Soon, Shiki guided both ships down to the waters near Hive Island.
As the pirate ships landed, Lind didn't hesitate. He used his telekinesis to fly directly over to Shiki's side.
"Jiehahaha! Everyone, this is my brother Lind — the one I mentioned earlier. I've already reserved him as my vice division commander!"
Shiki slung an arm around Lind's shoulder as he introduced him to the others. Fortunately, both of them were about the same height — around two meters — making the scene look perfectly natural.
"Fuhahahaha, Shiki! A talent like this, and you want him to be your vice? Isn't that a bit wasteful?"
"With Lind's potential — awakening Conqueror's Haki at his age — give him a few more years, and he might even surpass you!"
"Gurararara! That's right, Golden Lion! You're being greedy. I think Lind's more than qualified to be the Seventh Division Commander!"
Rocks and Whitebeard spoke one after the other. It was clear they thought Lind's strength could disrupt the balance between the divisions and didn't want to see him simply become Shiki's subordinate.
"Of course, we still need to see what he's capable of! John — you're a swordsman too, right? Why don't you and Linde have a little sparring match?"
"Linde, you're okay with that, right?"
Rocks looked first to John, then turned to Lind to get his answer.
Though he'd already made up his mind to make Lind a division commander, Rocks wanted to see Lind's power for himself first.
"Hahaha! Absolutely! I've been looking forward to meeting him since I heard his name. Let's do this, Lind!"
John didn't hold back, issuing the challenge on the spot.
Lind, seeing the mood was already set, didn't refuse and agreed to the duel.
"Captain John, my fighting style might be a little different from that of a traditional swordsman — I hope you won't mind!"
With that warning, Lind flew into the air using telekinesis, leaving his Kunpeng Sword hovering in place below.
"This sword is called Kunpeng. Blade length: three feet nine inches. Weight: thirty-nine pounds. Forged from deep-sea cold iron and celestial meteorite. It symbolizes the unity of sea and sky — hence the name."
"Though not among the Supreme Grade Blades, it's second to none. Captain John, I ask for your guidance!"
Once airborne and steady, Lind introduced his weapon with flair.
Hearing the speech from above, John was momentarily stunned.
"What the hell? Are sword masters this extra now?"
Unfortunately, he didn't have anything prepared, so he could only improvise.
"My swords are named Rum and Gin — gifts from old friends. Both are among the 50 Skillful Grade Blades."
He finished his sentence with a flashy spin of his swords.
"That's... John?!"
Hearing his words, several nearby commanders widened their eyes in disbelief.
"Is this really the same drunken John we know?"
The introduction wasn't nearly as fancy as Lind's, but somehow, coming from John, it carried a dignified weight.
"Weren't we all supposed to be sword-illiterate meatheads?"
Even Linde was surprised by John's unexpected eloquence.
"You thick-browed drunkard... you've been hiding this?"
But there was no time to dwell on it. Just as John's words fell, Lin's Kunpeng Sword shot forward, wrapped in Armament Haki, and stabbed toward him.
Despite having spent a few days learning swordsmanship from Shiki, it clearly wasn't enough time to make real progress — Lind's fighting style remained unchanged: straightforward telekinetic sword control.
Against someone of equal or greater strength like John, Lind quickly fell behind and could only maintain a stalemate without gaining an upper hand.
"Damn, I've got to seriously train in swordsmanship when I get the chance. Relying solely on brute force and flying bricks just isn't enough. Maybe I can mutate a fruit to boost comprehension?"
Lind muttered to himself while narrowly dodging another slash.
And so, the two exchanged blows: flying sword vs. slashes, back and forth for over an hour.
The battle was intense but repetitive, and the spectators were starting to get sleepy.
Eventually, both fighters realized that the match wouldn't be decided quickly. Just like in the duel with Shiki, the fight ended after Lind easily blocked one of John's finishing moves.
It was only meant to be a spar anyway — enough for the senior members of the Rocks Pirates to evaluate Lind's strength.
"Fuhahahaha! Lind, your swordsmanship doesn't really match your strength. I feel like even Silver Axe, that axe-wielding brute, might do better with a sword!"
Rocks laughed heartily as he commented on the match.
"Still, since Shiki mentioned wanting you as his vice-captain, here's the plan: you're now officially the Seventh Division Commander of the Rocks Pirates. But for the time being, you'll serve under Shiki while you polish your skills."
"Once you've truly become a sword master, you can establish the seventh division independently. With your talent, that won't take long!"
Though it wasn't exactly what Linde had hoped for, it was more than enough. Seeing that Shiki had no objections, Lind quickly accepted.
"Hahaha! Thank you, Captain! Then I'll follow Captain Shiki for the time being."
"Captain Shiki, I'll be counting on your guidance."
Shiki, understanding that he couldn't argue against Rocks' decision — and seeing the benefits of having such a powerful ally — greeted Linde with enthusiasm.
"Jiehahaha! No need to be so formal, Brother Lind. From now on, we're on the same ship! Anything you need, just ask!"
"Gurararara! Congrats, Shiki. With Linde on board, your second division might actually surpass mine now!"
"Mamamamama! That's right! But next time someone strong shows up, don't go snatching them up before we get a chance!"
Though a bit envious of Shiki's good luck, Whitebeard and the others offered their congratulations.
"Fuhahahaha! Everyone — to celebrate the arrival of our Seventh Division Commander, let's throw a feast!"
Rocks, in a great mood, waved his hand — and a massive banquet kicked off.
Soon, a grand celebration began on Hive Island, with tens of thousands of pirates partying together.
In this era, only Rocks — the uncrowned king of the New World — could pull off something like this.
In the palace at the centre of Hive Island, while Shiki was preparing to perform a dance (yes, really), Lind finally had a moment to himself.
Holding a wine cup, he walked alone to the window, watching the sea of partying pirates outside. He soaked in the unique atmosphere of this world's festivities, overwhelmed with emotion.
"Without realizing it, it's already been two and a half years since I came to this world…"
"This is the first time I've been to a real feast like this."
"So, I really have stepped onto the path of a pirate… I guess this counts as my debut. The Navy and CP agents must've already sent out my intel by now."
"I wonder what my first bounty will be. Will it hit nine digits? Kind of excited to find out…"
The sea breeze blew gently against Lind's calm, youthful face as he closed his eyes, his heart full of thoughts and anticipation.