"Alright, stop dreaming. Repel Cannons are rare and currently only allocated to the Bloodsworn Guard," Rosinante declared. "If you run into trouble, you can call for sniper support from the Guard. But since the Second Division led the charge and earned first merit this time, they can keep two Repel Cannons. The rest—return immediately!"
"Yes, Captain!" Though Raelmann looked a bit deflated, keeping two Repel Cannons was still a decent outcome.
"Next," Rosinante continued, "I'm implementing a new system for the Bloodsworn Guard and all divisions—the Officer Ranking System."
"Officer Ranking?" the others asked, confused.
"It's basically like appointing cadets or field officers," Rosinante clarified.
"Ohhh!" Everyone instantly understood.
"From now on, the Bloodsworn Guard and each major division will be split between regular members and Officers. Officers will be the division's core combatants—handpicked elites. During operations, the division captains can assign Officers to lead strike teams. This improves coordination. Our forces are getting bigger, and soon they'll be massive. Charging in as one big mob is inefficient—and dangerous," Rosinante explained.
"I like this idea," Raelmann agreed. "Right now it works when we're fighting weaker enemies. But against someone like the Navy, things fall apart. Even though we've got some standout veterans taking charge, it's still too chaotic. With an official Officer system, command will be much smoother."
"Exactly! Back on Sky Island, we just steamrolled the weaklings. But when we fought the Navy, you could clearly feel our lack of structure. If not for those strange Sky Island weapons stunning them, we might not have even taken the armory!" Bath added.
"Officer ranks will be hierarchical—the stronger you are, the higher your Officer rank," Rosinante continued. "The top spot is Third Seat—meaning the third strongest in the division, after the captain and vice-captain. Then come Fourth Seat, Fifth Seat, and so on. Lower-ranked Officers can challenge higher-ranked ones in front of the captain and at least half the other Officers. If they win, they swap ranks. Of course, to even qualify as an Officer, you must have made distinguished contributions to the division and earned approval from the captain and vice-captain."
Everyone looked around at each other and nodded. This was definitely a good idea.
Pirate crews thrived on strength. Having an official ranking system like this would push everyone to improve—and fast.
"And during the annual tribute and military exercises from our vassal states," Rosinante added, "all division Officers will be allowed to challenge their division's captain or vice-captain in front of me and all vassal rulers. If they win, they take the seat. The defeated vice-captain becomes the division's Third Seat or lower. If the captain loses, they must leave their division—either joining the Bloodsworn Guard or forming a new lower division."
The moment he said that, all the division captains looked stunned. Shock and uncertainty swept across their faces.
"The Grey Nation is still growing," Rosinante said firmly. "As division captains, you can't afford to grow complacent. If you want to keep your title, get stronger. Otherwise, you'll be pushed down."
"Hah! If someone's strong enough to take my First Division seat, they can have it!" Jack grinned viciously. "A good fight? I'd welcome it."
"Same here," Raelmann laughed. "If you've got the skill, the Second Division is yours. But don't expect me to make it easy!"
"Then it's settled," Rosinante said. "Go back and prepare. Pull together the teams for the Sixth and Seventh Divisions. Then get ready to head to the Blue Sea."
"One last mission for you. The four divisions heading out will each choose one sea—East, West, North, or South. Your targets are nations not affiliated with the World Government. Build your strength in the Four Seas, then make your way into the New World. But one thing—our current strength isn't enough to go head-to-head with the World Government. So leave member nations alone for now. Understood?"
The Grey Kingdom wasn't like common pirates. They had vassal states and actual territory. The advantage? A foundation to build an empire. The downside? They couldn't just vanish into the sea like pirates if the World Government came knocking.
With land to protect—and still in a growth phase—they couldn't afford to provoke a full-scale war. Not yet. Otherwise, they couldn't guarantee the safety of their vassal states.
"Understood!" everyone responded in unison.
"But Captain, who's staying behind to guard Sky Island?" Bath asked.
"Draw lots," Rosinante replied. "Whoever's chosen stays behind for two years. After that, the remaining four draw again. And the cycle continues."
"Got it!" Everyone nodded.
With that, the crowd dispersed, leaving only Rosinante, Katakuri, and a few others in the villa.
"I need to return to Totto Land for a few days," Katakuri suddenly said.
Rosinante froze. "Back to Totto Land? Are you crazy? You know how your mom is. If you go back now, you're dead."
"There are some things I need to settle, once and for all," Katakuri said flatly.
"If you're looking for pressure to grow stronger, there are other ways than running to that monster of a mother," Rosinante said seriously, locking eyes with him.
"Only she can give me the pressure I need," Katakuri replied.
"When do you leave?" Rosinante asked, giving up on persuading him.
"I need a few more days to prepare," Katakuri said.
"Just… don't die," Rosinante muttered.
"I'll try," Katakuri said, and turned to leave.
As he walked out, Rosinante couldn't help but feel uneasy.
"Shaxia, bring Bins to me," he ordered.
"Yes!" Shaxia left swiftly, and within moments, Bins arrived.
"The World Government still owes us 30 billion Berries. Send someone to collect it," Rosinante said casually.
"Yes, I'll arrange it immediately," Bins replied.
But he stayed put. He knew that wasn't the real reason Rosinante had summoned him.
That compensation had already been agreed upon in negotiations. The World Government wouldn't dare go back on it. If anything, they were probably eager to get the money out of their hands—it gave them peace of mind.
So why call him here personally?
"Katakuri's planning to return to Totto Land," Rosinante finally said. "Keep an eye on him. Don't let him die."
"…Understood," Bins nodded solemnly.
So it's that madwoman, huh? he thought silently. If she really snaps, that's going to be a damn mess.
With Rosinante's orders in place, the divisions began moving into high gear.
First came the rewards—recognizing those who performed best in the recent battle.
Then came the recruitment drive for the Sixth and Seventh Divisions.
The top picks? Soldiers who didn't want to leave Sky Island.
After all, most of the current division members were Sky Islanders, and not everyone was keen on returning to the Blue Sea. Those who wished to remain behind naturally became the top candidates to hold the fort as the new divisions.
Once recruitment was done, the next steps were selecting Officers and mobilizing for deployment to the Blue Sea. All five divisions were suddenly busier than ever.
Down below, things were burning with activity.
But as the captain, Rosinante was… surprisingly free.
The divisions handled their own affairs, while the Bloodsworn Guard was managed by Bins and Ryan—no need for his input.
Plus, he was still recovering from his injuries.
So now, Rosinante had more free time than anyone.
Every day, he was pampered by the beauty Shaxia and his two adorable lolis. His life? Practically that of a god.
With nothing urgent to do, he spent his days reading, practicing Aikido, and meditating on his Silent Fruit awakening.