The Flying Pirates' headquarters.
An island floated in the sky, with a magnificent, enormous palace atop it.
Fleet Commanders gathered together, each with a distinct appearance.
Without exception, all eyes were fixed on the aloof figure on the throne, who radiated an overwhelming aura.
His thick golden hair cascading down, Shiki surveyed the vast force at his command with a faint sense of pride. Of course, this still wasn't enough.
Every Fleet Commander who caught Shiki's gaze involuntarily tensed.
His gaze alone carried extraordinary intimidation.
Gripping the armrests on either side of his throne, Shiki grinned and laughed in excitement.
"Jihahaha! The seas are too quiet, boys!"
"I'm going to start a war with the Navy on Blood War Island. All of you will be fighting."
"Notify your fleets shortly and send half your men here. I'm putting together a Pirate Army of roughly sixty thousand."
"Once the war has gone on long enough, we'll rotate them out."
The Flying Pirates now had a total of one hundred thousand members.
The actual number was certainly higher, though. These Fleet Commanders hardly exercised restraint when recruiting.
Their true numbers might have reached one hundred twenty or thirty thousand.
The Flying Pirates needed the tempering of war. Perhaps only half their members had actually experienced one. With so much new blood living in peaceful surroundings, they had probably forgotten how to fight.
Their numbers were excessive, and Shiki and Reinhardt had decided to thin their ranks through war.
Only those who survived would be members of the Flying Pirates.
Shiki also hoped the war would bring plenty of talented people to the fore.
He needed the Navy to serve as the Flying Pirates' whetstone.
What he needed had never been troop numbers, but powerful fighters.
The Rocks Pirates hadn't had many members