silhouette.

"Vice-Captain..."

Babel was instantly moved to tears, and Sambel's eyes were filled with little stars; they were completely conquered by Houka's charisma.

Rocks raised an eyebrow. Does this guy Houka die if he doesn't put on an act?

He just loves bullying the honest and simple-minded folks on this ship!

Newgate gave Houka a look of approval, while Shiki's expression grew increasingly complex.

"Let me think about what title suits you..."

Houka looked back at Babel's massive frame, which stood over ten meters tall, and immediately thought of some decent titles.

"How about Nautilus? It feels quite fitting for a massive Fish-Man like you."

"If you don't like that, there's Scourge of the Ocean! Deep Sea Roar! Tidal Knight! Warship Undertaker!..."

Houka quickly reeled off a long list of impressive titles, which instantly sent Babel into a state of excitement.

He loved these titles!

Even Sambel's eyes lit up, and he began to harbor his own little thoughts.

Once Big Brother Babel finishes picking, I'll have to choose one for myself too.

"Wahahahaha, not bad, not bad! These titles are the only ones worthy of my officers!"

Rocks laughed heartily. To be honest, he wasn't even satisfied with the title [World's Worst Pirate] right now.

He also wanted to know if he would have other resounding, fearsome names in the future!

"Bahahaha! Then from now on, I'll be called Nautilus Babel! That 'Catfish Wrestler' title doesn't sound good at all!"

Babel exclaimed excitedly; the title Nautilus sounded even more powerful than Golden Lion.

"Then you'd better practice using a meteor hammer or a long-chained anchor as a weapon."

Houka smiled with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Right! I'll listen to the Vice-Captain. I'm going to start training with a meteor anchor as my weapon!"

Babel was more than happy to follow the advice of Houka, the prophet. Besides Fish-Man Karate and Fish-Man Jujutsu, he would add meteor anchor training to his routine!

"Vice-Captain, I..."

At this moment, Sambel quietly raised his hand; he had his eye on a nickname.

"Wahahaha, kid, I think Scourge of the Ocean and Warship Undertaker are pretty good. Do you have the guts to take on such domineering titles?"

Rocks looked at the honest and simple Sambel, suddenly feeling the urge to use these titles to change his personality.

"Uh, Captain Rocks, I..."

The courage Sambel had just mustered nearly vanished, and his face turned awkward.

Neither of the two titles suggested by Rocks was one he wanted to choose.

"Don't mind Rocks, just use whichever one you like. I've got your back!"

Houka waved his hand with a heroic air, though his peripheral vision subconsciously stole a glance at the wild, arrogant smile on Rocks' face.

"Captain Rocks, Vice-Captain Houka, I would like to use the title 'Tidal Knight.' I want to become the hero of Fish-Man Island!"

Sambel summoned all his courage in an instant. Even though he hailed from the chaotic Fish-Man District, his heart had always been filled with hope.

He wanted to be a hero—a fish-man hero who could protect Fish-Man Island and change its plight!

"Gurarara! A hero! A fine ambition!"

"But you must work hard; being a hero is ten or a hundred times harder than being a pirate!"

Newgate laughed immediately, giving Sambel his full affirmation while appreciating Houka's protective attitude even more.

"Hmph, we are pirates now, and you actually want to be a hero?"

Shiki sneered, clearly unimpressed by the title and the dream; his opinion was much the same as Rocks'.

He also felt that "Scourge of the Ocean" and "Warship Undertaker" were quite good, fitting the violent style of the Rocks Pirates much better.

"Hmph!"

Rocks let out a cold snort, too lazy to care anymore, merely feeling that Sambel lacked any ambition or spirit.

No wonder he had no potential to be a king!

"Hey, Houka, what will my nickname be in the future?"

Newgate took a large gulp of red wine and crudely wiped the red stains splashed onto his short mustache with his sleeve.

Newgate had long golden hair, only a fraction shorter than Golden Lion Shiki's, but the fuzzy mustache on his lip was stark white.

"Hahaha, your signature feature hasn't even grown out yet!"

Houka glanced at Newgate's short mustache, spread his hands, and laughed.

"Signature feature? Hasn't grown out?"

"What kind of nonsense is that! Don't talk in circles with me, speak up!"

Newgate thought about it but couldn't guess, so he asked with a darkened face.

"I won't tease you anymore. Your signature white mustache will be famous throughout the world in the future!"

"Because of that white crescent mustache, you will be known as Whitebeard Newgate!"

Houka traced a crescent shape in the air toward Newgate, finally even activating his Moonlight Gu to form a silver crescent that hovered near Newgate's lips.

"Hahaha, yes, yes, yes! This is the Whitebeard Newgate I have in mind!"

Houka laughed in satisfaction; a Newgate with a white beard was the true Newgate.

"Whitebeard?"

"That title is just so-so!"

Newgate swatted Houka's Moonlight Gu away, looking thoroughly unimpressed.

"Whitebeard! Golden Lion! These are all legendary titles that will be famous in the future."

"How many pirates will imitate your nickname, calling themselves Blackbeard, Brownbeard, Redbeard, Pinkbeard..."

Houka spread his hands, as if describing a common scene.

"Gurarara, it seems I really will be a big shot in the future!"

Newgate smiled with satisfaction and touched the white fuzz on his lip again, feeling that the title "Whitebeard" wasn't so bad after all.