When she saw the white dragon appear earlier, she was at the other end of Beehive Island. If she hadn't possessed some strength, she wouldn't have been able to make it in time—the territory Charlotte Linlin had chosen was simply too far away.
Charlotte Linlin glanced at her and didn't press the matter. "Is Rocks on the island?"
Kurozumi Mushi answered respectfully, "Captain Rocks is not on the island; his whereabouts are unknown."
"What about the other great executives?"
"Aside from Lord Newgate and Lord Wang Zhi, the rest have gone out to sea with their subordinates.
Among them, Lord Shiki ran into his old rival 'Xiong' again, and it's unknown which sea they've fought their way to.
The other great executives have leveled the villages and towns on the islands near Beehive Island and planted our flags."
"Leveled? What does that mean?" Charlotte Linlin's brows furrowed slightly.
Sensing Charlotte Linlin's mood was off, Kurozumi Mushi nevertheless said:
"It means... completely annihilating the original inhabitants... leaving not a single soul alive..."
"Phew... Truly... pirates, after all~"
After a complex sigh, Charlotte Linlin continued to ask:
"Was it an order from Rocks?"
Charlotte Linlin's fingers tapped against the hilt of her blade.
Kurozumi Mushi took a deep breath, calming the pressure Charlotte Linlin had exerted on her.
"Captain Rocks' order was to occupy the islands near Beehive Island to prevent them from hiding Marines. Slaughtering villages and destroying islands was the spontaneous action of the great executives."
"Forget it, continue," Charlotte Linlin said, casting aside the thoughts in her mind.
It was useless to know now anyway. She should have gotten used to this perverted and twisted world long ago.
Kurozumi Mushi said respectfully, "Yes, my lady. The only newly promoted great executive currently on the island is the recently joined 'Gourmet Pirates'."
"Gourmet Pirates? A new group?" Charlotte Linlin ran through her memory but had no recollection.
"Forget it, it has nothing to do with us for now." She turned and asked,
"I have someone here who wants to become a great executive of the Rocks Pirates. What needs to be done?"
Kurozumi Mushi answered respectfully, "There are usually three ways to become a great executive: the first is like you, Lady Linlin, being personally invited back by Captain Rocks and formally introduced at a banquet."
"The second is to defeat all challengers on Beehive Island and become the strongest beneath the great executives. That is how the new Gourmet Pirates rose to power."
"The third is to be sponsored and recommended by an existing great executive, such as Bakin, who currently stays by Lord Newgate's side."
"Is that so?" Charlotte Linlin turned her head to look at Gloriosa on her shoulder,
"What do you think?"
Fighting spirit erupted in Gloriosa's eyes. "Of course, I'll fight my way up! I, Gloriosa, am no mere ornament! I just think fighting them one by one would be a bit troublesome."
"Fine! Kurozumi Mushi, you assist Gloriosa in completing this challenge process."
Kurozumi Mushi hesitated for a moment and spoke up:
"My lady, there is actually a fourth method to be directly promoted to a great executive.
I didn't mention it before because very few can achieve it. But since she is someone you brought back, my lady, she must possess the necessary strength."
Gloriosa immediately followed up, "What method?"
As the former Empress, she indeed did not want to be watched by the crowds like a performing monkey during challenges.
"Defeat, or fight to a draw with, a current great executive!"
Charlotte Linlin pondered, "Defeat or draw with a great executive..."
She quickly thought through the current targets on the island.
Newgate was definitely out; without using her trump cards, she wasn't even sure she could win herself.
After all, she was still growing, while Newgate was already an adult and at the peak of his strength.
Because she had consumed a Devil Fruit too early in her childhood, she had a premonition that her height might very well exceed the original Charlotte Linlin's trajectory, reaching over ten meters.
As for Wang Zhi, Gloriosa probably couldn't match him for now either. After all, Gloriosa couldn't even beat her in her normal state, and Wang Zhi could fight her to a draw even without using his Devil Fruit abilities.
Finally, only the newly joined Gourmet Pirates remained.
"Tell me the details about the Gourmet Pirates," Charlotte Linlin decided.
Kurozumi Mushi was clearly prepared. "If you intend to quickly obtain a position as a great executive, I also suggest choosing them.
They rose to their position precisely by defeating all challengers on the island, so most of their ability information is already public."
"The core of the Gourmet Pirates is a Female Giant from Elbaf named 'Galmo'.
She possesses a strange 'Activation' ability, capable of granting life and mobility to surrounding objects. It is suspected to be a Devil Fruit related to souls or life, though my knowledge is limited and I cannot determine its specific name."
"Her second-in-command is a short man with the peculiar ability to turn anything into food, named Long Bread..."
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