As the three of them looked at the person who had just greeted them, Kaido stared with a hint of disdain. He clearly did not have a high opinion of the figure, but both Newgate and Thor noticed something strange. Even though all three pirates had large bounties and were well known in different corners of the sea, the figure in front of them showed no reaction. He kept the same relaxed expression and continued to look at the three giants as if they were not worth any attention.
"Oh my my, how scary, three members of the Rocks Pirates are here," the figure said. The tone he used was what irritated Kaido. Nothing he said was insulting, yet every word sounded like he was mocking them without putting effort into it.
"What an interesting fellow. Most people would run the moment they saw even one of us. Yet you are standing right in front of all three without any fear, almost like we are not worth noting," Thor said as he began walking toward the man. The stranger simply looked back at him with half open eyes.
"Well, I know that the two of you do not attack innocent bystanders. The only one I am not sure about is the horned one, but I trust that you two will not harm anyone," the figure said.
"How old are you?" Thor asked. Something about the man made him curious.
"I am sixteen this year. A strange thing to ask before asking my name. It is Borsalino by the way," the figure answered. He introduced himself while answering the question, which confirmed the suspicion Thor already had. Thor could not stop himself from grinning once he heard the name.
"What is the source of your arrogance or confidence? And why are you so calm?" Thor asked again. Before Borsalino could respond, Thor attacked him to test his reaction. Borsalino immediately turned into particles of light and moved far away.
"I knew it. You are a Devil Fruit user. A logia user at that. Those fruits give people an unusual level of confidence. They start thinking they are invincible," Thor said. Newgate nodded in agreement. The two of them continued walking toward the town, leaving Borsalino behind. The young man calmly returned to his lawn chair and started sunbathing again, acting as if nothing had happened.
"What an interesting fellow. Perhaps we should invite him to join us," Thor said. Newgate and Kaido listened and thought about it for a moment.
"He looks unmotivated. Even with that Devil Fruit, he might not survive a single day on Hachinosu," Kaido said. He did not doubt his ability to destroy Borsalino if they ever fought.
"That is only if he even wants to join," Newgate replied. Thor and Kaido nodded. They continued walking into town.
The three of them spent hours enjoying what the island had to offer. They went from store to store, trying food that was prepared by actual cooks instead of simply roasting Sea King meat. They drank, laughed, and behaved like travelers who were tasting freedom on a peaceful day.
Eventually the sun began to set. The sky turned orange and the shadows grew long, and the three decided it was time to head back to the beach where they had first arrived. When they returned, Borsalino was still in the exact same spot, lying lazily on his chair. It looked as if he had not moved a single inch.
"If you have no plans in your life, why not come with us and become a pirate? If you become a pirate, you can sail anywhere without needing a purpose unless you develop one on your own. You will not have anyone ordering you around like the Marines," Thor said.
Borsalino opened his eyes slowly and looked at Thor.
"Is that all? Is that really the only thing pirates are good for? I think I am better off alone," he replied. He stretched his arms and legs lazily.
"Torararara, do you really think the World Government will leave you alone? With a Devil Fruit like that, they will recruit you into the Marines and work you to the bone. That is one of the truths of the sea," Thor said.
"I recall that it is not your business to decide what I want to do. So why do you not leave with your friends and let me enjoy my day?" Borsalino answered in the same relaxed tone.
"I believe in fate. Since fate placed you in my path, then I will take it as a sign that I should do whatever I can to bring you with me," Thor said. Newgate and Kaido became quiet. They knew Thor was serious about things like fate, but they never thought he would go this far over a stranger he had only known for a few minutes.
"There is no fate. Only coincidences and chance," Borsalino replied lazily.
"There is fate. No one is born without it. Your fate is connected to mine, and I will do everything in my power to bring you along, even if I have to pull you away myself," Thor said. Newgate and Kaido burst into laughter. It was the first time they had ever seen Thor act in such a stubborn and dramatic manner, and it reminded them of how Rocks talked about fate.
"What kind of logic is that? Who even thinks like that?" Borsalino said. He tried to walk away, but Thor covered his hands in haki and grabbed Borsalino's shoulder. The moment Thor touched him confirmed that Borsalino was inexperienced with his fruit. If he had mastered it, he would have been able to shift into light instantly.
"I will challenge you to a race. If you win, I will drop it and leave you alone. If I win, then you will join us. You will join under my authority as well," Thor declared. He decided to use a method that Rocks liked to use when recruiting members, similar to a Davy Back Fight, except Thor intended to form actual friendships afterward, just as Rocks and Newgate eventually did.
"I am tired of your persistence, so I will accept. I will end this quickly," Borsalino said. He believed the speed of his Devil Fruit would give him an easy victory. Newgate and Kaido stepped aside to avoid interfering. Thor and Borsalino got into position. Thor prepared his legs, and Borsalino struck one of his strange poses. They agreed to race around the entire island ten times.
The moment the race started, Thor used the hidden ability granted by Stormbreaker. His entire body turned into lightning, and he moved across the ground like a blue flash. Borsalino shot forward as a stream of light. Both of them raced at speeds far beyond anything normal.
In a straight line, Thor knew he would lose. Light was faster than lightning, especially the variation his fruit produced. However, he also knew that the light fruit struggled with sharp turns. This was why he made the race include the entire island. Every corner forced Borsalino to lose tiny fractions of time.
Lap after lap, the lost moments began to stack up. On the final turn, Thor pushed his body to its limit. He barely managed to reach the finish ahead of Borsalino, who slowed down from exhaustion for just one moment.
Both of them were breathing loudly. Borsalino tried to catch his breath while Thor approached him with a tired smile.
"Welcome to my crew. We will still be part of the Rocks Pirates for now, but once I form my own crew, you will be my first mate," Thor said. He offered his arm. Borsalino stared at it for a moment before giving a small, almost invisible smile and accepting the handshake.
The four of them spent the rest of the evening talking as Thor, Newgate, and Kaido shared stories about Hachinosu and the rules they followed among themselves. They talked casually until the moon rose, marking the strange beginning of yet another unexpected alliance.