The Demise of the Pirate Patriarch

Golden Lion Shiki unleashed the majority of his techniques upon Ochoku, showcasing his strength and talent to the world.

As of now, he was no longer much weaker than the Pirate Patriarch!

Within two years, he would undoubtedly surpass Ochoku, becoming a legendary great pirate that even Ochoku would have to look up to!

"Gahahahaha! How exhilarating!"

"I'll leave this whetstone to you next!"

Golden Lion Shiki had even shattered the two ordinary longswords in his hands; only after losing his blades did he step back, fully satisfied.

Although Newgate was not particularly keen on participating in this gauntlet, since this was a stepping stone prepared for everyone by Houka, he would reluctantly put on a show.

He could not let Houka's good intentions go to waste.

As Golden Lion Shiki flew away, Whitebeard Newgate hoisted the Supreme Grade Sword, Murakumogiri, and leaped directly off the Sword of Xebec, slashing down at Ochoku.

Seeing the massive arc Newgate's naginata pressed into the air, Ochoku realized just how terrifying the monster's strength truly was.

This was even more frightening than Charlotte Linlin had been.

"Ahhhhh!!!"

"You bastards have no sense of honor!"

Ochoku's composure completely shattered, but he had no choice but to bite the bullet, erupting with twelve times his combat power as he threw a punch to meet the strike.

"BOOM!!!"

In an instant, the shockwave from the collision of fist and blade spread violently in all directions, sweeping countless watching pirates away like ragdolls.

A magnitude-ten earthquake erupted across the entirety of Elysium Island, and deep fissures spread throughout the land.

Every pirate present was scared out of their wits by this single blow.

What kind of monsters were these?!

"Ugh!"

For the first time, Ochoku was sent reeling, vomiting a mouthful of blood. He stared with trembling pupils, shocked by the sheer force and the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit possessed by Whitebeard Newgate!

How could a newcomer possess such formidable strength!

"The Patriarch Ochoku has been sent flying! He's been beaten until he's vomiting blood!"

"Whitebeard Newgate is so strong!"

Countless elite pirates screamed in a frenzy, as if they had witnessed something impossible.

"Is this the true strength of Newgate!"

Seeing Newgate force Ochoku to vomit blood with a single move, both Silver Axe and Golden Lion were filled with shock.

Silver Axe, in particular, felt an even greater craving for such a powerful Devil Fruit ability!

He was convinced that it was the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit that had made Newgate so formidable.

"Captain Rocks! I submit! I truly submit! I will join the Rocks Pirates unconditionally!"

Ochoku no longer dared to dream of becoming the second-in-command of the Rocks Pirates; he no longer wanted that vice-captain position.

Otherwise, before Houka, the current vice-captain, could even make a move, he would be beaten to death by Whitebeard Newgate, the third-in-command!

"Boring!"

Whitebeard had no interest in an enemy who had lost the will to fight. He had only used one move before choosing to stop and return to his team.

Yet, that single move had conquered countless pirates, instantly turning him into an idol for a vast number of them.

To shatter an island with one strike—what level of power was that!

"Wahahahaha! Houka, what do you think?"

Rocks looked at the disheveled, begging Ochoku, then grinned at Houka.

He no longer had any regard for this so-called Pirate Patriarch.

In truth, when Houka had been testing Black Flag Black earlier, Rocks had already noticed the pirate he had intended to recruit.

He wondered what Houka had managed to probe out.

He truly hoped that there would be no issues with Black Flag Black.

Otherwise, after finishing off Ochoku, he would have to finish off Black Flag Black as well.

"What do I think? It's either him or me!"

Houka, flying on his sword, descended like a deity to a position just above and in front of Ochoku, looking down at the slightly wretched and cunning Pirate Patriarch.

"Vice-Captain Houka, I surrender. I want to join the Rocks Pirates; from now on, we are partners."

Ochoku stuck out his long tongue, revealing a fawning smile, though in his heart, he wished he could kill every one of these Rocks executives.

Originally, he had agreed to cooperate with the World Government not only to survive Rocks' game but also to find an opportunity to take over everything belonging to the Rocks Pirates.

But now, the gauntlet thrown by these executives made him want to kill every single bastard who had stepped on his face.

"I wish to borrow something from Captain Ochoku, and I hope Captain Ochoku will agree!"

Houka looked at the disheveled Ochoku with a smile. Having endured a gauntlet of battles, it was already remarkable that Ochoku could still stand here.

After all, Newgate, Shiki, and Linlin were each monsters and geniuses of this era.

Even though they were still young, their strength was already formidable.

Talent was the sort of thing that allowed geniuses to reach heights ordinary people could never touch, even without putting in the effort.

A tiger becomes a king in a few years, while a turtle just becomes an old tortoise after decades!

"Whatever Vice-Captain Houka wants, feel free to take it. From now on, the possessions of the Ochoku Pirates are the possessions of the Rocks Pirates."

Ochoku lowered his posture significantly, disguising himself as a harmless grass snake.

"I want Captain Ochoku's life!"

Houka beckoned with his right hand, and the Seven-Star Sword beneath his feet flew into his grasp.

In an instant, the green glow of the Seven-Star Sword surged, and the crescent moon mark on Houka's forehead erupted with a ghostly blue-white light.

"What?!"

Ochoku was shocked. He had lowered his posture so much, so why did the Rocks Pirates still want to kill him?!

"Nine Heavens Lock: Crescent Moon Sky Piercer!"

A gravitational field as heavy as Mount Tai pressed down upon Ochoku, as if ten thousand heavenly locks had been placed upon him, causing his body to fall into an abrupt state of paralysis.

A highly piercing blue-green crescent sword aura, carrying a terrifyingly sharp edge, slashed toward the frozen smile on Ochoku's face.

"No!!!"

Ochoku screamed in terror. If he hadn't been worn down by that gauntlet of battles, and if he hadn't been heavily wounded by Newgate's strike, he wouldn't have feared a brat like Houka at all.

Under the fear of death, Ochoku frantically unleashed his Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki, struggling to break free from Houka's gravitational suppression and block this terrifying strike!

"Boom!"

Ochoku blocked with great difficulty, but a deep, gruesome wound appeared on his blackened, Armament-coated arms, exposing the bone.

In an instant, Houka transformed into a blood shadow and appeared behind Ochoku.

The long, narrow Seven-Star Sword pierced straight through Ochoku's heart!

"The Great Demon Lord has killed our leader!!!"

The pirates of the Ochoku Pirates went completely mad. They never imagined that Houka would actually kill Ochoku!

Wasn't the Rocks Pirates supposed to be recruiting strong individuals?

"Why! Why!!"

Still suppressed by the gravitational field, Ochoku gripped the sharp blade protruding from his chest with his blackened hands, his eyes filled with rage and fear, his mouth dripping with blood!

"There is no why! I just wanted to eat you!"

Houka licked his lips, revealing sharp fangs, as a swarm of Blood Shadow Bats flew from his body and engulfed Ochoku.

Countless Blood Shadow Bats tore at Ochoku frantically, devouring his blood!

"No!"

"Rocks!"

"I can be your dog! Hurry and stop your man!"

Ochoku was gripped by immense terror, watching helplessly as these Blood Shadow Bats ate him alive.

Black Flag Black, watching from the sidelines, felt a chill instantly flood his heart at the sight of these Blood Shadow Bats.

How did this look somewhat like the blood shadow that had ambushed him earlier?

"Jiehahahaha!! And you say you aren't the Great Demon Lord!! You are nothing but a devil!!"

Seeing Houka cruelly devour Ochoku, Golden Lion Shiki burst into unrestrained laughter.

It seemed that Houka, the prophet, wasn't as kind as he had imagined.

His principles and bottom line weren't that high, either.

That only made the chances of recruiting Houka in the future even higher.