Chapter 11: Newgate Comes Aboard[1]
The blind man Fujitora Issho, with gravity powers, casually tapping the Supreme Grade Blade Gokudo Fireline as a walking cane while moving along the ground, was a bit of a dark joke.
Of course, maybe Issho simply wanted to keep his feet on the ground and avoid drawing attention.
But Akane was different. With Rocks backing Akane, there was no fear of exposing abilities.
Akane liked showing off, liked making a spectacle in front of people, and it was easy and convenient.
With so many techniques from anime worlds and novel worlds to reference, Akane's understanding of gravity was probably a whole dimension beyond Issho's.
Developments like anti-gravity and reduced gravity were just basic moves.
If this gravity power kept being developed deeply, it could even become stronger than the Float-Float Fruit.
"Gravity? That power really is not bad!"
Newgate had deep experience with Devil Fruit powers, and had encountered plenty of weak and bizarre ability users.
He was glad his Tremor power was strong enough, because a person could only eat one Devil Fruit in a lifetime.
If you ended up with some trash ability, it would be a terrible trade.
And you'd lose the ability to swim and become a landlubber.
For a pirate who lived and fought on the sea, that was a serious blow.
"Newgate, welcome aboard. Honestly, as long as you're strong enough, Rocks is actually fairly easy to talk to."
"And congratulations: you've joined one of the top pirate crews in the world. You're about to see the truth of this world and the monsters at its peak."
"Your future life will be a hundred times, a thousand times more exciting than what you've been living."
Seeing Newgate drink the healing medicine Akane handed over, Akane spoke in a good mood.
"The truth of the world?"
Newgate raised an eyebrow and looked at Akane in confusion. He was just an ordinary pirate, not that interested in the world's truth.
"You'll find out later."
Akane carried Newgate back, floating.
"Wororororo! So, are you convinced now, Edward Newgate!" Rocks D. Xebec boomed.[1]
Rocks looked at the young giant. If Newgate refused to accept it, Rocks would beat him until he submitted, then forcibly drag him onto the ship.
He would even wipe out the entire Whale Pirates to force Newgate to surrender.
"Let them go. I'll board your ship."
Newgate glanced at Captain Uharu, who was pretending to be a quail, and let out a sigh.
He suddenly realized that getting along with that captain felt worse than getting along with Akane.
"Wororororo! I don't want them anyway!"
"Then this Davy Back Fight is officially over!"
"Uharu, are you dead or not? If you're not dead, come over and end this game!"
"I'm a man who respects contracts!"
Rocks, in a good mood, agreed to Newgate's request and shouted at the dead-playing Uharu.
"Not dead, not dead! I'm coming right now!"
Uharu scrambled up and crawled and rolled over.
Watching him, Newgate sighed again, and years of sailing together rapidly dissolved.
As Newgate's strength kept growing, Uharu had already started to feel wary of him.
After all, it wasn't rare on these seas for a first mate or officer to seize power.
To preserve Uharu's captainly authority, Newgate had even deliberately hidden most of his strength.
Maybe leaving now really was a good choice.
Just as Akane said, Newgate's future wasn't with the Whale Pirates.
"Wororororo! I declare this Davy Back Fight over. From now on, Edward Newgate is my crewmate!"
Rocks announced loudly, and Uharu nodded frantically, not daring to object in the slightest.
Rocks not taking their pirate ship and their flag was already a huge mercy.
"Then get lost."
With a wave of his hand, Rocks chased those weak Whale Pirates away.
Newgate watched the Whale Pirates' ship fade into the distance over the sea, feeling a little empty, yet also like he'd been reborn.
He looked at the powerful Rocks, and maybe, besides finding family, he now had one more goal.
To become stronger—strong enough to fight Rocks head-on, and even defeat Rocks.
"Wororororo! That's a good look in your eyes! You want to beat me? I'll be waiting!"
Seeing Newgate's unwavering eyes, Rocks didn't fear him or put him down. He encouraged him instead.
Rocks felt that once Newgate was no longer "suppressed" by a cowardly captain like Uharu, Newgate would soon awaken Conqueror's Haki.
"I will."
Newgate met Rocks' gaze without fear. His spirit surged like a dragon entering the sea, growing wildly.
If Uharu was a shallow shore that restricted Newgate's growth,
then Rocks was the ocean—no matter how much Newgate grew, he still couldn't see Rocks' back.
"Wororororo! If you can't raise your strength, I won't even acknowledge you!"
"Get stronger. I'll take you all to see the peak of this world."
Rocks laughed freely, more and more satisfied with this new member.
With Akane the prophet for brains, and Newgate the Tremor-Tremor user for muscle, the Rocks Pirates would rise even faster.
"To welcome Newgate aboard, we're throwing a banquet!"
"Newgate, this is Babel and this is Sanbel. Everyone here is an official member of the Rocks Pirates!"
Akane played the role of chief strategist, helping Newgate integrate quickly.
While the newborn Rocks Pirates still hadn't fully turned into a pure might-makes-right crew, these new crewmates were still relatively normal, and Akane felt it was still salvageable.
Akane was planning to stay on the Rocks Pirates for a long time.
Akane didn't want the Rocks Pirates killing each other every day.
Newgate greeted Babel and Sanbel.
Sanbel was very friendly, but Babel's eyes were filled with the desire to challenge.
His goal was to make a name across the seas and become a great villain like Rocks, someone the World Government feared.
As a Fish-Man District gang boss, he had always believed fish-men were stronger than humans.
He couldn't beat a monster like Rocks, but there was no reason he couldn't beat this young giant.
"Ba-haha! Spar with me sometime, young giant!"
Babel directly issued a challenge to Newgate.
Rocks liked this competitive atmosphere. Fighting made you stronger, so he didn't stop it.
"From now on, every time a new officer comes aboard, we throw a banquet, and nobody says this kind of trash that ruins the banquet."
Akane raised an eyebrow at Babel.
What kind of pirate crew issues a challenge letter to a new member on day one?
"Chief strategist, that's not trash talk. I'm serious. Rocks said the ship follows the rule of the strong."
"We've got to confirm everyone's place, don't we?"
"That decides how much money you get!"
Babel respected Akane the prophet a bit, but that didn't mean he'd treat later recruits the same way.
"Wororororo! Babel's right."
Rocks not only didn't stop it, he even fanned the flames, flashing a nasty grin at Akane.
He clearly had some bad idea again, looking for a chance to beat Akane up.
"Then fight whenever you want. Newgate, don't hold back. Hit hard, like Rocks does."
"And with this captain, just call him by his name. He doesn't care about that kind of thing."
Akane spread both hands. Fine—changing Rocks' old tradition of might makes right was probably impossible anyway.
That was Rocks' will, and Rocks' rule.