Pirates: A Blood Feud That Wiped Out My Family-Kill All the Celestial Dragons!

"Gurararar, if we keep clashing with Conqueror's Haki like this, we won't be able to determine a victor even after three days and three nights."

Whitebeard grinned and spoke first.

Although, in terms of seniority, Rono was merely a rookie pirate who had just set out.

But in the world of pirates, strength reigned supreme!

As a veteran pirate, Whitebeard openly admitted that his Conqueror's Haki was evenly matched with Rono's!

After all, not every veteran pirate possessed the magnanimity to openly acknowledge being on equal footing with a rookie.

No wonder he was the man who contended with Roger for the throne. His breadth of mind was every bit as impressive as Roger's!

Whitebeard's words also earned Rono's favor.

"You really live up to your reputation as the second-in-command of the Rocks Pirates. Today, you've given me a feast for the eyes and let me witness the splendor of the pirates standing at the peak of this era!"

Rono and Whitebeard exchanged a round of commercial flattery.

In truth, it could hardly be called flattery. Whitebeard really was one of the people standing at the peak of this era.

Of course, the one standing at the very highest summit was definitely Rocks.

"Gurararar, what an interesting rookie!"

At that moment, after roaring with laughter, Whitebeard suddenly withdrew his aura, then planted Murakumogiri into the ground and vanished on the spot!

This move instantly reignited the excitement of the surrounding pirates!

The clash of Conqueror's Haki had come to an end. The two experts were probably going to decide the victor in another field!

Rono's expression also turned solemn. He immediately focused all his attention on Observation Haki.

"That guy Whitebeard, did he go to..."

After sensing Whitebeard's aura, Rono suddenly relaxed.

Sure enough, a few seconds later, Whitebeard's towering figure appeared in Mock Town once more.

But this time, he had a three-meter-tall gourd of liquor clenched in each hand!

It turned out that the man had gone to retrieve alcohol from a sailing ship at the harbor.

"We haven't had such a satisfying battle in a long time. This one's yours. Catch!"

With that, Whitebeard casually tossed the three-meter-tall liquor gourd to Rono.

"A truly exhilarating battle should be accompanied by fine wine!"

Rono caught it steadily and immediately understood Whitebeard's intentions.

"Gurararar, that suits me perfectly, Rono!"

Whitebeard laughed heartily, suddenly feeling that Rono understood him very well.

He understood him even better than anyone else aboard Rocks's ship.

"Cheers!"

Whitebeard raised the liquor gourd with one hand.

Rono also lifted the three-meter-tall liquor gourd with ease.

Glug, glug, glug~!

The two simply sat down in the street and began drinking to their hearts' content!

The scene left all the pirate underlings present utterly baffled!

What was wrong with these two?

They had been fighting, yet they had suddenly started drinking?

What kind of rule was this?

They should have taken advantage of the other party's drinking to strike suddenly and finish him off in one blow.

At that moment, Whitebeard and Rono easily saw through the thoughts of the pirate underlings.

The two merely smiled in response.

How could sparrows understand the ambitions of swans?

A sneak attack? That was a tactic only underlings would use.

True powerhouses with bearing always cherished one another!

Glug, glug, glug~

The two drank together in the middle of the street. In less than five minutes, the three-meter-tall liquor gourds were completely empty!

"What a drinking capacity!"

Whitebeard glanced at Rono and was startled to find that the other man was still standing there, perfectly sober.

He wasn't even twenty years old, yet his Conqueror's Haki was evenly matched with his. That alone was astonishing enough.

But his capacity for alcohol was this impressive too?

When Whitebeard had been Rono's age, he had still been a little brat.

Whitebeard grew more and more curious. Just what had this guy grown up eating?

Then Whitebeard abruptly changed the subject and got straight to the point.

"Gurarararara, Rono, let me tell you honestly: I've never met anyone I've clicked with as well as you!"

"Join my division. In my division, you can do whatever you want!"

Whitebeard stared at Rono and spoke with utmost sincerity.

Sincerity truly was the ultimate killing move.

Combined with Whitebeard's charisma, which was every bit as powerful as Roger's, it forced Rono to narrow his eyes and seriously consider the offer.

Of course, Whitebeard's terms were generous enough.

If he joined Whitebeard's division, he would become the division's vice commander outright!

And he could do whatever he wanted. In other words, he would have a status completely equal to Whitebeard's.

Moreover, Whitebeard was one of the few reliable commanders aboard Rocks's ship.

If danger arose, Rono could safely entrust his back to Whitebeard.

However...

Rono also had his own dignity.

In truth, when Rono had first gone to sea, he had wanted to establish his own pirate crew independently.

But after reconsidering, in this era, most of the powerful figures were aboard the Rocks Pirates.

The other promising talents were all aboard the Roger Pirates.

Even if he formed his own crew, where would he find good crew members?

That was why he had decided to join the Rocks Pirates.

"I can join the Rocks Pirates."

"But I must become a commander."

After thinking for quite some time, Rono finally answered Whitebeard.

The answer also left Whitebeard slightly surprised.

But after thinking about it, with Rono's abilities, remaining in his division really would be beneath him.

With his strength, he was more than qualified to become a Division Commander of the Rocks Pirates!

Judging by his potential, if he grew for a few more years, he might even be qualified to become the vice-captain.

"You can tell Rocks that I won't join without a commander's position."

Rono had no idea Whitebeard had thought so much. He continued speaking.

"Don't worry. With your strength, becoming a commander will be more than easy. There's no need to discuss it with Rocks."

Whitebeard waved his massive hand.

Although infighting was common within the Rocks Pirates, and the crew members frequently slaughtered one another,

the only advantage aboard this ship was that strength reigned supreme!

It didn't matter how old someone was or how senior they were.

Nor did it matter who had boarded the ship first.

As long as they were strong enough, they were the undisputed Division Commander!

With only that evenly matched Conqueror's Haki, Rono would be granted a Division Commander position by Rocks even if he never asked for one.

"Welcome to the Rocks Pirates!"

"Cheers!"

Although Whitebeard had failed to gain Rono as his vice commander, he was still delighted by Rono's joining.

This also meant that, from now on, he had finally found a reliable partner aboard Rocks's ship!

That made Whitebeard happier than anything else.

Bang!

The two clinked their gourds again and resumed drinking.

But soon, Rono and Whitebeard suddenly looked at each other.

In the next moment, they both saw wary flashes in the other's eyes!

Someone was rapidly approaching Jaya Island!

And this person's strength was absolutely no weaker than either Whitebeard or Rono!

Chapter 24: At Last, an Admiral Has Arrived! Rono vs. Garp

On the streets of Mock Town, Whitebeard and Rono both froze.

Their Observation Haki had sensed it as well.

An extremely powerful aura was rushing toward them at incredible speed!

"Did you feel it, Whitebeard? We have a visitor."

Rono suddenly stood up and looked toward the sky.

The newcomer's aura was absolutely no weaker than Whitebeard's!

"Looks like you have quite a talent for Observation Haki too."

Whitebeard also stood up, threw away the liquor gourd, and pulled Murakumogiri from the ground.

"What happened to those two? Are they going to fight again?"

The pirate underlings watching also noticed that Whitebeard and Rono's auras had changed again!

The two seemed to have grown wary. Could it be that they were about to fight again?

Just as the underlings were wondering, a nimble figure suddenly appeared in the sky!

"Someone's here...!"

"Who is that? He can actually fly through the sky!"

"How is he doing that?!"

The pirate underlings were stunned!

With their limited knowledge, they had no idea that this technique was called Geppo, one of the Six Powers of the Marines.

Soon, the figure drew closer and closer. After reaching directly above Mock Town, everyone finally saw the newcomer's face!