Golden Lion Shiki had unleashed most of his techniques against Ochoku, showing the world his strength and talent.
He was already nearly as strong as the Pirate Patriarch!
Within two years, he would undoubtedly surpass Ochoku and become a legendary pirate whom even Ochoku could only look up to!
"Jahahaha! What a rush!"
"I'll leave this whetstone to you now!"
Golden Lion Shiki had even shattered the two ordinary swords in his hands. With both blades gone, he finally stepped back, satisfied.
Though Newgate hadn't really wanted to join this relay battle, this was a stepping stone Houka had prepared for everyone.
He'd just have to make an exception and show off a little!
He couldn't waste Houka's kindness.
As Golden Lion Shiki flew away, Whitebeard Newgate hefted the Supreme Grade Sword, Murakumogiri, and leaped straight down from the Sword of Xebec, slashing at Ochoku.
Seeing the huge arc Newgate's naginata carved through the air, Ochoku knew just how terrifying the monster's strength was.
He was even more frightening than Charlotte Linlin had been.
"Aaaargh!!!"
"You bastards have no honor!!"
Ochoku was completely broken, but he could only grit his teeth, unleash every ounce of his strength, and punch at Newgate.
"Boom!!!"
In an instant, the shock wave from fist and blade colliding burst outward in all directions. Countless pirates watching were swept away by the gale.
A magnitude-ten earthquake rocked all of Elysium Island, splitting it with ravines.
Every pirate was scared out of their wits by that blow.
What kind of monsters were these?!
"Ugh!"
For the first time, Ochoku was sent coughing up blood. His pupils trembled as Whitebeard Newgate's strength and Tremor-Tremor abilities stunned him!
How could this rookie be so powerful?!
"Pirate Patriarch Ochoku was sent flying! He's coughing up blood!"
"Whitebeard Newgate is so strong!!"
Countless elite pirates shouted wildly, as if they'd witnessed something impossible.
"So this is Newgate's true strength!"
Seeing Newgate make Ochoku cough up blood with a single blow, Silver Axe and Golden Lion were both stunned.
Silver Axe Xiong was especially eager to get his hands on a powerful Devil Fruit ability!
He was convinced that the Tremor-Tremor Fruit was what had made Newgate so powerful.
"Captain Rocks! I'm convinced! I really am! I'll join the Rocks Pirates unconditionally!"
Ochoku no longer dared dream of becoming the Rocks Pirates' second-in-command, or of taking the vice-captain's place.
Otherwise, before Houka, the vice-captain, even had to lift a finger, he'd be killed by Whitebeard Newgate, the number-three figure!
"Boring!"
Whitebeard had no interest in enemies who'd lost the will to fight. He'd made just one move before choosing to stop and rejoin the others.
But that single blow had won over countless pirates, instantly making him an idol to a great many of them.
He'd shattered an island with one blow. How powerful was that?!
"Wahahahaha! Houka, what do you think?"
Rocks grinned at Ochoku, who was groveling in defeat, then glanced at Houka.
He'd already lost interest in this so-called Pirate Patriarch.
In fact, Rocks had noticed the pirate he wanted to recruit when Houka tested Black Flag Black just now.
He wondered what Houka had discovered.
He hoped Black Flag Black was all right.
Otherwise, after killing Ochoku, they'd have to kill Black Flag Black too.
"What do I think? It's him or me!"
Houka flew on his sword to a point above and in front of Ochoku, looking down like a god at the pirate patriarch, whose manner was a little sly and contemptible.
"Vice-Captain Houka, I surrender. I want to join the Rocks Pirates. We'll be comrades from now on."
Ochoku stuck out his long tongue and put on a fawning smile, though inside he wanted nothing more than to kill every Rocks officer.
He'd agreed to cooperate with the World Government partly to stay alive amid Rocks's game, but he'd also hoped to find a chance to take over the entire Rocks Pirates.
But after these officers had put him through a relay battle, he wanted to kill every bastard who'd stepped on his face.
"I'd like to borrow a few things from Captain Ochoku. I hope you'll agree."
Houka smiled at the battered Ochoku. Having endured the relay battle and still standing, Ochoku had already done remarkably well.
After all, Newgate, Shiki, Linlin, and the others were all monsters and prodigies of this era.
They were still young, but already incredibly powerful.
Talent could let a genius reach heights beyond an ordinary person's grasp, even without any effort.
A tiger became king in a few years; a turtle took decades to become a tortoise!
"What does Vice-Captain Houka want? Take whatever you like. From now on, everything belonging to the Ochoku Pirates belongs to the Rocks Pirates."
Ochoku lowered himself as much as he could, pretending to be a harmless little snake.
"I want Captain Ochoku's life!"
Houka raised his right hand, and the Seven-Star Sword flew from beneath his feet into his grasp.
In an instant, the Seven-Star Sword blazed with green light, while the crescent-moon mark on Houka's forehead shone with a ghostly blue-white radiance.
"What?!"
Ochoku was stunned. He'd lowered himself so much—why did the Rocks Pirates still want him dead?!
Nine Heavens Lock: Crescent Moon Sky Piercer!
A gravity field as heavy as a mountain pressed down on Ochoku. It was as if countless heavenly chains had bound him, leaving his body abruptly rigid.
A piercing blue-green crescent of sword energy, edged with a terrifying sharpness, slashed toward Ochoku's frozen smile.
"No!!!"
Ochoku screamed in terror. If those bastards hadn't put him through their relay battle, if Newgate hadn't badly wounded him with one blow, he wouldn't have feared this brat Houka at all.
Under the terror of death, Ochoku unleashed his Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki, struggling free of Houka's gravitational restraint as he tried to block the terrifying slash!
Boom!
Ochoku barely managed to block it, but a deep, savage wound appeared on his Armament Haki-blackened arms, nearly cutting to the bone.
Houka instantly turned into a blood shadow and appeared behind Ochoku.
The long, narrow Seven-Star Sword plunged straight into Ochoku's heart!
"The Great Demon Lord killed the Patriarch!!!"
The Ochoku Pirates went completely mad. They'd never imagined Houka would kill Ochoku!
Wasn't the Rocks Pirates recruiting powerful people?!
"Why? Why?!"
Still pinned down by the gravity field, Ochoku clutched the sharp blade jutting from his chest with his blackened hands. His eyes were full of fury and fear, and blood covered his lips!
"No reason. I just want to eat you!"
Houka licked his lips, baring his sharp fangs, and a swarm of Blood Shadow Bats flew from his body and engulfed Ochoku.
Countless Blood Shadow Bats tore into Ochoku, devouring his blood!
"No!"
"Rocks!"
"I can be your dog! Make your man stop!"
Ochoku was terrified as he watched the Blood Shadow Bats eat him alive.
Watching from the sidelines, Black Flag Black felt a chill fill his heart at the sight of the bats.
Why did they look so much like the blood shadows that had just ambushed him?
"Jahahahaha!! And you still claim you're not the Great Demon Lord!! You're a demon through and through!!"
Seeing Houka cruelly devour Ochoku, Golden Lion Shiki burst into wild laughter.
It seemed this prophet Houka wasn't as kind as he'd imagined.
His principles and standards weren't all that high, either.
That meant there was an even better chance he could recruit Houka in the future.