"Rosha, you have the qualifications to be a candidate for vice-captain of the Beasts Pirates," Kaido announced loudly. "Everyone, let's celebrate the rise of our new officer!"
The massive Skull Hall went silent for a moment before erupting into thunderous cheers.
"Ughhhhhh !"
"Lord Rosha!"
"With Lord Rosha joining us, the Beasts Pirates will become even stronger!"
"Lord Rosha, please allow me to serve you as your attendant!"
The hall shook with the roars and clamors of the pirates, a complete reversal from their attitude earlier in the day.
This was the effect of asserting dominance!
The Beasts Pirates operated on survival of the fittest. Strength was the measure of respect.
Of course, camaraderie existed among crew members, but it was sparse. Otherwise, the Flying Six wouldn't go to such lengths to challenge the top calamities and overthrow them.
Upending the hierarchy was routine here.
The ordinary foot soldiers had been agitated earlier, but now that they'd cooled down, reason returned.
Moreover, Kaido's words seemed to support Rosha in claiming a vice-captain position that technically didn't exist.
Suddenly, many pirates' minds lit up.
If they pledged loyalty to Rosha now, once she became vice-captain, they could ride her coattails to power.
At that thought, their eagerness intensified. Each tried to get closer to Rosha, to make a favorable impression.
"Step aside! Let me through!"
Pegivan bulldozed anyone blocking his way, pushing forward to stand before Rosha first.
"Whoa, big bro,"
"Oh?" Rosha raised an eyebrow, unsure what Pegivan was plotting.
"Big bro, they say you can only truly understand someone after fighting them. After witnessing your heroics, I'm deeply impressed. Please accept me as your loyal underling."
Pegivan spoke sincerely, but a glint of cunning shone in his eyes.
In the Beasts Pirates, survival required both personal strength and a powerful patron. Aligning with the right person meant security and opportunity.
Previously, he had considered attaching himself to a "big tree," but Flame Calamity Jin ignored him, and Plague Calamity Queen didn't care.
Now, Rosha had just joined and had no subordinates yet. If Pegivan could align himself successfully, he might surpass his older sister Runti, climbing the ladder before she even realized it.
The thought of outshining his sister, who had long bullied him, made him giddy with excitement. He even laughed aloud.
Rosha glanced at him. She didn't know what schemes he had in mind, but this one she would take as her subordinate.
"Alright, little Peg, from now on, you're with me. Don't worry, I'll train you every day and make you stronger."
"Thank you, big bro!" Pegivan beamed, then suddenly realized, "Wait, big bro, when you said train…"
"You'll experience something similar to last night," Rosha said, patting his stiff, petrified shoulders.
Pegivan froze. "???"
I @#￥!
Is it too late to back out now?
"Little Pegivan, you traitor!"
Runti, in full older-sister rage mode, grabbed her brother by the throat.
A night of chaos followed.
For someone like Rosha, who had lived with beasts on an uninhabited island for ten years, this was the first time experiencing such a wild celebration. She drank, laughed, and indulged herself without restraint.
The next morning, Rosha was awakened by a loud crash.
She opened her eyes to a half-elegant Japanese-style room, the other half blocked by a smooth, white, rounded shape.
"You're awake, Lord Rosha. Would you like a bowl of hangover soup?"
'Twenty-eight-foot lady' Maria, clad in black, spoke, her voice sweet and tingling.
The Beasts Pirates didn't have many female members, but the ones they did have were remarkable.
Whether it was Yamato, Runti, or Maria, they were all stunning.
"Uh… hehe~"
Maria smiled faintly and rose, deciding not to play games any longer.
Being the madam of the red-light district within the chaotic Beasts Pirates, she had prepared for moments like this.
Still, this first time had to be treated carefully.
"Lord Kaido instructed me to take good care of you, Lord Rosha," Maria said, presenting the hangover tea.
Rosha took it and drank it down in one go. "Where's Kaido?"
Since unleashing her Armored Dragon-Slaying Magic the night before, she was eager to spar with Kaido again.
"Kaido-sama just went out," Maria replied.
"Where did he go?" Rosha raised an eyebrow.
"Probably off on one of his overseas excursions again," Maria said.
Within the Beasts Pirates, Kaido was regarded as a wandering drunk.
He would often disappear for ten days or two weeks, turning into a blue dragon and wandering the seas.
What the pirates didn't realize was that Kaido's outings weren't aimless. He was always scouting for strong fighters.
Since the start of the Great Pirate Era, pirates had been sprouting like weeds, making the seas fiercely competitive.
Whitebeard's crew and Big Mom's crew were legendary first-tier forces.
The Beasts Pirates, under Kaido, could also compete at the top level, though their foundation was thinner compared to the others.
Whitebeard's crew had been established since the fall of the Rocks era, gaining fame over thirty years.
Alongside Roger's and Gold Lion's crews, they were considered the three great powers of the old era.
Now, with Roger dead and Gold Lion retired, new opportunities to dominate the seas emerged.
Big Mom's crew similarly rose thirty-two years ago, with Big Mom personally raising her entire cadre.
The Beasts Pirates, by comparison, were much younger. It wasn't until Black Coal Kureha invited them to Wano over twenty years ago that they truly established a foothold.
Fourteen years ago, Kaido defeated Kozuki Oden, securing Wano and propelling the Beasts Pirates into rapid expansion.
In a little over a decade, the crew grew from around a thousand members to tens of thousands.
Yet among these tens of thousands, capable officers were few. Only Jack had risen to prominence over the years.
Hence Kaido frequently ventured out, seeking new talent.
Most pirates failed, driven away by Kaido's overwhelming power.
Finding Rosha restored Kaido's faith in recruiting elite members, explaining why he left again just two days later.
"Kaido's gone for now. I'll wait until he returns," Rosha said, getting up and heading out.
By afternoon, Oni Island, usually raucous after a night of celebration, was quiet.
"Whoa, big bro!" Pegivan's eyes lit up as he eagerly approached. "Want me to give you a tour of our base?"
"No! Let's start with daily training first!" Rosha said.
Pegivan's face fell, but he had no choice but to comply.
After going first with a hundred moves, Rosha delivered a punch that sent Pegivan to the ground.
Later, Rosha visited Jack in the hospital. Youth was on his side; after a day and night, Jack was still asleep.
Resigned, Rosha prepared a bundle of food and headed to a cave at the back of Oni Island.
But the cave was empty.
"Rosha, I'm leaving. Don't look for me. I've thought long and hard, and it's better we never meet again. Don't worry about me."
Yamato had carved a line into the wall.
To anyone seeing it, it could almost be mistaken for a breakup note.
"Heh, trying to play hide-and-seek with me? Interesting!"