Shiki and Kyo were dispatched by Rocks to test the strength of the pirates landing on the island.
Anyone wanting to become a subordinate crew of the Rocks Pirates had to possess considerable combat power and notoriety.
The minimum threshold was a bounty of 200 million Beli.
Only pirates with overwhelming strength, powerful Devil Fruit abilities, or limitless potential were qualified to join the main Rocks Pirate crew.
The warp-fruit user Ignis had been searching for still had not appeared.
Even Kurozumi Higurashi and her brother had not been contacted by Shiki.
This left Ignis somewhat speechless!
Was obtaining a fourth Devil Fruit ability really this difficult for him?!
Or was it that even the God of Fate disapproved of Ignis obtaining the two life-saving abilities of teleportation and barriers?
For now, Ignis could only continue developing the blood-shadow movement techniques of his Vampire Fruit ability to achieve a pseudo-teleportation effect!
Inside the training grounds where Rocks relentlessly beat Ignis.
"Hey! Rocks, a pirate smuggler named Ganzui is looking for you. He says he wants to become Elysium Island's supplier."
Barbel brought a small giant clad in golden armor onto the Chibaku Tensei skull fortress.
If Barbel hadn't previously heard Rocks and Ignis mention Ganzui, he definitely would not have brought him directly into the headquarters.
At the very least, Ganzui should have fought Shiki and Kyo first.
"Who?"
"Ganzui?"
"Vohahaha! Ignis, someone actually delivered himself to our doorstep!"
"That's much more convenient than searching one by one!"
Rocks burst into delighted laughter. Previously, searching for flying users like Shiki and Charlotte Linlin had wasted them a huge amount of time.
Especially Charlotte Linlin. With Streusen constantly interfering, she had kept avoiding the Rocks Pirates.
It caused the Rocks Pirates to spend several months searching for her.
Rocks had nearly exploded from anger because of it.
And now, finally, an officer candidate had voluntarily come to them!
"Hope you successfully recruit him."
Ignis panted heavily, ending the intense training session with Rocks, too lazy to care how Rocks planned to beat Ganzui into submission.
After devouring so many strong individuals and absorbing so much blood, Ignis's body had completed its cellular transformation years ahead of schedule.
Normally, it would take seven years for the body's cells to fully renew once.
But under this world's unique laws and immense energy, combined with powerful Devil Fruit abilities, Ignis had nearly completed his transformation in just three years since transmigrating here.
Even his bones and organs had undergone unbelievable enhancement.
He could already feel that he possessed the talent to awaken Armament Haki and Observation Haki.
As for the disposition of a king needed to awaken Conqueror's Haki, he probably wouldn't lack that either.
.....
"You helped Sunbell, Newgate, and Linlin with words and persuasion."
"But personally, I still prefer beating guys like Barbel, Shiki, and Kyo into submission."
Rocks flashed his white teeth, temporarily letting Ignis off the hook despite the little bastard's underground bounty surpassing his own.
"Hey hey hey, Rocks, I'm still standing right here!"
When Barbel heard Rocks proudly recounting the glorious story of beating him into submission, he immediately shouted in protest.
'Didn't I have any dignity left?!'
....
Meanwhile, Ganzui's pupils contracted.
He had come here to negotiate business with Rocks, not to join the Rocks Pirates.
"Ganzui, what business? What supplier?"
"Just join the Rocks Pirates directly!"
"I'll personally lead you to plunder!"
"Of course, before joining, I still need to test your strength."
Rocks didn't even give Ganzui a chance to speak. Violent Conqueror's Haki erupted as he drew his sword, Eclipse, and slashed downward.
This was his standard greeting for new recruits!
"Captain Rocks! I'm a pirate smuggler! I came here to discuss busi-"
Ganzui never expected Rocks to completely ignore the unspoken rules of the pirate world, that one should never attack smugglers or News Coo birds.
Faced with Rocks' terrifying strike, Ganzui had no choice but to resist with all his strength.
Yet he was still blasted straight into the wall, coughing up large mouthfuls of blood.
"I know there are rules in the pirate world."
"But right now, my rules are the rules!"
"So tell me, are you joining the Rocks Pirates or not?!"
Rocks rested his long blade on his shoulder and slowly walked toward the ruins. Stepping on the shattered stones, he looked down at the heavily injured Ganzui and grinned.
He had no interest in being like Ignis, who liked talking about rules and relationships.
Rocks preferred letting strength do the talking!!
"You…"
"…"
"I submit…"
Ganzui desperately wanted to curse Rocks as a bastard who ignored all rules, but after seeing the murderous intent in Rocks' eyes,
He very sensibly chose to join.
He didn't want to be hacked to death by this lunatic.
"Vohahaha! Welcome to the Rocks Pirates!"
Rocks grabbed Ganzui and pulled him back to his feet, giving the new member at least a little dignity.
"Ignis, see? Simple and efficient!"
Rocks proudly looked toward Ignis as though showing off that his method was the best and fastest.
"Sorry about that, Ganzui. Please forgive this brute of a captain!"
"But joining the Rocks Pirates will be the most profitable deal you've ever made in your life."
"We'll hold a banquet for you tonight so you can properly experience what it feels like to be an officer of the world's strongest pirate crew."
Ignis flew over to Ganzui and waved a finger, causing all the shattered debris on the ground to float up and press itself back into the wall.
"Hopefully so."
Ganzui forced out a dry laugh, suppressing the anger and frustration in his heart as he put on a smile.
Although Rocks was an unreasonable bastard, Ignis, the vice captain, seemed fairly easy to talk to.
Looking at Ignis's breathtaking appearance and elegant temperament, Ganzui couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
No wonder this supreme grade incubus had a secret bounty of 4 billion Beli placed on him by the female Celestial Dragons!
But the moment Ganzui remembered that Ignis had personally killed the pirate patriarch Wang Zhi, he immediately realized this handsome and demonic-looking man was far from simple.
"Rocks is ruthless toward enemies, but he treats his own people pretty well."
Ignis floated Ganzui up and brought him toward the treatment area.
Speaking of which, the Rocks Pirates didn't even have a ship doctor right now.
Whenever they got injured, they simply relied on their own regeneration.
But every member of the Rocks Pirates was a monster. As long as they weren't killed on the spot, they would basically recover eventually.
"Is that so…"
Ganzui secretly glanced at Rocks. This bastard had opened with a tyrannical slash that almost killed him on the spot.
What kind of "test" was that?
If someone couldn't survive one strike from Rocks, did that simply mean they died and weren't qualified to join the Rocks Pirates at all?
"From now on, you'll handle Elysium Island's trade and the procurement for all the officers. You'll earn even more money."
"And you'll gain the protection of the Rocks Pirates."
Ignis continued trying to guide this great smuggling pirate so he wouldn't remain filled with resentment toward Rocks.
As the chief strategist and vice captain, Ignis truly was doing his utmost to clean up after this brute captain Rocks.
Still, with Rocks playing the villain and Ignis playing the diplomat, the efficiency was indeed extremely high.
These unruly great pirates needed to be crushed into complete submission by Rocks' overwhelming power.
Only then would they obediently listen to Ignis's words.
.....
At this moment, the explosions and tremors from atop the Chibaku Tensei skull caused the pirates below to begin discussing excitedly again.
"The person who just followed Lord Barbel up there… that was Ganzui, right?"
"Heh heh, I wonder whether Ganzui got killed or subdued by Lord Rocks?"
The pirates grinned maliciously among themselves, while Buckingham Stussy's expression turned somewhat grave.
If she proactively tried to join too, wouldn't she also have to take a slash from Rocks?
Judging from those terrifying shockwaves and destructive power, there was no way she could withstand it.
She would freaking die!