Joining the Rocks Pirates, "Iron Fist" Garp Arrives

Jaya Island, Mock Town.

By now, the houses lining the streets, the roads, and the trees in Mock Town had all been utterly destroyed.

It looked as though a nuclear bomb had swept through the place.

The two "culprits" who had reduced Mock Town to this state were now reining in their auras.

The pirate lackeys watching from the sidelines froze at the sight!

The clash between two great pirates, Whitebeard and Rono, had been a feast for their eyes. Why had they suddenly stopped?

They were still nowhere near deciding a winner.

"Gurararara! At this rate, we could clash with Conqueror's Haki for three days and nights without settling anything."

Whitebeard grinned and spoke first.

In terms of seniority, Rono was only a rookie pirate just starting out.

But in the world of pirates, strength reigned supreme!

Even as a veteran pirate, Whitebeard freely admitted that his Conqueror's Haki was on par with Rono's!

Not every veteran pirate had the magnanimity to openly acknowledge a rookie as his equal.

As expected of the man who would vie with Roger for the throne, his generosity of spirit rivaled Roger's!

Whitebeard's words also earned Rono's goodwill.

"And you certainly live up to your reputation as the Rocks Pirates' second-in-command. Today, I got to see firsthand what a pirate at the pinnacle of this era can do!"

Rono and Whitebeard exchanged a round of flattering praise.

In truth, it was hardly empty flattery. Whitebeard really was one of those who stood at the pinnacle of this era.

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

"Gurararara! What an interesting rookie!"

Just then, after laughing heartily, Whitebeard abruptly withdrew his aura, planted Murakumogiri in the ground, and vanished!

That move instantly excited the surrounding pirates again!

With their clash of Conqueror's Haki over, the two masters were surely about to settle things through other means!

Rono's expression grew serious, and he immediately focused all his attention on his Observation Haki.

"Whitebeard, that guy... is he going to..."

After sensing Whitebeard's presence, Rono suddenly relaxed.

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

This time, however, he held a three-meter-tall sake gourd in each hand!

He had merely gone to the sailing ship in the harbor to fetch some sake.

"It's been ages since I had such a satisfying fight. This one's yours. Catch!"

With that, Whitebeard tossed one of the three-meter-tall sake gourds to Rono.

"A good fight deserves good sake!"

Rono caught it steadily, immediately understanding Whitebeard's intentions.

"Gurararara! You took the words right out of my mouth, Rono!"

Whitebeard roared with laughter, suddenly feeling that Rono really understood him.

In fact, he understood him better than anyone aboard Rocks's ship.

"Cheers!"

Whitebeard raised his sake gourd with one hand.

Rono likewise lifted his three-meter-tall gourd without the slightest effort.

Glug, glug, glug!

The two simply sat down on the ground and drank to their hearts' content!

The sight left all the pirate lackeys present utterly baffled!

What was wrong with these two?

How had a fight turned into a drinking session?

What kind of rule was that?

They should have struck while their opponent was drinking and taken him down in one move.

Whitebeard and Rono easily saw through what those pirate lackeys were thinking.

Both merely laughed it off.

How could small minds comprehend lofty ambitions?

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

Truly magnanimous powerhouses always appreciated one another!

Glug, glug, glug!

The two drank together right in the street. In less than five minutes, their three-meter-tall sake gourds were empty!

"You can really hold your liquor!"

Whitebeard glanced at Rono and was startled to find him still standing there, perfectly sober.

It was one thing for someone under twenty to possess Conqueror's Haki on par with his own.

But how could he hold that much liquor too?

At Rono's age, Whitebeard had still been a mere brat.

Whitebeard grew increasingly curious. Just what had this guy eaten growing up?

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

"Gurararara! Rono, to tell you the truth, I've never met anyone I clicked with this well!"

"Join my division. You can do whatever you want there!"

Whitebeard looked at Rono and spoke with utter sincerity.

Sincerity truly was the ultimate trump card.

Coupled with Whitebeard's charisma, which rivaled even Roger's, it was a powerful combination.

Even Rono had to narrow his eyes and give the offer serious thought.

Of course, Whitebeard's terms were more than generous.

In his division, Rono would immediately become the deputy commander!

And he could do whatever he wanted. In effect, he would stand on equal footing with Whitebeard.

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

When danger arose, Rono could safely leave his back to him.

But...

Rono had his own pride.

In fact, when he first set out to sea, he had wanted to create a pirate crew of his own.

But after thinking it over, he realized that most of this era's powerhouses were currently in the Rocks Pirates.

The other promising talents were all in the Roger Pirates.

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

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

"I can join the Rocks Pirates."

"But only if I get to be a division commander."

After thinking for a long time, Rono finally answered Whitebeard.

His answer left Whitebeard a little surprised.

On second thought, though, keeping someone of Rono's ability in his own division really would be a waste of talent.

With his strength, he was more than qualified to be a division commander in the Rocks Pirates!

Judging by his potential, he might even be qualified to serve as vice captain after a few more years of growth.

"You can tell Rocks that I won't join unless I get a division commander's position."

Unaware of how much Whitebeard had been thinking, Rono continued.

"Don't worry. With your strength, you're more than qualified to become a division commander. There's no need to even ask Rocks."

Whitebeard waved his large hand.

Although infighting was common within the Rocks Pirates...

And the crew members would kill one another at the slightest provocation...

The one good thing about that ship was that strength reigned supreme!

Neither age nor seniority mattered.

Nor did it matter who had joined first.

Anyone strong enough was unquestionably worthy of being a division commander!

Rono's Conqueror's Haki alone, which matched Whitebeard's, would prompt Rocks to offer him a division commander's position even if he never asked.

"Welcome to the Rocks Pirates!"

"Cheers!"

Even though Rono had not become his deputy commander, Whitebeard was still delighted that he was joining.

It meant that, at last, he would have a reliable companion aboard Rocks's ship!

Nothing could have made Whitebeard happier.

Clink!

The two clinked their drinks again and drank heartily.

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

A moment later, each saw a fierce glint of wariness in the other's eyes!

Someone was rapidly approaching Jaya Island!

And that person was no weaker than either Whitebeard or Rono!