The Navy's greatest disgrace?
Storm casually waved his hand.
"Just empty titles, all empty titles."
...Alright, seems I misunderstood.
Ace had initially thought Storm would also have some "extraordinary" background.
After all, just look at the group he'd gathered—the "Tyrant," the "Child of the Devil," the "Son of the Pirate King"...
Could someone who could bring together such a crew really be ordinary?
But to Ace's surprise, Storm wasn't ordinary—he had once been a Marine...
This "Marine" identity made Ace think of his grandpa, Garp.
Honestly, Ace had always felt that old man Garp didn't seem like a proper Marine.
What kind of Marine hero would adopt the son of the Pirate King?
Shaking off his thoughts, Ace didn't say much. Instead, he raised his glass and toasted Storm.
After this self-revelatory drama led by Ace, the banquet's atmosphere reached its peak.
Sharing secrets was undoubtedly a great way to quickly bridge the distance between people.
A lively feast, a night of confessions.
Relationships that had once been unfamiliar quickly grew closer.
At this moment, Storm stood up and raised his glass to everyone.
His movement drew the attention of the entire room.
Everyone rose to their feet, raising their glasses in unison.
Storm's gaze swept over each figure one by one.
From Kid and Killer, the brothers he'd unexpectedly picked up on Bellfast Island in the South Blue;
To Bartholomew Kuma and his "daughter" Jewelry Bonney, personally recruited in the Sorbet Kingdom;
Then to Nico Robin, whom he'd encountered by chance in Alabasta and had been forcibly entrusted to by Aokiji;
And finally, Nami and Portgas D. Ace, gathered after arriving in the East Blue...
"From this moment onward..."
Storm raised his glass high.
The others followed suit.
Eight glasses clinked together in midair.
"We are now comrades on the same ship!"
Storm solemnly introduced himself.
"I am the captain—Vongola Storm!"
"Kid/Killer!"
"Kuma/Bonney!"
"Robin/Nami!"
"...Ace!"
Together, they raised their glasses and drank heartily.
Ace, who had originally only planned to follow Storm for a while, had now fully boarded this "pirate ship."
As everyone finished their drinks, they turned their eyes to Storm.
"Boss/White Dragon/Storm/Vongola..."
The slightly chaotic array of titles was eventually unified into one—
"Captain!"
"Though we don't yet have a crew name, a flag, or even a ship..."
Storm laughed heartily, glass still in hand.
"We have comrades, a base, and our pirate crew is officially formed!"
Ace, Kid, and Killer—the three male members who had always dreamed of becoming pirates—immediately erupted into deafening cheers.
Bonney, not fully understanding but caught up in the excitement, mimicked the three, hugging her cup and laughing joyfully, drawing frequent glances from Kuma.
Nami, the self-proclaimed most loyal subordinate of the White Dragon, joined in the cheers and celebrations with everyone else.
Only Robin remained the calmest, merely posing a single question.
"Captain, what will our pirate crew be called?"
This topic of "naming" undoubtedly sparked a lively reaction from everyone.
"Kid Pirates!"
Eustass Kid was the first to chime in.
"Even before I set sail, I had already decided how to name my pirate crew!
"It has to be named after me!
"Because the Pirate King's crew was named after him!"
Killer wholeheartedly agreed with Kid's words.
But the Pirate King's son wasn't too pleased.
"Naming a pirate crew after yourself is just too old-fashioned, don't you think?"
Ace, having found a group of "kindred spirits" who shared similar experiences, spoke much more bluntly now.
"If you ask me, our crew should be called—the Spade Pirates!"
"Tch! Spade Pirates? That name is way too small-time!"
Kid scoffed at Ace's suggestion, letting out a cold snort.
"If we're naming the crew after playing cards, why not call it the Ace Pirates? Or the 'JOKER' Pirates?"
"There's already a Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea, Donquixote Doflamingo, who shares a similar title with our captain. Among his many epithets, one of them is 'JOKER'—that's what the underworld calls him."
Robin rested her chin on one hand, answering unhurriedly.
"So, that makes 'JOKER Pirates' a bit inappropriate...
"If it were up to me, I'd prefer 'Flower Pirates' or 'Flower Field Pirates.'
"Watering the soil with the blood of our enemies would surely make it fertile, and the flowers would grow even more beautiful."
"Bonney is still here!"
Kuma nervously covered his daughter's ears but didn't voice any objections.
"Don't say such scary things, Robin!"
"I actually thought 'Flower Field Pirates' was a great name..."
Nami mustered her courage and joined the discussion.
"Everyone, what do you think of 'Money Pirates' or 'Belly Pirates'?
"Aren't we becoming pirates to plunder treasures? Let's gather all the world's riches!"
The group chattered away, each with their own opinions and reasons.
In the end, even Bonney couldn't resist jumping in, holding food in one hand while shouting loudly.
"Bonney Pirates! Bonney Pirates!"
Storm rubbed his temples—he had known this topic would spark endless debate.
However.
"As for the name of our pirate crew, as well as the flag, I've already decided!"
Storm clapped his hands to quiet everyone down before making the announcement.
"Storm Pirates!"
Vongola Storm, also known as the Stormborn, naturally had to form the "Storm Pirates"!
"And here's the pirate flag!"
With a wave of his right hand, Storm unleashed the power of the Clay-Clay Fruit.
On the ground nearby, a pure black clay wall instantly rose.
A relief of a solitary three-headed white dragon followed closely behind.
From a distance, it looked like a pure white three-headed dragon was emblazoned on a pitch-black pirate flag.
The Storm Pirates.
A black flag with a white dragon.
Seeing how thoroughly prepared Storm was, the other crew members had no objections.
The name and flag of the [Storm Pirates] were thus officially decided.
But Storm's preparations went far beyond just this.
"I could already tell—you all seem obedient on the surface, but deep down, each of you harbors ambitions of becoming captain yourselves."
Storm wasn't surprised by the reactions of Ace, Kid, and the others.
In truth, these individuals were all exceptionally talented, each possessing the strength and potential to lead their own crews.
Storm wasn't intent on forcibly binding them to a single ship either.
He had a fairly open-minded view of internal pirate crew dynamics...
Faced with Storm's frankness, Ace and Kid didn't say much, only letting out odd chuckles.
Robin shook her head—she truly had no desire to be a captain.
Nami waved her hands repeatedly. While she had the ambition, she lacked the strength to lead.
Bonney was still clamoring to be captain, and what could Kuma do? Keep spoiling his daughter, of course!
"Eustass Kid!"
Storm turned first to the red-haired, spiky-headed youth.
With a wave of his right hand, another clay wall rose from the earth.
On the black surface, two crossed bones framed a grinning skull, its forehead adorned with square goggles identical to Kid's, while flame-like red patterns flanked the skull on either side.
"The Kid Pirates!"
"Captain!"
Kid and Killer stared at this "flag," feeling as though every detail struck a chord in their hearts.
"I love this flag so much!"
Storm then turned his gaze to the son of the Pirate King.
"Portgas D. Ace!"
A third clay wall emerged from the ground.
A black flag with a red heart at its center, the skull wearing Ace's signature hat, the cap bearing two small faces—one crying, one laughing.
"The Spade Pirates!"
"Whew~"
Ace couldn't help but whistle, though he still felt a little awkward.
"Not bad! Though it's a bit different from what I imagined for a pirate flag..."
"Nico Robin!"
Storm called out the next member's name.
A fourth clay wall appeared.
The same black pirate flag, this time featuring a strikingly vibrant pink flower in full bloom, its shape identical to the [Flower-Flower Fruit] depicted in the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia.
"The Flower Field Pirates!"
"Captain."
Robin's eyes sparkled as she gazed at the flag.
"Though I wasn't really that keen on being a pirate captain either..."
"Nami!"
Storm continued his work, crafting a fifth clay wall.
The black pirate flag bore the image of a white four-leaf windmill, each blade tipped with a plump, round orange.
"The Little Cat Burglar Pirates!"
"Captain, don't call me by that nickname!"
Nami clasped her hands to her chest, both moved and delighted as she looked at her very own pirate flag.
"But... this pirate flag looks even more beautiful than Belly!"
"Lastly, Bonney!"
Storm turned to the eagerly awaiting Bonney, but didn't create another "pirate flag."
"Little girls should study hard, play happily, and not become pirates!"
Bonney froze for a moment before bursting into loud sobs.
"Daddy! Uncle Storm is bullying me!!"
"Bonney..."
Kuma looked helplessly at his daughter.
He didn't think becoming a pirate was a good idea either, but he couldn't bear to see his daughter's tears.
In the end, Kuma could only cast a pleading, reproachful look at Storm.
At least comfort her... just comfort Bonney a little...
Storm couldn't be bothered with this doting father.
He might reluctantly allow Bonney on his ship.
But a six-year-old girl wanting to be a pirate captain?
Not a chance!
"Everyone, this is the [Storm Pirates]!"
Storm spread his arms, gazing contentedly at the five clay walls standing quietly in the Sky Garden.
"Kid Pirates, Spade Pirates, Flower Field Pirates, Little Cat Burglar Pirates...
"This is the Storm Grand Fleet!"