The Pirate Who Vowed to Kill Every Celestial Dragon

Rumors About Rono: Golden Lion, John, Silver Axe, and the Others Put Him to the Test

In the New World, on Hachinosu, the Rocks Pirates' home base.

Rocks had told the officers about the banquet that evening, and they were all preparing to attend.

On the way to the venue, John, Ochoku, Silver Axe, Charlotte Linlin, and Shiki happened to cross paths.

"Have you heard? Rono, the Most Evil Criminal, has joined us," Silver Axe said as soon as he saw them.

"I know. He's the newcomer who seized the Heavenly Tribute and killed a Celestial Dragon."

"Tonight's banquet is to welcome him," Ochoku said, sounding a little sour.

As far as he could remember, this was the first time the entire Rocks Pirates had been called to a banquet for a newcomer.

Was this guy really that important?

"That's right. I heard he also beat Garp and escaped from Kong, Sengoku, and Zephyr alongside Whitebeard."

John recounted Rono's exploits. He seemed to follow everything Rono did.

"He beat Garp the Iron Fist? No wonder his bounty is 1.5 billion."

It was the first Shiki had heard of it, and he was startled.

Garp was a Marine the Rocks Pirates encountered often. His iron fists had left a deep impression on their officers.

Even Garp lost? Rono sounds strong.

"Mamamama! He's a handsome young man, judging by his wanted poster. I'd better get my hands on him soon!"

Charlotte Linlin, who had yet to put on weight, chuckled. She was looking forward to meeting Rono.

A handsome man that strong ought to have a child with her.

Their child would surely be powerful!

"Disgusting."

The others recoiled at Charlotte Linlin's words and instinctively moved away from the madwoman.

She was notorious throughout the Rocks Pirates for sleeping around. Even the members of her division were children she had borne with men of different races.

Charlotte Linlin had made advances toward Shiki, John, Silver Axe, Ochoku, and even Whitebeard.

They had all turned her down flat, afraid of catching something.

"But do you know the strangest thing about Rono?" John suddenly asked.

"What?"

Golden Lion, Ochoku, Silver Axe, and Charlotte Linlin instantly grew curious and leaned in to listen.

"Rumor has it Rono has a terrifying talent: he can learn other people's signature moves incredibly fast!"

"He can even learn one just by seeing it once!"

"He figured out Garp's iron fists during their fight. That's why Garp lost," John said smugly.

He had been paying close attention to Rono, so he knew the rumors. His reason was simple.

John loved money, and Rono had a grudge against the Celestial Dragons.

If John won Rono over, Rono could kill the Celestial Dragons while he followed behind and picked up their treasure. It would work out perfectly.

"Learn an enemy's moves in the middle of a fight? Impossible!"

Golden Lion immediately objected.

He had felt Garp's iron fists firsthand.

Garp had punched him in their last fight with the Marines, and the wound still ached.

Garp's iron fists were his signature move, something he had developed through years of training. How could anyone learn that from a single look?

Golden Lion had signature moves of his own.

Cleaving Wave, Two-Sword Style, Lion: Thousand-Cut Valley, and his techniques with the Float-Float Fruit had all taken him a long time to develop.

No one could learn them at a glance. It had to be a rumor.

"Exactly. The World Government's reports always exaggerate!"

"It's just a rumor, John. You're always chasing gossip." Silver Axe and Ochoku thought John was talking nonsense too.

How could anyone learn someone else's signature move so quickly?

A person spent over a decade developing a move, and you learned it by watching once?

Did he think every powerful fighter in the world was worthless?

"Heh. There's a banquet tonight. Why don't we test him? We could make a wager while we're at it," John said with a grin.

When he had first heard the rumor, he had reacted just like Shiki and Silver Axe. He had not believed a word.

But he had sent people out to investigate, and it seemed to be true.

John saw a chance to make a fortune.

"A wager? Sure. What are we betting?" Golden Lion, Silver Axe, and the others perked up.

This bet looked easy to win. It was money waiting to be picked up.

"How about one billion Beli? If the rumor is true, each of you pays me one billion!"

"If it's false, I'll pay each of you one billion Beli!" John steeled himself and made the offer through gritted teeth.

Golden Lion, Ochoku, and Silver Axe were stunned.

They wondered if the man before them was an impostor.

John usually prized money above his life. Why was he suddenly being so generous?

A one-billion-Beli bet was no small sum.

After all his years with the Rocks Pirates, John might not have saved much more than that.

Could the rumor be true?

They began to have doubts, but soon shook them off.

Impossible. How could anyone have the talent to learn a move just by seeing it once?

If such a talent existed, none of them would have needed to train so hard for all those years.

"Fine, we'll take the bet. No reason to turn down free money!" Ochoku and Silver Axe agreed on the spot.

To them, the money might as well have been lying on the ground.

And one billion Beli was no small sum, even for pirates like them.

"I'm in too. But John, will you have enough to pay us if you lose?"

Golden Lion joined the wager. He was not about to pass up a billion Beli.

But he doubted John could cover it.

One billion each meant three billion Beli. Did John really have that much?

And even if he did, would he actually hand it over?

"Don't worry. I won't back out. I'm not stupid enough to refuse to pay all three of you."

John gave Golden Lion his word.

Golden Lion, Silver Axe, and Ochoku nodded. He had a point.

"Fine. But if you try to back out, forget about getting a share of the loot from any future raids," Silver Axe said confidently. He knew how strong John was.

John would struggle against Golden Lion alone, let alone all three of them.

If John did refuse to pay, he would be in for a beating. He could forget about a share of the loot too.

"Then it's settled." John decided to take the gamble and trust the information his men had brought back.

With the wager agreed upon, they headed to the banquet together.

Before long, Golden Lion, Silver Axe, and the others reached the venue.

At a glance, they saw that Captain Rocks, First Division Commander Whitebeard, and Rono, the Most Evil Criminal, were already seated.

Could He Really Learn a Move at a Glance? Everyone Was Stunned

When Golden Lion, Silver Axe, and the others arrived at the banquet, they immediately spotted Rocks, Whitebeard, and Rono in their seats.

After greeting Rocks and Whitebeard, they kept looking Rono over.

They could hardly help it. The rumors about him were bizarre, and they were curious.

Besides, their wager depended on it.

His Conqueror's Haki is at least on par with Whitebeard's.

After probing Rono with Observation Haki, Golden Lion, Silver Axe, and the others reached the same conclusion.

It was impressive. Rono was not even twenty, yet his Conqueror's Haki matched that monster Whitebeard's.

Whitebeard was the Rocks Pirates' second-in-command, surpassed only by Rocks himself.

With strength like that, it made sense for Captain Rocks to value Rono so highly.

"Now that everyone's here, let's begin the banquet."

"I held it today to celebrate Rono joining us."

Rocks raised his cup first, and the other officers followed suit.

"Drink all you want! Have fun! Let loose!"

Rocks declared the banquet open, and everyone began to celebrate.

"Twenty more plates of roast meat! And twenty each of rice cakes and vegetables!"

"Thirty more plates of that Sea King meat!"

"Where's the liquor? Bring fifty more jars! This isn't nearly enough!"

Everyone there was a pirate, and their appetites were astonishing. Twenty plates was just a starting order.

The Rocks Pirates certainly had money. A banquet for tens of thousands must have cost at least a billion Beli.

But their targets were always wealthy nations or shipments of Heavenly Tribute. A billion Beli was hardly a major expense.

Throughout the banquet, Golden Lion, Silver Axe, Ochoku, and the others waited for an opening.

What excuse could they use to test whether the rumor was true?

Unfortunately, none came to mind.

Then Whitebeard handed them their chance.

Slightly drunk, Whitebeard walked up to Rocks with a smile and said:

"Captain, I recommend Rono for division commander. He's strong enough for the position."

"I saw him fight Garp the Iron Fist with my own eyes. He beat Garp!"

Whitebeard thumped his chest as he vouched for Rono. It was the promise he had made him.

The pirates stopped celebrating and stared.

He had barely joined, and he was already being put forward for division commander?

Captain Whitebeard himself had recommended him!

Rono was set for life!

What incredible luck. They were jealous!

"Oh? If he really beat Garp, then he can certainly serve as a division commander." Rocks sounded ready to agree.

He had always valued talent. Besides, Rocks had scanned Rono with Observation Haki the moment they met.

That had given Rocks a rough sense of Rono's strength.