"So many Devil Fruit users—there's definitely a lot of potential there."
Devil Fruits aren't the only power in this world, but having many Devil Fruit users can't be wrong.
"It might be even more than you think. The Sugar by Perona's side is a Warp-Warp Fruit user, and then there's this last one, Black Steel Daz Bonez, a Dice-Dice Fruit user."
Moria said in surprise, "Then that makes eleven users, and with me it's twelve! Even those few great pirate crews might not have that many users."
More than twelve. Electivire is a Munch-Munch Fruit user, though it's at the application level.
Besides that, Vane is also holding two powerful Devil Fruits—the artificial Azure Dragon Fruit and the Gold-Gold Fruit. Their number of users should be fifteen.
For a moment, even Vane felt a bit emotional. He hadn't expected that he'd gathered so many Devil Fruit users.
Comparing them to the Big Mom Pirates that Vane was somewhat familiar with, when they first appeared he remembered there were Soul-Soul,, Lick-Lick, Mochi-Mochi, Biscuit, Squeeze-Squeeze, Steam, Heat-Heat, Butter, Cream, Book-Book, Mirror-Mirror, Memory, Disorder, Egg, Turtle—sixteen confirmed Devil Fruit users already.
Plus, there were probably more that Oda drew but the animation team might not have produced, so the total was likely around twenty.
And Vane has fifteen in hand. That's already very close to a Yonko crew's configuration. Once everyone grows up, even if there are no more Devil Fruits coming in, these people will be enough to support a users' squad.
Vane isn't like Kaido who chases Zoan types, or Big Mom who chases food-related ones. As long as it's a fruit, he wants it. Building a pirate crew with the most users is entirely possible.
After all, he hasn't even finished the first half of the Grand Line and he's already gathered fifteen users or Devil Fruits. There's no way he won't find even one more later.
"In Rocket Team they all call me the leader. Right now there aren't many people, so it's just two ranks: captain and grunts. Of course, there's also one position that will be top-tier in the future—Leader's Personal Guard, the pillar of our Rocket Team."
"Only those who earn my recognition can become Leader's Personal Guard and the pillar of Rocket Team."
"Originally, this position had only Bonez. Now that you've joined, you'll naturally be in this position as well."
In other words, the number of personal guards has increased.
"They're all personal guards. Before, since there was only one, everyone knew who to call. Today we need to make a distinction."
"From now on, the personal guards will be distinguished as 'Pillars.'"
"For example, Moria can be called the 'Shadow Pillar,' Gecko Moria."
Vane directly borrowed the 'Pillars' from the Demon Slayer world to make the distinctions, benchmarking Big Mom's 'Sweet Commanders' and Kaido's 'All-Stars.'
Moria is gradually picking up his former strength. Being a 'Pillar' definitely won't be a problem.
Bonez is still a fair bit behind, but he's already grasped Armament Haki. As his power grows day by day, his defense and offense are also constantly getting stronger. There's really a sense that he's forging himself into a "black blade."
Vane is really looking forward to the day he becomes superalloy black steel.
"Gehihihihi~~ You've even thought up a nickname for me already? 'Shadow Pillar' sounds really fitting for me."
"As long as you're satisfied. Bonez, you should also think of a pillar name for yourself. You'll need it sooner or later."
Bonez nodded. The pressure on him increased quite a bit. Originally, his strength on the ship was second only to Vane, and the gap in between was a bit large.
Now, with Moria's joining, that gap has been completely bridged. In terms of bounty, Moria is even 20 million Belly higher than Vane now.
"Everyone in Rocket Team, today we're welcoming a new companion—that is Gecko Moria, who has a Navy bounty of 320 million Belly!"
After all the core members had met him, they formally announced Gecko Moria's joining to the whole group.
This isn't some kid dragged back from the snow. This is a veteran great pirate with a bounty over 300 million Belly!
"His bounty is even higher than our captain's."
"Gecko Moria—I've heard that name. A great pirate from several years ago, and also a Devil Fruit user."
"He's the one who fought fiercely with the captain on the island before."
Vane waved his hand to stop everyone's discussion.
"Moria will serve as my personal guard just like Bonez. To distinguish him, from now on he'll be the 'Shadow Pillar' personal guard. Bonez's own nickname is still being thought over; we'll announce it once he's decided."
"Now, to welcome our new companion—let's throw a grand banquet!"
The way pirates express happiness… no, it should be said the way a group of people express happiness.
It's not only pirates who hold banquets. It's just that the forms are a bit different.
...
Moria's joining is, for now, known only to Rocket Team themselves. It will take some time before the Navy and the World Government can verify it.
A few days after leaving Crescent Island, the Thunder Fortress docked at a deserted island for repairs.
"That's how it is, Minotauros—give those two a good lesson."
"Too pitiful. They're completely not a match."
On an open ground, Minotauros, with long snot hanging from his nose and holding a spiked club, one man—or rather, one bull—was fighting Dice and Burgess.
With a single Soru step, Minotauros flashed behind Burgess. By the time Burgess reacted, he'd already been smashed and sent flying like a baseball.
Dice seized the chance, lifted a rock about as big as himself, and smashed it hard into the back of Minotauros's head.
The bull's body swayed a bit, as if nothing happened, and with a spin of the spiked club he gave Dice a hit as well.
Another baseball flew out.
The two of them, at their current level of pirates with bounties in the thirty to forty million range, were completely no match for the brave bull.
"Bonez-sama is stepping in."
"Let's see this time whether Bonez-sama falls first, or Minotauros gets tired and starts panting."
As soon as Bonez entered the field, Minotauros, this guy with only animal-level intelligence, even showed an extremely helpless expression. But it still swung its spiked club and started attacking.
The blacksmith shop scene reappeared.
One is willing to take the hits; the other isn't very willing to hit.
Bonez stood firm. The bull was exhausted and half-dead.
It worked a few times before, but now Bonez is that piece of steel tempered a hundred times.
Training on the field was in full swing.
In the temporary camp.
"From past experience, our next stop is very likely to be Water Seven… but I'm not really in favor of going there."
Moria, using his veteran perspective, didn't recommend that they go to Water Seven, that famous shipbuilding city.
"The World Government is doing some Sea Train project there right now. They've planted a lot of spies there, and there are quite a few Marines as well. Big pirates like us are very easy to get targeted."