Three days passed in a blur.
Romu's welcome banquet finally came to an end. With the probationary crew trials completed, the infighting that once plagued the Rocks Pirates noticeably died down.
Training Grounds — Hachinosu
A group of newly promoted pirates gathered beneath scattered trees, trading stories.
One one-eyed pirate crushed an ant under his boot and sighed in relief.
"Finally passed the trials. Not bad either… I got assigned to Captain Charlotte's division."
The surrounding pirates applauded immediately.
The man lounging in the best shaded spot stood up without complaint and vacated it for him.
The one-eyed pirate grinned and took the seat like he owned it.
Then a heavyset pirate swaggered forward.
"Ahem."
He tapped the white sash on his shoulder — a silent declaration.
"I'm Whitebeard division."
More applause.
The one-eyed pirate awkwardly scooted aside to make room. The fat pirate strutted over and dropped into the prime seat like a king claiming his throne.
He barely had time to settle in before his eyes widened.
Walking toward them was a bespectacled pirate.
Everyone recognized him.
Dachi — one of the twenty-one elite members of Romu's division.
The fat pirate shot upright like he'd been electrocuted. The one-eyed pirate did the same, breathing carefully as if afraid to offend fate itself.
When Dachi arrived, both men smiled stiffly.
"Please… sit."
Dachi nodded, satisfied, and took the seat.
It looked ridiculous — but it was simply the pirate world's rule made visible:
strength decides status.
Among the new recruits, a clear hierarchy existed:
John, Wang Zhi, and Silver Axe — same tier
Charlotte Linlin and Golden Lion — a tier above
Whitebeard — half a tier higher still
Romu — in a class entirely his own
Someone leaned in eagerly.
"So Dachi… what kind of perks does Captain Romu give?"
"Yeah! Let us hear it!"
"I heard he looted over six billion Beli from that Celestial Dragon ship!"
Curiosity burned in every eye.
Dachi snorted.
"Beli? That's pocket change."
He stood, lowering his voice dramatically.
"Captain Romu found a Devil Fruit on that ship."
The air froze.
A Devil Fruit — a gift from the sea itself, capable of rewriting a person's fate.
Dachi enjoyed their stunned expressions.
"It's the Fish-Fish Fruit. Captain Romu handed it straight to Kaido — no hesitation."
"And he told us: if we earn it… every one of us will get a Devil Fruit someday."
Shock rippled through the crowd.
In their hearts, Romu's stature climbed even higher.
Romu's Decision
Romu himself hadn't expected the Celestial Dragon transport to carry such a treasure.
After some thought, he gave the Fish-Fish Fruit to Kaido.
Reason one — he already possessed the Wood-Wood Fruit. Without the Dark-Dark Fruit, consuming another Devil Fruit was impossible.
Reason two — he intended to form his own pirate force eventually. Kaido, as his first true officer, needed real presence.
As for loyalty?
If Kaido ever tried betrayal — even with a future dragon form and Emperor-level strength —
Romu was confident he could crush him.
After inventorying the spoils, Romu relocated to a neighboring island granted to him by Rocks.
Romu's Island
He stared at the newspaper, brow furrowed.
"The World Government's getting restless…"
For three straight days, headlines centered on him and the Rocks Pirates. His bounty — 1.5 billion Beli — dominated the front pages, while the other commanders' bounties quietly climbed as well.
He folded the paper.
"If my estimates are right… God Valley is coming soon."
"The final battle of the Rocks Pirates… it'll make Marineford look tame."
"And after the Celestial Dragon incident and the corpse banner at Hachinosu… the scale could be even bigger."
A slow smile crept onto his face.
"…Good."
That was exactly what he wanted.
A dark red sheen bloomed over his right fist — deeper, denser than during his fight with Zephyr.
He nodded in satisfaction and punched the air.
A shockwave roared forward.
A rock formation dozens of meters away shattered instantly.
His power had grown again.
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