—Wind King's Hammer!
The violent gust slammed into Kaido's chest.
—Gah!
Kaido spat out a mouthful of blood and staggered backward, leaning on his club, forcing himself to kneel on one knee to avoid collapsing.
—Tch...
Arthur exhaled sharply, suppressing his heavy breathing.
He smiled, the corners of his lips lifting.
—Kaido, looks like this victory is mine.
—Idiot!
Kaido tried to stand, but his body froze and he collapsed. His will remained, but his body had reached its limit.
Kaido, the Beast King, was clearly not human. His physique was monstrous.
Arthur noted this silently.
Then he smiled.
—Well then. I suppose now we should—
—MAMAMAMA~~~
Lingling's laughter rang out. She stepped forward and stood in front of Kaido, a beautiful smile on her face.
—That's enough, little one.
Seeing this, Arthur understood Linlin had no intention of letting Kaido die.
So he didn't waste any more time.
Besides, Arthur knew full well he couldn't kill Kaido. With that kind of talent and potential, Rocks would never allow it. Their battle had lasted all night, and dawn was breaking.
At this moment, only four people remained on Hive Island.
Aside from the two monsters—Arthur and Kaido—there was a short-haired woman in a spider-patterned blouse, silently lighting a cigarette.
The last was a man kneeling on one knee, gravely wounded and on the verge of death.
—That's enough!
Rocks' voice echoed across the island.
The five-year recruitment trial for the Rocks Pirates had come to an end.
This time, only four survived instead of five.
But that was normal.
Though the Rocks Pirates always demanded five survivors, they rarely recruited more than one or two each time.
Four was already a generous outcome.
—Arthur!
—Next time!
—Next time!
—I'll defeat you!
Kaido lay on the ground, unable to move, but still roared with defiance.
Arthur looked at him silently for a moment, then smiled.
—I look forward to it. No matter when, victory will be mine.
He turned and walked away.
—Gulala~~~
Edward laughed heartily.
—Well done! Your strength is truly impressive.
Arthur smiled and nodded.
He didn't say much.
He felt no particular admiration for Whitebeard, who would one day be hailed as the strongest man in the world. Even with these legends before him, Arthur was the heir to King Arthur—he had no need to show reverence.
—Alright!
Rocks spoke up.
—No need for pointless chatter, Arthur, right? Kid, you're the winner of this selection trial. And as tradition goes, the winner gets a prize.
The Rocks Pirates may be madmen, but many among them attack their own crewmates without hesitation.
But Rocks was a man who clearly distinguished between reward and punishment.
If you had the skill, you could have anything: power, money, strength, beauty.
Whatever you desired, you could claim it.
Beyond Rocks' terrifying strength, this was why the chaotic crew hadn't collapsed.
Of course, the main reason was simple: Rocks was too strong.
So strong that trying to escape could mean instant death.
That was the real reason.
—So then.
—Captain Rocks, what are the prizes?
Arthur wasn't afraid. He looked directly at Rocks and asked.
—Oh hahahahaha~~~
—What a confident kid!
Rocks wasn't offended. He laughed loudly.
—Good spirit! Keep it up, boy!
Arrogant?
Dominant?
Rocks didn't care.
In the Rocks Pirates, if you're a dragon, you coil. If you're a tiger, you crawl.
That was his creed.
As the strongest man in the world, his confidence was absolute.
Arthur spoke plainly.
—I joined the Rocks Pirates to gain more. If I wanted legitimacy, I'd have joined the Marines.
—That's pretty greedy!
—No problem!
Rocks was pleased.
—Kid, a billion berries, three Devil Fruits, or something else? I can give you whatever you want!
Edward, Shiki, and the others remained calm.
They had received similar rewards in their time.
With the major pirate crews growing so rapidly, Rocks was like a generous patron, handing out vast resources.
He was never stingy.
—Hmm...
Arthur nodded slightly and said without hesitation:
—Then, Captain Rocks, I'll take three Devil Fruits.
—Alright!
—Wang Zhi, when we return to the ship, give this brat the Devil Fruits.
—No problem, Captain Rocks.
Wang Zhi nodded without hesitation.
After the reward was given, Rocks turned and declared:
—Arthur, Kaido, Shaki, and Dulu—you four will serve as trainee crew members of the Rocks Pirates!